Let it Begin

Last week I had an inspired run in Los Angeles. I set out to run six miles on an overcast day around 2 in the afternoon sixty three degree's outside. This turned into a beautiful ten mile run with sections along the beach with the waves crashing into the shore. Just a beautiful day to run and a sharp contrast to the blistering heat that is beginning to show it's ugly face in Phoenix.

This was just wonderful. I kept going and time was the last thing I thought about. My fuel belt has been picking up dust. My wonderful new bike has been sitting on the rack like a show peace. My timing couldn't be any worse, but I now have the itch. I yearn for the feeling an hour into a workout where you just are in the zone and the minutes fly by. I want to wake up and have the soreness in my legs be the first thing I feel. I want to fit better in my uniform, which has gotten pretty tight over the last few months. I worked out this morning doing weights, working my upper body with 3 sets of 20 reps and was short of breath. I can't believe something that simple winds me at this point. I finished my workout with 40 minutes on a stationary bike and a 2 miles jog at 6 mph. This was a slow start, but a start.

The thing about Ironman training is that if your heart isn't in it then it's overwhelming. If you can't buy into the hours spent swimming, biking and running then it doesn't work. There is no end to the excuses not to go run for 10 miles. I am brought a protein bar to help with recovery after my workout and even had creatine in my bag to help get the most out of my weight lifting. These are signs of not just going through the motions, but rather taking the extra steps to get the most out of my workouts.

Today is a new day, my wife is over seven months pregnant, but still gives me time to build a base before the little guy shows up and I have gotten most of the baby prep out of the way. The nursery is done, the swing and pack n play put together. We have talked through a lot of it and even taken a hospital tour. I am looking forward to my overnights and the chance to really settle into a workout. Tomorrow I'm in Salt Lake City and there is a long run with my name on it. On shorter overnights, I plan to do more speed work to fix one of my weaker areas up tell now. I have already proven that a plan is not easy to follow when I'm getting calls from my family to pick up my nephew, or trying to do home training online for my work at Southwest airlines. I've proven that I don't do well forcing my plan into a week where demands are ever changing, but I have also proven in the past that when I have the itch I will train.

I have the itch and can't wait for the next workout. I am half way through listening to The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss and have 3 gel packs in my bag to bust out a long run tomorrow. After that I don't know what comes next, but I'm eager. I'm off to the airport, to fly from New Orleans to Los Angeles again, and then two more to Salt Lakes City now. Red beans and rice isn't the best post workout meal, but early in training it will have to do.