19 Days to IMAZ!

I just read over my Race Report from IMAZ 2010...it's funny to see how much has changed in one year.   I think I had the "tri-education" of a 3rd grader back then.  Hopefully I'm now in high school---there's plenty more for me to learn about IM racing for sure.

I just finished the biggest build week for IMAZ...and at 24 days post Kona and feeling this good, I can tell that I was too conservative,or rather, the cramping I experienced, kept me from the crush a marathon puts on the body.  The week started 16 days post Kona, and here are the stats:  23:35 total time...(bigger than ever because I moved my Halloween workout into my sunday rest day...had to be done).

Swim:  10,500 yds
Bike:  269 Miles
Run: 50.4 miles

Definitely the biggest run + bike week I have done.  5 runs, with back to back 2 hour runs on W, Th.  Then 4,5,3 hour rides on F, Sat, Sun.  The 4 hour ride on friday was by far the toughest workout in there...fatigued from running 32 miles within the previous 38 hours, plus the rigors of the work week...it was a slugfest with the concrete, at what felt like a slugs pace (only 72 miles in 4 hours).  My route was not the easiest as well...I am a glutton for punishment.  But by the end of the week, I was not feeling the almost 24 hours of training load on my body.  I have a feeling my body doesn't bother throwing the rebellion towel at me anymore...it's plain and simple just used to the pummeling.  Anyways, I passed the test.  Time to start cutting back the run and keep the aerobic system primed for the distance by keeping some long rides in there, and cruise into the Absorption Phase (aka the "uneasy" phase for most as you start to question whether you are "losing it" or not...).

Everything is where it needs to be...physically and mentally.  BUT I think I need some humor in here to break up the focus ;-)
The hardest part of this "absorption phase" is to control my hunger...I think if I ate to satisfaction, I could put some serious pounds on in no time.  The diet is gonna be full of Chia Seeds and Rice Cakes (joking, but not far off!)...they'll be my snack foods versus the cup of trail mix, tortilla with peanut butter, etc.  Ugh, holding back on the food is harder than the race itself!  I feel sorry for that Thanksgiving meal though...I may need my own bird ;-)  I already am eying that Large Pizza I couldn't eat last year right after the race.  Can I just get a pie uncut, fold it in half, and devour it in 5 minutes??  To much to ask?

Obviously I am getting ahead of myself...back to pre-race focus.  Okay, well then, not much more to say right now as the attempt at humor filled a bit of space, and my mind is somewhat blank otherwise right now...