The Goal

I have been asked this week how I am doing... by everyone. Like I have some sort of disease. They ask with a worried look. "How are you doing Mary?" they say "Is there anything I can do?"

Did someone steal my teddy bear or something? Did someone die and no one is telling me?

Oh... I get it! Mary is without her endurance fix and the breakdown must be coming, right?

Well fear not my friends... I will not break down. I am following Coach T's orders to a T (get it?). My feet are up, I am in the man chair, and I am waiting for November 3rd to roll around. I have so much work to do here at Train-This that resting does not even become a problem.

I also have so much to be done in the laundry and housekeeping department... but we will save that for after I return. I will have plenty of time to get that done between Nov 4th and Dec 3rd :-)

On tap for today.... writing programs, finishing a newsletter, getting directions form the airport to hotel to race printed. Creating my list of packing for myself and for Luc (thank God Curt can handle himself.) Creating the playlists for my classes this week, creating the classes for my classes this week.

And most importantly I will be dreaming about the Ironman.

So what's the goal? So what's the time? So what's the theme for the day?

The goal is to have a good day. If you have ever done an Ironman you then know that so much can happen. I would like to roll with any punches with a smile and with some grace. I would like to handle the highs and the lows with humility and again humor and grace. I respect this distance to know that anything can happen on race day.

If the water is good I'd like to be out of the ocean in about an hour. If I see Jaws plan on me breaking the swim record. And then plan on me having a very long marathon.

I would like to ride between 5:30-6:00. I have wattage goals that I will stick to. The bike will be the hardest part for me because it will entail holding myself back. I am riding a disc wheel and I love to hammer. That usually buys me a near fastest bike split with a near similar run time. And if you know triathlon you know that's not good.

Conservative on the bike will be the theme. Let the trains go by, get in all of my nutrition, and stay within myself. Those are my bike goals.

Running... this is where we've done the most work. I am aiming for a 4:00 marathon. I know that at mile 18 it becomes mental. I also know that nutrition on the bike will show up here. So those calories and mg of salt must be perfect. Earlier this year at Ironman Lake Placid about mile 15 is where I fell into outer space until Doug Bush saved me with a lot of salt tablets.

In the end I will be very happy to finish the Ironman for a fourth time. I will be over the moon if I finish below an 11:23.45 which is my previous best. Am I aiming to qualify? If I do, great, if I don't, then that's great too. Then I get to hang with my friends at Ironman Lake Placid 2008. Kona isn't the end all be all for me.

Those are the goals. Broad, yes. Unrealistic? No. I know that the longest distance I will travel will be from ear to ear. I know that I am very well prepared. I know that what will happen out there.... will happen.

And whichever way this day rolls.... I am excited and I am ready.

Thanks for stopping by.

;-0 Mary