I am 2 serious weeks into my 1/2 Ironman training, I say serious because I sort of started training before we actually signed up for the race just in case we did, but I am not counting that into my training. Here is a little recap on where I am at with each element of the race. I am planning to check in with you bi-weekly about my progress until race day! 

Swim – I have been swimming since before I can remember. Literally, I don’t remember learning how to swim. As far back as my memories go I could swim. In the summertime my brother and I would often swim 3 times a day – lessons in the morning, play at my Aunt Mary’s pool in the afternoon and swim team at night. Those were my favorite summer days – we were fish! I swam for my high school, on a club team and for Lafayette when I went to college. So… the swim is the least of my worries… however, it is also the smallest percentage of the race time wise… The average time to finish the 1.2 mile swim is around 40 minutes, where as the bike is 3+ hours and the run 2+. I am trying to get in 2-3 2000 yard (80 lap) workouts a week. 1.2 miles is 2112 yards, so those workouts should put me at a point where I am prepared for the swim. 

(me swimming before I can remember haha) 

Bike – I am all kinds of worried about the bike. I did however conquer my first fear and get on my road bike in my clips for some miles this week… and I didn’t even fall! Yay me! … I have had some incidents clipping in to and out of my clips in the past so that was a large feat… The bike portion is just SO long, in terms of time it is normally 50% or more of the total race time. To me 56 miles on a bike seems like an eternity. I am trying to spin 2-3 times/week at the gym plus get out 2-3 times on my road bike to get real rode practice in. In an hour long spin class I normally cover 20-24 miles… but that does not seem to be translating well to the pavement… 

Run – My biggest fear about the run is obviously it’s placement at the end of the race! Am I going to be able to run 13.1 miles after swimming 1.2 and biking 56? I think so… but it is going to be painful. Since I am now swimming and biking on top of running, my mileage has come down a little bit in the past few weeks. I had a some nagging knee pain last week which I am attributing to old sneakers – I got 2 new pairs of Mizunos this week which will get me through to race day. 

(selfies of Layla and I while running are hard…) 

Looking Ahead – Things I need to focus on and will check back in with you about: 

• Swim to Run to Bike – I have not done all of these things consecutively in the correct order yet 
• Brick – Bike to Run workouts — I hear this is the best thing to do in preparation because the bike to run transition on race day can be brutal and you need to know what it is going to feel like to run on really tired legs ( I need to do more of these) 
• Nutrition – It is a long race so I will need to figure out what calories I will need and the best time/place to get them in and practice it on some long workouts 
• What to wear?! I am working on some options and will report back!

Please let me know in the comments if you have any tips for me! I would love any help I can get! 

7 weeks until race weekend!