1/2 Ironman Training - Update 2 - Sprinkles & Sea Salt

Hello and Happy Monday! Checking in again about how my 1/2 Ironman training is going!

Over the weekend I tested out my race suit and it’s a go! I bought it here off Amazon for only $30! At first I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go with a 1-peice or if I wanted to change after the swim, but when I saw this suit it was so cheap I decided to give it a shot. It is made by Danskin, which is known for it’s dance apparel, not triathlon gear! That is probably why it was so cheap, haha. But, it fits me well and is very comfortable to bike and run in. It is a little looser than I would like for the swim, but I think it will hold up just fine. It has a little bit of padding in the butt which is nice for the bike portion, but not so much that it feels bulky on the swim or run. It also has a hidden pocket in the back where I will be able to store some nutrition on the run which is an added bonus!

Swim: Nothing has changed on the swimming front. I am getting in 2-3 workouts a week for a total of about 5000 yards. I did find out that our age group will be starting in swim wave 18/21 at 7:36AM. I wish we were in one of the earlier waves so we would be done earlier, but I guess it will be cool to watch people swim before we get in and get a better sense of the course. Also, our cap color is yellow… they are giving the 35-39 year old men fluorescent pink caps and us yellow? Why?

Bike: I was stopped at a light thinking about how great I was doing with my clips and the next thing I knew I was toppling over unable to save myself… luckily it was pretty early and only 1 person saw me, he asked if I was alright, but I could tell from his face he was thinking “how do you manage to fall over when you were completely stopped?”

This photo is far more dramatic than the actual injury was because I continued riding after the fall. I told myself if I am going to be a 1/2 ironwoman I can’t stop a workout for a little scrape. That, and because I had been reading this girl Katie’s blog, Run This Amazing Day… she was competing in a full ironman, got hit by a biker while she was trying to fix her own bike, the hit broke her arm and she still finished the whole race! Unbelievable! I will be reminding myself of her when it gets tough throughout my race!

I’ve still been putting most of my miles in on the spin bike. One day last week the instructor didn’t show up, luckily I had my own music and pushed through 20 miles on my own… big, empty, spin room.

I am still feeling the most anxiety about the bike even though people keep telling me that if that is what I am worried about I shouldn’t worry, that the swim and run are harder for most people… well I guess I am not most people then, haha. I am planning to get 2 longer outdoor rides in in the coming weekends so I think that will help my confidence!

Run: I feel like my runs have been slow lately, but I think that is due to the excessive heat and tired legs. Though not faster, I am feeling stronger, especially on hills, which I attribute to the increased leg training on the bike. I am hoping stronger legs will translate into a good run to finish up the race on race day!

Now that I have officially checked my race suit off the list my goal for the next few weeks is to focus on nailing down a nutrition plan! Again, if anyone has any advice for me on any aspect of the training or race I would love to hear it!

5 weeks (less 1 day) until race day!

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