Anybody can do an Ironman.? Dont ever think its something that your body cant do … its your mind that wont try.? Entering the first of 21 weeks of training, I realize that Im facing much more of a mental challenge than a physical one.? Its not the distance, but the six days a week consistency.? Its not the hours of training, but the very few left over after training over 10 hours a week.? The diet, the hydration, the early nights, the earlier mornings, the stretching, the ice baths, the protein shakes, gels, salt tabs … Ironman is a lifestyle.

April 6th kicked off a 21 week training plan to get me to the starting line of Ironman Louisville on August 31st.? My preparation however started about 17 months prior when I joined the YMCA and began triathlon training to building my aerobic base.? The very first week of my Ironman plan has me training for 8 hours with 30 mile bike rides, 10 mile runs and more than a couple laps in the pool.? I needed the last year and a half to get fit enough to even consider taking on this challenge, and during that time I have put in over 2200 miles on the bike, 650 miles running and 200,000+ yards in the pool.? Pretty much I could have Forrest Gumped it from one side of the country to the other.

I feel prepared now though; healthy, happy and ready to accept the challenge.? I have the inevitable feeling that I have no idea what Im in for.? I will be no doubt humbled by the experience and emerge on the other side forever changed.? Check back over the next 5 months as I log my training successes and failures and report on the 5 other triathlons that I plan on doing this year.? The first one starts tomorrow morning with the Max Performance Triathlon Series Race #3 which was the first ever triathlon that I competed in one year ago.

Thanks Stephanie Church for this pic!

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