Recovered, Lost, and Found. A Rocket City Celebration

It's been five weeks since the Ironman finish line. For most of that time I let the workouts take a back seat to living real life. The first few weeks were nothing but that good old R&R. I slept a lot, ate more and did all the things I don't normally do fifty some weeks of the year. It was a well deserved and nice break. But soon enough I had the itch to move again. My body was feeling more and more normal each day. This was a good thing because I was to toe the line to the Rocket City Marathon down in Huntsville, Alabama in just a few short weeks. A decision I made a few months before Ironman.

Slowly, I eased back into running and swimming mainly trying to loosen up and get a feel back. The first few workouts were awkward and stiff...what I expected. With time they got better and I found a groove. Some days were worse than others, but ultimately things got better.

For the most part my running was very easy paced and short. I was technically training for the marathon but wasn't really gaining any fitness. In fact, what I learned was that I wasn't training for anything at all. All my short runs, easy swims and recovery spins were just that. Recovery. For the first time in my life, I was "training" for an event by coming down instead of building up. A new approach for sure. But it made sense. There was no way I would gain any real fitness between the Ironman finish line and Huntsville's start, and if I did, it was minimal. My best case scenario was to minimize the damage done in Florida and start the 26.2 as close to pre-Ironman freshness as possible. As the marathon got close, I felt my recovery coming along, I was on track. That's not to say I didn't do a few longer runs and short track sessions but once again, the intentions of those weren't to sharpen the knife but to buff off the rust.

As I sit now, less than a day from the marathon I find myself anxious for the racing daze. I am curious to find out what's left in my legs and how much of a fight they will put up to the inevitable pain. (it's still a marathon) But again, tomorrow's test is different. Most races I want to know the levels of my fitness, tomorrow I will ask my body how well rested it is. Unfortunately, I don't think it will let me know until somewhere between miles twenty-one and twenty-six.

The other unique aspects to tomorrow's run are my strategy, mental approach and expectations. As for strategy, I don't really have one (other than to stay patient and not push), and my mentality is more about enjoyment and less about focus. My goal tomorrow is not a time or a qualification. It is simply to have fun and enjoy the day with some good friends. My expectations have less do to with paces and splits and more with happiness and celebration. I plan to hold back if/when it starts to really hurt (it's still a marathon) and pace myself comfortably the entire run, never pushing the limits...a very atypical race approach for me. It might be tough at times, but I will resist because it's not the purpose of the day nor am I fit enough for the test.

For me, 2010 was a successful race year with several major accomplishments and milestones. I ran my first winter trail 50k in January, earned a spring half marathon PR, I PR'ed in all three distances of triathlon I raced (Olympic, 70.3, Ironman) and won my AG in one of my biggest triathlons of the season, while also making significant bike and swim fitness gains throughout the season.

I intend on reflecting on all of this during my run tomorrow. I will give thanks for my health and celebrate my hard work and discipline. I will think about the sacrifices I made to accomplish these goals and what the accomplishments themselves mean to me. I will think about next season too. What are my new goals and what sacrifices and I willing to make to reach them? It's pretty easy to be dead honest with yourself two and a half hours into a run.

I'm going to think about the low points I went through this season too; and give thanks for the ability to persevere. I will think about how I overcame adversity this season and learned to stick up for myself, be proud of who I am, and be accountable for my actions. I will give thanks for the friendships this sport has afforded me. I will reflect on the people in my life that help me reach my goals and support my racing daze. I will thank every single volunteer I see and cheer on other runners. I will run with my head up for a change; out of "the zone". I will pray as I run tomorrow. This marathon, when it comes down to it, is less of a race for me, and more of a time to celebrate, give thanks, and reflect. A time to consider how fortunate I really am. A victory lap.