I'm getting excited. Then I get scared, then excited again. Some days I think I'm ready and other days I think I need more time. But there is no more time and the time that is left is taper time. Time to let the body recover but not shut down. It's a thin line between the two. Too much relaxing and the body will think it has done its job and go into hibernation. Too little rest and I'll go into feeling exhausted.
Last year I tapered too much I think and I felt that on the bike. This year I think I'm a little wiser and trying to taper just enough to get the rest I need but still keep the body and mind in a state of readiness. To do that I'm still doing some intense training this week but trying to combine it with some fun as well. Like yesterday. I'm did three separate training sessions but trying to have fun with them.
Yesterday morning I swam to the King's Buoy with a friend. A bunch of Ironman athletes were already in the water swimming. Big swells, big waves and lots of dolphins greeted us at the Kings buoy. We even saw a manta ray swim under the dolphins and it made me wish I had a camera with me. How often do you see that? A manta and dolphins in the same shot.
We swam with the dolphins (who were in the middle of mating so they stayed around for a long while), played tag with them and envied them for their swimming ability. It was a great swim and very relaxing. That afternoon I had a quick little hourlong run along Alii Drive. I probably ran it a little too hard but I had fun seeing all the triathletes out and about. There were plenty also lots of tourists to run around.
About the time I got home it started pouring rain and then I waited for Masters swim practice last night for my final session of the day. Each day the workouts are getting a little easier and a little shorter. This weekend I'll do my final distance training. Nothing real long just a couple of hours on the bike and an hour and a half run. After that it's just rest and hydrate for the last week. short little rides and runs and a lot of swimming but nothing hard, just playing in the water. After all, Ironman for me isn't a race, it's an event. Something to finish. To attain to.
Well, gotta go. Time to swim to the Ironman buoy. Hopefully lots of dolphins and rays and athletes and friends will be out. And speaking of friends.
I met an Ironman athlete yesterday from Orlando, Florida. His name is Rajesh and this will be his first Ironman. If you get a chance stop by his website at: http://www.live-free.net/. I borrowed this photo from Leann.
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