The Juice

So far, so good.  Week 29 of my 30 week IronMan training program is in the rear mirror.  The first 10 weeks of training is considered the base phase of training.  It is the time that a body prepares itself for phases 2 and 3, the build and peak phases respectively.  The base phase is undoubtedly the easiest of the 3 phases.  However, it shouldn’t be confused with easy.  I spent about 8 hours training last week.  My body was definitely sore but nothing that an Advil PM and a Screwdriver couldn’t cure.  The coming weeks will bring more; more time at the gym, more time in the pool, more time in the saddle, more time on the trail, and most importantly more intensity.

I have never considered myself a masochist but am beginning to doubt if this is true or not.  I love the feeling of being physically exhausted.  Professional accomplishments have never provided that same level of satisfaction.  Maybe it is because my professional accomplishments have generally been abstract.  For example, I have worked with debt, equity, time, business processes, and technology.  It is difficult to fully appreciate their lack of tangibility until experiencing their ambiguous nature.  The opposite is true about triathlon.

There is something concrete about meeting challenges and exceeding your own expectations.  Success is achieved by not listening to the devil on your shoulder telling you to quit.  In spite of that nagging sensation, go a little further.  Reflecting on those character miles is what makes it all worth it to me.  Everyone knows when they have truly left it all out there versus when they quit prematurely.  Training opens the opportunity for a daily victory.

Ultimately, race day is a manifestation of that effort.  It isn’t just crossing the finish line for me.  It is knowing that, although a bit cliché, I gave it my best.  The juice was worth the squeeze.  For me, IronMan is worth it.  Until next time, swim, bike, run.