Peaked

  Today marked the end of my most strenuous training. The past 3 weeks have been my peak weeks with the highest miles. Matt H. and I biked the entire Lake Placid course which was 112 miles, we ran 20 miles. The following Sunday I biked 120 miles and Monday ran 20 miles, yesterday I biked a wicked hilly course for a total of 80 miles and ran another 20 miles this morning. Phew!! That's it!! Now I start to taper for race day. It's shocking that I am already starting to taper. Not long ago I had a year to train for this beast, now what's done is done and there is nothing more I can do. No matter what I do from here on out I will not get stronger or faster. If I'm stupid and push too hard though I could get slower and weaker. Now I have got to use my head and start to really listen to my body. This coming week-end I have only a 4 hour bike followed by only a 16 mile run planned. June 15 I plan on biking for only 3 hours and follow it by only an hour run or so. That will put me into pre-race week in which my training will really die down. If all goes as planned I will start to feel like a caged bear, full of energy and raring to go! It's a feeling that drives triathletes crazy. You want to train, get your energy out or race but you can't. You have to bottle it all up until race day. It's kind of a funny feeling. These next 3 weeks will be full of training but my big, long training days are complete!!! It feels good!!! Now I just need to focus on staying healthy, eating right, getting lots of sleep and tapering. 

  What a road it has been. Jamie and I were talking about it this morning and we both agree that this Ironman business will have to be put on hold for quite awhile since it takes so much time to train. We are both exhausted and ready for some normalcy. It's been hard this past year having to plan week-ends around my training, or having to go to bed wicked early to get up at the crack of dawn to train. We have missed out on alot of social times, trips, and other fun activities. I did my best to not affect my family too much with the training but it's impossible. When I first started writing this blog I mentioned how my goal was to train in such a way that my family was not neglected. Well, I wouldn't say they were neglected and I feel like I did my best but when you hit the last several months of training the family is affected and lots of time with the family is sacrificed in order to be on the bike for 6-7 hours or running for 3-4 hours. It all adds up quickly. Jamie has felt the stress too and is equally exhausted. 

  I had a sweet friend over the other night and it was so nice to be social. I haven't been able to hang out with her hardly at all but it was so much fun. I haven't been able to hang out with many people at all because I am either training, taking care of Tuck, taking Tuck to his activities, working, cooking, working, cleaning, working or sleeping. 

  I will never forget this year though and feel like it's kind of a peak year for me. Kiddo number 2 is planned for the very near future and then I have this feeling my body is going to fall apart. Haha!!! Actually, it's honestly a true fear of mine. I have every intention of getting back into shape after the pregnancy but not to this degree. This is it. Time will never be the same. Tuck keeps us so busy, I just can't imagine two kids yet. Wow, it's going to be busy, exhausting and yet wonderful. 

  Well, that's about all I have to say for now but I will continue to post before, during and after Lake Placid Ironman 2012.