The Iron Diaries

[emilyj]

FYI, there is a Target, HEB, and Whole Foods all within about a half a mile from the hotel.

As every week ticks off, and IM gets a week closer, I am so happy that I hired my current coach last year. We've been working together just shy of a year now, and as I look at my progress, and how different training is this time around, I'm half in disbelief and half...I don't know. Grateful? I'm heading in to the big build period, and his note to me this week ended with "You got this. You are doing amazing." I NEVER got that kind of instruction, guidance, or feedback from old coach.

Plus, I am digging this 2 weeks of hard training, one week of recovery. After I finished my pool session today, I met my H for lunch, and I told him "I think I'm finally understanding the magic of recovery weeks."

The one thing that set me off was after I booked my plane tickets, I looked in my Delta app and it said "47 days until check in." THAT is what finally caused me to have the OMG WHAT I'M NOT READY IT'S TOO SOON moment. But, it was short lived. Just a few more hard weeks to get through, and I'll be sailing home. Plus, my hard weeks...haven't been hard yet. And by hard, I mean unmanageable. No crazy workouts, no beating me to death. I looked at this week's and thought "Cool. I can handle this."

Questions

- Are you as over winter as I am? When do you think you'll be able to ride outside again?

FUCK YES. I want sunshine. I want temperatures that aren't in the 20's. I want sunshine. Did I say I want sunshine? I want to not come in freezing after every run. As for riding outside...I'm going this week, dammit. Even if it's just for a few minutes.

- How many glasses of water have you had to drink today?

Hmmm. I'm actually doing good for me today. I'm at about 44 oz?

- Name the first thing that's going on your IMTX packing list

My race day outfit.

Here's a question for you...what did you pack last time that you realized you didn't need, and aren't going to bring this time?