How You Know You are Training for the Ironman - List 1

I thought it might be fun to examine my life lately, and see what the start of ironman training is like. I plan on doing another list later in the summer (List 2) to see how things have changed. Some of these are probably just inherent to triathletes in general, but some are specific. I know this because I used to enjoy certain aspects of my half-iron training that have since changed.

This is how I figure you know you are training for the Ironman in July (Racing in Oct)

• You get up before 5 to start workouts because they are getting to long to do and still make it to work

• You wonder if your work has some sort of sabbatical option, much like maternity leave, except it's called Ironman leave. If they don't, they should really look into it.

• You think about food 24/7, although you don't always have time to eat it (because most of the time you are training)

• On Saturdays, your long ride + t-run + 3000 yrd swim start to approach the same amount of hours you sleep at night (7-8)

• People keep asking you what the distances of each sport are within an Ironman, and then proceed to tell you "you're crazy, seriously, you are!"

• After asking you the distances of the events,...3..2..1 "wait...all of that in one day??"

• Your pee is never clear (something I prided myself in previously), I mean never...drink 3 more bottles of water today, guess what.. not clear

• You ask people to ride with you and the converstations go like this You -"wanna ride on Saturday?" Them-"Sure, how long you goin?" You-"Six hours or so" Them - "you know what, I'll have to pass, I've got this thing going on, it's called children & having a life"

• You have enough food stashed in your car to eat for three days without leaving should you become stranded. You need it for prior, during, and after workouts...plus, you have wrappers shoved in every crevice (oh.. and your spouses car too.. "honey, that was not me".

• You carry the equipment for all three sports in your car at all times, like a walking locker room, you change in there also so you can make it to the next workout to complete it before it gets dark.

• You read other blogs of people training for Ironman to make yourself feel better, you're not alone, the crazies are many!!! Form a human chain you crazy party ironman people!

I'm sure there are many, many more.. but these are just a few I am thinking of right now. It should only get more interesting as I start to do 4 hour rides on Thursday nights AFTER work (used to be my Saturday long ride now = short Thursday ride..hummm?).

I love Ironman training. I really do, it's the best!