Well the plan didn't go as hoped. I ate and drank way more than I needed and didn't train anywhere near enough. I did have a few swims and I went to the gym once but I wouldn't say I did much. So while the trip was really fun and productive I wouldn't say it helped my ironman goal. One thing I did unfortunately do is hurt my rib. I was wake boarding on the weekend I was there and came off what must have been heavily. It hurt a little that night and I found it hard to sleep. I spent the next week in Manila feeling sore. I got an xray the day I got back and they could not determine what I had done. Either way nothing bad was still there and they couldn't do anything so I just had to cope with it until it healed.
The second day back home I was back on the bike. Boy it was hard work. The rib made my chest hurt. I struggled but got through it. The next week was much the same as every other week with the added enjoyment of rib pain. Then came Christmas with all the eating and celebrating that goes along with it. I felt like I had celebrated way to much and needed to do more training. The last Sunday of the year and the Summit IM squad (that's what I will call the small group of us including the coach) decided to do a solid brisk session. 2km swim, 4hr ride and 10km run. Sounded easy enough on paper. Problem is whats on paper is not always as easy as it looks. So the 2km swim in the ocean became 2.4km's. Thats not really an issue. I got through it feeling good. The bike started well enough. We were all together riding along and then we hit bald hill. This is about the time I decided that I am no a hill climber. About half way up I was looking for lower gears. Unfortunately there was no more. I spat the dummy and threw it down the road. My heart was going at what felt like 300bpm and my legs were burning. You can't stop as there is no lane off to the side of the road so you have to just keep going. Mike and John had left me far behind. Adam who started off slow was catching me and by the time we hit the first flat spot at the top he past me asking in his usual happy voice how I was. Well I just got off as soon as I could and laid down. I had some quality time crying to myself as we were only 40min into the ride. How could I continue on when I knew I had so long and so many other hills to go. Anyway I got back on and caught up with Adam.
We rode the rest of the two hours out like we had to. Every little rise was a struggle from there on and I don't want to talk about the other real hills you get to ride up in the national park. But either way we made the 2hr mark and turned around. The return ride was uneventful and painful. Back at the car we packed the bikes away and started to run. The sun which had been hidden away for most of the morning had decided to come out and the heat was picking up. I ran my own pace and made it the 10kms that I had to. None of that was fun but I guess it was needed. After the run I got straight back in the water and cooled off before heading home. There is talk of doing it again and I am happy to as long as we don't have to deal with that hill.
Well that's been about the most interesting part of the training. The rib is slowly getting better. I don't feel the pain much anymore just now and then when I move in a way it doesn't want me to. I have now seen the rest of the plan until IM. It looks hard. I know I need to do it and am worried a little as I only see 8 training weeks including the race week. While it will be good to get it done I don't know if I am ready. Guess we will see.
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