Is it possible to maintain a remotely normal life whilst training for Ironman? I'm not sure but so many people do it, that it must be possible...surely?! People do Ironman who have kids, hold down full time professional jobs, keep marriages together, etc etc..
But do they just put everything on hold for several months in order to really 'do' Ironman? Do the partners, children, friends, colleagues; all just put up with this triathlon crazed nut who eats like a horse, has to leave social events by 9pm because 'I am getting up in 7hours', talks about training over breakfast lunch and dinner, and moans about how expensive it's all getting..???
What does my life involve at the moment....5hrs of swimming a week, 1.5hrs hrs of water running and about 10-11 hrs of riding....so that amounts to about 17 hrs of training. Up at 430am most days, bed by 930pm....or earlier.
I went out for dinner with friends twice this weekend; Friday and Saturday night. Friday night - fellow triathletes. Saturday night - not fellow triathletes. Levels of guilt: Friday = 1/10 Saturday = 9/10. In bed at 11pm both nights; guiltily mumbling 'sorry I'm having to leave so early' as I run out the door to the car - but I still had to get up at 430am to train....so my hours of sleep were reduced to about 5 each night. I am telling you, that is NOT enough to sustain 6 hours of training. By Sunday afternoon I was nanna napping on the couch. So do I lose my social life for the next 3.5 months? Is it possible to maintain 'normality'?
Well yes and no.
Getting up at 430am IS NOT NORMAL PEOPLE. Unless you do it yourself and then you understand....so it's just as well a lot of my friends are fellow triathletes; it becomes a race to get home first. Socialising becomes an afternoon affair and no one feels guilty when excuses are made to leave at 8pm. Apologies now to non triathlon friends for the next while of early nights and putting training ahead of late nights..please save me after March 6th!
anyway...I should go, I need to get my stuff ready for the morning and it is 845pm already!
Faye
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Welome to the world of IM training. You should try being in an office where people introdue you as "the crazy triathlete guy". Good read and keep them coming.
ReplyDeleteRich