Back to it, a year off. And I’m not certain I was prepared for just how hard it’d be to get back into a functional marathon shape.

Until I started try again of course.

Here we are, 10 days from Grandma’s Marathon. My last run was a dumpster fire, or rather a crotch fire I guess. Rookie mistake lead to major chafing. But, well, my legs were falling apart as well.

I’ve had a theory going into my training runs this time, as I have Ironman Wisconsin coming up in the fall as well, let’s bike Saturday and run Sunday. That way I’ll be going out on slightly (or majorly) tired legs for the run, which should make for better training.

While I think that’s working alright physically, mentally it’s been a strain. Now, I’m pretty used to some mental pressure, but coupling it with the brutal reality that I’m in such worse shape than I was a couple years ago, it’s a combined pressure I wasn’t quite ready for.

But, we’re in it now.

So, let’s recap, I spent eight years building, every year was bigger than the previous. A longer race, or more races. Just more. But the building was fun, exciting, seeing the progress being made, week after week, month after year. The races scared me, and that was a huge motivator for me. I wanted to push, just to see how far I could take it.

This now, after a year break, this is different. I’m not doing something further than ever before, hell, it’ll be like my 15th marathon and my 5th Ironman.

So if they’re not scaring me, how do I generate the motivation to get the training in.

That’s been the biggest hurdle. I keep telling myself, it’s about balance. Don’t go overboard in the training, don’t commit your everything to this, you have way too many other things going on.

I think it needs to be fun again. Doing it needs to be the purpose, fulfilment in the moment, whether training or racing, the act of doing it is the point.

and…

If I’m being totally honest with my middle aged self.

That’s really the point of all of it.

So here we go.

My training won’t be where I want it.
My aging body will fight me.
My times are going to continue to get slower.

But for the training and the racing this year. I’m going to enjoy the ride while I still can.