Saturday, March 31, 2007

Team work

I didn't think that after more than a decade of running and lifting weights solo , that I would find myself craving company more than solitude for triathlons. I think I need a group hug here.

Training for two ironman's last year (racing in one) I had no shortage of companionship. After helpings so many of my friends finish their first they were there for my first. In a cosmic sense it was a perfect window of opportunity to practice together. It was not unusual last summer to show up at a deserted parking lot at 4 a.m. Saturday morning and find two partners hauling out their gear because they didn't want me to ride alone for all or part of 100 miles.

This time around, for Arizona, all the same faces are here, hell even more faces, but the schedules have been different, responsibilities have changed and getting together has been dificult. Even last year when I continued to do most of my runs solo and only swam and biked with the team, over just a few months with all of us being on the same stretch of road running the same distance, it was nice. It made me want to run with friends. Now I find more and more of my training being done alone again because 'life happens', and suddenly my desire to do those activities alone like I used to has lost its luster.

Once I was the guy who walked into the room who could proclaim ten extra hours of practice since the last time I saw a team mate, now I'm smack dab in the average category. There is no feeling sorry for myself its a process of overcoming changes to stimuli.

Today I am going to swim at the pool by myself. Then go for a run or a spin by myself. Nothing flashy or new or different. Its taper time for an ironman and there is a formula for this kind of stuff. Tomorrow is loop on the ironman bike course and one loop of the run course. Thats pretty much the last of the big hurrah's a 2 hour bike and 1 hour run.

After this ironman, finish or fall off, you could almost say my yearly goals are over. I'm certainly am not doing another ironman this year after doing two only half a year apart. There are plenty of Oly's and perhaps Soma 1/2 iron in late October but I am taking my triathlon training in another direction after the Rocky Pt. Olympic three weeks after ironman. Yeah another race so quickly after a 140.6, crazy I know. But that might just define the rest of 2007...

6 comments:

Bigun said...

I don't know if I'm training enough for the 101 race, but if so, then that would be a long course substitute for you, if you wanted to go that route. Even halfs are cool races - there really aren't that many Oly's around here - lots and lots of sprints...I guess I'm just used to training alone, I'm stoked about the possibility of Jetpack training with me for some of this, I'm not goining to know what to do!

Bolder said...

i hear yah. i know your pain.

TriBoomer a.k.a. Brian said...

I like it that you have a plan. Stay healthy and keep it fun, Comm.

Stay tuned...

Taconite Boy said...

Yes boomer is so right. Keep it fun. When the fun stops take a break! Excited for you, only 14 days 10 hours 46 minutes and 39,38, you get the point.

momo said...

comm - it was great to run into you this afternoon. maybe ragnar could be on your radar for next year. my friends and i signed up again, but for the ultra this time. we figured what the heck, we had such a good time, we'd go big next time.

we'd love to have you join any of our rides - we'll be riding every saturday from now til june 24. just let me know and please say hi to mistess and mo.

Fe-lady said...

Best of luck with the race in two weeks!
Rocky Point is such a party! Just go and have fun, smoke cigars, drink tequila and dance on the bar!(uh, not that I have ever done anything like that...but I know those who have!) :-)