Chapter 46: Focus....

    

    Leaving on a jet plane...in three weeks.  And not in a jet plane, in the truck. But it's getting close. I went to put in my vacation request at the school to request a sub teacher, and saw how close Florida is on the calendar now.  Two more big weeks in the training block, a week of taper, then it's time to head south and east. I'll still have some taper workouts to do the week of the race, but it's a pretty small amount of time and distance.  I really have to stay focused for the next two weeks especially.  Lots of commitments are happening outside of my Ironman training world, so I have to stay dialed in as I wrap up this year of training.  As Mr. Myagi told Daniel-son, "You stay focus!" 

Weekly Stats:

• Swim (3x)
• 4.12 miles (7,250 yards)
• 2:23:26
• Bike (3x)
• 81.60 miles
• 4:38:20
• Run (2x)
• 13.39 miles
• 2:14:01
• Yoga (2x)
• 50:00
• TOTALS:
• 10 Activities
• 99.11 miles
• 10:05:48

Training Notes:

    This week was a regularly-scheduled shorter week on the training calendar.  When I originally planned the 20 week training plan out back in April/May, I didn't have the Ironman Chattanooga on the schedule.  I still moved some things around, but honestly, I just didn't feel like figuring too much out for weekend.  I really only missed a long ride last week.  I still did over 10 hours this week and the next two weeks will be over 14 and 15 hours respectively. Whew. The time doesn't intimidate me (I did more actually for a couple weeks in my half-Ironman training), but there is a lot of personal calendar commitments in the next couple of weeks that will make them challenging.  

    This week I did move some things around as well since we had Homecoming at the
school.  On Wednesday I did a 3,500 yard swim, with the middle 3,000 yards non-stop.  That is the furthest I've swam (swum?) in one continuous time.  I felt good during it, not tired, just doing my laps.  What got me was I was just getting bored.  Pool swimming is just around 25 seconds of swimming, hit the wall, turn around and 25 seconds back.  Repeat.  For a lot of times.  I don't have underwater headphones (they do make those), but for the next two weeks, those would be great!  I'll do a couple open water swims (at least one I hope) before I head to Florida and I'll get a swim or two in in the Gulf of America before the race, so I feel good about where I am in the swimming world. This week I have 3,800 yards and next week 4,000 yards.  The full race distance is 4,224 (give or take), but I do have a few moments back on land in between my two laps.

   Three bike rides this week.  The long ride was only 3 hours (only?!) but it was followed by a 90-minute run.  Followed my now-familiar route towards Lawrence, but made the U-turn at the hour and a half mark.  When I break the long rides or the long runs up into smaller chunks, they definitely feel shorter because I'm not hyper-fixated on the big numbers left for the day.  The 6-hour mark (where I plan on finishing up my 112-mile bike ride + or -) doesn't scare me anymore.  Many months ago, I thought, "no way", yet knowing I'd work my way up to that time and distance as I went on.  And here I am just two weeks away from that mark.  This coming week is a 5-1/2 hour ride followed by a 45-minute run.  Just keep moving forward.

    Only a couple of runs this week were on the calendar.  The long run was scheduled for Sunday in the original plan, but I wanted to get a really long run in after a decent bike, so I ended up doing a brick workout on Saturday.  After 3 hours on the bike, I laced up the running shoes and hit the trail to Heritage Park and Coffee Creek Trail.  I actually maintained a pretty good pace for what I was hoping for. Right around 10:14 per mile, but that also lumped in my warm-up and cool-down which are slower than my continuous run pace.  I hope to hold between a 10:30 and 11:00 min mile for the marathon in less than a month.  That would still put me just under a 5-hour run, which is what my goal is.  We'll see.  It's going to be a grind on the run.  No doubt about that.

    I have not been good at getting my Yoga or Strength workouts in.  I actually gave up my strength sessions as my daily calendar got busier with work events, family commitments, and Bible Study/Men's group times.  But I do really need to focus on the yoga again these next 4 weeks to stay loose and flexible. Focus. That's now part of my mantra going into this last chapter of training and will be my mantra as I do the race.  

Daily Life:

Then Peter called to him, 'Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.'  'Yes, come,' Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. 'Save me, Lord!' he shouted."

Matthew 14:28-30

    Focus. There are so many distractions that can take my focus away from what my ultimate goal is.  For this training, of course my ultimate goal is to cross that finish line at Pier Point Park in Panama City Beach, Florida, run under the metal arch with the digital clock on top and hear the four words that have been a bucket list item for lots of years--"You are an Ironman!"  All of my training, early morning wake-up alarms, tired evenings, and juggling around training and other commitments boils down to that finish line. I've had many doubts that the finish line was possible, but those were because I was looking at each individual workout and not focusing on the end result. I really have had that goal in mind, so I haven't been distracted in a way that gets me off-track in my physical training, but my mind sure can get all out of whack. 

   

    Just as in triathlon training, I have to stay focused in my personal and spiritual life too. In Matthew, as the disciples were caught in the storm and saw Jesus walking on the water toward them, Peter called out to Jesus. When Jesus told him to come, Peter jumped out of the boat and went towards Him.  As long as Peter stayed focused on Jesus, he was able to walk on top of the water.  But as soon as he got distracted--took his eyes off of his goal (Jesus)--the waves suddenly became bigger, the wind became stronger, and he started sinking.  Then Jesus reached out, took his hand, and they both walked on top--together.  It's so easy to see division, human failures, circumstances, and trials and lose focus on what's important.  It's a challenge. It is always a day-to-day thing, but keeping my eyes on the prize...the finish line...Jesus...is the only way I'm going to get through this life of challenges, heartaches, disappointments, political divisiveness and frustrations.  Jesus has stay my focus.  

Final Thoughts:

    Julie and I leave three weeks from tomorrow.  Crazy!  I've really be reflecting back to last Sunday, where I was still at the finish line waiting on Chad to come down the finish chute to hear those magic words (for a triathlete at least).  I can see myself in that position; it's getting real; yet I still have a few more weeks to go.  My training calendar has a whole lot more red X's crossing out the past days than ones that are left ahead of me.  I'm excited.  But nervous. More nervous due to the anticipation of the race than worried.  I'm doing what I should be.  And I feel I'm on track.  Just need to stay focused.  But I am kind of crazy...

    As always, thanks for following me along this journey.  This one is almost done. I'll decide what's next after November.  Spring- and Olympic-distance Nationals in Milwaukee next August?  I got invited due to my finish at Shawnee Mission in July!  Stay tuned....I'm now adding "Focus" to my mantra...

Show Up,  Keep Fit,  Focus, 

Stay THE Course, & Keep Moving Forward

CPC 

10/5/2025

Olathe, KS 

634 hours, 14 minutes until Ironman Florida