Chapter 47: Competing? Maybe.

 

    Less than three weeks to go....getting close!  A little late getting this week's blog out as Sunday night was the Chiefs' game and I just didn't want to type. Then I ran out of time on Monday as it's the start of Parent-Teacher conferences. But here it is. Better late than never. 

    I had a big workout week as I head into my final big week before transitioning into my taper mode for the final two weeks.  Long run, longer bike ride than expected, and a great time with a podcast member for a short run.  I'm nervous, but in anticipation. I'll be ready. This is my last week of long swims, bikes, and runs.  Then Julie and I head to Florida!

Weekly Stats:

• Swim (2x)
• 3.15 miles (5,500 yards)
• 1:47:35
• Bike (3x)
• 130.39 miles
• 7:23:13
• Run (3x)
• 24.54 miles
• 4:08:10
• Yoga (4x)
• 1:46:03
• TOTALS
• 12 Activities
• 158.09 miles
• 15:05:00

Training Notes:

   

    Big week with the swim distance, bike, and run.  On Wednesday I swam 3,800 yards (not all at one shot).  It was broken into seven 500-yard intervals. I'm really glad the long swims are almost over. It's one thing to be swimming around others with buoys as a goal, but to do these long distances in a 25-yard pool, BORING!  But a necessary evil.  I'm praying for calm waters and clear. I really want to be able to see some fish or something.  I can only hope.  I'll swim what the Gulf gives me though.  Currently, the water temp is 80.1 degrees!  I'm hoping for about 8 degrees colder for good wetsuit temp.  I wouldn't be allowed to wear a wetsuit with water that warm (not that I'd be complaining for warm beach water before and after the race!).  

    Thursday after work I got in my long run.  2 hours, 40 minutes after a short 30 minute
bike ride. I felt strong on the run--averaged 10:11 per mile for just under 16 miles.  I know I'll have another 2+ hours on the run (after 112 miles of bike), but I'm confident I'll be able to hold my 10:30-11:00 per mile pace.  My run goal is under 5 hours.  This week I have a 3 hour run.  That should put me at almost 20 miles. I did finally run out of my Maurten gels and used the last 3 that I, *ahem*, obtained, from 70.3 Eagleman in June.  They lasted me almost 17 full weeks of training.  But now I have to go buy a few more to get to the end!

   

    Saturday was scheduled for a 5-1/2 hour bike followed by a 45-minute run.  I followed my go-to route towards Clinton Lake west of Lawrence, and averaged around 19.4 MPH on the way out.  I made my turn around, and then hit the crazy Kansas prairie winds directly into my face!  It was a long ride back, and it ended up being a total of 5:51.  Still averaged 18.1 MPH for the whole ride, but there were times I was biking only 11-12 MPH even on the flats due to the wind. My goal speed is 18.7-19.2 MPH for Ironman.  I climbed 2.7 times the elevation that I'll have on the Florida course, so I'm alright with my time and speed.  Plus, it was my FIRST century ride at 106.25 miles.  There's something special about triple digits.  I knew I'd get up to that distance at some point but that was always "out there" somewhere.  Now it's here.  The distance isn't so scary now.  It's still long, but now I know I can do it.   

    I did almost kill my phone trying to film myself biking on the way back.  My phone fell off the selfie stick magnet and slid across the road.  Miraculously, the car coming up behind me that I can see in the video managed to not run it over and actually stopped so he could point out where it landed.  And....no damage to the phone.  My phone case is amazing!  I just had to laugh it off.  Came out with great video though.  Check out Instagram or FB for the real deal!     

    On Friday, Ashley Raines reached out looking for a 20-mile route to run to help her on her plan for the New York City Marathon on November 2.  I gave her the Indian Creek Trail route that I've run for numerous long runs and she took me up on the route. I was able to meet up with her with 4.5 miles to go and get my 45 minute run in.  It was awesome running with a friend, even though this was only the 2nd time I've met her in person.  What a great community I'm a part of through Everyday Ironman Podcast.  I'm blessed to have found the group and now can call many of them friends!  Thanks, Ashley for letting me jump in on the run and having some fun with the impromptu video unsanctioned podcast episode. Catch it here!!  Ashley Raines Interview.  Broccoli Rob and JT Thomson are also running.  Going to be cheering them on as I recover the day after my event!!

Daily Life:

Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, “They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” Peter and the other disciple started out for the tomb. They were both running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.

John 20:1-4

    On Sundays for our greeters/safety team meeting, Madi Hayes has doing a series on "Running the Race". I told her it was perfect for me as I head into the final weeks of this year-long journey to Ironman. This week she talked about being in competition.  I've been thinking about this for the whole triathlon season.  I race against myself.  I don't try and compete against other racers, at least not specifically. There are times that I might find myself trying to pick off someone in front of me, but I'm not in this thing to win the whole race.  That's happened this year at least in my age group with my 1st and 3rd place finishes, and I'm proud of those. But that's just a bonus.  I do the best that I can using the abilities the Lord has given me.  That is all I can do.  But Madi reminded me of the competition that even the disciples had with each other.  

    In the Gospel of John, after Mary Magdalene found Jesus raised from death, she ran and got John and Peter.  Since John wrote this Gospel, he wrote down that he was the "disciple that Jesus loved" and that he outran Peter to the tomb. Talk about competition. But....when they both got to the grave, they believed.  They knew the Scriptures and what Jesus said was going to happen, but seeing it in person solidified it.  Even though they were competing against each other to race to tomb, they were heading to the same finish line.  We all have to run our own race but if we're heading in the same direction, I can't compare or compete with my brothers in Christ.  Christ is my finish line.  I still have to follow the course God has set for me--we all may take different paths to the finish chute--but they'll all lead to Christ's plan for us.  To be with Him in eternity. 

    I just have to run the race the best I can--triathlon and life.  On my daily calendar, todays' running quote was "Don't compare your life to others.  There's no comparison between the sun and the moon; they shine when it's their time".  I'm not racing others in Florida.  I'm trusting my training and giving it my all, and when I cross the finish line, it'll be my time to shine.  

Final Thoughts:

   

    I'm ready.  Well, I will be ready.  If this weekend was the race, I know I could finish it.  I'm also glad that I have a couple more weeks to really get my mental game in order.  I have to-do lists to make for race week/race day, routes to plan for the trip down, and final prep for being gone from the classroom for a week plus.  I've put the work in and I'll be ready in 18 days.  I still have some work to do. It's not over yet.  It won't be over until I hit that finish line and hear those 4 words that signals the end of this journey. I won't kid myself (or Julie)--I'm fairly certain there will be at least one more in my future.  Until then, though....

Show Up, Keep Fit, Stay THE Course, Focus, Keep Moving Forward

    As always, thanks for following along.  Only a few more weeks of me talking about this.  Yeah, whatever.  I just will talk about the race then, not the training!!

CPC

10/14/25

Olathe, KS

                                          25,162 minutes until Ironman Florida