Karen writes: Tired

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Yesterday, there were two sessions on the training plan, a swim and a run...but I took the day OFF.  I sat in my chair after the children were settled and just couldn't be bothered, wasn't interested, didn't give the proverbial whatever for training and Ironman anymore, Kate could just do it by herself!  Of course there are lots of things you can't take a day off from, even when you are tired and grumpy, like feeding and clothing and sorting out and loving the whanau, and yes, work too, but training can just go away... temporarily.

Today I was still tired, but a swim first thing put me almost back on track, and tonight I made myself sit on the spin bike for 70 minutes.  I admit however that the spinnervals DVD stayed in its case and I slipped back to the days (it seems so long ago) when I put my book on the handlebars and my feet turned the pedals by themselves without the intervention of the brain, ignoring the invisible coach over my shoulder saying "faster...harder...put some effort into it".

Tomorrow is this weeks official day off training.  In spite of already having had an unofficial day off I plan to indulge it fully, and hopefully will be feeling energetic for the 140km ride plus run on Friday, swim and run on Saturday, and 26km run on Sunday.  That is the  second longest and hardest stretch in my whole training ever...the hardest comes along the following week, then it is all downhill from there.

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