Karen writes: Plans and coaches...time to get serious

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I got in a lovely 10km run last night, it was wet but I was dressed right and thoroughly enjoyed pottering round admiring the effects on the rain from the streetlights and enjoying the noises of the water on my hood.  However, I came out feeling...well...feeling like I had run 10km and achieved nothing at all really.  If I am honest I realise I was just running distance for distance's sake.


So while that 10km was on the plan and everyone agrees you need a plan, I have reached the point where I am thinking this Ironman thing is BIGGER than my current way of doing things.  My method of adapting a variety of plans as they have suited me, and ignoring anything I didn't understand  (like the instruction to run at '10km' pace, or 'marathon' pace, or 'tempo pace'...what are these things when you only have one speed which is plod?) isn't likely to work this time.    I have been up till now asking “what is the minimum I can get away with to finish”, but now I think I need to be asking “what is the maximum I can achieve in the time I have and still have a life”.  


Another favorite approach has been hashing together other peoples generously shared experience, but I admit I have sometimes been guilty (usually to my detriment) of ignoring good advice, for example “STRETCH”, “REST”, and “chocolate and V are not classed as essential nutrients” from my inspirational Coast to Coaster friend.    I might have to start taking that good advice now that the stakes are so much higher, but also start to tie things together with some specific Ironman related support so I can be more efficient and integrated with my training, and focus on substituting quality for quantity.

So for a while now I have been thinking about an Ironman coach.   I’ve met with several people, liked them, thought “ok, probably could work with them”, but several weeks ago I had a meeting with a very knowledgeable couple, both very experienced themselves in triathlon, and both tremendously aware of the complications of having a busy life.   And I haven’t followed the meeting up!  Why?  

It makes no logical sense to me, but I figure I have been in hiding.  I suspect that if I sit down and agree to a plan  it will make the 3rd of March 2012 very real.  And if I have someone holding me to account (who isn't a friend and I cant ignore them!) there will be no more room for excuses....I am committed, I have to get on, be serious.   And things like just plodding off a distance or exchanging a planned run for a session on the spin bike at home…then peddling with the tension off and reading a book…will have to stop.     

So after I have written this, I plan to send an email saying YES PLEASE HELP.   But in the meantime, perhaps I will pop next door to the shop for a bar of chocolate (small of course), and maybe I will just change my current plan a little and pencil in a session on the spin bike tonight, and another chapter of that book.

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