She Might Be Trying To Kill Me…

…or else just get me into killer shape! Now that the marathon has come and gone and I’ve enjoyed an easy recovery week, IM training is kicking into full swing. Yesterday I received my training schedule from MJ for the coming week, and I have to admit I’m a wee bit intimidated. Honestly, it’s a manageable amount and I’m truly looking forward to the workouts – though I kind of wish I didn’t have a day job! Oh how I wish I could focus on training, with plenty of napping and eating in between.

I also know that this week is likely only a teaser in regards to the bigger weeks that lie ahead. I’m ten weeks out from race day, and I know that the next two months will require extreme discipline on my part. And I’m ok with that – I welcome it even – it’s just that I need to make a few shifts in my routine. For example, no more blowing off workouts just because I’ve lingered too long over coffee or work and suddenly find myself short on time. No more lights out past 10pm, as I’ll be up each weekday morning at 5am. I’m a natural early riser, so a pre-dawn wakeup is my norm, but I do struggle with so-much-to-do/so-little-time syndrome and therefore rarely get to bed early enough. And yes, I will be in the pool FIVE times this week, which is at least twice as often as I’ve been swimming in recent history. MJ knows I need to step it up, and I certainly can’t argue with her.

MJ actually sent me a beautifully and thoroughly planned week’s worth of workouts – which I promptly flip-flopped around to accommodate a particularly jam-packed seven days combining work, vacation and personal appointments. I really do want to try and stick to her exact plan as often as possible, and in February and March I should be much more able to do so, as the only travel I have planned is this coming weekend. But for the next week I’ll remain a bit of a feisty rebel and cut & paste my workouts with abandon.

Speaking of this coming weekend, I’m actually headed down to MJ’s hood for the Competitor Endurance Sports Awards. I hope to have some fun reporting from the weekend’s wild events!