Balance shmalance

I know it has been almost a month since my last update. There really is no excuse. However, I guess it could be seen as I've been training more than putting time into the internet... and I have. I have been in emotional turmoil about the upcoming Iron(wo)man and considered dropping out. Not because I couldn't do it, but because of the anxiety that I have felt surrounding it. Alas, I decided to suck it up and push on. So that's what I'm doing. I have a whole list of bike ride times that I'll put at the bottom and I did half of one triathlon (it was called after the bike portion because of lightening). However, during that race I was nutritionally superior to any other race I've ever done. I am hoping to continue with that trend for the rest of my races.

In terms of finding a balance, I'm not sure that I have, but I have given up on a lot of things that had been weighing on my mind: First of all, I am not going to have a clean house while I'm training for Ironman and we decided to hire someone to help us with the bathrooms and floors. I think L has accepted this fact and is cool with it, but we both like a level of cleanliness that is mostly obtainable so we're going with that. Also, I'm not volunteering for anything more than I'm already doing (this is a constant battle as I get asked to help out with something almost everyday). Laundry won't always get done, but I will keep my workout gear as clean as possible (not so much a choice as a necessity - especially bike shorts!). And finally, my bikes get priority over my car - this is just a reality in my life and I like it that way.

This weekend is my first long race of the year - the Great White North half Ironman in Stoney Plain, Alberta. I did this race two years ago and had a great time. Well, the whole thing was great except the run, which was a little painful. I don't really feel prepared for the run, but I am pretty prepared for the rest of it, so I figure it'll all be fine. It's such a great race and I'm glad to have this as my "halfway point" for the summer to Ironman.

So I'm just picking away at my training and I'm reading "Going Long," which is an awesome book. It's inspirational and I wish that I had read it 2 or 3 times over the winter instead of hiring a coach. If I ever do Ironman again, I'm going to shop around for a coach that works well with me. I liked my coach on a personal level, but I'm more of a "why" person and need explanations that I didn't get. Also, I felt a little neglected at times and my questions didn't get answered periodically. So I'm on my own until the race, but am going to seek guidance from a couple of friends and my new "bible."

Here is what my training on the bike has been like (mostly):
June 8
Distance: 33.77 km
Time:1:31:45
Max:37.3 km/h
Average speed: 22.1 km/h

June 9
Distance: 65.13 km
Time:2:46:38
Max: 38.9 km/h
Average speed: 23.4 km/h

June 16
Distance: 15.65 km
Time: 38:11
Max: 50.4 km/h
Average speed: 24.6 km/h

June 17 (ie. Spin off Spadina triathlon)
Distance: 39.28 km
Time: 1:28:01
Max: 39.6 km/h
Average speed: 26.8 km/h

June 23
Distance: 63.19 km
Time: 2:35:19
Max: 33.4 km/h
Average speed: 24.4 km/h