My training plan, not a plan at all

Three weeks til the Honu 70.3 Half Ironman and in nine weeks of what can only be described as moderate training I've put in: 12 bike rides, 25 ish runs, 10 swims. Give or take. I really don't know.

My husband, a data guy and an Ironman, carefully calculates every single mile he travels, every meter of elevation he climbs on the bike, the paces of his runs, the splits of his swims. He pours over this data. Makes a plan. Follows that plan precisely.

For me, Ironman training is less science, more art. I fit training in when I can. And, instead of planning what discipline I should do each day, for how long, I do whichever one I can get to. If I know I can leave work at a decent hour, I ride my bike home. If I've got only an hour and a half after work before I have to be at an event, I run straight out my office door for half an hour, then turn around. If my schedule prevents me from bringing my triathlon bag (nothing like showing up for an interview in a CEO's office with a giant backpack), I swim that day, since all of my swim stuff fits subtly into my purse.

I haven't written down what I've done, or calculated a 10 percent increase each week. I've just done what I can do. And here's the thing: I have definitely not trained as much as I'd hoped; but I definitely have trained more than I've ever trained before a race, for longer periods of time. My endurance, I think, has never been better. And now, I'm just hoping that I miraculously peak three weeks from now in the Big Island heat.

I've wanted to do a half-Ironman distance triathlon for several years, but committing to the training held me back. Now that I'm in deep, my do-what-I-can strategy seems to be working.


Two weeks ago I biked 50 miles, then did a 4.5 mile T-run afterward. Never in my life have I run so far after a bike ride that long. And I had this realization: I just might pull this off.


Here's what I think I've done:

Biking: 
3 rides home from work (17 mi x3)
2 computrainer rides Alcatraz course (18x3)
7 long weekend rides (40 to 50 mi X 7)

Running:
25 or so runs, worked up to 7.83 miles running

Swimming:
1-2 hours a week x 9 weeks.