To update those not following the soap opera that I call my life, I was signed up for Ironman China (and several other races) until a few months ago when after 30+ years of healthy knees I got a twinge in my left knee. Now after several doctor's visits, an MRI and 3 months (!) of physical therapy, I am now indefinitely on the sidelines when it comes to Ironman racing.
For awhile the pain of not competing was somewhat muted by knowing that there was a small silver-lining to not have to be doing the monster mileage. While I was sad to not be training, when it was raining a few weeks ago I have to admit I wasn't sad that I wasn't heading out on a 90+ mile ride in into a cold drizzle. Yes, I wished I was doing my week-end rides but I wasn't sad to be waking up at 7:00 a.m.and reading the paper and having coffee instead of getting up at 5:30 and heading out on PCH at first light. But now it is different. I can't shrug it off nearly as easily and there reason being is that if I was training I'd be just 2 weeks from starting the taper.
As any triathlete knows, nothing beats the taper. By now your body is in incredible shape and capable of doing amazing feats but now you are consciously pulling back. A 50 mile ride feels like a 5 mile ride. You have more time and more energy than any time in memory. When the planets are aligned, the taper is a 3 week holiday, every day you feel better and stronger. Well, at least this is the romantic notion I hold of it as I sit here with a still-throbbing knee. For the past few weeks I've been thinking to myself, "I'd be X weeks from starting my taper."
Today, when I logged on to the Ironman China website I saw that the race was just 36 days. For me that'd mean my final long run (probably 20-22 miles) would be this week-end and my final long bike (105-108 miles) would be the next weekend. These would take me to the traditional three week taper. Knowing that the taper was so close and that my fellow competitors (well, "fellow" if I was still in the race) were doing their last long, long work-outs really drove home what I was missing.
Another reminder of what I am missing was an email that I got from the Ironman China organizers with a YouTube video of the course. I cannot think of anything more motivating for someone training for China than watching this
5 minute clip. Watch it before heading out on a bike ride or run and I promise you the first hour will go by much quicker.
I continue to enjoy your training stories. Let me know how you are doing. pacifico [at] hotmail.com.