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Week 3 - "Recovery"


Week 3: "Recovery" week. Workouts are either shorter, less intense, or some optional workouts aren't even an option this week. No 60-90 minute ride on Wednesday, no optional swim on Thursday, no transition run on Saturday or spin before the run on Sunday. Overall, a few hours less volume.

Tuesday's trainer ride had a lot of fast spin - which is not something I'm great at. I can churn through tough gears all day, but to really increase my cadence takes a lot of effort and attention - if I'm not watching my cadence the entire interval, I always seem to sink below 100 RPM. 
Wednesday's swim felt just as hard as a normal swim but was a lot easier than it usually is with a 90 minute morning ride. 
My run on Thursday morning was in CRAZY wind. I got blown into a cement wall. It was not ideal weather conditions, but rain or shine or storm we run! 
I took my rest day on Monday, so I was supposed to swim Friday, but I skipped the technique swim this week. I hate technique swims. I know it's snobby of me, but I just don't feel the need to work on my form, even though I know I should. During Ironman last year, in the grand scheme of my 15 hour day, the swim took ONE HOUR AND TWELVE MINUTES. 72 minutes out of over 900 minutes. While I know I need to be in great swim shape, and swimming helps continue to build fitness without causing a lot of joint or muscle pain, I am just not as focused on the swim this year. It's not my weakness and while I shouldn't let it become one, I am not going to worry about it as much. Ok, off my soap box for now.
Saturday/Sunday: Saturday's trainer ride wasn't too bad, and Sunday's run was SUPER rainy but I got in 7.6 miles in 64 minutes. 

Training feels really different this year. Last year, fear drove me. I was so afraid of this beast of a race. Could I do it? I knew this was something that I could easily fail if I didn't work hard. That drove me every single day. Got me out of bed, got me to the pool, kept me pushing through 6 hour bike rides. I'm feeling very indifferent to training this week. What is driving me? Why am I doing Ironman again? What is my goal, what do I want to gain or accomplish? What is going to push me? Yes, everyone who knows me knows I'm doing my 2nd Ironman, so it's not a lack of accountability. I'm missing that spark this week. That spark that makes training exciting and not a chore. The spark that proves I'm growing and working towards something. I know I'll find it, but I missed it this week. 

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