How to deal with your Ironman trainee
Do you have a friend, family member or a co-worker training for a full Ironman? You're not sure? It's the person you know who is incessantly complaining about their IM training. Symptoms include irritability, constant hunger, no social life and some weird tan lines (that they're oddly proud of). Before you think about cutting off ties with that asshole poor person, let me explain what's really going on behind the scenes and how to best deal with the situation...
I come mainly from an ultrarunning background. That's my jam. Which, by the way, they literally have jam out on the course too, which is not the main reason I love my ultras.
Somehow, I decided to go for a triathlon. And then someone insisted we do a half Ironman. Sure, why not? I JUST signed up for a sprint but training for a 70.3 for next spring sounds more fun. After 2 half Ironmans under my belt, my ego got the best of me and thought, "I'm ready for the full."
A full Ironman consists of a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and 26.2 run. Unless you do Ironman Chattanooga. You get to bike an extra 4 miles. Who the hell would sign up for that?
I just really didn't want to do Madison, which has some hills from your worst nightmares on that bike course.
I wasn't completely unaware of what the training entailed. I knew how much I had trained for my first 70.3. This was just going to be a little more.
3 endurance sports. In one day. (I know... self-inflicted)
We have a cut-off time of 16.5 hours (or 17? many of us are questioning this on the Chattanooga IM page almost every day) and people are freaking the hell out. Think about that. Most marathons have cut off times of 6 hours. You can run/walk/shuffle that and finish. We're freaking out over not finishing all 3 sports in 17 hours or less. Partly because we took out a mortgage to pay for the registration. (Alright, huge exaggeration but that fee is too damn high).
This is a huge part of our anxiety. Most of us just want to finish within that time - not get on the podium or anything. IM training is on another level. It takes a toll not on the athlete themselves, but on relationships. I always laughed at those signs "If you still have a relationship, you're not training hard enough." But they came up with that sign for a reason. It's real.
My days are centered around my training. It's all fun and games until you hit 4+ hours on the bike, leading to century rides (100 miles) and 4k swims - and those are only part of your weekly training.
Foolishly, I kept doing my ultra races. And not even just once a month. I'd run a marathon one weekend and then a 50 miler the following. But on the bright side, my running was fine.
Every single day is mapped out. Which sport(s), how many times that day, when is the pool open, what is the weather like, trainer ride or outdoor -- all being worked out between my job and family. I work crazy hours as a personal trainer, group fitness instructor with various job titles within the facility I work at. It can start as early as 4:30am and end at 8pm with clients scattered in there -- leaving me a few hours or so in-between. And those open lap pool hours are few during the summer months.
So if you ask me to make plans with you for the weekend. The answer is no. I have 1 full day off of work and it's going to be spent biking 6+ hours, followed up with a run. If I'm not too sore, I'll get a swim in there too. Then I have to come back home and be a mom. And get ready for work the next day before I figure out the next week schedule.
I have 8 weeks before I get my life back. When I can make plans with friends and family, take on additional hours, agree to personal training hours without consulting my calendar filled with my training for the week, weather forecast and open-lap pool hours. My hair and skin won't be so irritated by the chlorine or the sun as much. I don't have to have to spend all day pedaling away. And maybe, I can stop being hungry for a second. And not be exhausted all.the.time. I won't have to shower more than once a day -- and without my workout clothes on to save time on laundry!
I asked fellow athletes regarding their experience in Ironman training:
Emily Harvey is one of my Skirt Sports sisters, who had trained for the same Ironman as her husband, "...we were on different training schedules and had different coaches, but we were fortunate that we were both doing it because we understood the days when we rode for 6+ hours and the fact that we didn't have energy to clean or cook most of the time." And about that social life? "...I had a harder time...maintaining my other friendships because I didn’t have much free time to be social outside training, work, and maintaining my marriage. I tried to be mindful of this and hangout when I could, but I know I was sort of MIA for a while and it was nice to have time to spend with friends again once training was over." You can read about her incredible Ironman finish here.
Jan Roberts Stover from #Realwomenmove Challenge wrote, "Personally, I’m looking forward to not automatically pulling my hair into a ponytail and the satisfaction of accomplishing a very hard thing."
I also asked fellow Ironman Chattanooga trainees regarding their journey:
I personally am not sorry for taking on this monumental task. I see how it's toughened me even more as an athlete, mentally and physically. It's a challenge I took on to prove something to myself (right now, I don't remember why...) and the steps to achieve it is grueling.
My friends who've stuck by me are gems. I don't know how they deal with me half the time ~ they deserve a bottle of wine (or a case). My husband, who is the most patient man ever, has been key to being successful in my crazy endeavor. He just thinks I'm crazy but willing to be home with the kids while I'm out on long training days or races and willing to become my SAG support if my bike ever breaks down and I need a ride back.
I also have friends who've completed Ironman races and understand my craziness - they hear me out when I go on a rant about how people expect me to miss out on training to socialize. They often remind me that I have to make zero apologies for taking on my goal.
But... this is a part apology for not being the greatest friend, colleague or family member. And a warning for the next 8 weeks. I can only imagine what tapering for an Ironman is like. Believe me, I want this over more than you. And I hope for those who have friends and family who are training for their full, this helps explain why we act the way we do sometimes. Please be patient -- if all else fails, just give us food and standby.
I come mainly from an ultrarunning background. That's my jam. Which, by the way, they literally have jam out on the course too, which is not the main reason I love my ultras.
Somehow, I decided to go for a triathlon. And then someone insisted we do a half Ironman. Sure, why not? I JUST signed up for a sprint but training for a 70.3 for next spring sounds more fun. After 2 half Ironmans under my belt, my ego got the best of me and thought, "I'm ready for the full."
A full Ironman consists of a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and 26.2 run. Unless you do Ironman Chattanooga. You get to bike an extra 4 miles. Who the hell would sign up for that?
I just really didn't want to do Madison, which has some hills from your worst nightmares on that bike course.
I wasn't completely unaware of what the training entailed. I knew how much I had trained for my first 70.3. This was just going to be a little more.
3 endurance sports. In one day. (I know... self-inflicted)
This is a huge part of our anxiety. Most of us just want to finish within that time - not get on the podium or anything. IM training is on another level. It takes a toll not on the athlete themselves, but on relationships. I always laughed at those signs "If you still have a relationship, you're not training hard enough." But they came up with that sign for a reason. It's real.
My days are centered around my training. It's all fun and games until you hit 4+ hours on the bike, leading to century rides (100 miles) and 4k swims - and those are only part of your weekly training.
Foolishly, I kept doing my ultra races. And not even just once a month. I'd run a marathon one weekend and then a 50 miler the following. But on the bright side, my running was fine.
Every single day is mapped out. Which sport(s), how many times that day, when is the pool open, what is the weather like, trainer ride or outdoor -- all being worked out between my job and family. I work crazy hours as a personal trainer, group fitness instructor with various job titles within the facility I work at. It can start as early as 4:30am and end at 8pm with clients scattered in there -- leaving me a few hours or so in-between. And those open lap pool hours are few during the summer months.
So if you ask me to make plans with you for the weekend. The answer is no. I have 1 full day off of work and it's going to be spent biking 6+ hours, followed up with a run. If I'm not too sore, I'll get a swim in there too. Then I have to come back home and be a mom. And get ready for work the next day before I figure out the next week schedule.
I have 8 weeks before I get my life back. When I can make plans with friends and family, take on additional hours, agree to personal training hours without consulting my calendar filled with my training for the week, weather forecast and open-lap pool hours. My hair and skin won't be so irritated by the chlorine or the sun as much. I don't have to have to spend all day pedaling away. And maybe, I can stop being hungry for a second. And not be exhausted all.the.time. I won't have to shower more than once a day -- and without my workout clothes on to save time on laundry!
I asked fellow athletes regarding their experience in Ironman training:
Emily Harvey is one of my Skirt Sports sisters, who had trained for the same Ironman as her husband, "...we were on different training schedules and had different coaches, but we were fortunate that we were both doing it because we understood the days when we rode for 6+ hours and the fact that we didn't have energy to clean or cook most of the time." And about that social life? "...I had a harder time...maintaining my other friendships because I didn’t have much free time to be social outside training, work, and maintaining my marriage. I tried to be mindful of this and hangout when I could, but I know I was sort of MIA for a while and it was nice to have time to spend with friends again once training was over." You can read about her incredible Ironman finish here.
Jan Roberts Stover from #Realwomenmove Challenge wrote, "Personally, I’m looking forward to not automatically pulling my hair into a ponytail and the satisfaction of accomplishing a very hard thing."
I also asked fellow Ironman Chattanooga trainees regarding their journey:
"I haven’t seen my wife in 6 months due to work training and racing. They say if you are still in a relationship, you are not training hard enough." Geir Helge Stormark
“I was looking forward to sleeping past 5am on the weekends and being able to drink beer on the weekends!” Nikki Lake Olmo
My friends who've stuck by me are gems. I don't know how they deal with me half the time ~ they deserve a bottle of wine (or a case). My husband, who is the most patient man ever, has been key to being successful in my crazy endeavor. He just thinks I'm crazy but willing to be home with the kids while I'm out on long training days or races and willing to become my SAG support if my bike ever breaks down and I need a ride back.
But... this is a part apology for not being the greatest friend, colleague or family member. And a warning for the next 8 weeks. I can only imagine what tapering for an Ironman is like. Believe me, I want this over more than you. And I hope for those who have friends and family who are training for their full, this helps explain why we act the way we do sometimes. Please be patient -- if all else fails, just give us food and standby.
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