The big question everybody asks me, even before I completed the 70.3 is whether or not I am going to be doing the full Ironman again this year.
I must admit that it is tempting…. Both my brother and sister are going to do it again – it will be my sister’s 6th full Ironman. WOW. And it is on my birthday. I can just imagine how emotional it will be standing on the start, on my birthday with both of them waiting for the canon to blast.
That is until I think of all that is involved and the commitment it takes with regards to the training. I am not in the right space to do it. It is not a priority in my life. Mr and Little OL are. I don’t want be on my bike for more than 3 hours on a Saturday morning. I don’t want to then have to run the next day for more than an hour. I want to be at home. I work full time and the weekends are the only time I get to spend with them.
That is also one of the reasons why I don’t like training in the evenings. For the 70.3 I was able to train in the mornings before Little OL woke, if I wanted to do the full Ironman I would need to train in the evenings as well. I am not prepared to do that. I already go to art classes one night a week, so miss her that night.
And I would need to be asleep by 8:30 – 9:00pm. I just don’t have the time at the moment to do that. I am enjoying baking and crafting and the only time I get to do that is in the evenings after Little OL goes to sleep. I would not be able to do these things.
Don’t get me wrong – I absolutely LOVED training for Ironman last time, but I was in a totally different space. I was able to make it a priority and put my all into it. Now I just don’t want to. Maybe in a few years’ time when Little OL is older I might want to do it again. That is not to say that this year I am not going to set myself challenges or give myself goals. I am useless with training without a goal.
This year I would like to run a marathon. I have never run a stand-alone marathon and would like to. I would also like to do the Dry Land Traverse in November. It is a 4 day stage trail run. It looks awesome. I think those are big enough goals for the year. Then of course there is Ironman 70.3 next year again……
Filed under: Baby OL, Children, Cycling, Family, Ironman, Ironman 70.3, Ordinarylife, Parenting, Running, Trail Running, Training, Training, Triathlon Tagged: | Ironman, Ironman South Africa, Life, Ordinarylife, Port Elizabeth, Training, Triathlon
You are brave!!! Even doing the 70.3 is beyond my imagination. But I love that you know what goals you want to focus on. Though with athlethes like you, I can never put anything pass you. My friend, who is also an athlete was saying she needed new running goals and next thing I know she’s finished two comrades races
lol – I have thought about Comrades many times, and it is something I would like to do one day. Just not right now.
I really think you did great on the half ironman…and if you are going for the full one, I think you are crazy…but crazy is good too?
I agree – crazy is good. But not this year.
There is so much one could do if you didn’t have a family, but most of us do and family has to take the most important place in your life. Good decision.
Yes, I would much rather take my family over every thing else.