Jackie D. Week 2

Week 2- starting Monday 25 September 2006
It's only Wednesday lunch time and I have done 5 and a half hours training this week - and it hasn't felt like an effort to do it all (effort of course during it :))
I went for my cycle ride late morning today and what a beautiful day. The shorts and T-shirts are back out, the sun, the leaves.......surely it can't be right to be enjoying yourself so much when training for an IRONMAN (famous last words - I wonder what I will be saying 6 months from now?!). Anyway I probably freaked a few people out along the canal path today as I gave them cheery hello's and bits of song! On the work side, the drills this week felt much better- especially the one focusing on the upstroke - it feels like I am going forward rather than just up now. Thanks Mary for explaining it to me.
Swimming felt good yesterday and I could feel my shoulders were slightly sore from my weight classes and it makes me smile and focus because I know I am getting stronger. I am also up to the chapter about pain in "Mental Training" so it puts it all in perspective. On the downside I was the only one doing the Advanced/Intermediate schedule yesterday for the second time in a row. I work best when I am with someone else to push me (push each other) but for some reason there haven't been many swimmers this past week. I could actually feel my stroke change and lengthen as I tried to keep up with the faster swimmers in the lane next to me for a few strokes as they passed. Swimming is the one thing that I don't enjoy doing alone. Maybe I will have to develop the mental discipline to make that change.
I bought some new running shoes this week. Gortex in preparation for winter and trail running. Plus some snugglier running socks so I can hardly wait for some cold, wet weather to try them out! How about that for some mad enthusiasm!
I am so excited for the first Ironman meeting this Friday to meet everyone and to find out in more detail what is to come