Nobody likes you when you're 23... What's My Age Again?

This past weekend was my longest workout weekend before my first Ironman, and now the taper begins. There were a lot of positive and some negative moments, especially during my 3 hour run. The goal of this run was to correct my nutrition during a long run, for my last few runs my legs cramped up after 1 1/2 hours. Little did I know that other problems would arise.

With a new plan for nutrition I surged through my run carrying plenty of Hammer Endurolyte pills, GU, 2 small water bottles, and a 2L camelback full of Gatorade. I sipped on my camelback throughout the entire run, and I replenished with a GU gel and 2 Endurolyte pills every 45 minutes. With this new plan I made it through a 3 hour run, 21 miles, 1200ft of climbing, averaging 8:32/mile without even a simple muscle cramp. Success and definitely prepared for the Ironman in these regards.

So what was the major problem? Why did Blink 182's "What's My Age Again" play over and over in my head. Maybe this happened because I have ADD, amused by prank phone calls, act like I'm still in freshman year, but my friends say I should act my age... what's my age again? About four years ago I made a few bad decisions to say the least. After tearing my ACL and meniscus in a couple of shots, made a decision to hobble around on a soccer field 3 days before surgery in a coed indoor soccer game. Three and a half months after surgery, I jumped back onto the field fearlessly and re-tore unhealed meniscus in the same knee. Playing through that pain for another year and a half I finally had surgery to scope the knee. This is apparently a common trait for Tarrant soccer players, and are decisions I wish I made differently when I was 23.

At about mile 3, some little alien creature was hammering on my knee consistently until about mile 19, but this pain never escalated. Now the real test was on. I would cycle through the same questions over and over. Am I maintaining the same pace? What's my pain threshold? If I'm in pain like this on a 21 mile run, how's it going to be at Lake Placid after everything else? Can I finish the Ironman in the time I desire or even finish? Should I have a roommate pick me up and try again tomorrow? I don't have answers to all of these questions, but I did finish my run and in a reasonable time at elevation. My endurance session became a mental training session. I do know that unless a gigantic alligator sneaks up on me in Lake Placid, I will finish the race.

Now I'm in the homestretch where I need to basically stay healthy, keep going through the motions, and keep confident in my training. Right now I think my biggest mistake on race day would b something like running the marathon with my bicycle helmet on.

16 Days, 5 Hours, 33 Minutes