Category: Triathlon

Jun 03 2026 2026-06-03 2026-06-03 NoComment by Ross

The Known Unknowns of an Eleven-Year Itch…

Posted in Training, Triathlon

It turns out Donald Rumsfeld was a triathlete. Or at least, he perfectly captured the mental degradation that happens two weeks out from a race.

On paper, I’m fine. The base is there. The logbook shows the yards, the miles, and the hours. But there is a massive difference between having the physical capacity to grind out a finish and remembering how to actually execute a multi-sport race when you haven’t stood on a starting line in eleven years. Eleven. Entire political regimes have risen and fallen since I last transitioned from a wetsuit to a bike.

The panic didn’t creep in; it hit me like a crosswind. I was out in Rockford two weeks ago, grinding through a miserable ride on the actual course, when a stray thought bounced into my brain: Oh, yeah. Hydration and nutrition. How exactly am I handling that again?

That’s the Rumsfeld problem. It’s not the things I know I need to fix. It’s the “known unknowns” – the things I know I’ve forgotten, but can’t quite recall until it’s too late. What else am I missing? Am I going to rack my bike and realize I forgot body glide? Am I going to fumble with my bib number? Is my transition setup going to look like a yard sale?

Some is coming back.  This morning, on my bike commute, I thought, “Hey, where am I going to eat the night before the race?  And what am I going to eat?”  It’s little things like that.

Then there’s the swim. Rockford is a downstream river swim. Mechanically, it should be easy-ish – the current does some of the heavy lifting. But the cold reality is that when I jump into that river on June 14th, it will be my first open-water swim event in eleven years. No practice in the murk. No sighting adjustments. Just straight from the pristine, black-lined bottom of the indoor pool to river water. It’s a hell of a way to get reacquainted with the sport.

If I could rewrite the script, I wouldn’t be doing this. In a logical world, the progression is simple: an Olympic distance to dust off the cobwebs, a 70.3 to test the endurance, and then the big dance at the 140.6 in September. In fact, the training plan explicitly called for an Olympic-distance race right about now, pushing the half-Ironman further down the calendar. But the race schedule gods didn’t consult my training plan. The local calendar didn’t line up, the dates didn’t work, and so here we are. I skipped a step. I’m staring down a 70.3 as a “warm-up.”

It’s stupid, but it’s what I have.

The plan for this weekend is damage control. I’m driving back out to Rockford to ride the course again. No illusions of grandeur, just re-familiarizing myself with the asphalt. Afterward, I’ll throw on the running shoes for a quick one- or two-mile brick run off the bike, mostly just to remind my legs of that specific, awful sensation of turning over after ninety kilometers in the saddle.  I’ll practice a transition to run (complete with a fake race bib holder).

At this point, the romanticism of the return is completely gone. I don’t want a poetic breakthrough, and I don’t need a PR. I just want to get this specific weekend over with so I can close the loop on the unknowns and get back to the work I know how to do.


Jun 01 2026 2026-06-01 2026-06-01 NoComment by Ross

This Week in Training …Week 15 – Halfway There (Gulp!)…

Posted in Cycling, Running, Swimming, Training, Triathlon

Halfway there.

That is both encouraging and mildly terrifying.

Overall, it was a decent week. A little unusual because I inverted the schedule. I did the long bike and long run at the beginning of the week and then eased off as the week went on. For Week 16, I’ll go back to a more normal structure.

I have two weeks until the Rockford 70.3. After that, I’m going to try rearranging my training week so that Sunday becomes the rest day, the long bike moves to Friday, and the long run moves to Saturday. I hope that I stop nuking entire weekends with training and can actually do things with the family while everyone else is off work.

Swim 🏊

  • Total swims: 3 (FINALLY!)
  • Total distance: 7,550 yards
  • Total time: 2:24

Nothing spectacular, but solid. A little boring, perhaps, but solid. The biggest victory is simply getting in that third swim. It only took fifteen weeks.  I also managed to do one core strength workout.  Miracles do happen!

Bike 🚴

  • Total rides: 3
  • Total distance: 87.5 miles
  • Total time: 5:16

The bike week was a little strange.

Monday was the Rockford course ride, which I’ve already written about. Let’s just say I learned some valuable lessons about hydration, sunscreen, and not leaving critical equipment in the car.

I also missed a brick workout during the week, so yesterday I squeezed in a 1:20 ride after the 5K race.

Unfortunately, that ride had to be on the e-bike because my local bike shop seems to have a unique interpretation of the word “appointment.”

I dropped the bike off on Tuesday for my Thursday appointment.

“We’ll call by the end of business Thursday.”

Nope.

Friday?

“We’re backed up.”

Saturday?

Nope.

Sunday?

Nope.

If it’s not done today, I’m picking it up, getting my deposit back, and taking it somewhere else.

Run 🏃

  • Total runs: 4
  • Total distance: 19.4 miles
  • Total time: 3:05

This included:

  • A 9-mile-long run
  • A 6-mile medium run
  • A 5K race
  • A 1-mile run off the bike

I felt very strong during the 5K. I wound up finishing 7th in my age group out of 35 runners.

Looking at the results afterward, I realized I probably could have challenged for a podium spot. Unfortunately, I was serving as the designated rabbit for my daughter, who wanted to break 30 minutes. She did.

Mission accomplished.

That meant my first two miles were slower than they otherwise would have been, but I wouldn’t trade that result for a slightly faster finishing time.

Total Training Time 🧮

  • Total time: 10:45

A pretty substantial week.

Training Metrics 📈

TrainingPeaks:

  • Fitness: 117
  • Fatigue: 140
  • Form: -5

All good.

Fitness continues to creep upward while fatigue has actually come down significantly from the peak. What really surprised me is how much better I feel physically.

A few weeks ago, I was so sore that rolling over in bed felt like a chore. Now I’m doing nearly twice the training load with maybe half the soreness.

My Garmin metrics reflect that too. Body Battery and Training Readiness have both improved noticeably.

For fun, I went back and looked at Strava Relative Effort. The last time I posted it regularly was around Week 3.

Back then:

  • Week 3 RE: 622

This week:

  • RE: 1,193

Dayum.

Looking Ahead

Today should be a rest day. It won’t be.

I don’t like starting the week with a rest day because life always seems to intervene later in the week. Last week I missed a brick workout and wound up with a very long Sunday because of it. I’d rather run and swim today so that when the inevitable scheduling disaster arrives later in the week, I’m not scrambling to catch up.

This week I’ll head back to the Rockford course and see whether I’ve fixed some of the issues from the first attempt. As for the 70.3 itself, I’m not planning much of a taper. It’s a training day, not an A-race. The goal is experience, execution, and learning.

All in all, I’m feeling good about the progress.

Halfway there. Only fifteen more weeks to go.

 


May 27 2026 2026-05-27 2026-05-27 NoComment by Ross

All the Endurance Training Emotions in 48 Hours

Posted in Training, Triathlon

I was pretty discouraged after Monday’s ride. It was slower and harder than I wanted it to be. I know I made mistakes – and I’m fixing them – but it was one of those rides where you start wondering if you’re ready for the 70.3 in two weeks and, more ominously, whether you’ll ever be ready for the A-race in 15+ weeks.

Then yesterday happened.

I got my 9-mile run done. It wasn’t fast, and it definitely felt hard, but my legs were dead going in, so that was expected. Honestly, finishing that run actually encouraged me. Running 9 miles on trashed legs is probably a good sign. Add in the fact that I’m actively fixing the bike issues from Monday, and the discouragement started to fade.

I think this is just part of endurance training. Maybe all endurance training. There’s always a point where you question everything – even when training is objectively going well.

You hit your 20-miler while marathon training and immediately think:
“Great… now I just have to run ANOTHER 6.2 miles.”

So I did what everyone does: I went online looking for reassurance. Thankfully, the internet delivered. Yes, most people feel this way. No, I am not racing tomorrow. Yes, there are still months of training left. Relax. Trust the process.

Unfortunately, last night I made another mistake.

I made a fantastic homemade pizza and topped it with salami. Now, at my age, I know better than to eat spicy/salty food near bedtime. And yet…

I washed it down with not one, not two, but THREE Olipops. High fiber. Excellent decision-making.

From about 2:00 a.m. until 5:30 a.m., my subconscious decided to put on a festival of insecurities.

In one dream, it was like some Mad Men-era dinner scene where my wife and her ex-fiancé were discussing getting back together… while I sat there. She agreed and left me. Cool, cool, cool.

Then another dream had me in a bizarre job interview in a hotel room. One guy was sitting on the bed, two were in chairs, and my mother was there for some reason. I sat on the bed during the interview and afterward became convinced I bombed it because I should’ve chosen a chair. Meanwhile, my mother silently disapproved of everything.

So apparently, the Spicy Pizza-Olipop Dream Trilogy covered:

  • abandonment
  • inadequacy
  • maternal judgment

Good stuff.

When I finally crawled out of bed this morning (after stopping myself from clutching my wife like a life raft), I noticed something surprising: my legs felt… good. Not “auditioning for Riverdance” good, but legitimately recovered. Like I could actually go run again if needed.

I foam rolled last night and again this morning before work, and I’m honestly thrilled with how well I bounced back from the long bike and run combo. That recovery gives me confidence.

Today is just a swim, and then easing back into the rest of the week reasonably recovered.

Nutrition: The Missing Piece

I also realized something important: my training nutrition this cycle has been very different from previous Ironman builds.

My diet is actually better overall, but my training nutrition has been terrible. I haven’t really been using gels, carb drinks, or recovery drinks consistently.

That obviously hurt me on Monday’s bike ride, but looking back, I also did basically nothing before, during, or after yesterday’s 9-miler. No gel beforehand. No recovery drink afterward. Nothing.

That’s dumb.

So I’m fixing it:

  • gels ordered
  • carb drink coming for the bike
  • recovery powder on the way

I also took my bike to the local bike shop yesterday for:

  • major tune-up
  • new tires (slightly wider too)
  • fresh grip tape

I’m adding a second bottle cage too. And yes, I’ll actually bring the bottles next time.

I’m also really liking my newer shoes: Hoka Mach X 3.

Most importantly, I’ve reframed the June 14 70.3. It’s a supported training day. That’s it. I don’t care about PRs. I don’t care about the finish time. I’m just practicing putting three sports together over a long day.

That mental shift feels healthy.

All good. Onward.

Relentless forward motion.


May 25 2026 2026-05-25 2026-05-25 NoComment by Ross

Today in How Not To Train…

Posted in Cycling, Training, Triathlon

Last week accidentally became a rest week after Friday. Honestly, it was needed. I was beat up, had some life stuff going on, and training just wasn’t going to happen the way I wanted. Even after two full days off, my legs still hurt. That should’ve been a clue.

Because next weekend is also going to be goofy schedule-wise, I decided to flip the week around and do my long bike today and long run tomorrow. Seemed smart enough.

The plan was to ride the Rockford 70.3 bike course. I drove up to Rockford and was rolling by about 8:15. Unfortunately, I was hurrying because I wanted to “still have a day left” afterward. That rushing led to a spectacular collection of unforced errors.

First mistake: I didn’t bring or take any pain meds even though I knew my back would start hurting in the first hour. Which it did. It eventually loosened up, but I spent half the ride standing up to stretch it out.

Second mistake: I accidentally left my phone in the car. Not a huge issue… until it potentially becomes a huge issue.

Third—and this one was genuinely stupid—I didn’t notice my water bottle came out in the car. I noticed about two miles in that I didn’t have it. I absolutely should have turned around. Even if it added time or mileage. Instead, I figured, “Eh, I can go a while without water. I’ll just stop at a mini mart somewhere.”

Which would’ve been a great plan if there had been a mini mart somewhere.  The only “town” I rode through wasn’t even halfway, and I thought, “I’m sure there will be other chances to buy some water.”  Nope.  Not a one.  It got so bad that I was looking for any farmer with a hose on the side of the house.  Didn’t see any of those either.

Hurrying also meant I didn’t check the weather carefully. Which I should have because it was 85 degrees and sunny. So now my arms and knees are sunburned because I also forgot sunscreen. Great work all around.

By mile 50 of 56, I had to stop and sit in the shade by someone’s house for five minutes because I felt faint. Pretty sure I was flirting with heat exhaustion between the heat and the no-water strategy. This was also the point where not having my phone suddenly seemed like a much bigger mistake.

At mile 53, I had to walk one uphill block because I was absolutely cooked. Some of that was dehydration, but honestly, the bigger factor was the wind. The entire second half—about 28 miles—was straight into a headwind.

I should’ve known the first half was too easy.

In the front half I was actually wondering whether I should extend the ride beyond 56 miles to hit a total time of 3:30. The universe answered that question for me. The headwind took care of any “extra miles” thoughts immediately.

So did the heat.
And the lack of water.
And the elevation.

The course map claims 1,931 feet of climbing. My Garmin says 2,733 feet. One of them is lying, and I’m siding with Garmin. It felt like 10,000 feet by mile 50.

Also, I swear there was no downhill. Mile 54 might’ve had some. Maybe.  I know I sound like some old man saying they rode to school uphill both ways, but that’s what it felt like!

And despite having turn-by-turn navigation on my Garmin, I still made a wrong turn. Thankfully, it didn’t add distance because part of the course is parallel to out-and-back roads, but naturally, I’m convinced the route I missed had all the downhill sections.  You can see on the Garmin file where I should’ve kept going straight instead of turning onto 70

Final numbers:

  • 56.69 miles
  • 3:34 ride time
  • 2,733 feet of climbing
  • 16.5 average speed

When I finally got back to the car, I chugged water and drove straight to a mini mart where I purchased:

  • one gigantic water
  • one gigantic soda
  • one bag of chips for the salt

It took most of the drive home before I could even eat the sandwich I had packed.

Initially, sitting in the car, I was discouraged. The whole ride felt like a disaster. And honestly? It was kind of a disaster.

But I stopped the negative spiral pretty quickly and reframed it as a learning ride. Because it was.

Lessons learned:

  • Water matters. (Groundbreaking…smh.)…My Garmin estimates I lost 2910ml of water.  For someone 205 lbs, that’s 3.1% of my body weight lost and puts me in moderate dehydration.  So, MORE WATER!
  • I need a second bottle cage before race day.
  • Sunscreen exists for a reason.
  • Feeding still needs work.
  • Bananas mid-ride don’t sit well for me.
  • Honey packets are magical.

I also recalibrated my goals for the 70.3. This is really just a training race. I’m probably not PR’ing compared to my last 70.3, which was 12 years ago. And that’s okay. The race is basically a supported long training day.

Honestly, I’d like to ride the course again before race day if I can. I like reconning courses, and Chicago doesn’t exactly prepare you for rolling hills and endless false flats.

Once home, I took a long shower, kept sipping water, sat on the couch reading, and had a nice family dinner.

Tomorrow I’ll attempt the long run, though I may scale it back to the actual planned 7.5 miles instead of the How Not To Train version of 9.5.

We’ll see.

But I will bring sunscreen.
And water.


May 18 2026 2026-05-18 2026-05-18 NoComment by Ross

This Week in Training…Week 13 – Very Solid!

Posted in Cycling, Running, Swimming, Training, Triathlon

This was one of the best weeks of the entire cycle so far. Strong workouts, good energy, and – most importantly – I’m feeling fit instead of just feeling tired.

I still missed a swim, but honestly, I’m okay with that.

Swim 🏊

  • Workouts: 2
  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Total Distance: 4,025 yards

I’d still like to hit that third swim each week consistently, but I’m not panicking over it. My 70.3 swim is downstream in a river, so I’ll survive until summer break gives me more flexibility.

Bike 🚴

  • Workouts: 5 (though two were commute rides)
  • Total Time: 5 hours 9 minutes
  • Total Distance: 76.2 miles

Very happy with this week’s riding. Saturday especially felt like a win. It was raining, and I was leaning toward delaying the team ride… until I saw a rider from the team ride past my house and got publicly shamed by my own conscience into going.

I rode out with them but came back solo, which actually worked perfectly. Ended up with a really solid 3-hour ride. Pace was good, though the overall average looks slower because of the lights and stop signs. City riding reality.

Run 🏃

  • Workouts: 4 (including the brick run)
  • Total Time: 3 hours 17 minutes
  • Total Distance: 20.7 miles

The highlight was Sunday’s 90-minute run, which turned into 9.51 miles.

The first mile felt a little tight, but after that the whole thing felt… easy? Mentally and physically easy. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever described a 9-mile run that way before.

Then I uploaded it and realized I was only supposed to do 7 miles. So: bonus miles!

Total Training Time 🧮

  • Total Duration: 9 hours 41 minutes

Big week.

TrainingPeaks Metrics 📈

  • Fitness: 114
  • Fatigue: 192
  • Form: -49

The numbers continue to scream, “You are training hard,” but I’m handling it well.

Reflections ✍️

This week gave me a real confidence boost. The long bike felt controlled. The long run felt easy. Recovery seems to be improving too—I slept great last night and genuinely look forward to taking today completely off.

Next week will require a little schedule Tetris because I’ve got something on Saturday. I may push the long bike to Sunday and move the long run to Monday since I’m off work. We’ll see how it all fits together.  Or, just long run later in the day Saturday and long ride on Sunday (more likely…might head up to Rockford and ride the bike course)

But overall?

Feeling strong.


May 11 2026 2026-05-11 2026-05-11 NoComment by Ross

This Week in Training – Week 12 – Feeling Progress….

Posted in Cycling, Running, Swimming, Training, Triathlon

I didn’t hit every planned workout this week, but I still increased the training load and, more importantly, I’m feeling pretty strong.

At the moment, I’m sore from the weekend, but that’s what Monday rest days are for. Past Me finally did Future Me a favor.

Swim 🏊

  • Workouts: 2
  • Total Time: 1 hour 24 minutes
  • Total Distance: 4,125 yards

This is where I missed a workout. This was supposed to be the week I added a third swim, but pool scheduling makes that difficult. I’ll keep trying, but honestly, if I stay at two swims per week until summer break, so be it. Once school is out, flexibility improves dramatically.

Bike 🚴

  • Workouts: 3
  • Total Time: 3 hours 50 minutes
  • Total Distance: [distance not provided in your notes]

This was also slightly short of the plan, but still productive. One ride was supposed to be an hour and ended up being 45 minutes. The long ride was planned for 2:30 but finished at 2:17.

That said, the long ride was with a local bike racing team doing their route, and the pace was definitely faster than my usual long ride effort. I could’ve tacked on another 13 minutes afterward, but I counted the higher intensity as enough. Next weekend I’ll ride with them again and extend the loop to make sure I hit the full duration.

Run 🏃

  • Workouts: 4
  • Total Time: 2 hours 54 minutes
  • Total Distance: 18 miles

The runs felt good overall. Sunday’s longer run came on tired, sore legs, but I still knocked it out.

One stat I’m oddly proud of: in the last 12 weeks, I’ve only had to walk during a run once, and that was for maybe two minutes. That feels like real progress.

Total Training Time 🧮

  • Total Time This Week: 8 hours 10 minutes

TrainingPeaks Metrics 📈

  • Fitness: 101
  • Fatigue: 159
  • Form: -45

All good. Numbers continue trending upward without me feeling destroyed.

Reflections ✍️

I’m definitely feeling fitter. The bikes and runs ramp up over the next few weeks, eventually topping this phase out at a 4-hour bike and a 9-mile run. That should set me up nicely for the 70.3 in June.

The other thing I need to address is weight. I lost about 5 pounds during the base phase, but I’ve stalled out a bit recently. I’d like to race leaner. Not lean—let’s not get unrealistic here—but leaner.

Overall, though? Progress. Real progress.


May 03 2026 2026-05-03 2026-05-03 by Ross

This Week in Training…Week 11 – Let’s Go!…

Posted in Cycling, Running, Swimming, Training, Triathlon

Build Phase Begins (sort of… still easing into it)

Solid week. Not perfect, but very solid. More importantly, I don’t feel nearly as beaten up as I did earlier in the cycle. That’s a good sign that the adjustments are working.

Swim 🏊

  • Workouts: 2
  • Total Time: 1 hour 18 minutes
  • Total Distance: 4,025 yards

Same as last week. Steady. Next week, I’ll try to bump this to 3 swims, which will be a challenge with scheduling, but it’s time.

Bike 🚴

  • Workouts: 4 (over 3 days, including a commute)
  • Total Time: 3 hours 33 minutes
  • Total Distance: 51.8 miles

The long ride (2 hours on Saturday) was… rough. Slightly hungover and didn’t eat beforehand – brilliant planning. About 1:20 in, I finally had some honey packets and, shockingly, my legs came back to life within minutes. Lesson re-learned: fuel matters.

Run 🏃

  • Workouts: 4 (including ~1.5 miles off the bike)
  • Total Time: 2 hours 56 minutes
  • Total Distance: 18.2 miles

Today’s 7.5-mile run was solid. It started as a bit of a death march, but I settled in and finished strong – even after the 2-hour ride the day before. I had enough left in the tank to swim afterward, which feels like real progress.

Total Training Time 🧮

  • Total Time This Week: 7 hours 46 minutes

TrainingPeaks Metrics 📈

  • Fitness: 93
  • Fatigue: 154
  • Form: -38

Numbers say I’m working hard, but I don’t feel crushed. That’s new – and encouraging.

Reflections ✍️

This was a good week. The biggest takeaway is that I’m handling the workload better. Earlier in training, this kind of week would’ve wrecked me. Now? Tired, yes. Destroyed, no.

The bigger issue right now is nutrition. I’m not overeating—I’m just not eating well. That needs to change. Time to get back to the goal of 30 different fruits/nuts/veggies per week. It sounds ridiculous until you try it. Smoothies help cheat the system a bit.

Next week looks a lot like this one, just with about an extra hour of training (another swim and +30 minutes on the long ride).

All in all… it’s going okay. Which, at this point in training, is exactly what I want.


Apr 30 2026 2026-04-30 2026-04-30 by Ross

Training Calendar Addition…

Posted in Training, Triathlon

During a recent 5K fun run, I saw someone wearing IM Rockford 70.3 swag.  I’ve been out of the game for a bit because I had no idea Rockford had a 70.3. I checked it out, and it mostly fits in my training calendar.  I’d prefer it were a month later, but I’ll be out of town for those 70.3 races.

So, I signed up today.  The week before, I have a 3:30 bike and 9 mile run as my longer weekend workouts.  The bike would easily cover the 70.3, and the run is close enough that I can push it.  BUT, I probably won’t have any open water swims by them (Lake Michigan will be cold).

Oh well, it’s not like I haven’t had a few 70.3 death marches before.  If you see a racer with the “I made a big mistake” look on their face, that’ll be me.


Apr 26 2026 2026-04-26 2026-04-26 by Ross

This Week in Training: Base Phase – Week 10….

Posted in Cycling, Running, Swimming, Training, Triathlon

The Last Week of Base Phase

Time is moving faster than I’d like. Somehow, we’re already at the last week of the base phase. That feels both good and slightly terrifying.

Overall, not a bad week. I officially backed down to the Just Finish plan with some modifications, so it’s really more like “Just Finish+” or maybe “Intermediate-,” depending on how generous I’m feeling. Basically: less dumb, still enough work.

I think it’s the right call. My wrists agree.

Swim 🏊

  • Workouts: 2
  • Total Time: 1 hour 18 minutes
  • Total Distance: 4,025 yards

This was a nice middle ground — a step back from the 5,000 yards in the Intermediate plan, but a step up from the 3,600 yards in the Just Finish plan. Exactly where I wanted it. Enough work without feeling like I’m auditioning for shoulder surgery.

Bike 🚴

  • Workouts: 5 (over three days)
  • Total Time: 4 hours
  • Total Distance: 64 miles

Two of these were commute rides, which absolutely count because I said so.

The long ride was a two-hour Peloton Power Zone Endurance ride, and it was hard. I much prefer riding outside, but I stayed indoors to save my wrists a bit and because the structure of the power zone ride is good discipline. Suffering with purpose.

Run 🏃

  • Workouts: 4
  • Total Time: 2 hours 13 minutes
  • Total Distance: 14 miles

This landed about right for the plan, though I shuffled things around a bit. I ran an extra 4.5 miles earlier in the week so I could just do a 5K on Sunday (today)  instead of the planned 7.5 miles. Sometimes logistics wins.

I’ll get back to a dedicated long run next week.

Total Training Time 🧮

  • Total Time This Week: 7 hours 32 minutes

A little down from Week 8, but still a bit above what the standard Just Finish plan would call for. Honestly, I think this is the sweet spot. I’d rather train consistently here than keep pretending I’m 32.

TrainingPeaks Metrics 📈

  • Fitness: 82
  • Fatigue: 121
  • Form: -38

All good. Much healthier than the “why are my wrists trying to leave my body” phase.

Reflections ✍️

This feels sustainable. That matters more than chasing bigger numbers for the sake of ego.

I think I’ll stay in this middle lane for a while — enough work to improve, not so much that I break myself before summer even starts. Once school is out and I have more flexibility, I can ramp smarter.

For now: consistency over heroics.

Base Phase is done. The Build Phase is next.

First, though, I’m going to ice my wrists.  They still hurt.


Tags:

Apr 18 2026 2026-04-18 2026-04-18 by Ross

Decisions Were Made…How TO Train…..

Posted in Training, Triathlon

My wrists are in pain. Not sore. Not aching. Pain.

This isn’t “good training fatigue.” This is overuse, and I know exactly why: I’m training too hard, too early. I’ve been pushing like I’m already deep into build phase when I’m still supposed to be wrapping up base. Smart? No. Predictable? Absolutely.

So, decisions were made.

I’m shutting it down for the weekend. Two full days off. Not “easy spin” days. Not “just a short recovery run” days. Actual days off. Bigger days off.

And when I come back Monday, I’m switching plans. Instead of following the Intermediate Ironman program, I’m moving to the Just Finish plan – with modifications, because apparently I can’t leave well enough alone.

The reality is I’m already way ahead of where that plan starts in terms of volume, so I’m going to split the difference. Add a little more weekday volume, but keep the weekends closer to the Just Finish structure. Less hero training. More consistency. More durability.

I’ve got one more week of base phase, and I’d rather step back now, recover, and hit build phase feeling strong than limp into it pretending fatigue is a personality trait.

Once summer hits, training gets easier – not physically, but logistically. Right now I’m stacking workouts back-to-back because of work. Ideally, I’d rather do one in the morning and another later in the afternoon. Let the body recover. Two-hour blocks with workouts separated by 30 minutes and a protein shake is not exactly elite planning. Four hours apart would be far smarter.

And right now, smarter is the goal.

That also means letting the wrists calm down:

  • No bass guitar
  • No drums
  • Minimal typing
  • No swimming
  • No cycling

At least for 48+ hours. Probably more if I’m honest.

It’s an Ironman, not a sprint.

There’s a reason I have a tortoise tattooed on my forearm. Slow and steady wins the race.

Apparently, I needed my wrists to remind me of that.