IMWI 2026: The Long Crawl to the Base Phase
(A reminder that snowstorms and road trips are not part of any structured training plan.)

Oof, Thanksgiving. It did not end well — and not entirely my fault this time.

I started strong with a swim on Monday before we headed out of town. Got in two runs and some island biking while away, but the Midwest snowstorm torpedoed the weekend. Instead of flying back early Saturday and finishing strong, I spent 14 hours sitting in a car doing absolutely nothing. The only endurance event was my patience.  I lost that event.  It’ll be a funny story once my family starts speaking to each other again.

So no, not the week I hoped for. But it was a vacation week, and it is what it is.

Swim 🏊

• Workouts: 1
• Total Distance: 2,025 yards
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Notes: Got this one done before traveling. Felt good to move, knowing the rest of the week might get messy.

Bike 🚴

• Workouts: 3
• Total Distance: 5.85 miles
• Total Time: 38 minutes
• Notes: Island riding — short, easy, mostly for fun. The scenery was better than the mileage.

Run 🏃

• Workouts: 2
• Total Distance: 10 miles
• Total Time: 1 hour 42 minutes
• Notes: Two solid runs early in the trip before the weather and travel schedule took over.  Plus, running along the ocean is always a nice change for me.

Strength/Other 💪

• Workouts: None
• Notes: Unless car-seat core tension counts.

Relative Effort 📈

• Total Weekly Effort: [Not tracked this week, but probably “Low to Moderate Frustration” on the perceived exertion scale.]

Reflections ✍️

Not a great week, but not a total wash either. I did what I could around travel, weather, and long hours of sitting still. The important part is that I’m itching to get back into it — a good sign heading into the next stretch.

Goals for Next Week 🎯

• Get back on top with consistent training across all three sports.
• Aim for three solid weeks before a planned rest week over Christmas.
• Rebuild rhythm and routine — the real victory after a disrupted week.

IMWI 2026: The Long Crawl to the Base Phase
(Still pre-base, still moving forward, still calling commutes “training.”)

Life got in the way this week, so I ended up one workout short. A few other sessions ran long, though, so it all balances out time-wise. The week wrapped up with a 10K Turkey Trot – not a race effort, as my pace made clear, but longer than my usual runs, so I’ll count it as a win.

Swim 🏊

• Workouts: 1
• Total Distance: 2,000 yards
• Total Time: 39 minutes
• Notes: This was the missing workout. I would’ve liked a second swim, but time didn’t cooperate. Felt fine in the water – need more of it.

Bike 🚴

• Workouts: 3 (sort of)
• Total Distance: 25.46 miles
• Total Time: 1 hour 47 minutes
• Notes: Mostly commuting rides – to work, back, and a round trip to packet pickup. Not “workouts” in the strict sense, but still time in the saddle, and it all adds up.

Run 🏃

• Workouts: 2
• Total Distance: 11.18 miles
• Total Time: 1 hour 51 minutes
• Notes: The week ended with the 10K Turkey Trot. I wasn’t racing, but it was nice to stretch the distance beyond my usual five miles. Felt steady throughout.

Strength/Other 💪

• Workouts: None
• Notes: I keep saying I’ll start yoga. Maybe this coming week will finally be the one.

Relative Effort 📈

• Total Weekly Effort: 552 (up again from 534 last week)
• Notes: Effort trending up even with one fewer session – proof that commuting miles and a 10K trot count for something.

Reflections ✍️

Even with life intruding, I’m happy with the week. I stayed consistent, ran a little longer, and logged solid time on the bike. The trend line is moving in the right direction, and that’s enough.

Next week will be tricky since I’m traveling, but I’ll swim before we leave and should have access to a cruiser bike. We’ll see how it goes. If I have to swap a workout for yoga, so be it — probably overdue anyway.

Goals for Next Week 🎯

• Swim before heading out of town.
• Get in any ride — even a cruiser counts.
• Run when and where I can.
• Substitute yoga if needed (and maybe pretend I planned it that way).

IMWI 2026: The Long Crawl to the Base Phase
(Still pre-pre-base, but at least it’s feeling like forward motion.)

Solid week. Everything clicked pretty well — good runs, good swims, and even some decent time on the bike. Progress.

Swim 🏊

• Workouts: 2
• Total Distance: 4,300 yards
• Total Time: 1 hour 29 minutes
• Notes: The second swim (Sunday) went a bit longer. I had that jittery, undifferentiated anxiety – the kind where it feels like every atom in my body is vibrating too fast. Swimming helps calm that. It’s one of the big reasons I exercise and why I feel better during marathon or Ironman training. I need that release.

Bike 🚴

• Workouts: 2
• Total Distance: 24.82 miles (15.82 outside)
• Total Time: 1 hour 31 minutes
• Notes: One Peloton ride (30 minutes) and one e-bike ride along the lakefront (1:01). The outdoor ride reminded me why I love this sport. The Peloton reminded me that convenience counts too.

Run 🏃

• Workouts: 2
• Total Distance: 10.16 miles
• Total Time: 1 hour 41 minutes
• Notes: Both runs felt strong and smooth – no significant soreness, which is a nice change.

Relative Effort 📈

• Total Weekly Effort: 534 (up from 494 last week, and above my typical weekly range)
• Notes: Despite the higher effort, I’m not feeling beat up. I’ll call that a win.

Reflections ✍️

It was a good week. Balanced, productive, and even therapeutic. I don’t feel achy, just calm — the kind of calm that comes from moving enough to quiet the static. This is the version of training I like: not obsessive, not burnt out, just steady work and a clearer mind at the end of it.

Goals for Next Week 🎯

• Keep the swim consistency going.
• Continue building the bike volume.
• Hold steady on running — solid, not strained.
• Stay in motion, stay sane.
• Strong week before I have to adjust things for Thanksgiving vacation.