IMWI 2026: The Long Crawl to the Base Phase
(Still in the pre-pre-base phase. It’s a process.)

Everything hurts. My wrist (though that’s from playing guitar), my back, the back of my knee – all raising their little hands to remind me I’m not twenty anymore. Will I do anything about it? No. But I’ll definitely mention it here.

Swim 🏊

• Workouts: 2
• Total Distance: 3,525 yards
• Total Time: 1 hour 13 minutes
• Notes: One of the swims was IM-heavy. No, I’m not about to whip out butterfly during a triathlon, but it breaks up the monotony and hits different muscles. Felt good to mix things up.

Bike 🚴

• Workouts: 0
• Total Distance: 0
• Notes: Still zero. But I promise it’s coming this week. (I think.)

Run 🏃

• Workouts: 3
• Total Distance: 11.30 miles
• Total Time: 1 hour 51 minutes
• Notes: Solid runs. Still moving well despite the aches. Paces holding steady, energy decent, morale surprisingly high.

Strength/Other 💪

• Workouts: Some
• Notes: Push-ups and sit-ups again. The wrist makes that tricky, but I’m doing what I can. Every rep feels like character development.

Reflections ✍️

Everything hurts, but it’s the good kind of hurt (mostly). The training load feels sustainable even if my joints occasionally vote no. Despite the aches, I’m feeling positive — building this pre-pre-base nicely. It’s slow progress, but progress all the same.

Goals for Next Week 🎯

• Actually get on the bike. For real this time.
• Keep swim volume consistent.
• Baby the wrist, but don’t skip strength entirely.
• Continue crawling toward the mythical “base phase.”

IMWI 2026: The Long Crawl to the Base Phase
(Pre-pre-base prep… to get ready for pre-base… to someday start base. It’s a process.)

(Yes, I forgot to post Week 3. Let’s assume it was brilliant, productive, and pain-free. It wasn’t — but let’s pretend.)

Swim 🏊

• Workouts: 3
• Total Distance: 5,650 yards
• Total Time: 1 hour 57 minutes
• Notes: The swims actually felt solid this week. I’m starting to get a bit of rhythm back, even if my shoulders are whispering “why?” after every set.

Bike 🚴

• Workouts: 0
• Total Distance: 0
• Notes: Still nothing. Still my shame. The bike sits quietly in the corner, collecting dust and judging me.

Run 🏃

• Workouts: 3
• Total Distance: 11.66 miles
• Total Time: 1 hour 53 minutes
• Notes: Stronger runs this week — paces improving, form better, confidence up. The morning-after stiffness? Also up.

Strength/Other 💪

• Workouts: Some
• Notes: Added push-ups and sit-ups, which technically makes me a strength athlete now. Everything hurts, so I guess it worked.

Relative Effort 📈

• Total Weekly Effort: 584 (up from 365 last week)
• Notes: That explains why I currently groan every time I bend, reach, or breathe.

Reflections ✍️

My body aches. Rolling out of bed feels like a warm-up set. Standing upright qualifies as a workout. I know I ramped up too fast. Will I take a rest week? No. Will I keep training like this and complain about it? Absolutely.

Goals for Next Week 🎯

• Maybe (finally) get on the bike.
• Keep the swim momentum going.
• Continue token strength work — push-ups, sit-ups, and maybe some stretching if I’m feeling wild.
• Remember: this is still pre-pre-base to the pre-base phase. It’s a process.

Swim 🏊

• Workouts: 2
• Total Distance: 4,300 yards
• Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
• Notes: The final swim on Sunday felt especially good. I’m starting to get some of that feel for the water back. Progress, little by little.

Bike 🚴

• Workouts: 0
• Total Distance: 0
• Notes: Still nothing here. I need to stop procrastinating and get the bike back in the mix.

Run 🏃

• Workouts: 3
• Total Distance: 7.89 miles
• Total Time: 1 hour 19 minutes
• Notes: Not a lot of mileage, but these runs felt strong for a change. Paces were better, effort felt smoother. That’s a win.

Strength/Other 💪

• Workouts: 0
• Notes: 100% failure on this front. Need to start carving out time for it.

Reflections ✍️

Even without much volume, this week felt better. The runs were solid, the swim is coming around, and I’m feeling more confident in my overall fitness. I’m building slower than ever before, but that’s okay — I’d rather move forward consistently than burn out.

Goals for Next Week 🎯

• Add two bike sessions.
• Get in at least one strength workout.
• Travel week — so aim for one swim and extra runs while out of town.
• Keep the “slow and steady” approach — progress in feeling, not just numbers.