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.