Time to yourself

Ironman racing, and training for that matter, can be lonely at times. The swim obviously is not that lonely as you usually have someone around you. The bike, depending on the course, can be a similar experience. You can have packs around you, but if people are following the rules, you are usually a little bit ahead or behind your next closest competitor. The run, in my opinion, can be really solitary. If you didn't talk to yourself a lot on the bike, you will on the run. I remember at Ironman Canada not seeing another competitor when I was heading out to the turnaround for miles. The were a few pros coming back into town as I neared mile 7 or 8 maybe? But the first 90 minutes or so of the run I passed 10-25 people and was passed by two guys I think. So in between aid stations...you are a product of your mind.

In the few years I have been racing triathlon, in particular Ironman, I have learned some tricks. The swim doesn't bother me. The bike can...it's just long. You get tired. Your back starts to hurt. etc, etc, etc. So, I focus on some simple things. Keep my heart rate at this number until the next aid station, then I get a break to take in some nutrition and stand on the pedals for a few seconds to relieve the back. I also set my watch to beep every 20 minutes. Why? Forces me to take in calories and for whatever reason it makes the day go by faster. Onto the run. The nice thing is you have an aid station every mile. That being said, that time between aid stations can seem like an eternity. So...what's a guy to do? It's 16 miles into an Ironman marathon. How do I stay focused? I concentrate on landmarks, time and aid stations. For example, when I'm really hurting I might look ahead and see a bend in the road 1/4 mile up. Ok Yates, keep your pace up until that bend and then you can take a break. Guess what happens? Yep, make it to the bend and then I spot another landmark. Maybe a mileage sign or something. Go another 2 to 3 minutes and then pick another.

This whole process might seem incredibly tedious, but trust me...when you are out there racing for hours on end and your mind is telling your body to stop...well, you almost have to dumb down your mind. Hey brain, shut the F up! It's the hardest thing to do. Ignore the pain and the signals that your brain is sending. To push through. A wall? Not really. There is a wall, but in Ironman racing it's different. It's just downright pain and possibly caloric deficiency. If it's pain, I have to try in suck it up. If it's caloric deficiency than I've gone off plan and need to be smart. Sacrifice a minute or two to save an hour. Sound silly, it's not. Check out my marathon times at Arizona vs. Canada. Over 40 minutes different. Part pain tolerance, part sticking to nutrition plan, and all heart! I love this stuff. How far can you push yourself? Go find out. It's hard to describe what it feels like to find out.

-T