After the past few years, that's probably a good thing! Doing IMC last year 9 months after IMAZ, I could definitely feel the moments where the long days were wearing on me. I knew I'd do all short stuff in 2013 to shake it up a bit. I try to be very very aware of the signs of burnout so that I don't end up there.
It's been funny to see people's reactions this year as far as my schedule. There seems to be this inherent expectation in triathlon that you start with sprints or Olympics and then you build up the distance and then you...stay there, I guess? Doing Ironman after Ironman after Ironman. Well, there's a fair bit of scientific data out there to show that's not the best route for quite a lot of athletes from a health perspective (especially when it comes to women and hormones) and from a performance improvement perspective. In any event, I tell people "all sprints this year" and they go "yeah but you're doing Wildflower, right? SV Long Course? Big Kahuna?" Um, no...All. Sprints. And they look at me with a look of utter confusion.
Who says you can't go back and work on a different distance after some Ironmans? I'm finding it a great way to change things up, while still putting in some substantial training volume (oh how silly I was to think my volume would go down...), and work on different areas. In the 4-year-1-month period that started July 2008 and ended August 2012, I did 7 1/2 IMs and 3 IMs. My body's been doing distance work for that long. It's time for a change! Short course fun and speed!
I'm looking forward to toeing the line on Saturday and kicking off my tri season but I'm also scared all over again because I know how hard these short little races are. You don't get a lot of time to make up the difference from your weaker areas before you run out of distance to do it. You just have to GO!
I have a feeling the next 4 months - with the racing and training and packing and moving and goodbyes - will fly by just as fast. My last race at Nationals is a week after I move, so it's going to be quite a crazy time. This year, it looks like my whole life is a sprint!
4 comments:
I've been keeping track Molly. I know you have been busy, and will continue to be so.
I like you. :)
Best of luck with everything. :)
I think it's pretty great that you decided to switch it up, especially considering everything else going on. And sprints - they are so much harder than people think! Which is why I avoid short distances at all costs!
I can tell you first hand doing too many IM's either too close together, at too young an age and/or for couple years in a row puts a huge damper on female hormones. And maybe that's just because I'm a sensitive little flower, regardless, it's a brutal thing to go through. I think it's great you're listening to your body and changing it up! You have been so consistent over the years and that's because you're smart when it comes to sport. This year sounds crazy, but I know you will do what is right for you. Have a great race this weekend!!!
Sprints are hard. But fun. But hard. It's good to mix things up and essential to tailor your race schedule to your life.
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