Trimesters to Triathlons: The Triathlon Diary of a Postpartum Mom

July 23 to July 13

Focus: Taper and Recovery for Great White North Half Ironman

Hey,

Well, you've done it! Here you are in the final weeks leading up to the big race. I know your head is probably full and focusing is tough after your outstanding duathlon on Sunday, but it's time to refocus and get to the start line rested and healthy.

You have impressed the heck out of me. You did the workouts with more consistency than most of my athletes and you have more challenges than any of them. If you find motivation waning this week I want you to start counting down workouts to taper. The end of this week is taper time and volume starts to decrease although frequency of workouts and intensity does not.

I need to know that you have your nutrition plan figured out for GWN too. You have a few longer workouts left to dial that in, so please be very calculating in how you approach calories on those workouts.

Let me know if this is okay. I'm really excited to see you race. Thanks for letting me be part of this journey. Have you thought more about an Olympic distance in July or August?

Regards,

Abby

JUNE 23

Feeling tired today. Swim was hard. Have a substitute coach, Suzanne, for Randy while he's away doing Ironman Coeur d'Alene. She took Randy seriously when he told her to work us hard. No talking. Just lots of swimming, sprinting and sighting drills.

Send Abby email:

Hi Abby, hope you had an excellent race. I looked at your results and they seem outstanding to me. Good job! You're a machine! Here's my log for the week and a report on my dismal little race on the weekend. Good bike, good run – choked on the swim and drank a couple litres of slimy lake water, which I can still taste. Have to adopt new swim strategy for GWN (yes, I did have one). Nothing like a douse of cold water to keep you humble.

Both kids sick with colds, feeling some symptoms coming on so I won't be surprised if I get sick this week. Keeping fingers crossed it goes away.

JUNE 24

Still feeling wiped. Think I'm getting a cold. Both kids are sick. Do bike in the evening. Blistered feet don't feel too bad in shoes. Really don't feel like doing bike. Feels like I've done 100 kms instead of 50.

Skip run after ride for several reasons: lightening in sky, looks like it's about to pour, don't feel brave enough to put on running shoes, and need to feed Roo before she goes to bed.

Get email from Abby:

Hey... I read every word of your log. Honestly, I'm relieved you had that experience before GWN. You know what the panic is like and now you can deal with it. We will get to Arbour Lake tomorrow night. Is there any way you can join us? It will really help you get used to getting your face in the water. I'm around all week if you want to debrief your race, I'd like to chat anyway.

JUNE 25

Feels like I'm walking around with bricks in my pockets. Appetite not great. Not really eating or drinking much but trying to. Today is the last day of swimming. Did a review of drills and skills worked on over the season. Did fun relay races at the end. My team won two heats.

Went for drinks afterward. People were doing hair and makeup to get ready; I was pretty proud of myself for remembering to bring a comb. Listened to the stories from the athletes who did Ironman Coeur d'Alene with a mixture of horror and fascination. Wow. Sounds painful but for some reason I really want to do one. Stupid swimming.