Staying motivated...

So my foot’s better - after not being great again. I guess running three days in a row, with hills, a speed test and sprints was not a brilliant idea. Ten days off and went for an hour run with some tempo paces and it’s ok this morning, though I can feel something. So I’m pretty sure the fracture isn’t there, but just the lengthy sesamoiditis inflammation that I’ve read about – so: rest, icing, and ibuprofen…

Training-wise, I start short intervals in the pool tomorrow with a waist buoy – pool running… And will add one hour of running a week over the next three weeks, then add 20-30mn a week. Keep tempo running but adding sprints only last, in at least a month, if things keep holding. In the mean time, swimming and biking, especially long bike rides before an hour run to simulate long runs as much as possible.

The good news is, the pressure is off. I have an alternate goal if I can’t do the 100km Bienne, with the chance of still being able to possibly aim for a good time at another 100km in November (Ronde des Eléphants in Annecy, less than an hour’s drive) – and that would be the Rapperswil Half-Ironman on the same weekend as Bienne, which my friend Anthony said he is planning on doing. What’s good about this is that on the days when I water-run I will practice the “total immersion” drills to improve swim technique (and presumably speed), and if I can’t run consistently enough to compete in Bienne, that means I’ll be doing more biking so, again presumably, more adequately trained for a triathlon. 

Of course, initially I thought I would do Rapperswil only if I can’t do Bienne. But the prospect of possibly competing in a triathlon with Anthony again is suddenly too appealing for a silly idea not to occur to me: compete in both Bienne and Rapperswil, foot permitting, since Bienne starts at 10pm on Friday night. If I am done in a realistic 12 hours, that means 10am Saturday, then I can hop in the train and be in Zurich by early afternoon, to get my race bib and compete in Rapperswil Sunday morning. 

So the pressure to be ready for Bienne and the anxiety of not being ready for what until now was my first main event of the year, are off – either Bienne doesn’t happen and I can put all my energy into Rapperswill, or I am able to train consistently for Bienne and run a good race – in which case, Rapperswil will be a “best effort”, even DNSing or DNFing if too tired and just appreciate following Anthony’s progress.

At least I have options and it’s a way to stay motivated!