Mixed Outlook

OK, I’ve wrapped up my off season training plan and am on cruise control for my target half marathon on March 15. Very different results from the OS plan this year than last. In short, I had no patience for my bike trainer this year. I never found my cycling legs and I just sort of faked my way through. After two years of Ironman training, I’m finding myself fairly burned out on trainer workouts. The killer instinct is gone!

In contrast my running has never been stronger. Something just clicked this off season. My VDot has jumped to somewhere between 49 and 50. Considering my preseason goal was to reach a 50 VDot by mid-summer, I’m pretty happy! (I thought it was a “stretch” goal)

According to my metrics, I should be able to crush my half marathon PR by something like six minutes. Unfortunately that is not my target. In the cold & wind, there’s a very high probability that a race situation will induce my Afib if I push anywhere near threshold. The wind, especially, seems to be a trigger.

I still intend on toeing the line, but with the goal of simply finishing the stupid race. I haven’t finished a race since Ironman Lake Placid in July 2007! Last year was a total bust from a racing perspective.

So we’ll have to see what Mother Nature has in store for March 15 in Wilmington, DE. I’ll start out at long run pace and adapt on the fly. I need to check my ego that day and just be content with my fitness (and get the monkey off my back!). Hopefully the coming spring weather will allow my symptoms to disappear, just like last year.