The more I train the slower I become

That statement needs some explanation but unfortunately it is the truth. The more I train for this race the slower I am becoming. As I sit here mid-week thinking ahead to my workouts this weekend I can't help but get frustrated with my speed heading in the opposite direction. This morning was my long run and it was the slowest long run I have done in quite some time. As I watched the miles splits get a little slower with each passing mile and each passing hour I kept getting more and more worked up. By the time the run was over I was in a pretty bad mood and if I ran another mile it would be to soon. That is part of training I suppose. You have highs and lows - good workouts and bad workouts.

Typically, when you train and recover properly improvements are made and you get stronger and faster. Ahh...the big difference between the previous sentence and my training is the word "recovery". Unfortunately for me that word is not part of my training plan. I knew that going into this but it is still frustrating to be moving in the opposite direction. With my training there is a little recovery between workouts but I pretty much train tired and fatigued all the time. I realize the distances I am training for do not allow time for recovery (there simply isn't enough time in a week) and I know that during the race in October there will be no racing- it will purely be a test of my physical and mental endurance. The only speed necessary will be to get from the start line to the finish line in less than 36 hours.

All of this I know but I still get frustrated. There I said it one last time. I feel a little better now. I don't think that being frustrated is a bad thing though. It helps motivate me to do the next workout to the best of my ability and push through. Peter has a plan for me and it is with his experience I will be ready come race day.

Though my speed is not increasing my endurance certainly is heading in the right direction. I am now starting to cover distances I never considered before. Each week is a new milestone, a new personal best. If I wasn't so tired all the time I'd probably be more excited about that fact. A few weeks ago I emailed Peter and told him that I thought I should take it easy as I felt like I hadn't recovered from the American Triple T. He pretty much told me to harden up and that my body will get use to being exhausted. As much as I hate to admit it he is 100% right. I constantly feel fatigued but I keep moving forward. I am always tired but each day I seem a little less tired. I may not be as fast as I would like but speed isn't my goal. Covering 281.2 miles in less than a day and a half is my goal! Whatever it takes to get me to complete this goal is what I will do. Fatigued or not! For the time being I will have to accept the fact, and happily at that, that the more I train the slower I will become.

One last thought- I would not be where I am now without the help, guidance, advice, and most importantly friendship of Bob Nixon and Melissa Bell. In the two years I have been involved in this multi-sport lifestyle Bob and Melissa have been there every step of the way for me. I will never be able to thank them enough for all they have done for me. They truly are some of the nicest and most caring people I have ever met. I am honored to be able to call them friends. They both mean the world to me. Thank you Bob and Melissa for being who you are, everything you have done, and for getting me to where I am today. (I think being fatigued also makes me emotional!)