Things have been pretty quiet here. The weather went from 90s to 60s and rain in less than a week and it looks like fall is just around the corner. We even started pulling the pool covers tonight, a sure sign the seasons are changing.
After receiving confirmation of my Kona invite last month, I was pretty pumped, perhaps overshadowing the lingering fatigue from my July IM and early August half IM. I could tell mentally that I needed a little break from racing and everything that comes with it, but training was going well and I was able to push up the volume again soon after Boulder 70.3. Doing 3 IMs a year is tricky, especially when you need to be on top of your game for each one. I pushed my limits this season in trying to get to Kona, which I did, but my body isn't too happy about it. However, the way the KPR worked this year, it made it necessary for most pro women to race more than 1 IM, something I really don't recommend. Chrissie W. wrote a nice blog post about it all and I have to agree with all the points she brings up. I just hope the WTC takes it to heart and implements some changes next season. We are athletes, not machines. IM should be a distance respected and rewarded accordingly, especially when it comes to points and prize money.
Anyways, I am 4 and a half weeks out from Kona now and I am confident that I will be racing, even if my preparations at current time aren't ideal. I have come down with my first injury since starting triathlon in 2006. It's keeping me from running for now, but I can still bike and swim and I am doing everything I can do to make it better. Patience and listening to my body are key, even though time is running out. My primary objective is to run pain free, then worry about running fast. Hopefully my running background has given me enough base to pick right up where I left off once I am back on track. It's a little frustrating since all year has been built around this 'magical' race called Kona, but I am also trying to keep things in perspective. It will make crossing that finish line just that much more meaningful, come Oct. 8 :) Fingers crossed.
