The Minnow and the Piranhas

23 weeks to go until my first Half Ironman. A friend asked me today if I started a training plan for my Half. I sort of looked at her with a blank stare. I mean I pretty much haven't stopped training doesn't that count? But it has me thinking panicking that maybe I should start some sort of structured plan. To be honest I have never used training plans. I hate them, I hate the pressure. I feel like I would beat myself up over the plan if I didn't do what it instructed or if I missed a day. I feel like it would kill the fun and the sense of peace I get when I train. However, I wonder if maybe I will be swimming with the piranhas when I show up at the edge of the Russian River in July. Am I in over my head? Well, I can bank on the fact that the entire 70.3 miles I will hear the words "ON YOUR LEFT" over and over. In addition when I think about the folks who are racing with me, they are all seasoned athletes. Almost everyone I know doing the race has done Vineman before, done a Half or even a Full Ironman. I am scared...really scared. So yes I think I am in over my head. I started upping my training a little this week. I am trying to incorporate more bricks (bike/run workout combinations) into my workout. It has been tough. They have been total buzz kills to me. I only ran 2 miles today on the treadmill after Spin class today. And I couldn't help but think "OHHHH MY GOD I would still have 11 more miles to go if this were Vineman."  See total buzz kill.  My sweet friend (who is a trainer at the gym) said to me "Wow you just did Spin and you ran? You are an animal." However I felt far from being in animal-mode. Right now I feel like a minnow who is about plummet head-first into the piranha infested waters.

Yes that is true but if my ass and legs looked like that, then maybe I wouldn't be so worried about it.