Hi folks,
First of all, my apologies for the long post but I'm facing a dilemma. In just 30 days I'm supposed to have my A-race for the season and I really don't know if I even should participate. I come to this forum with hope you can shed some light on it.
This A-race is a full non-franchise IM just 200km from my hometown. It's a kind-of hilly ride course with 1600m of total ascent and 300m for the marathon. I participated last year in my first IM with great success, finishing in top 5% with a time of 10:15 (in a normal road bike wih aero clips and a 3:30 marathon). At 32 years old, it was just my third triathlon, of any distance.
I've been training consistently for the past year with views of improving that. No time goals, just the feeling of doing better. For me, race times on non-flat courses depend a lot on rain and wind conditions. However, I do know that under same weather conditions, going sub-10hr would get me close to a top 10 position (of course, non-franchise IM so no pros).
Bought a TT bike, turbotrainer, increased my swim frequency and mileage, kept running just the same... and I got injured in Oct-18. Psoas tendinitis or hip flexor strain possibly due to some kind of hip labrum damage. With some weeks of almost no running, I set out to strength the s*** ouf of my hips.
January came and I was in my best shape ever. In running I made some 5k and 10k PR in training workouts, 48km/1300m ascent trail run on my own, climbed a 1000m mountain in one hour, etc. On the bike, I was making PR on strava segments with some top 10 places, no matter where I went and how many times I could have gone by that segment before (my region is well known in the pro cyclist community with La Vuelta coming every year).
Then the bad news. At the end of March, for the first time in my life my IT band started to annoy me. My weekly running mileage went from 50-60km (30-40 miles) to 10-20 km. I could run with no pain but after one hour it was impossible to continue. The following morning was even worse.. but after 2-5 days working the it band I felt better and got back to running. That's been the situation for the past 8 weeks (my supposed volume period). I keep running surprisingly at a good pace (4:15-4:30 per km) easily but can't run with the due consistence.
I have a €30 insurance cancellation that expires on Monday 20th 2019. I talked to the organizers and they said I could changed to 70.3 distance, but I don't know if that's what I want. My options are as follows:
I don't have a coach and I'm not interested in one. I don't train to race. I do triathlon because I've seen that what really matters to me is the day to day, the way of life. It's not about the results, it's about the satisfaction it gives, the endorphins, the health, etc. I don't have to prove anything to anybody because nobody I care gives a shit if I go sub-10 or not. And if I had to prove something, I already did last year. My main concern is being not well prepared for the race and that a bad performance or unnecessary suffering experience affects me physically and emotionally.
First of all, my apologies for the long post but I'm facing a dilemma. In just 30 days I'm supposed to have my A-race for the season and I really don't know if I even should participate. I come to this forum with hope you can shed some light on it.
This A-race is a full non-franchise IM just 200km from my hometown. It's a kind-of hilly ride course with 1600m of total ascent and 300m for the marathon. I participated last year in my first IM with great success, finishing in top 5% with a time of 10:15 (in a normal road bike wih aero clips and a 3:30 marathon). At 32 years old, it was just my third triathlon, of any distance.
I've been training consistently for the past year with views of improving that. No time goals, just the feeling of doing better. For me, race times on non-flat courses depend a lot on rain and wind conditions. However, I do know that under same weather conditions, going sub-10hr would get me close to a top 10 position (of course, non-franchise IM so no pros).
Bought a TT bike, turbotrainer, increased my swim frequency and mileage, kept running just the same... and I got injured in Oct-18. Psoas tendinitis or hip flexor strain possibly due to some kind of hip labrum damage. With some weeks of almost no running, I set out to strength the s*** ouf of my hips.
January came and I was in my best shape ever. In running I made some 5k and 10k PR in training workouts, 48km/1300m ascent trail run on my own, climbed a 1000m mountain in one hour, etc. On the bike, I was making PR on strava segments with some top 10 places, no matter where I went and how many times I could have gone by that segment before (my region is well known in the pro cyclist community with La Vuelta coming every year).
Then the bad news. At the end of March, for the first time in my life my IT band started to annoy me. My weekly running mileage went from 50-60km (30-40 miles) to 10-20 km. I could run with no pain but after one hour it was impossible to continue. The following morning was even worse.. but after 2-5 days working the it band I felt better and got back to running. That's been the situation for the past 8 weeks (my supposed volume period). I keep running surprisingly at a good pace (4:15-4:30 per km) easily but can't run with the due consistence.
I have a €30 insurance cancellation that expires on Monday 20th 2019. I talked to the organizers and they said I could changed to 70.3 distance, but I don't know if that's what I want. My options are as follows:
- Participate in full IM and give all I have. If that means DNF at half of the run, so be it.
- Change to 70.3... for which I don't know if I have the motivation. I was mentally and physically preparing an IM. If I'm not OK for full distance, maybe I should start thinking in autumn or 2020 races.
- Cancel everything.
I don't have a coach and I'm not interested in one. I don't train to race. I do triathlon because I've seen that what really matters to me is the day to day, the way of life. It's not about the results, it's about the satisfaction it gives, the endorphins, the health, etc. I don't have to prove anything to anybody because nobody I care gives a shit if I go sub-10 or not. And if I had to prove something, I already did last year. My main concern is being not well prepared for the race and that a bad performance or unnecessary suffering experience affects me physically and emotionally.