apples to oranges.
While you may enjoy training and/or doing drugs... A drug habit is much more difficult to give up then training.

---

Jonathan Blyer,
ACME Bicycle Co., Brooklyn, NY

Hell no.

Drug habits are far more cheaper.

---

Behold the turtle! He makes progess only when he sticks his neck out. (James Bryant Conant)
GET OFF THE F*%KING WALL!!!!!!! (Doug Stern)
Brevity is the soul of wit. (William Shakespeare)

No. Bad as it is, you don't wind up looking like this:

a coach can help out alot here. i lotteried in '05 but wasn't able to race it until '06 so i had alot of time to think about it. it's not too late to sign up with markallenonline. good luck, it's a day you will never forget!!!

Thanks, I actually did take up the offer to join MarkAllenOnline coaching and am following his plan - so that helps with the anxiety somewhat.

Is that Whitney Houston???

Sounds like "normal" thoughts of someone who is excited/nervous about a big event in his or her life, be it a wedding, buying a home, studying for a bar exam, having a baby, etc.

OTOH, it is not "normal" to be doing an IM. :)

Don't people take drugs to numb the emotions you are describing?

Good luck with the training and savor the journey!

well, my ironman habit was a major contributor to divorce, just like many other addicitions, so yes.

1. Read what Friel says about this issue in his Triathletes Training Bible and
2. I used in Mark Allen on-line in '05 for both IMC and IMH. Great decision imo, just follow the plan and be patient. Race day will seem easy compared to the training schedule, depending on the training plan you signed up for....

Good luck!

Duuude. Yer not training hard enough. IM is easy to NOT get addicted to. Yer ALWAYS tired. Releif comes when it's over.

Short course RACING, on the other hand, is an addiction... it's all about SPEED!!!! :) :) :) :)

---

36 kona qualifiers 2006-'23 - 3 Kona Podiums - 4 OA IM AG wins - 5 IM AG wins - 18 70.3 AG wins
I ka nana no a 'ike -- by observing, one learns | Kulia i ka nu'u -- strive for excellence
Garmin Glycogen Use App | Garmin Fat Use App

It was the Diva known as Witney Houston before the pipe.

RIDE THE PIPE!

Quite a few papers argue that it is akin to a drug addiction, defined as not being able to stop or limit the usage. I would think it's an addicted habit, but with a bit of sanity one can see that there are sometimes more important things in life. Test yourself:
- If fatigue, time and money were not an issue, would you stop training 8h (or more) a day 7days a week?
- If it's not in your training plan and you are off season (i.e. you don't havea strong rationale for training), would you accept to stop training for 2 weeks?

Having said that, what's wrong in saying 'I, I'm Fix, I am a Ironmanholic, I know it and I enjoy the benefits as well as I assume the consequences'?

---

Francois-Xavier Li @FrancoisLi
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." George Bernard Shaw
http://www.swimrunfrance.fr
http://www.worldofswimrun.com

Having lived with a drug addict for a bit of time who was also a triathlete and talking with several i the addiction field, the bottom line is yes you can be addicted to exercise, training, sex or anything else. Addictions take many forms.

---

Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

"Can training for Kona (or any full Ironman) be compared to having a drug habit?"

Yes, in a way, but there are other psychological factors involved. Many people can be "driven" without being addicted, but also: many people can be addicted which may look like 'drive'.

I'm rather been studying this anthropologically for a while, watching people, reading posts and blogs, watching them in live races and preparations. I also know a fair amount of 'human behavior', which also encompasses psychological principles. I also know a deep amolunt about addictive behaviors from my work also.

I know someone who got into tri training, and I did call it his "crack" :)

You'd know if it was like a drug habit if you started putting other things aside to think about, dream about, fantasize about, and attend to Kona stuff - above and beyond 'normal' training:

--Has your family said anything about feeling ignored? (There are people who can make a family feel loved without ignoring them during training...) Are any of your relationships noticibly suffering due to the training?

--are you making purchases you can NOT afford, simply to keep up with other triathletes or because you think you can get a few seconds' edge?

--can you keep a semblence of regular life outside your preparations?

--if you aren't training, are you moody, sometimes to the point of anger? If someone inadvertantly interrupts your Kona-dreaming or prep, are you angry at that person?

--do you hide any of your training, purchases or preparations from others - for any reason?

These are simply a few questions to ask yourself. I hope you get some good responses so you can start to consider what's going on...

My 2c,
Lauren

---

-------------------------

Lauren Muney
certified physical fitness trainer
certified health coach
wellcoach
http://www.physicalmind.com

There is no escape from your life... solve the problems and get on with it.

"Just tell her you love her and you think she kicks ass" ~AndrewinNH

"I'm moving [Lauren] to guru status" ~Last Tri in 83

I took some time to answer your very good questions about the relationship between training for Ironman and a drug habit. Here are my responses:

Question:Has your family said anything about feeling ignored? (There are people who can make a family feel loved without ignoring them during training...)
Answer: Yes, my 16 year old daughter.

Q. Are any of your relationships noticibly suffering due to the training?
A. Yes, friendships (I rarely have time to see my non-triathlete friends). Also, no time for dating (any single male triathletes out there in the DC/VA area?)

Q. Are you making purchases you can NOT afford, simply to keep up with other triathletes or because you think you can get a few seconds' edge?
A. Yes, I make purchases I can't afford, but not for speed, but out of basic need.

Q. Can you keep a semblence of regular life outside your preparations?
A. Sometimes

Q. If you aren't training, are you moody, sometimes to the point of anger?
A. Not to the point of anger, but I am always thinking about my training.

Q. If someone inadvertantly interrupts your Kona-dreaming or prep, are you angry at that person?
A. Nope, I just don't hear them!

Q. do you hide any of your training, purchases or preparations from others - for any reason?
A. Nope, I flaunt them shamlessly!

Looks like I might have a problem, uh Doc?
konaboundstacy@gmail.com
konaboundstacy@blogspot.com