The US health care system is so messed up, that my memory of the Polish one seems like a good dream. The Swiss one is on the other side of the spectrum, comparatively flawless.
Sorry for your how much pain you’re having and hoping it will get solved soon.
I’ve just finished my training week, spot-on 20h00m (4h31m swim, 11h22m bike, 4h07m run). Hardest was the Saturday’s >5h indoor bike, which I preferred over cold and showery bike ride outdoors. Overall very happy with the week.
well, the US system has problems but my insurance also paid for an expensive surgery in January, and stuff happens here faster than Canada.
THanks for the well wishes.
Congrats on your awesome training week! I’m psyched for you.
That is a solid week for sure - well done. This is building for Kona?
Kona, yes. We discuss a lot of mental things so let me share as well my thinking and worries. I was / am full of inner doubts…
Problem
I wasn’t sure how to approach training for another IM after Frankfurt, exactly 4 weeks ago. Last year I did IM Lanzarote and then IM World Champs in Nice. Felt flat and with no energy in Nice, couldn’t explain really why apart from general season fatigue and thin line between being fit and fu****…
Input
Assuming my weekly average since January has been slightly above 15h, fairly distributed between the swim/bike/run.
Observations / Analysis
After IM Frankfurt I first did a recovery week of 9h, then 13-14h and 14-15h after that, skipping long bikes and long runs (deliberately) and re-introducing VO2 and threshold work (nothing spectacular, but maybe 3-4 sessions per week across bike and run). I had a feeling that before IM Frankfurt I pushed my LT1 high enough, so that in order to make it better I would need to make room for it by working on the ceiling first. I didn’t think that doing full IM prep would be a good choice, as I thought I was quite stagnated (good for the race in Frankfurt but not for the future).
Timeline / Plan
I just did 20h week. The next one is also a copy-paste 20h week, maybe 1h more if manage time-wise. Then a recovery week (long time ago planned beach vacations, good timing though), maybe 14-15h. Then another two hard weeks (10 days doing home office from Lanzarote - it’s windy, humid and volcanic like Kona but 5 degrees colder), then finally taper. That’s my plan for getting fit, but not fu****.
Extras
added benefit of dedicating a few sessions to it…FWIW it seems wise that you’re varying your stimulus for the 2nd IM (for mental freshness as much as any physiological gain … which you might also get as you say). And you seem mindful of rest and you have the benefit of your previous experience.
Are you enjoying the training? Do you have any goals for the Kona race? Just curious and don’t feel obliged to share if too private!
Do I enjoy training? It depends. Sometimes. I like the accomplishment feeling, I like feeling fit, I like becoming better, i like exercising with others, I like riding and runnings in various non-local places. Most of the time it’s just grinding through the workouts. And structured training beyond 15-20h/week, if you have a full time job, is no fun, sadly.
Goals for Kona? Do the best on the day and don’t have regrets afterwards. I don’t really have a time goal nor position goal - I’m not a podium contender But I’m also going to Hawaii for vacation with my second half and I want to enjoy the time there. I won’t risk our Hawaii trip to be emotionally judged only based on the race result.
Sounds like Kona is going to be a celebration of your achievement in qualifying - congrats again 
I know our sport has an element of ‘type 2’ fun … but, more fun, less grind needed! I think if I were you, my Kona build would have more training adventures and less structured workouts (especially after the feeling you had in Nice). Just a thought - life’s too short!
That’s why I’m also happy to go (again) to Lanzarote for the final preparation. It’ll be more about doing volume in favourable weather conditions and having everything at hand, rather than riding zone 2 ERG mode for 4h