Starting a new training plan brings excitement and possibility. Moving from regular exercise, to building continually, resulting in a near-constant state mixing between push/recovery/exhaustion/repeat – continuing to stay just on the brink of overwork but trying not to cross the line.

Over seven months since crossing the finish line of Ironman New Zealand, I am eager to start training again! It took me awhile this time to fully recover and to want a training plan again, but the time has come.

I know I want to do Ironman Western Australia again in 2020, but decided that waiting until early December was too long! Looking at the Ironman schedule and what’s possible for my husband and I both to get to…I decided on Ironman St. George in Utah, a couple of hours from Las Vegas and about 4 hours from Salt Lake City. May 2, 2020.

This will be my first race in the United States. I am a little sad to break the streak, but it’s what fits.

The course looks good except for a big climb on the bike. I have trouble converting what I see in the elevation profile to what it will actually be, but it is pretty clear that there is some serious climbing. It is mostly a single loop bike course, an exciting first for me. (Many courses have 2-4 loops).

I am currently in my third week following my plan (a modification of this one, which is mostly the competitive program from the Be Iron Fit book). (Another post about training plans here).

It feels really, really good to start building again! However, one change and possible challenge for me this go-around, is that my schedule is completely different. I do not have a 9-5 job with weekends off. Instead, I control my own schedule and I have taken on a lot between starting two businesses and different projects and other obligations. I have the flexibility to workout mid-day during the week (sometimes), but I am often working on the weekends, and at the moment my schedule throughout the week is not always consistent.

I am thrilled with the life I am creating for myself, and I think ultimately it will work well with Ironman training, but it will take some time as I explore the different ways to fit my training in within a week. I may need to put my long workouts mid-week, but should I do that consistently so I get a full week in between? Is that feasible? Can I run for 3 hours on Sunday morning and then meet with clients most of the day, or will I be too tired?

One of my favorite parts about self-employment is the freedom to multi-task. For example, I listen to group calls for my estate planning practice as part of a program helping me learn estate planning and the business side of lawyering. I have been able to get a bike ride in while I am on the call. Not necessarily the best pump-up listening for a hard workout, but when fitting Tri into the rest of Life, you get the workout in when you can.

I have some time to figure this all out as the 3+ hour workouts are aways off, but it’s is all part of the fun and exploration that is what I love about the sport.

For now I will enjoy building time and distance and the feeling of almost always pushing myself to exhaustion, then easing a bit, and pushing again.

What’s on your schedule? Or what’s coming up next year? Are you enjoying off season right now or deciding to ramp up for something ahead?