What A Ride
by Coach Suzy
What a ride this training adventure has been!
Right after I signed up for Ironman Wisconsin, Coach Joe told me that this was going to be, “the year of the bike”. He was NOT lying. Anyone who has ever trained for long course triathlon knows that you spend A LOT of time in the saddle. Spending a lot of time in the saddle means you have A LOT of time to reflect. Reflect I did today as I rode 2 loops of the Ironman bike course along with the love of my life and masterful Coach and 7 of my Experience Triathlon Teammates.
Early-on in today’s ride, we came to a part of the course that Joe and I have always affectionately referred to as, “Rollercoaster Road”. We’ve ridden it many times before, but today was different. Today I rode with a different set of glasses, considering that in exactly 2 months and 5 days, I’ll be riding it again, but this time it will be race day and there will be an Ironman medal waiting for me at the finish line. As I flew down the steep descents on Rollercoaster Road like my daughters at Great America, and as I climbed the steep ascents with passion and determination, I was overwhelmed by just how much Rollercoaster Road is symbolic of Ironman training and of life itself.
In Ironman training and in life, you have some great days and you have some bad days. You have struggles and you have successes. You have ups and you have downs…just like those hills on Rollercoaster Road. After several long months of Ironman training, what struck me today was that I’m having more great training days than bad, more successes than struggles, and more ups than downs. As race day inches closer, I feel reality starting to take shape. My confidence is building as I bank more and more workouts that would have seemed impossible a year ago. Something that was once so big, so illusive, and only just a dream is now within my reach.
My 2013 Ironman Journey Articles by Coach Suzy:
The Hard is What Makes It Great
Suzy Cerra is a USAT certified Triathlon Coach with Experience Triathlon. As leaders in the endurance services industry, Coach Suzy and the Experience Triathlon staff help athletes of all ages and abilities achieve success in training, racing and life. Learn more about Coach Suzy and Experience Triathlon at www.experiencetriathlon.com.