A New Training Goal

Not many things gave me as much satisfaction as running a marathon at the beginning of 2025. I even got emotional, after all of that hard work, I was down to the last half mile with my family beside me running. There was also just something about improving in something. I started out struggling to finish three miles but in six months I was able to push myself across the finish line of a 26.2 mile race. Having that goal pushed me to wake up early to get my long runs in. Stay up late to get my long runs in. And I felt more in control of my body after having crippling anxiety earlier that year in 2024. I regret not running a marathon for 2026. I just got to watch as other people hit their goals, as I sat at home.

I have also bulked up (unhealthy way) to close to 220 pounds. I finally got under 200 during my training days as I pushed myself through running the demanding miles. Even though I don’t have the goal of a marathon in 2026, I still pushed myself to run every once in a while. I would run weekly, and at October I pushed myself to get back to training levels. Ultimately, that didn’t work as I got sick for a couple of weeks but I finally got healthy and started getting back on those runs. I have been increasing mileage, speed, and feel good doing it.

I am still training for a marathon, lightly, my formal training hasn’t started yet. I am mostly focusing on improving fitness and time goals. A very interesting thought came to me about another event.

What about an Ironman? I loved riding my casual bike, I love running, I am not so much in love with swimming but I can keep my training hybrid and knock out another thing on my to do list. I also have a great trail next to my home that is 30 miles long.

After looking up Ironman races, I was pleased to see that they have all sorts of different distances. Instead of the 140 mile IRONMAN races I will be trying a 70.3 miler December of this year or next year.

One thing that I wasn’t prepared for…. MONEY. The most you need are shoes for a marathon, and pay for your entry.

A triathlon you need different clothes, different shoes, some sort of insurance to run an ironman, A BIKE, and an entry fee. A bike has opened an entire new world to me.

The world of cycling. Treks, Cannondales, Giants, triathlon bikes, road bikes, CLIP ON PEDALS? Saddles? Tune ups,  and more. It is a bit of information overload but I am wading through it at the moment. I have to learn how to ride a completely new bike… Bike maintenance, how to fix a flat tire quick, and just so many different options that my mind is blown.

I have a one speed cruiser from Walmart that I have had for over ten years. I begged my parents to bring it down from my hometown and I rode it often after first getting it. I put in a lot of effort to put in a new tire tube, new seat cushion, added lights, and bags to it. For a three-month period I loved it. I wouldn’t go on super long rides but on a one speed cruiser, I felt like I went pretty far. One bike ride with my fiances family was all it took to change my mind. They all had E-bikes and bikes with different gears and I got left in the dust on my extremely heavy cruiser.

Several days of searching Facebook Marketplace later is when I found an old Cannondale. It was a good brand and it was CHEAP. Two things that I was looking for. It was in pretty good shape as well. No rust, the components looked okay, and it was $170. Haggled to drop it to $150 and I picked it up that day. A 27-year-old riding on a 25-year-old bike.

I was surprised to see how different the riding is. Slanted forward, not leaning back on a cruiser. I finally entered the world of shifting gears, and bike shops. The current problem is ghost shifting on the sidewalk. On the asphalt it rides great. I get to push myself and pedal as quick as I can and I can build momentum and let myself ZOOOOM. It is just a completely different experience, and I loved the better speed. I am not in the running to go on the Tour De France, but I feel better not to be in last on a family ride.

I have also realized that maybe some new muscles are being activated instead of a run. I feel more burn in my upper legs while my running is mostly in my lower legs. Currently my butt hurts, my back hurts, and my neck hurts.

Now, I just need to get in the pool. I can run, I can get better at biking, but I don’t have a pool. I looked at a few local gyms, looked at a few local aquatic specialized places but it was no pool, or just too expensive. I remembered that there was a lap pool at my college. That I pay tuition to fund the pool but I don’t use it… I love being able to ‘enjoy my tuition” and this is one thing that I plan on using. It is completely “free” for students and it opens at 6 in the morning and closes at 7 at night. Plenty of time to complete my laps after my classes. I got my goggles in the Walmart order and this will be a new experience as well. The RUNNING will be the easiest part to me.

When I first started my research on Ironman distances. I read somewhere that marathons were harder than Ironman 70.3 races. I have ridden close to 7 miles on the bike so far, and I can’t imagine doing 49 more miles. Also adding in a 13-mile run immediately after. A full IRONMAN is 112 miles right into a full marathon.

I am still just beginning my training. Been on a few short bike rides, been on a few runs, and haven’t even gotten in the pool. I am also carrying a 45-pound plate strapped to my stomach, arms, and legs. I remember when a 3-mile run destroyed me in the middle of 2024. Just to be able to consistently run over 20 miles starting in December and going into 26 miles in January.

I can’t wait to push myself over the next year and a half into the realm of IRONMAN races. I have a race in Panama City Florida in May. Will I be able to drop the weight, and be able to hit this goal?