Becoming Ironman – Week 3 – 3/6/2024

Aaron B -

While my training has been severely stunted from the fracture in my arm, I have already completed 10 weeks of my training plan. During this time, I have learned a lot about what it takes to complete an Ironman triathlon. There were two main difficulties that I faced throughout my training so far. One being diet and the other being injury.

Doing over 14 hours of training a week makes it hard to get the nutrition that you need to be able to sustain the large amount of exercise. I learned quickly that I needed to work on eating food during my exercises if I want to make it through the Ironman. The other difficulty I had was injury. On the 18th day of my training plan I went on a 50 min run on singletrack and although I did not feel any pain during the run, later that night my knee swelled up and did not heal for a week. I suspect that the injury either came from doing too much training too fast or from hyperextending my knee during the run. This injury, although not having nearly as significant an impact on my training as my broken arm, did teach me that rest and not training is sometimes the most beneficial thing to do.

This last week I have made sure to rest. However, I have also made sure to not stay sedentary. I have done a bike ride on the spin bike which felt good on the legs but not so much on the arm. I have also been on a two mile walk each day. In an effort to help my arm, I have been attempting to straighten and bend it to get mobility back in the joint. Although my arm can still not fully extend, the improvement in the last week has been great. Later this week I plan to go on a run. Hopefully my arm will feel good during it.

I am still waiting to see if I need to get surgery for my fracture. I have to give it another two weeks before I’ll know if surgery is the correct option, until then, I’m focusing on moving my arm, slowly working back into my training, researching more about Ironman, and overcoming this road bump in my journey of becoming an Ironman.

More Posts

Comments:

All viewpoints are welcome but profane, threatening, disrespectful, or harassing comments will not be tolerated and are subject to moderation up to, and including, full deletion.

    reagan_m
    Hi Aaron, glad to see all is going well with your arm! What is the most beneficial thing to eat during training, I have seen people use salt tabs or energy chews, but does one thing work better than another, for you?
    March 6, 2024 at 9:59 am -
      aaron_b
      Hi Reagan. Energy gels are the most typical form of quick energy during triathlons. They are easy to eat and carry which makes them the ideal fuel while training for and competing in endurance events.
      March 10, 2024 at 9:50 pm -
    Sam Kirgis
    Aaron! Whoa! I can't imagine how the waiting game feels to know if you need surgery or not. You are showing resilience and grit through this project and your training -- keep it up! Excited to see how this project moves forward.
    March 7, 2024 at 8:57 am -
    asa_r
    I'm glad you're working through this injury. What excercises are best for keeping up your fitness for the ironman triathlon, but will keep your arm from being strained?
    March 11, 2024 at 1:56 pm -
      aaron_b
      Hi Asa. Right now I am just walking and going on hikes but I am also doing some bike rides on a stationary spin bike to try and keep my legs from loosing their strength. I hope to add in some runs on the treadmill soon, but I will still probably not be able to swim for another week or two.
      March 12, 2024 at 10:04 am -
    Deb Ledington
    Hi Arron, I am impressed by your resilience...and focus on movement. Continue to stay patient and trust the process. Every step you take towards recovery is a step closer to getting back to what you love. Remember that your strength and determination will see you through this challenging time. Use this opportunity to learn and grow. Keep pushing forward, one day at a time. You've got this!
    March 12, 2024 at 10:44 am -

Leave a Reply