So what is all this reading doing for me? Well it is either creating more anxiety, or reducing my anxiety....I am not sure which. I have lots of anxiety about pacing and nutrition. I expect that with time I will get both of those worked out as my training sessions get longer, but I haven't had the opportunity to really work on those yet. One of my biggest fears for the Ironman is blowing up on the bike, or feeling like I am fine on the bike only to find out during the run I should have gone a lot easier. My second fear is how to get the nutrition and hydration that I will need. I think nutrition will be okay as I seem to be able to eat about anything but hydration concerns me. I sweat.......a lot. When I am spinning I am the only one around with an actual puddle beneath me. I think my Polson Triathlon last summer was a prime example of not getting enough hydration. I took two bottles on the bike, and a swallow at each of the aide stations along the run, but by the end of the triathlon I was very hot but sweating very little. I was beginning to feel like I was overheating. My pace kept dropping as I got closer to the finish line. For this reason, I sometimes wish that the Ironman will be a cool and rainy day. I might get cold, but at least I won't be sweating a ton of fluids to get cooled off.
So if anyone has great reading on Ironman, send it my way!