How I did it: By breaking the distances into 26 segments, I was able to complete the entire distance of an IronMan in 26 (active) days.  I didn't work out on Sunday, and there was a little incident with a splinter of glass that had me sitting on the sidelines on doctor's orders for a week.  But I just allowed an extra week to finish.  Part of the reason we (my kids and I) chose the name "AluminuMan" is because aluminum is lighter and more flexible than iron!  The breakdown worked out to a mile run (with a bit extra on the last day), a four mile bike ride, and a 170-yard swim every day for 26 days.

Lessons & tips: I live close to a lake, so that made it easy.  We used our car to measure off a 1-mile running loop that began and ended at our house; then a four-mile bike route that began at our house and ended at the lake.  I paced the swim off based on the length of the dock, but chose to do the swim itself outside of the enclosed area because the real IronMan competition swim is undertaken as an open swim.  So we swam out beyond the end of the dock about three yards, and then back.  It was easiest to do the workout alone, for me; the times my husband ran with me the running was very hard.  I was used to cycling, but I hadn't run a full mile in...years...I just grit my teeth and did it, not too fast.  Only on one day did I need to walk. 

Sep 09, 2008, 07:43PM PDT | 0 comments | 3 cheers