The question was raised recently, over a glass of wine as to when will the legs stop throbbing? When will they stop hurting and feeling heavy…? The answer is: around September 1st, when taper will start. No earlier.
Yeap, that’s a reality check. I have entered my 10th year of Ironman training. You would think that my legs would be strong enough to sustain the training and intensity. They are stronger indeed, but with this increased strength comes an increase in intensity that my coach likes to tap into on an every other day basis with strong intervals. The results? Faster intervals, with just as tired of legs! And let’s not forget about our upper body: ever have that feeling while swimming that your arms can no longer move after a strong workout? Well it will happen over and over again!
The beauty though is that you will get to recover faster and better with the increased conditioning. I can now be somewhat productive the evenings after a 6+ hrs workout (after a good shower, nap and some food) and the next day, I am ready to go again.
Trust me: September 1st will feel like a brand new holiday on its own!!!
Enjoy the leg fatigue ’til then 🙂