I'm going to start with a potentially controversial opinion. I think training for an Ironman is easier than training for a marathon. Before every triathlete comes after me, hear me out.
I'm not talking about the time commitment. That's not even a competition! Ironman training takes up an incredible amount of time. Between swimming, cycling, running, strength training, fueling, recovering, and trying to maintain some semblance of a normal life, there's a LOT to manage. But in terms of the physical strain on my body, I genuinely think marathon training was harder.
When you're training for a marathon, so much of your volume comes from running. Mile after mile, day after day, your legs absorb the impact. You have to be careful about how quickly you increase mileage, how often you run hard, and how much your body can tolerate before something starts hurting. Runners' worst enemy is either shin splints or plantar fasciitis, which are almost always results of overuse and overshooting mileage too soon. With Ironman training, the majority of your time is honestly spent swimming and cycling. You can build an enormous aerobic workload without the same repetitive impact that comes from running. As a runner, in some ways, it feels like you're cross-training for 80% of the week!
Of course, that does NOT mean Ironman training is easy. Far from it. It just means that the hardest parts haven't necessarily been what I expected. And with my first full Ironman coming up THIS SATURDAY, I've been reflecting on what the last several months have taught me.
The Hardest Part Hasn't Been Physical
It's been mental. There is something about spending hours swimming, cycling, or running that forces you to become comfortable with your own thoughts. No constant entertainment, no endless distractions. Sure, sometimes I do a 3-hour ride on my trainer in the garage, and have a podcast or Youtube video going. BUT, most of the time it's just you, your breathing, the road ahead, and whatever happens to be going through your mind that day.
And when you're training for an event that can take most of an entire day to complete, you do spend a LOT of time in your own head. I've realized that you really do have to know WHY you're doing this. Not just why you signed up for the race, but why you're willing to keep showing up when the excitement of registering has worn off.
Why get up early to swim when you're tired?
Why spend hours on the bike when you could be doing a hundred other things?
Why keep going when progress feels slow, or when you're not particularly motivated?
For me, the answer has become about much more than finishing an Ironman. It's about learning what I'm capable of. It's about practicing discipline, developing patience, and becoming someone who follows through on the things she says she's going to do. It's about appreciating the ability to move my body and recognizing that being able to train like this is a gift, not an obligation. And honestly, I think you have to genuinely enjoy the process.
If the only thing you're looking forward to is crossing the finish line, you're missing so much of what makes this experience worthwhile. The race is one day. The training is where you spend most of your life. I see race day as the celebration. You’ve built so much fitness over the months, and on race day, you get to experience and enjoy it like a gift you get to open up for yourself.
Learning to Be a Beginner Again
One of the things I'm most proud of has nothing to do with how fast I've gotten or how many miles I've logged. It's that I was willing to start something I wasn't good at. Earlier this year, around May or June, I genuinely could not swim one full length of the pool without stopping. I'm not exaggerating. It was a little embarrassing.
I had a background in Division I soccer, years of running experience, and multiple marathons under my belt. I was comfortable being an athlete. I understood training, competition, and hard work. But swimming? I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I had to learn how to breathe properly, how to move through the water efficiently, how to pace myself, and how to stay calm when something felt uncomfortable. I had to research, ask questions, watch videos, practice, and accept that I wasn't going to be good at it right away. I am still far from where I want to be with it, but comfortable with finishing the race distance.
Then came cycling. I didn't know what kind of bike I needed, what equipment to look for, or even what half the terminology meant. There were so many moments when I felt completely clueless. And you know what? It was good for me. When you've spent most of your life competing in sports, it's easy to get comfortable doing things you're already good at. Starting something new requires a different kind of confidence. You have to be willing to look inexperienced, ask basic questions, make mistakes, and improve slowly. You have to let go of the expectation that you should immediately be good at something just because you're an athlete.
I think that's a lesson that applies to almost every area of life. Whether you're starting a business, learning a new skill, pursuing a different career, or trying a new sport, there's tremendous value in being willing to become a beginner again. I'm very much a beginner in triathlon. And I'm actually really excited about that. There's so much left to learn.
Endurance Sports Can Be Lonely. But They Don't Have to Be.
People talk a lot about how lonely endurance training can be, and I understand why. When your training includes long rides, early swims, and hours of running, it can be difficult to find people who have the time, interest, or desire to join you. But one of my favorite parts of preparing for this Ironman has been sharing the experience with other people. There are four of us in our local family and friend group competing in Ironman Florida this weekend. And I cannot tell you how much fun it has been to learn together, train together, and encourage one another through the process. We've figured out equipment, planned workouts, shared advice, and worked through plenty of unknowns along the way. Having even one or two people you can call for a long ride or an open-water swim makes such a difference. Not just because the training becomes more enjoyable, but because you have people who understand what you're working toward. People who celebrate the small victories. People who encourage you when you're tired. People who are willing to get up early and do something difficult alongside you.
I've always loved the team aspect of sports, and this experience has reminded me that you don't have to lose that sense of community when you move into an individual sport. Sometimes you just have to be more intentional about building it. And as we get ready to travel to Panama City Beach together on Thursday, I'm genuinely so proud of each of us. Not because of what happens on Saturday, but because of everything it took to get here.
Training Has a Way of Changing the Rest of Your Life
Something else I've noticed is that Ironman training doesn't stay contained within the hours you're actually exercising. It affects how you plan your days, how you prioritize your time, how you eat, how you sleep, and how you recover. You can't consistently train for hours at a time and expect the rest of your habits to have no impact on your performance. Everything starts to matter a little more, and I think that's one of the reasons endurance sports can be such a powerful tool for personal growth. The discipline you practice in training starts to carry over into other areas of your life.
You become more aware of how you're spending your time.
You learn to think ahead.
You learn that consistency is more valuable than occasional bursts of motivation.
You learn that sometimes the most productive thing you can do is rest.
And you learn that doing difficult things doesn't always require feeling particularly excited about them.
Sometimes it simply requires showing up.
For me, I think this season has also strengthened my relationship with God. There have been countless hours when training has given me space to pray, reflect, and appreciate the life and abilities I've been given. I've found myself thinking more about what it means to be a good steward of my body, my opportunities, and my time. I don't want my identity to be wrapped up in whether I finish a race or hit a particular time. I want to pursue excellence because I've been given the opportunity to do so, not because I need an accomplishment to prove my worth. That's something I'm still learning. But I think this season has helped me grow in that area.
So... How Am I Feeling About Saturday?
Mostly? SO EXCITED. We're leaving Thursday (tomorrow) for Panama City Beach, and I cannot wait to get down there with our crew. Of course, there are some nerves. I'm probably most nervous about the swim. Swimming is still my newest and least comfortable discipline, and the thought of swimming 2.4 miles in open water with hundreds of other athletes is definitely a little intimidating. But I'm confident I can get through it. It might not be fast… or pretty. But my goal is to stay calm, settle into a rhythm, and get through the swim without wasting unnecessary energy.
Then comes the bike. 112 miles. This is where I know I'll need to be especially disciplined. Not just with pacing, but with fueling and hydration. Because as much as I'm excited about the run, I know that how I handle the bike will have a huge impact on what happens during those final 26.2 miles. And the run? That's what I'm looking forward to most. Running is my strength. It's where I feel the most comfortable, and I love the thought of finally getting to the marathon after spending the first part of the day swimming and cycling. But I'm also trying to be realistic. An Ironman marathon is not the same thing as a standalone marathon. I can't assume that because I'm a strong runner, the final leg will automatically go well. I'll need patience, discipline, and a willingness to adjust when things don't go exactly according to plan.
My biggest goal is to race intelligently, stay present, and enjoy the experience. Because at the end of the day, this is my first Ironman. I don't need it to be perfect. I just want to give it my best.
The Start Line Is Already Something Worth Celebrating
As race day gets closer, I keep coming back to how grateful I am that I decided to try this. A few months ago, I couldn't swim a length of the pool. I knew very little about cycling. And now I'm getting ready to attempt a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile run, all in one day. That's pretty wild to think about. I have no idea exactly what Saturday will bring. There will probably be some uncomfortable moments, some unexpected challenges, and plenty of opportunities to practice patience. But I'm ready to find out. And regardless of the result, I'm proud of the decision to try something new, to be willing to struggle through the learning process, and to keep showing up. I'm proud of the people I'm doing this alongside. I'm grateful for the family and friends who have supported us. And I'm excited to see what this experience teaches me next.
The finish line will be exciting. But the real reward has already been in who I've become while preparing to get there.
Now it's time to put all that training to work. IM Florida, we're coming for you!!! Ready to throw down on Saturday.
Want to Follow Along on Race Day?
There are four of us competing from our family and friend group, and we'd love your support!
You can track our progress during Ironman Florida on Saturday, November 7, through the official IRONMAN Tracker app.
Thank you to everyone who has encouraged us, trained with us, prayed for us, or simply cheered us on along the way. It means more than you know!
