I usually start out complaining about injuries or other things when I bring up rebuilding. However, this time is different. I completed my first Ironman at Lake Placid in 2018 and I couldn’t be more pumped for what’s next!

I have mentioned before that my two bucket list goals are Kona and Boston. Due to the amount of time and effort Ironman training took, I had to reevaluate my goals. For starters, I just don’t have the time to train competitively for Ironman. My current job and near future plans won’t allow me the time I need for that. However, that doesn’t mean it’s off the table; merely on hold. That means Boston is on agenda!!!

So, how do I plan on getting to Boston? It’s quite simple; rebuild my strength, improve my speed, and increase my endurance for the pace I need. As of now, a BQ time will look something like 3 hours. Even though that’s well under the time for my age group, there is a large buffer for Age Groupers. This means that even if you get the time you need, you might not get in. There are just too many people qualifying. This doesn’t mean it’s easy though.

The Strength & More

I started out a few months back after my Ironman doing nothing but NTC strength and HiiT work. This has helped me greatly improve my core strength and I notice that my knees and back bother me less and less. However, my eating did not change from IM training. And even though I am in excellent shape, I have packed on a LOT of pounds. Don’t get me wrong, I can run faster than I did before, cycle faster, and lift more, but it’s not healthy on my joints to hold the amount of weight that I have right now.

So, my upcoming plan is to jump into P90X3. The P90 series has always been a huge help for my strength conditioning. I will still toss in some running-specific muscle building routines, but I want to have my X3 base first.

For the weight realm, I am not too focused on that right now. Getting consistent again with my routines and recently increasing my overall activity level is going to help shed some that without me having to worry about dieting. Regardless of the holidays, I will be focusing on being more aware of my portions. One thing I have done before, which I will be doing more of, is supplementing my daily water intake with Nuun. This includes vitamin and immunity tabs (1 each per day), plus a regular hydration tab when I am feeling munchy. A routine like this will help me retrain my brain to stop craving food when I really don’t need it. Aside from Nuun, I don’t really have any other plans at the moment. I am aiming for a slow and steady loss that I can maintain.

The Pace

Getting the running pace I need seems a bit daunting when I look at my current pace and compare to what I need. To put some perspective on this, my current pace is around 10:30 / mile for a marathon. As of today, I would need to complete a Boston-qualifying marathon in 3 hours and 5 minutes. Therefore, if I want to get as close to guaranteeing a spot, I need to run around 2:50 marathon. This is a pace of 6:30 / mile. You read that correctly, I need to improve my pace by 4 minutes per mile for 26.2 miles.

Fortunately, it’s not as bad as it seems. With focused strength training alone, I will see improvements to my pace. Add in structured, pace-focused running routines, and my pace will drop dramatically. Granted, this will not happen overnight. I am currently working on the additional strength and running training plans right now. Once I have them figured out, I will share them.

The Endurance

Endurance is just something that will naturally come with the training. However, that is not enough. Being able to just complete something is not going to get me my BQ time. Therefore, in addition to my training plan building endurance, I’ll be adding cross training into the mix. You might be asking yourself, “but you already said you will be doing strength training?” You are correct, and that is a form of cross training. However, I will be adding endurance-based cross training. For example, long rides on my trainer or long swims in the pool. Giving my cardiovascular system that diversity will help me immensely.

Final Thoughts

With that, I have my rebuilding plan for 2019. It’s a bit rough around the edges right now, but there is no time like the present to start. I’ll be starting back to P90X3 on Monday and doing trainer rides and some light running until I have my plan figured out.