Inspiration from Dean Karnazes

As I get closer to my races, the mileage increases.  In order to fit around my work on Tuesday I headed out for a 2 hour run, starting at 5.30am.  The sun was up and there was almost no traffic so it was a pleasure to run through the rolling countryside, listening to the birds singing and taking time to smell the sent of summer approaching.  I then had an 8.15 am client meeting, drove down the coast for a 10.30 meeting, lunch meeting at 12.30, quickly back to the office and then off for a swim - that's how I fit the training in around my work.
On Friday we were flying to London for a 50th wedding anniversary of some wonderful long standing friends, so before getting on the plane I had a swim session which was my first continuous session to start to replicate my half ironman which is in two weeks time - until I typed that I thought it was three weeks away!  We partied until 2am on Saturday (these oldies party like it's an endurance event!).  My coach gave me the Saturday off which is just as well as when travelling back up I slept the whole way on the plane and then went onto an early night - rock and roll lifestyle!  That's how I fit in training around a social life.
But pay back was this morning.  3.5 hours on the bike at "race pace" followed by a 40 minute run off the bike.  Fortunately a friend had offered to come out as he wanted an "easy ride" - he a lot quicker and stronger than me.  But I got through it and although it was painful at times, I managed to increase my pace for the first time this season.  My run was uneventful although the new taping my physio put on helped support my foot - let's see how it goes with the long runs next week.
Sadly my G2G running partner has had to pull out of the event so I will be going solo.I'm not phased by this because the very nature of the event means I will make a whole load of new friends when I arrive - that's part of the fun as it was in MdS.  Mrs Stewart will be there at the finish line and we can "party" in Vegas afterwards.
Earlier in the week I had been recommended a book about an ultra runner Dean Karnazes as it featured the Grand 2 Grand race I am doing in September. OMG I could think of nothing else while I was out running.  This guy is seriously nuts and what he puts himself through defies everything you ever believed was possible.  One example is the 200 mile, non stop, relay race which includes some serious mountains.  Now relay suggests more than one but he took it on himself whereas everyone else was in a team and found it hard enough.  His descriptions of the pain, the dark points, the hallucinations, the uplifting moments and the blood (literally) sweat and tears.  It's an unbelievable story of how someone with a WHY can push himself both physically and mentally beyond what most sane people would think possible.  I haven't reached the chapter where he tackles the G2G but am sure to learn a lot.  Much of the book is about how you approach pain management and as I pushed myself on todays relatively short bike and definitely short run I reminded my self to "man up"!  Dean Karnazes I solute you sir and am sure to be repeating your mantra's in my head as I push myself beyond my limits.  Thank you.