Cover the Iron Man race distance in less than a week

Improve mental endurance and check level of fitness bu covering the Iron Man race distance at reasonable speed, split into manageable chunks.

The way I see it, I can swim, I can bike and I can run, so easy peasy... except it's a very long way to go. The challenges I anticipate lie in 1) being able to bear the boredom/mental fatigue that inevitably creeps in when going through these repetitive motions, and 2) making sure the body has enough fuel to go through this -- so what do the best of the best have to say about it? Let's read books! Any goal should be timed, so based on my personal estimates, I feel like splitting the distance into 6d, meaning daily: 7km run ~40min, 30km bike ~1h, 650m swim ~20min, is reasonable. Those are speeds I can definitely achieve on an isolated occasion. Although speed is not a priority in this challenge, having approximate time estimates helps schedule the gym time.

Day 1: The objective is to find a rhythm, primarily since I'm not used to this type of prolonged effort and haven't gone through any specific training. This rhythm fortunately matches my time estimates so no changes are required. I could go faster on the run but my right calf got really sore at some point - it's ok, endure - can't even remember when! Another mental hit because didn't make it to the pool in time! I took a quick 1min break during the run, no biggie might do it again, it's not against the rules. The challenge is to go the distance without distractions, no music, no tv, no anything but the meter...

Maintained speed on the run and the bike but had to take an extra break and I really shouldn't hesitate to take those, after undergoing knee surgery it would be unwise to do otherwise. I can feel the big meal I had yesterday wasn't enough, let's eat much more. At this stage, once the healthy nutrients are in, with enough proteins to repair any muscle damage (my calf still hurts), it doesn't matter much what you eat. Just get in the carbs and fats to burn the next day. Drinking plenty of water and getting in electrolytes is key. The great surprise of the day, swimming 650m in 20min was surprisingly easy for me, even did it in 15min, so I am going to change my plans and do the swims over 3d instead of 6d. Assess and reevaluate constantly! Remember what matters most is relative perceived exertion, use that to metric to your advantage and trick your mind if you have to (yes you can, you're dumb like that).

The sweat is still on. Have to make sure to bring more t-shirts or an extra towel. Same distance as yesterday but at this point, my only motivation was the cooldown in the pool. Those real iron men/women are really tough but the book is right, just endure it. So long as your heart rate is sustainable and you are not overheating you are fine, really. At some point, your brain will turn on some autopilot and the body will accept its fate, just keep going.

Last night was extra motivating, last night I calculated that if I could get an extra workout in today, by training in the morning I could claim I did it all in under 96h (a fancy way of saying 4d time - see, brain tricks). So early wake up, it's raining, damn... took an hour and then biked to the gym anyway. This is the first day I slowed down, by around 10%. It feels like an eternity when you watch those numbers going, unable to bring them back up. That's ok, endure the extra minutes it will take at a reduced speed. I just couldn't help thinking about the night session to come. I attribute this sudden drop to my 4h of restless sleep, sleep is super important for recovery, do not underestimate it. In fact, after an active, but relaxing day, numbers went back to nominal speed during the night session (on the bike at least, my runs keep getting slower, who cares..). After today's extra gym time, I just have to wake up tomorrow morning and bring it to the finish line! Just a bit scared for my legs, my calf is still sore and I felt a pinch or smth in my knee. Your body awareness raises a lot during these long exercise sessions (because it's the only distraction you get). It's important to differentiate the noise trying to make you stop from what might actually get serious. This pinch wasn't the good kind, I refocused on my form and took more frequent breaks to finish this day and that's ok.

Morning workout to make it in under 96h, nothing hurts anymore, let's go! I ate so much last night I'm afraid I'll be overweight and slow down lol I know that once in the water the swim is mine, I have to push through the run and accept the hour on the bike. That's all it takes. It's almost like Day 1. Like my body switched gears, impressive physiological change in just 4d. However, my mind is all over the place. I keep counting, 10%, 20%, ..., 50%, still 55%? Time seems to slow down and speed is slowly dropping again. Something funny happens when you reach the end, you could keep pushing but you choose to just keep going... I think I got a feel of what those great athletes feel like nearing an end. Without some external force to push you back in, it gets tough. I recommend setting up the option for breaks, based on how you will feel at that point in time, instead of how you feel when you are thinking about a break. For example, don't allow for a break before being halfway through, and then again for every other half to go. Now the very important part is to eat some delicious and rewarding food to finish this off.