Holy Crap!(pardon the language)

Holy!  Yeah, the number on my countdown is 199 days to the start line.  It gives me a bit of a butterfly in my stomach.  It seems like yesterday that the number counted down from 300 to 299.  As the clock turns to 199 it seems to have all of a sudden added a tremendous reality to the event.  Not that I have not been taking it seriously, but now I need to take it seriously.  My official training program is 174 days long, so I can 'goof off' for a couple more weeks, but holy crap it is less than 200 days to the start line.  I have to say that I am totally pumped about the game that is about to kick into a higher gear.  Being nervous about something only adds to my resolve to exceed my own expectations of myself.  With my current expectation of finishing my first IM this is going to be a blast!
As the journey moves forward I have done a lot of periodization in my training, moving up intensity and backing off, adding some tough workouts at key times and then relaxing.  Spending most of my weekends 'cruising' using the intensity of my ski training as my effective cross training.  It seems to have been an effective method over the winter leading up to my harder training days!  Now as the next few weeks burn by and go time arrives, the method to my madness becomes a little more prescribed and scientific.  As a goal driven person it makes the journey simple to follow. With a proven methodology it is up to me to put in teh workouts, and listen to the rules and the rest should all come out in the wash.  I am looking forward to the intensity of the training.  Call me a freak, but workouts that drive me til I feel i am going to be sick make me feel stronger, so that part is not an obstacle.  The part that I find mysterious is the training while I am already at the wall.  From the blogs I have read and the books that I have reviewed it is an inevitable thing.  Oh well, I guess I will have to suck it up, cry a little once in a while and 'git'er done'  Holy crap!  Here I go!
Today was a great day for training once again.  I decided it was time to increase my distance in my swims.  I have been averaging 2200m practices for a while, they have been with decent intensity.  Now it is time to add the distance and keep the intensity up as well.  SO s well as some of my regualr drills, I introduced some strength tools today.  Out came the paddles.  Holy!  After 2000m of swim with various drills, the paddles were a tough end to hte workout.  As I get tired, like most my form begins to drop a bit.  Not today, ever try swimming poorly with paddles on?? It was an awesome training swim.  The paddles  not only made me work like a dog to pull through, they made me keep form so that i did not swim like a water snake.  I did a total of 8 x 100m with 15s.  If the way I felt at the end of the 5 and 6 rep is any indication, I may be sore in teh morning!  Oh well, it can only mean one thing, it will  make me stronger.
Tonight was one of the first night that I went out to a Yoga class as well.  It was a great class once again, as I continue to practice it is helping my core strength as well as my breathing.  I have had great success bringing it into my training which is a great benefit to the practice.   The major physical benefit is also the flexibility element to the training.  I guess it is bonus stretching and it helps a lot.  If you can fit a class into your schedule, I highly recommend it!  In addition to the great benefits of the practice, the owners of the studio are awesome community leaders and mentors.  I have been invited by them to host a learn to run clinic this spring  It is great as I get to share my passion with others and coordinate my efforts into my IM training.  It is a lot f fun being involved in such a great community.
As the evening moves forward I now need to force myself to bed.  I have been sucked in to the Olympics tonight.  First Canada winning hte ski cross, then a little redemption in hockey.  I have just watched a very courageous Canadian girl figure skate after her mom passed away as she arrived to see her skate at the games.  It brought a tear to my eyes seeing a girl live her dream in the midst of such adversity and at such an emotional time!  makes what we do every day seem a little insignificant.  I certainly look up to all the Olympians and what they do for the sport they play.  It is an inspiration!
I hope you had a great day!  Cheers!