by Jodi Coffee

“You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”

That’s a cliche I’ve had to completely remove from my repertoire.

I am on a journey of training for an Ironman. I’ve been involved in the sport of triathlon for many years now, but this is the first time I have signed up and committed to an iron distance race. Quite daunting, yes, but something that I’ve wanted to do for a long time. Just in case you’re unfamiliar, an Ironman is an endurance race consisting of swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles and running 26.2 miles. I have completed each of the distances individually, but have never put them together. And that is key – putting the package together and fueling your body to the finish.

When I made the decision to sign up and hit “send” on my entry form, I knew what to do, but didn’t exactly know how to do it. I found myself searching for help. I turned to books and I asked friends for their personal experiences. While helpful, I still felt the need for more direction.

Not long after that, I received an email from Ironman regarding their new coachmatch program.

The perfect coach?

Free?

They had my attention!

(Just making sure we’re all on the same page here – I’m referring to the coachmatch program being free, not the coach.)

I have a type A personality living in a type B world. Having someone tell me what to do takes the guess work out. It allows me to focus on the task at hand, and not worry so much about the calculations of figuring out what to do to get to where I need to be.

With questionnaires completed, the research process began. Before long, I found my match! I had a virtual coach! Although she is very much a real person, my coach and I communicate mostly through texting and a training app. We also talk on the phone and can video call if need be.

Of course, there are complications, setbacks,and miscommunications that go along with this training process. My life revolves around three little girls. There are days that we go in three different direction. I don’t always have a set schedule. You know, life.

Life is busy.

Life gets in the way.

But I sure do love life.

Recently, I completed the Big Dam Bridge 100 in Little Rock as part of my training regimen. This event is Arkansas’ largest cycling tour and it provides supported rides ranging between 10 to 100 miles. I first participated in this great event in 2015. But the course is challenging. I do believe my words at the end of last year’s ride consisted of, “never again”.

Lo and behold, my coach highly recommended that I do the ride in order to prepare myself for the strong winds I’ll face in Arizona. Reluctantly, I signed on the dotted line and attempted to mentally prepare myself for a very demanding century ride.

This journey has been one filled with challenges and surprises. I’ve had to really work on trusting and believing – in my coach and in myself.

TRUST

Trusting that my coach puts me on the right regimen. After swimming for 35+ years, I wasn’t sure I could make many changes to my stroke. As I work on the drills and skills, my stroke is changing and becoming more efficient. I’m learning to focus on different aspects of my stroke.

BELIEVE

Believing that I have what it takes to make it to the finish. There are days I do not want to wake up in the 4 o’clock hour. I do not want to spend four hours in the saddle. But, I believe it must be done in order to prepare myself in the best way possible. (And of course, because my coach tells me to.)

Old dog – new tricks. It can happen!

As the race day quickly approaches, some of the longer and more difficult miles lie ahead. I know there are obstacles and bumps in the road to come, but I am grateful to have the guidance of a knowledgeable coach, a very supportive family and network of friends, and the blessings of the good Lord to get through to the next workout.

Jodi Coffee, who blogs at The Coffee House Life, is the mom of three beautiful and energetic little girls that ALWAYS give her something to blog about. She loves to try new things — food, travel and adventure. In her spare time…wait a minute. What is that? She enjoys training for triathlons, and is currently chasing a lifetime dream of crossing the finish line of her first IRONMAN. She is a backyard farmer, a farmers’ market manager and enjoys helping bring healthy opportunities to her community.