Ian D Williams wreath logoIan D Williams
A warm timber cabin in a quiet forest beside a flowing stream

An endurance journal · The Solitary Sage

The Journey

Training toward Ironman-level endurance, and learning what disciplined work asks of me along the way.

Why I train

The work has to be lived.

Training is one of the clearest places I can test whether I believe what I say. There is no shortcut that can carry a body through the work. The miles, the recovery, and the ordinary sessions are the living demonstration of authentic work over shortcuts.

I am conditioning my mind and body for future stress. The point is not to chase discomfort for its own sake or to prove something to strangers. It is to build capacity: the steadiness to keep going, the clarity to make good decisions, and the humility to adjust when the plan meets reality.

I try to bring WIN to the body as well — Wisdom to train with patience, Integrity to do the work when no one is watching, and Nobility to push my limits without making the pursuit my whole identity. Consistency matters more to me than intensity.

Current focus

Build the base. Keep showing up.

Recent sessions and totals are refreshed from Strava.

Recent training is available on Strava.

Public accountability

Follow the journey on Strava.

The useful thing about a long effort is that it leaves a trail. I’ll share the sessions, quiet miles, and small lessons as they happen.

Follow the journey on Strava

The training journal

Milestones, not a finish line.

A record of what has been earned, what is underway, and what still asks for patience.

  1. 01 / 06Completed

    Lost 25 lbs in 25 weeks

    A long stretch of ordinary choices, kept long enough to change something.

  2. 02 / 06Completed

    10K in 53 minutes — 5:18/km pace

    A marker of what consistency can make possible.

  3. 03 / 06In Progress

    5K personal best attempt

    A nearer test of pacing, patience, and the work already put in.

  4. 04 / 06Upcoming

    Toronto Spartan Super, targeting sub-5:00/km

    A demanding day on the calendar and a reason to keep building the base.

  5. 05 / 06In Progress

    Improving VO2 max

    A continuing effort to make the heart and lungs more useful under load.

  6. 06 / 06Long-Term

    Ironman-level endurance

    The far horizon: durable capacity built one patient session at a time.

Support the journey

The work helps pay for the work.

Training takes time and resources. The woodworking is how this pursuit gets sponsored: commissioned work and the pieces I build help fund the miles, the equipment, and the long practice of getting stronger.

If you support the craft, you support the journey directly. And if all you do is follow along, that counts too. Attention, encouragement, and a thoughtful conversation are part of what keeps a long effort moving.

Commission a piece See where the work gets made

Make something. Take the next step. Let the days add up.

A letter from the trail

Make a little room for the next entry.

I’ll share occasional notes from the training, the workshop, and the places where the two kinds of work meet. If you would like one, send me a note.

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