8/25/2008

Timberman, oh Timberman. Ye was harder than we thought, but still pretty! Race report seems to be the same no matter what the course is...good swim (well, for me a great swim), OK bike, lousy run. Apparently, I am a 7:15 or so 1/2 Iron Man finisher, and that, I guess is the story. The swim was awesome, I didn't panic, stop or do anything but freestyle and had my best swim ever..43:02. My wetsuit gave me a hellofa hickey, more like an open wound, which I felt rubbing right off the bat, but what could I do but keep swimming. The last third of the swim was pretty wavy with some current, but it didn't bother me. So, swimming score was an A.

Biking was ok. No matter what I tell myself, I seem to take it a bit easy on the bike, trying, I suppose to save my legs for the run. The bike was quite hilly for the first and last 15 miles, some of the hills were killers, and it was hard. I am definitely going to change my gearing for IMUSA. Anyway, the bike was good, I stopped to go the bathroom and then dropped my chain so I was about 5 minutes or so behind where I thought I would be, and really didn't push myself as hard as I should have on the bike. I really need to stick with my game plan on race day. So, I'd give my bike a C+.

Then the horrible run. I hate the run, especially when I do so well in training. Thankfully, BlakeE stopped and walked and ran with me and got me through the first 3 miles. Thank you BlakeE!!!!!!!! I have issues with nutrition still, issues with pain versus discomfort, issues with mental toughness. I just have issues with the run and it freaks me out big time. But, I did get through it and never thought I'd quit and if I walk the marathon, so be it, as long as I finish. So, my run was 5 minutes faster than White Lake, and it was hillier, so I'd give it a C-.

The rest of the week in New Hampshire was great! We hiked Mount Washington, did a trail run up to Mount Major, swam a little bit (too many speed boats for long safe swimming), did other touristy stuff, drank beer, ate bad, but good food, relaxed. Spent 13 1/2 hours driving back on Saturday (arrgghhh), got up yesterday and MyKaren and TriSharon and I rode an hour on the trainers and ran 18 and 16 respectively. Not too shabby. If I only felt as good or at least similar to yesterdays run on November 1st, all will be well.

8/11/2008

Running is hard and I don't like it much. The long workout was an hour bike, followed by a 14 mile run. Doesn't sound so bad, and the weather was perfect for the long run yesterday morning. I got up and rode for an hour on the trainer then a couple of IMFL cohorts dropped by the homestead for the long run. We ran two loops, an 8+ and then a 6+, probably ended up running a little more than 14.5 miles. The morning was great, the first loop was no problem, we just chatted and ran along without any issues until less than a 1/2 mile to the end of the first loop.

On the way down Westwood, some stupid covertible BMW nearly hit TriKateO as we ran single-file, facing traffic, hugging the cars parked on the side of the road. As it sped by, the women passenger yells out, "Get out of the road". WTF? I am so tired of stupid people nearly running down athletes to "Teach them a lesson." It wasn't like we were running three abreast, or there was oncoming traffic, or it was a busy four land highway. This was a residential street, on a Sunday morning. Clearly of the three of us, I was the only one with a fight response...I was hoping they would turn around and come back. As we dicussed my fight response, it occurred to me that of course I have a fight response, I am too slow to flee...I'd be quickly caught and have to fight anyway so I just immediately go to the fight stance. Weird, but true. The second loop was much more laid back, we ran through Bryan Park and the surrounding neighborhood. I felt fine during the actual running, but afterwards, my legs were sooooo sore and I was way more tired than when I bike. I rolled my ITB on the foam thing and cried, and that may have helped somewhat, but gosh darn it, that running thing is PAINFUL.

So, Timberman is coming up, and there is no taper for IMFL people. Waahhh. Maybe Timberman will be a good race for me. Maybe. Some lame-ass people completed their last brick of the season on Saturday. I hate them.

8/4/2008

Whew! This weekend was a training bonanza! As many may know, MarcoDiablo put his coaching foot down and talked me and TriSD out of Blue Ridge on Saturday, because since IMFL is less than 3 months away, everything should be geared towards that race. And that race is all flat and aero. So, 5 peeps and I went for a 76 mile ride out in the east end, quite a lovely ride with some lovely training peeps! We all were basically the same speed, and didn't get lost, and no one had any mechanical issues (well, I dropped my chain, but that's not a big deal). We parked at Osborne Boat Launch, which was great since there was a bathroom right there! Got lots of aero time, and counted dead animals on the road (well, I was counting them) Sad, but true: 4 possums, 1 fawn, 1 skunk, 1 rabbit. Couldn't believe there were no squirrels, maybe they only play in the street in cities. After the ride, we drove to the Battlefield and ran for a bit, not a full 6 miles, but probably 3-4. It actually wasn't too bad, but it was getting hot at this point. Afterwards, we had some beer and snacks under a nice shade tree. Very nice training day.

Sunday, I discovered the beauty of a 50 meter pool, thanks to my training bud. Wow, what a difference that makes! I swam my first 2 miler, ever. And felt great! It makes so much difference not hitting the wall so early and then trying to keep track of the endless laps.

Maybe, just maybe I can do this thing....