IM MD - Week 18 / 20 - 3 to go... gulp!!!
ok, it's getting real!!! As I start to make my lists - get bike tuned, buy new running shoes?, do I have enough fuel?, make sure I've done all EN admin sign-up stuff, pull out bike bag and make sure I've got all packing materials, race rehearsal plan, .... and watch all the IM WI awesome mojo - I'm getting butterflies (good ones)!! Our party is just around the corner!
An epiphany I just had the other day, as I beat myself up due to not hitting all the weekly workouts, was "hey, wait a minute... I'm not hurting anywhere!!" This might be my first IM out of 7 where I truly have no niggling, worrisome hip/ankle/knee/whatever pain. I don't know if it's the 165 cranks, a better fitting TT bike, Nike Structure 18s, or a combo of things, but hey, it's a beautiful thing!! (knock on wood!!!)
How are you all feeling? Let's nail this weekend's race rehearsal, or at least fix some of the things that went wrong for RR#1 and continue to learn!
Have a fantastic week!!
Comments
If you are planning on using an aero helmet on race day, I'd encourage you to wear it during the RR this weekend (dorky, I know, but it's just one time). You want to know if it's gonna drive you nuts after 50 miles, especially if you have one that really rocks the wind noise!
feeling rather distracted at work so I know the IM race is getting close.
I'm doing my RR on Sunday because my wife decided to go sky diving this Saturday with one of her girlfriends. I hope her chute opens cause THAT would really screw up my RR
I have an OK bike shop near me at work so I can just skip out and drop it off during the day. I trust them to do basic things. and there is hardly ever a long wait.
good thing is it makes recovery so much easier when you aren't sweating buckets.
I've already told my wife that for RR2 I have to start a little later than normal because I refuse to be frozen on my bike at 7am.
That run this morning almost felt too easy. Cool temps, only 1:45 long, and legs are a little fresher than last week.
Meanwhile, winds have been calm here all week long, but are expected to be 15+mph this weekend towards the end of my RR! Ugh. I guess at least I'll be ready for wind in Cambridge!!!
Hey Jim Ebert- when are you doing your RR? We should hook up!
Speaking of wetsuits, I'm still really hoping I get weather here in the next two weeks to let me get in a few OWS's in with the wettie. I'm thinking the chance of 76 or less degrees is looking pretty good: http://marine.rutgers.edu/cool/sat_data/?product=sst®ion=chess¬humbs=0
Hay, Meet Barn!!!!! Yup, it feels good to be starting the taper! I kept thinking during the ride yesterday (just 3 more hours of bike and 60 minute run to the taper.......just 2 more hours of bike and 60 min run to the taper......just 1 more hour....) I am still trying to get my files downloaded (for some reason Garmin Express says it synced but the files don't show up in Garmin Connect and aren't on the PC either. So trying to fix that. But I'd say it was a good day. Hot and humid but not 95 like you had Julie!
My nutrition plan is going really well. That's locked and loaded for race day. I wore my race day kit and everything felt comfy (although I do get a bit of a heat rash on my thighs but it's not itchy or painful, just ugly so I'll deal with it). I pushed a little bit too hard towards the very end of the bike ride and saw my HR rise up higher than it should. That made keeping the HR under control on the run very difficult. So a really good lesson for me to keep myself under control and not "smell the barn" too early.
Came home and had the hubby make me a giant plate of chocolate chip banana pancakes. Devoured those and about 2 hrs later started scavenging the fridge for leftover BBQ tuna! Joe and I then went to see a live production of Pirates of Penzance that was in town for the weekend. Such a perfect way to kick off the taper with some good laughs and music.
Remember everyone to sign up for tomorrow night's IM MD pre-race webinar!!
Had a good final RR yesterday, much better than the camp experience. Got my nutrition dialed and felt strong finishing the full 112 on a challenging course. The run felt good, but hot. I was pretty ready to be done mentally but physically I felt strong. Dropped bike off today for final tune up, new chain and rear cassette and loaner race wheels!!! I will get back mid-week to be able to ride it this Saturday and still have a few days to make any final tweaks.
112.5 (you count the .5 miles when you've gone 112) and a 6 mile run. Was cool in the morning and temps rose up to probably high 70s. Nutrition is dialed in, fitness is there, all I need to do is race smart. Go smooth on the swim, steady on the bike, and run playing defense...I found a new run montra yesterday. "defense....defense...defense...defense..."
what I noticed is that drinking in the calories is much tougher when it is cool out.
Now on to taper, which is always nice, but also always feels kind of weird.
I'm right there with you Nate!!! In fact, that's gonna be my mantra over the next 2 weeks too! Just get me to the starting line in a healthy place!
did we get sent an email with info on how to dial in?