IMMT Week 14!
So, it's the start of Week 14 and I thought it was time to get our weekly updates on - get to know each other, groove on the team mojo, encourage each other, and offer support and advice as needed. (I'm not the race captain or anything (not sure if we have one yet?, just wanted to start this up - anyone else can feel free to jump in to start up the remaining weeks!)
I'll start - can't believe it's week 14 - I'm feeling some training overload jumping from week 20 HIM to week 13 (last week) of IM Intermediate. But, I'm hopeful given a few weeks (maybe by the end of this week), the training load will feel "normal". The key for me will not be missing any (or very, very few) workouts - even if it means moving them around within the week to get them done.
Right now I'm trying to determine how the bike course elevations play out and how that matches what we might have around the Madison, WI area - on the IMOO course or on the more challenging hills west of the course. And, getting used to waking up early for a 5:30 am sharp OWS class 
- so not an early riser.
Comments
Be ready for some hills here and there like in the beginning just out of town but they aren't long.
training ramp up after texas was going well until bike race wipeout two days ago. lung bruise. but should only be 1-2 weeks of recovery.
what Peter says about the bike course. for each loop, the long out and back has the long hills and highway. the short out and back is fun with the stair-step hills but practice these short shifting skills.
for the Petit whatever running trail, is the slight uphill going out or coming back? I forgot. and this is all paved now?
The run course is like this:
I starts as a lumpy 5K headed out of T2. Soon after you get beyond where the crowds are gathered outside the changing tent there's a pretty annoying hill and then you get out onto the real course, down the Rue du Village (or something like that). It winds back and forth and has some gradual but definitely noticeable hills.
Once you get down to this other little 'village like' section the course goes onto the rail trail. You first head left and the overall elevation change is downhill - but you'll hardly notice it. The trail is now paved and since the trail may not get a lot of open breeze due to the trees on each side for long stretches - that means it could be warmer than you expect,especially if the tarmac is still almost black colored. That goes on for a lonnnggggg time and then you turn around to do it in reverse.
That's when the imperceptible downhill becomes a steady imperceptible incline and you wonder why you're going a bit slower. Don't try to hold that nice steady pace you were holding before the turn around unless you were just sandbagging it for the first several miles. Once you get back to that little village area the course has another short out and back on the rail trail only you're now going to the right instead of the left. That one is pretty much level and it winds around the little lake making you wonder just when the hell it is going to end.
Headed back up to the main race site you do that lumpy 5K in reverse. Sweet. Uh, yeah.
When you get around the lake and back into town you're almost half way done. You get a preview of the incredible finishing strait going right down the middle of the street with all the cheering and all. Enjoy it because you're going to see the finishing stage so close you can taste it (all sweaty? Yuck ;-)) and then you'll get your heart broken. There's this annoying person standing there pointing you away to the right to do it alllll over again.
Yay!
Sounds delightful. Thanks, Peter. (I think
)
Heh heh heh. At least the trail won't be dusty.
No swim workout today - tornadoes and severe storms with lightening closed the pools. Plan to get it in on Thursday afternoon.
This week weather is oppressive heat/humidity....I plan to hit TM for intervals and probably the long run so I can hit the z2/z3 stuff w/o melting