@Paul--Shot Blocks have always been okay with my system. I have trained with them for over a year now and I usually just suck on one at a time. After reviewing what I did yesterday, one thing I did differently was I did not drink any water during the run, just Gatorade G2. I usually drink only water the first hour then incorporate the electrolyte. But either I was lazy or not thinking much about it, I didn't follow what I usually do.
@Al--2.5 hr lunch? Believe me, I am very, very lucky that my job/boss allows me to flex my time when I need to do my long runs on Thursdays or come in a few minutes late after Monday's & Friday's swims. I count my blessings every time.
As for liquids only for calories, hmmmm. I can't do COLA due to the carbonation. Last year I trained for a marathon and have always been able to tolerate the Clif Blocks, powergels, pretzels, gummies, potato chips, etc. I think I was just having a bad day. One more thing that is different I failed to mention, my doc put me on some antibiotics. Big 500mg suckers that may have something to do with it. Not sure.
But, this morning's 3500 yard swim went pretty good, I am feeling better. I am actually looking forward to tomorrow's bike ride.
@Al--The weather down here in Vancouver/Portland has been awful! This morning I made the comment that it looked like November 21, rather than May 21. I am so sick of this! I just hope CDA will be nice.
@Al and Mike - The weather down here in Sacramento has been crappy also. We've gotten more rain this spring than usual and its been in the low 70's instead of the mid 80's.
My run yesterday went ok for what I expected. I have a cold and have been fighting it for a few days. So, my goal was to just finish the run. I ended up running it about 10-20 seconds slower than EP. But I got it done. I had a get at 45 min and 1:40 min and drank more. My legs still felt heavy and dead at the end.
I'm going to take today (friday) off and try to get over the cold.
Hey everyone, I've got an opportunity to do a 2.4 mile open water swim tomorrow a local swimming club is putting on at a local lake. I am wondering if that will screw up my training.
My bike ride today was yucky. I managed just 2h 15 min due to getting soaked to the bone and freezing my a$$ off. It felt like February out there. Muscle and endurance wise I feel fine. I was thinking of doing the swim tomorrow morning and then do a 2 hr bike afterwards as a race rehearsal. I will skip the swim on monday and maybe replace with a short bike. Any thoughts?
Ha, you're freezing and I'm dying in the heat and wind. This is the fourth weekend in a row with brutal winds with gusts over 30 mph. My ride today was super hilly and I only made 59 miles in 4.5 hours. Lots and lots of hills some with 17% grade - was riding 4 mph and the downhills I was braking and hanging on for dear life so I didn't get blown over - what fun!!! I've got to find a flat road for tomorrow, just to boost my confidence. 13 mph isn't going to get me to the cutoff.
Mike - I'd do the swim, at this point a minor switch like that isn't going to make much difference.
@ Donna - I got in 93 miles today in 4.5 hrs, but I think you got the better workout. I'm in South Georgia this weekend, so it was damn hot, but I only hit a few risers and one good overpass...winds were negligible.
@ Mike - I gave up a bike Saturday a few weekends ago for a 2.4 mile open water race. You don't get many opportunities to practice a full length swim!
Thanks for the advice. I am up for the swim and a bike race rehearsal. I think this will be a great opportunity. Hopefully the weather will be better. By the way, I got in just 35 miles for the 2h 15m earlier. It was a super hilly course. It was hairy on the downhills with the rain and slick conditions. I replaced my front brake pads this evening because they were getting bad. I already replaced the rears before last weekends century.
22 miles run, 133 miles ridden (hard), 5500 in pool plus two surfing sessions. Watching ToC from parking lot at our office with Joe Gambles, Julie Dibens, Fraser Cartmell, Chris Lieto and Heather Jackson. Legs are shelled but company is good!
Great thread - My one thing is to stay focused on the run and not allow myself to mentally give up and start walking more than Im running when Im physically fine (which is what I did at my first IM) - I dont care how slow my run is but I would like to keep on running using the 30 steps at the aid station rule.... also not to freak out if the water is too cold!!
Hey I did the 2.4 mile open water swim this morning at Hagg Lake near Portland, Oregon. First let me tell you the water was chilly. About 58 degrees. I was surprised to see some fools out there without wetsuits.
Anyway, I gained so much experience. First, I got to swim the Ironman distance in open water (no cheating with flip-turns and a push off the wall every 25 yards); second, I was able to swim with a mass of other people so I could get more accustomed to the grabbing, poking, biting, pinching... well at least the "bumping" that goes on in open swimming; third, the water was cold. It did some weird things to me, like I couldn't regulate my breathing for the first 400-600 meters or so. Very weird. Fourth, I got to practice drafting and could see what a difference that makes. Fifth, what's with the dizzy spell after a person stands up after being horizontal for over an hour? Woo, that was weird.
Okay, so I finished in 1h 12m. Not bad for me, I also placed 5th in my age division. After the event, I got on my bike and did 21 miles around the lake (which was super hilly) as a bit of a trasition ride. Did okay.
So, I am pretty pleased with this gained experience. Thanks everyone for your advice.
Awesome, Mike! Great work! Hagg Lake is gorgeous, I was there in Sept '08 watching some friends race at USAT Nationals (I visit portland for any reason I can find, as often as I can...). Sounds like it was a fantastic training day.
Comments
@Al--2.5 hr lunch? Believe me, I am very, very lucky that my job/boss allows me to flex my time when I need to do my long runs on Thursdays or come in a few minutes late after Monday's & Friday's swims. I count my blessings every time.
As for liquids only for calories, hmmmm. I can't do COLA due to the carbonation. Last year I trained for a marathon and have always been able to tolerate the Clif Blocks, powergels, pretzels, gummies, potato chips, etc. I think I was just having a bad day. One more thing that is different I failed to mention, my doc put me on some antibiotics. Big 500mg suckers that may have something to do with it. Not sure.
But, this morning's 3500 yard swim went pretty good, I am feeling better. I am actually looking forward to tomorrow's bike ride.
@Al--The weather down here in Vancouver/Portland has been awful! This morning I made the comment that it looked like November 21, rather than May 21. I am so sick of this! I just hope CDA will be nice.
My run yesterday went ok for what I expected. I have a cold and have been fighting it for a few days. So, my goal was to just finish the run. I ended up running it about 10-20 seconds slower than EP. But I got it done. I had a get at 45 min and 1:40 min and drank more. My legs still felt heavy and dead at the end.
I'm going to take today (friday) off and try to get over the cold.
@ Mike - As an MD I can confirm that antibiotics can very well cause GI distress - that may be the problem.
My bike ride today was yucky. I managed just 2h 15 min due to getting soaked to the bone and freezing my a$$ off. It felt like February out there. Muscle and endurance wise I feel fine. I was thinking of doing the swim tomorrow morning and then do a 2 hr bike afterwards as a race rehearsal. I will skip the swim on monday and maybe replace with a short bike. Any thoughts?
Mike - I'd do the swim, at this point a minor switch like that isn't going to make much difference.
@ Mike - I gave up a bike Saturday a few weekends ago for a 2.4 mile open water race. You don't get many opportunities to practice a full length swim!
Will let you know how the swim goes tomorrow.
Last 4 days..
22 miles run, 133 miles ridden (hard), 5500 in pool plus two surfing sessions. Watching ToC from parking lot at our office with Joe Gambles, Julie Dibens, Fraser Cartmell, Chris Lieto and Heather Jackson. Legs are shelled but company is good!
Hey I did the 2.4 mile open water swim this morning at Hagg Lake near Portland, Oregon. First let me tell you the water was chilly. About 58 degrees. I was surprised to see some fools out there without wetsuits.
Anyway, I gained so much experience. First, I got to swim the Ironman distance in open water (no cheating with flip-turns and a push off the wall every 25 yards); second, I was able to swim with a mass of other people so I could get more accustomed to the grabbing, poking, biting, pinching... well at least the "bumping" that goes on in open swimming; third, the water was cold. It did some weird things to me, like I couldn't regulate my breathing for the first 400-600 meters or so. Very weird. Fourth, I got to practice drafting and could see what a difference that makes. Fifth, what's with the dizzy spell after a person stands up after being horizontal for over an hour? Woo, that was weird.
Okay, so I finished in 1h 12m. Not bad for me, I also placed 5th in my age division. After the event, I got on my bike and did 21 miles around the lake (which was super hilly) as a bit of a trasition ride. Did okay.
So, I am pretty pleased with this gained experience. Thanks everyone for your advice.