Final RR Report and Coaches Kudos
I did the RR (bike/run) today and felt terrific. Very steady on the bike – Just Ride Along – for the first quarter or so (got chased by 8 – yes 8 – sled dogs – so that involved some sprinting – who expects to see any sled dogs, never mind 8, in the middle of nowhere Utah?) Kept my HR under 140 the entire way – 110 miles in 5:42 with lots of wind and lots of traffic lights (seems like I hit every one) – so I was stoked.
Nutrition was perfect (combination of Ensure, a maltodextrin/sucrose mix of my own, and some of my own supplements, Energ-Ease and Recover-Ease from Wicked Fast, which I own) – so I came off the bike with great energy and no stomach bloat 
(sometimes a problem for me despite being a professional nutritionist with lots of elite-endurance athlete experience).
Hit the run (on the treadmill to “play” with some pacing) feeling good and kept HR under 150 for the whole hour at my goal pace (9:00m/mile) – drank a bottle of water with no stomach bloat. Legs felt very strong – calves were slightly tight by the end of the hour, but could have kept that pace for another long while with no trouble (hopefully for 3 hours come race day).
My only question mark at this point is to go with a one-piece trisuit for the entire race – or spend the minutes in the changing tent for cycling and run clothing. I think I’ll go trisuit if it is warm – and cycling kit, run kit if the temps drop. Thinking about trying those silly-looking compression socks – any thoughts from the group on those?
I also have to add – even though it is not “officially” part of the RR – that I am also a pretty avid trail runner (ultras) and we have some killer trails here in Utah – so I couldn’t help myself to “test” my fitness on a favorite trail this weekend (sorry coaches). 
On this particular trail, a very gnarly rocky single track (16 miles with some good climbs), I had never broken 2:30 – my PR over several years has been stuck at 2:32. This weekend, I ran to break 2:30 – and came across in 2:22! Are you !@#$% kidding me? I beat my PR by a full 10 minutes – and I could certainly have shaved another 1 or 2 off if it was a real all-out effort. Sheesh! 
All that said, I am very much looking forward to setting a PR in Florida (which isn’t all that fast comparatively, but will be significant for me to break 11h) – and based on how I am feeling with a few weeks to go, I think this is well within reach. Thanks coaches!
See y’all in Florida!
Comments
I plan on a costume change in both T1 and T2. I'm certainly not winning or Kona qualifying so I'd just as soon spend a couple extra minutes making myself as dry and comfortable as I can.
A note: resist the urge to "test" yourself any more. It's a remarkably common athletic trait; save the effort for the final 8 miles of the marathon!
awesome job! Funny you mention sled dogs... at one point in my ride (which really is out in nowhere land) three dogs started barking and chasing me on the opposite side of the road... fortunately they dropped off one by one and never left the grassy area... I was a tad worried. On the beginning of the second loop, in a residential area, there was another dog who was out and saw me and ran the length of the yard, I had a much better feeling about him so I talked to him - I think he just wanted to play... but pretty sure he was wearing an electronic fence collar... anyway, I digress.
I don't have a one piece and have resisted getting one bc of bathroom breaks. But I know some men/women who love them. I haven't figured out my wardrobe exactly but agree with Bob about being warm and comfy. I'm contemplating going sports bra under wetsuit, possibly riding in the EN cycling jersey (depending on the temperature, if it's warm I'll wear the EN singlet), and not sure about the run. I know that by the time the second loop comes around it will be dark. If I wear the cycling jersey to ride I may put the singlet on to run and have arm warmers and/or a throw away layer in my SN bag (along with a head lamp, reflective vest, etc)...
Oh, and I have been having some calf issues lately - I think related to IT issues due to bike fit... in any event I bought compression socks at Timberman and wore them. I also wore them this past weekend for the RR... I will probably have them with me and in my T2 bag. There is a thread about the pros/cons, I think... I also recall a Runners World article about them in the recent past - maybe Aug or Sep issue (shortly after I bought them, which was Aug). If you buy just the calf sleeves you can swim in them and leave them on all day... I have socks, so I don't swim in them and just take the time in T2... I'm not looking to qualify for Kona, just to finish.
Anyway, great job this past weekend... and stop testing yourself... save it for the line (and hope the line never comes)!
Nice work on the RR! I say no to the one piece, two pieces offers so much more funcionality and manipulativabilityness.
I raced once in a tri suit and it wasn't so comfy for me. Just my two cents. I change from bike shorts to tri/run shorts in T2 of every IM. that stand down time is actually pretty valuable to get my bearings, etc.
And 2x for the no more testing..you are CLEARLY ready...now you must start RESTING!!!
P