So, he was the guy I turned to, to help me “perfect” the drink The Carnage, which fellow Ironman Louisville athletes Maria and Paula and I came up with on the plane home. Though we wanted to try a salt rim to signify the 110 degrees and our salt-encrusted bods on finishing, that makes an undrinkable drink. Then again, you can go ahead and do that, just call it “The Carnage – DNF” (because you can’t Finish that drink, too disgusting).

That said, here is the recipe for The Carnage, in tribute to all of those who braved the Ohio, the heat, and the…Carnage!…of Ironman Louisville 2010!

In a martini shaker, shake with ice:

*1 oz bourbon (Bulleit preferred). The bourbon signifies the brown waters of the Ohio, as well as the favored libation of Kentucky.
*1/2 oz lime juice. The lime signifies the “sour” times that we all had on the day. And, perhaps, the special “tang” that having gone on the Ironman journey adds to our lives!
*1/2 oz simple syrup. (To be fancy-schmancy and more tasty, make the simple syrup from maple sugar and water – but regular simple syrup should do too.) The simple syrup represents the sweetness of all the victories that we had along the way on the day - from a great bike split to a rockin’ swim, from a smile from a teammate to crossing the finish line. “Simple” pleasures, but Oh, so sweet.

Double strain into two shot glasses. (Double straining will get rid of the ice pieces that could get in the way of flaming. Yes – you heard right. Read on.)

Float 1/4 oz warm absinthe on top (the warmer the absinthe, the more spectacular the flame will be). The warm absinthe represents the warmth of the day, as well as the mind-bending craziness that all of us experienced from that heat. And, perhaps, the slight insanity that overtook all of us, to have started the Ironman journey to begin with!

Place shotglasses each in the cut-out middle of a sponge soaked with ice water. Sprinkle one quick shake of salt theatrically onto the absinthe, then put a match to it until it builds a blue flame on top. Where that sponge has BEEN before you put it to your lips is not something you thought about in the race (perhaps until you saw them loading them off the street and back into the barrels), so why worry about it now?

Let some of the alcohol burn off, then blow it out and “down the hatch!”

Suck iced water out of a sponge as a chaser.

I am writing this post first – I will likely “backfill” with my experiences of the day, links to videos, photographs, and the like. But for me, this was the most important bit to get down while still at least somewhat “fresh.”

Ohio River bridge at swim end

I started on my Ironman Journey 10 months ago (as is obvious if you scroll back in this blog). I was a Couch Potato of quite epic sedentary proportions. I hadn’t worked out in 3 years. But one of my beliefs is that if you have something that you have really SWORN to yourself that you will do in your life, and you have not done it, then that adds an enormous amount of (often unconscious) Stress in your life until you “release” it…or do it.

In the late 80s (when I was in my early 20s), I was an (Olympic-distance) triathlete. I wasn’t particularly good – sort of back/middle of the pack. But one evening, over a few beers and leafing through the newly-launched Triathlete magazine, I told a group of girls I ran with that I wanted to do The Ironman (there was only one then) before I turned 50. Their reaction was basically to hoot with laughter; there was “no way” that someone “like me” could do such a thing.

Which, of course, got me into serious “I’ll show THEM!” mode!

Maria, Paula and me

Flash forward, and I’m 47, dealing with a lot of Stress, a couch potato, dozens of pounds overweight, and at a Tony Robbins Unleash The Power Within long weekend (the firewalk was the easiest thing we did). During the portion of the weekend that deals with Health I uncovered this long-forgotten memory.  I tried to release the memory – no dice. So I realized I would have to “realize” it. Crap.

If you want to know more about the journey, well, page back in this blog. It was quite the journey, that’s for sure, ending of course with a spectacular bike crash 2 weeks out from the actual 2010 Ironman in Louisville.

me and the Belle of Louisville

As a Life Coach, I teach my clients how to break an “impossible” goal into actionable steps. I also teach that having part of the goal tied to benefiting others will springboard your dream into reality far, far quicker. So, I trained for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society – and in my first time ever raising money, raised over $9,300 to cure cancer. In turn, everyone that HAS leukemia, lymphoma, and the like is praying for a cure – and therefore, praying for ME. If you make sure your goal has a specific component that will benefit others from the beginning, you will become the “answer to prayers.” There is no better way to PULL your own goals into reality.

But back to the Ironman.

My friend and IronTeammate Maria found a quote that I adopted early on – Your Ironman Event is really just a 140.6 mile Victory Lap celebrating the Journey that it took to get there. Whether you finish the race in time, or wind up outside of your imagined goals, you were prepared on that day to do your best IF you did every thing that was in your scheduled training. If you did not do everything in the Plan and didn’t make it, then that’s your choice – but you can’t class yourself with others who did it all and fell a bit short. I personally believed that I could finish the Event in about 15-16 hours – but there were some unanticipated moments along the way (including a bike crash, a heat index of 110 degrees, and belatedly finding out that Louisville is considered one of the Top 10 hardest bike courses on the circuit!). I wound up finishing at 16:58:51 – or, in other words, I crossed the finish line with 1 minute, 9 seconds to “spare.”

As a microcosm of all I learned throughout the entire Journey, from the time I entered Louisville until I left, these are my lessons from Ironman Louisville 2010.

Plan, Plan, Plan. Maria and I had done a lot of studying, investigating, and talking about various Ironman “strategies” and plans – from those our coaches promulgated, to those we found online. When we found information, our strategy was to Trust, but Verify. By the time we got on the plane to Louisville, we each had checklists, strategic plans, and the like that made us feel very comfortable. However, at the North Bay team dinner the Friday 2 days before

gear bags, before stuffing

the event, folks tried to make us feel like we were being “manic” in our preparation, and that we were “making the other team members freak out” and “didn’t know where the information we were treating as Gospel had really come from.” We were carrying electrolyte drinks with us unlike any of the others, we had practiced for a week getting out of the shower, dumping a bag of our bike clothes on the floor and getting into them wet, etc. This is what we needed to feel prepared. And we got “guff” for it. Perhaps they were trying to make us feel “better” by saying that we should not “listen to others” who “might not know what they were doing” (e.g., sift through race reports, etc. on the internet) – but in fact, we knew exactly what we were doing. Make sure that you plan, read, review, analyze, and discuss with a trusted compatriot  or coach your strategies for success – and don’t let anyone naysay you later. If you have done a lot more than others have done they will call you “manic” or “anal.” Don’t listen. Cover all the bases. “Luck” is what happens when you have planned for every contingency – and have Plans B, C and D in the bag…and a Plan E when the bag splits open!

bikes and gear bags after stuffing

Accept Help Along The Way.

The awesome L.A. Team in Training team helped us secure a great swim start spot; my Dad and friends became my “IronMinions” for the Event, etc. Whatever your goal is – don’t do it alone. And for goodness’ sake, don’t be a martyr. Figure out how to let others help you in a way that will make you both feel great. When the L.A. Team was coming in on their 2^nd loop on the Run (and I was going out on my first), their energy and “Go Team” shouts at me propelled me forward like nothing else – which I believe I helped ”instigate” by mentioning – in an all-team pre-race lunch – that I hoped when they passed me on the course, they would shout out my nickname.

On the “Helping” note, there were 2,900 athletes in the Ironman (1300 newbies), and over 5,000 Volunteers. They are there to serve you. Use them. But treat them with the respect that they deserve. A kind word, a huge smile, and asking someone’s name will go a very, very long way towards getting what you need. Personally, I was wearing a Camelbak, so a volunteer would need to mix up a “potion” for me, pour it into the Camelbak, fill it with water, put ice in my helmet (more on that later) and so on. By stopping,

Dad and Susan Afan at 430 am

pointing to a specific volunteer, and then asking his or her name, I actually know I made their day (I’ve been that volunteer), and they made mine. Don’t go it alone. Use the resources. Be sure you know specifically what you need (based on your plans and previous test-runs), accept it graciously, and get going. If you didn’t plan, or didn’t do all the workouts, or don’t use the resources available, gut check: Are you just being a victim or a martyr so you can “complain” about how “hard” things were?

Help Others, But Only with No Regrets. Help Yourself, But Don’t Dawdle. Would I have been less “Iron” had I crossed at 17:00:01? No. I did every workout, planned, and then worked that plan. That just means I’d shot the arrow and missed the mark – that day. “Stuff Happens.” But would I call myself an “Ironman” or get the tattoo? No again. Maybe it’s because I’m just a hard-*ssed attorney at heart, but you ain’t if you ain’t. You can say you did the distance, but if you didn’t do a sanctioned race in the time, calling yourself an “Ironman” cheapens it for us who dug deep and did it. Fine, hate me. But that’s what I believe.

Will at 130 am PST ready to support me all day with good energy

My friend Will made me look in his eyes before I left, because he had many regrets with respect to HIS Ironman Event experience. He doesn’t call himself an “Ironman,” because he did the distance but was 13 minutes over the finish time after helping 3 people with bike problems and the like. When I was leaving, he made me PROMISE that every time I did anything on Race day, I would do it with No Regrets. So had I indeed finished outside the “allotted time,” I absolutely knew that I had raced my race with No Regrets. I remembered that admonition each and every time I did something that caused me to stop.

• I stopped at about Mile 5, because a guy was broken down on the side of the road and when I asked if he was OK, he said “oh yeah, you don’t happen to have a TIRE do you?” I said No, then realized that YES, I did – last thing H folded and stuffed into my Camelbak was my ($50) training tire. I wasn’t able to stop immediately, but about 2 blocks later at a police car I was. I had one of the police get the tire out of the Camelbak, and run it back to the guy on the road. Hope he got it. No Regrets.
• A few miles later, I passed my TNT Teammate Maria, and wished her well and commented that she had ROCKED the swim! I don’t hear very well, and as I passed she was saying something but I just filled it in as her wishing me luck as I had wished her luck. But I kept hearing my name, as I went down the road. That had to mean she needed help. I checked my No Regrets meter, and knew that I wanted to stop and help. She had a problem with her tire. I could see it, and where it
  

  Leann spraying me with sunscreen SPF 10,000

  was rubbing – it looked like the tire was sort of “misshapen” but I couldn’t see how to fix it and it actually looked like the tire was otherwise OK. So after a few minutes of us tinkering with it, she rode on. (You’ll have to go to her blog to see the end result of this story!)

• On the back side of the bike ride, a guy was lying on the ground, seizing up with cramps. It was Carnage out there, and that is a fact (Teammate Paula saw a guy, clipped in, faint dead away and hit the dirt. All of us saw people spread-eagled prostrate in the heat with their bikes flung in the grass). I asked if he was okay, and he shook his head and was saying “Salt? Salt?” So I reached into my Bento Box, and threw him my whole container of Thermalytes. I had planned for this very thing – I had other packages “just in case” in other bags – and I was doing great on the Infinit drink in any case (NOTE: Did the entire race on only Infinit, even with the heat index, etc. MAGIC!)
• A couple of times, I could feel myself get lightheaded on the bike and my heart rate would drop. My back and shoulder (old crash) and elbow (new crash) also hurt. So I would ride to a shady spot, and stand up and stretch. Each of these moments was “no more than a minute or so” – but remember how close I was to the cutoff at the end. Each time, I remembered Will’s “No Regrets” admonition – so I did that gut check, and knew that the stretch was important for me to keep myself functioning well in the moment. But I did it, and got a move on. No dawdling.

balloons rising over the bike transition

Expect the Unexpected…and When It Happens, Assess, Reorganize, Keep Your Sense Of Humor, Then Get Going, and Leave It Behind.

• About 10 strokes into the swim start, I stroked forward and “pulled” a branch underneath me. I could feel the kkkrrrrrrrr! of it going down the front of my body. Luckily, it didn’t have a lot of twigs, and it rolled off my toes (and into the next guy!)  I have a “helpfulness gene” and in that moment I wanted to somehow say to the guy behind me “Watch Out!” but there really wasn’t any way to do that. And that was NOT supposed to be my concern. If you find yourself “warning” a lot of people about the “pitfalls” that you have experienced, then mainly you are wasting your own time and putting energy into that memory. Don’t THROW branches in front of others – but if it happens to you, krrrrr! and move on!
• It’s amazing how many people swam right in front of me, zig-zagging across the channel. I was immensely grateful for Coach Sedonia and all the practice we had had with sighting (and, in fact, having had to teach my friend Jane how to
  

  heading out of T1 slathered in more sunscreen

  sight, which helped me to break it down and really internalize it). One guy swam at a 45 degree angle in front of my face, making me actually stop so as not to run into the side of his calf. I watched him as he blithely continued in front of all of us “straight swimmers,” and just had to shake my head. He undoubtedly did an extra mile or so that we didn’t! Figure out the shortest distance between yourself and your goal – practice, practice, practice – then execute. If someone cuts you off, tell yourself it’s not personal, and move on.

• 20 or so minutes into the swim, I was taking a breath to the side,  just as a big guy was swimming past/over me. This is how it goes in the Ironman – 3,000 people in a small space, you’re going to get knocked around. I was prepared for it in the way I was swimming, but his elbow came down on the bridge of my nose. Just bad timing. It hurt like heck, and my left goggle filled up with water. I was very concerned that he had cracked the plastic – which would mean I would need to swim with my eye closed (contacts!) for the next 2 miles. As you likely know, only using one eye means you have no depth perception. I took the goggles off, emptied them, and tentatively put  them back on, with the salmon swimmers swarming on and around me up the river. Turns out he had only broken the seal around my eye – not the goggles.
  

  Missy and me

  However,  I then realized there was blood in the water in front of me – FROM me. My nose was gushing blood. It didn’t feel broken and anyway, I had to keep swimming to get to help, one way or the other. My humorous side immediately whispered, “Wow, it’s a good thing you’re here instead of swimming from Alcatraz with the sharks.” That made me laugh, and within a few minutes, I had forgotten all about the bash. Reaching your goal is often a contact sport. Get out there, protect yourself as best you can, but if you get bashed, get bashed – and get over it.

• When I came in from the bike to transition to the run, I peeled off my socks and realized that 8 plus hours of dumping water and ice on my head had all run into my shoes – and I had a giant chafe at the cuff of one sock, and a SEVERE case of foot waterlog. As in – I could see my toe bones, and my whitish-yellow skin and flesh were just hanging off them. This was completely and utterly unanticipated. (And gross.) Getting my dry Injinji compression socks on for the run was a 20 minute process. Amazingly,  I did it, with a few tears and the stellar help of my Transition Slave (smile). Though when I stood up to head out of the tent she said, “Ma’am? We generally don’ go out in public that way here in Kentucky…” – and I realized I hadn’t put my running shorts on and was naked from shirt to socks. Whoops!
• After the super-long T2 (25 minutes) I knew I was going to have trouble making it in on time. I was “set” to do run/walk intervals, but I wound up having to run the entire marathon without walking (and actually “negative split” the final
  

  me horning in on Maria's prom photo with the Colonel (joke! joke!)

  section). Sometimes, you just gotta do what you gotta do.

Listen To Your Gut.

• I had a crash on the bike course. Yes, that’s me, Crashy McCrash. There was an “out and back” portion that’s turn-around was a hairpin left U turn on a very skinny road. When I saw it, I felt in my gut that it was beyond my bike handling skills. But then I “went for it.” And crashed. And nearly took down a bunch of other racers. When I was coming down to that turn-around, what I SHOULD have done is figured how to stop or “run long” past the orange cone, get off the bike, turn it around “manually” and then get back in the race. Instead, my ego kicked in…and because I didn’t want to be “embarrassed” by my less than stellar bike skills, I wound up with the derailleur ticking oddly and my left brake/shift lever bent completely sideways (wasn’t until Mile 80 I actually even SAW a tech person to help me fix it – she had to use a mallet it was so stuck). The sideways lever meant I ended the race with a huge blister between my left  thumb and forefinger, and a numb ring and pinkie finger (which did not come “awake” until my masseuse “popped” my elbow days later back home).
• Later on, in the 110 degree heat/humidity and while watching folks try to take hills, fall over, and take down other riders, I found two hills that I could only make if I really “powered” up them…or I could walk them. As we did the loop twice, that meant walking those 2 hills, twice. When I did my Gut Check, I realized that the extra time walking the hills was likely to be a better choice than
  

  Maria and me showing off our ankle tracking chips

  “powering” up them and draining precious energy I would need later. That’s when Run Coach Simon’s voice (a bit belatedly, considering my crash!) came to me. He had said, “When you get your Ironman ticket, be sure to coat check your Ego. You can pick it up with your Medal.” I walked up the hills, watched guys powering by me, felt a little stupid and embarrassed…and then passed them splayed out in the grass about 50 miles later. Go at your own speed, not someone else’s – don’t worry about what People Will Think – and keep your eyes on the longterm Prize.

• All along (except on the worst of the hills) I kept my heart rate between 142-152. That is my personal “zone” for pre-aerobic and aerobic. It is the zone in which I can utilize my own body fat as fuel. I was told to “race my own race,” and even when folks were flying by me, I just paid attention to that doggone Heart Rate Monitor. If I went over 152, I slowed down. If I went under 142, I sped up. I am quite sure that this kept me from becoming the “Carnage” that was rampant on the bike course (they had to pull in ambulances and EMTs from 2 surrounding counties – and ran out of IVs in the med tent).

When You Quit, Quit. Have Your Tantrum. Then Get Going Again. I quit at Mile 30 of the bike course. Really, really quit. I was done. The swim had been quite enervating because the water was so warm, and then the bike was brutally hot. I saw the sign at Mile 30, stopped, and if there had been a SAG wagon there, I would have put my bike in it, dusted my hands, and said, “Enough.” But there was NOT a SAG wagon, so I sucked it up and made it to the next bike aid station (where I thought I might find SAG). At that station, I got the bright idea of putting ice in my helmet. It was SO COLD…but after about 20 seconds, my mind cleared. I realized that my body felt completely fine…and I also realized with a start that my mind, which was cooking, was just trying to Siren Song me into getting out of the heat. Sometimes your own brain is your

Ironteam L.A. South Bay and North Bay sitting in the swim line

worst enemy. When this happens, say “Thank you, I respect your Opinion, I’m going to do something else though.” Believe it or not, this usually makes it shut up. Of course – ice in the helmet helps, too.

Ultimately, You Can Only Rely On Yourself. The run was an out-and back loop twice. Our coach told us he would be standing at one particular spot – Mile 5 or so on the way out, which became Mile 18 on the 2^nd loop. I was running late (obviously) and so when I passed him the first time, I wanted all the particulars. How far was it to the end of the loop? How far was the turn-around after that? How fast did I have to go, to get to the midway cutoff? And was that cutoff at 9:00 p.m., or 9:15, or 9:30, or 9:45? He knew none of these answers. He knew the pace I would need to hold to get to the END on time, but none of the in-between answers (and remember – I’m just at mile FIVE of 26.2). This was the only time in the race I was really FURIOUS. It was my understanding that, as a coach, these are the sorts of things (especially if standing in one spot, and not going out on the bike or running around on the run) that should be at the fingertips. I finally ran past Teammate Paula, who knew all the answers. (She also had the amazingly great idea of setting an alarm an hour before all cutoffs on the bike/run course – so that you KNEW you were coming up to the “bell” – I just didn’t actually KNOW what that time was on the run midway point, so hadn’t been able to set that all-important alarm.) I was angry, but in reality, it was anger at myself for not having committed the important stuff to memory.

Fourth Street Live

Be An Inspiration.

The first time I came into town during the marathon (the Ironman ends at Fourth Street Live, a covered bar/restaurant/etc. district in the heart of town, but you run past it to go out on your 2nd loop), the crowd cheered, because they thought I was finishing. Instead, I held up my finger to indicate “1” (that it was my first loop) and amazingly, they got deathly quiet and “respectful.” I heard someone say “My lord, she’s still going out. What an inspiration.” As I continued on, and was going back out as our Team athletes were coming in to finish, I kept hearing that shouted again and again. It made me feel good, as I had sent myself a card earlier that week that said just that – “I Am an Inspiration to Others.” I had a number of choices when picking that card (“I Am Physically Fit,” etc.) but that is the one that spoke to me with respect to my Ironman.

As a corollary to this, I would run past spectators when I was still trying to find out how far and fast I had to move to make the 1/2 way cutoff, and they would invariably say “you’re nearly there” or “”it’s right around the corner” or “you’re totally going to make it.” I know that they thought this would spur me on…but what it did was insidiously make me think it was okay to slow down. Don’t listen to random bits of advice and “wisdom” you might receive on the way to your goal – often the people who sound the most sure of themselves are just dead wrong. My mistake: Not having the run course and its particulars committed to memory. Plan, plan, plan. My bad.

On my final “leg” of the marathon course, I started running with Fireman Steve from Louisville (a/k/a Pukin’ Steve – sorry Steve!) He was having an AWFUL time. He would run (far faster than I could), but then start puking his guts out. Then he would walk, try some new concoction from an aid station, run, and puke. I just kept going along at my turtle pace, and so with his leap-frogging and my trudging along, we were together for miles. He was hurting. Bad. Crying. To take his mind off it (I actually

piles of transition bags

felt great…I just couldn’t move any faster), I chatted with him and sometimes just “at” him…about Louisville, San Francisco, the Ironman (this was I think his 3^rd in Louisville), his wife Kathy (who had finished the race, and he was afraid was probably worried sick about him), nutrition, etc. He kept telling me what an inspiration my attitude was, especially on my first Ironman, in such hellish conditions. I was just as glad he was there, on that muggy nasty march towards the finish.

When we got about a mile out, he started throwing up so hard, he was yelling. I felt awful, but I kept going because I knew that we were close – he had been calculating the math the whole time, and pulling me with him to go faster and faster (see splits, below) – and so I went for it.  I also knew he’d kick my *ss if I didn’t make it because I stopped to help him. If those that have been with you on your journey to your goal fall to the wayside, keep going.

(By the way – Pukin’ Steve made it in under the wire!)

at Mile 20 of the Marathon

Memories I Won’t Soon Forget, and Thank Yous Thank Yous Thank Yous:

1.             On the bike, alone (so I thought) in the middle of beautiful-horse-country-Kentucky-bluegrass nowhere, I heard a woman say “Pardon Me!” from behind me. This took me COMPLETELY by surprise, so I said “Um, may I help you?” She chuckled and said, “Actually, I just belched so loud, I thought you had heard me, so I excused myself.” I laughed and said, “I thought we were in the middle of one of those old Grey Poupon ads!” When she cycled past me, she held out her palm to my Bento Box and said, “Pardon me, Madam, but may I borrow your Grey Poupon?” I laughed, saying, “STOP IT my bike handling skills are so bad we’re both liable to crash here in the middle of a level road!” She sped on by, both of us grinning. (You’re only going to get this if you were watching American TV commercials about 15 years ago.)

2.            When I crashed on the turn around, I went down on my elbow (which of course bled like a stuck pig) but reached out immediately to grab my bike out of the way of the other cyclists coming around the hairpin. Four guys with disk wheels and aero helmets stopped and helped me up, dusted me off, made sure I spun my wheel, and checked I was OK. I was very choked up by this concern. (They were probably just incredibly grateful I hadn’t taken them out with my antics, but still!)

I was looking at my medal in bed after my ice bath and...zzzzzzzz. Too funny.

3.            While out on the bike, I kept seeing (and being run into by!) purple butterflies. My grrl Leann had just gotten a tattoo with purple butterflies on it. Each time I saw them, I figured she was sending her love and concern to me.

4.           I finally got to meet my “Tennessee Teammate” Missy – she recognized me right in the middle of the street on Friday. As she was walking towards me, I thought, “I know that girl. Who is it?” And as soon as she spoke, I knew. It was so fantastic to be with her and her friends and energy. Love ya, Missy!

5.            Mr Speedbump: A participant on the run wouldn’t let people “touch him” to help him (and potentially get DQ’d), so he was lying perpendicular to the run course, and the EMTs were packing him in ice. Scary.

6.            Hearing the word “Carnage” about once every 30 seconds, when athletes were talking about their experiences on that day and the next.

7.            The guy who blew a tube about a mile from the end of the bike pulling off his shoes to obviously just run the bike in.

8.            A guy driving past in his truck with his wife on Monday when we were heading to the Athlete Lunch, who yelled “SAN FRANCISCO!” out of the window, to which I whooped, “PUKIN’ STEVE!” (and watched his wife’s head rock back with laughter). I was so grateful we were actually able to catch up and exchange info. His wife took me aside and said that I’d saved his life. I

my Day After breakfast - carbs, anyone?

told her HE had saved MY life too – since he was the one who could do the math to get us home in time!

9.            L.A. Team Coach Paul putting his face right into my face on the last corner before the “run in” on the marathon, and screaming “RUUUUUUUUUUUN!!!!!!!” The memory still makes me laugh.

10.            Mark, Efron, Carlos 2, Dr. Chris & his wife, Jennifer (?I think?), Paula, Heather, Kristin, Louis, and all the others who literally crossed over on the run course to give me hugs or High 5 me or make SURE I saw them when they shouted GO TEAM at me…as they were coming in on the finish and I was going out on my last 13.1 miles.

11.          All the planning with my Teammate Maria. Packing our bags, getting manic, herding cats. It was the best. And a special thank you to Maria, Leann, and the Afans for taking all the photographs. Can’t believe I forgot my camera.

12.          To all the “service providers” who kept me going, especially after the bike crash 2 weeks out – Kristina Lentz, Dr. K, Dr. Merritt, and in particular April Blake. If you haven’t tried Indigo biofeedback, you really must. I am fairly certain it’s what kept my attitude from tanking all day long.

13.           My personal IronMinions, Maria, Helen, and especially Leann, Francine, and Dad. You guys were the BEST. Also to Athlete Maria’s IronFamily, Albert, Susan, and Albie (al-BIE!!) who did everything we asked of them and more. Especially to Albie, who ran up and down and up and down that doggone run course trying to be sure that we were all OK.

14.          To my 76-year-old dad, who had planned to “run me in” at the very last 1/10^th of a mile before the finisher’s chute, and panicked me that they would DQ me for having a “pacer.” I think that he left skid marks on the street when he rocked back on his heels to stop running with me. My horror turned into peals of laughter at the ludicrousness (ludicrosity?) of the whole scene about 2 minutes later – AFTER I had crossed the finish line.

15.          Another special shout-out to Dad and Leann: In particular, I explained to Leann I HAD TO finish my Recovery/Repair drink in the first 20 minutes after finishing, and she quietly handed it to me, pushed my hand to my mouth, handed it BACK to me, and the like until I was done. Nothing like feeding a 3 year old, naw. And to Dad patiently going back and forth from our hotel room with the waste basket to the ice machine to fill it with ice, and bring it back to Leann who first lowered me into the tub, then dumped the ice in on me for the ice bath, back and forth, back and forth. (The next day, I was a little sore, but not bad: Other athletes were walking around hunched over, unable to put their heels on the ground due to cramped calves, etc.) And Dad and Leann getting Teammate Paula’s and my bike and gear bags before midnight, so that they could get to TriBike Transport on time (while I was still out on the course, and Paula was getting an IV in the Med Tent!)

16.          To my amazing coaches, donors, honorees and friends, especially those who gathered on Facebook. I drew on you all when times were Grim. One of the best things ever was reading all the Facebook posts the next day – especially friends from all over the world trying to help others, when the ironman.com athlete tracker went down, etc. LOVE YOU. To Becca’s sister-in-law Laura, who came out to the Marathon course to cheer me on – and introduce herself! You are so brave to have given me a hug in my nasty sweaty condition when you saw me at Mile 16! To Will: No Regrets. To Patricia: At about Mile 90, there was a gorgeous scene of horses, foals, big house, bluegrass…all sort of odd-looking through the cooking waves shimmering off the black tarmac. I actually shouted “Look! Patricia!” just to make myself feel better and remember that this was, in fact, beautiful and, even more importantly, my own Choice. To The Bateman Family, who sponsored the last few dark, quiet, awful miles of the run a couple days before the race – my lord, I was calling on you out there! And to the SOC Marketing Team for designing and printing the posters that my Grandboys Caleb and Cody designed!

Sgt Maj Dale Hatten

17.          And especially, to Angels: Sgt Maj Dale Hatten who surprised me in my head about 6 miles from the end of the godforsaken marathon. This is a man that did a ton of tours in ‘Nam and “got his men home” – he absolutely got me home. Thanks, Dad-2. To my Angel Manta, who I had “spread its wings” under me after getting bashed, and who remarkably kept me completely clear of any more bashes for the rest of the swim. And to K’s Uncle Chris, a Sports Illustrated-featured cross country runner when he died of leukemia, for appearing at mile 12 and stretching my legs a bit more so I made the cutoff at 13.1.

18.         To the Sponges. And the nascent cocktail, the Carnage. Stop laughing, Paula/Maria. And to the mental picture of Teammate Jessica and the “ice” – Jessica asked a volunteer to scoop some ice out of one of the aid table barrels into her jogbra. Somewhere down the line after the ice had melted, she realized that she was a bit more “stacked” than usual…and started pulling the clear plastic bottle cap tops out of her jogbra that had been in the ice! Just too funny a visual.

19.        Joke we realized leaving for S.F. on Tuesday: How do you know the Ironman athletes at the Airport? They’re the ones that slip off their shoes for Security, and then can’t bend over to reach and put them on the scanner…(See this link from Coach Simon for fun.)

20.          To the Newfoundland band Great Big Sea. Though I had a whole inspirational “Music Playlist” on my ipod I had “memorized” for the day, Great Big Sea just horned in and stayed with me the whole way instead. (And thanks to Kelownagurl for introducing them to me in her podcast, months and months ago.) In case you’re curious, my songs were:

Swim: Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.

Bike: The Night Pat Murphy Died, When I Am King (here is a concert video, not so great sound though), Ordinary Day (all by Great Big Sea)

Run: Lukey, End Of The World (both by Great Big Sea) If you listen to any of these, do the last one – it’s beyond fun. They are all links to concert videos. I’m going to see the band in a month or so. Come along! (smile)

(Some other great Great Big Sea here – Mary Mac, Consequence Free, Excursion Around The Bay (hilarious)

20.         To my husband, H, for putting up with me for the past 10 months doing this, and unselfishly spending time out on the bike with me on all those long rides. You are the best husband EVER!

21.          To you, for reading this far. You’re nuts! Go back to work! (smile). OK, if you’d like a couple of things to watch, here are some amateur videos. Here is the Swim Start - I’m at 45 seconds, Teammate Maria is in the turquoise swim top at 44.  In this one, you can see me at 2:31.  This one is a bit better -  I’m at 4:07. And this one, taken by the wonderful Louis from L.A. Team, is me in the Finisher’s pen (you can hear my name at 1:34 and then I go right past Louis without seeing him – !!). And if you want something wonderful that says what I feel, watch this.

MY STATS:
2.4 Mile Swim: 1:39:53 (about 10 minutes longer than I had hoped)

Transition 1: about 12 minutes (about what I planned)

Bike Total: 8:30 (longer than anticipated, but not bad). Splits: (1) 15.41 mph (2) 13.70 mph (3) 12.81 mph (4) 12.34 mph.

Transition 2: 25 minutes. Ugh.

Run Total: 6:12:56 – not bad, considering! Splits: (1) 13.53/mile (2) 14.27/mile (3) 13.32/mile (4) 14.11/mile (5) 14.31/mile (6) 15.02/mile (running out of gas…) (6) 13.14/mile (charging for the finish!)

Some consider the marathon the ultimate endurance event.
We consider it a cool down. (Anonymous)

by ironguides on May 26, 2010 in Triathlon Training

In the final days before you race an Ironman it is essential that you keep a few things in mind.

Ironman essence – Gratitude

The Ironman hype in the final week before race day often makes you forget the reason you are racing in the first place. Excitement is running high. Triathletes are everywhere, discussing race goals.

This is a good time to remind yourself why you started in this sport. It is very likely you were attracted to triathlon, Ironman, because of the lifestyle it provides you; its health benefits; the opportunity to visit the great places around the world where triathlons are held; and for the unique friendships that develop between athletes.

Ironman is a way to celebrate life: it is a gift to the have time, the health and the finances to take part in such a unique event.

Remind yourself of the above in race week and try to focus less on your splits in each discipline, age-group placing or Kona slots: those are only consequences of a great race execution, based on your fitness and mindset. 

Setting goals

Crossing the finish line is always at the top of the list.

Then you have secondary goals that are usually linked to finish times and/or improving splits in each discipline.

Be careful how you set them and what benchmark you use. Always keep in mind that race day conditions are unique and hard, if not impossible, to predict. If you want to improve your finish time of the previous year, or from another other race, you have to take into account that the conditions such as wind, temperature and currents will most likely be different.

Another problem with predicting finish times, especially for first-timers, is using times done in training: unless you have done an Ironman simulation it is impossible to know how you will react during the final half of the Ironman run. The result window is massive: you might have a solid day and run those 21km in 100 minutes or less, or if you may get cramps and take 3 hours, or more.

Confidence

Maintaining confidence in your training and race strategy in the final days before Ironman can be a challenge. As soon as you arrive at the race venue you bump into all those sponsored athletes walking around in and with the latest equipment, showing off their lean and vascular legs. Such sights can be quite intimidating to the first timer or beginner athlete.

Remember: before a race everyone looks like a champion – don’t let this hurt your confidence.

Another common thought on race week is: “I should have trained harder!”

You have already done the best you could. Perhaps you had to take a week off training due to work, family or health issues but those are situations we all face. Every single triathlete on the startline of an Ironman had to overcome some sort of challenge during their preparation so don’t worry, you are not alone.

Be realistic

One of the biggest differences between the short races and Ironman is that the latter provides a better opportunity for the athlete to perform according to ability. Never forget this on race day. If you are not feeling great in the swim or the early stages of the bike, stay calm: there is a long day ahead and you will have the opportunity to get into your rhythm as the race progresses.

Other examples are a slow transition or a flat tire: unlike the short course events where your race would be over due to those setbacks, in Ironman you can still catch up on the lost time.

There is no such a thing as having a great race based on experience or “luck”. At best you minimize potential problems by going under-trained into an Ironman but no miracle will happen. Your best choice is to adjust your goals and expectations to avoid frustration.

Rational vs Emotional

Keep your emotions in check on race day: don’t let them take over your race strategy. Adrenalin released in the first few hours of the race, with the type-A and competitive personality of each triathlete, plus the fact that everyone is well-rested and tapered is a perfect recipe for disaster.

The main mistakes happen in the cycling leg, especially during the first hours, when athletes are excited and forget a very long day is only just beginning. As a result, people start to race each other or just ignore their nutrition plan.

Another common mistake that results in an emotional, rather than a rational, approach is after a setback such as a flat tire or a penalty is that athletes tend to “make up for it”. Don’t. Stay calm and be patient in those situations instead. Ironman is a long race and you can slowly, over the next hours, catch up on the missed minutes. Please do not try to do it within the next 60 minutes.

Positive attitude

It takes between 8 and 17 hours to finish an Ironman. That is a lot of time for everything to go as planned, especially considering the myriad of factors the athlete can’t control. It is very likely that something will go “wrong” at some stage during the race.

After I wrote an article about the mental attitude towards the race day challenge last year, several athletes came to talk to me after finishing their Ironman and mentioned that already in the swim leg their race wasn’t going as planned: they couldn’t see the buoys and went off course.

Ironman is all about overcoming obstacles. The challenges start with your training routine, how you manage your work and family commitments with those long sessions that take a lot of your time and energy. The training is 90% of the Ironman experience and is the biggest challenge. Race day is only the celebration of getting to the start line. You will still be tested during the event, be it physically or logistically, but with your Ironman determination you will find a solution and make it to the finish line. 

Have a great race!

http://www.trifuel.com/training/triathlon-training/mental-attitude-for-ironman

So, Saturday we were to do an 8 mile run at our Tempo pace. I figured I would run to the JCC and back, which gave me a place to refill my water bottle. By about mile 5-6 my shoulder ACHED. I practiced changing my hand position, arm “angle,” etc. – and it would relieve it a bit, but not by much. My doctor cautioned me yesterday (Monday) that I might want to just not train AT ALL until the race – because if things hurt, it might affect me mentally more than anything else. If it hurts on the race, I gut it out. If it hurts before, it might make me afraid of it hurting. I think there’s something to that – but think I’m going to do the swim anyway today.

Sunday was our last Team Meeting and a swim in Del Valle lake. We were to go out for 1/2 hour and then back. I actually made it out a mile before it was time to turn around. As I was getting back to the dock, I realized I was the last swimmer. This sort of bummed me out, until Teammate Patricia told me that no one had done the full hour but me! Oh – okay…

Maria and me from IM-L plus IM-C folks and our Team supports from Vineman!

We had our briefing meeting with Coach Simon and LLS Merla – only Maria and I were there from Team Louisville. It’s so odd that we are only like 6 people versus the whole big Vineman “crew.” It was so wonderful to see how many people came all the way out to Del Valle to support us! I was also supremely grateful for Patricia, who drove. After the swim, I was stiffening up pretty good and was glad I could just rest.

I discovered on the swim (which I did “commando” a/k/a no wetsuit) that though Jane and I did a practice in Aquatic Park, the wetsuit makes a BIG DIFFERENCE. Now, no, you don’t know why, so stop nodding your head (smile). I obviously know the wetsuit adds flotation and all that jazz (duh). The thing is, that in a wetsuit, you are swimming like a gigantic sausage. When you turn your hips, it rotates your whole body. And, yes, I also know that’s how it’s “supposed to be.” HOWEVER, what I found out in the Lake is that I have been “lazing out” when swimming without the wetsuit. I seem to only turn my upper torso, not so much my legs. How do I know this? Because a few 100 yards into the swim, my side started to ACHE. Bad. As in “where is the kayak” bad. Since there was no kayak around me, I just started swimming slower, and practicing turning my WHOLE body. It took some doing. I also had to kick a bit more than I’m used to. But I finally got the hang of it – and the ache calmed down. Glad that I figured this out before getting

in the lake, after jumping in off the dock

to Louisville!

Monday was an “off” day – today I’m off to BNI to substitute, then I’m going to go swim. I think it’s like a 1500 or something on the calendar. I’m just going to go slow. More biofeedback with the wonderful April Blake this afternoon, then PACKING! (Oh joy! Oh ecstacy!)

The most exciting thing that has happened in FOREVER is that Jodi purchased the last of my “sponsored miles” this morning! I am so blessed. I had sent out a SendOutCards tri-fold with all my donors, and the miles that they sponsored. Unfortunately, I had an hour or so at the very end of the run (not the final 2 miles – those were sponsored – but about 5-6 miles before the “bitter” end) that were not sponsored. I made up a list of “when” I should be at each mile, so that my donors could send me good Magic at that time, and perhaps check on ironman.com (number 730!) to see how I am doing. Now, I’m not “out on my own” in the dark at the end of the race. THANK YOU JODI! You are the best!

And finally, a few “You Know You’re Iron When”‘s…

M-dot rice krispie treats!

You know you’re iron when you are seriously distressed that your pee is yellow. (ok, graphic, but if you’re laughing & nodding…you’re WELL on your way to being Iron!) also…

You know you’re iron when you pass a “man down” capsule on the road and from 10 paces can tell whether it’s an Endurolyte or a Thermalyte.

She wrote back: “I am excited to see you wearing the Leukemia jersey as I am going to wear one in October. My mom has Leukemia and I am working to raise $1400 for a half marathon – just had a little one so starting slow.”

This is a picture of her son, with his “Gramoo.”

Let’s cure this doggone disease, shall we??? Who’s going to join me on Team In Training next year? Think about it – get in shape, and help cure Gramoo’s cancer to boot. Who’s going to get on the green-and-purple-flames train!

Thursday, August 26

• 6:35 PM Arrival in Louisville
• Relax, unwind and get settled.

Friday, August 27

• 9:00 AM Bike Pickup / Short test ride
• 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Expo & Athlete Check-In
• 11:45 AM IronTeam Optional Run
• 5:30 – 7:30 PM Ironman Louisville Welcome Dinner
• Immediately following dinner: Mandatory Age Group Athlete Race Briefing
• Get some rest!

Saturday, August 28

• 7:45 AM IronTeam Swim (Waterfront Park – Swim Finish)
• 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM 2010 Ford Ironman Louisville Registration
• Pack Transition Bags
• 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM IronTeam Inspiration Luncheon
• Noon – 5:00 PM Mandatory Bike and Gear Check-In (Great Lawn)
• 7:00 PM Evening Relaxation Session

Sunday, August 29 – IRONMAN RACE DAY!

• 5:00 AM Transition Opens / Body Marking & Special Needs Bag Drop-off (Body Marking Volunteers are TNT’ers from the local Kentucky Chapter so make sure to give them a GO TEAM!)
• 6:30 AM Transition area closes, all athletes to the Swim Start
• Transition is a 15-minute walk (3/4 mile) from the Swim Start
• 6:50 AM – Pro Race Starts
• 7:00 AM – Age Group Race Starts
• Approx. 9:20 AM Swim course closes two hours and twenty minutes after the last athlete in the water
• 6:20 PM – Bike course closes
• 12:00 MIDNIGHT – Race Ends at 4th Street Live
• 6:30 PM – 12:30 AM Mandatory Bike & Gear Recovery

Monday, August 30

• 6:00 AM Finishers’ Gear starts being sold!
• 8:00 AM – NOON Bike/Bag Drop-off at Tri Bike Transport
• 8:30 AM – 2:00 PM View and Order Race Photos
• 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM Ironman Louisville Awards Banquet
• 6:00 PM IronTeam Victory Dinner

Tuesday, August 31

• 11:00 AM Hotel Check-Out
• 3:50 PM: Depart Louisville

**To track me during the race, log on to IRONMAN.com on Sunday, August 29, 2010 at 7:00 AM Eastern Time. My Bib # is 730.

NOW, for the entertainment (smile). This is to the Beverly Hillbillies theme song:

Let me tell y’all a story about my good friend Sandy
She was gettin’ kinda bored & feelin’ just dandy,
Just the other day she said, ‘Damn I KNOW I can!’
So she packed her bags for Luhvull, to do the Ironman
Triathlon that is…
140.6 miles…
Swim, bike, run…

She started off the swim by jumpin’ in the river
The water was warm so she didn’t even shiver
And when she got out later she was in a good position
So she sprinted up the slope towards her very first transition

Swim to bike…
wet stuff off…
Chamois Butt’r…

Once she’d changed her stuff, she hopped onto her bike
(Luckily she found it since they all look just alike)
Headin’ down the road you could almost hear her sing
Mashin’ on them pedals grindin’ in that big chainring
Tall girl, red Camelbak…
rollin’ by the horsies…
singin’…

Then she got off that bike to head out on the run
Took off like a rabbit that was shot at from a gun
When she got to Mile 20 she didn’t hit the Wall
She finished that damn thing smilin’, I have to tell y’all
Ironwoman…
140.6 miles…
yahoo, and all that …)

We were out Second well past Trader Joe’s, and there is a part of the road that’s uphill, without a lot of room – 2 lanes of traffic in a divided highway, plus cars parked along the side, and a wall on the left so cars can’t swerve, either. It’s never been one of my favorite places. I wear a mirror on my glasses to be able to see traffic behind me, and I glanced up to see if I could move over just a little bit away from the parked cars.

WHAM!

From 17 MPH to 0 is not pleasant. I must have subconsciously “jagged” away from the traffic towards the parked cars, because there is no other explanation as to why I hit a rear-view mirror. It stopped me dead – this must be a bit like being “doored.” I went over my handlebars, and was on the pavement in a second. The bike was out in the street, but amazingly, the gal in the front car nearest me stopped. Her passenger was out of the car so fast I’m not quite sure the car was actually stopped all the way.

I got up, and actually felt OK. Angeline was obviously NOT OK, poor sweetie.

H (as usual) was pretty far ahead of me, but you couldn’t miss the WHUMP, I’m sure. He came back, and was upset and yelling “What did you DO??” (scared, I’m sure). I was able to stand, turned and twisted, all that jazz – and so he sat me down in the shade to go back and get the van (which was about 10 miles back, at home). After he actually found my contact that had popped out, sitting on the road (yes, it’s fine. Wild).

The weird part is I’d had a bit of a prescience about the whole thing. When we were on the back side of Paradise, I hit a pothole in the shade that was deep enough that it snapped my neck back and my teeth shut, and hurt my wrists. At that moment, I had a thought “What would I do if I went over the handlebars?” Well, my Grrl Leann and my Grandboys Cody and Caleb have been practicing for their karate belt test, and one of the things that we have been texting about all week is “tuck and rolling,” which Leann was having trouble with. As I was riding away from the pothole, I thought a lot about tucking and rolling. Left shoulder to right hip, avoiding the head, go diagonal, keep your hands in, etc.

That’s what I must have done when I hit the pavement – because my left shoulder (even though I was wearing 3 layers, to “simulate heat conditions” in Louisville) has a big raspberry on it – and my right side between my ribs and my hip hurts like the dickens. I also have a raspberry on my left calf, and two cuts on my face – H surmises this is where my glasses broke and cut me (broke my good glasses! Argh!)

Once H was back, we headed out to the Recyclery and were able to get the exact same wheel for a great price. They only take cash, and I was trying to figure out how we were going to handle that, when H reminded me he had actually stopped at his ATM to get cash, about 15 minutes before the crash. It was a little odd how “prepared” we were in that respect.

After a lot of running around (H noticed what looked like a crack in Angeline’s frame which of course sent me into a crying fit – we took it to Ceasar’s Cyclery where they are the biggest Giant dealer around Marin – they were just closing, put her up, and said it was 95% just chipped paint, etc. etc.), H wanted to know if I want to go to the movies; I said I wanted to blow my taper diet and go to Left Bank and drink wine and eat fatty foods. So that is what we did. I even dressed up – makeup and everything. (I think I was trying to distance myself as much as possible from the crash!)

Got home around 8:00 and went to bed with 6 ice packs and a cup of tea. I’d taken a couple ibuprofen waiting for H after the crash, but I could feel everything starting to stiffen up and hurt. Woke up this morning, and oh lord, I feel like I was hit but a truck.

Or, a rear view mirror.

Left shoulder and side of neck are super stiff and painful. I can’t reach out straight or overhead. That could have interesting ramifications for swimming, I’m sure. Breathing REALLY hurts. Ride side, between my ribs and the top of my hip bone, REALLY hurts. The shoulder thing is pretty awful. I have an “emergency call” in to a chiropractor my masseuse recommended – mine is on vacation for 2 weeks – and an emergency call to her too. Interestingly enough, I have a free biofeedback session at 2:00 today with a gal from my BNI – not sure how that will help, but I’m sure it will.

Ouch.

A Taper Tapir

It’s Taper Time. I also got a great book called Paleo for Athletes (something like that – Kevin Koskella from TriSwimCoach.com suggested it), and it’s been super helpful, especially as they really break down nutrition in the final Endurance/Taper stage. Nothing much new, just good stuff to remember.

Jane and me at Aquatic Park

Jane and I did our last “long” swim in Aquatic Park on Wednesday. I swapped the Tuesday swim and the Wednesday run around, so that we could go out and do the open water. I won’t go by myself, and Jane is nice enough to go with me when she can. We have been generally swimming on Sundays, but I wanted to make the mid-week swim an open water one, too.

We took a few photos on her phone for “posterity” – then into the water we went!

It actually wasn’t as cold as it has been in the past, but by the end, we actually wound up getting out “shy” of the distance that we were trying to do. It has been very grey here in the S.F. Bay Area, and it was choppy out in the water…grey, choppy, swim, swim, swim, swim, swim…not the most pleasant. The last time we went (last Sunday) the sun came out

Jane, rarin' to go

and it felt SO NICE – though we got cold also on that day.

I’m QUITE SURE I will have NO problem with that in Lousville!

I was reading a write-up that Coach Simon sent out, and part of it says that the “good thing” about Ironman Louisville is that “everyone can anticipate” that it’s going to be hot and humid, and have “plenty of time” to prepare by working out in the heat of the day, etc. I guess they were talking about anywhere BUT San Francisco this year.

Off to do a bike/run brick – a Taper Tapir’s work is never done! Snort snort snort.

And here is an interview that I did on the great TriSwimSecrets podcast :-)

YES this is what the idea of swimming in Aquatic Park does to me

"French Maid Guy" - on Vineman run

So, about 5-6 months ago, I came to the realization that I was going to need a Secret Weapon during the Ironman event. When was this? During my 1/2-Iron at Sedona. When I ran up to the car where H was waiting with hydration for me and said that I was really feeling sick (which wound up devolving into The Nastiness that followed & I’ve already written about), his reaction was to tell me to “Tough It Out” and drive away. Now, that’s all well and good if someone is going through what you are, and understands where you are coming from. But (though he had done the biking with me), I felt very angry and hurt because I thought that I was being told to “dig deep” by someone who didn’t really have a physical feel for what I was going through.

So I asked a guy on my IronTeam whether he’d be willing to be my Secret Weapon at Louisville. My idea (before finding out that you aren’t allowed to carry a phone) is that I could call him up, and get an Atta Girl or a “Tough It Out” from someone who HAD done it. (As he was signed up for Vineman so would have done his Ironman-distance race before me.) Not only that, but we were both former Military, and so hearing “Tough It Out” from him would have a bit more weight and that “Gunny-ness” that I could yell against and be pissed at in my head, but then just go out and DO…because the Gunny never EVER tells you to do something that they have not or would not do themselves.

TNT signs for Vineman

In response, I promised to be at Vineman for him. This seemed rather an empty promise, since he was an ex-pro cyclist, and a far faster/better runner than I. Now, granted, we had actually become Friends on the team because he sucked at swimming, and I gave him lots and lots of friendly advice, answered questions, sent YouTube videos of what I was talking about, etc. But that was matched against – when H said that he would buy me a “good bike” for my Valentine’s Prezzie - Will taking hours and hours and going round and round with what sort of bike would be best for me (including taking measurements, talking about details, giving me the “math” that would get me a compact crankset that would be similar to my old tried-and-true triple, etc.)

He was dating a gal on the team, and sadly, they broke up a while back. That meant, as she had done TNT for years and had been the one to get him involved, that he felt it necessary to step off the team. I was sad, because he was always good to kid around with, and (more importantly) even when I was riding my 20-year old P.O.S. downtube shifter bike with basket pedals, made me feel like I could Do It. He also was really patient explaining stuff to me that I wanted to know, but was too embarrassed to ask, about cycling “in general.” (You know, things like “which way do you lean when you do this,” or “how do you stop from falling down if you have to unclip going slowly on a hill?”…This last being a lesson I am still digesting, I might add.)

We had emailed a bit after he left the Team, and he said he was still going to do the event. I said well, that meant I would be there to support him, and be there for him “if he needed me.” To me, that just basically meant hangin’ around and cheering. The only place he MIGHT need me might be the Swim (there’s nothing like 1,000 people crawling over you as a fairly novice swimmer to spazz you out bigtime), and that was the one place I could NOT be. Well, except at the Exit, to cheer him on for NOT drowning.

Paula, Will and Jack (banner in front)

Teammate Paula and her boyz Will and Jack picked me up at 5:30 a.m. to head out to cheer on our Peeps. H had told me he would pick me up that evening, so I wouldn’t need to drive home at midnight. Will and Jack had made a great banner to cheer on our IronPeeps, and they were very excited…until they fell into a wonderful snoring heap. (More on that later when I can actually figure out how to get MY photos out of my camera…all the ones here are from other folks.)

It was an IMMENSELY foggy day, and I realized that I definitely didn’t have warm enough clothes. Oops. We swung by Rohnert Park to pick up Becca (I had to call to actually get the name of the offramp -  it was so foggy I couldn’t make out landmarks), and off we went to the Swim start.

Folks were already in the water when we arrived – there are 7 races that go on that day – the full Ironman, Aquabike (the Ironman

at swim exit (me in background in green flames jacket, to the left of the green flag)

without the run), Barb’s Race, relays, etc. It was a bit of madness. We cheered as our teammates exited the water - but the first person out that I recognized was my old swim coach, DeAnn, who was obviously swimming for a relay. (She got out of the water with the guys – as the relay folks were slotted after the women who were after the men, she had done that doggone 2.4 mile swim in some insanely short time.)

Becca and me

It took a while (I think it was a bit over 2 hours), but Will finally emerged from the water, and headed out to the transition area. Becca had a big sign that she held up but I cautioned her not to shout, because if something was left at Transition, nearly always the Shouter is blamed!

We ran over so that we could see all the folks that I knew come up the hill out of transition, then found Will’s truck and drove out to the next transition area – Windsor High School - where the finish would also be. We were super lucky to have very little traffic out of the small town where the swim is held, and even got a parking spot in the High School lot. We caught up to some of the coaches who were having breakfast, and then set up to cheer right before the bike Special Needs bag stop at about mile 60 or so.

sittin' on the corner...watchin' all the runners go by....

(I had dropped a couple of “Atta Girl” notes off to Teammate Lil’ Laydee Baby Calf Melissa the week before for her Bike and Run Special Needs bags, and was hoping she was having a good day. I’d missed her coming out of the swim, but saw her come by on the bike.)

Once we’d seen the bulk of the team go past and had confirmed that Will was still in the game, we all moved to a corner transition spot that would be passed 6 times on the run. This is where the rest of the TNT supporters had set up. As Teammate BK said, the run was to be a “Groundhog Day”-esque event – three loops on the same roads.

We heard that Teammate Nate (who was doing Aquabike) had come in 3rd in his age group – yippee! – and saw Teammate Carolyn streak by at an unholy pace. Nate actually was running too – I

Carolyn's Kids with their signs

missed out on why, maybe he just “decided” to do a full Ironman “for fun”? (He’s doing Ironman Canada the same day as I’m doing Louisville.) Teammate Rick was right with them – it was just so great to see all these folks as they headed out up the run course smiling.

After a while, I started to get concerned, because I hadn’t seen Will around the time I thought I might. So I asked Becca to watch my stuff, and jogged back down the line to the Transition area (about a mile from where we were all sitting on the corner). As I came down the straightaway and then to the corner, I saw Will, and he looked BEAT. He was walking, and said he wanted to walk the entire first lap of the three.

I happened to know, doing the math, that if he did that, he wasn’t going to make the 9:00 p.m. cutoff, though I just agreed with him “for now.”

He had gotten way behind on the bike (his forte) because he had helped not one but 3 other participants with their bikes that had broken down/gotten flats/etc. – and had also stopped to block the racers from an errant mole that was trying to cross the course. (That one made me laugh. “A MOLE? With those FLIPPER

Coach Sedonia and Mentor Margaret

hands?” Yup.)

He felt like crap, too, because he hadn’t taken into account the fact that the 2 hours he was swimming, he was still using up carbs, salt, sweating, etc. He didn’t have enough nutrition fast enough to fill up that “black hole,” and, worse, he had used a nutrition mix that had made him bloat. (He was noticeably bloated – it did NOT look comfortable.) OK and he’d done a 23 mile crosscountry race, at pace, the week before. (Oh. THAT.)

As we were walking, I of course had my Infinit bottle in the back of my jersey, plus I had stuffed the triple-salt Margarita Shot Blocks and some GU in the other pockets. I got him to down a whole sleeve of the Shot Blocks, and then start sipping the Infinit. After a while, I actually could see that he was feeling better. So we started to “run the downhills” (the run course is VERY hilly), and when I surreptitiously looked at my watch, I realized that just doing this would likely make up enough time for us to MAYBE make the 9:00 p.m. cutoff. (You have to start your third lap by 9:00 p.m. or they take your chip – if they take your chip, you are listed as “DNF” – did not finish – even if you continue. They even make you sign a waiver if you want to go out again.)

more TNT support

Some of the TNT folks that we ran into were coming back in on their 2nd round or even their 3rd as we were heading to the turn-around. Apparently there has been a lot of “unfriending” going on with respect to his old girlfriend (still on the team) and such, so he wasn’t sure how he would be “received” as he saw folks that he had been friendly teammates with just months before. Everyone was very “Atta Boy” to him, which I think was a relief.

We came in and around to the transition area to end the first lap, and I had to ‘leave him and pick him up’ on the chute out. Mentor Margaret checked in with me to be sure I was OK, and as we were supposed to run 18 miles that day, I figured I was just getting my training run in if I kept this up! The problem, though (I realized later) was that I personally wasn’t paying attention to my own hydration, I had put aside the sandwich Maria had brought me, etc. and so by the end, I was kinda a mess. But not at that point. Then, I was just concerned to get my friend back out there and then back to transition, to make the 9:00 p.m. cutoff. I was Ms. Adrenaline with a Goal. :-)

empty water bottle pyramid at one of the run water stops

We headed back out, and now that he was on the Infinit (and I was happily acting as mule, carrying whatever from the Support tables he wanted in my 2 side jersey pockets – pretzels, caffeine shot blocks, cookies, etc.), he was feeling better. He was able to pitstop away some of the bloat on the way out, and then he looked way better. We were not only running the downhills, but the straightaways as well. (At one point I broke out in Jodies – Military run cadences – which made him laugh. You know the ones… “C-130 rollin’ down the strip/Me and my team gunna take a little trip/Stand up, buckle up, shuffle to the door/Step right out and shout MARINE CORPS!/If I die in the combat zone/box me up and send me home/pin my medals upon my chest/tell my Mama I did my best…Stand up…1-2….Stand up….3-4…Stand Up…1-2…1-2…3-FOUR!)

We were pacing with Teammate Sara – who was on her 3rd round – and teasing that she would pass us, but then she would stop to do her walk (I think she was doing a 5:1 run:walk), and we would “elephant” up on her (she runs without a sound – I would definitely not say the same of the 2 of us). As we got about 2/3 of the way down the front of the loop out, she started breathing funny, and I realized she was starting to have an asthma attack. BEEN THERE! I didn’t have my inhaler on me (silly really, I kept thinking of myself as a “helper” not as really a “runner”) – and I am not sure I would have given her medicine anyway – but I certainly could see the panic in her eyes and knew what was going on. Will was doing fine so he kept running, and I stayed with her.

I rubbed her back, not only because that feels comforting, but also if she actually passed out I knew that I could grab her quickly behind the knees that way with my other hand and swoop her up/stop her from hitting the dirt. I told her to look up, because that opens your lungs up so that you have a little more surface area for the oxygen to try to work with. I just did the whole soothing “It’s OK, been here, this is an asthma attack” thing, and when she could talk, she said she had had a panic attack that felt similar; my fear had actually been she would have a panic attack BECAUSE of the asthma attack, and maybe go into bronchiospasm. We were literally out there, sun going down, with no one really around. I was able to surreptitiously check my phone (also in a back jersey pocket) and made sure I had reception – if she went down I wanted to be sure I could 911 her out of there ASAP.

Luckily, a bit of a walk, some talk, rub rub on the back, and the asthma broke. She was breathing fine, and stopped at the final Support table before the turn-around, and said it was OK for me to catch back up with Will. I thought later that maybe I shouldn’t have left her, but she came in over the finish line fine, so no worries (Thank Goodness!).

As Will and I were coming back down after the turn-around, we started asking other runners about the 9:00 p.m. “cutoff” time. It wasn’t my race, so I hadn’t really read the rules, but from other races I had done, I was 90% positive that if he didn’t make it, he was DNF. Turns out that was correct. So we started running more than we were walking. It was going to be tight – I actually was not completely sure we were going to make it. I also managed to mis-judge the route at one point, thinking we had reached the mile 2 support table, when we were really at mile 3 (e.g., we still had an extra mile to run before hitting the transition area). We didn’t let up though, and when I came around the corner and realized I was a mile off in my calculations, and apologized for it, we just dug deep and toughed it out. (It sucked.) We had to run actually faster than I am personally comfortable running, but if HE was running that fast, for goodness’ sake, ~I~ was going to, too.

We got to the straightaway before the turn towards the transition area, and I realized we were actually going to MAKE it. We had to keep running though. My favorite part of the run (I think because we actually laughed through our somewhat grim “get it done” demeanors) was when I said that we had to pick it up just a tad for the cutoff, and he said very loudly “F*CK ME!” I immediately said “No, thank you” and then we both burst out laughing. It was like getting a 2nd wind.

As we ran into the “cone zone” where he would go into transition, Mentor Margaret stopped me. She said I had to stop running NOW – because I was at where I should be for my training, and I think she probably realized I hadn’t been paying any attention to myself and was kinda wasted. Honoree Frankie and his girlfriend the wonderful Meghan stepped up at that point – they were fresh, and rarin’ to go. They said they would take him out on the 3rd and final lap.

I sat down, and finally had my lunch sandwich! It was dark, cold, and I was beat. I was so grateful that I had been of service, though, to get him over that 9:00 cutoff. I was actually pretty amazed, because (seriously) there is NO WAY that I had thought I – WAY less of an athlete than he is – would be able to help AT ALL when we made our “pact.”

I watched Melis’ come in at about 9:13 and realized she was going to be chipped, and wasn’t sure she would keep going. She did – she was very upset, and called at our corner for someone to go back out with her. I stood up, but Mentor M. forcibly pushed me down and said “NO.” She was right – though I had the will to go do it to help my buddy, I’m not quite sure I had the “way.” Team Mascot Belinda went out with her into the dark. (One great thing I saw on the course – LED “flashlights” that were clipped to the brim of folks’ caps. Very cool – I need to see if I can find one.)

I stuck around with the Team for a while, and Becca went and got me a hot chocolate (Nectar of the Gods!) because I was freezing. I did have dry clothes to change into – just not WARM dry clothes. (Duh.) We went to sit in the truck for a while as we were both definitely chilled, and just at that point H called to say he was in the Windsor lot too, to pick me up. It was 10:30. I felt bad, because I knew that meant that I couldn’t stay and cheer on my peeps, but I was also relieved, because I was freezing and beat. He came and got me from the truck, and I sent out some Facebook posts to try to say “Bye!” to people – and off we went.

Teammate Dana with her mom and wife Ro, changing after the event. Classic!

The next day I found out that Will had come in 13 minutes past the midnight cut-off, and was bummed out and trying to think if that “really” made him an Ironman. I reminded him he had helped not one but THREE people on the bike course (AND a MOLE), and asked him if that had taken more than 13 minutes. “Way More.” So – in my view – though he didn’t make the midnight cutoff, he was definitely Iron after factoring that part in. I’m not sure why – I think that if he had had a bunch of flats himself  and crossed after midnight I would not have said the same thing – that’s just “dumb luck” as it were, and you don’t make it by midnight, you don’t make it. Maybe I should be more hard-*ssed – you are, or you aren’t – you make it by midnight, or you don’t. But I guess to me there is “special dispensation” for helping others (2 and 4 legged!) and then being a tiny bit over.

H and I went out for the 75 mile bike ride that was slated for the next day – and I made it to 50 and actually had to have him go get the car to bring me back. Stick a fork in me – I was DONE. The whole week, I felt like crap – and today (Saturday) when I was supposed to do a Century (our final last “push” before the Taper), I woke up with a serious sore throat, headache, and golf-ball sized lymph glands. Arrrrgh. I went back to bed (I wound up sleeping a total of something like 14 hours), and got up in time to help H with a couple things – I was going to drive up to Yountville to cheer in my IM-L and IM-C homies on the Century, but H said that I “look like Death” and he doesn’t want me to drive. I was supposed to do an Open Water swim with Jane tomorrow too – we’ll see. It was freezing last time we did it, not quite sure that’s the smartest thing to do.

So – that’s my Vineman writeup, for what it’s worth. The experience was really different than I expected – in a good way, though. I love to be of service, and I really do know that I was helpful to both Will and Sara. I was so excited to watch my Teammates tough it out. I must admit, I’m sad that there won’t be more of us out there for IM-L – I can really see how passing the “flame jerseys” on the run or an out-and-back could be a real boost. I was particularly glad and humbled that lil’ ole non-athletic me could make a difference for big athletic Dude (and little awesome athletic dudette Sara). I am so thankful for this experience; hopefully I will get over this “creeping crud” soon, and I will be able to join all my Iron Homies who now “Know They Are Iron”!

Marina’s addition to the “You Know You’re Iron When” list….You Know You’re Iron When You Cross the @#*$&#@&*$ Finish Line! (Ha!)

sexy - or just hungry?

Too funny not to share – from Coach Sedonia. :-)

A dating guide to understanding your triathlete (or runner or cyclist…)

 ”I am an outdoors type of person.” Really means: I train in any type of weather. If it’s raining, snowing, 90 degrees w/100% humidity, or winds gusting at 30 mph. I don’t want to hear any complaints because I will still train in it and you’re just a big wuss for complaining about it.

 ”I enjoy riding my bike.” Really means: With or without aero bars, alone or in a peloton, I don’t care. If you can’t do a spur of the moment 30 miler then you’re not my type. I will let you draft, but if you can’t hang and I drop you – I will see you later. I am a capable mechanic, but don’t expect me to change your flats or tune your bike. You need to learn that on your own.

 ”I enjoy jogging.” Really means: Let’s run hills until we puke. I have just as many shoes as you only mine are better because they are functional and all look the same.

 ”I enjoy dining out.” Really means: I enjoy eating out, in or anywhere else I can find food. Don’t be shy because with the amount of food I eat, you can have that main entree instead of a salad and you will still look as though you eat like a rabbit in comparison. Don’t get your limbs too close though as I may take a bite out of you. Most importantly don’t expect any taste off my plate unless you can bring something to the party like more food. Eventually though if you’re not burning 4,000+ calories a day you’re going to plump up and have a terrible complex due to watching me eat desserts and not gain any weight. Friends and family will eventually decide not to dine with us anymore due to my horrid table manners. Oh, and no talking during breakfast, 2nd breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, afternoon lunch, dinner or recovery dinner as it does not lend to efficient food intake.

 ”I enjoy quiet walks on the beach.” Really means: A 20 minute warmup walk on the beach breaking into an 8 mile run and then plunging myself in the ocean for a 2 miler. If you get in my way, you’re going to find out what “mass start” means, and let me assure you that you don’t want to find out.

 “I find fulfilment in charitable work.” Really means: If I am not racing, I am volunteering or cheering on my buddies and I expect you to be there alongside me as I stand out in 90 degree weather for 8-18 hours handing out sports drink to cyclists going 20 mph. Just stick the ol’ arm out there and hope it doesn’t get taken off.

 ”I enjoy sharing quiet moments together.” Really means: It’s taper time. Just back off because I am strategizing, trying to get into the zone and in a pissy mood because I am worried about my “A” race and can’t work out.

 ”I am an active person.” Really means: Aside from my 40 hour job (and the 8 mandatory hours of sleep a night), 10 hours a week are devoted to myself during the off-season and 20 during race season – leaving us 4 hours. 2 of which will be spent inhaling food and you not talking to me (see above), so let’s make the best of the 2 hours we will spend together on average each day.

 NOTE: If you are a licensed message therapist or doctor this would make the most optimal use of our time together. Nutritionist is also acceptable, but I probably already know just as much as you.

 ”I enjoy road trips and vacations.” Really means: You have your choice of British Columbia, Louisville, Wisconsin, Idaho, Florida, California, Arizona, and New York, but don’t expect to do much site seeing. But if I get enough support from you, we might be able to include Hawaii in there.

 ”I enjoy sightseeing.” Really means: Let’s grab a mountain bike and get our HR’s up to 90% powering up the hill. There’s plenty of time to look around on the descent as trees and bushes whiz by at 40 mph.

 ”I like stimulating conversation.” Really means: while we are running, we can talk about food. Then we can talk about how we decided what to wear on this run based on the temperature at start time versus the temperature at the time we expect to finish, how horribly out of shape we are, how many miles we did last week, and how many we will do this week and next week. Then we can talk about food.

 ”I enjoy relaxing soaks in the tub.” Really Means: I’m going to stop on the way home and buy two bags of ice, throw them in the tub with some water, and sit in this torture chamber for 30 minutes.

 ”I’m interested in photography.” Really Means: My camera is permanently perched on a tripod in front of my trainer. I obsess over taking photos of my bike position and analyzing them to get the perfect set-up.

 ”I’m into in technology.” Really Means: My heart rate monitor and bike computer are my best friends. Until you can give me some hard data that can improve my training, don’t bother trying to buddy up to me. You could one day break into the top three if you recognize and feed my dependancy by buying me more gear.

 Article courtesy of an anonymous Triathlete who is likely still single, from Toronto, and who competed rather well the Lake Placid Ironman in 2006. For a small fee we’ll connect you to this handsome and successful individual…(works “downtown” Toronto in the “money business”)

Your First Ironman: A How-To Guide
A guide that takes you from check-in to the finish line for your first Ironman triathlon – as suggested by Beginner Triathlete.

Here it is, the event you have been waiting and training for. The last 6-9 months have all been geared to this day; your training has been perfectly orchestrated and planned so that you can be as ready as possible for the Ironman. But what exactly happens on race day?

While you can go to the Ironman website and read all the rules and schedules, I wanted to give you a broad picture of what to expect and highlight some key points. To read the IM rules and schedules, go here.)

The race actually starts two days prior, as you must arrive and check in/register two days before the event – Ironman rules.

Bring with you:
An official photo ID
USAT card
Confirmation number (if you signed up on the Net).

At registration you will:
- Confirm your athlete number
- Show your USAT card
- Weigh in (just tell them what you weigh- this is for medical reasons, as they may weigh you during the race to check your hydration status)
- Pick up your registration packet that contains your race numbers (one for each of the following: the front of your helmet, your bike frame , the back of your bike shirt, and the front of your run shirt), your swim cap, your timing chip, safety pins, bike ties for the bike number, and stickers for your gear bags.
- Get your gear bags and other goody bags.

The day before the race there will be a mandatory Pre-race meeting. This is very informative, and as I stated, is mandatory!

This is also the day that you drop off your bike and gear bags (not special needs or dry clothes bags—those you drop on race day).

What are these “Gear bags?”
You are not allowed to leave anything by your bike, so all your gear is in bags that you will pick up when you need them at each transition. The bags are stored in boxes.

You get 5 bags for the following:

** Swim to bike transition:

Put everything in here you need for T1 – helmet, glasses, shoes and socks, gloves, food, and anything else you need for the bike section. Are you wearing your biking gear under your wetsuit? If not, put it in the T1 bag.

** Bike to run transition:

Put everything in here you need for T2: hat, glasses (if different from your biking glasses), shoes and socks, different shirt if necessary, food, etc.

** Bike special needs:

Nutrients and anything else you think you might need during the ride—Vaseline, frozen sports drink bottle, gel flask just in case, etc. You pick this up about midway through the ride.

** Run special needs:

Maybe a change of socks, Vaseline, salt tabs, pain killers (but not NSAIDS), special food, a long sleeved sweater in case it is cold when you run in the dark (tie it around your waist, so you have it). This will be available about half way through the run.

** Dry clothes bag:

For what you can change into after you finish.

Do not put anything you ever want to see again in these bags as it is highly unlikely you will get them back.

On race day, if the gear collection area is not congested, a volunteer will actually hand you your gear bags, but if it is busy you will have to get them yourself, so know where your bag is!

The day before the race

1. Affix all your stickers and tags to everything. Figure out where your gear bag is located, where your bike is and where you should leave your special needs and dry gear bags on race day.

2. You need to have reflective tape on your run gear: a piece on the toe and heel of each shoe, a piece on the right and left of both front and back of shirt and shorts! Do this before you even leave home!

3. Lastly, label all your gear, including shoes before you leave home.

What are you wearing for each portion of the race? Some people actually wear two pairs of shorts for the bike: one compression pair (that double as running shorts-Sugoi and DeSoto have some) and one bike pair. Both can be worn under the wetsuit, or you can add the biking pair in the change tent. Make sure that the compression shorts have no seams in the crotch! Once in T2, you can just remove the bike shorts.

The day before the race, it is a good idea to do a pre-race brick: 30 minute bike ride and 15 minute run – all at race pace. A good idea would be to ride some of the run course.

I would also take advantage of the open water swims in the mornings leading up to race day.

Race Day

NOTE: absolutely no assistance of any kind is allowed from spectators and friends and family – this includes running, biking or driving with you, giving technical support, and/or handing you any food or anything else. You will be disqualified.

Remember to race within yourself and follow your pacing plan. Do not be tempted to run anyone else’s race. Use your HR to guide you, if you have been training with a monitor. Whatever happens, use your mind as well as your body to deal with it, as a race this long is not won, or finished, by just being fit enough. Mental training should be as much a part of race prep and race execution as all your other training.

Get up in plenty of time to eat the breakfast you always eat before your long training sessions, and do whatever mental preparation you have been training with. Remember, you are trained and ready for this event!

Gates to the transition area are open at 5:30 and close at 6:30 a.m.

- Bring your swim cap, wetsuit, special needs and dry gear bags, timing chip. If you have a friend there, you can bring your pump too and give it to them after you have finished pumping your tires. Please note, there will be bike assistance people there to pump up your tires, so it is not necessary for you to bring yours.

- Stow your special needs and dry clothes bags, go to the body marking area and then go and put on your wetsuit (if applicable). If you pumped your own tires, hand off your pump to your friends.

- Go down to the water to wait for the race to start. Note: I do not think there are any porta-potties on the bike course, but there are toilets available for the run. Of course, there are plenty of porta-potties at the transition area.

Swim

- Out on the swim course, there will be race crew to help you with directions.

- The swim course closes after 2 hours and 20 minutes. If you are still out there after this time, you will be DQ’d and not allowed to continue.

T1

- Once out of the water, you will be directed through timing chutes that lead you up and through the wetsuit strip area and showers. There are special wetsuit strippers there to help you get out of your suit — let them do the work!

- Then head up to the gear racks and into the change tents. There are volunteers in there who will give you anything you ask for: Vaseline, sunblock, etc. Do not be afraid to ask for assistance — use the volunteers!

- Make sure you are fully clothed and ready to get on your bike before you head out to the bike storage racks. Get on your bike and go!

Bike

- You must have your race numbers on. You can wear it on your race belt – in the back for the bike and in the front for the run.

- When you first get on the bike, take in some plain water and, as soon as you feel able, start taking in nutrients. Follow your pre-designed and well-practiced hydration and nutrition plan to the letter throughout the ride. Set your watch alarms for every 20 minutes, and eat and drink as you have done in practice.

- Initially, try to keep your HR in Z1-2 so you can settle into the bike. No matter how good you feel, do not let your HR out of Z2 for the first 30 miles!

Keep the intensity / HR and cadence you have been training with. During the middle of the bike, it would be OK if your HR crept up to the low end of Z3, but preferably you will stay in Z2 for the duration. It will be hard at times to resist the urge to go faster. But remember, you have to conserve energy and try to use fats for energy, and this is only possible if you are totally aerobic. Go faster and you start using up your glycogen stores, you build up lactic acid, and bonking becomes much more of a possibility. Today is about finishing, not speed. So, do NOT be concerned with your speed on the bike — just HR and cadence, just like in training.

- Bike aid stations are every 10 miles or so. They will have: water, Ironman PERFORM (in bottles), PowerBar Gel, fruit and cookies. Call out what you want and slow down appropriately to safely get it.

- There will be technical vans out on the course to assist you. BUT, you should know how to deal with minor problems – flats, etc. So maybe take a beginner course in bike maintenance. Ensure you have had your bike thoroughly checked over before you leave home.

- There will also be medical vans out on the course and at aid stations. Getting medical assistance does not automatically mean your race is over.

- Bike course closes 10:30 hours after the race start and if you are still on the course you will be DQ’d.

T2

Again, there will be volunteers to assist you in the change tents. Full medical facilities are available there.

Run

- You must have your run number and reflective tape. You can wear your number on your race belt — in the back for the bike and in the front for the run.

- Aid stations are located about every mile and will have the following: water, Ironman PERFORM, Cola, PowerBar Gel, fruit and cookies and chicken broth.

- Once again, follow your hydration and nutrition plan to the letter!

- The special needs bag will be available about half way through the run – take out your long-sleeved sweater and tie it around you waist so you have it just in case.

- Self-illuminating light sticks are available at the aid stations, and after dusk you are required to have one.

- The run course closes at midnight, but you may finish if you want. If you do not want to continue, you will be brought back to the transition area.

Post race

- Finisher t-shirts and medals will be awarded at the finish line!

- Drink up! But not plain water — some form of carb drink is best. And eat what you can. Remember, to assist in recovery, a 4-1 ratio of carbs to protein in best within 30 minutes of finishing.

- Keep walking so that you do not cramp up, change into some dry clothes and then go and get a massage!

For your support crew (friends and family) there is an “Ironmates” designated area where they can get info about how you are doing on the course and track your progress.

There is a medical information board here too, which they should check periodically to see if their athlete’s name is posted. If it is, check with a volunteer and they will provide more info. Personal messages can be posted here, and this is the best place to meet up once the race is over. Ironmates are not allowed in the finish chutes.

Missy. We had a bike workout last week that involved keeping track of your RPMs, going up and down (“hill simulations”), varying the speed, varying the timing, etc. She was having trouble keeping track – so she discovered the perfect system….

I mean, what better system than counting with colored bears?

I ask ya!

(smile)

 Here is the historical weather for Louisville on Aug 29th from weather underground:

 Here are the highs from 2009-1995 (newest first):

81, 94, 96, 83, 76, 80, 89, 88, 89, 96, 82, 82, 87, 91

The actual highs show that it is either hot (88-96) or fairly moderate (less than 82) in Louisville on the 29th, but rarely between 82 and 87. 

Also, it’s not very likely that we will face a strong wind or rain.  Most of the rain that they factor in were trace amounts around .1 inches for the day.  Once they had .39 inches for the day, and that is not enough rain to cause big problems.

The 99 steps of a typical IM trip

1. Arrive in town.
2. Find over-priced accommodations you are staying a minimum of four nights at
3. Unpack bicycle, spread gear around room randomly.
4. Attempt to reassemble bicycle, realize you forgot to mark your seat and handlebar position before disassembly. Guess position and tell yourself it won’t make a big difference.
5. Drive bike course at slow speeds while making wrong turns. Annoy locals.
6. Find swim venue. Put wetsuit on, stand around for 15 minutes. Swim 10 minutes, take wetsuit off. Look around to see if you impressed anyone.
7. Walk around expo looking for free stuff.
8. Go to registration tent, stand in line, get bag, check bag for goodies.
9. Go back to hotel, arrange energy products into different piles. Stare at piles.
10. Spend 2 hours preparing for bike ride with race wheels and drink systems. Go for 30 minute ride. Go back to hotel.
11. Decide that this would be a great opportunity to learn how to rebuild your rear hub to fix the play in it. Disassemble hub.
12. Drive to house where your club mate, the bicycle mechanic, is staying. Show him the pieces of your rear wheel. Beg for help.
13. Go to swim start Friday morning. Look for tell-tale wrist-bands on other competitors; look condescendingly at all those swimming who aren’t participating in the race.
14. Go back to hotel, spend 4 hours attaching numbers to your bicycle, helmet, and race outfit. Panic that you don’t have 8 pieces of reflective tape for your run outfit, even though IMNA has never been known to enforce the rule.
15. Drive down to expo at the last minute, stand in line, pay $10 for a strip of reflective tape. [LOVE this one]
16. Drive back to hotel, place energy products into various bags.
17. Pack transition bags.
18. Unpack transition bags.
19. Repack transition bags.
20. Drive to Carbo-dinner. Stand in line, proceed through buffet with poor food selection, sit at crowded table, remember you paid an extra $20 each so your family could enjoy this food. Listen to IMNA personnel tell same jokes as last year. Realize that Dave Scott has apparently discovered the fountain of youth. Stand in line to leave.
21. Prep bike to drop off on Saturday, discover your tire has a slow leak. Drive to expo, stand in line, pay $80 for tubular tire. Get back to hotel, realize you don’t know how to glue on a tubular, drive back to expo and have them do it for you.
22. Drop bike off, spend time covering bike with various plastic bags because everyone else is doing it.
23. Drop off your transition bags, realize you forgot your salt tablets, drive back to hotel to get them.
24. Drive back to hotel again, arrange race gear for tomorrow morning.
25. Pack special needs bags.
26. Unpack special needs bags.
27. Repack special needs bags.
28. Realize there is nothing more you can do to get ready. Sit down and relax.
29. Panic.
30. Eat early dinner
31. Go to bed, lie there in a cold sweat.
32. Wake up at 2:00 am for 1000 calorie bottle of nasty-tasting concoction, “because Gordo does it”.
33. Lie awake listening to horrible weather move into town.
34. Wake up at 4:00 am, listen to spouse complain.
35. Get in car, drive to start. Stand in line to enter the transition area.
36. Check transition bags.
37. Stand in line to get body marked.
38. Check bike, stand in line to get tires pumped up.
39. Stand in line for porta-john.
40. Realize you left your water bottles with special nutrition needs in the fridge at the hotel. Drive back madly to get them.
41. Get back to start, wait in line for parking spot.
42. Stand in line for porta-john.
43. Get wetsuit on, stand in line to enter swim area.
44. Realize it’s too late for a warm up. Stand in line to enter water.
45. Stand in water with 2000 other people while sun comes up and national anthem is sung by local high school girl. Realize that few moments of your life have been this beautiful.
46. Gun goes off, 2000 people attempt to swim on top of you; realize that you are in mortal danger or drowning and few moments of your life have been this dangerous.
47. Get kicked in face, goggles come off, panic and tread water trying to get them back on while people hit you. Remember you paid good money & trained a year to do this.
48. Exit swim, stand in line to get into transition.
49. Stand in line to get out of change tent. Get bike, stand in line to get out of transition.
50. Start bike, realize that there is no way 1000 people can pack onto a course within 20 minutes without massive drafting problems. Hope that poor bike handlers don’t crash in front of you.
51. Ride bike.
52. Panic that you’ve already fallen off the nutrition plan that your coach gave you.
53. Make up for lost calories and fluids in the next 15 minutes. Feel ill.
54. Ride bike.
55. Get saddle-sore.
56. Ride bike.
57. Decide to piss while riding to save time.
58. Spend the next 30 minutes soft-pedaling, coasting, and practicing mental imagery trying to relax enough to let it go.
59. Give up, get off at aid station and spend 30 seconds in porta-john, get back on bike.
60. Ride bike, feel queasy and bloated, take 3 salt tablets at once to make sure you’re not low on electrolytes. Throw up.
61. Get off bike, sit in change tent wondering why you are doing this. Listen in disbelief to volunteer telling you you’re almost done. Proceed to marathon course.
62. Realize that you should have practiced the 1000 calorie drink at 2:00 am before race day.
63. Throw up, walk, jog, repeat for 26 miles.
64. Start gagging at the thought of another energy gel.
65. Sample the variety of food at aid stations. Discover Oreos, the food of the Gods.
66. Invent the form of locomotion called the ‘ironman shuffle’. Feel proud that your 12 minute mile is technically not walking.
67. Pass your spouse. Make them swear to never let you do another one of these. Discover flat Coke, drink of the Gods.
68. See finishing chute. Sprint madly down the road high-fiving people and cheering while announcer screams your name. Realize it was all worth it.
69. Get to finishing chute, wait in line while a man takes his extended family over it with him.
70. Cross line, collapse into arms of patient volunteers.
71. Spend next two hours in med tent realizing that you should have drunk more fluids when it got hot.
72. Go to massage tent, eat cold pizza and wander around in a daze while wearing an aluminum foil blanket.
73. Stick around finish line until midnight to share in “the ironman spirit”. Beat 12-year-old to grab free socks thrown into crowd.
74. Look in disbelief at fresh and bouncy professional athletes dancing at the finish line.
75. Cheer last few athletes into the finish before midnight. Ask your spouse if you looked that bad. Be amazed that they spent 17 hours out there moving the whole time.
76. Go back to hotel, collapse in bed.
77. Wake up, go to bathroom, collapse back into bed. Repeat all night until the 6 IV’s the med tent gave you are through your system.
78. Wake up at 4:00 because your legs hurt so much.
79. Eat first breakfast.
80. Sit around until spouse wakes up, eat second breakfast.
81. Shuffle around town Monday morning wearing finishers T-shirt and medal. Smile knowingly at other fellow shufflers. Graciously accept congratulations from locals thankful you came to their town to spend money.
82. Eat third breakfast at all-you-can-eat buffet.
83. Go to Official Finishers merchandise tent. Stand in line. Pick out $200 worth of clothing with prominent logos on it. Stand in line, pay $600 for clothes. Contemplate getting a tattoo to immortalize your achievement.
84. Fall prey to peer-pressure and marketing techniques. Cough up $450 to sign up for the race next year – since it will sell out today, and this is your only chance to sign up!
85. Proceed to IM Hawaii roll-down. Hold out hope that, even though you finished 80th in your age-group, this will be the year everyone leaves early and you get the last spot.
86. Eat first lunch.
87. Go back to hotel, stare at the disgusting, sticky, smelly mess that is your bicycle and race clothes. Start packing things up to fly home
88. Eat second lunch.
89. Go to awards dinner, stand in line. Get poor food from buffet, remember you spent $20 a head so your family could enjoy this magical moment with you.
90. Watch hastily-produced race video. Closely examine each frame hoping they caught a glimpse of you on the course. Be disappointed.
91. Watch age-group athletes get their awards. Wonder how many of them actually work for a living, and where you can get some of the performance enhancing drugs they appear to be on.
92. Realize that one has to go all the way up to women’s 70+ age group before finding an age-group your time would have won.
93. Listen to long, excruciatingly boring thank-you speeches from various professional athletes.
94. Stand in line to get out of awards dinner.
95. Go to Airport, stand in line. Deliver $5000 bike to Neanderthal-like baggage handler. Pray. Reluctantly take finishers medal off to pass through metal detector. Proudly tell TSA personnel what you did on your weekend.
96. Get home, contemplate unpacking disgusting bicycle, decide to leave it until tomorrow.
97. Eat Bon-Bons and watch TV. Contemplate unpacking your bicycle and training again, decide to leave it until tomorrow.
98. Repeat above step for 2-10 weeks. Step on scale. Look at your fat, disgusting self in a mirror and remember you signed up for next year’s race. Unpack bike, chip mold off of seat tube. Show up at swim practice again.
99. Get ready to do it all again next year…

Networking EARLY this morning, 1/2 hour cat nap, pack, swim, Sports Basement trip (to FINALLY replace our floor pump after it tore not one but TWO tubes as H prepared to take Angeline out for a ride), hang with Jane for a bit, drive home, collapse, read new Lava Magazine, work on the new front doors/picking colors for same with H…really tired now BUT had to sit down to get this down.

SO excited to go cheer my IronVinePeeps on tomorrow! Paula will drive me up with the kids, then I will hang with Mentor Margaret, then H will gather me up in the evening.

And for you VineIronPeeps, the most important thing to remember is:

THIS IS JUST A 140.6 MILE VICTORY LAP!

If you’ve gotten out there, gutted through all the workouts, puked through changing nutrition, bonked through understanding hydration, listened seriously to our coaches, gone from a guppy to a fish, gone from walking up Pig Farm to riding it, gone from surly puffing through runs to being able to walk and joke…that’s the Work. As they say in the country folks, “The Hay Is In The Barn.” Now it’s just time to do your Victory Lap.

Go VinePeeps!

Mentor Margaret says that’s what happens about now. You’re just so tired of  training, tired of getting up at 5 a.m., tired of the pool, tired of your run courses, and perhaps particularly tired of your bicycle seat.

About 3/4 of my Teammates are doing the Vineman ironman-length race on Saturday – 2 days away! So exciting! [NOTE: It's "ironman-distance" not a sanctioned Ironman race - that's why they can't use the "M-dot" logo.] I will be up there most of the day to support them, and hope that everyone does great. I’m kinda jealous, I might add. Because on the day they have the Vineman, we have a 75 mile bike ride; on the day after, when they are DONE, we have an 18 mile run. And another century the week after. And a…

I’ve had some trouble dragging my sorry *ss to work out. I still have the nagging psoas issue, but I just feel tired all the time. Starting August 1, H and I will be going full-bore back onto a Good Eating regime – meaning, stopping all that “good stuff” that has crept into our gullets over the last few months. Alcohol, caffeine, bread/starchy carbs, milk products, gluten…no mo’. I’d like to lose a bit more of my “fuel belt” (a/k/a belly) before the event, and this is the only sure way I know to do it. By cutting out sugar/caffeine/etc., too, during the Ironman, things like the Coca-Cola that they pass out at the final miles of the marathon give you a real Kick. I’m all for that!

One of the big things that happened last week was my SOC Lifestyles interview went up. Michelle Bateman and I had a BLAST doing it. Here is the link. You can “scroll through” the talking parts if you don’t want to hear it (how I went from Couch Potato woman to an endurance athlete in 8 months), but you should definitely watch the parts where I take Michelle out to “do the sports.” We had to film it backwards – Run first, Swim last – for “hair and makeup issues” – and I surprised Michelle with not only a “finish line” (made up of a bunch of my scarves tied together!) but also by talking very seriously about how “technical” the bike part was – and then unveiling a TINY pink girl’s bike and a big white beach cruiser (with a basket) for her to choose from. It was such a blast.

So what else is up? I’ve been swimming at Aquatic Park with my new buddy from the JCC, Jane. Each time we go she’s been more comfortable; last week she smoked me. (She’s an amazing swimmer – just not an open water swimmer.) Last week we worked on sighting; she can now swim straight, too. It became a running joke that I would look up to make sure she was OK, not see her, stop swimming, and discover she’d basically set off at a 90 degree course to her previous line during the 3 breaths I had not watched her! It really was funny.

This time at the Park we had a little bit of an adventure. First, when we were getting into our wetsuits, a guy walked by on a cell phone saying “…oh YEAH, amazing, yup, a shark in Aquatic Park…” and then he walked on past. Jane didn’t hear him, but I did, and I was PISSED. She was just getting her heart rate down on open water swims – the LAST thing that she needed to worry about was a shark. I am quite sure that the guy was just being a jerk.

Then, just as we were at the end of our hour swim, we “ran into” a sea lion. I had made Jane purchase a flourescent pink swim cap so that I could see her – we joked that the sea lions needed to take up the “colored cap” as well! That was a big big surprise.

And now, for the Triple Brick. Last weekend was the “Triple Brick” for us Ironman Louisville/Canada folks (30 mile bike/hour run/30 mile bike/hour run/30 mile bike/hour run without stopping – it took something like 9-10 hours). (Vineman folks are on their Taper, so came out to do a bit of a bike and then cheer us on). Cue Music Here. (ha!) As head Coach Dave said in his email to us: “Triple brick is Freaking Hard and it’s meant to really test your plan, which is exactly what we saw out there.”

My biggest “question mark” going into the Triple Brick was still whether my nutrition plan would work. As I have said before, I have moved totally over to Infinit Nutrition. (If you click on that link, I get some “Infinit bucks” so I’d love you to use it.) They custom-make a “brew” for you with all the salts/carbs/protein/amino acids/caffeine/etc. that you need. I had used it for the Century, and some other training, but not for a long cross-sport training like the Triple.

I started the first 30 mile loop rarin’ to go – all sunscreen’d up and following Margaret, Josh, Sedonia and Nick. The course was fairly similar to the course that we had done the Double Brick on a few weeks before (when the Vineman folks did their Triple). Very pretty – out in Danville. My DailyOM Horoscope for that day was guiding my day: It was entitled Flowing Tranquility:

You may be feeling laid back which could make it easier for you to go with the flow and take things as they come today. Perhaps this sense of serenity might be due to your recognition that there is really little in life that you have to worry about if you allow yourself to put your trust in the hands of the universe. Being able to simply let go and let life take you where it will may not be easy, but you can give yourself gentle reminders throughout the day should any fearful or doubtful thoughts arise such as “I feel relaxed” or “Life flows easily through me”. As you do this, you could notice that this gives you greater peace of mind through a more permissive and accepting attitude of whatever may happen to you today.

Trying not to control things but instead to simply let them take their course brings more tranquility into our lives. Our ability to release into whatever might occur may not be something that comes to us easily – even when we are the most relaxed, negative and worried thoughts may crop up. Once we know this however, we can easily come back to our state of peacefulness by using simple affirmations or prompts to gently help our minds release any thoughts that we are holding onto which also hold us back. By letting yourself go wherever life takes you, you will find tranquility in the quiet acceptance of the way things are today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, almost anything.

We were a bit of a ways out of a lazy curve in the road and I glanced up, and saw a GRILL in my mirror. I couldn’t even formulate “CAR” – I just shouted “YIKES!” Everyone pulled into a quick single-file…as a Ferrari Club tore on past! It was SUCH an amazing sight to see! A 1/2 dozen or so Ferraris, different styles, all red (one maroon) roaring down this gorgeous sunny country road. Vrrrrroom!

The last car in the line was obviously a BMW that had gotten “caught onto the tail” of the Ferraris as they slowed down to get past us. I smiled and said to Margaret,” That’s their mechanic!”

I lost the “speed demons” on the back 1/3 of the ride (uphills, of course!) – but then along a straightaway that has a LOT of stop lights, I caught back up. Nick had a blowout that involved a NASTY puncture by a twisted safety pin (Sedonia stopped to help); Margaret, Josh and I followed the directions that said to turn RIGHT on Camino Tassajara and wound up doing an extra 5 miles when we found out that what the directions were “supposed” to say was stay on the road we were ON, it BECAME Camino Tassajara. Even with the detour, the whole tour took 2 hours. Then it was time to take a pitstop, and get off on the run.

The run was an out-and-back along a paved running trail (flat). I felt good, and did my “Airborne Shuffle” run. (Just running, no walking.) Coach Mike was out there to be sure that everyone looked okay and that the heat wasn’t taking its toll. My only misjudgment was not using the whole Infinit bottle (one bottle = 1 hour). That worried me a bit, because I try to be assiduous about “doing what I’m told” nutrition/hydration-wise.

Back into transition, and into the potty again for me (CERTAINLY hydrated!) I also saw Teammate Maria (“M-Dot”) Afan’s mom and dad – I had known Susan at a previous job, and that’s how I had initially met Maria. It was great to see her! She looked amazing. She was up in No Cal and had come to cheer Maria on.

Heading back out on the ride, I realized I was having to “guesstimate” a bit on the nutrition, because my Camelbak holds 3 hours’ worth of nutrition/hydration for me…and the bike only took 2. I still had “about” an hour’s worth of nutrition in the Camelbak, so I added 2 hours’ worth more and water. I figured that I should do my best to finish all of it, since I hadn’t finished off the entire hour’s worth on the run, and it was getting hotter.

Out and around the course…stopping a couple of times to do what I have realized REALLY helps me – just stop and stretch my back and shoulders. It makes a WORLD of difference.

On this round, on the “straight away” portion back (after dumping my chain on the way out – oy!) I ran into a cyclist, Raf, who said he had been on Ironteam before, and wanted to ride with me to Transition to see if anyone he knew was there (Mike Kyle, Kristie, etc.) Well, we got to talking and ONCE AGAIN, I missed a turn! This time we rode the “straight road” all the way to the highway! I was a bit embarrassed; we turned back around and came up the “correct” road, which added another 5 miles onto the route. I was going 2 for 2!

Out on the run again – and this time I wound up running OUT of hydration before getting back to transition! It wasn’t that far out (maybe 5-8 minutes), but far enough. After hitting the potty AGAIN (laugh), I mixed up the Camelbak and headed out.

On my first sip, I could tell that I hadn’t gotten the mix “right” – it was too weak. I had obviously put in 2 hours’ worth, not 3. I told myself not to sweat it – in actuality, the ride only TOOK 2 hours, so I should just try to get it all down, which would give me more hydration at the hottest part of the ride, anyway. And it was HOT! The “backside” of the ride had new tarmac, and the heat beat up from the smooth black surface. My feet were getting REALLY warm, but I couldn’t figure out a way around it. I just sucked down the Camelbak, stopped a couple times to stretch my back, and kept at it. I caught up to Sedonia and Paula turning down the last mile or so, and they looked a bit hot and tired. I suddenly got a surge of energy, and pumped on by. It was bizarre. Paula hooted at me!

The last run sucked. :-) I got off the bike, and Margaret told Paula and me that we should just run to the aid station and back, “no reason to kill ourselves.” I had to (can you guess?) hit the potty, then I headed out. Though the first 2 rounds I had been able to “Airborne Shuffle” through the entire run, I knew I would do a 5:1 run/walk combo. I also carried not one but 2 bottles of Infinit, because I was feeling low energy and a bit of a headache coming on from the heat. Oh and maybe a LITTLE from the fact I had been out there doing this for 9 hours!!

I was pretty much set to turn around at the Aid Station, but each time I would do the 1 minute walk, I would start up again and feel better and better. I thought I needed to remember that feeling for the actual Ironman, and so instead of stopping, I did the full hour out-and-back. By the end of it, I was feeling a LOT better, and was very surprised. That was a great learning for me. Just “keep on keepin’ on” and you can get through it.

Sedonia ran me in part way, and then near the end Simon and his wife were there to cheer me on. Then it was back to the cars to enjoy the sandwiches that Helen had purchased for us, and to pass around the “You Know You’re Iron When” T-shirt that Kathryn and I had made up (she did the iron-on and fit it to the shirt; I had of course collected the phrases). Once the Vineman is over, we’re likely to do it as a fundraiser. Too much going on this week!

And a few more “You Know You’re Iron Whens”…

“You know you are Iron when you email your personal trainer the race course description, map and elevation chart and her reply is: “OMG”.” (IronWu)

“You know you’re Iron when you’re heading down the freeway applying Body Glide to your neck to prepare for your open water swim.” (Jen Jay)

from Triathlon Training

In the final days before you race an Ironman it is essential that you keep a few things in mind.

Ironman essence – Gratitude

The Ironman hype in the final week before race day often makes you forget the reason you are racing in the first place. Excitement is running high. Triathletes are everywhere, discussing race goals.

This is a good time to remind yourself why you started in this sport. It is very likely you were attracted to triathlon, Ironman, because of the lifestyle it provides you; its health benefits; the opportunity to visit the great places around the world where triathlons are held; and for the unique friendships that develop between athletes.

Ironman is a way to celebrate life: it is a gift to the have time, the health and the finances to take part in such a unique event.

Remind yourself of the above in race week and try to focus less on your splits in each discipline, age-group placing or Kona slots: those are only consequences of a great race execution, based on your fitness and mindset. 

Setting goals

Crossing the finish line is always at the top of the list.

Then you have secondary goals that are usually linked to finish times and/or improving splits in each discipline.

Be careful how you set them and what benchmark you use. Always keep in mind that race day conditions are unique and hard, if not impossible, to predict. If you want to improve your finish time of the previous year, or from another other race, you have to take into account that the conditions such as wind, temperature and currents will most likely be different.

Another problem with predicting finish times, especially for first-timers, is using times done in training: unless you have done an Ironman simulation it is impossible to know how you will react during the final half of the Ironman run. The result window is massive: you might have a solid day and run those 21km in 100 minutes or less, or if you may get cramps and take 3 hours, or more.

Confidence

Maintaining confidence in your training and race strategy in the final days before Ironman can be a challenge. As soon as you arrive at the race venue you bump into all those sponsored athletes walking around in and with the latest equipment, showing off their lean and vascular legs. Such sights can be quite intimidating to the first timer or beginner athlete.

Remember: before a race everyone looks like a champion – don’t let this hurt your confidence.

Another common thought on race week is: “I should have trained harder!”

You have already done the best you could. Perhaps you had to take a week off training due to work, family or health issues but those are situations we all face. Every single triathlete on the startline of an Ironman had to overcome some sort of challenge during their preparation so don’t worry, you are not alone.

Be realistic

One of the biggest differences between the short races and Ironman is that the latter provides a better opportunity for the athlete to perform according to ability. Never forget this on race day. If you are not feeling great in the swim or the early stages of the bike, stay calm: there is a long day ahead and you will have the opportunity to get into your rhythm as the race progresses.

Other examples are a slow transition or a flat tire: unlike the short course events where your race would be over due to those setbacks, in Ironman you can still catch up on the lost time.

There is no such a thing as having a great race based on experience or “luck”. At best you minimize potential problems by going under-trained into an Ironman but no miracle will happen. Your best choice is to adjust your goals and expectations to avoid frustration.

Rational vs Emotional

Keep your emotions in check on race day: don’t let them take over your race strategy. Adrenalin released in the first few hours of the race, with the type-A and competitive personality of each triathlete, plus the fact that everyone is well-rested and tapered is a perfect recipe for disaster.

The main mistakes happen in the cycling leg, especially during the first hours, when athletes are excited and forget a very long day is only just beginning. As a result, people start to race each other or just ignore their nutrition plan.

Another common mistake that results in an emotional, rather than a rational, approach is after a setback such as a flat tire or a penalty is that athletes tend to “make up for it”. Don’t. Stay calm and be patient in those situations instead. Ironman is a long race and you can slowly, over the next hours, catch up on the missed minutes. Please do not try to do it within the next 60 minutes.

Positive attitude

It takes between 8 and 17 hours to finish an Ironman. That is a lot of time for everything to go as planned, especially considering the myriad of factors the athlete can’t control. It is very likely that something will go “wrong” at some stage during the race.

After I wrote an article about the mental attitude towards the race day challenge last year, several athletes came to talk to me after finishing their Ironman and mentioned that already in the swim leg their race wasn’t going as planned: they couldn’t see the buoys and went off course.

Ironman is all about overcoming obstacles. The challenges start with your training routine, how you manage your work and family commitments with those long sessions that take a lot of your time and energy. The training is 90% of the Ironman experience and is the biggest challenge. Race day is only the celebration of getting to the start line. You will still be tested during the event, be it physically or logistically, but with your Ironman determination you will find a solution and make it to the finish line. 

Have a great race!

http://www.trifuel.com/training/triathlon-training/mental-attitude-for-ironman

OK, I know that you can’t really read this. But you can “kinda sorta see” the hills. Suffice it to say that the highest percentage was FOURTEEN percent. Yes, a 14% grade.

Yo. Mama.

Here is actually a URL that shows the route - though the elevation map somehow spreads out and “averages” the elevations, so nothing looks as high. Hardie-har-har.

But I get ahead of myself. I haven’t blogged in a while. Before this, on Saturday (a week before this ride), Mentor Margaret and Swim Coach Sedonia and I did a 16 mile rolling hill run in Napa, which was great. I wound up running a lot harder than my set V-DOT (we ran at average 11 minutes/mile), but I felt OK about it because we did a 5 minute run/1 minute walk routine. I’m definitely going to use that during the Ironman. I used the Infinit I had gotten (more on that below) and it worked out well, as did running in a cycling jersey instead of a running shirt with a belt to hold a bottle. The next day (Sunday) was “Honey Do” day for me – Herbert had a LOT of things for me to do around the house, and so we got those done; Monday he and I did the 75 mile ride that was on the schedule. We went from home out Lincoln to the Marin Metric Century course, but we didn’t turn immediately right at Nicasio Lake – we turned left first (so heading out towards Pt Reyes), to Sir Francis Drake Blvd., then turned around and rode back and then up and over to the Cheese Factory. Instead of doing the big hill at Walker Creek, we turned left (away from the hill) and had a really lovely ride on the rolling hills out that direction, up to and a bit past Walker Creek Ranch. Then we turned around and came back out Hicks Valley Road and rode on back. Big Rock and the hill “up and over” to the Cheese Factory were not pleasant, but they were do-able. I did the whole ride on Infinit and was pretty confident I had FINALLY found the energy/salt/hydration solution for me. Tuesday I went running with my brother Jeff out in Ross around Lake Lagunitas (70 minute run) – it was great to catch up. There were some seriously steep spots and Jeff is an a-c-e runner, but he was patient with me when I had to walk or just jog. It was so great and a gorgeous day. Wednesday I did the spin workout on Angeline - Thursday I was out with Les, Jen and Melissa to Crown Road in Ross – which looks “over towards” Lake Lagunitas (Jeff had even actually pointed Crown Road out to me on our run, across the valley). We did a 60 minute run, and Melissa looked 1000% better since she had been able to kick her sinus infection. I had so much to do Friday I didn’t get a workout in – bad me – but I also knew that Saturday was going to be a killer! So that’s a week without swimming which is NOT good, since I am in Dallas this week and there is no pool to be “had.”

I spent Friday night at Maria M-Dot’s over in the East Bay so that I wouldn’t have to get up at an INSANE hour to get on the road by 6:30 a.m. as scheduled. We got up at 4:30 a.m., mixed nutrition, puttered around a bit, and pasted on our snazzy Safeway tattoos. (I had gotten a sheet of these for the Clear Lake 3/4 Iron, and found them when packing. I picked a little Tahitian design, Maria picked this “tat” which means “DREAM.”)

Then we headed on over to meet the “usual suspects” – Carol, Patti, Susie, Janice, Mel, Tiffany, Dana, Marina, Kathryn, Paula, Mary (I think that’s it) in Heather Farms Park.

We were a bit later than we expected (I was dragging, I admit it), and so what with all the to-ing and fro-ing (and pottying!) that generally needs to take place before a ride, Maria and I wound up being about 10 minutes behind the main “pack” of the Earlybirds.

We got on the road after a few false turns, and headed out through Mt. Diablo State Park. I have never actually been to Mt. Diablo, and certainly don’t know the East Bay. I had admitted to Maria driving over that I was scared of this. Even more scared than I’d been for any of the other workouts. This was going to be a bear – Three Bears, actually! – and that’s not the least of it…8,732 vertical feet of climbing including Grizzly Peak, The 3 Bears, Pig Farm, Reliez Valley Road, Tice Valley Road - “oh and” Mount Diablo and Skyline Blvd in Berkeley/Oakland.

I had decided to do the ride solely using Infinit, the new beverage that I had had made up on my training mate Missy’s suggestion. I believe I’ve mentioned it before – it contains all the calories, salts, etc. that you need – and they pride themselves that the “osmolality” of the drink is such that it won’t pull water OUT OF your system to “dilute” it. Apparently that’s a real problem with some energy drinks – if the “osmolality” is over 300 (parts of drink mix per x ml of water), your body can’t digest it without sucking water OUT of your system. It’s just simple Osmosis like High School Biology. Many of us mix “power bottles” of mix with Carbopro, energy beverage, etc. in them, then suck down water “as well,” but if you don’t drink enough water to “dilute” the osmolality of the “power bottle” this can happen, leading to gastric upset. I was hoping that this would work (I had my Bento Box full of Thermolytes, GU, etc. “just in case” it did NOT).

the "lei" around my neck is a sweat headband I forgot to put up and under my helmet. Duh!

We got to the gate at Mt. Diablo and though Maria and I had talked about how nice it would be to ride together, she was a bit slower that morning than it’s comfortable for me to go and so with waves and Atta Girls we parted. She had said Mt. Diablo wasn’t that bad (Coach Mike calls it “relentless”) – but I have to disagree – I think it was brutal. And right at the beginning! I am sorry at times like this I do not ride in the East Bay, as the East Bay contingent of our team goes out midweek and “tackles” this hill. I wish that our North Bay cadre lived closer, and had that sort of thing set up. I think that would really help me. I don’t like to ride alone, and so I wind up spinning most of the time instead of getting out and doing hills, etc.

I wound up catching up with Dana after a bit, and she said she wasn’t feeling that great. After a couple turns I ran into Tiffany and Carol, then at a little ranger station before the Junction I ran into Janice. I pulled over to have a stretch, and she had me fill her Aerobottle – no way to get water in there when it’s all strapped down on the aerobars, and her “other” water bottle was filled with energy drink! I nearly poured MY energy drink into her bottle, but was smart enough to take a swig first (Infinit is clear). I put my water into hers, then filled up my bottle at the drinking fountain. We rolled up Janice’s jacket as small as we could, and I stuffed it into her back pocket; with the obligatory “potty break” we set off again.

I got to the Junction and headed down South Gate road, which was a blessed relief after all the climbing. At the end of the road though – WOAH! – the road is SO BAD! I managed to lose my GU bullet, which flew off (Maria lost her Garmin, but luckily was able to find it and it was OK). I am not sure I have EVER seen a road that bad, including the bad bit in Clear Lake.

Melissa and me

I rode solo for quite some time, and in fact missed the first TNT water stop at Shannon Park. I’m not sure how I missed it – but when I took out the typed directions and looked at where I was, I was a couple turns past it. Somewhere along the way I passed Marina and Mel – Melissa had gotten her FIRST flat (in like 6 YEARS of cycling!) and was changing it. I asked if they were OK and they said they were – she had the tire off – but come to find out that after she got the new tube seated, etc. she didn’t have the right CO2 cartridges! I guess that’s how we all learn these things! (I have now had PLENTY of flats – especially as if H gets one he has me change it, too, for “practice.” On the 75 mile ride, he got a back-wheel flat RIGHT at a spot I had had TWO flats about 4 months previously. Something is up there.)

I did finally see a TNT stop where Dana’s wife Ro was womanning a station. That was good because it was 3 hours in and time for me to juggle getting the Infinit mix/more water/etc. into my Camelbak. I had made a 3 hour “concentrated” bottle and one of just plain water, and those were on my bike. Ro helped me top off the Camelbak with more water (and ice), and then I had another 3 hours’ worth of powder that I made another concentrated bottle with, plus the other bottle of water. After a potty break (which made me feel I was doing well with my hydration), I was off to climb up the hill from Ro’s car. I had seen someone taking off as I was coming into the stop. I had thought it was Paula, but after a bit of a ride I caught up, and it turned out to be Susie (Paula and Kathryn SMOKED the ride – I never even saw them). She stopped on the side of Dublin Grade and we shouted Atta Girls at each other, then off I went.

My hands/wrists were getting tired as was my right shoulder. Not sure “what up” with that – I had had Rand re-fit me with new handlebars after I had had SO much pain in the Wine Country Century (WCC), and everything had been going well until that day. I wasn’t sure what was up, but I decided that I would have to do what I had learned in the WCC – when I felt that I had to, I just pulled over and stretched my shoulder, my back, my neck. It felt like a little luxury, even though I generally wasn’t stopped for more than a minute. During one of these stops the “big guns” from the group that started at hour after us passed by - first Carolyn and Nate, then a bit later, Chris, BK, Jim, then Rocky, Sara, Josh, Tony, Nick, etc. As usual with our wonderful team, everyone wanted to be sure I was ok – “Just Stretchin’!” – and off they went.

There were some amazing and breathtaking views on Grizzly Peak Road and also Skyline Blvd. I have never been up that way, and it was magnificent. I was in a bit of a grumbly phase though along the way – the roads were a little bumpy, and my shoulder was hurting. There was also really no place to pull over and stop. I turned a corner and there was a big TNT stop and I saw all our “peeps” including Honoree Laura, the “fast folk” and Coach Dave. I had had a noise emanating from my bike that had actually made me pull over a couple times (I could never find it) but as I started to head out of the stop after topping up with water, I saw that my bike bottle looked odd. Turned out that my cage was almost rattled off! Coach Dave had the right tool, and so we tightened them right up. Oy! That would have been REALLY bad – losing the GU bottle wasn’t that much of a loss (as the Infinit was working), but dumping my water bottles (WITH the cages attached!) would NOT have been okay.

I rode with Les and Jen and Tony for a bit, as we were tackling the “bears.” We were on the middle “bear” (Mama?) – I think – the one with the false summit – when Jen Jay was there in her car around a corner. I was SO glad to see her. I was nearly out of water, and though I knew Meenu and Claudia were up ahead, I felt much better to be able to square my hydration away. Les and Jen caught up at that point and Les mentioned this was a “false” summit. That did not make me feel so great (laugh!)

I remember on “Papa” Bear, Simon pulled up alongside, and I was definitely feeling it. I could tell there was a car next to me, but I couldn’t even look up. It was all I could do to keep pedaling. Then I heard someone clapping and I looked slightly left, and realized it was Simon. He shouted “You’re more than 1/2 way up Papa Bear! You’re doing great!” and then off he went. (I wasn’t so sure I wanted to know there was still about 1/2 “to go” but I really appreciated the Atta Girl.)

Once I reached Meenu and Claudia’s “best TNT stop ever” (complete with butt’r, sunscreen, Meenu Bars, red vines, salt, chocolate, cold washcloths, what-have-you) I was on my way. I checked with them to see what was coming up, and they said “Yes, more hills, and of course Pig Farm.” I wasn’t exactly sure where that was. Somewhere along the way Bike Coach Nick and I had chatted (might have even been right there at the stop), and he asked me what my strategy was. I said that Pig Farm had “bitten” me twice – once on a training ride, and once on the Louie Tri. I had had to walk the bike up the hill. I knew that the highest I had gotten was to a “sign” that’s on the first of the ”steeps” on the hill (it is steep, levels out for a second, then steep and steeper). My goal was to get past that sign – then I knew that I had done better than I had either of the other two times. I said that if I walked up it from there, I would still be satisfied, because I would have done better than ever before, AND would be 60 or so miles less “fresh” than those other 2 times, to boot!

Meenu and Claudia's rest stop "cafe"

I headed away from Meenu and Claudia’s stop (Nick had gone up off ahead), and was riding alone along the hills and dales of the countryside for a while. After a while, I saw a WALL of road ahead of me. I was really bummed – this looked nasty, and I wasn’t sure I could take it and Pig Farm too. I just geared down and started pedaling, but I got about 1/2 way up and I was exhausted. I realized that I could start up again after I had rested a bit (I had been practicing this “feat” of starting up again on an uphill), and so I rested, stretched, and then got back at it.

The top of the hill was REALLY steep, and as I was coming up to it at my snail’s pace I realized that there was someone with a TNT Jersey up there to the side. I got up to the top, and I saw it was Nick. The first words out of my mouth were: “Is Pig Farm harder than that?” Nick looked puzzled. “Harder than what?” “Harder than that climb. I don’t think I can do it.” “That was it.” “That was what?” “That was Pig Farm hill. You just did it.” “I WHAT?” Nick started laughing…”Yes that

Pig Farm hill

was it, you did it. I knew you’d said that you were going to be OK if you walked it and I saw you stop your bike, but you surprised me and got back on and finished it. You did it!” I slapped him a High 5 and could feel the adrenaline COURSING through me. I DID IT!

Interestingly, I wonder if I had KNOWN that it was Pig Farm, if (once past the sign that I wanted to pass) I would have “given up.” It’s a curious question – but one I don’t need to know the answer to!

I was PUMPED riding down from Pig Farm. I put the pedal to the metal and RACED down. Nick was right behind me and at one point he said “You have REALLY gotten to be such a good cyclist!” That made me feel AWESOME! Nick peeled off to join Jen and Les at another of Jen Jay’s impromptu water stops, but I just waved on by, and headed up the dreaded Reliez Valley Road. I had not anticipated that Muthah – and it was HARD. I asked Coach Mike after if we had done that in the Louie Tri (because we had done Pig Farm, of course) and he said no – we had peeled off on another route before hitting it. The funny thing is as I was on it, I thought that we MUST have done it on the Louie, so I was “determined” since (in my mind) I had done this months and months before (on my old bike) and hadn’t walked…ah, the Mind is so interesting. (On the Louie, I had only walked the Pig Farm part.) But of course we hadn’t done that at all. And boy, It SUCKED. But I persevered – and every now and again, stopped, and stretched. I can’t explain what a difference this made. And thinking I had “done this before” (on the Louie) and I “must just be more tired” because I was hitting it 70 or so miles into a ride. As I said, ah, the Mind…

Angeline, Ze Camelbak, and Moi

I rode along again, and ultimately wound up turning on Olympic (there was another TNT Stop there in the shade, but I didn’t need it), and then hit Tice Valley Road. For me, this was the final insult. (laugh!) It was REALLY HARD! I was an unhappy camper and really just SO DONE with hills already! I wound up missing the turn back onto the bike path trail when I was sooooo close to being back, but some passers-by helped me find it. At the first part of the bike trail the pavement was like moguls – honestly – they were big waves up/down/up/down/up/down. It was odd because you couldn’t really ‘see’ them because of the afternoon light, and so I wound up just going “Woah! Woah! Woah!” Luckily Nick met me about then and I followed him in – I say “luckily” because at one point the trail we were supposed to follow went “up and over” a bridge that went over the highway, and NO way would I have gone the right direction as there was another seemingly “better” trail to the side. Thanks Nick! You rock!

I got back to the Park, and I had 9:26 of full elapsed time, 8:38 of moving/riding time. I had only prepared “Nutrition” for 9 hours, but had been able to top up about 1/2 way through my final (third) Camelbak with water so I was fine. The Infinit worked like a champ, and I was able to sit down and lounge with the team (and stretch my aching right shoulder) and munch lumpia, Pringles, Meenu Bars, Coke, and the like!

After the last of us was in, we were off to Sports Basement for a 20% off spree (THANK YOU Sports Basement) and a team pizza-and-beer meeting. Then it was time to gather Maria up and drop her off, then get back home. I was nearly there and my tiredness hit me like a ton of bricks. I really dragged myself those last 3 miles of driving – and got home, showered, and hit the sack!!

The next day (Sunday) was supposed to be an Open Water Swim and a Run – I was set to go with Mel to meet a gang up to the Vineman course, but H was feeling a bit left behind so I texted her that I wasn’t going to be able to make it, and got back in bed. I woke up at NOON – no Herbert, sun streaming in! He “hadn’t wanted to wake me” and had taken off on Angeline for a ride around Paradise to Sausalito for brunch!

I cleaned the house a bit, and then prepared to be interviewed for SOC Lifestyles. We had such fun. They did the main “sit down” portion of the interview on Sunday, and then Monday (yesterday) we “simulated” an Ironman. I surprised Michelle (the presenter) with a few things – I had strung together a bunch of my scarves and held them across the path so that she could “break the tape” and presented her with an Ironman (coffee) visor…I had also gotten a TINY little girl pink bike with streamers, etc. and a huge white beach cruiser with a basket for her for the bike (after being very serious on camera about how “technical” and “important” the equipment was on the cycling portion) – then we all went out to swim at Aquatic Park. I had such a blast, and we just laughed and laughed. I hope that it comes out on the video.

We got out of the water at Aquatic Park with the usual post-open water/salt/bay swim “Oh So Sexy” look (yeah…and FILMED, too), and then I took them to Sports Basement (Michelle wanted some Injinji socks for her husband) and then they were off to the South Bay. I hightailed it home and Sue Bird was already there for the Goal/Manifestation Workshop that we were holding that evening. I jumped in the shower, warmed up, washed out the wetsuits, and then it was time to get the Workshop going. 4 of my teammates came, and I think we all really had a fantastic and profound experience. YAY! This morning, up at 6 a.m. to go sub at BNI at McInnes Park, catch up on emails from being off the computer for 4 days, write this blog (and you wondered why my blog posts are few and far between?), approve the draft of my new Fempowerment Playbook for “blue line” (draft) publication (we get one that we look at before it goes to full print), and today I think I will run. Tomorrow I have a MUCH needed massage in the morning, have some more time to “catch up” with things falling off my desk, then I have to pack for Dallas. I am leaving Thursday from Oakland airport at SIX so I have to get up around 3:00 - the plane takes OFF at 6:00 a.m.! I guess it’s long term parking for me – not a chance I can get a ride at that hour! Then in Dallas through Sunday at 10 p.m. I plan to run outside there (humidity, come and get me) and use the spin bikes in the Hyatt gym. They don’t have a big enough pool to make a difference, but I will take a suit anyway and maybe I can find a time to do some drills.

So – that’s my story and I’m stickin’ with it!

More You Know You’re Iron When’s from the weekend…

…when you take 20 lbs of ice to the tub with you and don’t even flinch. (M-Dot)
…when your cat drinks from your ice bath. (Kathryn)
…when you catch yourself talking about energy/nutrition and you sound like you’re part of an underground drug ring. As per an email from Maria: “I caught myself saying to Phil yesterday… ‘So you’re off the Cytomax now?  How long has it been?’ ”
…when you can unlock your water bottle with your teeth while climbing up to Mt. Diablo Junction. (Melissa)
…when you go to the bar for a drink and realize all your money is in your bento box. (Nate)
…when you didn’t even REALIZE that THAT was Pig Farm! (me!)

This week we say goodbye to the June calendar page and move onto the July page. That’s right folks, some of you are ON YOUR LAST PAGE.  And we have finally added our Canada and Louisville athletes to the “single digit weeks to race day” club. To quote the Grateful Dead, What a long strange trip it’s been!

This weekend was another one for the record books. And we are not just talking about the weather almanac here folks! We completed our first ever double/triple brick from the Yountville City Park and by all accounts it was a very successful day. Thanks to captain Les for coordinating the training day and working behind the scenes to ensure we had all the support we needed out there during the long and very hot experience. Huge props to Coach Sedonia for coordinating the delivery and execution of the Sandwiches. We heard more than a few “this is the best sandwich ever” comments. Also thanks to Mom & Pop “Yosh” for being the best darn transition area helpers EVER and Meenu, Mike, Simon, Laura, Jen Jay, Merla and Mike K. for the added support and smiles all day long, it was sometimes just what the doctor ordered.

On a special note, a few of you got a firsthand opportunity to meet our newest “Honoree”, a passerby who stopped to thank you for what you are doing since he was diagnosed with blood cancer only a week ago. In that moment when you guys were contemplating turning back a little early, he arrived to remind you that the journey is far from over and that you needed to keep pushing for a cure to the disease that until only a week ago was “someone else’s burden”. It’s moments like that which truly ring home our task at hand and how incredible you all are doing at fighting the good fight.

The 2X/3X brick workouts are not without their challenges. Many of you had “ah-ha” moments of self discovery about your nutrition/hydration plan and generally how your body responds in adverse conditions this weekend. A couple of you worked out the kinks in your bike set-up, had a crash course in blister management or learned a thing or two about the impact that heat has on your ability to absorb nutrients. All of these lessons will add to your ever deepening understanding of yourself and your abilities come race day. Make no mistake, we have said it over and over again. If this were easy, it would be called Plasticman, not Ironman.  This is Ironman and it is hard, perhaps harder than you ever imagined. Some of you have overcome some pretty incredible physical and mental roadblocks to get where you are today and you should be very proud of yourselves. Nobody will think less of you because you didn’t complete every inch of this weekend’s brick workout due to injury or special circumstances. Nobody will think less of your if you do not make a cut-off or reach a particular time goal at your chosen event. Your success in reshaping your life, reaching for new milestones and becoming a more focused and centered human being is reward enough. We are Ironteam and there’s nothing and nobody that is going to take that from us. Only you can decide how you manage your circumstances on race day, but we know what kind of people you are, and that regardless of the outcome on race day, we know you will always be a member of an elite group of dedicated and truly exceptional people called Ironteam.

"speed dating" on November 7th, last year when we first met.

Let us step back from this moment in our time together and reflect a little bit about how far we have come. While we are not yet awaiting the starting gun for our event, we are very close. Everyone is now into single digits when counting the weeks until event day. Think back 34 weeks ago to that classroom in Berkeley when Simon had run-lovers and run-haters huddled in opposite corners of the room or when you were telling a complete stranger about the virtues of your favorite food or childhood memory during the modified speed dating session. There is not a single person among you that is even a shadow of your former self from that room at kick-off. The coaches looked over the room that day and saw a lot of scared faces, peppered with self doubt, fear and a whole lot of “what the Hell have I done”. Sure, there are lingering thoughts of doubt that creep in from time to time, but a vast majority of the time the thing you are doubting today is your limits. Some of you were a bit freaked out when we started mentioning the number of weeks until race day. Now we are hearing you plotting your course for that day, not how to make it go away. It just doesn’t get any more Iron than that.

The week ahead:

Monday:              OFF

Tuesday:              Swim (See calendar)

Bike – 90′ (TR-7 Pyramid) or hill repeats. Keeping with the hill climbing theme from June, we will continue the training opportunities in the far East Bay with a little twist this week. Endurance athlete and sports nutritionist, Matt Fitzgerald, will be speaking at Sports Basement in Walnut Creek starting at 7:00PM on Tuesday. If you would like to see Matt speak, there will be a group meeting at 5:15 to ride hill repeats together and be back in time for the start of Matt’s talk. If you would rather not attend Matt’s discussion, the regular meeting time of 6:30 is also good, consider it an athlete’s choice workout. Captain Tony will let you guys know his plans to a near east bay ride as well.

Wednesday:      Brick (50′bike + 30′run @ IM Marathon pace) – If doing an outdoor bike ride, choose a mildly hilly course without a lot of climbing. Short, repeatable loops will work well too.

                                Stretch afterwards for 20′

Thursday:            Run & Stretch (See calendar for workouts and past coaches emails for prior guidelines for stretching)

                                FINAL RECOMMITMENT

Friday:                  Swim (See Calendar for workout)

                                Strength workout: Core Routine with flexibility

Saturday:             MENTOR GROUP RUN

                                VM – 18mi. ~ LOU/CAN – 16Mi (See calendar for specific instructions) Mentors will send out meeting time and place information by Thursday PM.

Sunday:                OW Swim (OYO) – Get together with your teammates for some open water fun on independence day.

                                Bike (VM-45mi ~ CAN/LOU-75mi)

                                Fireworks !! (Happy Fourth of July)

You guys continue to amaze us!

Have a great week,

Sedonia, Simon, Mike & Dave

Our first ironteam photo on November 7th. Lots fewer now!

IronMel’s blog about the Brick starts with the old Commodores song, ‘She’s a BRICK….HOUSE…She’s Mighty Mighty….Jus’ Lettin’ It ALL Hang Out…’ – I can’t get that out of my mind now, so I have just downloaded it from iTunes and added it to my “Soundtrack” tape for the Ironman.

A “brick” is a combination of two sports right in a row (usually, Bike and Run, hence the joke that B-R-Ick = B(ike) R(un) Ick!) Today it was a double brick for us IMC and IML’ers (so bike/run/bike run) – for Vineman, which is a month sooner, it was a Triple.

But back to songs. Iron Maria found the greatest blog. She shared it with me – it’s a gal who did IM Brazil. One of the things this gal mentioned was having 5 “go to” songs for when things got tough during the race. Maria and I have been bandying about what songs we are going to include – we both have Journey’s “Any Way You Like It” and ZZ Top’s “La Grange” – I have a very quirky list in fact which I will winnow down as the event approaches – but this Commodores song is on it as of now. I also ordered the Eagles Greatest Hits Vol. 1 from half.com for 50 cents which just arrived today – nothing like songs from high school (Take It To The Limit; Desperado) to get me howling away tunelessly as I bike along…

I picked up Mel at her house at 6:30 a.m. and off we went to Yountville – though I had had to return home not once but TWICE for things I had forgotten for the workout. The next day I received my checklist from my trusty elance.com Virtual Assistant Fiona from Connemara, Ireland – so I will not be stuck again! I sent Fiona all the checklists I had found, had, been given, etc. with respect to equipment/strategies/etc. for doing an Ironman, and she prioritized everything and put it into one “uberlist” for a shockingly low cost. Fiona Is A Goddess. It’s fantastic. If you want it, email me – I’m not putting this out for every Tom, Dick and Harriet. Besides, then I know that you’re reading my blog…

team bike to run transition in Yountville Park

Mel had been sick, which sucked. I had the unenviable task of telling her that it was going to be in the 90s to possibly 100 degrees in Yountville – she hadn’t watched the news all week, and so that was a shockeroo. I was trying out my new Personal Iron Mix from Infinit Nutrition. (DO NOT ORDER YET if you are  thinking about it – I’m trying to get an Affiliate deal so that I can get anyone who orders it a discount.) There are “sliders” on the Infinit Nutrition website where you can customize your own energy “brew” – and a “real person” will go over it with you as well. Since it’s supposed to replace ALL your needs (salt tabs, carbs, etc.), it is WAY cheaper than the alternatives. Also, if the mix is “wrong” they will re-make it for you after you report what didn’t work for you. I have tried the new Ironman drink that they are now using on Ironman-sanctioned courses – it’s from PowerBar – and it DOES NOT work for me. Probably because of the Fructose. I was super bummed they moved from the new Gatorade formulation, which has neither fructose nor HFCS. Ah well.

We got to Yountville, set up our transition areas, and with a “GO” from Coach Dave (who was on crutches and Vicodin from knee surgery that week – big smile on his face…good drugs!) we were off. We went through the Town of Yountville, and I started feeling very “wary” – these are fairly narrow streets and I KNEW that the cars were probably 90% tourists…who would “door” you without even thinking about it. I wound up riding just about in the middle of the road, as did many of my Teammates.

We went under the Highway and then down a few streets, ultimately winding up on Dry Creek Road. Just past the highway underpass, I realized I had “mis-dressed” myself – something was whacky between Camelbak/jersey/sports bra. I pulled over (I was midpack), and the thing I SO LOVE about IronTeam is that I spent the next few minutes just saying “I’m Good! I’m Good! I’m Good!” because everyone slowed down and wanted to be sure I was OK. LOVE my teammates!

very first bike workout with the team in November '09

Once I had gotten myself “sorted” I was way-hay-hay at the back of the pack. I started out in this position at the beginning of our Adventure in Iron, back in November. As Marvelous Mentor Margaret always reminds me with a smile, I was the gal with a 25 year old steel frame bike with downtube shifters and pedal baskets, plastic Bell helmet of the same vintage, and my cotton sweats tucked into my white tube socks (and sneakers, not bike shoes) when we started. I’ve come a long way, bay-bee… 

I slowly caught up to the pack, then just kept my speed and picked off folks. My goal was really just to keep to an 80-90 cadence and keep my heart rate in the middle of my Zone (155). I was sipping the Infinit, and a little scared as to “when” I would bonk just using it and no Thermalytes, GU, what-have-you. The day definitely started heating up as we headed out hilly Dry Creek Road.

I wound up riding with Marina a good part of this time. We made a pretty good cadence team. I did my “Look Patricia”s on her – including a wonderful patch of pink flowers in the sunbeams between some oak trees, and two huge metal dinosaur sculptures that were up a driveway on the route! We made it to 13 miles in an hour, and turned around. (The deal was 15 miles, or 2 hours, whichever came first.) We headed back, and caught up to Coach Les and tailed him on the way home. He turned left MILES before we thought we were to turn off Dry Creek – good thing we found him, Marina and I might have blithely ridden back to Marin!

running with Marina (I'm the purple one)

We changed from our jerseys, bike shoes, etc., loaded up with energy drink for the run, and headed out together. Coach Sedonia pointed out that I had my shirt on backwards – as I wear a fuel belt, that meant taking everything off and re-dressing myself. What WAS it with me and clothing…? This bit was to run for an hour or 5 miles, whichever came first.

Man, the day was really heating up by this point. Marina ran at my “slow run/trot” pace (I think it’s about 12 minutes/mile), and I kept saying “don’t forget I am only doing TWO of these, you have to do THREE.” I really liked having the company, but I didn’t want her to exhaust herself when I was running and biking with the knowledge that I only had to do TWO sets (Vineman folks had to do a Triple, Louisville a Double, because their race is a month before ours).

too hot to moo

We ran out for 1/2 hour – after commenting on the lovely herd of cows with One Big Bull on the side of the road (with crazy horns) – and met up with Maria, then turned around. We were shy of the 2.5 mile mark; Rocky pointed it out to us, but it was way farther along, so we turned. We also realized that we were both a little spastic in the “run and drink” department, so started to walk when we would reach bits of shade, to be sure that we drank our whole bottles down. I had mixed up an hour bottle for the run, and when we got back, remixed another Camelbak full for the 2nd bike. Mrs. Yoshida was honestly an Angel, fluttering around with ice cold washcloths, filling up our bottles with ice water, and the like. We are all so in love with the Yoshs!

Marina and I headed back out through Yountville, both of us being even more careful this time around, as there were lots and LOTS of tourists out and about. We did have one odd “you first, no YOU first” with a truck – but that was it. No dooring, no cars pulling out without looking, etc.

We got through the streets that ultimately got us to Dry Creek Road,and caught up with Kathryn, Maria and a few others. Marina said that Kathryn was one of her biking buddies, and so she hung back to chat. I knew this was my last round, so I wanted to see how well I could do. The Infinit was working like a charm – I had had a “potty break” when coming in from the run, but nothing bad, and I felt very hydrated and happy. I caught up to Les and Jen then, and wound up going past them as well. I had a good cadence going, and I had one of my “Soundtrack Songs” going in my head (I Can Transform Ya). I felt great.

OK, I felt great until I hit the Pothole From Hell, which was right in the middle of some dappled shade. If you’re a cyclist, you know that dappled shade is NOT your friend. The road was either very well paved or it was awful (as in, the sort of awful just before they grade a road), so this pothole came as a complete surprise. Angeline hit it so hard that it knocked my teeth together (I bit my tongue so hard it bled), and my shoulders were rocked back into their sockets. I honestly thought I had just thrashed my bike (and shoulders) and that there was NO WAY she was going to come out of it fine. That bike takes GOOD care of me – because when I pulled over and stretched my shoulders, looked over the wheels, etc. – everything was fine. OK except my tongue. Yowch.

Team Photo in the Park

This time, I made it to mile 14 just a bit before the hour turn-around time. There was a downhill that came next going towards mile 15, so I decided to turn a bit before the hour mark because otherwise I would be turning around in the middle of that hill. I had passed Rocky with a flat (being helped by Sedonia and Mary), and he wound up passing me right at the point I was stopping. With the usual wonderful IronTeam way, he slowed down (he was booking, obviously trying to reach 15 and make up for lost time) and I just shouted “I’m Good!” and he laughed and sped on by.

Marina caught up with me somewhere along Dry Creek (I think she said she turned around at mile 13), and so we rode together again for a while. Coach Sedonia rode with us as well, and that was a lot of fun. She had a great cadence and I was kind of laughing to myself, as we were keeping the same cadence, but the bar of her bike was like a foot closer to the ground than me! (Well, that’s an exaggeration, but suffice it to say that I am about a foot taller than Coach Yosh.) Last time we were together we were singing “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” (Weem-O-Way) at the top of our lungs at Clear Lake while I was getting loopy at the end of the 16 mile run.

Marina and I changed again into run clothes, and I made the mistake of picking up my recovery drink bottle instead of my Infinit bottle. And it was warm. UGH!!!! We headed out, and it was really scorching on the pavement by this time. We ran from tree to tree, shade to shade – and Marina put up with me gagging down the not-energy drink and complaining with every swallow. She looked tired and I kept saying she should slow down because I knew she had the triple (though I really didn’t want her to leave me!) We got to 15 minutes out and I thought we should be more systematic with our walk breaks, so we started doing a 4:1 (4 minute “trot” then 1 minute walk). We did that for the rest of the first 30 minutes, and made it farther along the road that we had gotten before. Then we turned around, and came on back.

After getting more water (and Red Vines!) at Coach Simon’s SAG table, we caught up to Maria. We all ran together for a while, though she was running on a timer on her Garmin and her pace was faster than ours. Then Coach Sedonia came out – first running with Maria and picking up her pace, then running with me for a bit, then running with Marina. When she left me, I kept to the 4:1 until we were close to the turn to head back to the Park. I saw that Maria was on the walk break of her 4:1, and so I summoned up the energy to get up to her, which rallied her. :-) It was actually fun, because she had said she was having some issues (can’t remember what – nausea? headache?) and she didn’t look so great when she stopped for that walk break (hands on hips, head down). I wanted to be sure we both came in strong, since we are both doing Louisville so we were both coming in on our final “bit” for the day (“only” 2x brick not 3x like the Vineman folks). She rocked that run in!

Marina was a ways behind and she looked beat. She ultimately did get out and do the final bike – not sure how far she went – but she Ironed up and gutted it out. Mel had been having troubles as well, and Mentor Margaret rode out with her on her final bike ride. She was having the issues I have been having – super HOT feet on the bike. Margaret mentioned I should try wearing H’s shoes (which are a size larger) – so I am going to see if I can remember to try that on the next bike ride. IronPhil, Rocky, BK, some others had issues – it was a “humbling” experience, if that’s the right word – all these super duper athletes puking and the like. It was a hard and HOT workout, that’s for sure. I mentioned Infinit to BK who was having serious cramping issues. I am not saying it’s for everyone, but it sure worked for ME.

Unfortunately I had to cut out because we were having our Neighborhood Picnic that night – and where they set up the tables is right in the court under our driveway! So I was sad that we weren’t able to stay for the Spirit Cape presentation. As usual, something happened in the car that made me start laughing so hard I nearly had a wreck – Mel calls it our “Homeward Bound Ab Workout” - it made me laugh and laugh and laugh the rest of the day and into the next. I remember what it was about, but I will just keep that a secret.

Today is Tuesday – Monday was a rest day, and today was a 3500-ish swim and then a 90 minute Spin. I did them back to back at the JCC after subbing at the McInnes Park BNI at 7:00 a.m. I got home at like ONE! I have to admit, it will be NICE to have my life back after the race…at least until I decide to do some other darn’ fool thing. :-)

Songs on my current Soundtrack (not in order, and  subject to revision and addition):

Any Way You Want It
I Can Transform Ya
Summer Nights
We Belong to the Music
Mercury Blues (David Lindley)
Pour Some Sugar On Me
Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing
Express Yourself (Glee cast)
Ice Ice Baby (Glee cast)
Relax
The Lion Sleeps Tonight/Wimoweh
Solsbury Hill (live)
I Gotta Feeling
Beautiful Day
Down
It’s Raining Men (live)
Love The Ride
The Stroke
Lady Marmalade (Moulin Rouge version)
Spirit In The Sky
Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
Little Willy
The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song
Baby I’m A Star
Bad Romance (Glee cast)
Just Dance
Hollywood Nights
Fever (L.E.X. Bette Midler’s On Fire Radio Mix)
Heads Carolina, Tails California
Brick House!

I’ve had an Open Water swim and LOVELY bike ride with Iron Mel, a “dropping my drawers” incident in a flip-turn at the JCC (watched by a bunch of kibbutzing old men in long swim shorts and kippot – just too funny), some “You Know Your Iron When” stuff…but right now what’s on my mind is my BONK yesterday.

BONK! (OK I find it COMPLETELY hilarious that on this link to the word “Bonk” on dictionary.com, there is a paid link for Power Bars. Yeah that should have warned me…)

Yesterday was actually a rest day – I did Sunday’s workout yesterday, because Sunday (Father’s Day) was a serious Honey Do day for me at home, then we went over to Mom and Dad’s for a BBQ . . . no time for a 14 mile/2 hour run (14 miles or 2 hours, whichever is less). So yesterday, I did this run – from my house to Buckeye Point in China Camp, and back.

I had a lot of stuff to do yesterday, too, and so I actually didn’t get running until about 4:00 p.m. I had a few things on my agenda – to see whether I could actually run on just water and GU/salt tabs as a lot of my teammates do (quick answer: NO), to practice good form, to try to run at ”around” my Easy/Long pace (about 12 minutes/mile). It’s tough, because I don’t have a Garmin, so unless I go out and map each mile and look for a milepost, I have to sort of “feel” how I’m doing.

I started from home, actually using my GU Brew mix, with a GU Bullet and Thermalytes. It wasn’t all that warm, a pretty nice temperature actually. I felt pretty good. HOWEVER, somehow I had it in my mind I was supposed to do EIGHTEEN miles, which, at my pace, would be just under FOUR hours. Don’t ask how I got this in my head. I have no idea.

I got from home to the JCC (about 4.5 miles) and was trying to pay attention to keeping my shoulders back and chest more open (I have a tendency to ‘cave in’ that H keeps trying to fix when we run together). I stopped in, filled my bottle with water (to try my “running on just water/GU/Thermalytes” tactic), had a pit stop, and back out I went. The best part was the (70 year old) guard asked me what I was up to, and when I told him I was running out to China Camp and back, he said “Are you on a college track team?” When I told him I was a few decades past that, he made me take my sunglasses off and he said “You look GREAT! I hope you don’t mind my saying so.” HECK no, bring it on! Of course I was wearing my running skirt and my tall injinji Compression socks (so, knee-high white socks) – I probably looked like some schoolgirl fantasy. I mean, if you took your contacts out. And had a glass of wine or two. And were about 200 feet away.

My plan was to turn around at Buckeye Point, which has water and a restroom. I ran along, and was feeling OK – though I was using up the water a lot faster than I thought I should, so I tried to “conserve” some. I’m always a bit wary that there will be a “problem” wherever I have planned to get water (however, I didn’t have a backup). I also started feeling a little sick in my stomach. At this point I “remembered” from when I used to work out (that was 20 years ago, mind you) that the REASON that I always added something to my water was that my stomach doesn’t handle straight water all that well. Even out gardening, etc. – water makes me feel a little sick. Did I have a “backup pack” of GU Brew to dump into it, just in case? Um, no…

I get to Buckeye Point in the time that I had set to get there – 2 hours. Remember, I had somehow gotten it in my head that I was to run FOUR hours or 18 miles. I think that I was thrown off because some of the Facebook postings of Team members had said they had run 16 or 17 miles – whatever – anyway that’s what was in my head.

NO WATER.

There was a couple camping at Buckeye Point – and she said that the Restroom AND the Water were locked “for some reason.” The big bruiser husband was snoring away on top of a picnic table, the wife was standing and rocking/cradling their sleeping child (she was tiny – it was sort of funny, the kid was nearly as big as she was, and it was just a small boy). I whispered to her did she have any water, and she pointed down to her feet to a Coleman, and said I could check in there. She didn’t speak much English (she was Thai). I opened the cooler, and there were 3 beers and a big fish. I shook my head, and she made a face like she was sorry.

Not as sorry as I was…

So, back I went. I had been “nursing” the water on the way out to Buckeye Point, “just in case” there wasn’t water there – but I really hadn’t EXPECTED not to get water. So now I had 1/4 bottle of water to get back out of the Park. I stopped on the way at a few guys putting up their mountain bikes, etc. – no one had water.

By the time I reached the climb on the road out of the Park, I realized I was Not Doing Well. I started feeling a little dizzy, and just “odd.” I had my phone, and knew that I could call H to pick me up, but I also in a way wanted to feel how this was going to go, so I would have the “experience” and work through it. Though I had had an awful time in Sedona at the 1/2 Iron, that was due to too much protein and getting dehydrated by diarrhea in the run – a different ballgame to this.

I walked up the uphill out of the park, and then actually “ran” (trudge-jogged) on the downhill. I was still using the GU and the Thermalytes with small sips, trying to get “something” to make me feel better. But obviously, what I needed was fluid.

I remembered suddenly that not only had I put a $10 bill in my pocket upon leaving (my Run Angel was DEFINITELY looking over me), but that there was a 7-11 about 1/2 way between the end of the Park and the JCC. I just kept focusing on the fact that I was going to get there, and get something, anything, that would rehydrate me.

At a really low point, when I really thought I was kinda “done for,” I saw a penny on the road - Teammate Liz says that when she sees pennies, she knows that her brother is with her – so I asked him to help me. I have to find out his name – I just kept saying thank you to “Liz’s Brother” for the help. I kept talking to him (he is not someone I know, but he is one of our Honorees in LLS – he sadly passed away from cancer, far too young). It helped me out. I was so glad to have him with me.

I thought the 7-11 was around a bend, and then…it wasn’t. I felt really defeated. I actually was whimpering. Then I saw another penny. This one was really shiny, face up. It was almost saying “LOOK AT ME.” I had this feeling that Liz’s brother was telling me that the 7-11 WAS coming, it would be okay. I wasn’t so sure, but I put my trust in him.

I finally got to the 7-11 two turns later, and was feeling pretty surreal by this point. I was trying not to whimper as there were people around. I was all set to get something like Snapple (which uses sugar, not fructose or HFCS) and add some salt to it – but wonder of wonders, they had the new Gatorade “Perform” which doesn’t have fructose or HFCS – and it was 1/2 off! So I bought 2, count’em 2, 32 oz. bottles (for $2.00 total), and as there was a long line, I cracked one open right there in the store waiting for my turn behind all the lottery-pickers and chaw-buyers and giggling middle-school-girl-Slushie-flirters, and sipped away. By the time I got outside, I was about 1/2 way through the first bottle.

I added the 2nd bottle to my empty water bottle (it’s a 32 oz. bottle), and then walked away, still sipping the 1st. Knowing me, I was more than a little perturbed that I didn’t have to use the Restroom at the 7-11, THAT is when I REALLY knew I was dehydrated!

Well, all I can say is, Gatorade = Miracle Cure. I was about 1/2 way between the 7-11 and the JCC (where I was going to stop if I didn’t feel any better, and call H to pick me up), and I felt WAY better. So I ran from there to the highway underpass without stopping, then as I turned onto Lincoln from there, walked up the uphill (which is rather long), but then ran down the downhill. I told myself that I would run to Mission, then see how I was doing.

I got to Mission, and more than anything else, my feet were hurting. I could also feel that I had a blister going on the side of my big toe (though I was wearing my Injinji socks). I decided to walk up a block or two, and turn onto Fifth.

I was feeling a LOT better (and not sloshy – I was about 40 oz. into the Gatorade by this time but no slosh). That’s when I remembered Uncle Chris my Run Angel. I asked Uncle Chris to get me home. I explained to him that I would run until I got to a stoplight, and it was up to him to turn the lights red so that I could rest.

OK, so when the FOURTH light in a row turned green JUST as I was approaching it, I started talking to Uncle Chris out loud. “NOT FUNNY, CHRIS, NOT FUNNY!” I’m lucky no one was on the sidewalk with me – that’s why Team Workouts are so much better, it’s no fun getting Athletic Tourettes alone.

On the SIXTH light I finally got a red, and then walked into Sun Valley. I told myself I would run from J Street to “the stopsign” (going up Racquet Club) or 4 hours – whichever came first. I saw Sun Valley Market, and was going to stop there – but I didn’t. At that point, I had been out 3:58. I only had 2 more minutes to go – but when I rounded the curve, there was the Stopsign. I was whimpering a wee bit (there were folks walking dogs ahead – didn’t want to scare them), but I knew I needed to go all the way to the Stopsign. So I did.

The slow, slow, SLOW walk up Racquet Club to River Oaks to Moody to home took about 15 minutes (usually, about 8). I got home, and turns out H hadn’t gone to the gym after all – so he was there. I walked in and I’m sure I looked like a train wreck. He got me up to the shower, and then made me dinner and sat me on the couch and massaged my feet and legs. My hero.

Yes, so, I know, lots of “I should NOT haves…” in this story (for example, I SHOULD NOT HAVE run out into a desolate wilderness area without being 100% sure the water was on that I would need to make it back out). Lots of “I SHOULD haves” too (for example, I SHOULD have had a little baggie of drink; I SHOULD have looked at the schedule to check the distance/time). But the one thing I know is that I survived, and that I can “come back” if I feel truly awful. This is a good learning for me – because, besides the Sedona “runs” issue, I have never even come CLOSE to this feeling.

Now, I will NEVER EVER do it AGAIN! That’s ENOUGH!

Time to go Swim and Bike Hills. Yeah, so Iron.

The week was a toughie for me. I had gotten an eye ulcer (likely from a gnat flying in my eye – though I am VERY careful to ALWAYS wear some sort of eye protection on the bike). It hurt to blink and looked super nasty – blood-red eye white, plus this yellow “bump” right off my iris. The doctor originally said no swimming in Clear Lake at all – because the LAST thing you want is lake water/bacteria/etc. into an “eye sore.” I have to say that I freaked out. I have been dealing with the various aches and pains – the hip thing, shin thing – but an eye issue taking me out of the game was unanticipated.

I did a little running the week between Del Valle and the 3/4 Iron, but mainly I was sick with the stress of it all. The doctor checked it again later in the week and said that he thought I could swim – but not with contacts. So into the City I went, to Sports Basement to get some of their prescription goggles (who knew? $16). Then after a trip to Costco (I love that “Rice Krispie Treats” are now marketing themselves as “Energy Bars” – !!), I swung by the pool and tried the suckers out. They worked FINE – my prescription is not the same for both of my eyes, but they worked well enough and I could sight fine. I looked a little odd walking through the gym to the pool in the goggles – and walking up the stairs to the pool was not a picnic for sure – but I was relieved I had something that “could work.” I kept hearing the words to Pink’s song “18 Wheeler” in my head, which made me feel stronger:

You can push me out the window
I’ll just get back up
You can run over me with your 18 wheeler truck
And I won’t give a f*ck
You can hang me like a slave
I’ll go underground
You can run over me with your 18 wheeler but
You can’t keep me down, down, down, down

After trying out the goggles, I went by Long’s to get some of those “old lady over-the-glasses” sunglasses for my prescription glasses – since I would need them for the bike/run if I wasn’t wearing contacts. Kathryn from the team offered me via Facebook her prescription sunglasses if our prescriptions were the same – I love our Team!

Friday (the day that I was leaving for Clear Lake) I was pretty much a mess. I was having an appointment with the ophthamologist at 11:30 (so much for leaving early to check out the event route) and I was going to get a “thumbs up” (or down) on whether I could do the weekend. I was REALLY excited when he said, as I put my head in that “look into the eye vice holder thing” that my eye was “miraculously” better – so much so that I could actually not only do the event, but wear my contacts. Who-hoo! He said that it might really itch, and if that happened, to be “ready” to change into the glasses. (Then we talked about how he had biked/run with a gal who did Alcatraz – the best part is this is a doctor who UNDERSTANDS what I was facing. Loved that.) So I added the over-the-eye sunglasses, glasses, glasses wipes, contact lens holder, saline, eye drops, and mirror all to my transition bag – and off I went to prepare for Clear Lake.

I had to laugh, of course, as I was getting everything ready – for an Ironman, you wind up with like 50 pounds of gear/”nutrition” and the like, and then a sundress tucked into a back zip pocket of your huge bag for afterwards. (I even wear my swim-to-bike shoes with the sundress.) So funny. I remember this from Sedona – at least this time I was DRIVING to the event, not FLYING.

arriving at Clear Lake

Had a funny You Know You’re Iron When moment preparing to go. I was putting together my nutrition, and as I tweeted/posted on Facebook, “You know they know you’re Iron when your husband comes in the kitchen to suspicious white powder on the counter and says, ‘CarboPro Accident?’.”

Got up to Clear Lake without incident – wearing my glasses until the last second, of course, to save my eyes as much as possible. Although we had had rain just a few days before, it was going to be a hot one – evidenced by the piles and piles of water jugs for the team! I drove through some rainy patches though on the road and left my bike with a little trepidation. (Sure enough, when I got there the next day, all the bikes were soaked. Stupid me for not finding a garbage bag and “bagging” Angeline. Poor thing.)

I hadn’t seen some of the team in forever. Because Maria and I didn’t do the 80 miler, and then a number of people hadn’t made Del Valle the week before (Memorial Day Weekend), it was like “old home week” seeing everyone. I was really sad that Will had quit the team, because I always just love seeing him and chatting. As I counted “through” people, I heard of more and more folks who were no longer on the team, many of whom really surprised me. A number of people were also planning to not do the whole bike course or the run because of injuries, but were there to do what they could.

We took a team picture, and then Maria and I headed back to the hotel, to get our game together.

view of swim start

That was actually pretty funny. Maria had never done a Spring Break during college, and that’s what the whole scene reminded me of. Super old (though clean) two-story hotel where you could yell across and toss things to one another off the railings, turquoise fridge and push-button electric ring stove, the works. I had as much fun watching Maria as folks walked in and out of our room, etc. as I was having being part of it all! Neither of us is particularly good with “Nutrition Math” and it got to be a running joke that we would be “just about” to do our 4 hour bottles with GU Brew/Gatorade and CarboPro and count it all out and someone else would come in the door throwing off the count. It was kinda like an old black-and-white TV comedy routine. (Reading Teammate Rocky’s blog about it is hilarious – I highly suggest it. Especially the part about the arrow and harpoon-wielding carp fishermen that we shared the hotel with, who were having a big “do” in the lake the same day. Yeah. Really. I was VERY GLAD to hear that we were swimming on the OTHER side of the lake!)

One thing I did discover is that my CamelBak is NOT “four hours” for me – it’s three. (And almost perfectly – both at 3 hours into the bike, and at 6.) For some reason, I thought it was 4, and so mixed up the Nutrition with that in mind. I had to do a little “recalculating on the fly” when I went “dry” an hour before I thought I would on the bike course – but that’s why we do these things. I wound up with the wrong “count” in my Special Needs bottle, etc. but I made it work. Good to know.

close up of beach for swim start

If you look at Maria’s blog (linked above) her Special Needs bag was just fabulous. Included were the usual tube, CO2 cartridge, 4-hour bottle, etc. but also as much junk food as she could think of (me too!) She took a picture of hers though and posted it, which is just priceless. Pringles should sponsor Ironman – I swear! It’s definitely the “Special Needs Bag Treat Of Choice.”

We went out for some AWESOME handmade pasta to a restaurant Coach Mike suggested, and just chilled and chatted with our teammates about the next day. I had a glass of wine at the restaurant and when Maria questioned it, I mentioned that the day before the Wine Country Century I had had martinis and wine (and RIBS and dessert and dessert drinks!) with H and a friend, and that the day before Del Valle had been macadamia nut martinis – so I was actually “backing off from” what had been my “routine” thus far with just one glass of wine! (funny)

We woke up at 0-dark-00 on Saturday, and got our Game on. I liked that Maria brought an Ironman-related book of Quotes, and she read some of them as we were getting ready. I had picked up some tattoos (at Safeway, no less) and she chose to put “Soul” on her arm, I chose a Dragon, and “Courage.” (I chose “Spirit” for the next day’s Run – her tattoo was still on the next day, mine had rubbed off). We formed a caravan with other IronPeeps, and off we headed to the other side of the lake, for the Swim start.

As I mentioned above, the bikes were soaked. I had brought 3 yoga mats (1 for me, 2 to share) just in case the ground was wet -

the transition area

sure enough, we were to lay things down on grass, and it was sopping. I was really glad to have the mat. I had been able to get my contacts in without incident, but still had an extra “transition area” for All Things Eye. The photo shows the transition area, before everyone lay their bikes down next to their stuff. (This is the opposite side from where I was – it was a big round lawn of grass.)

We handed in our Special Needs bags to be delivered to us on the course. We were actually going to get them twice (you only get them once during the real race). The reason for this is that they wanted to “check us off” at the Special Needs stop as arriving (or not!). There were 3 waves in the Swim start – guys last, and then if you were a girl and your Special Needs bag had a “1″ on it you were in wave 1, if it had a “2″ you were in wave 2. I was in wave 2 – Maria was in wave 1. We gathered for a pre-race talk, during which Mike told us that the bike course instructions that we had been mailed out were incorrect. I was glad at that point that I had NOT arrived early (as I had planned) to ‘scout the course’ – that would have been 100 miles’ worth of useless driving! Then it was time for the Body Glide-ing and wetsuit boost-ing and Atta Girl-ing and Go Team-ing…and the first wave headed for the beach.

first wave into the water

Patricia was in the first wave and I knew she had an issue with “touching things/things touching her” in the water. Mike had said there were reeds and seaweed in there, and I frankly was a little concerned as to how it would go. (I saw her on the Bike later, so I knew at least that she had not had a heart attack due to all the “stuff” in there.) The sun was coming up as the first wave took off – and there was a lot of low fog in the ring of mountains surrounding the lake. As I stood waiting the 20 minutes to get into the water, I was able to take in how GORGEOUS the area was. I was sad that H hadn’t come, as I knew that he would really like the geography of the area. I had heard a lot about Lake County (not much of it very kind) and so I admit I was a bit surprised at the beauty.

We got into the water to “fill up our wetsuits” a few minutes before the start, and WOW there definitely was a lot of seaweed/reeds/etc. in there. My last triathlon experience was the Go Girl tri years and years ago – I had even trained a few girls to be in it (and also the Avon) – and one thing that made me ultimately quit the sport was that kind of crap in the water. Not so much “things touching me,” but “flying over” the reeds and seaweed coming up from the bottom gave me serious vertigo. I realized that today was going to be the day to conquer that old fear.

We were to swim left to a buoy that was tethered at the far left side of the lake, then swim across the open water to the dock of the winery that was next door to where we started, then back. After I got out of the reeds and started to find my stroke, I saw a little bear in the water! OK, I thought I had thought of everything – sharks, snakes, leeches, fish…but a BEAR?? I pulled up short, and felt the person who was drafting off of me switch directions quickly so as not to run over me. When I looked closer, it turned out to be a river otter, watching me! It wasn’t until Monday (when I was telling the story to 2 friends) that I realized that the Otter was the totem I had felt when swimming in Aquatic Park – which my hypnotherapist had sent to me “energetically” to deal with my open water swimming trepidation. And there was a “real” one, watching me! It was pretty cool, though I had a good laugh at myself for thinking the tiny furry face watching me was a “bear.”

I was swimming with Mel, Margaret and Paula for a while, though Paula and Margaret were long gone by the first buoy, and Mel pulled away after the turn-around and was swimming with someone who was faster (Coach Dave’s wife Norma, I think). I just settled in and paid attention to hip rotation, keeping my neck loose, “alligator arms” and the like. Sedonia was bobbing in the water at about the 1 mile mark in a bright blue swim cap, and I was able to confirm my bearings on the “Winery dock” that we were supposed to use as the second turnaround.

As Coach Mike had described about the bridges at Louisville, I faced the mental feeling that the doggone dock was actually pulling AWAY from me! I would sight on it, stroke about 10 strokes, look up – and it looked just as far away.

graph of (old) bike course - "new" one is on the link

Sedonia had moved from her previous “position” to a new one that was closer to the dock, and I could see her blue cap which was comforting. At one point, however, I stroked right through what was obviously a huge floating “pile” of the reed/seaweed/grass stuff. It was like a fishing net. I pulled my arm through it and up and over before I realized I was tangled. “Suddenly” there I am, my arm is held back by “something” and I can’t see because “something” is over my face! Once again, I pulled up short and luckily didn’t completely spazz out – I realized what had happened and reached over my back and around to untangle my arm (and face) from the mess. I did see Sedonia turn her back from about 10 yards away – I think she was laughing at the “Swamp Thing” that had suddenly emerged from the water, but was too nice to let me see her do it!

FINALLY I reached the dock, and started to head back to the Start. Once again, it seemed as if I was never going to reach the beach! About 1/2 way there, the water was very clear and I could see the “trees coming up from the bottom” and started to get that vertigo feeling. I calmed my breathing, and decided that the way to deal with it was just to shut my eyes. So I would stroke 3 times with my eyes shut, then sight (being sure no one was close, and I was still on track), then shut my eyes, stroke, sight, etc. It was incredibly peaceful, and I could feel myself relax. As I was close to finished, I sensed that someone was right with me – turned out that it was Maria! We got out on the beach together, gave each other a “low 5,” and off we went to the transition area. I finished the 2 mile swim in 1:13.

My transition was slow, because a lot of folks were standing around talking, and I checked and checked again that I had everything I needed for the ride, and then did a “towel around the waist surfer shimmy” out of my swim suit and into my bike shorts (I wore my jogbra under the swimsuit). The funniest part of the whole thing was Liz telling Rocky to “turn around and talk to Sandy” (we were all side-by-side) as she applied Chamois Butt’r – and just as he turned around, of course, I was slappin’ it on in there! THANKS Liz! (She looked up and burst out laughing – Oooooops.)

Here is the map of the bike course we rode. (And here is the map of Tennessee Teammate Missy’s course – which she was doing simultaneously that day.) You will definitely want to click to see the “Elevations.” I read in another teammate’s blog that a portion that I will talk about later was a 9+% grade – I believe it. Clear Lake is the largest lake in California and we were riding around it (and then some). On the link (which is MapMyRide.com) there is also a “beta” you can download to “fly over” the course through Google Earth.

I had asked a number of the coaches what the route was like, and no one really gave me a straight answer. They said that there were parts “a bit like Chalk Hill on the Vineman,” but the thing that everyone kept saying to me is “The Louisville Course is NOTHING compared to this.” That didn’t give me much confidence as to what was coming up!

The first 13 miles or so were around the lake. Nick had told me this was flat, and Sedonia said that there were a few gas stations, so that I could have a “pit stop” if I needed. I was in the back-middle of the pack, especially after trying to get a pit stop in (first gas station didn’t “let me” use the restroom – second did). I slowly started to catch up to and pass Teammates as I continued along. Melissa and I wound up doing our “carrot and stick” thing there for a while. I was surprised that I had been able to catch up to her, because she was long gone from transition when I showed up.

The day was definitely warming up as we continued along. I practiced keeping my heart rate at about 150 (low aerobic) and kept telling myself I had PLENTY of fat to use as “fuel” at that range!

At about Mile 15, we started to climb, and I could see it was a l-o-n-g one. I unclipped my right foot as I had planned, and just worked my way up the hill. About midway, I passed Mel, and she didn’t seem to be doing that well. I was breathing so hard that I couldn’t even ask how she was doing. She was on her new bike, and the evening before, Margaret had come over to borrow a bike bottle from me, because she was having issues getting to her water (not sure what’s up with that – maybe Aerobottle?) The hill spiked at around Mile 17, and I WHOOPED that I had made it. There was a long, steep descent, and then a few more “rollers.” I kept unclipping and then clipping back in my right foot, and it was working well. I was feeling more confident that if I DID have to stop, I wouldn’t fall down.

Melissa caught me up on the top of the hill at Mile 22, and confided that she hadn’t remembered any of her “Nutrition” on the bike! I immediately went through my Bento Box and Camelbak, and gave her 1/2 of everything that I had. That is the point where I realized that I should have put more of the same in my Special Needs bag – it contained a tube, CO2 cartridge, Pringles, coconut water, another “4 hour bottle,” etc. but no GU because I felt I had “plenty on me.” Oops! (I also managed to drop my Chapstick, so that’s another thing I need to add to my Special Needs.)

A little while later we ran into Mr. and Mrs. Yoshida’s SAG stop, and she was able to “load up” on GU and the like. This is where I took a fistful of Red Vines and shoved them in my mouth – Mmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!! (Laugh) Again, something that I would never imagine eating otherwise – IronNutrition is a strange thing.

After this section was another crazy-huge climb, that went on for a couple miles. (If you haven’t already, click on the link above, and then click on “Elevation” – you can see it for yourself.) I got to the top of that one, and once again WHOOOPED (I actually lost my voice by the next day). I looked back and I didn’t see Melissa, and was afraid that she might have blown a tire, but I knew that there was SAG out there for us. I crested the hill, and started down the other side.

OK, if you haven’t done it already, you REALLY have to pull up the map now (smile). Because Mile 31 was the Big Black Wall of Death. Just go look at the Elevation Chart (I’ll wait).

As I crested the hill I was looking down into my Bento Box, and I looked up and – seriously – all I saw was a WALL of black tarmac. The hill that was on the “other side” of my downhill was so steep, and so much higher than what I was coming down, that it looked like a wall. I gasped, geared all the way into my hardest gear, and tucked into as aerodynamic a shape as I could figure out how to make. My chin was nearly on my handlebars. I SCREAMED down that hill (hit 40 MPH at the highest). As I hit the bottom of the “V” I kept pedalling like a demon, but the hill was so steep I couldn’t even gear down through my gears one at a time - I had to use the “3 gears at a time” sweep that Angeline has to keep pedaling. I also, thankfully, was going fast enough and had the presence of mind to get my right foot unclipped while I kept pedaling for all I was worth. By the time I was about 100 yards from the top, I was going so slowly, the road almost looked as if it wasn’t moving. I just kept staring at the tarmac, coaching myself under my breath with “JUST….KEEP….GOING!” My heart rate was over 190. It was crazy. Seriously crazy. And then – suddenly – I was at the top.

I actually just stopped, stood there, stretched my back, and looked back DOWN that monster as I had some GU and popped some salt tabs. I wish someone had taken a photograph of that hill. It was like nothing else. And I DID it!

Now to talk about my Earth Angel. There were a few more rollers, and then a climb that ended in a 4-way road “connection” at the top. Josh  (speed demon) had passed me on the climb up to that spot, and as he was wearing a red jersey, it was pretty easy to follow him. As I said, there were 4 roads – one straight ahead, two off to the left and right, and one slightly ahead and to the right – which was a STEEP downhill. As I got to the top of the hill, there was a big semi parked a little ways along the “straight ahead” road, with a guy talking on his cell phone. I smiled at him, and followed Josh down the steep road.

About 100 feet along, I hear this voice SCREAMING from the top of the road: “GIRL! GIRL!” I put on the brakes HARD (it was very steep) and of course faced that “teetering moment” where I wasn’t sure if I would get my foot unclipped or if I was going to hit the dirt. Luckily I got unclipped, and I looked up and to my left. The trucker had LEAPT out of his cab, and was looking down at me from the upper road. He has the phone in one hand (as I’m unclipping/stopping I hear him say “Just a sec!” in an agitated voice) and he says, “Girl! All the other bikes, they went THIS way…” (Pointing down the road he was parked on.) I let out a HUGE sigh of relief, and actually had to get off my bike to turn it around and push it back up the hill (it was that steep). As I’m getting to the top, he looks perplexed and says in an agitated voice, “What are we going to do about the DUDE?” (Josh was nowhere to be seen – he had flown down that hill.) I smiled and said “He’s a really good cycling dude, he will figure it out and come back up, I’m sure.” I asked what he was doing up there (in a huge semi with a flatbed) and he said he had been “combing the hills” for a “roller” that had apparently broken down. When he explained what it looked like, I said that I definitely had not passed it on the way up, and showed him the road directions I had followed. He thanked me for saving him the time of going that way. I thanked him for saving my LIFE!

our Special Needs bags, waiting for us

The Special Needs stop was around Mile 55 – and we were going to come back around to it around Mile 85 or so, too. I pulled in and WOW, what an amazing experience! “The Franks” (Frankie, one of our honorees who is an Ironman triathlete himself, his mom Francine and his dad Frank Sr.) – as well as Frank’s girlfriend Meghan, Teammate Janice’s handsome son and friend – all manned this stop and it was unbelievable. Frank Senior had cold wet towels for our neck. The boys offered watermelon. Someone was there with almost your every need. All I could think of is how a NASCAR pit crew acts. I just stood there, took off my CamelBak, and said things like “oh, I need water” and “does anyone have a plastic baggie?” and people leapt to action. THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS! YOU ARE UNBELIEVABLE!

(My favorite part was that Mr. and Mrs. Yoshida were sitting under a tree, Mr. Yoshida was eating a sandwich out of a ziplock. When I asked if anyone had a ziplock, Mrs. Yoshida whipped it off the bottom of his sandwich and handed it to me before he realized what was happening. I laughed out loud!)

Just as I was about to leave, Mel came into the stop. She stopped her bike, took a breath, and just started sobbing. I got back off my bike and Frankie was right there to hold it. I think that it would have fell to the ground if he hadn’t “caught” it, I was so concerned. I went over, and just gave her a big hug, and told her how great she was doing, that she was there, it was going to be OK, etc. I actually wanted to stay, but the Franks said that they would take care of her. I gave her a last big hug, and also told them to give her anything that I had in MY Special Needs bag, if there was something that I had that she wanted. I was really concerned. That’s my ‘Lil’ Lady” there! When I got back on the bike and shoved off, she was off her bike and having some water in a lawn chair and looked ok. (I am not sure what happened from there, I didn’t see her until the very end, and was so exhausted I forgot to ask.)

photo at Special Needs - heading back out

We turned back onto Main Street, and SOMEHOW I had heard that the “out and back” loop that we were heading to was “mostly flat” though the first part was a “bad road.” OK, no. As Paula said later, this bad road was so bad it was like having “two flat tires, and dragging a sofa.” I actually felt like it was going to shake my shoulders out of my sockets (and I think I left some fillings on the road!)

And, the out-and-back was anything but flat. Well – it was rollers – but from about Mile 77 to Mile 82 it was BRU-TAL. I was riding with Susie at this point, on a tiny thin rutted road, single track, with a big drop-off to the right. (We actually had to let a car pass at one point – that was a real trick.) The coaches had put signs going up the hill – they said “GO (name)” on them, one for everyone. That was great. I hadn’t seen that at the 1/2 Iron/Wildflower, because of course I wasn’t there – and I loved it. The only problem was that only about 8 names had gone by (I was looking for myself, Susie, Maria, Mel, Patricia, Paula) and none of the names I was looking for had “happened” – and the road flattened out a TINY bit and the signs stopped. I realized that meant that we were going to have MORE uphills – with more signs – and I audibly groaned! Sure enough – that’s what happened – it just went up, up, up and at each of the “worst” bits, there were the signs. Once I had seen everyone’s, I started counting back in my head to other teammates – I was SO DONE with that road, that I was hoping that there were no more names/signs (e.g., no more brutal uphill cranks)!

I got to the top of this hill, and had a nice (though controlled – bad road) downhill to the bottom. At this point, I realized that my computer was somewhat off – about a mile or so. The route rolled along a straight highway area, and I actually had to stop at a woman selling baskets of flowers at the side of the road to ask if I had missed the right turn I was looking for. (Her dog was VERY excited to lick my legs – mmmmmmm salty.) I was definitely feeling the ride in my Nether Parts, and was really glad I had included a Butt’r in my Special Needs, which I surreptitiously applied on the side of the road every score of miles or so.

Rocky and I were trading places on the road for a while. At 6 hours (when my CamelBak ran dry for the 2nd time) I pulled over in the shade to pour my two bottles into the CamelBak, using a house’s big garbage can as a ‘convenient table.’ It had taken me some time to convince myself to stop – I definitely was “talking to myself” and had to “convince” myself that, yes, I DID need to get that liquid easily accessible! Rocky rolled by slowly to be sure I was OK, and smiled at my “banquet table.” I actually contemplated throwing my empty GU gels (that were tucked up the leg of my bike shorts) into the garbage, but I could see the curtains moving in the little house and was afraid that I might get shot if I did that. Yeah, this is Lake County…

Somewhere along this stretch Teammate Kathryn (who was SAG’ing) caught up to me in her truck, and asked if I “wanted a present.” Hell yeah, whatever it was, I wanted it. I pulled over at the next shoulder, and she put an ice cold water balloon down the back of my shirt and popped it. You Know You’re Iron When the greatest thing that has ever happened in your entire life is a water balloon down your jersey! (Thank you Kathryn!)

The road ultimately wound up back at Special Needs, where I finished my coconut water and Pringles, and mis-heard that the remaining 15 or so miles were “dead flat, along the lake.” By this time I also realized that whereas I had applied a ton of sunblock everywhere on my BODY, I had forgotten my FACE – so I had a big white raccoon mask from my glasses and the rest was sunburn! (Note to self: SUN CREAM ON FACE!)

The final 15 miles were just brutal. I actually started talking to myself, talking to my bike, complaining, b*tching, moaning, and definitely with a full case of Athlete’s Tourettes. Every roller I would hit would be preceded by me screaming “OH COME ON NOW!” At one point where the road ran right next to the Highway, I thought I was completely offtrack (I mean, we were supposed to be “on the lake” on the way home)! But just as I would start to despair, I would see another Ironteam road arrow, and that would hold me until I would get to feeling anxiously lost again.

Susie soaking in the lake

I finally rolled into the Finish at 8 hours 13 minutes (7 hours 45 total rolling time). I felt good about my time, until I realized I was one of the almost last ones back! That’s when I found out that a number of folks hadn’t ridden the whole course. I went straight from the bike down to the lake, for a “ice bath soak” with Susie.

Maria was the last one in – she’d gone from a personal max bike miles of 60 to ONE HUNDRED! (She hadn’t been able to make the 80 miler that we did as a team.) So awesome! We all got out on the road to cheer her in. That’s the best part about being on the Team – even if you’re later than others (that’s me, always, in our Marin/Napa group – they are all amazing athletes and so I’m forever the tail on group bike rides or runs), everyone is there to cheer you in and give you an “Atta Girl.”

Maria and me

I got Maria down to the lake to do a soak – though Belinda snapped this picture of us before we headed down. Yes, we are the “long and the short of it” and that’s a fact!

After everyone was in and folks were squared away, it was barbecue time. Chris and Meenu got the Spirit Cape, and Jen Jay read my email nominating him. I was SO glad that they got it. Chris has been so fantastic in supporting everyone (I’m sure it’s not just me!) – he always always ALWAYS has an “Atta Girl” for me, whether it’s in the Swim, or smoking by me on the bike, or on the run. I realized it at Del Valle the week before, when we were doing the “out and backs.” He passed me not one but NINE times, and each and every one he had a heartfelt “Go Girl!” for me and looked me in the eyes and slapped me a “low 5.” That is the kind of Spirit that deserves the Spirit Cape. And though Meenu Facebook’d later that she thought it was funny that she “got the Spirit Cape when she’s not on the team,” I posted back that her amazing Meenu Bars are all IN the Team from yummy SAG stops she has womanned, so that meant she was definitely “a part” of the Team, too!

After the Barbecue we were back off to the hotel, and though we were exhausted, we washed out our wetsuits, swim suits, etc. and got packed up, so that we would be ready the next morning to throw our stuff in the car and go without having to come back to the hotel. We also had a glass of Vinho Verde, and Maria caged some silverware off Jim to eat her doggie bag of pasta from the night before (shades of Spring Break!) We talked about our experience, and read more of her Inspirational book!

Though we were up a little late with the packing, etc., we CRASHED asleep. In fact, I didn’t even hear my alarm – Maria woke me up from a dead sleep (thank goodness) and got me up and out!

I put my old pair of shoes into my Run Special Needs bag, because my masseuse had surmised that “perhaps” the fact that I had switched to New Balance from Asics (which I had always run in) had caused the hip issue. I had purchased the New Balance because they were 1/2 price on sale – but when I was at Sports Basement to pick up the prescription swim goggles, I bought the Asics that I always run in, and decided to use them for the Run. I hadn’t run in them at ALL, so having the New Balance in the Special Needs bag was a “just in case” move (I wound up being fine). I also had the ubiquitous Pringles in there and coconut water. Need to add Red Vines, as that wound up being something I picked up at the water stop!

The run was to be 16 miles or 3 hours – whichever came first. From the 2nd water stop Frankie’s girlfriend Meghan ran with me because not only am I tortoise slow, but also I had my “Tunes” with me! She wound up having a lifetime personal best mileage (I think about 7 miles).

The one thing I discovered, however, is that I just can NOT run with someone. I get engaged in talking – and I get off my nutrition plan. I started to feel bad, and looked at my watch and realized I was FORTY-FIVE MINUTES off my plan. I kind of spazzed out. I reached the Yoshida’s SAG stop at 3 hours – which was 1/8 mile from the end (so 1/4 mile total out and back). Though we were supposed to turn around at 3 hours, I wanted to get to the end (and Meghan concurred). So with a fistful of Red Vines in my hand, I got to the turn around and headed back for home.

Sedonia caught up with us when we got back to the Yoshida’s water stop, and started running with us and turning folks around who hadn’t quite reached it yet. Apparently a number of people actually turned around at the 2nd stop (the Franks’). I did my best to catch myself back up to my Nutrition, and was immensely grateful for the coconut water in my Special Needs, which IMMEDIATELY made me feel better.

By about 4 miles out, I started to whine. Sedonia was running with me and Coach Simon sometimes (Meghan had peeled off). I was like a little kid. Since I don’t have a Garmin, I was all “How many more miles do we have? How much more?” In the back of my head I was proud of myself because I was still running (I ran the whole way – I didn’t do run/walk because Coach Simon asked me to see how that went), and it was over 2-1/4 hours of running, which was the longest I had run for well over a dozen years (which had been Del Valle, the week before). I was a big pathetic baby whiner. Sedonia kept telling me to keep my feet moving, and to “Be The Tortoise.” (smile)

Then my little handheld boombox came on with the “Weem-O-Way” song (from Lion King). Sedonia and I started singing it and it was just so silly, it lightened up my spirits. We caught up to Chris, who was also not feeling great. He said to us, “Were you guys just singing ‘Weem-O-Way’?” It made him laugh, too – he had heard it around the bend of the lake road!

I had REALLY decided to “give up” when we reached the Winery that is about 1/2 mile from the end – but Sedonia said ”Don’t. This is where you learn that what you think is rock bottom is just a ledge – and you have more. Dig deep.” So I did – and ran in. Oh my lord though, I felt like crap (I was 2nd to last). A lot of folks were congratulating me, etc. but I just felt angry and evil. Patricia was funny, she started walking over, saw my face, and sort of “shuffled folks” away as I opened my van to get out of my shoes and socks and get some stuff to go soak in the lake in. She could see that it was NOT the time to approach!

Go Team, IronTeam!

 My 16 mile run time was 3:21. Not the fastest, but Strong and Steady, as Sedonia was saying. We had another lake soak, then a “Go Team” together . . . and I actually hung around for a while because I couldn’t face driving home. I was sad because BFF Leslie was in San Francisco from Colorado with her family, and I had been SURE I could catch up with her after the event and get together (and see her girls, who I haven’t seen since they were TINY) before they flew off to Hawaii. HA HA HA. I completely underestimated the depth of exhaustion that I was going to feel. Wow.

So – that’s my story. Monday was a rest day – today (Tuesday) I have now spent like 3 HOURS writing this – and I have to get some work done and am doing a speaking engagement in Menlo Park. I’m supposed to do an hour and a half Swim and an hour Bike, but I think I will go down and get on the Bike and save the Swim until tomorrow. Had to get the story down – before it was just too daunting to write it all out!

Lake Del Valle

The week involved dealing with the tight hip issue, plus a couple of cocktail-laden evenings (Heaven’s Dog with Mr. Martini and H on Wednesday, then mac nut martinis with H on Friday night – even though I knew I had to get up Saturday to go train. Bad.) And MORE RAIN.  Teammate Sara and I posted “Rain Rain Go Away!” simultaneously on Facebook – this is getting some kind of ridiculous!

Saturday the 29th,  the Team convened at Del Valle for an Open Water Swim and a Run. We were to swim as “many times as we could” in an hour, and then run “as far as we could” for 2 hours 15 minutes. (Though there was a bit of an issue there – Coach Mike told us it was only 80 minutes, but when we got to the head of the trail, Coach Simon said that yes, it was 2:15. Ah, communication!)

Maria and me - the long and the short of it

After the usual milling around at the cars, we trooped down to the water. I was already in, when Coach Dave shouted out that “All Louisville participants” (that would be me and Maria) were instead to jump in off the dock. So out of the water I came, and splash off the dock!

The swim was pretty uneventful. Coach Sedonia had talked about drafting, and so during my second “circuit” of the swim, I tucked in off Iron Phil. I was definitely surprised at how much less energy it takes if you draft! I had never quite been able to get the “hang” of it, and this time I did. It was very cool. Little did I know that Melissa was tucked in behind me – we were like a little freight train! (Or a mama whale with calves.) I did two and a half times around the circuit (1.5 miles) in the hour that we were in the water.

mama whale Sandy and calf Melissa getting out of the water

We hopped out and dried off (and some folks were helped out of their wetsuits – don’t you love the photograph below, of my teammates?) and then there was a bit of a mix-up, as I mentioned, about how far we were to run. The calendar had said 2 hours and 15 minutes, so I had mixed up 2 bottles plus some extra “powder” assuming that was the case. Then Coach Mike told us that No, it was just 80 minutes. I (silly me) left the extra bottle at the car, just bringing my full bottle and the powder. Well of course once we got back to the dock, it WAS 2:15!

We ran a hilly cross-country course out and back and out and back and out and back and out and…(laugh) for 2:15. I had my “tunes” on the little hand-held boombox which made it more bearable. Iron Mel was still having some issues with her hamstring and I realized she had the keys to the car – on one of the “passes” I asked her if she could give the key to Simon to get my other bottle out of the van. It didn’t quite work out as planned, because both Simon and Mel went to the van to get it. (I had wanted to keep Mel from having to stop.) When I finished that circuit, they weren’t quite back yet, so I ran out to meet them, traded the bottle to Simon, and got back to it. Simon said that it was the first time he had seen “Marine Sandy” in action – I guess I had my game face on! I felt very good. I did 12ish miles in the 2:15 over the cross-country hills and dales.

Team Soak

After the run, we came back and had a “Team Soak” in the lake. We each were asked to discuss what we were dealing with – everything from balance, no time, fear of failure, you name it. It was a good, and bonding, experience. We all hit In-and-Out Burger on the way back (and I wonder why I have gained poundage back!), and then Mel and I had our usual “Abs Exercise” of laughter at all sorts of things on the way home!

The next day was a 30 mile bike ride, which H and I did together. Right out the gate, I had a back wheel flat (at the valve, so no chance of patching it), so with H “hovering” and itching to help, I changed it myself. I was so excited! My only issue was my “spatial relations problem” of trying to figure out which side of the chain is “up” when the bike is upside down, to get the wheel back in. I did OK though that is when H was “itching to help” the hardest!

We did the Paradise loop, coming through Ross to Redwood High, up and over the highway and around Paradise, then down to Tiburon. We stopped at the yacht club, and they were having a big barbecue for Memorial Day, which we “indulged” in – including a couple of big fat hot fudge and butterscotch sundaes! Getting back on the bike and doing the “return” 15 miles was not the prettiest. We went back through Mill Valley and up and over past Horse Hill. We both commented that while the climb was nasty, it seemed a teeny tiny bit easier than it had been before (both of us have walked that hill in times past). Coming down off the hill and past Marin Joe’s, we cranked it up to 40 miles an hour – the road was newly paved and dead straight, with no traffic.

Go Team, IronTeam!

Exhilarating while also being scary!

I practiced my new “trick” – suggested by my friend Sharyn – for the uphills. I have been having a heck of a time unclipping on uphills. I only have one hill speed (slow) and when I “poop out” I’m going so slowly I can’t get my foot unclipped before I fall over. (I fell 2x at the Wine Country Century.) Sharyn suggested that, when faced with a hill that looked like it had “unclip potential” (e.g., that I might have to walk to the crest of it), that I unclip that foot at the BOTTOM of the hill. I did this on the Horse Hill hill, and it worked like a charm. I think that folks who have only ridden with clipless pedals in their biking “careers” would find this insane – but as most of my training has been with baskets (where you can’t really “pull up” anyway), this was a fantastic way to start to conquer my “falling fear” going uphill. I am still able to pedal “around” with my left foot, and to pedal “down” with my right – which is also ready to be PUT down should I actually need to stop and walk. I was super glad she had suggested it, and hoped that it would work just as well during the upcoming 3/4 Iron the next weekend!

This weekend, my “Tennessee Teammate” Missy went and rode the Ironman Louisville course. She stated that it was rollers – basically NO flats, but not a lot of “horrible hills” either. One of the things that she mentioned was that she was constantly gear-shifting, and that she’s going to change out the gearing on her bike and have it set up for rollers, not really flats at all.

I have been thanking my lucky stars about Angeline having handlebar-shifters. (Yes, her name has morphed into “Angeline” and I have 3 songs by the same name on my iPod now, just for riding (smile).) It’s fascinating to me how much of a difference it makes in my riding. I didn’t particularly think it would, and really resisted it (like the clipless pedals, which I’m still trying to decide about in re Friend or Foe). Vlad, my previous bike, of course, had downtube shifters. I realize now that I would basically be too “lazy” to “fine tune” my gearing as I was riding – since taking my hand off the handlebars, “finding” the gear (don’t forget – no “click” to change) and all that was just a lot more effort than I would perceive it was worth. So I wouldn’t do it. This was especially true if I was fighting with the wind, which made taking a hand off the handlebars seem a bit dangerous. Now, I find that I’m constantly “tinkering” with what gear I’m in, to keep my cadence up. It’s a whole different ballgame.

Tennessee Teammate Missy after her ride at the IM Luh'vul course - Go Team, IronTeam!

I found the other day when I went for a pretty short ride with H that I do the same thing when I have my water in bottles! When I have the Camelbak, I happily sip along. With bottles, I only drink when I really think about it and want to go through the “effort” of reaching down to get the bottle (and put it back!). I wound up FAR more dehydrated than when I use the Camelbak.

I’m sort of bummed to find out that IM Louisville is a bunch of rollers. As I have progressed, I have found that I’m VERY strong on flats, but I suck at uphills. I’m fine on downhills, not super speedy, but not super scaredy-cat either. Paula, my teammate with whom I rode the Marin Metric Century, is doing IML and is going to ROCK it, because she is a hill maven. It’s the oddest thing - when she gets on the flats, she SUCKS. We laugh that, together, we make one perfect cyclist and one awful one.

So what happened for me during this “Recovery” week?

Thursday I did the Run Marker. I was running around doing “Sonoma County Errands” all day, and so did the 10K/25 laps at the Petaluma High track. Brought back training for the sprint triathlon in the late 90s when I lived on my farm. I did the Marker in 1:07:42. I couldn’t have taken another step – which is what I understood we were supposed to do. It was pretty mind-numbing going around and around, so I broke it into 5 sets of 5 laps – funny how we can trick our brain!

I had “sexy phase” photos done on Friday. Karen Schneider took them, and it was a blast. She’s going to offer a special for “sexy phase” to my TNT Teammates – I can’t wait to see how the photos came out. I certainly had fun! 

Saturday, I actually did the 2 hour run that was on the schedule this week. (I have been moving things around – and didn’t get to the pool at all). H and I had a sleep deprivation catch-up morning and didn’t get up until something crazy like 11:00.  I  ran to my gym and back to see how long it would take (I think it’s about 10 miles) and it took around 2:30, with me having a “pit stop” at the gym and running into a friend for a quick chat. It was a lovely day – came home and did some gardening with H, and generally lolled around.

Sunday H and I did the Bike Marker. It was odd, because it was supposed to be a Team/Mentor marker, but it just didn’t come together. Melissa wound up doing it herself earlier, then H and I did it a bit later in the day (again, we slept until like 10:00!).

I did the marker set (5 miles) in 17:44 – it was super windy for the “out” part of the ride and the first ½ of the marker, but WHAT a pretty day. My average heartrate was 171 – yeah, I know, “If yours was that fast, you would be having a heart attack” (Laugh) Our marker sets are definitely on a rolling “terrain” (from Nicasio around Lake Laganitas to Sir Francis Drake Blvd, and back) – I have to get it down into my lowest gear a couple times. The idea is that you ride out to Sir Francis Drake, then from Drake back along the reservoir 5 miles is the Marker. The total is just about 20 miles.

At the end of the 5 miles on the Marker is a fast straightaway by the lake and when we hit that,  the wind had died down and I had a pounding song on my “Camelbak radio” (laugh) and so I FLEW (for me). I had it up at 23 mph on the flat. I was panting but had a grand old time. The fun part (evil me) is that H couldn’t keep up. He would pass me on the hills (I really REALLY suck on uphills) but I am a flats demon. We averaged 17 MPH on the whole ride – though I know that on some of the uphills, I was down in single digits. Not bad, considering the wind and all. We went home “the long way” from Nicasio because it was such a pretty day (out and down Drake), ate brunch at the Two Bird Cafe in San Geronimo, and then nosed around an Open House and a few nurseries to get some new plants for the garden. A nice, relaxing weekend.

I have been sandbagging on the Swim Marker, so going to do that this afternoon (the 5 x 500s).  

You Know You’re Iron When you say the phrase “it was only 10 miles” related to running and “it was only 20 miles” related to biking, and you mean it.

P.S.:  I did the Swim Marker set – yay! So it was 5×500 without a break (after a warmup). My times were:

500 #1: 10:34:44
500 #2: 10:48:31
500 #3: 10:56:84
500 #4: 10:35:08
500 #5: 10:48:54

Yeah ok so I was pissed to see when I tapped lap-3 over on my watch to lap-4 I was getting up towards 11:00 and I was determined not to do a split over 10:59!! I didn’t quite mean to negative split so hard btwn the 2 :-)

It’s an odd week for me – I have a ton of things that I have to do (none of them $-making, sadly!) and a lot of running around. This makes it hard to Swim, or even really to do things like the 10K Run marker. I have been able to get a couple of Runs in – what I would call “recovery runs” e.g. about 45 minutes or so – and a few Spins (again, about 45 minutes) – but unfortunately so far, no can do on Swimming. If only I had a pool in the back yard!

Yesterday I met with a client who has been my client for about 5 years – and we have never met in person! We met over in Point Richmond and afterwards, I went for a run through the “ferry point tunnel” out and back. It was a great run, though it was drizzling. I didn’t even know that part of Point Richmond existed. When I got home, H was down in the “studio” (a/k/a garage) and so I spun for a few miles.

I think I will be able to do the Swim Marker tomorrow late afternoon – I have a business acquaintance who is a professional photographer, and she wants to do photos of me in my tri stuff. I’m really excited. That means, however, that today I’m going to go get my shaggy mess of hair cut, which means going up to Sonoma . . . so I’m fitting in “Sonoma things” (like seeing friends that live up there, visit to the acupuncturist, dog in for a checkup, etc.) Once again, I will have my running shoes – so a little “active recovery run” might be in order. We’ll see – I don’t want to affect my “do” too much (laugh!)

At least last week on Sunday I did the 4 mile/4 mile Run, and the 2000 yard Swim, and I did keep the times. So that gives me SOME idea of “where I am.” I don’t think I have improved my times that much, but I’m pretty “steady on” with them. That doesn’t surprise me. When I was doing Olympic Distance triathlons long, long ago, in a galaxy far, far away (my 20s – ha!) I was never particularly faster than I am right now in the Run/Swim. I am now a LOT stronger on the Bike, however, because I didn’t have a clue how to really train for that “back then.” I never get particularly faster in the Run/Swim – I just get happier. (smile.)

Well, off to get my “do” done – and get a little recovery Jog in somewhere along the way.

showing Maria how to make a black'n'tan

On Saturday, Maria (M-Dot) Afan and I worked Oysterfest for LLS. Basically, that means working from morning to night pouring Guinness-branded beers, with tips going to the Leukemia Society. It was a SUPER cold morning, so I visited my Favorite Shopping Palace (Sports Basement) to pick up some arm warmers before hitting Fort Mason. Maria put this photo on Facebook, and one of her friends asked if the “black and tans” were the drinks, or Maria in the arm warmers! Loved it.

My bartending skills were definitely put to the test as the day wore on. WOW there were a lot of people, for a cold and foggy day! It could be because there were headliner bands (such as Cake) playing. At one point I wound up “womanning” the taps myself – meaning I had about 5 pints going at once. SO iron! The frustrating bit is that the tips that are received all go into a big “pot” and are then “divvied out” – and MANY of the people pretty much either stood around or didn’t even work (e.g., didn’t put on the staff shirts, and just took off). Although the gal running the whole thing for LLS “cautioned” that if you “were caught” doing this that you would not get your portion, OF COURSE no one was really watching. This does not take away from the HUGE Thank Yous that are due to everyone who threw dinero into our Tip Boxes – you are making a difference and maybe your $$ will be what tramples blood cancers once and for all!

me taking my one 10 minute break, under the truck.

OK, I should get off my disgruntled soapbox…Well, one more thing. I think Maria said that last year, after working the same amount of time (over 8 hours) that she got $100 as her “cut.” I am not sure what I was expecting, but I guess that I thought that there would be about 1/2 the volunteers (which would probably have been about the number of volunteers that actually worked, if our booth was any example of the other beer booths), and that we would get 5x $100. “Bitter, party of one…” OK I will shut up. Maria took some cute photos though so here they are (smile).

Our team did their 80-mile Vineman course ride on Saturday. I woke up on Sunday sore from all the standing on Saturday, and sore “mentally” for not having done the ride. Maria and I had received an email at the end of OysterFest (and, of course, the end of that 80-mile ride for our fellow “otter swimmers”) that Coach Mike’s excursion to Pacific Grove for an open water swim in Monterey and long run was cancelled due to Vineman Ride Exhaustion. I had a seriously Lazy Mental State going, and felt “weird” about being so sore from basically “pulling taps” all day (and not “really” exercising). However, I got myself together after Maria and I had a little “pep talk” with one another, and did an 8 mile Run, and then a 2000 yard Swim. The Run had been switched from an 8-miler to “do an hour and a 1/2, of which 45 minutes is at your Tempo pace,” but it is a lot easier for me (since I don’t have a Garmin) to pace out a set of miles in the car, and then go for that. (I can’t figure out my “Tempo pace” otherwise, because I have no way of knowing how far I have gone in a set amount of minutes.) I ran out China Camp from the JCC (my pool) – the first 4 miles I did in 45:14, which IS about my Tempo pace from the V-DOT chart (my Tempo pace is 11:57). I took a “pit stop” and then came back the 4 miles, and did that in 47:44. My legs were definitely heavier on the way back. I was having fun though – listening to my “toonz” and actually singing which is always a BAD thing. Some guys going past me with their windows down and their muddy bikes up on racks from a ride (mountain biking was basically “born” at China Camp) passed me while I was singing and laughed and gave me a  “thumbs up.” As in “You go girl, don’t worry about what ANYONE thinks.” (smile)

The run was one of those glorious ones that don’t happen often for me – when I feel like my legs are sort of on “autopilot” and just carrying me forward. I had that a few times when I was training for the Big Sur Marathon – I feel strong, balanced, and like my legs are almost “robotically” moving the “top half” of me towards the destination. It’s hard to put it to words, but I just love it. I don’t even have to think about leaning forward, pacing, or the like – it just “happens” and I get to “go along for the ride.” I was super happy. Yippee!

"carbo loading" (beer and gel!) during my 10 minute break - I thought I'd have time to get food, but no go. Thank goodness I brought a Hammer Gel!

I got back to the JCC and transitioned into the pool, and did the 2000 yards. I decided to pretty much take it easy – just plug it out. My arms were really sore, and I realized it was actually probably from (wo)manning the taps the day before! I did the 2000 yards in 48:32 – so each of the three “sets” – the two 4-mile run “sets” and the 2000-yard swim “set” – was pretty much the same time (right around 45ish minutes).

Monday was supposed to be the 80-mile ride, with Maria and Coach Mike, but as rain was forecasted, Mike was kind enough to instead set us up with a Triple Brick. (For a definition of a “brick” follow Maria’s link, above – she talks about it.)

Maria got to my house somewhere around 9:30 a.m., and we got our nutrition together, and our “timing.” I wanted to be sure that we didn’t have to go back up to the house (as we were doing the Spin down in the “workout studio” – a/k/a garage) except for me to take Jake (my dog) inside when we would go for the Run (he’s gotten too old to come along at speed, poor darlin’), and to have “potty breaks.” We were both a bit “math challenged” on the nutrition front, which was sort of funny. I thought I was the only one who couldn’t “multiply by 2″ in my head. (smile) Once we got it all sorted,

we plugged my iPod into the stereo system that H had rigged up down there, and started our “journey.”

Here is the workout:

Pedal Mechanics Sustainable Power.
Clock Time:
0:00 Begin Easy Warmup
9:00 One Leg Drills begin RIGHT leg (easy gear)

We don't need no stinkin' Garmin: With a heart rate monitor watch AND a chrono watch AND a cadence meter...and a bottle of Thermalytes & a sweat rag...anything is possible, right?

10:00 Both Legs (1′RI @ 90+ RPM)
11:00 Left Leg
12:00 Both
13:00 Right
14:00 Both
15:00 Left
16:00 Both
17:00 Right
18:00 Both
19:00 Left
20:00 5′ Recovery @80-85+ RPM
SUSTAINABLE POWER INTERVALS
(Lvl 6-8 Effort 90+ rpm)
3×10′ efforts w/5′ Recovery between each effort
25:00 First 10′ SP Interval @ Lvl 6-7
(zone 3- Tempo LT chart)
35:00 5′ Recovery, easy gear 85-90+ rpm
40:00 second 10′ SP interval @ Lvl 6-7
(zone 3 – Tempo)
50:00 5′ Recovery, easy gear 85-90+ rpm
55:00 Third 10′ SP Interval @ lvl 6-7
(zone 3- tempo)
1:05:00 10′ Run @ Level 3 effort
1:15:00 Repeat Spin from time 0:00 (3x total)

view of the rain, from the "workout studio"

in the "workout studio" - yeah, sexy sweaty hair I got there. I know. Totally Vogue.

It was tough, but it was also fun. We got “Workout Tourettes” by the 3rd go-around on the Spin, but in general, we pretty much kept it together. (My bike computer registered that I covered 46.6 miles in the Spin for the session – well, Dist-1 is 46.6 and Dist-2 is 63, I have to believe I didn’t zero it out. I worked HARD though, one way or another.)

When we went for the Run, it was raining, but not particularly cold or windy (except the 3rd time around, when I was videotaping Maria – you can hear the wind blowing in the microphone). Maria did manage to find out that her “waterproof” jacket was actually just a “windbreaker” – when she came back from the 2nd round totally soaked!

The road from my house is pretty hilly – as in, I can’t actually make it up the hills myself on the bike. So though the runs were only “5 minutes out and 5 minutes back,” it was definitely not a cakewalk. On the last run, when we were definitely in “loopy stage,” we filmed ourselves – here you go:

finishing the bike part of the 3rd brick. Oh yeah. Sex-say.

In all, quite the weekend! Today (Tuesday), writing this, I feel VERY fatigued but, masochistically, in a ‘good way.’ I feel (as Maria said in her blog) as if I really “earned the burn” during this workout. I think we kept each other going – and whether it was me shouting “ONE MORE MINUTE” or Maria shouting “KEEP IT AT 155,” we ground it out (in a good way). Every now and again I would look at Maria and think of the lyrics to John Lennon’s song Imagine, “You may think I’m crazy…But I’m not the only one…”

One of our many You Know You’re Iron When learnings from Monday – You Know You’re Iron When you are “steaming” – from the INSIDE and from the OUTSIDE! Also – as Maria noted on her blog – we staged all these photos (except the 2 videos of course) AFTER our workout – no sandbagging by these grrls!

Postscript: Just got the notification that Oysterfest raised $10,662.06 (or $400 more than last year) for LLS. Which is GREAT. That works out to $90 each. Oy. I gotta not be bitter about folks who did not work. I gotta. I gotta. I…maybe it’s time for a beer (laugh). 

Me, steaming (the "defocussed part" above my neck/shoulders is steam coming off my back)

Monday: Monday was Rest Day – and I definitely took advantage of it! Unfortunately sort of got off my Eating Plan – feeling sorry for myself and hurting is not a good combo for me, and I was still processing the Century. Lots of pep emails with Maria M-Dot helped to screw my head back on straight. Thanks M!!!

Tuesday: Tuesday was Swim and Brick day – got that done, blogged about it…of course that morning I was thinking “It’s GOTTA still be Monday [rest day] SOMEWHERE in the world…”

Wednesday: This was a toughie – as I blogged about, I had a bunch of meetings (trying to get some $$ here – man, the economy sucks), and when it came to fitting the workout in, well, there just wasn’t enough time to do it all. So instead, I ratcheted up the intensity, and did 1/2 of the prescribed workout. It was TOUGH but I felt GREAT actually. Did the Run on the treadmill at the gym, and was feeling strong and really committed. Kept dialing the speed up and up – got to the point where I was running at less than 10 minutes per mile! That’s CRAZY for me. The interesting part was that when I dialed it back to walk a bit and cool down, I could walk at the “treadmill numbers” that I usually run at. This reminds me of the Progressive Cycling Spin Workouts that we do – you start at like 80 RPM/90 RPM tradeoffs, then you go to 85/95, 90/100, 95/105 and such. By the time you’re pumping out those “greater than 100 RPMs,” when you get back to 80, which feels fast at the beginning of the workout, it’s like a “cooldown”!

Thursday: This was supposed to be a Track day, but I ran with Sharyn (that’s the Mechanic’s Special blog, right before this one). Some time during this week, I was talking with my friend Lizzie (who is a Beach Body coach) about getting more Strength/Stretching/Abs in, and she put me on an alternating P90X XStretch/Ab Ripper X routine for the week. The best part about it is that she checks in on me every day – and I can “tell her” when I’m working out through the WOWY Online Gym – you send an “invitation” to “buddies” and then they can cheer you on, “join” you and the like. I had a very solitary and frustrating experience with Beach Body before (which I’d joined to get “Atta Girl” training_ ) this was when I was trying to get out of my “haven’t worked out since 2006 funk” last summer. So I’m cautiously optimistic this is going to get me FINALLY motivated to get the other non-Swim/Bike/Run workouts in that I have been sandbagging.

The best part of the day was Maria M-Dot emailing me to tell me that I had reached my fundraising minimum (by $4.16!) YIPPEE!!! Now I don’t have to “worry” any more. Thank you thank you, donors, you ROCK!

Friday: Swim workout:

Warm Up: 300 yards easy
(total warmup 300 yards)

Drills – 3×50 yards each drill, as follows:
25 kick on back/25 freestyle
25 Catch Up Drill/25 freestyle
25 scull/25 freestyle
(total drills 750 yards)

Main Workout: 3x 900 yards
#1 Level 5 (race pace)
#2 Level 5 with negative split
#3 Level 6
(total yardage for Main Workout: 2700)

Cooldown 100 yards easy
Total for Workout: 3550 yards

While I tried to “negative split” (first 1/2 faster than the next 1/2) the 900s, it didn’t quite work out that way. I did Lap 1 in 19:41, Lap 2 in 20:03, and Lap 3 in 20:29. Instead of beating myself up about it, though, I thought DANG GIRL, you just swam 3550 yards!! Granted, some were Warm Up, some where Warm Down, and some were Drills. But a mile is 1760 yards, meaning I had gone OVER TWO MILES! That’s amazing! It was a gorgeous day, too – in fact I actually got some sun on my back swimming. The pool was VERY full (I was there at about 3:00 or so), and I realized that having the pool basically to myself since the beginning of training for the Ironman in November (yeah, okay, while the monsoons were going on over my workouts so I was the only “crazy person” out there!) was coming to an end. I was at least able to just “split” a lane not “circle swim,” and I hope that it never gets so full that we’re more than 2 in a lane. It’s a big pool, but I fear that’s not going to be the deal in a few more weeks. Ah well – I’ll just keep on keepin’ on…and maybe find a time that’s a bit less crowded! I would have thought that 3:00 was a time when folks were still in work – but I have a feeling that I’m going to need to go later at night – that a lot of these folks were drawn to the sun and lolling around in the lounge chairs around the pool then “taking a dip” for 10 laps or so. Folks were getting into lanes at both ends of the pool – which is against the rules – and the lifeguard was a young gal who wasn’t keeping control over that. Time to pull the reins in! I think the issue is that the rules state that you need to get in in front of the lifeguard tent, at the deep end – and what folks were doing is getting in on the shallow end – from their lounge chairs. A gal and I actually took opposite ends of a free “split lane” at one point and she was obviously PISSED as I slid in – but the lifeguard was already on her way over to tell the gal to take a different lane. She gave me the stink eye during my workout…but I just outlasted her (laugh).

The Swim took longer than I thought it was going to take, which was bad because H and I were supposed to meet and go into the city. He was sitting waiting for me on the side of a road for 1/2 hour, and had actually just headed back home – not happy – when I called to say I was done with the workout. I told him I still wanted to go in – so he did turn around and meet me. We went in to the MOMA Rental Gallery Art Sale (nothing special), then Sports Basement. You Know You’re Iron When your food budget now includes “sports nutrition” as a line item – I’ve blogged that already, but it’s SO TRUE. Because my income has been DRASTICALLY reduced in this economy, I have had to figure out creative ways to get this pricey stuff into the budget. I’m finding that I’m buying a lot more vegetables and cutting them up/grilling/etc. (time-intensive) rather than buying pre-packaged stuff (which is pricier). I’m also searching out deals more, etc. - and of course I’ve cut EVERYTHING that I used to “enjoy” but that is non-essential (lattes, a piece of clothing here or there, going out for cocktails with friends, mani/pedis, magazines, dry cleaning, music, books, etc.) completely OUT of my budget. So it goes.

After the city, we went to Poggio in Sausalito for dinner. I was VERY careful, figuring that perhaps part of why the Century was so tough was the heavy pre-ride dinner of cocktails, ribs, mashed potatoes, wine, etc. H wanted a couple of lamb appetizers (a lamb tongue dish and a lamb neck dish) and lamb often doesn’t agree with me, but I had a tiny bit (did regret it later, sadly). He had a cocktail, but I got a glass of wine, and sipped it and then ultimately gave him 1/2. I also said no to dessert and coffee – I wanted to hold firm, and figured that once we got HOME if I wanted something, we had the amazing Austrian chocolate he’d purchased and I could make some tea. Of course, once we got there, I just went to bed! (smile).

Saturday: This was a “Captain’s Workout” in Napa on Silverado Trail – about 57 miles (give or take) and then a couple mile Run afterwards. Paula, Patricia, Melissa and I started out early, and actually hit the road at 7:30 a.m. (everyone else was meeting at 8:00). It is a rolling-but-generally-flat ride. After a warmup, we were to take our average heartrate over a 10 mile stretch – mine averaged at 164, with a high at 179. Melissa heard my numbers and said that she would die if her heart was going that fast! Yeah – I know. H too – his “average heartrate” at the gym is something like 84. I think that’s my resting heart rate!

There was wind on the way out, which we just had to hunker down and push through. Melissa got out to a fast start while the 3 of us were warming up, then when we started the 10 mile “time trial” portion, I pulled away from Patricia and Paula. I caught Melissa at 128 – she was looking at her directions, I think trying to figure out if that was Hwy 29 (the turn around) or not. I yelled to her “Ten more miles!” and then sped on through.

At that point, I became Melissa’s “carrot” – she wound up “reeling me in” with about 15 miles to go at the end of the ride. We were lucky – by getting out early, we had the headwind from Trancas to Highway 29, but it was a tailwind for a good portion of the ride back. It “flipped directions” near the end, and all I could think of was how the winds work at Kona. The pros get a headwind out, but the “back of the pack” get the headwind both directions – because the wind flips and they’re on the course long enough to have it happen! That was the case with the IronPeeps that started later in the morning.

This is what Head Coach Dave’s email said about the wind:

While riding along Silverado trail in Napa on Saturday (or wherever you rode) or running on Sunday you probably encountered some wind. Well, there are two ways to look at wind and each will lead you down a different path.

Here are your two choices:

 1) I HATE WIND – Wind sucks, it is my enemy. When I encounter wind I tackle it head on and beat it down with all my might. Every pedal stroke will be a swift kick in the pants for the wind. Every wave it stuffs down my throat will be spit back in defiance. I will not hide from the wind on the run, I will face it eyes wide open and beat it into submission regardless of what it takes both mentally and physically to do it. I WILL DEFEAT IT !!!

 2) WIND IS MY FRIEND – Wind is my training partner. When the weather is nasty and my friends all hide under the covers and safe inside the house, my friend the wind comes out to play with me. We play tag when we ride. One moment I am “It” and Mr. Wind runs from me. The next moment it turns on me and chases me down. We have a complicated relationship, but I always know my friend the wind will come out to play when others will not. I welcome the wind to keep me cool and dry the perspiration from my brow on hot days. It keeps me on my toes as it nudges me from side to side when I least expect it. Wind keeps me honest and makes sure I get in a good workout when all I want to do is coast through the motions of today’s training schedule with the least amount of effort. Wind taught me that I need to be able to breathe on both sides in open water for when it comes out to play from all directions at the lake. Thank you for being there for me Mr. Wind, you are alright.

 So, which camp are you in right now? We hope you see the message in the fine print. You can’t control the wind, you need to embrace it and let it become part of your training and racing experience. The sooner you make peace with the wind (or insert any other facet of your training you have no control over), the sooner you will be able to unclutter your mind and get to the business of discovering how freakishly strong you really are!

Be the wind Danny : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mo0baknLDdU

But – back to the story. As I worked on reeling Melissa in (a carrot is a wonderful thing), I could see that we were both spending a lot of time being uncomfortable on that last 10 miles. Standing up on our pedals, stretching our “booties back,” etc. It was tough at the end! But as Mel wrote about in her blog - that’s just kinda how this goes. Or as Head Coach Dave says – We’re training for Ironman…not Plasticman.

We got back to the parking lot together, and I threw my bike in the car and headed in for my customary potty break as Mel got her bike stowed, then we were back out to do the Run. I had done a “test” during the ride – though I hit the grocery restroom THREE times before we got going, I wanted to see whether I could actually ride the 60 miles without a potty break. My ‘back teeth were floating” when we got back in – but I made it. I seem to have the nutrition dialed in as well – my fingers are crossed, but I felt STELLAR the whole day. I am now using GU Brew (9 scoops in my Camelbak) mixed with CarboPro (8 scoops). I finished that on the bike, then actually wound up taking just water out in a bottle for the Run. I had 2 HEED Gels on the bike to see if those work as well as the GU for me – don’t care for their consistency so much, but they come in a big bottle, which would be a LOT more economical if I were to fill up a “GU bullet” with the stuff. I’d brought some of the organic/honey-based “Stinger” gel packs as well, but they just didn’t sound appetizing so I didn’t use them. I really have to try them out because I like the idea that they are all natural (and they have a lot more calories per pack, too). I also have found a recovery drink that is working great – I can’t remember the brand, but I found some “testers” at Sports Basement and they worked during the Century. Unfortunately when I went to get a tub of it, they only had a flavor I didn’t like – so I got more of the tester packs! It’s great because it’s not very sweet. By the time I hit recovery, I’m pretty “done” with “sweet.”

The run went along the very pretty Napa bike path for the 2 mile “out and back.” Melissa and I did a walk/run, because her hamstring was starting to act up. I was fine with that, though at the last “walk” I told her I was going to run ahead, just to see where my legs really were. I was surprised I felt very fresh. That was great. Once we got back to the cars our IronPeeps started trickling in – so I went to the grocery store and bought a couple cans of our “secret recovery weapon” – Salt & Vinegar Pringles! (laugh) Yes, Melissa hooked me on these after the Napa ride a few weeks ago.

I felt super good about my performance on the bike and still feeling fresh on the run. I had even zero’d out my bike computer, and was looking forward to checking my average MPH, etc. Unfortunately, Patricia and Mel’s bikes must have jostled against mine, because when I got the bike back out, the computer was zero’d out! I was REALLY bummed. I think that I averaged about 17-18 MPH, though when it got “tough going” in the wind I was down around 13. I don’t even know how long we took – because of course I was relying on the bike computer for that. We started out at 7:30 a.m. and I’m fairly certain that we started the Run around 10:45 after loading up the bikes and  a “pit stop.” Ah, that’s another reason I’m upset – I didn’t even have any pit stops along the way – so it HONESTLY would have been a true “test” of my time. Grump grump grump. The reason I hadn’t even reset my watch is that I still had the Swim Splits on it, so all in all, I learned…take the darned Splits off when you get home (even if it’s just onto a scrap of paper!) and at LEAST have the failsafe of your watch for total elapsed time. I was very pouty about losing that information. Grrrrr.

UPDATE NOTE: I wrote to Haakon and Tony who were both in when Melissa and I got back - Haakon said “I’m pretty sure we were in from the bike very close to 11AM. I believe my bike time was around 2:50. I know I was done with the run before 11:30 and I ran for 20 minutes.” I know that they were not out on the Run when we got back – they were still at their cars – so I’m going to assume that we got in pretty doggone close to 11 AM (not 10:45 as I surmised) – that means I did the ride in about 3.5 hours – I think it was 56-57 miles, I averaged somewhere around 16 MPH. YES! Awesome! Considering that at the Century we averaged 13 MPH. I’m good with that!

Sunday: Sunday was Mother’s Day. We were up early to get the brunch ready – a bread pudding recipe from Cooks Illustrated (wow, it was AWESOME), poached eggs, bacon, tomatoes, tangerine “mimosas,” the works. H, who is a whizz at floral arranging, put together the 3 bunches of flowers that I had bought for mom – peach colored lilies, roses, big white hydrangeas, berries, etc. WOW it was so gorgeous. It was raining hard off and on during the day, and my gorging on bread pudding, bacon and the like plus generally lolling meant I bagged the 120 minute run that we were supposed to do (still did the Ab Ripper X though that Lizzie had slated me for). I’m going to do it this morning . . . after I finish this blog (yes, really). Though it’s technically a rest day, I usually find that I have to re-arrange things because it’s tough to give BOTH days of the weekend to training. It’s much easier to train on Monday, when H works in the city.

So that’s my update.

When the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence,
it may be that they take better care of it there.”
- Writer, Cecil Selig

We dropped off the keys at the appointment and (funnily enough), one of the mechanics wanted to be assured that the last time we were there (a week ago) that H wasn’t “mad at them” about the service. (This is H’s mechanic.) I assured them that he was just grumpy sometimes…but had to smile a bit that they were concerned about that.

Sharyn and I actually drove back to my house (I’d forgotten a book I had promised to loan her), and we went off on our one hour run. It was fun to catch up, and we planned to try to meet for a run whenever one could!

So, we were back at the mechanic’s by 11:45 . . . ready to pick up my car.

It hadn’t even been looked at yet.

(A-ppoint-ment…)

Sharyn offered to stay with me, but what are you going to do? I got a cup of Folger’s and CoffeeMate, and sat there in the linoleum lobby next to a machine full of 10-year-old Chiclets to “wait out” them getting to my car.

I read through my email on my BlackBerry, texted a few friends . . . the clock ticked… and (I have a pretty even temper) I started to get peeved. I actually Tweeted (which goes to Facebook) what was going on (because I was peeved). I even (heh heh heh) – remembering the tone of their voices when talking about H – emailed HIM at work, just to “let him know” that I was “still there” and the car hadn’t “been seen yet.” (Mean. I know. What can I say?)

And then – the light shone on my day. Coach Sedonia Facebook’d: “Do core!!! You know you’re iron when you find that the car shop is not going to be done with your car for 45 mins so instead of sitting and waiting you bust out planks in the middle of the parking lot!!”

I laughed, sat there in the plastic chairs . . . and then got a little smarmy smile on my face. No WAY would Sedonia imagine I would DO it.

So – I did.

My car was STILL sitting out on the tarmac, and the keys where inside. I had a yoga mat in the back of the car, but decided to make my “point” – so I ran my hand over the astroturf outside (yes, a little square of astroturf with a plastic umbrella set on top of it), realized it wasn’t at least STICKY with dirt . . . and started.

Abs. Planks. Bicycles.  In FULL view of the mechanics. So, first, they came over to mock me. I didn’t do a thing, kept working out. When they came out to make comments the second time (they at least wiped the powdered sugar from their mouths with the back of their hands), I looked up, and said “I had an appointment here at 10. It’s now past noon. I was supposed to go to the gym, but now I have to do it here.”

They didn’t know what to do about me. They started grumbling. Then, about a minute later, I heard my car starting, and they edged it on into the bay. As they were working on it, they gave me these sidelong glances that started out being kinda smarmy, and then edged on…concern (I like to pretend it was Fear), as I just kept going.

Then, the REALLY big guy from behind the counter came out to “be friendly.” I was doing a plank, and he stood a bit far away, so that I could “see him” (it was funny – because there’s no way this guy could squat down). He made some sort of crack about whether I could do a few for him, too, and I said “Sure, no worries about that. But I’m definitely feeling hungry, since I’ve been here hours longer than my Scheduled Appointment, so I think I am going to have to call my Husband to come and take me out to lunch.”

Yeah that did it. Suddenly, it was a mechanic anthill on my car. I started laughing so hard that I had to do “bicycles” because you can laugh and do those (planks, not so much). Nice to have a Grumpy Husband that scares’em. I could also hear them talking as they were working on the car, “She’s still working out. That’s just not right. That’s right by the front door.” (What, like I was going to push business away from coming to visit their low-rider butt, stomach-over-the-belt selves?)

Once I started working out – and of course threw the “H word” at them – the car was done in 20 minutes!

That – and X Stretch with P90X – was my day.

(smile)

You Know You’re Iron When your way of intimidating people into getting a job done is to do planks, “bicycles” and burpies in their parking lot until they “submit.”

Yesterday was a Swim ladder, and a Brick spin/run. I had a bunch of “clean up email” stuff to do, and “suddenly” it was 3:00 – time to get the whole thing in! So I strapped on my heart rate monitor, and hit the garage…oh I mean “workout studio.” Here is the bike workout. The greatest thing for me was having done that Lactate Threshold test – because as I’m doing these repeats, I can watch my heart rate climb (or fall) and I gear up or down accordingly. It’s such a different workout that way than just “slogging through it” without really knowing what to do. I definitely wasn’t working hard enough before – there is a huge puddle under my bike now after I finish, and my “transition” includes completely changing out of my clothes, which look like I have “cycled through” a rainstorm!

TR-6 PROGRESSIVE SPEED (90 Minutes) + 20′ brick run @ tempo pace immediately following bike.
WU 15′ in the Middle/Middle (MM) chainrings. ‘ = minutes, ” = seconds
5 x (3′ MM@85RPM/90″ MM@75RPM),
5 x(2′ MM @90RPM/1′ @80RPM),
5 x(90″ MM@90RPM/45″ MM@80RPM),
5 x(1′ MM @95RPM/30″ MM @85RPM),
5 x(30″MM @100RPM/15″MM @95RPM)  
use hardest gear you can to maintain RPM and Aerobic HR Zone
CD 15′ MM; off bike, run 20 minutes.

I covered just over 27 miles doing the bike (per my bike computer) – the thing that was really instructive to watch was how my MPH shifted as I shifted through the gears (especially when I went to an easier gear, to get my heart rate down). I know, it seems “obvious” to do this – but I never really had before. I am reading a book by Cherie Gruenefeld, an Ironman athlete, and her chapter on “Focus” talks a lot about paying attention to such things. When I was in my warmdown and at about 26 miles, I practiced moving into harder gears and different cadence, just to see how it affected the miles I was covering. Very instructive.

I haven’t listed my Playlist for a while, so I thought I would do so here.

PLAYLIST for Bike/Spin and Run:
‘Till I Collapse, Eminem & Nate Dogg
When I’m Up (I Can’t Get Down), Great Big Sea
Scar That Never Heals, Jeremy Fisher
Suddenly I See, KT Tunstall
Heads Carolina, Tails California, Jo Dee Messina
Summer Nights, Rascal Flatts
Jump In The Line, Harry Belafonte
Oh Oh Oh Sexy Vampire (JUSTiNB’s Video Edit), Fright Ranger
Environmental Product, Brisk & Vagabond (3x – this is only a bit under 2 minutes long and I LOVE IT. Anyone know where to get a longer play version of this??)
Untouched, The Veronicas
Little Bitty Pretty One (Live), The Doobie Brothers
Spotlight, MuteMath
Sex Bomb, Tom Jones
Let It Rock, Kevin Rudolf & Lil Wayne
18 Wheeler, P!nk
Shambala, Three Dog Night
Iko-Iko, Zap Mama
Pour Some Sugar On Me
Land of 1000 Dances, Wilson Pickett
Marrakesh Express, Crosby, Stills & Nash
Hollywood Nights
La Grange, ZZ Top
Express Yourself, Glee Cast
I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho), Pitbull
This Is How A Heart Breaks, Rob Thomas
Daniella, John Butler Trio
Mony Mony, Billy Idol
Supermassive Black Hole, Muse
Fuego, Pitbull
Sex On Fire, Kings of Leon
U Can’t Touch This, MC Hammer

Yeah yeah, eclectic, I know! Came back from the Run (actually a bit over 20 minutes – it’s hard to gauge with my crazy hilly terrain around my house), grabbed my swim bag, and off to the pool! I swigged a Recovery drink in the car (are you still in “recovery” if you are recovering from one workout and moving on to another? I figured I was, since it takes a bit to get to the pool).

Swim Ladder Workout:

WU 300 EZ
3×50 25 kick on back/25 free 10″
3×50 25 Catch Up (CU)/25 free 10″
3×50 25 scull/25 free 10″
25 3SW 10″
50 Breathing every 3 10″
75 SAR 15″
100 Build L4-L7 by 25 15″
125 Steady L5 15″
150 Build L4-L6 by 50 20″
175 Steady L5 15″
200 Build L4-L7 by 50 20″
175 Steady L5 15″
150 Build L4-L6 by 50 20″
125 Steady L5 15″
100 Build L4-L7 by 25 15″
75 SAR 15″
50 Breathing every 3 10″
25 3SW 10″
CD 100 EZ
Total Yardage: 2450

Today, it’s another Brick:

TR-2 PEDALING (50 Minutes) + 20′ brick run @ tempo pace after bike.
Warm-up 10 minutes in middle-middle chainrings.
Repeat the following drill sets TWICE.
Stay in big ring up front the entire workout, Shift to 3rd from largest ring in back.
Alternate removing one foot from the pedals for 30 seconds at a time @ 50-60 RPM’s,
returning to two footed pedaling for one minute @ 80 rpm between single leg efforts.
Repeat 4 times per leg.(12 minutes total).
Shift to 4th from smallest gear in back.
Pedal at 85 rpm.
Focus all mental energy on the 1:00 to 3:00 position of the pedal stroke for 2 minutes.
Focus all mental energy on the 4:00 to 6:00 position of the pedal stroke for 2 minutes.
Focus all mental energy on the 6:00 to 9:00 position of the pedal stroke for 2 minutes.
Focus all mental energy on the 9:00 to 12:00 position of the pedal stroke for 2 minutes.  
(run immediately after, no cool down)

I’m slamming this blog down but then heading out the door to a biz meeting (ahem – with my bike gear underneath…) so that I can have the meeting, go do the workout (at the gym – spinning on their bikes is not as good as mine, but sometimes you “gotta do what you gotta do”), then to another 3 meetings in a row, then back home. I guess this is the life of an Ironman Athlete, eh?

Feeling pretty strong, especially after gutting out the workout yesterday. I am Grrrrrrateful to be helping lick cancer and FINALLY getting my booty in gear to get back in shape. Grrrrrrrrrrrrr! That’s me – with a Tiger in my Tank!

IronQuote of the day, courtesy of Maria M-Dot:

Thinking vs. Focusing

Thinking is judgmental and critical.  If you make a mistake or perform poorly when you’re in a thinking mode, it may hurt your confidence and cause you to feel badly about yourself as a triathlete.  Thinking actually interferes with your ability to focus in a way that will hurt your performance and may cause it to deteriorate.  If you’re thinking, you’re likely to react with strong emotions because these obstacles are blocking your path to your goals.

Focusing simply involves attending to internal or external cues.  This process is objective and detached from judgment or evaluation.  If you make a mistake on something you were focusing on, you’re able to accept it and not be overly disappointed by failure.  In a focusing mode, you’re able to use the failure as information to correct the problem and perform better in the future. -Jim Taylor & Terri Schneider, “The Triathlete’s Guide to Mental Training”

Well, we were definitely misinformed. First big lesson: KNOW THE COURSE. But let’s start with the “good.”

It was a perfect day for riding, with great Wine Country scenery. There was everything – from vines with the grape leaves filling in, to California poppies, to redwood trees, big old wooden barns, cows…even GIGANTIC goats…you name it. (the gigantic goats were a definite high point. They looked like Texas Longhorn cattle!!!) The course winds through the Russian River, Dry Creek, and Alexander Valley wine appellations. There were gorgeous, perfect moments of stillness now and again where we would be pedaling along, no wind, good tarmac, with the smell of the roses growing along the vines wafting over us. (Roses are planted next to the vines because they get the same bugs, but roses get them first – sort of the “canary in the coal mine” deal.)

Also, the Rest Stops were FANtastic – with everything from hand-cooked breakfast burritos, lots of different electrolyte beverages, coffee with real cream (H loved that!), pretzels, hand made sandwiches, M&Ms, cookies, bananas, chips, oranges, etc. Of course peanut butter everywhere – since I’m allergic, I didn’t take anything that might have been “around” the peanut butter (e.g., didn’t eat any of the cookies – which looked great! – because they might have been lying next to the peanut butter ones, etc.) – but the pretzels, bananas, and the like were a welcome respite to my GU Brew, Carbopro and GU! (I am still working on fueling…so far, the no-protein, low solid fuel seems to be working.) Though we didn’t thankfully need to use them, the mechanics that were available at the Rest Stops received amazing ‘reviews’ that we were hearing along the road, so great kudos to all the volunteers who came out for this one.

There were SAG wagons available on the route as well and we saw them pretty “plentifully” (is that a word)? Unfortunately, we got off to a late start (started at 8:00 a.m.) and were near the tail end of the 100 mile “group” – so we missed one turn because we’d gotten used to a SAG wagon being at each turn and at this one point, it wasn’t there. Luckily, it was near Hall Road, which I used to live on – so instead of having to backtrack, we went forward and down Fulton, then cut back onto Hall and caught up to the course. It was actually kind of cool to ride down Hall Road, thinking of what my life used to be like when I lived there. I raised shire draft horses, learned to ride my first motorcycle on that street, and certainly never in a MILLION years would have imagined myself 2/3 of the way to an Ironman triathlon!

There were apparently 2,500 riders that day out on the course - that is a LOT of riders! – but we never had any issues with being in big groups or crowds. I didn’t even have that long of a wait at any of the Rest Stop Port-A-Potties, so again, great kudos to the Santa Rosa Cycling Club for this.

The 100 mile course apparently has about 3,600 ft. in elevation (someone with a Garmin said that at the last Rest Stop). The Metric Century is about 2,500 ft. total climb (again, I had this from someone with a Garmin at the last Rest Stop), avoiding the early, hilly portions of the 100 mile course and taking an easy, eight-mile shortcut to the main course.

Another WONDERFUL thing on the “good” side was that Les (my TNT Cycling Coach) had loaned me his house, which is only about 2 miles from the start of the Century. So we didn’t have the hour and a half drive the morning of the race. We did manage to have a sub-optimal pre-race dinner of BBQ Ribs, wine, martinis, and the like with a friend – but that was because we THOUGHT we were just facing the distance, and had somehow been misinformed that none of the hills were more than a “few rollers.” We walked into Les’s house, and the first thing we saw were tiny red satin slippers with red feather boa tops, by the front door. Herbert laconically said, “Are those Les’s?” I of course texted immediately to Lesandjen (remember – ‘Brangelina’) with this question, to give them a bit of a smile during their pre-Wildflower jitters. I had a “You Know You’re Married When” moment too – here we are, in our own little “B&B” (kinda sorta) and Herbert spent the night…in Les’s armchair at his stereo (which he dubbed “Ze Sweet Spot”)! I fell asleep listening to Les Miz and smiling to myself.

OK, so, now – The Ugly. The one thing that saved me, before I get down “to it,” was meeting up with Phil, Erin, Kathryn and Will at the last rest stop – because hearing from THEM that the day was Tough, Awful, “Totally Sucked” – well, that just made me realize how much of a difference it makes that it’s “not just me” feeling the pain. THANK YOU Phil, Erin, Kathryn & Will (and Skip, who we met at once stoplight early on). Meeting up with my Teammates hit my “reset button” (especially at that last Rest Stop)! THANK YOU THANK YOU!

So. The scenery was gorgeous. But I didn’t really see that much of it. H kept us going at a fairly good clip – we finished (including Rest Stops) in 8.5 hours – just over 7 if you exclude the rest stops. We didn’t stop for the lunch, which was apparently fantastic – because by that time, I was in such a bad way, I realized if we stopped, I would STOP.

So, this is how the ride went. We got out kinda late – the 100 mile folks were supposed to be on the road between 7:00 and 8:00 a.m., and H and I always seem to take a lot longer than we imagine that we will. It’s my job to “anticipate this” but I don’t seem to do this all that well. I got up early enough to get us some oatmeal (trying out an Instant brand from Trader Joe’s to see if it will work for IML), and to get the replacement drinks, etc. together, but then we wound up having a Fire Drill with things like “Where is the Chapstick?” “Did you get the pump in the car?” blah blah. One of my smiling “You Know You’re Iron When” moments was arriving at Les’s house, where instead of flour/sugar/coffee canisters on the counter or some such, there are big huge jars of CarboPro, Heed, etc. – and in opening the cabinet to look for a coffee cup, an entire shelf of bike bottles. (smile) OK – and the dozens of competition swim caps laid in a neat rainbow at the top of the stairs. (To which H said, “Is this like a low-key, in-the-know trophy room or something?”) No coffee in the house (and I didn’t think to pack any – bad me) so we wound up searching out some coffee for H,and then parking in the back parking lot that was closest to the Finish. I think if his bike bottles hadn’t already been filled with Accellerade, he might have poured in the coffee!

There were a few turns at the beginning of the ride, and as we were at the tail end, not a lot of cyclists to follow. I managed to drop my directions fairly early on – it was windy, and in trying to get them back in my Bento Box, they just blew out of my hand. We got offtrack as I mentioned above, but I got us back on the route because I knew the area. There were actually some 35-mile riders on the route by that time, and we even caught the tail end of some of the 200k riders too.

I needed a “pit stop” before the first Rest Area, and an old, overgrown cemetery “magically” appeared right at the right spot. NO, I did not pee on any graves – though I’m not superstitious, there are some things that even I’m not going to do (smile). The whole “ducking behind” situation reminded me of one of the “You Know You’re Iron When” quotes from the Becoming An Ironman book though - the author of one vignette, a woman, had talked about having “intestinal issues” at Kona, and thinking “Yes, I can just duck behind this twig, this is plenty of coverage…” You Know You’re Iron When a twig, or a leaf, looks like PLENTY of foliage to hide behind in an Emergency Pitstop Moment…

I can’t remember if we hit the first Rest Stop before or after the first Hill From Hell. The Rest Stop was great – as I mentioned above, handmade breakfast burritos, lots of cameraderie, etc. Also, there were message boards, and I spotted a “Go Team, IronTeam!” message, which made me feel GREAT! So. The Hill From Hell. NOT so great. It was pretty early on – maybe mile…20? Less?…and I got maybe 4/5ths of the way up and realized that I just couldn’t keep turning the pedals, even though I was in my compound low “super slo mo” gear. There was no way for me to “unclip” from the cleats to put my foot down; I wasn’t moving fast enough. I struggled to get the foot out and it just knocked me straight over.

So, I knew I was going down…and I did. The scary part? I was on the right side of the road – and the road went down into a STEEP ravine. Thankfully, there was a steel mesh fence (covered with poison oak, mind you) that was on the edge of the road, so I went down “into” it with a BANG. Without that fence? I would have dropped down into that ravine, still attached to my bike. It scared the crap out of me in a big bad way.

H was ahead of me, but the guy next to me shouted “You OK?” And I said – “Yes, no worries” – because I was. Nicely cushioned by the poison oak and saved by the fence. Fantastic. I got myself back up, and pushed the bike to the top of the hill, where H’s (also scared) reaction was “Why did you DO that?” Um – I didn’t do it on PURPOSE…

I tried to keep on top of my nutrition, and so by the 2nd Rest Stop, had finished off my Camelbak. That is 70 oz. of fluid, in which I had put the GU Brew (9 scoops) and 8 scoops of CarboPro. I had also taken 3 GU or so, and some Thermalytes. I did eat some pretzels, but I didn’t feel much like eating and was still unhappy from my experience on that hill. I queried the Santa Rosa Cycling dude what was coming, and he said basically “just easy rollers until lunch.”

Hmmmm. This next section actually nearly killed me. I guess it was between miles about 40 and about 70 (which is where lunch was). I lost my sense of humor, I was hurting, and I realized that the new handlebars that I had gotten from the bike fit were likely too narrow – because my shoulders started aching something fierce. I had to ride with my right hand tucked up to my chest, or hanging “next to” the handlebars, when I could (meaning, of course, when I wasn’t having to deal with changing gears or braking). I could feel racking sobs building up inside me. I mean serious, racking, “I just found out my best friend died” sobs. H was doing great – he would get WAY in front of me, as I was plugging along, feeling these sobs building up inside of me. He would wait for me, then we would join up again, and ride for a while, and he’d pass a clump of riders, and I just couldn’t keep it up, and so he’d get ahead, and then wait, and so on. At one point, he did point out that at the rate I was going, if I were to do that on race day, I wouldn’t make a cutoff in IML. I was just very quiet – because if I spoke, I was pretty sure these sobs would escape. He made me concentrate on WHAT I felt was “going wrong,” because he said that I “still had time to dissect and fix it.” I realized that I would have to “really get with the program”; though I was doing way more than I had ever done, the Ironman is a HUGE “bite” to “chew.” H also reminded me to think about how my legs felt – since on race day, I would have a marathon to do, after the bike. I started wondering whether doing an Ironman was such a good idea, after all.

At about mile 60, we were still 10 miles from the lunch turnoff, and H said that we would either have to “really hammer” to make it (cracks me up when he uses his new words, like “hammer” (smile)), or we could “treat it like an Ironman” and eschew lunch. We had been battling the winds for the bulk of the way from the Rest Stop, and I wasn’t sure what “hammer” meant for me at that point. I said we could make the decision when we came to the “T” intersection where left was lunch, right was continuing. As we approached, I realized that the decision was pretty much made “for us” by my speed – we would get to the lunch about 5 minutes before the cutoff, and that just didn’t sound worth it. I was leading at that point, so I just turned right and kept going.

About 5 miles more along the road, still being beaten down by the winds, I just stopped. It was flat, and H couldn’t figure out why I had stopped. I just said, “I just need to stop. I need a rest.” I couldn’t even talk, for fear of those sobs. They were like a huge welling force in my chest. Luckily I had my sunglasses on, because those sobs were leaking out of my eyes as tears. I just straddled my bike for about 5 minutes, not saying anything. He finally said, “Are we going to be picked up?” and I said “No, let’s ride 5 more miles.” That would put us at 80 – which was way farther than I had ever gone. And I could convince myself that “anyone” could go 5 miles. (SECOND BIG LESSON: Break things up into “bite-sized” pieces – and remember to STOP now and again. That little “rest” made all the difference.)

The road was pretty beaten up along the route, and by this time, my arms and wrists just ached from the potholes, bumps, etc. I was being good about the nutrition (now well into my 2nd Camelbak, which I had filled with water and a baggie of the Carbopro/GU Brew mix at the 2nd Rest Stop), but I knew that this mental/spiritual/physical hammering I was taking had to be something like bonking. I have heard that bonking generally has a real emotional component – and I was swinging from feeling irrationally furious at H (for going way out ahead; for trying to make me go faster), at myself (for not driving the course beforehand; for believing the folks who told me it was an ‘easy’ Century), to being right at the top edge of these sobs. Back, forth. Swing, swing. 5 more miles.

I got to the 5 mile point and was riding in front of H again, and realized I could just keep going. So I did. Another mile or so in I literally got blown sideways so my bike felt like it “skipped” to the left – no traffic, thankfully – and I was in “angry phase” so I just knuckled down and swore at it. (If I had been in “sob phase” I am pretty sure I would have quit.) I actually hadn’t realized that another Rest Stop was coming up (at Mile 86) – then when it arrived, I wasn’t even sure that I was going to duck into it. (Still at Angry Phase. I just wanted the ride “Done.”) I did know, though, that availing myself of any Port-a-Potties is a good idea, so I cut into the driveway and stopped.

On my way to the Port-A-Potties, I saw flames! It was Erin, from Ironteam! She asked me how it was going, and I waited a beat, trying to figure out if I was going to lie and just say “Fine, You?” I finally decided on “Not so great, You?” And she laughed and said “This SUCKS!” I started to laugh – and I could feel the sobs “pop” inside of me! She said that she had gotten going at 7 a.m., (an hour before we hit the road) but had only made it this far. I told her about my fall into the fence/poison oak. We talked about the winds, rough roads, speed demon peletons, etc. I WAS SO RELIEVED! It was NOT JUST ME! Erin was my “Reality Angel.” She said that she had seen Phil, Kathryn and Will, but surmised that they were “Way past by now,” and so we hugged and I wished her luck, and she took off for the last leg of the journey.

As I returned from seeing Erin off, I saw more flames – IronPhil was there! He said that Kathryn and Will were just behind him – which they were. (Sadly, I didn’t run into IronWu or Coach Helen, who were out there too.) H had gone off to find pretzels so the 4 of us talked for a bit – comparing how much the day SUCKED. The sob bubble completely disappeared and it felt as if a big beaming sun was in its place. I was still sore, bruised, tired, poison-oak’d, and not that happy, but not being ALONE in my pain changed every-freakin’-thing. THIRD BIG LESSON: Remember to “enjoy the camraderie of the misery of your fellows” during the actual race. I read this in the Becoming An Ironman book – but I really “got it” during the Century.

I was able to introduce H to Phil/Kathryn/Will, then we headed off on the last “leg” of the route. We had basically been following the Vineman route since before Guerneville (it comes down the long downhill that goes under Highway 101, then turns right on the frontage road to Guerneville, same course) – so I knew that the last 14 miles included the Chalk Hill hill.

I had made it up the big climb before Chalk Hill when we had done the Vineman course, and even had made it up the 350 foot “big climb” on it as well. It had been an effort, but I had made it. Unfortunately, this time, I was hitting those after about 90 miles of hard riding beforehand.

On the big climb before the 350 foot “steep part,” I had another fall. I realized that I wasn’t going to make it (which bummed me out, as I had made it when we rode the route 2 weeks previously). I was just not turning over the pedals enough, even in my super-slo-mo gear. So I tried to steer into a driveway to the side, which was flatter and I hoped I could get the pedal around to speed up and get my foot out of the cleat without just tottering to a topple. No dice. At least I went down in the driveway (gravel/grass) instead of in the road. H was a bit behind me, and so I said “I’m fine,” to which he answered “Stop DOING that, you are freaking me OUT!” (Thanks, I’d love to.) I knew that he was just as freaked out as I was with my falling – he gets very upset when I am in a situation he can’t “protect me” from.

By this point I didn’t have the sobs in my chest any more, but I started just feeling afraid – afraid of this inability to get out of the cleats. I pushed the bike up to the top of the hill (Phil blew past me when I was getting back on, shouting an Atta Girl – love you, Phil!). I didn’t even clip my right shoe in. I was really scared of falling now. As we approached the 350 foot “big incline,” I pulled over, and walked up it. A couple guys behind me were obviously puzzled as they blew past and said “Hey, you OK?” And I just said, “Yeah, I want to walk.” They laughed, but what can I say? I was too scared to try to get part way up, and then fall again. So I walked up.

By then, we were nearly done. I didn’t clip in, and was able to make it up the rollers and then back around to the car to finish. H actually put on my shoe (we are only 1/2 size different) and rode the bike, because he wanted to see if it was a cleat or shoe issue. Unfortunately, no. It’s a “me” issue. It has to do, somehow, with my physical mechanics of trying to unclip when I’m going slowly. As we got the bikes into the car and cleaned up a bit, we talked about it and he said he would help me, really watching what “part of the stroke” I was trying to uncleat from. His view was that I probably was doing it right at the bottom of the stroke, which is harder (hip-wise) to release from. So we’re going to have some “unclipping practice” some time this week.

We got some grub at the big end tent, and then headed back home. (I tried to avoid thinking about the fact that in the Ironman, I would be RUNNING the same distance!) On the way out, we happened to run into Steve Reagan, who had been on the South Bay Team, but had to drop out – he shouted “Go Team!” when he saw my Flames, and then actually recognized me because he had availed himself of my offer to use SendOutCards for donor thank yous. He’s going to do it again next year – so I said I would see him at a Boot Camp! (I have to stay positive – I would REALLY like to mentor next season.) All in all, I am glad I did it – but I CERTAINLY would never, ever tell someone that this is a “moderate to easy” Century. That’s craziness.

Once we got home, I was going to take an ice bath, but I was just too tired. H fixed me some miso soup (my ultimate comfort food – I think I was Japanese in a previous life), and rubbed my back a bit, and I was asleep by 7:30 p.m. I had wanted to check how Simon had done in the Utah Ironman, etc. etc. – just couldn’t do it.

Sunday, I was up and back out for more training – this time to China Camp, for what was supposed to be a 10 mile run. I didn’t feel that bad (surprisingly). I decided I would “do what I could do,” and so I picked up Mel and we met with Head Coach Dave, Mentor Margaret, Kathryn, Marina, and Michele (I think that was it?) out at the trail head. There were so few folks because our team was all over the map at competitions that weekend, including Alcatraz, Wildflower, and the rest (HERE is Paula’s writeup on Alcatraz – whohoo!). Kathryn delicately told me that my clothes were on inside out – ah yes, dressing myself, such a challenge.

We got started and  I was jogging in the back with Kathryn and we were talking about the Century and what we had learned, etc. when she tripped over a root and took a header right onto her hands and knees. She didn’t get up right away, which definitely concerned me. Once she was up, we realized that she had done a number to her knees – one was missing a flap of skin and she had a couple hematomas (hematomi?) starting. Dave had been wearing bike gloves “just in case he tripped” – Kathryn had given him a bit of a hard time about it and immediately said, looking at her skinned hands, that she “took that all back”! We cleaned her up as best we could with water from our Sports Belts, and headed on to find the big bottle of water that Dave said he had put “under an iron bridge” on the path.

That also led to our You Know You’re Iron When moment for that run – Kathryn had had her iPod playing in earphones, but when she tripped her iPod went flying (I retrieved it – it survived). When she went to plug it back in, she realized she had blood all over her headphone jack, AND her shoes. “You Know You’re Iron When…”

Kathryn decided to walk, and I was perfectly happy to walk with her. We walked at a pretty good clip – we covered 7 miles. Coach Dave came back looking for us and he gave us a different path to take, so we finished just after the main group, who had done the whole 10. We picked up and carried the liter water bottle he had stashed 1/2 way at “the iron bridge”, which was actually kinda fun – we kept offering water to folks along the path. It was a little amazing how many people were out there without any sort of water. One couple were obviously hot and thirsty when we asked, but didn’t even had a bottle – though he had a large covered coffee cup in his hand. When I asked if he would like to dump out the coffee and for me to put water in there for them, he looked like I had just said something sacreligious! Kathryn and I had a good laugh at that. We met a couple of bikers a few times (doing hill repeats) and near the bottom, one of them asked if we would be out with water next weekend, that they could “get used to that.” (smile). We also got to walk with Head Coach Dave for a bit, and had a hilarious banter about the “things that you do” when an Ironman athlete versus a “regular person” (including a number of “manscaping” issues that made us laugh out loud).

This morning (Monday) I am fairly tight and a little sore, so I’m glad that I didn’t push it any more than the brisk walk that we did. It was really fun walking together, discussing “all things Ironman, LLS, etc.” Kathryn had done a number of Teams In Training, so it was super interesting to hear where she had “come from” and such.

We were back at the cars and had a little cameraderie with our IronPeeps (HERE is Mel’s great writeup and a link to the China Camp area & some great Mental Techniques for getting back into Running). Then it was time for me to speed off for a shower and then the theatre! It was a very full weekend! Mom, Dad, H and I saw Girlfriend at Berkeley Rep, which was very entertaining. H and I headed from there to Larkspur to have some appetizers and – of course – cocktails at Left Bank, then he did some work down in the workshop and I watched some “guilty pleasure” TV while preparing a gi-normous assortment of grilled veggies (asparagus, mushrooms, Roma tomatoes, yellow squash, onions, cauliflower, broccoli). I’ve started doing this every Sunday night for us to eat during the week. Having all the veggies already grilled up makes it SO EASY to add them into our meals/salads/etc. – and I don’t mind all the chopping, watching, seasoning, etc. when I can catch up on “Biggest Loser” or “Oprah” during the preparation!

Today is a rest day (thank goodness!). I have been doing a few “honey do” chores and also today, pursuant to my conversation with H with respect to where I am in training and what is lacking, I’m going to go do some shopping, then come back and do a little Strength training. For the next 90 days, I am going to stop sandbagging the Strength training, and just knuckle down and start to Rock It. When we started training back on November 7th, I remember that Head Coach Dave said that Strength was the one thing that folks wouldn’t do, and that this was a BIG mistake. I hadn’t thought that I would be one of  “those” people, but the training had not worked for my knees and shoulders, I hadn’t been able to get “modified” exercises, and so I just quit. Stupid. Childish. And now I’m going to have to get going on it – because I’m quite sure that part of my issues are due to this lack.  Time to get the weights and DVDs out – I can do this!

You Know You’re Iron When…

…At the end of a run you have blood on your shoes. And your headphone jack (from Kathryn) – addition by Coach Dave, “…AND still continue to power walk 6+ miles of hills!”

…You know what “Yeah, this twig will hide me” is all about.

…You have a shelf full of bike bottles in the kitchen, and 4 huge jars of replacer beverage instead of flour/sugar/coffee canisters.

…Your “trophy room” consists of dozens of competition swim caps laid out nonchalantly on a shelf.

…Part of your day is dedicated to “manscaping” (courtesy of Head Coach Dave).

…You wander around a waterstop asking strangers for “butter” and get excited when someone hands you a mysterious gob of goo which you immediately and happily stuff in your shorts. (courtesy of Coach Helen)

…You start to break a sweat (for instance, on a crowded Bart train on an unusually warm SF day) and you immediately go to search your purse for an Endurolyte. (courtesy of Maria M-Dot)

…Your weekend includes meeting Macca!!!! (Check out Maria M-Dot’s blog HERE - where she talks about the goings-on about our teammates – I’ve included her awesome photo here, below!)

MCA and MaCcA!

Iron Quote (from Maria):

The attitudes and habits you develop in training will come out in races.  If you let up or give up in training when things get too tough, then you’re ingraining that habit in the face of adversity.  That reaction will come out when you’re faced with adversity in races.  A positive reaction to adversity comes from accepting the conditions and realizing that everyone else in the race has to deal with the difficult conditions as well.  A part of this positive reaction is not allowing yourself to become frustrated because your performance declines.  Stay positive and motivated even when the conditions are challenging. 

 -Jim Taylor & Terri Schneider

We did an hour and a half bike – from home, around China Camp (that’s where the Marin Marathon was), down past the Civic Center, and back. H got out WAY in front of me when we did the first half of the ride – it was a little windy, but more, I am discovering that it just takes me a while to get “in the groove.” He can get on the bike and get going and really pump it out right away – I take like an hour to get going! This happens to us a lot actually – sometimes we walk out the back of our property and over the hill to Peet’s in San Anselmo for coffee – he can climb the darned hill and be waiting at the top for me without breathing hard, and I feel like I’m going to have a heart attack after 10 steps. But I outlast him!

On the way back on the China Camp “loop” I was ready to pump it, and so I kept right on his tail. It was windy, so he was kind enough to ride in front. When we finished, he was really tired – and in fact, after we had dinner, he looked at me a little grumpily (is that a word?) and said “I bet you’re not even SORE, are you?” It hadn’t even occurred to me that I COULD be sore! So yeah, okay, that made me feel a little better about my pacing.

Monday was an Off day, Tuesday was Swim and Spin (which I always do back to back as a “brick” at the gym), and today (Wednesday) was an hour Run. I texted my neighbor Alex – I love her to death but we never get to see one another – and caught her just at the right time. So she came out running with me. I definitely run slower that she does, but she was willing to run at my pace (we brought her dog, Bailey, too, so he could get some exercise). It was good because we caught up and chatted as we ran down from our houses to the Dominican area and back. 4.75 miles – we actually went just under an hour.

So that’s the quick update! It’s been raining again – in fact, Alex and I got caught in a definite downpour near the beginning of our run – crazy weather!

Missy in the Marathon

This was Missy’s longer post on the Country Music Marathon that she “completed” (see the writeup for why that comes with “bunny ears”) on Saturday. 22-Mile Marathon or not, she’s a rock star!

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Yes, it has taken me 48+ hours to send out any news regarding the marathon weekend.  Here it is.

m.

Missy in the Marathon

So, first, Missy’s update from doing the Country Music Marathon. Missy is my “Tennessee Teammate” – she found me via my blog, and we have been “training together” ever since. The best part was that I asked my IronTeam members to send her good luck emails for her race, and a bunch did. It meant a lot to her!

The marathon was supposed to be serious thunderstorms, gusting winds, etc. Not so fun! It was her 4th marathon, though she really styles herself more as a cyclist. (Ironman Louisville will be her first Ironman.)

This was her quickie report via email on the day (full report, next post):

They diverted the race at 22 miles. Bummer! I was on track for a slightly sub 5:00. That would have been my fastest of the 4. Drats!!!! We had tornado warnings, rain and lightning. The volunteers stuck it out and remained on the course. Amazing!!!!! 30,000+ runners is a bunch of folks to have out in a storm. The police kept telling us to take cover but most just kept plugging along. Oddly enough, I’m satisfied with the experience. I would have liked to finish the full 26.2 but it was a good training day, a memorable experience and I learned a heap about my nutrition, my limits and my post run recovery. Can’t really complain. Now if I had traveled a long way or it had been my first one I’d have been pretty disappointed.

Hope you’ve had a good training day with your swim!!!

Coach Mike Kyle and Mentor Margaret

I am not sure I can imagine sticking it out in weather like that – with that many people, to boot! BIG kudos to the volunteers, police, etc. who helped out at the Country Music Marathon through all that. Whoot Whoot!

So now for the “California” update. This week, I did the Swim Marker, and also the Run Marker. I wrote about the Swim Marker – for the Run Marker, I planned out a 6.2 mile route from Mom’s house, which was pretty funny. I had to do it in “pieces” on MapMyRide.com, because I don’t have a Garmin – and as I was supposed to keep on the flats, that entailed a bunch of out-and-backs! So I ran from her house (in Tiburon, on the bike path at Del Mar) to Blackie’s Pasture, from Blackie’s to San Rafael Avenue, from San Rafael Avenue back to Mom’s, from Mom’s to the end of West Shore Road, then back to Mom’s! It took me an hour and 12 minutes, which was good enough to up me one more VDOT. I’m slowly progressing – since the beginning, I am now 4 VDOT numbers “higher” which isn’t great, but isn’t bad, either. I think the best part is that I am really liking the running part, and except for a little tightness, I seem to have licked the shin splint problem (phew!). I was bothered by being “itchy” during the run – I have been nursing poison oak on my bum and calf, from a “pitstop” during last Sunday’s ride – for the second time this year. Another “You Know You’re Iron When” issue, I guess!

IronMel in her new monkey hat and new swimsuit!

So, back to Saturday. At about 8:00 a.m., IronMel and I arrived at Aquatic Park and slowly got our buns down to the water – just as Sedonia and BK were coming out! Apparently BK had an LLS Board meeting and so had to be in early, so Sedonia agreed to swim with him. Sedonia and BK you are SO IRON!

Today, we swam around the perimeter of Aquatic Park, and were to do as many times as we could in an hour. (Last time we swam around the buoys in the middle, which are fairly close to shore.) I had unfortunately had a rough night without a lot of sleep, and so I decided I would do as much as I could, but I wasn’t going to stress it.

The water was SOOOOO cold! I think it was colder than last time we swam in the Bay. It took me all the way from the shore to the first turn-around buoy to get my face in the water. Brrrr! Luckily though this time no trouble with my swim caps – Maria M-Dot reminded me to “pull them on tight” because of my experience last time. I was definitely NOT going to have a repeat performance!

Kristie in the Kayak

I did have some trouble with my goggles though (if it’s not one thing, it’s the other). I think – amazingly – that my goggles that have fit SO well all season are starting to “gap” a little because I have lost 22 pounds – and my “chubby cheeks” aren’t closing the bottom any more! I had to fiddle with them a few times, and need to figure out if it was “just the day” or if (sadly) I have to find ANOTHER style of goggles. This “goggle thing” is getting a little ridiculous. I thought I had that one licked!

I also “graduated” to Coach Mike’s slimmer wetsuit! He had to give me a “boost” into it (my “badunka” is still a little on the bootylicious side) but once “she” was in, the rest was fine. I was amazed because I looked at that suit and was pretty suspicious that there was NO way it would work. Surprise! Everyone took turns

getting ready to brave the water!

sticking their fingers into the hole in the small of my back – yes okay I got it, there is a hole… Stop that! It tickles! ;-) I also had gone to my friend’s salon Peace, Love & Grilled Cheeses to let them practice their new spray-tan on me (totally natural, uses a combo from sugar beets/sugar that develops naturally) - so there were a lot of comments about how tan I was. I didn’t even try to pass it off as real – though it sure LOOKS real and great! I love it. ;-)

Once I finally got my face in the water I was taking it easy, and was swimming with Patricia and Jen Jay. Then I saw Dana‘s red cap behind me, so I swam back, and decided to keep her company. When swimming the perimeter, it just seems to me it’s safer to be at least in pairs. We had 2 kayaks in the water, but there are boats you are swimming behind, etc. I did have to smile that Dana was there in her full-sleeve wetsuit, insulated cap, mittens and booties – and I was in a no-sleeved wetsuit that came about mid-calf! We had a good time swimming together, practicing siting, and the rest. At one point when we were nearly done (about the 45-50 minute mark, when Maria had joined us in “braving the current” that was getting stronger) I was starting to get really cold, so I had to swim a little faster and would go out and

Dana, Patricia and Jen Jay (front line)

then back, keeping an eye out for her to be sure she was still OK, swim out, back, check, out, back… I felt a little like Jake (my border collie) and how he runs out and back and around and back, sort of “burning off steam” when we’re at the beach. I am pretty sure, though, he’s not trying to keep from freezing up! :-)

Dana "suiting up"

Once we got out, I had the standard bay sludge all over my face (why is it always only ME that gets this? Thanks Coach Helen for giving me the “wipe your face” sign!). I couldn’t actually feel my hands and arms enough to wipe it off with a towel. I just took my (white!) sweatshirt and smudged it all over my face to clear the gunk. Icky. It took a while to be able to talk – getting out of the Bay feels a bit like novocaine. Your brain seems to be working fine, but it’s hard to make the mouth form the right sounds.

We had a Stretch and Strength session on the grass, but I had been so cold I actually couldn’t even get my shirt on. So I just zipped up my long hooded swim parka over my swimsuit and pulled on my sweats, and exercised in that. What a sight, as you can see from the pictures below. I also couldn’t get my hands to hold a brush, so I had very SPECIAL hair. Oh lord. Now I remember why it is that I need to BRAID it, not just “pony-tail” it, when swimming is on the schedule! (Thank goodness the photos were taken when my hat was on – in all the “Downward Dogs” we were doing, it kept flopping off and showing my “bird’s nest” coiffure!)

Jim modelling the Spirit Cape

Susie (who is a fire fighter) had gotten the Spirit Cape last week. Her additions to it were spectacular, including a handcrafted green and purple lei, and an actual fire axe and belt! She explained that fire fighters paint their axes with their engine company name and number and color. So she had painted the axe in IronTeam purple, with “IronTeam” on one side, and “2010″ on the other. It was THE BEST! Jim won the Spirit Cape, and no one could deserve it more. He is always such a great, sunny, “Atta Girl” teammate. (Jim’s the one who paid our way through the toll gate the first Boot Camp weekend, if you remember reading about that. He, and BK, were also the cyclists that scared the heck out of me my first “team ride” around Paradise Drive, because I’d never actually met “real cyclists” before. They got to the route turnaround in Tiburon like 1/2 hour before I even showed up – and had ridden from San Francisco at the beginning, to boot!) Anyway – so here is the photo of Jim with the Spirit Cape – now decked out with the tiara from Tiffany, my boa on the bottom, all sorts of trinkets, the axe and belt – boxing gloves (not sure if Susie had added them or if BK added them when he got the cape the time before because I missed that one, at Wildflower Weekend)…This Spirit Cape is getting to be quite the work of art!

ParkaCize!!!!

After the Stretch and Strength/Spirit Cape with the Team and a big “GO TEAM, IRONTEAM” circle that surprised all the folks who had gathered to watch our craziness (yeah, we do look a little insane, I gotta admit, especially to tourists on the waterfront!), Melissa and I were off to Sports Basement. I needed to get some new nutrition and a few things for Marin friends who love that I make the “trek” in frequently enough that they can give me their Sports Basement shopping lists! Mel scoped while I shopped - she was going to do the 5K Fun Run the next day for Brenda Donato (an IronTeam member who succumbed to cancer a year or two ago) – which included a 20% off Sports Basement spree. I had to be home to do “honey do” chores and then a bike ride with H instead, so “Shopping R Us”.

Oh Yeah. So Sex-say. Bay-bee.

All in all, I felt super good during the swim, and even the strength (though I kept falling because I was slipping on the grass and couldn’t really feel my feet). Mentor Margaret even mentioned how “far I had come.” She always makes me feel like a rock star. She’s the best. The interesting thing that I mentioned to Melissa as we were driving home was that Sue Bird, my hypnotherapist (who did 3 knockdown amazingly great hypnosis induction podcasts a while back – you can download them free HERE, click on “Download” and then wait a bit), had “worked on me” with respect to my Open Water swimming. I realized that while in the water. Basically, Sue does “energy work” as part of her hypnosis practice. Through this, she actually “reads” your energy, and helps “shift” it to more “productive” energy for whatever you are concerned about. I started seeing Sue back when I was in law school, because I had a paralyzing fear of speaking in public. We became fast friends (and in fact, she was the officiant at our wedding). Sue herself is an amazing swimmer, and I believe still holds some of Stanford’s records from when she was there.

Mentor Margaret doing her version of the side plank

I had mentioned to her a while back that ever since I was a small kid (and saw someone die in the water in Ft. Lauderdale of a heart attack) – and especially after seeing the movie Jaws when pretty young too – I have had a fear of swimming in Open Water. Sure, I’ve done it – nearly all triathlons are in Open Water, and “back in the day” I was doing some form of a triathlon a number of times a year…but I have never, ever, gotten over the Fear Factor of it. She asked if I would like her to “work on it” for me and I thought – why not? (She does it from a distance, you don’t even have to be there.)

Well, I had forgotten all about this, though the last time I was at Aquatic Park, I had felt pretty great, and really didn’t think that much about The Dreaded Swim. (That was about a week after Sue and I had had our talk, which was precipitated by my having a rough time at our first Boot Camp in the lake, where Mentor Margaret had to swim and talk with me the whole way.) THIS time, I felt AMAZING. I am not kidding. I felt like an otter in the water. I was REALLY relaxed, having fun, etc., even when we were in the ‘deep water’ part of the Park, where the breakwater is open and lets out into the Bay. It was when I was doing the “border collie-esque” swimming forward and back, treading water, talking to Kristie in the kayak, teasing with Sedonia, etc. that I suddenly realized “Heeeeeey, WHO IS this OtterGirl?!” Of course, Sue lives down in Monterey – where otters are abundant, etc. Maybe she “sent me” some of their energy to “replace” mine…?

ParkaStretch!

I actually texted her, just saying “Whatever you did, it worked.” Wild. Completely and totally wild. The last time something like this happened to me was in Peru, where I was having issue after issue with my debilitating fear of heights. The shaman who had come to Willka Ti’ka (where we were staying) explained in Quechua (their native language) to our translator (who spoke Quechua, Spanish and English) that “all I had to do” was to “give up the fear” to Pachamama (the Earth Goddess) and “she would take care of it,” but I really had to want it gone, and really had to do it in a specific ceremony. Well, long story short – I did, and she did. I wound up bounding up trails that would have set me into a hyperventilating swoon previously – and even now, I am more just “aware” of heights than really afraid of them. I think there’s definitely “something to all that.”

I ended the day by seeing my friend Faye, who is now General Manager at Martha Graham Dance Company. They were in Santa Rosa for one performance on their world tour. They are doing a Retrospective of Martha Graham’s work, and I have to say, it was probably the best dance-related performance I have ever seen. They had some films of Martha Graham herself, did a couple of performances of where “dance had been” before she started doing HER stuff, had a “narrator” who explained a bit about what we would be seeing before the dancers came on…and then of course they performed some of her “greats” including Lamentations, Appalachian Spring, and the rest. H hadn’t known that Copland’s

Patricia looking very Zen in her ab workout

“Appalachian Spring” was written FOR Martha Graham and in accordance with her letters about what she “wanted” in a dance sequence, which the narrator talked about, even reading from her letters to Copland. Before the performance, Willi’s Wine Bar squeezed Faye, H and me in for dinner, where of course we got a few of their fabulous flights of wine, and ate WAY too much of all the things that I don’t make at home! (bone marrow, rabbit rillettes, foie gras, duck, curried crab pot de creme, chocolate chip bread pudding, cheese tray, dessert wines, etc.). So stem to stern, it was a wonderful day!

As I write this, H and I are preparing to do a bike ride, probably down to Sausalito and back. (After napping off the dinner/wine/late night until noon!) I didn’t do the “Athlete’s Choice hour and a half” workout on Friday (my “Athlete’s Choice” was a snooze!), and so H and I are going to go do that. It’s a gorgeous day, as it was yesterday.

Go Team! IronTeam!

Hey Rock Star!

Let me know if you have any questions or if there is anything that you feel I can do to help you reach your goals!

This means I’m actually slowing down. Grrr! And the funny part was that I thought I was totally “powering through” the marker. Once again, I was time-strapped, and HAD to get out before a certain time, as I had a meeting that I needed to get to. I had done the 1,000s during the “3×3 mini-triathlons” the other weekend at about 24 minutes (give or take), and I knew I had to beat that (or be late for my meeting). I thought that shouldn’t be that tough, since I had done those swims with the knowledge I was going to be biking/running (and repeating) afterwards. However, today, once I “did the math” and went back and looked at my previous times, I was a lot slower. I’m back to marker times like back in November/December! Grrrr!

I’m shocked, frankly. I really did feel like I was powering through the set, and that I was going to be WAY faster than my last marker. Instead, my 100 times have been: 2:08 (200 back in November), 2:14 (800 in December), 2:02 (1,000 in January), 2:04 (1500 in January), 2:01 (1000 in February). 2:10 (2000 in March). My 1/2 Iron was 2250 meters in 54 minutes (not sure how to compare that since I think my current pool is yards).

The email from Sedonia last time (when I slowed from 2:01 to 2:10) was this:

Considering where we are in the season, the magnitude of last weekend’s workouts and the fact that this marker is 1000 yards longer than your last marker I am pleased with these results.
 
We are getting to the point in the season where getting faster is not the primary goal, but rather being able to go the distance while maintaining a strong, steady and controlled pace is. 
 
You negative split your swim perfectly and this is a result of the solid base you have established and it is a testament to all the hard work you’ve put forth. 
 
As the season continues to progress improvements in time tend to slow (and most people actually get a little slower) due to the increased work load and those “sluggish” days seem to occur more frequently.  The key is to keep your eye on the prize, remember why your doing this and celebrate the little things!

Time to “celebrate the little things”!

H rode on my old bike, Vlad, which he had “souped up” as much as one can on a 20+ year old bike! He had replaced the handlebar, stem, brakes, derailleur, chain…like I said, as much as he could. I was on my new bike, Angelina, for the first “spin” after having her fit at Aria Velo. I was a little concerned about getting “up onto” my seat, which now seemed pretty much at stratospheric levels! (Sure enough, until I got the “hang” of it, the bike shorts pad kept catching. Not so comfy.)

Here is the map of our route (pretty much). If you look at this map, we cut off the “bottom left” part (going out through Larkmead to Calistoga and back on Highway 128 to Highway 29/St Helena Highway ), just cutting down to Silverado Trail and back into Yountville, instead. It was somewhere between 50 and 60 miles.

H and I rode together most of the time, until we got to Ink Grade (between Mile 51 and 55 or so – 4.5 miles and 1110 feet of climbing). Teammate Will had told me that one of the things I would really notice with Angelina was the “power differential” of her geometry over Vlad’s, but I had sucked on my first ride on her with H (pre-bike fit, mind you) and I just thought that was one of those “cycling dude myths.” Well, post-bike fit…I TOTALLY got it. As we were going up Ink Grade, H (who has always been far stronger than me cycling) hit the first of the 12% portions and just said “I have to walk – keep going.” I did…and slowly, inexorably, I got up Damn Ink Grade. I was shocked. Seriously. I passed Patricia and JP on the way up – just going, going, going. Every time I pedaled, it actually moved the bike forward. Now, that sounds stupid. And it’s hard to explain if you don’t know what I’m talking about. But with Vlad, the “power transfer” was such that even though I pushed down, it didn’t push the bike “forward” as far, and I had trouble balancing, so that in the end, I would have to just walk. I was astonished. I got up to the top of that bad boy, and didn’t walk AT ALL. I realized at that point that though I’m not sure I could do Pig Farm or Wilson Hill, I am pretty sure I could take McEvoy Ranch Hill (Red Hill) grade now. Who-hoo! Wow! (OK, and my heart rate maxed at 185 – where my Lactate Threshold is 161. That’s Some Hill.)

I stopped at the top of Ink Grade to wait for H, and he was actually pretty close behind me. (I was a little bummed – I wanted to rest a bit!) We did stop to swap some nutrition out of our Bento Boxes, etc., and H securely stowed Liz’s glove, which we had picked up right at the beginning of the climb. (I nearly killed myself turning onto Ink Grade trying to shift and turn left – I wound up on the grass verge and muscled the bike back onto the road, with Coach Mike laughing in his Mini at me. Of course I would pull a bonehead “shift the wrong way” moment with an audience!) H and I talked a lot about the difference between the bikes, as well as how much of a help the clipless pedals were and that I was beginning to like them…even though I’d nearly bitten the dirt when getting Liz’s glove…I’d unclipped one foot and started to reach down on that side, and the bike is so light it pretty much twisted away from me and I had to do a little “hop” with the BIKE attached to my FOOT to stay upright – too freakin’ funny.

On the other side of Ink Grade – oh my Lord – was the most glorious downhill EVER. The day was perfect and gorgeous, first of all. But there you are – at the top of Howell Mountain – with all of Napa spread out under you. And the road was perfectly paved – not a rut or pothole – and wonderful loopy curves down, down, down. Patricia, H and I sped down and I got to 38 MPH – Patricia reached 40! Woah! There were many “Look, Patricia!” moments – with the glorious California poppies, new olive shoots on the trees, stark black lines of grape trellises up steep slopes, and the like. I was sad that we had forgotten our camera. My favorite was actually a weed field next to the road, in which a full-on tennis net was strung up between two green tennis uprights, left from God knows when! I think H and I might have to drive back just to take a picture of it, it was so incongruous! As H said, “Now THAT adds new meaning to the words ‘grass court’!”

A cute little "bike tattoo"!

Iron Mel had come with us in the car. She’d been sick for quite some time with a bug that just wouldn’t let go, and this was her first outing. The three of us got into a gigglefest on the way into Yountville – don’t even ask. She blew past us on the first uphill of the day on Pope Valley Road – but ran out of gas after Ink Grade. On the way home, the 3 of us hit a deli because H was at his low-blood-sugar worst, and then had to wait about a year to receive our sandwiches (the deli staff kept taking what were obviously locals’ requests first). Skip and Nancy were there too (Skip did his own ride – Nancy SAG’d for us) – at one point, Skip asked Melissa if we had put in our order the previous week too, and we said indeed that we had!

Kudos to Coach Mike and Nancy for their SAG wagons – and especially to Mary and Marina for helping me corral H back in, when he got lost and did another 8 miles down Silverado Trail at the end of the ride! (I had ridden ahead with JP and thought H would ride with Patricia – they both missed the Yountville Road turnoff back, but when Patricia showed up without H, I realized something was not right. Luckily he had his phone turned on – I called from Mary’s phone and discovered he was just continuing to tool on down Silverado Trail! Marina headed off to see if she could find him, and as she left I realized I didn’t have Marina’s number, I wasn’t really sure she knew what H looked like, etc.! So Mary loaned me her car( H had our car keys!) – and as I pulled up to H way down Silverado Trail, Marina pulled up, laughing, behind us. She had realized the same thing – once down the road on her Good Samaritan Mission!)

H and I got back home after the ride and took hot showers, then bad me, I snuggled into bed (it was only like 3:00 PM!) for a little “snoozle.” H woke me up with a tray of treats he had brought back from Austria – champagne, cheese, chocolate, and the like! This was particularly bad, because of course I was going to be out riding again the next day! I am not sure that’s the ultimate recovery nutrition. (Added to the Pringles, Chips Ahoy, and Oreos at the end of the ride!)

Sunday, Iron Mel and I were off again – lather, rinse, repeat – this time to do the bike portion of the Vineman course. She is doing the Vineman for her Ironman, and navigated us to Windsor High. We were doing the whole course – though when she does it during the Ironman, she has to do the loop TWICE! (I hadn’t realized that.) After a pitstop at McDonald’s with 3 of the other girls (during which Coach Dave wound up having to wait in line longer than all 4 of us girls - the irony!), we were off.

I rode for a while with Patricia, Erin, Mary and Maria, and then for most of Westside Road and Dry Creek Road, I was by myself. It was once again a GLORIOUS day. Wow! I passed what seemed like 100s of wineries, many of them with balloons out and announcing tastings, art showings, and the like. I tried to keep my cadence up as Coach Sedonia had cautioned, to make it an “active recovery” day. I rode for a while with Melissa, Marina and Kathryn on Canyon Road, but then was on my own again for Hwy 128.

That's me, in front. What a beautiful day!

The directions we had were pretty good, but after going a number of miles on 128, I hit a stop sign (at about Mile 41 of the ride – around Jimtown). The signs to keep on 128 headed Left, but that didn’t seem correct. It also said that was towards Calistoga, and I wasn’t sure that was the right direction, either. I got a wave of uneasiness over me that I had somehow missed a turn – and the last turn had been MANY miles back. Just as I was getting out my phone to call Coach Mike, Teammate Sara pulled up. I was so glad to see her! She said she was sure we were in the right place, but agreed that a left turn didn’t seem correct. Coach Mike didn’t pick up, and I tried Mentor Margaret just as Sara connected with her boyfriend Gabe (who was in a SAG wagon). (I felt bad – once I got back, Margaret said she had been worried because she saw a missed call from me – whoops!) Gabe immediately knew where we had gotten ”confused” (even before Sara asked him) and he said that yes, we had to go left at the stopsign, because the road actually turned back on itself and ultimately led to where he was in the SAG Wagon (at mile 45/beginning of Chalk Hill Road).

So Sara and I rode together, meeting up with him and Coach Mike at the stop. Now, Sara is a GREAT cyclist. The road between 40 and 45 wasn’t so bad – a few small rollers, but not much. So I decided to keep up with her. We talked about her impending “plunge” into law school in Colorado, the fact she had once again had trouble with a wheel (that’s why she was riding so “slowly” and had come up behind me), etc. After fueling up at the SAG Wagon, I decided that as it was “only” about 17 miles more (still sounds so funny to say that), and that I didn’t have a run afterwards, I would “ride until I bonked” and endeavor to keep up with her.

Whew! Every time I would think I couldn’t keep up and would gear down to an easier gear, Sara would pull away, so I would “Iron Up” and throw it back into the higher gear to keep pace. Of course, I was drafting – even though Sara is little, there is no question that this helps. We did hit a climb before the “big climb” at Chalk Hill, and I definitely fell behind as she hammered up it. She said she’d wait for me at the top – which she did.

We hit Chalk Hill at Mile 47-49. It’s not really that bad of a hill – the problem is that you have already been riding for so long when you hit it. (And the Vineman crew are going to hit it not once, but twice!) Just as we started climbing, Sara lost her chain. I realized there was no way I could get back going if I stopped, so she said no worries, to wait for her at the top. As I turned around to say OK, she did a “slow-mo” fall. I shouted “You OK?” and she was laughing, so I kept going.

We had been riding with 3 other gals (not IronTeam) for part of the way, and the first of them caught up to me as I was near the top. She had heard/seen what had happened, so first joked, “Nice way to leave your buddy back there,” then (laughing) she said, “You have to tell her that’s the most graceful fall I have EVER seen.” When Sara caught up, turns out she had just had one of those standard “not quite unclipping fast enough” situations. I told her I was so surprised to see her on the ground when I turned around, it looked almost as if she just decided to take a little nap there on the road!

I'm sitting behind Sara, in the middle, with sunglasses

I kept up with her all the way in to Windsor High, and was SUPER proud of myself. There is no way in the world that I thought that I could actually do that. I thought I would get maybe 5 miles in, and then just bonk. Her cadence is so high and strong. I felt ELATED as I saw the High School pull into sight – and I know that the “good bikers” who were already in (Coach Dave, Mentor Margaret, Will, Rocky, and the rest) were probably as surprised as I was to see me coming in with her!

As we waited for the rest of the pack to come in, Will had brought his tools/oil/etc. and worked on Angelina. He commented about how great she looked & what a good bike she was (which made me feel good). Ultimately everyone rolled on in – Melissa, Marina and Kathryn as a pack, Sedonia, Patricia, Maria, and Mary, and then Liz (who had actually had some sort of really weird wheel issue that Phil was helping her with, when I saw her on the road). I was all in exhausted (but happy and proud!), and just lay down on the sidewalk while we were waiting for our peeps to get in! It actually felt nice and warm on my back.

Iron Mel and I got ourselves on back to Marin, spending the drive planning our “first dinners” (of at LEAST two) when we got home! I opted for a miso soup and yogurt/fruit smoothie, in my ice bath! My inner thigh muscles all the way from groin to knee (adductor) muscles cramped up a bit on the drive home (and are actually still sore today). That has to be from the new bike fit. Otherwise, I was pleased that on the 2nd day, by and large, I didn’t have all that bad of a time – a little “chacha” discomfort, but not as much as I had imagined. (I was Butt’r'in’ up like a crazy person though, which I think was part of the serious problems I had in the 70.3.) The nutrition plan seemed to work – “GU Brew” with CarboPro, GU, Thermalytes, and Clif Shot Blocks. No fiber, no protein. I still have to see if that’s going to work with a bike and run combo, but I felt OK and didn’t seem to have that much G.I. distress. Once I got out of the ice bath, I started eating everything in sight…! Oh Lord, it was really bad. This morning in fact I was 2 lbs heavier – and I know it was all the crap I ate as if I was a starving person (leftover Oreos and chocolate, etc.) Yowzah!

I’m sure there is more to write, and I will annotate this later – just wanted to get the “broad strokes” down. Today is the Blessed Monday Day Off – whohoo! And it’s a recovery week – even better!

You Know You’re Iron When…

…You breathe a sigh of relief that your FIRST of two long rides back to back is “only” a metric century, not a full century!
…Salt & Vinegar Pringles, Chips Ahoy, and Oreos become “must have” Recovery Items.
…Your feet and upper thighs are the same shade of WHITE (courtesy of Maria M-Dot)
…Your bike mantra (JUST…KEEP…PEDALLING!) wakes you up out of a sound sleep at 2 a.m. Monday morning, and you sneak a peek at your husband to be sure you didn’t shout it out loud…(true, so true…)

As H was gone at his mother’s funeral in Austria for a little over a week, I was not sleeping well and therefore a bit of a basket case when last weekend’s “Boot Camp” came a-callin’.  As previously posted, I also had been told by my doctor not to run or bike – because she was afraid I would “get competitive” and strain my just-healing shin splint…so after Patricia and Iron Mel called in sick, I just stayed home Saturday. And pretty much did nothing. Bad grrl.

Sunday, however, I decided it was time to Pull On My Big Grrl Panties and get with the program again. After hearing that my teammates had done “as many sprint triathlons as they could do in 5 hours” (including having the air let out of their tires while in the water, etc. etc.) I decided to do my own “5 hours of sprint triathlons” at the JCC.

WOW, was the gym busy! It was a “kids day” in the basketball court, but as I walked in, it looked as if every machine was full as well. It was going to be a tough one trying to get in the groove, but I headed into the Ladies’ to “suit up.”

Just driving to the gym had been an adventure, too. There were high wind warnings, and severe flood/rain warnings as well. The rain was pelting down, and of course I had to park in the “secondary” lot (which should have clued me in on how full the gym was going to be). I got myself together before opening the car door – with my gym bag, bike/run shoes, etc. in one hand, and 5 hours’ worth of nutrition to try in the other! I opened the door into the sheets of rain, pulled the hood up on my raincoat, fumbled for the car lock button, and raced for the front door!

I set up the locker so that it could work as a transition area for me – run clothes on the bottom “layer,” then bike clothes and shoes, then nutrition. Coach Mike and I had been on the phone over 2 evenings going over my nutrition and issues I had had at the 70.3, and Coach Doug had also sent me an email. So I was trying Gatorade, GU, bananas, and some new organic/all natural GU and “shot block” type things from REI (Honey Stinger I think  they were called). I also had my Thermalytes and some Clif Shot margarita blocks. The idea was to stay completely away from protein, and as much as possible away from solid/fiber food.

I hit my timer for the 5 hours as I got in the pool for my first round. The wind was blowing so hard, that it was keening through the flags above the pool. The sound was super eery. The lifeguard was in his canvas “house,” hunkered down, and there were actually some other brave souls out there with me (though I did get my own lane). The rain had died down a bit, but the wind was REALLY serious. It whipped the pool into waves! The water was nice and warm, and I finished the 1,000 in something like 24 minutes (I can’t quite remember now and it wasn’t all that important – I just figured I would keep going until the 5 hours was up).

I got out and headed into the changing room, grabbing a couple of towels on the way. I had worn my 2-piece Tyr top under my 1-piece suit, with the thought of using that straight through as a jogbra (that worked well). As usual, it was a little tough getting the bike shorts on, but once those were on, the heartrate monitor and shirt were easy. I put my baseball cap on my head, as (even though braided) my hair was definitely going to scare folks out on the gym floor! Grabbing a bike bottle full of Gatorade, a couple GU and some Shot Blocks and a banana, I headed out to the bike trainer.

I was to ride 9 miles. I kept within my LT of 153-157 and RPM of 90, which necessitated moving up and down on the gears as my heart rate raised (and lowered). It made it a bit more interesting. I had my iPod and a new music set, and biked for 5 minutes before I took in any of the Gatorade or nutrition. Mike had postulated that one of the issues might have been taking in nutrition too fast after getting out of the swim, so I was careful about that. Then, it was just up to me to sit there and pump out the 9 miles. Just as I was finishing, I lucked out and one of the treadmills came open. I hurried over to it, but one of the Staff beat me to it – apparently something was wrong with it but he said he could “fix it quickly.” I threw my towel over it to make it clear that it was “mine” and then headed into the locker room, realizing that I had made a mistake only bringing one bike bottle. I added the Gatorade to it, and hustled back out, ultimately getting on the treadmill a minute or two later. I walked a little bit at first, but got it up to just shy of 12 MPH. That was fast enough for me. The gym was very crowded, and they had the “30 minutes max” sign up for the treadmills (not on the bikes though). So when I finished 1.5 miles, I was a Bad Grrl – I pressed Stop quickly, reset the machine, then started over! Ohhhh, bad. But at the speed I was going, I wasn’t going to be able to make 3 miles in 30 minutes, and I was going to be “darned” if I had to wait on the treadmill each round!

I got off, and it was time to head back out to the pool. One nice thing was there is a “spinner” in the ladies room, so my suit was only damp, not really wet. (I actually had brought 3 suits, just in case. Yes, I am SUCH a Princess :-) ) I had been in the training room (no windows) for the bike/run portion, and as I finished the run, my timing was such that I thought I would get 2 rounds plus maybe one swim in. (I can’t remember the time, but I remember thinking that.)

I turned the corner towards the pool and actually laughed out loud. The rain was coming down so hard, I couldn’t even SEE the pool. It looked as if I was literally looking at a waterfall. I shook my head, and headed on out there. Big surprise – I was the only one in the pool! The lifeguard raised an eyebrow at me from the guard shack, snuggled down in his big pool parka and hood. Yeah – I’m crazy, I know.

The water was markedly colder, and was actually sloshing over the edge of the pool. It was a little hard to breathe with the rain coming down so hard, and it felt odd on my shoulders and arms – super cold “pellets” pinging me for the entire time I was swimming. I did my 1,000, and hoisted myself out – and couldn’t see my flipflops (which I had kicked off at the head of my lane). They are bright pink, so pretty easy to spot – I scanned the pool deck and realized that they had washed all the way down the “short” side of the pool and 1/2 way around the “long” side!

I got out, and headed back in for Round 2. I actually felt really good, though the Gatorade was getting less and less appetizing (SO darned sweet!) I actually had to do a tiny bit more than 9 miles on the bike, as no treadmill was free when I reached the 9. I did my same “trick” with the 1.5 miles/1.5 miles on the treadmill the 2nd time, but I actually was able to go a bit faster. When I looked at my watch, I realized I had a LOT more time left over – I had “negative split” all the sports on my 2nd time around – !

I got off the treadmill, suited up for my last time, and headed back out to the pool. I had forgotten to take off my heart rate monitor – so I did discover the answer to one of the questions I have had (whether it is waterproof – yes, it is, thank goodness!). I got out to the pool, and the rain had let up a LOT since I had been out the 2nd time. (No way to tell from the gym, as the only windows face out onto the indoor basketball court.) The lifeguard unbundled just long enough to ask what I was doing (surprised, I’m sure, to see me for my THIRD time), and I said I had to do as many sprint-distance triathlons as I could in 5 hours. I mentioned that I was feeling tired, and so was going to go into the lane right in front of the guard shack. To which I got, “Um, you BETTER not have any trouble, I am SO not coming out there to save you!” Thanks – that makes me feel safe!

I got into the water and HOLY CATS was it cold!  It was obvious the heater couldn’t keep up with the volume of cold rainwater. It’s a saline pool, and it was also markedly less “salty” than usual. My first couple of laps, I could feel the goosebumps raising up all over my body. Brrrrrr!!!

While swimming that last set, I had a funny thing happen, with respect to Rand (the owner of Aria Velo, about whom I wrote in the ‘bike fit’ blog post). He and I had discussed the fact that we had had the same swim coach, Deann Joslyn, at Petaluma High morning swim. I used to go to the swim with my friend Lori, before we headed down to work. Neither of us was really good enough to join the Masters, who swam at the same time, so Deann (who coached the Masters and swam, too) gave us our own routine. I was thinking about this, and thinking about the folks in the Masters. Rand had mentioned Patrick (who was assistant coach back then), and I had described him and Rand said no, that wasn’t him – as I was swimming, I realized the guy I was referring to was named Greg. I remembered who Patrick was. Then I started thinking about this cute, tall skinny guy who had started after Lori and I had been swimming “to the side of” The Masters for about 6 months. He had had sort of “punk cut” (long in front) dyed black hair, lots of piercings and tattoos, etc. He was super nice, and actually swam with us in the beginning because he wasn’t much of a swimmer. I remember he often biked to the pool and would then bike after. As I was swimming my 3x Sprint Swim, I thought “Wow, that’s so weird, that guy’s name was Rand, too.” It took me 25 yards to realize – oh my Goodness! – that was RAND! The SAME guy who had fit me at Aria Velo. I laughed out loud (and choked on pool water) when I realized I “must be a little hypoxic” to think that there could be TWO “Rands.” Of course, now that Rand owns Aria Velo, he has short sandy-brown hair, he’s taken out his piercings, and he must still have the tattoos, but he wears sleeves to cover them. I couldn’t believe it! That was probably 2000, maybe 2001…small world!

I got out of the pool and back onto the bike – and was starting to feel a little surly. I didn’t even bring the iPod out…sort of like the 70.3, I was just “tired of” the idea of music. I looked at my watch, and realized that I was going to be able to finish a 3rd time on the bike, and probably about 5-10 minutes of the run – which is exactly what happened (I ran for 5 minutes which put me at the 5 hour cutoff, then turned the treadmill down and walked another 5 to cool down).

I hit the showers, and was in there a long time! The gym had cleared out by that time, so I was able to take my time packing up all the “debris” from the locker (GU containers, Gatorade bottles, etc.). I then sat on the edge of the towel cabinet, and ate an entire “Snack Pack” of Chips Ahoy cookies! All in all, it was a good day – and I was really glad to be “back in the saddle” again.