Supa Fast

Here's my secret weapon and how I am going to fly next weekend. My average transition times (T1 - Swim to Bike, T2 - Bike to Run) are about 3 - 3:30 minutes. I am hoping to cut those in half. My bike (56 miles) time has never been under 3 hours, that's going to change. And I haven't had a half-marathon (13 miles) time under 2 hours. Don't worry that's going to change too.

Though, I did just get tired thinking about how fast I am going to have to go to do all that. How fast? Supa fast.

Space Race

Well, either through amazing endurance or sheer stupidity, we know I can ride 100 miles without biking for 6 months. That is crazy, but to be fair, you never forget how to ride a bike.

Here are some things I learned:

I can maintain a strong bike pace, my technique is good. My ride time was 6:33 which going 104 miles means I was cruising around 16 mph. The race took me 7:45, there were 9 rest stops, so I averaged about 8 minutes at each stop. I just need to build up strength to be able to stay on my bike and ride through them.

Wind can always make your day of biking harder, rarely does it seem easier. This ride was nice because a lot of tree walls did cover you most of the time. Though, you know the wind is really strong when a car dealership's huge American flag the size of a house is blowing at a 45 degree angle. The last 25 miles were mostly straight into the wind, that didn't help, I was slowed to about 14 mph.

My cyclometer is awesome. To see how fast you are going and actually know how many miles are left is a great feeling. Even when you are not thrilled to see you are only going 8 mph and have 90 miles left, it somehow just feels good to know. It also helps a ton, like having a running pacer next to you to keep you on track. My cadence sensor didn't work, I didn't miss it though, because I also have no idea what it does.

Real cyclists have friends. I am not good at science, but drafting is crazy amazing. It is a bad feeling to get blown by by a faster rider, worse to get to see all his friends behind him pass you by. Early in the race a line of about 30 cyclists flew by riding in a row like ducks flying south. Twice in the race I fell back in line behind a pack and drafted for a couple miles. It felt like cheating both times. It is obviously not cheating in cycling, however in an Ironman every rider is suppose to maintain a 3 bike length with every other rider. It just makes the race tougher.

I am extremely proud or extremely disappointed, not sure which, that I have never vomited in a race. I felt like it a couple times during this ride. I didn't.

I hate sunscreen. I wore a long sleeve shirt and bandana around my neck just to avoid this unfortunate situation again. But, I forgot about one thing. I try to be PG and didn't want to just post this picture without warning. You have been warned, they are both this bad.

I feel good now, I'll continue to recover. I have a half-Ironman race in 2 weeks and I am going to set a personal record. I am going to finish in under 5:30. That or throw up trying.

100

7 hours and 45 minutes, 6 hours and 33 minutes of actual ride time and I've ridden my bike 104 miles. I do not feel well.

Wired

So, in my Christmas stocking I got a bike computer! (I said I haven't messed with my bike in a while.)

I attempted to install it yesterday. I hope I did it right. It is difficult to line up the sensors and wiring comparing it to my instruction manual and the example picture that is size of a bottle cap.

What does the Blackburn Delphi 3.0 cyclometer do you ask?

I am no great cyclist or anything but from what I can tell it measures bike stuff.

Seriously though, I need to tie an iPad to the front handlebars.

Century Ride

One event I've never done is a century ride, 100 miles on a bicicleta.

There is that minor exception in the Ironman where I biked 112 miles sandwiched between some light exercise. And even in training for that the farthest I had biked was around 78 miles. But on its own, the century ride is the biking equivalent of running a marathon.

I haven't looked at my bike since October - Half-Ironman Austin 70.3. That's about to change, my bike and I are about to get reunited. 100 miles of reunited. I've signed up for the Space Race.

Also, it is this weekend!

Take Back

I take back what I said about my heart being 'with me.' Definitely against me. After runs it is beating like crazy, part of the reason I have to eventually walk or slow my pace.

It is all connected, one big system I have to reprogram. I am going to focus on breathing, I think it starts there.

Winded

I am trying to run fast. I can run really fast for about 1.5 miles. That is running at probably a 7:30 pace, I don't really know. Normally, I cruise at about a 9:45 pace, big difference. So the problem isn't lack of endurance or focus, but I do get really winded, not tired, again big difference. After 1.5 miles my teeth start to hurt, my lungs are burning for more intake and my throat gets really cold and dry. I would imagine this is the unpleasantness running delivers to non-runners who try to take it up and don't know how to pace themselves.

I know how to pace myself, and now I am ignoring that and adding speed. I am not ever going to win a marathon, those people run different. Different as in like blazing fast. But, I don't really know just all the differences, currently the biggest difference is my body isn't on the same page.

Those with me: Brain and heart

Those against me: Lungs and everything else

Getting Ready to Race

Here is a quick recap of the ING Georgia Marathon with Team Samaritan's Purse!

Sharing why I run at the Team Samaritan's Purse dinner.

First Team Samaritan's Purse race photo.

A bit of a Where's Waldo if you are looking for me.

Everyone find a running buddy!

Me making it look easy?

Down the stretch.

Mile 26.20000001

The ING Georgia Marathon was tough, always up or down hills. I finished in average 4:30 time for me. If you asked me it wasn't "nothing," but it feels too easy to recover so quickly from something so difficult. It makes me wonder how it would go if I ran without reserves, ran without regard of recovery. The first guy to run a marathon died... poor Pheidippides.

I can go faster, but it has to be done in training. It has never really been a focus for me. I can finish all these races, and until now I have been fine collecting medals and running a huge event every month to keep up my endurance without training. For once, and really for the first time, I am going to train.

We will know how fast I can go. I am not going to just finish this Ironman, I am going to race.

A Sign

ING Georgia Marathon

This weekend I ran a marathon. It was the hilliest course I have ever ran and my knees hurt pretty badly afterward. Today, you'd never know it. The human body is amazing. I love being able to run a marathon and the next day walk around and people who don't know I just ran a marathon have no idea.

I ran with Team Samaritan's Purse who organized a great race weekend around the event. During the marathon a woman who knew I had done an Ironman asked, "So is this just like nothing to you?" I laughed because I was struggling a bit and this was on mile 12. Any marathon is so tough.

But if she asked me today, well...

Badge of Honor

One thing that is crazy is my dulled sense of 'the event.' I have run enough events that little phases me in the preparation, or lack of, leading up to an event. Plus, I have the ultimate badge of racing honor, an Ironman. There is a sense, really not even a false sense, that I can finish anything.

I've felt a bit sick recently, not good timing for a cold, really haven't been running too much, and am 3 days away from the most challenging marathon course I have ever run.

And I can't wait to run.

Bay to Breakers

These race photos are awesome.

Air Max

I love running in new shoes.

Welcome to Atlanta

Less than two weeks until I go sightseeing in the ATL.

Vote for my photo in this contest!

Vote everyday, on every computer you own, like I am.

Ultra Training

How do you run an ultra marathon? You walk too.

I started by running 16 miles.

Then I walked 4, ran 3, walked 6, and ran the last 2 miles.

Cowtown.

Just in case I didn't make it, half way through, I took a "finisher" photo.

Still posing.

The Bear and my biscuits at mile 16.

Ready to walk and roll in my MBTs.

One foot in front of the other, literally.

Look closely, and yes, unfortunately a man in a cow outfit just passed me.

An awesome recycling spectacle on display. Magneto crushing metal at mile 26.

6 hours and 30 minutes of my life later, trucking it to the finish.

Really finishing.

31 miles and the refuel now light is on.

2/5 of the greatest finisher medal idea ever.

*Editor's Note: I did eat a couple packs of those expired gels. They didn't taste too good, but they usually don't. And they didn't throw any monkey wrenches in my system either, so I think I'll continue to stockpile the goods.