Going Down

Tools of the Trade

Familiar Place

Tonight was the Ironman dinner. This was my third time eating amongst other ironman tri nuts and watching crazy inspiring videos. It is impossible to leave without an extra boost. My blood pumps and my body is ready for round 3. I'm running on experience rather than training and I have 5 years of it building up in me. Being my last run for some time, I'm more excited than ever to hear the gun go off.

You never forget how to ride a bike. Or swim. Or run. And more than anything my just excited to get on a new course and do all 3.

Dead Man Walking

Bike's Car Ride

Going Out Fast

The same thing that made Prefontaine famous has been the way I've set personal bests in the Ironman and marathons, going out way too fast. It is strongly discouraged by most, because you are said to lose much more than the time you gain in the first half of the race. I am not well trained for this race this weekend, which is usually the case before my races. However, this one is the least physically trained I have ever been. Though I would argue experience will make up for most of what I am lacking.

Yesterday I logged the longest ride of my training - 46 miles. Though I did average 17 mph. The week before I ran the most I have leading up to the race, 3 miles. The next day I ran 3 miles as well, I was really sore. Though both times I did maintain the pace I previously set as my best, 8 minute miles. A month ago, the last time I did any kind of swimming, I swam for 45 minutes. The next day was when I realized something was wrong inside my rib cage. But now, the week of the race, I feel as good as I can all things considered. I still notice the bruised rib slightly when I am fully extended, but that only happens in the swim. While swimming I am just going to take it slow, get out of the water, and then do what I have done with reckless abandon in these races before - go out way too fast.

Healthy or Trained

I am slowly recovering, slowly. My chest still feels sore on big breaths, but my lack of activity is helping to heal it. The injury has me thinking a lot more than I normally would with actual training. I would rather be healthy and compete in anything rather than trained without my health on the starting line. We will see if I say the same thing 10+ hours into the race.

Things That Go Bump In The Night

It is embarrassing to have self inflicted injuries. A week ago I got
up in the middle if the night and went to the bathroom. I almost made
it. I was half dazed and found myself sitting up on the ground. I
think I ran right into the door frame, it is hard to say but my
injuries included a knot on the left side of my head, a bruised right
thumb and a bruise feeling in the left side of ribs.

My head and thumb healed quickly but the pain in my ribs got worse.
Shoveling hurt bad and breathing was ok but noticeable on a deep
breath. I went swimming for an hour on Friday and no pain. Saturday it
was clear something was really wrong with me.

I went to the doctor yesterday to see if I was dying. If my ribs were
cracked or fractured I would have noticed a lot early she said. It is
probably a bad bruise that got worse because of all I was doing last
week. She said an injury like this takes 6-8 weeks to heal. I have 4
weeks.

I asked many times if I was going to kill myself if I did this race
with the injury and she said besides pain I'm not doing any
significant damage. Obviously other than the 'regular' damage that
comes from such an event. That's what I needed to hear. I can mentally
prepare for pain, I have 17 hours to finish, and making each cut off
staying on the course is basically the goal for any race of this
distance. It's all about just getting to the finish.

Getting To The Finish

A month to go before my 3rd Ironman in less than 2 years and I can see the finish line. I don't want to do another, maybe not for a decade or two. It is hard to find motivation after being what seems like permanently signed up for a race for the past 5 years.

I am swimming and biking and running, at distances that are almost laughable with a month to go before an Ironman. I can swim for 30 mins great, bike for 2 hours no problem, and run 3 miles at under an 8 minute pace easy. That is seriously where my training is at. Experts say to gradually add distance, that's great, but I'm about to load on some serious mileage just to hope to make it across this one more finish line. I'll have decades to taper after this ride.

Bike

So that crazy Trek ninja tri bike cost $9,000. That's the most frustrating thing about triathlons, it is expensive, and price can translate to performance. I have no idea what type of space technology is on that bike or just how much faster it can go, but I don't think there is any other sport that has such a pay for performance trade off. It doesn't seem fair.

Consider that bike costs nearly 7x as much as my bike, and my bike came with shoes and a helmet. Factor in that of the 140.6 miles in a triathlon 112 are biking. In a time breakdown it is about 60% of your tri day sitting on a bike. If I bought the best swim goggles it might cost $30 more dollars. If I bought the best running shoes it might cost $75 more dollars. Even Lance Armstrong says it is not about the bike. I say it is a little bit about the bike.

The Race

2008 Big 10 Indoor Track Championships

Guess How Much

For Jeff

I haven't been posting a lot because I haven't been working out a lot.
And my ironman is next month.

Here is the thing about my 3rd ironman - mentally I need 2 weeks,
physically I should have started 3 months ago. Work, life and other
activities have taken the place of what in my first ironman would have
been nerves and fear, training for an unknown monster race. I know
this race. More importantly, I know my body. I can do this race now
based on will, one month of crazy mountain training and I can do this
race right.

As for having a phenomenal day and
race, I need God more than I need to be training to do it on my own.

If you haven't seen "The Book of Eli" it's got a great message - "It's
not just a book, it's a WEAPON!"

Insane Downhill Bike Race in Chile

Insane Downhill Bike Race in Chile

You Never Forget How

The stickers and tags? I haven't ridden since Ironman Florida. That's
going to change. I'm turning my weakness into my strength.