First, I made it through 10 consecutive days where I either biked or ran or both, including 5 days in a row of cycling (last Friday through Tuesday), 3 brick workouts, 2 long runs (2:15 and 2:00) and boatloads (20,400 yards--HOLY CRAP!) of swimming. My 2:00 run yesterday went quite well, even though my quads were pissed off at me from the get-go. Too fucking bad, I told them, we need to run.
I ran in Waterfall Glen, and started at 6:00AM. We had storms roll through the day before that finally dropped the temperatures, but the humidity remained in the early hours. I had "governors" of sorts while there, because there were a few cross country teams (half-naked young men, thank you very much, and a few girls) doing intervals on the trail, and I also saw this pair of runners that I believe must be ultrarunners because of how skinny and chiseled they are. So you know the rule--you can't slow down or look bad or walk a hill when there are other runners within eyeshot, and this got me to charge a few hills that I would have otherwise taken easy. My average pace was 8:58/mile, which is a teensy bit more than my alleged open 1/2 marathon pace. Considering that only :40 of the run was supposed to be at 1/2 marathon pace and the course has some serious hills, I feel like I ran pretty well. Cool weather helped!
Today begins the official Race Rehearsal weekend. I take these things pretty seriously. This morning, I'm swimming a 2.4-mile TT (the total workout will be about 3 miles), and then I head up to Wisconsin where I'll ride the full Ironman course tomorrow followed by a 6-mile run. I'm doing the swim in an outdoor 50-meter pool, which will be nice, because it's only 55 degrees right now, and the pool should be COLD and I'll wear my wetsuit. Bonus--less laps to count!
I set up Bitchie, as you can see above, with her race wheels, so she's a bit lighter than usual. I mixed my bottles of Infinit, Ultrafuel (aka "gag juice"), Endurox R4, and I have a can of Ultra Violence defizzing that will be used for the run. I'll be staying in Verona rather than Madison, just because I like the hotel that I stay at in Verona, and it's right on the bike loop. I will begin my ride from there, and do the out-and-back part (to and from Madison) first, and then I'll ride the loop twice. I'll stop back at the hotel to pick up my second bottle of calories at some point.
When I finish riding, I'll run right from the hotel on the Military Ridge trail, which is pretty sweet. Technically, this doesn't mimic race conditions since it's crushed limestone, but that's OK.
This will be my first time riding the Wisconsin course this year. Some summers, I'll ride the thing maybe 4 or 5 times. This year, I'm riding it tomorrow, part of it again next week at my coach's training camp (you can still sign up for it!), a little bit the day before Ironman Wisconsin (where I'll be officiating on the back of a motorcycle driven by Rich again), and then if I decide I'm still in, the following weekend will be a full-course ride as part of an unsupported Ironman "race." Horribly Hilly included parts of Garfoot Road in the reverse direction from the Ironman, and that ride is MUCH harder than the full Ironman course. Triple T was also much harder riding that the Wisconsin course. And I believe the Wisconsin course is tougher than Lake Placid.
So we'll just have to see how well I ride. My FTP is a bit down from its high last year, but yet I seem to be riding faster than last year. I know my CdA is probably pretty low, which always helps, and I no longer use the aerobottle, as I think it's kinda gay. I also believe that my CdA is less without it, although someone pointed me at some alleged study that said they improved it. All I know is that when I ride without it, I seem to go faster. Go figure!
Cindy was going to join me for the weekend but can't make it due to family commitments. That's OK, since I need to ride my own ride anyway, but I'll miss her post-ride. No worries--I know the Madison area pretty well, and I will just enjoy a weekend away from home, and no doubt I'll spot friends and they will spot me while I'm up there. I could come home tomorrow night, but I'm going to stay and chill, and then drive back early Sunday when traffic will be light.
Enjoy your weekend and I'll update you when I'm back about how it all went!
3 comments:
Sounds fun!
Have good ride!
"I also believe that my CdA is less without it, although someone pointed me at some alleged study that said they improved it. All I know is that when I ride without it, I seem to go faster. Go figure!"
Who would try to say such a thing?! :P
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