Good Ride--Just Not as Far as I Hoped

I'm on my 2nd beer post-ride. Turns out I wasn't sufficiently recovered from IMLP to go the distance. Still, I did this:

Duration: 7:17:56 (7:51:55)
Work: 3740 kJ
TSS: 461.2 (intensity factor 0.795)
Norm Power: 171
VI: 1.2
Distance: 106.449 mi
Elevation Gain: 8786 ft

That is still a very solid ride, I don't care who you are. In case you are wondering, I set my FTP for LGL to 215 (it's about 180 on Bitchie). I'm sure my coach will claim it's even higher, but when I've done interval rides on LGL, that's the number I use and am able to hit for the FT intervals.

So if you know anything about riding with power (as compared to some idiots I've seen post on their blogs as if they know what they are talking about--they are really just using a fancy bike computer), you will observe that I rode pretty "hot." I can ride near 80% of FTP for a LONG time if I'm not running off the bike, as I know all too well (coach doesn't believe me, but it's true). If the rest of the ride had been flat, I could have continued on, but my legs were just not into climbing any more, and I was having trouble unclipping from my pedals, so I decided to bag it.

The ride started out rather cool and overcast. At about 40 miles in, we got rained on for a long time. It's not that much fun riding screaming descents when you can barely see in front of you let alone the road let alone gravel let alone the curves. After it quit raining, then the sun came out in blazes (about 87 degrees) and the winds picked up to about 15MPH or more.

When I took a shower post-ride, I was even happier that I stopped, because my ass was chafed! That's what you get sitting on essentially a wet diaper. I shudder to think what I would have ended up with after 180 miles!

So, no there were no tears today. In fact, I'm quite good with what I did, just 3 weeks after an Ironman. I am looking forward to being able to run next week, and also bike, and also swim! I still put in 17 hours of training this week, and that's nothing to complain about (I will probably swim about an hour tomorrow, too, just to get over this, and I think I can run, too--so I am a lying mofo--it will be about 18.5 hours).

I'm about to head out to the Land's End store here in Dodgeville, then buy some more beer, because I've got a few guys who will be finishing 300K today that will be showering back at my ranch, and I think they'll appreciate a beer. I offered to have a three-way with them...one is married, but the other guy is single, so we'll just have to see how that works out :)

The Time Draws Near

I was hoping to "sleep in" until 4:15AM today, but got out of bed at 3:15, so I've got a bit of time on my hands. No worries--this will give me more time to process the calories I'm dumping in before I ride today.

Weather forecast looks relatively good if it's correct. No matter how you slice it, it's going to be fucking hot riding all day. YEAH!!!

I am at least starting the ride, and then depending on how it goes, hanging with, Dino, a guy I met at Ironman Brazil last year. He listed "Bikini Model" as his occupation on registration, and I had listed "Butt Model." So we refer to each other by those names. Dino's bib at Brazil got messed up, and instead of printing his real name, it said "Bikini Model." Dino's a good sport, so he just went with it. I'm not sure how many Ironman races Dino has done--maybe as many as me? Anyway, he's a great guy, part of the Headhunters triathlon club in Wisconsin. Last fall when I was volunteering for IMWI, I stayed at Dino's house, and he gave me honorary Headhunter status. I have a sticker on my car, a hat and some awesome water bottles. I think next I need to score the cycling kit, because it would look totally awesome on either LGL or Bitchie.

You can see what I did to the wrist band that I'll be wearing today. I'll be gazing at it once I'm 133 miles in, as that will be the start of my longest single ride ever. I'll be looking at it the second time I'm climbing Shop Hill, which is the meanest, baddest mother fucker of a hill I've ever been on.

Time for my Gag Juice and then I need to suit up!

Getting Psyched for Dairyland Dare

I've arrived in Dodgeville for the Dairyland Dare 300K ride that takes place tomorrow. I've already begun compiling pics here.

Weather forecast calls for a high of 85 with light winds, day beginning with high humidity tapering off. PERFECT!!!

The crap I rode in last Sunday was worse, although there really weren't hills involved--just WIND!

I met a woman who's attempting the 300K as well. I don't think she has any idea of what she's in for. Furthest she's ridden is 100 miles, but hey, if she gets it done, great! I know one thing--I won't be riding with her for very long, unless I see she's a player. But it's nice to know there are other women attempting this.

Now I need to do some calculations to determine which rest stops I want my extra bottles dropped off at. They will be HOT no matter what--I'm not sure why I chilled them--but maybe, just maybe, they will put them into a cooler??? I'll ask anyway.

I'm picking up my crap in about 1/2 hour and then heading to Pizza Hut for dinner. I ate a bunch of pizza before Horribly Hilly, so I'm going to stick with what works. I will stuff myself, and then I'll be in the whirlpool...

Updates to Tiki Hut!!!

Shelley was worried... http://www.flickr.com/photos/8737154@N04/sets/72157601084965211/


See the last 4 photos...

Real Life Sucks

I think I've said this before...once I get wrapped up in all the heavy training, the racing and the hoopla, returning to some semblance of "normalcy" bites the big one. Add to that a little extra work stress and you get...FUCKING MESSED UP!!!

However, the cure is in sight--LGL is all cleaned up and pretty (even her crotches, I must say), and ready for her next big adventure--the Dairyland Dare. She and I are going to attempt 300K on Saturday. We leave tomorrow around 1PM for Dodgeville, Wisconsin.

I was so happy to read that we can drop off "special needs" for this ride!!! Which means I don't need to try and mix 13 hours worth of Infinit into one stinking bottle. I know I can do a 6-hour bottle easily, so I'll start with that, and then drop a drug bag about halfway with enough powder for another 6 hours.

On another positive note, I ran 4 days straight this week, with 8.4 miles today, and my legs are back!!! I got a massage tonight, and my quads are no longer fucked up, which is great.

So other than the stressed out day I had today, I'm doing much better. There are still crazy things going on in my head, but I expected that and that will continue, but there's nothing like a 180-mile ride to clear one's head a bit, is there?

I can hardly describe how excited I am about this ride. As you know, I fucking LOVE riding my bikes...somehow next week I need to get Bitchie to the shop to get her sexed up a bit more, and I have a new saddle for LGL...it never seems to stop!

Sorry

I've turned into a bitch lately (sure, tell me it's always been that way). No excuses.

This space will once again be occupied by someone who gives a damn in a few days...

My hair's too long, I hate recovering, work is hectic, grass needs mowing but it keeps raining, hot, humid, did I say hot, still not back into a routine, hate transitional periods, grrrrrr...............................

Tagged and Bagged

OK, so Shelley tagged me, and since I like her (most of the time), I will play along:

Jobs I’ve Held

Sorority Social Chairman

Ponderosa Bus Girl

Fabric Store Cashier

Your Worst Nightmare

Scary Blogger Chic

Intimidating Athletic Chic

Software Developer/Consultant/Support/Gofer

Volleyball Team Captain

Loose College Woman

Loose Divorced Woman

Loose Woman

Movies I Can Watch Over & Over

Wizard of Oz

A Clockwork Orange

Pulp Fiction

Fantasia

Blade Runner

The Sound of Music

Full Metal Jacket

2001: A Space Odyssey

Casino Royale, really any James Bond Movie

Whichever one shows Clint Eastwood’s naked butt when he was a hottie

My Guilty Pleasures

Twinkies with Whipped Cream

Whipped Cream on Mr. (I’m not naming names)

French Champagne

All you can eat hotdogs

Going commando at business meetings

Getting myself off while laying next to the guy I just was with while he’s sleeping

Soaping myself up in the public shower at the Y

Peeing in my neighbors’ yards

Romano cheese

Cold movie theater seats

Places I Have Lived

That special place in my head

Illinois

Shows I Enjoy

Everyone Loves Raymond

How I Met Your Mother

3 and a Half Men

Spongebob Squarepants

Weather Channel

Places I Have Been on Vacation

Brazil

Canada, eh?

US States: AK, AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, HI, IL, IN, KS, KY, Las Vegas, MI, MN, MA, MO, MT, NC, NM, NV, NY, PA, RI, SC, SD, TX, VA, WI, WY, WV

Paris

London

US Virgin Islands

Earth’s Core

Hell (and back)

Favorite Foods

Sushi

Nearly dead beef

Eggs

McDonald’s Free WIFI

Royale with Cheese

Websites I Visit Daily

Crazy Triathletes

Body Parts I Have Injured

Right Radius

Left Leg

Right Leg

Many fingers

Central Diameter

Head

Ass

Both Feet

Left Serratus Anterior

Right Infraspinatus

Anything else not listed above

Awards You’ve Won

High School Valedictorian

Biggest Slut in my Sorority

Most Likely to Succeed

Nicknames You’ve Been Called

Butch

Crackhead

Sexy Bitch

“Hey You”

Whore (yes, by my older sister)

So now the fun part, I get to tag someone!!

I am tagging Brett, the only person who reads my blog!

The 2007 Spending Binge

It all started with the simple statement, "I'd like to put a better gruppo on my road bike." It escalated to this:

1. New road bike plus accessories
2. New tri bike shoes and cleats (I did need these anyway)
3. 3 new helmets (1 for Bitchie; 1 for LGL; 1 that is just cool for either)
4. Finally, a digital camera, which you may question as being triathlon related, but if I didn't have this fuckin' triathlon blog, I wouldn't need to take so many fuckin' pictures, now would I?
5. ...and a subscription to Flickr to go with it.
6. Deposit for 2008 Tour of California
7. Entry for 2008 Ironman Lake Placid. Yeah you are all laughing when weeks ago I said I probably wouldn't do an Ironman in 2008, ha ha, I'm thinking about doing Wisconsin, too. THERE YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST! And this time, I got my occupation correct on the IMLP registration form--Crackhead.
8. Conversion to customized Infinit mix
9. Deposit for 2008 Triple T accommodations
10. Carbon compact crank/Ergomo for Bitchie
11. Park bike stand (still unassembled)
12. I don't even want to talk about the running shoes...
13. 3 cycling kits, all featuring my Pimp's gang colors
14. Oh and all the Iroman Lake Placid crap I just had to have
15. Too much crap to list from Target--some necessary; some not
16. Bunch o' Crackhead stuff
17. Even smaller bike and run shorts since I seem to be shrinking
18. Waaaaaaaay too many Splish swimsuits

I still need to spend money on:

1. New wetsuit. My Orca has a large gash from IMLP--not sure if it's from the swim itself or the stripper or what. My Desoto T1 is now my backup suit. No, I'm not going to use the Slowtwitch thread to make my decision...I'm sure I know "someone" who can get me a "discount" on a wetsuit.
2. New Barbie. It's been awhile... Triathlon related? Sure...see the Tiki Hut...
3. More running shoes...grrrrrrr......
4. A tripod. You do want better nekked pics, don't you???

This is all in addition to my regular triathlon expenditures of:

1. Tons o' food. I eat a lot.
2. Endurox R4. Until I find something that works better or is more conveniently integrated into my schedule, I'm sticking with it.
3. Stuff for friends. They are good to me; I try and be good in return.
4. Hotels.
5. Race fees
6. Gasoline!!!! I've been noticing the extra dent this has been putting in my checking account.

What do I get for all that money? See below. There is way too much fun that you can't see in the numbers! But I think I need another job...

Season Totals 09/18/2006-08/12/2007
Swim: 410289 yards (232.85 miles) in 143.6 hours
Bike: Approx. 4921.98 miles in 283.42 hours--HOLY CRAP WILL TOP 5,000 MILES THIS WEEK!
Run: Approx. 1272.12 miles in 197.95 hours
Strength: 61.05 hours
All Sports: Approx. 6426.95 miles in 686.02 hours; approx. 292234 calories burned
Stretching: 107.86 hours. Massage: 64.67 hours

Season WeeklyAverages 09/18/2006-08/12/2007
Swim: 8730 yards (4.95 miles) in 3.06 hours
Bike: Approx. 104.72 miles in 6.03 hours
Run: Approx. 27.07 miles in 4.21 hours
Strength: 1.3 hours
All Sports: Approx. 136.74 miles in 14.6 hours
Sleep: 8.12 hours avg./night
Stretching: 2.29 hours avg./week. Massage: 1.38 hours avg./week

Weekly Workout Totals 07/30/2007-08/05/2007

Crap, Blogger just ate my post. Oh well, no big deal. I got in the hours I wanted, but not in the way I intended--I had planned on running more, but instead I biked more. YEAH!!! This week I think I can get back on the running. My average sleep hours and stretching are creeping back up, too, which is good. If nothing else, I've been swimming a lot!

If all goes well, this coming week will be a pretty big training week, including lots of fun!

And, there are updates at the Tiki Hut--check the last 5 pics.


Weekly Workout Totals 07/30/2007-08/05/2007
Swim: 16218 yards (9.2 miles) in 5.58 hours; 30% of weekly workout time; approx. 1955 calories burned
Bike: Approx. 202.46 miles in 11.37 hours; 60% of weekly workout time; approx. 5116 calories burned
Run: Approx. 5.85 miles in 1.02 hours; 5% of weekly workout time; approx. 455 calories burned
Strength: 0.85 hours; 5% of weekly workout time; approx. 213 calories burned
All Sports: Approx. 217.51 miles in 18.82 hours; approx. 7739 calories burned
Sleep: 7.29 hours avg./night
Stretching: 1.75 hours. Massage: 1.5 hours

God, I Fucking LOVE Riding My Bikes

Yeah, I know I'm narcissistic and all that, but occasionally, I have to PROVE that I have the Body Of Iron, don't I??? (Notice the Catlike helmet in the background just to prove I've been riding bikes all weekend).

Well it's been 2 weeks since IMLP, and I'm getting ready for a 300K ride on 8/11. I had a touch and go week in terms of recovery from Ironman, but I really wanted to be ready for the 300K, so I decided to tough it out this weekend.

Yesterday it was overcast and not too hot, so I did my ride from home to Fermilab and circled twice (plus) and then back home, for 71 miles on LGL. I did my interval shit, and did it well, and then the rest was just at a pace I could manage. There was a headwind all the way home (and for much of the Fermilab loop), so in some respects, it wasn't too fun, but what the hell, I was just fucking happy to be riding LGL and getting in some miles. I had some minor knee pain, but knew that it was just my fucked up quads yelling at me, so I soldiered on.

About 20 miles into yesterday's ride, I ran into a couple in Fermilab that I hadn't seen for about 6 weeks. They were walking their Yellow Lab and their Golden Retriever, and they remembered my name, but unfortunately, I didn't remember theirs. They reminded me--Kathy and Bill, and I won't forget, because I know another Cathy and Bill couple. They remembered that I was doing an Ironman, and so we talked about that. They were wondering why I was on a different bike and thought I had switched. I told them this was my OTHER bike, and made them guess how much it cost. $2,000? Nope. $5,000? Nope. You get the idea. I chatted with them and they wished me luck and I told them how to stalk me on Google.

I had a pretty decent ride, and was happy to put in some extra mileage, all things considered, even with the winds. I couldn't remember the last time that LGL went "nuclear," and so I felt special riding near the ring. I visited my favorite nitrogen tank, #42, and saluted it. I had some periods of low energy, but this is normal, especially 2 weeks from an Ironman.

I swam 1500 yards (at the fucking INDOOR pool) after I rode yesterday, and it was good. I'm trying to hook up with a local swim coach, but I seem to have bad luck in that department, and he hasn't called me back yet, but from all my time at the outdoor pool, I am getting a better feel for the water, and I noticed that I wasn't really using my lats as much as I should, so that's making me swim differently now. I still suck, but maybe there's hope for me...

After riding and swimming yesterday, I managed to go grocery shopping and do the dishes, spend some quality time on the phone with a few friends, and get to sleep around 8:00. So you know what that means...I was up at 3:30AM. I have to fix this issue. I lay in bed after I wake up so I'm still technically getting rest, but still...

So I got out of bed at 3:58AM this morning, and I want to go ride 100 miles at this organized ride, but it's raining and I'm watching the radar and out my door and it doesn't look good. Finally at about 7:30AM I decide I'm driving to the ride start and taking my chances. I would rather ride in the rain than ride on the trainer, and I REALLY want to get in 100 because I'm riding 300K next Saturday!

I get there, and it's fucking pouring rain, and I'm wondering if I need to drive back home and get on the trainer, but I turn on the radio and they say it's supposed to stop by 9AM so I'm good, even though that's a late start for 100 miles. At 8:20AM I go and pay the money and tell them that I am starting at 8:45AM no matter what. I've got my rain jacket on and I'm ready to roll.

I leave at 8:45AM and it's not really raining, but the skies are still fucked up, so I decide to leave the jacket on until the first rest stop. Which makes me sweat like a pig. No matter, they have a rest stop only 12 miles out, so that' s great, I pee and remove the jacket and continue on.

The winds pick up and it sucks riding by myself but what am I going to do? I make it to the 30 mile rest stop and see some other riders about to take off, and I figured they'd be doing 100 miles because there were some "triathletes" in the bunch. So I decide to give chase, but the triathlete group is going the wrong way, but I do eventually catch up with this guy, and I ended up riding the rest of the way with him. Good thing, because he kept me on pace and was good company! When we reached the 56 mile rest stop (after getting dumped on for maybe 5 minutes by a rogue cloud, but we got a thorough soaking from it) that was only on the 102-mile route, the 2 guys manning it clapped for me because I was the first (and later I found out ONLY) woman to get there. There was a guy, Steve, there, who also had a Griffen bike that wanted to chat me up and I ended up writing an entire chunk of brown paper bag about myself (I really need business cards, hint, hint, Rich), including name, email address, blog URL, CF URL, Endurance Nation URL, and I don't remember what else. Steve is doing Ironman Canada, and I told him about the course talks we are doing for each Ironman race, so hopefully the guy will be smart and contact me.

Steve thought he could keep up with me and Dana (yeah, I know, guy name, oh well), but I didn't think he could and he didn't. It was great having someone to ride with and draft with and all that. When I first encountered Dana, we were going into a headwind, and he made a comment to me about how I must be suffering since I am so small, because there's a woman in his usual riding group that is small like me and she doesn't do well into the wind! I looked at him and told him that I think I ride pretty well into the wind, and then I showed him! Dana appeared to be a fairly talented roadie, so I figured I had better buck up and show him lest I be viewed a loser!!!

At the last rest stop, there was a group of riders who thought THEY were the last ones out on the route, but then Dana and I rolled in. This one chic said something about the 85-mile route and how much was left, and I looked at her and said, "Honey, I know where I am and I've already got 84 miles in today." There was 1 guy with 3 chics, and I looked at his bike, since he was looking at mine and made a comment about my bottles (kiss of death, you know). I was using my hot pink IMLP bottles that I now love, and I had them in the XLAB cages loaded with Infinit, and then a water bottle on the seat tube. Well, since he made fun of my bottles, I told him to read the sticker (your bike sucks) on my chain stay. And then I told Dana we should let them go and show them who knows how to ride.

Well, turns out by that point I didn't have much gas left in me, and that group took off. I kept up for awhile, but I knew Dana probably could take them, and I laughed as he did on a rolling uphill. I thought I was toast and lost the group, but then I ran into Dana about 5 miles from finish, so they really weren't that far ahead. He told me that the dude in the group sucked, and I told him I was happy that he smoked them. Dana and I rode in, and we finished the ride at 18MPH average, not too shabby considering all the wind and rain. Also, once the skies had cleared, the temperature shot up to 90, so the last 30 miles were rather miserable.

At the end of the ride, the people manning the start area clapped for us, and I took several bows, being the only woman to ride 102 miles, having started late and all. I drove home as fast as I could so I could get my grill started and make some food.

The net net is that I put in 175 miles this weekend, and if I add my lame-ass Tuesday ride, I'm up to 202 miles for the week, so I think I should be OK for next Saturday's 300k (180-mile) hilly ride. At least I hope so!

Oh yeah--I was on Bitchie today, and I can't wait to get the carbon compact crank on her, since she will be ultra-styling. In 2 weeks, I plan to ride her with the all-carbon Hed 3D Disk wheel, which is 100% carbon, too, so I can INCREASE my fucking carbon footprint!

Did I say that I FUCKING LOVE RIDING MY BIKES???