Not much to say really..
Nerves have well and truely set in, just about to try and get a few hours sleep.
My race number is #316.
You should be able to track me via www.ironman.com.
Good luck to the other bloggers out there..
Ryan #515
Michelle #2322
Lana #2139
Ian #811
Plus anyone else I have missed.
Hope you all have a good race.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Update at long last
Wow what a busy month. Its been over a month since I last blogged and so much has happened on some fronts and so little has happened on others!
The positives
Lakeshore Century ride - Total cycle time of 5hr 30 ish (PR for me). However actual time was closer to 6hrs after 2 punctures, and only carrying 1 spare didn't help. But a nice passerby passed on her spare. The fist tyre went at about mile 20, so I knew it was going to be a long ride! The second went at mile 85. I had taken out my second spare to make room for more nutrition and in all my outdoor riding I had never had a puncture. Well that ride sure made up for it! It did give me practise at changing a tyre in race conditions which was great. I can get stressed when I am really hurrying!
Finished very dehrydrated, and really need to drink more on the bike. This was my failing last year and I just don't seem able to take on enough water. I think i need to be drinking a sports bottle every 30 mins as well as taking on more carbs on the bike. NUUN is great for the salt, but I miss out on the carbs.
Looking at the tyres it doesn't look like a puncture but more of a burst valve.
Babies - Both are growing and getting their personalities. We are at the smiling, and squeaking (talking) stage. They did really well in the UK, and they were great on the plane.. slept pretty much the whole flight there and back which was a big relief. They got to meet all the friends and family as they were karted around the country and passed from person to person and they handled it really well. Also think we have the sleeping through the night bit sorted, to bed at 10.30 and they sleep through to 6am - 7am.
The positives
Lakeshore Century ride - Total cycle time of 5hr 30 ish (PR for me). However actual time was closer to 6hrs after 2 punctures, and only carrying 1 spare didn't help. But a nice passerby passed on her spare. The fist tyre went at about mile 20, so I knew it was going to be a long ride! The second went at mile 85. I had taken out my second spare to make room for more nutrition and in all my outdoor riding I had never had a puncture. Well that ride sure made up for it! It did give me practise at changing a tyre in race conditions which was great. I can get stressed when I am really hurrying!
Finished very dehrydrated, and really need to drink more on the bike. This was my failing last year and I just don't seem able to take on enough water. I think i need to be drinking a sports bottle every 30 mins as well as taking on more carbs on the bike. NUUN is great for the salt, but I miss out on the carbs.
Looking at the tyres it doesn't look like a puncture but more of a burst valve.
Babies - Both are growing and getting their personalities. We are at the smiling, and squeaking (talking) stage. They did really well in the UK, and they were great on the plane.. slept pretty much the whole flight there and back which was a big relief. They got to meet all the friends and family as they were karted around the country and passed from person to person and they handled it really well. Also think we have the sleeping through the night bit sorted, to bed at 10.30 and they sleep through to 6am - 7am.The negatives
Up to the beginning of the month training had been going really well, I had completed 90% of the IM plan to date and I was feeling happy about myself. The century ride confirmed that I am stronger this year on the bike and that had been my primary goal.
However... the first week of Sept was spent packing and getting ready to travel so much of that week was lost to training, then I spent a week in Poland with meetings from 7.30am through to dinner meetings until midnight and I only managed a 4 mile run that week. Then the next week I was in the UK and spent most of that week racing around the country visiting friends and family and only got a 2 hour mountain bike ride (hill rides).
So I am back at the point of being fearful about Florida, I had a nightmare the other day about how I finished the swim in 1hr 40 (25mins slower than last year) and was relieved to have made the cutoff, ran up to T1 and then remembered I'd only done 1 lap of the swim, I sat there knowing I could not run back and complete the second lap (amazed I even contemplated it) and not knowing what to do. Woke at that point so not sure what I would have done!!
Up to the beginning of the month training had been going really well, I had completed 90% of the IM plan to date and I was feeling happy about myself. The century ride confirmed that I am stronger this year on the bike and that had been my primary goal.
However... the first week of Sept was spent packing and getting ready to travel so much of that week was lost to training, then I spent a week in Poland with meetings from 7.30am through to dinner meetings until midnight and I only managed a 4 mile run that week. Then the next week I was in the UK and spent most of that week racing around the country visiting friends and family and only got a 2 hour mountain bike ride (hill rides).
So I am back at the point of being fearful about Florida, I had a nightmare the other day about how I finished the swim in 1hr 40 (25mins slower than last year) and was relieved to have made the cutoff, ran up to T1 and then remembered I'd only done 1 lap of the swim, I sat there knowing I could not run back and complete the second lap (amazed I even contemplated it) and not knowing what to do. Woke at that point so not sure what I would have done!!
I know I have not done enough training and with only 1-2 weeks of real training left, I am in survival mode. I have not let my fitness drop too much from last year so I still have some of that in my legs. I reverted back to the IM plan the moment we got back, completed a 2.4mile swim in the pool on Monday (1hr 25) and finished feeling pretty good, so hopefully the swim is still there. Biked a hard 1 hour on Tuesday (19.5 miles) and felt pretty good. The key marker for my biking will be the century ride at the weekend in Ottawa IL. Ran 7 miles last night and felt fresh, so I keep telling myself I am not heading for a DNF on the 1st. Not looking for confidence building comments just focusing my own thoughts. As with last year there will be no time goals (well bar the big one) I just want to finish and I would like this year without the trip to the med tent at the end.
Other news
Having now travelled with the babies we have decided there is no way we can fly with the babies, all their stuff, my bike and all my tri stuff. When flying to the UK we had 3 large suitcases plus a bike box with the stroller in it. The hire car in the UK was packed solid!
After a long discussion it has been decided my bike will get shipped down to Florida. So that has now been booked and my bike will go via tribike transport (please no horror stories). I can also ship my tristuff in a separate bag with my bike. Meaning we do not have to get a massive hire car to put it all in.
Flights, hotel etc are all booked, and bar the nightmares and fears I am really looking forward to IM. Only 30 days to go!
Other news
Having now travelled with the babies we have decided there is no way we can fly with the babies, all their stuff, my bike and all my tri stuff. When flying to the UK we had 3 large suitcases plus a bike box with the stroller in it. The hire car in the UK was packed solid!
After a long discussion it has been decided my bike will get shipped down to Florida. So that has now been booked and my bike will go via tribike transport (please no horror stories). I can also ship my tristuff in a separate bag with my bike. Meaning we do not have to get a massive hire car to put it all in.
Flights, hotel etc are all booked, and bar the nightmares and fears I am really looking forward to IM. Only 30 days to go!
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