Well the day is finally here. I don't believe a single workout has gone by in these past 9 years where the idea of being at the start line of the Ironman Hawaii didn't creep into my head.
Swim: 90 minutes (60 minutes with Master's group + 30 minutes easy cool down with my wife)
Run: 3+ miles easy zone 1 after swim
Workout Log
Swim: Time: 1:30 Distance: 3,600 meters
Swim Notes: Steady swim with Master's group. Felt good, aimed to maintain IMPace on all sets and was fresh even after yesterday's 4km swim. Cool down set consisted of easy swim/stroke.
Immediately upon finishing I consumed (1) Carb-BOOM! Gel with 16oz of water before heading out for my run.
Run Notes: Easy run completely in zone 1 HR. I opted to run in my racing flats today as I have only about 6 miles in them and want to be sure they are nice and broken in. Run felt very good, with zero fatigue in legs. Splits which I monitored came in right around 7:15 pace and felt very easy.
Immediately after finishing I consumed (1) serving of Endurox R4 mixed with an additional 5 grams of Power Glutamine and (1) Antioxidant. I then showered and stretched and had a Vanilla Ultramet Smoothie blended w/ 16oz Pineapple Juice and a frozen banana about 25 minutes later.
One more workout in NJ on Sunday morning then it's off to Kona in the afternoon!
Run: 9 miles over hills (easy zone 1 through mile 5, 5-8 at IMPace + 1 mile easy cool down.
Workout Log
Run: Time: 1:06:22 Distance: 9 miles Avg Pace: 7:22 per mile Avg HR/MAX HR: 144/159
Run Notes: Completed this run in the morning before my afternoon flight to Kona. This workout felt 'average', not great, not bad, but HR did seem slightly elevated for the given pace. I definitely felt much better as the run progressed, but the IMPaced miles were a little tougher than I'd have preferred. I completed the 1st 5 miles in zone 1 HR (<145) in about :38. After the 5th mile, I disregarded HR and completed 3 miles at IMPace/Effort. The mistake I made was the 1st IMPaced mile included a significant climb, so the pace was a little off. although it felt quick. The 3 race pace miles were completed as follows:
Final mile was an easy cool down (8:08) in zone 1.
Overall the run felt OK, but the pace did feel a little quick. This course is a rolling with some moderate climbs which could have accounted for the slight difficulty in trying to maintain an even pace. My form and cadence felt comfortable though.
Going into the final week I am very glad to have the big travel day behind me and am looking forward to getting acclimated and have a firsthand look at the course. I intend to swim the whole course on Monday morning and depending on whether or not my bike arrives early enough, would like to try to get in a ride as well. The balance of the week will be spent familiarizing myself more and more with the course by cycling and running the segments which I perceive will be the most challenging (i.e. final 20% of the bike, energy lab, etc..). My plan is to try and cover these parts of the course at or near the same time of day I will be experiencing them on Saturday. The purpose of this is so I can at least get somewhat of a feel as to what the conditions may be like during the race itself. The last thing I want to do is too much, so the amount of workout time will be relatively short. It's important to remember that there's nothing you can do in the final week which will make you faster, but there are a lot of things which can make you slower.
Monday - 10/11/04 (5 Days to Kona) 1st Full Day on the Big Island
Swim (AM): 60 minutes (+/-) aiming to do as much of swim course as possible. Warm-up on way out, IMPace on return.
Bike (mid-day): 1:45 steady w/ 2 x 10 minutes at IMPace
Workout Log
Swim: Time: :45 Distance: 1.5 miles (+/-)
Swim Notes: I could write a novel about today. Any triathlete who has been around long enough and watched the TV coverage would appreciate the feeling of being in Kona during Ironman race week. For a baseball fan it's the equivalent of standing on the pitchers mound during the world series, or for a football fan, watching the Super Bowl from the 50 yard line (but actually on the field!). The energy in town is so intense that if you can't feel it, you're in the wrong sport.
With regards to the swim workout, I got a solid 8 hours of sleep after a 14 hour door to door travel day. I headed down to the pier with intentions of trying to do most of the swim, or at least as much as the buoys were out. I got in the water about 7:30AM and couldn't believe how warm the water is, well above 80F. There were literally 100's of athletes doing the same thing - everyone from the 17 hour finishers to Lori Bowden and Heather Fuhr whom I also saw in the water. I swam out to the last marker buoy (about 1300 meters in 20 minutes) at a relaxed pace and felt very good. Once out to the buoy I regrouped with a few other athletes I had started the swim with and after about 5 minutes of chatting with other athletes, headed back in at an increased pace near GRP (goal race pace). I felt good heading in as the water was relatively calm.
Immediately after finishing consumed (1) serving of Endurox R4 mixed with an additional 5 grams of Power Glutamine. With the R4 I took (2) Antioxidants before heading to breakfast with some friends at Bubba Gump's.
I rode easy up Alii Drive and out Palani to the Queen K at a very easy pace through town. On the way out I met with another athlete in my age group from Denmark who had qualified at Ironman Lanzarotte. We discussed our workout plans and would head out on the Queen K past the airport for about 50 (+/-) minutes riding at a steady pace in high zone 1.
I completed this workout around mid-day as I wanted to experience the final 10% of the bike course at roughly the same time of day that I would be riding it on Saturday. There was a headwind on the way out (maybe 15-20mph) and the temperature was in the high 80's without a cloud in the sky. I had mentally prepared myself for absolutely horrific heat and wind, so I actually didn't think it was too bad today. After :52 (avg HR 127) I parted ways with the other athlete and headed back to town to start my IMPaced intervals. I completed 2 x 10 minute efforts and felt amazing with the average/MAX HR's for each effort = 146/153 and 144/154.
After the final interval I rode easy back through town to my condo for a little R&R.
Immediately after finishing the ride I consumed (2) servings of Endurox R4 mixed with an additional 5 grams of Power Glutamine. With the R4 I took (2) Antioxidants before stretching.
Bike Nutrition: 300 calories of Cytomax and (1) 28oz bottle of water.
Misc Recap
What a fantastic 1st day in Kona. Surprisingly my workouts went extremely well today which is a little unusual as I typically have poor workouts the day after a big travel day. Today I felt absolutely perfect which is very promising being that we are still 5 days outside of the race. Tomorrow I intend to get in another swim, a run in the energy lab and take a drive over the full bike course up to Hawi.
Swim (AM): 20 minutes (+/-) aiming to do as much of swim course as possible. Easy/moderate on way out, IMPace on return.
Run (mid-day): 3+ miles in/out of the Natural Energy Lab w/ 2 x 5 minutes at IMPace
Workout Log
Swim: Time: :20 Distance: <1 mile (+/-)
Swim Notes: Got down to the water about 8AM and hooked up with another NJ native, Kevin Kenny. We both had the same workout scheduled and have similar swim abilities so this worked well. The water today was slightly choppier than yesterday on the way out, but still not bad at all. About 1/2 way out another athlete came chugging by at a slightly increased pace, so we hopped on his heals. It's incredible the pull you get in the water when drafting as it was easier being the 3rd in a draft line swimming at a faster pace, then it was swimming slower, yet solo.
We swam out for just over 10 minutes, chatted for about a minute and then headed in. The swim in was a little easier as the chop was now with us.
Immediately after finishing I consumed (1) serving of Endurox R4 mixed with an additional 5 grams of Power Glutamine. With the R4 I took (2) Antioxidants and headed over to registration to check-in.
Run: Time: 23:36 Distance: 3+ Avg Pace: 7:30 (+/-) Avg/MAX HR: n/a (regret to say I forgot my HRM strap at the condo on the drive out to the Lab)
Run Notes: I drove out to the Natural Energy Lab to run what many call the hottest and most difficult part of the IM marathon. The Energy Lab is basically an out and back U-turn off the Queen Q and begins at about the 18 mile mark.
For many of the pros, this is the make-or-break point where many races have been won/lost. The weather today continued to be very humid, but was slightly overcast when I began the run around 2:30PM. According to the weather stats, it was 87F with a heat index of 94F, but truthfully didn't feel too bad.
I jogged the 1st 8 minutes very easy as I forgot my HRM and wanted to err on the slow side before picking up the pace for the IMPaced surges. There was a slight headwind as I ran down to the turn-around which kept it from feeling too warm. It's mostly downhill towards the turn (although slight), but it still means that you're 'climbing' out of it on the return. The 1st 5 minute interval into the turnaround, felt OK, not great, just OK. After I hit the turn and the wind was now at my back, the temperature took a big leap. I didn't notice any perspiration on the way down, but it was like flipping a switch on the way back. Our NJ Summers offer a lot of triple H days (hazy, hot and humid), and I did have my fair share of them over the past few months. The heat and humidity on the run today weren't pleasant, but it wasn't too over the top either.
Immediately after finishing I consumed (1) serving of Endurox R4 mixed with an additional 5 grams of Power Glutamine, stretched and drove the few miles back into town to grab a late lunch.
Run Nutrition: The heat in the Energy Lab was warmer than an average 25 minute at home which is why I opted to bring along hydration. You can get easily dehydrated there in a matter of minutes, so I took along 16oz of Gatorade as this is what will be on course and I wanted to be sure I didn't leave anything out there for this 25 minute effort.
Misc Recap
After this morning's swim, I did have some slight fatigue in my lats as it's the 1st back-to-back open water swim I've done in about a month. Swimming open water is definitely a little different as there's no (or very little) recovery as you never stop your stroke as you do in a pool due to turns. Tomorrow I may just opt for a little 'play swim/snorkel' in front of the condo as it's just too nice not to get in the water.
Tomorrow's workout will include an 85 minute brick workout, on the race course, and another day with my feet up on the couch as much as possible. A fellow coach once said that during your taper, 'Never stand when you can lean, never lean when you can sit and never sit when you can lay down.' Good advice to remember!
Bike Notes: Rode very easy through town, up Palani out to the Queen Q. I rode conservatively to the Energy Lab, and at the turn completed the 3 x 5 minute effort. HR avg's for those were 138-140, with peaks at 150 on the uphills. I felt progressively better as the ride progressed.
Bike Nutrition: Consumed 200 calories of Accelerade and (1) 28oz bottle of plain water.
Run (off the bike): Time: 23:50 Distance: 3+ Avg Pace: 7:30 (+/-) Avg/MAX HR: 142/157
Run Notes: Ran out from the condo to the 3 mile mark (+/-) of the run. Intervals were completed on return with avg HR on the efforts at 151-154. Overall felt very good on this workout, especially considering the extreme humidity.
Immediately after finishing I consumed (1) serving of Endurox R4 mixed with an additional 5 grams of Power Glutamine. With the R4 I took (2) Antioxidants.
Misc Recap
I got a good taste of the Hawaii humidity as it rained a little on the ride, and then the sun came out. This left the wet ground open to the heat/sun, so the humidity was oppressive. It felt OK for a few miles - it will be much more fun for a marathon on Saturday :o)
Swim: 30 minutes relatively easy w/ 2 x 3-5 minute intervals at IMPace.
Workout Log
Swim: Time: :30 Distance: 1 mile (+/-)
Swim Notes: Very easy 8AM swim out to the 3rd or 4th buoy for about 12 minutes. I paused briefly on the way out to observe some of the sea life as there are many tropical fish swimming around the reef below (I'll be a little more focused on Saturday!). After I made the turn to come back, I surged 2x for about 3-5 minutes at approximately IMPace. The pick-ups felt good and between these efforts I again swam very easy into the beach.
Immediately after finishing, I headed back to the bag drop-off and picked up my bottle of Endurox R4 which is mixed with an additional 5 grams of Power Glutamine. With the R4 I took (2) Antioxidants.
Misc Recap
Today I tried to get as much R&R as possible, stayed off my feet and had a massage this evening. I spent most of the day with my feet up, reading a book or enjoying the views from the balcony of our condo:
I also watched some videos I'd brought with me of Ironman Hawaii '95 & '96 in which Mark Allen and Luc Van Lierde won, putting together 2:42 & 2:41 marathons respectively. Simply watching these athletes perform as they do in this heat is just incredible. Hopefully I can visualize this fluidity on Saturday.
I also spent some time re-reading my Ironman Florida Race Report to remind myself of what I experienced last season and how I may mentally prepare to avoid them for this year's Ironman. In addition to the race report, I also re-read many of my training log entries over the past few months. There's nothing I can do between now and Saturday to make myself any more prepared physically, but there are a lot of things I can do to mentally prepare. Re-reading these logs helps remind me of all the work which has gone into October 16 and builds my confidence that I have done everything I can to perform well. I cannot control the weather, the wind, the heat or my competitors, but I can control how my mind processes each situation which presents itself on race day. Maintaining a positive mental state at the most difficult time of the race will be key to achieving my goals.
I am very much looking forward to seeing my wife (who is expecting our 1st child in February :o), as she is flying in later this evening. I have a short workout scheduled for the tomorrow, getting in a swim with PBN Team Member, Patrick High. Patrick, who had an incredible 1st time Ironman Hawaii in '03 finishing in 9:36 (5th in the 40-44 age group). Unfortunately, Patrick and his family had a tragic run-in with Hurricane Jeane last month. His story was recently profiled on an Inside Triathlon web article.
I will also a complete a 45 minute bike/run brick and intend to drive up to Hawi to view the entire bike course before having another solid day of R&R.
Swim: 15 minutes easy w/ a slight increase in pace on return.
Run: 10 minutes, zone 1 w/ 3 x 20 seconds at IMPace.
Workout Log
Swim: Time: :15 Distance: 1/2 mile (+/-)
Swim Notes: Very easy 8AM swim out to the 3rd buoy with Patrick High. Swim felt very good as I was in a good synch, despite easy pace. I also spent another 10-15 minutes of easy swimming with my wife after I returned to the beach.
Immediately after finishing, I headed back to the bag drop-off and picked up my bottle of Endurox R4 which is mixed with an additional 5 grams of Power Glutamine. With the R4 I took (2) Antioxidants.
Run: Time: :10 Distance: 1.2 miles (+/-)
Run Notes: I opted to remove the brick workout which was scheduled as I was feeling a little tired and didn't want to have any undo stress. I did do an easy 5 minute out/back run on Alii, and included 3 x 20 second surges to IMPace. The surges felt OK, not great which is par for the course during my taper. The weather today was warm (90F), but felt a little cooler than normal as the humidity wasn't as bad.
Immediately after finishing, I again had a serving of Endurox R4, mixed with an additional 5 grams of Power Glutamine. With the R4 I took (2) Antioxidants.
Misc Recap
Today was another great day in Kona. In the afternoon I checked in my bike and was treated like a king as the volunteers lead you through the transition area, inspecting every area until you are 100% comfortable:
After checking in my T1 and T2 bags, I had the opportunity to inspect the pro racks which is always interesting to see what the pros are on. The obvious draw was to Peter Reid's bike (#1):
I had a great early evening dinner with my wife Andrea, friend Moira and our condo mates, John, Helen and Mitch Anderson. Mitch finished 20th o'all in '03 and had the 2nd fastest bike split here in Kona. Getting to spend that final pre-race dinner with an athlete of his caliber was invaluable. More importantly, we had a lot of laughs and a very relaxing evening in our condo.
Well the day is finally here. This is the moment I have thought about since doing my 1st sprint triathlon in '95. I don't believe a single workout has gone by in these past 9 years where the idea of being at the start line of the Ironman Hawaii didn't creep into my head. To be in Kona, on 'Super Bowl Saturday' is an absolutely incredible feeling and I feel privileged that I am participating. My training for this event has gone as well as I could have expected and I know I am ready. I don't know what the day will hold, conditions look to be favorable and I hope my body performs well.
I have thoroughly enjoyed putting this 21 day build together and thank you for your positive e-mails, calls and energy. I hope I meet and exceed those expectations you've placed on me, and most importantly hope to exceed my own.
Thanks again - cheers to a phenomenal inaugural Ironman. Time to kick @ss!!
Please don't hesitate to drop a post on the PBN Forum if you have any questions or there's anything else you'd like to see included in these reports.
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Three Weeks to Kona - WEEK THREE!
Well the day is finally here. I don't believe a single workout has gone by in these past 9 years where the idea of being at the start line of the Ironman Hawaii didn't creep into my head.
By Brian Shea
www.PersonalBestNutrition.com
Saturday - 10/9/04 - (7 Days to Kona)
Pre-workout Nutrition
Breakfast: Consisted of (1) English Muffin with butter and jelly, (1) Complete Whey Protein Shake blended w/ 16oz of skim milk. Also with breakfast I consumed (2) Multivitamins, (2) Antioxidants, (3) Optygen, (2) Endurox Capsules, (2) Ultimate Performance Accelerators, (4) Joint Matrix and (6) Muscle Nitro.
Scheduled Workout:
Swim: 90 minutes (60 minutes with Master's group + 30 minutes easy cool down with my wife)
Run: 3+ miles easy zone 1 after swim
Workout Log
Swim:
Time: 1:30
Distance: 3,600 meters
Swim Notes:
Steady swim with Master's group. Felt good, aimed to maintain IMPace on all sets and was fresh even after yesterday's 4km swim. Cool down set consisted of easy swim/stroke.
Immediately upon finishing I consumed (1) Carb-BOOM! Gel with 16oz of water before heading out for my run.
Run:
Time: :24
Distance: 3.25 miles
Avg Pace: 7:23
Avg HR/MAX HR: 138/144
Run Notes:
Easy run completely in zone 1 HR. I opted to run in my racing flats today as I have only about 6 miles in them and want to be sure they are nice and broken in. Run felt very good, with zero fatigue in legs. Splits which I monitored came in right around 7:15 pace and felt very easy.
Immediately after finishing I consumed (1) serving of Endurox R4 mixed with an additional 5 grams of Power Glutamine and (1) Antioxidant. I then showered and stretched and had a Vanilla Ultramet Smoothie blended w/ 16oz Pineapple Juice and a frozen banana about 25 minutes later.
One more workout in NJ on Sunday morning then it's off to Kona in the afternoon!
Sunday - 10/10/04 (6 Days to Kona)
Pre-workout Nutrition
Breakfast: Consisted of (1) English Muffin with butter and jelly, (1) Complete Whey Protein Shake blended w/ 16oz of skim milk. Also with breakfast I consumed (2) Multivitamins, (2) Antioxidants, (3) Optygen, (2) Endurox Capsules, (2) Ultimate Performance Accelerators, (4) Joint Matrix and (6) Muscle Nitro.
Scheduled Workout:
Run: 9 miles over hills (easy zone 1 through mile 5, 5-8 at IMPace + 1 mile easy cool down.
Workout Log
Run:
Time: 1:06:22
Distance: 9 miles
Avg Pace: 7:22 per mile
Avg HR/MAX HR: 144/159
Run Notes:
Completed this run in the morning before my afternoon flight to Kona. This workout felt 'average', not great, not bad, but HR did seem slightly elevated for the given pace. I definitely felt much better as the run progressed, but the IMPaced miles were a little tougher than I'd have preferred. I completed the 1st 5 miles in zone 1 HR (<145) in about :38. After the 5th mile, I disregarded HR and completed 3 miles at IMPace/Effort. The mistake I made was the 1st IMPaced mile included a significant climb, so the pace was a little off. although it felt quick. The 3 race pace miles were completed as follows:
Mile 6 (Avg/MAX HR): 7:18 (148/152 - included significant climb)
Mile 7: 6:52 (153/156)
Mile 8: 6:55 (155/159)
Final mile was an easy cool down (8:08) in zone 1.
Overall the run felt OK, but the pace did feel a little quick. This course is a rolling with some moderate climbs which could have accounted for the slight difficulty in trying to maintain an even pace. My form and cadence felt comfortable though.
Immediately after finishing I consumed (1) serving of Endurox R4 mixed with an additional 5 grams of Power Glutamine and (1) Antioxidant.
Misc Notes
Going into the final week I am very glad to have the big travel day behind me and am looking forward to getting acclimated and have a firsthand look at the course. I intend to swim the whole course on Monday morning and depending on whether or not my bike arrives early enough, would like to try to get in a ride as well. The balance of the week will be spent familiarizing myself more and more with the course by cycling and running the segments which I perceive will be the most challenging (i.e. final 20% of the bike, energy lab, etc..). My plan is to try and cover these parts of the course at or near the same time of day I will be experiencing them on Saturday. The purpose of this is so I can at least get somewhat of a feel as to what the conditions may be like during the race itself. The last thing I want to do is too much, so the amount of workout time will be relatively short. It's important to remember that there's nothing you can do in the final week which will make you faster, but there are a lot of things which can make you slower.
Monday - 10/11/04 (5 Days to Kona) 1st Full Day on the Big Island
Pre-workout Nutrition
Consisted of (300) calories Accelerade with (2) Multivitamins, (2) Antioxidants, (3) Optygen, (2) Endurox Capsules and (6) Muscle Nitro.
Scheduled Workout:
Swim (AM): 60 minutes (+/-) aiming to do as much of swim course as possible. Warm-up on way out, IMPace on return.
Bike (mid-day): 1:45 steady w/ 2 x 10 minutes at IMPace
Workout Log
Swim:
Time: :45
Distance: 1.5 miles (+/-)
Swim Notes:
I could write a novel about today. Any triathlete who has been around long enough and watched the TV coverage would appreciate the feeling of being in Kona during Ironman race week. For a baseball fan it's the equivalent of standing on the pitchers mound during the world series, or for a football fan, watching the Super Bowl from the 50 yard line (but actually on the field!). The energy in town is so intense that if you can't feel it, you're in the wrong sport.
With regards to the swim workout, I got a solid 8 hours of sleep after a 14 hour door to door travel day. I headed down to the pier with intentions of trying to do most of the swim, or at least as much as the buoys were out. I got in the water about 7:30AM and couldn't believe how warm the water is, well above 80F. There were literally 100's of athletes doing the same thing - everyone from the 17 hour finishers to Lori Bowden and Heather Fuhr whom I also saw in the water. I swam out to the last marker buoy (about 1300 meters in 20 minutes) at a relaxed pace and felt very good. Once out to the buoy I regrouped with a few other athletes I had started the swim with and after about 5 minutes of chatting with other athletes, headed back in at an increased pace near GRP (goal race pace). I felt good heading in as the water was relatively calm.
Immediately after finishing consumed (1) serving of Endurox R4 mixed with an additional 5 grams of Power Glutamine. With the R4 I took (2) Antioxidants before heading to breakfast with some friends at Bubba Gump's.
Bike:
Time: 1:44
Distance: 33 miles (+/-)
Avg Speed: 18.5mph
Avg/MAX HR: 128/154
Bike Notes:
I rode easy up Alii Drive and out Palani to the Queen K at a very easy pace through town. On the way out I met with another athlete in my age group from Denmark who had qualified at Ironman Lanzarotte. We discussed our workout plans and would head out on the Queen K past the airport for about 50 (+/-) minutes riding at a steady pace in high zone 1.
I completed this workout around mid-day as I wanted to experience the final 10% of the bike course at roughly the same time of day that I would be riding it on Saturday. There was a headwind on the way out (maybe 15-20mph) and the temperature was in the high 80's without a cloud in the sky. I had mentally prepared myself for absolutely horrific heat and wind, so I actually didn't think it was too bad today. After :52 (avg HR 127) I parted ways with the other athlete and headed back to town to start my IMPaced intervals. I completed 2 x 10 minute efforts and felt amazing with the average/MAX HR's for each effort = 146/153 and 144/154.
After the final interval I rode easy back through town to my condo for a little R&R.
Immediately after finishing the ride I consumed (2) servings of Endurox R4 mixed with an additional 5 grams of Power Glutamine. With the R4 I took (2) Antioxidants before stretching.
Bike Nutrition:
300 calories of Cytomax and (1) 28oz bottle of water.
Misc Recap
What a fantastic 1st day in Kona. Surprisingly my workouts went extremely well today which is a little unusual as I typically have poor workouts the day after a big travel day. Today I felt absolutely perfect which is very promising being that we are still 5 days outside of the race. Tomorrow I intend to get in another swim, a run in the energy lab and take a drive over the full bike course up to Hawi.
Tuesday - 10/12/04 (4 Days to Kona)
Pre-workout Nutrition
Consisted of an Ultramet smoothie which contained (1) Vanilla Ultramet packet blended with 16oz of 'Paradise Blend 100% Juice'. With the smoothie I also consumed (2) Multivitamins, (2) Antioxidants, (3) Optygen, (2) Endurox Capsules and (6) Muscle Nitro.
Scheduled Workout:
Swim (AM): 20 minutes (+/-) aiming to do as much of swim course as possible. Easy/moderate on way out, IMPace on return.
Run (mid-day): 3+ miles in/out of the Natural Energy Lab w/ 2 x 5 minutes at IMPace
Workout Log
Swim:
Time: :20
Distance: <1 mile (+/-)
Swim Notes:
Got down to the water about 8AM and hooked up with another NJ native, Kevin Kenny. We both had the same workout scheduled and have similar swim abilities so this worked well. The water today was slightly choppier than yesterday on the way out, but still not bad at all. About 1/2 way out another athlete came chugging by at a slightly increased pace, so we hopped on his heals. It's incredible the pull you get in the water when drafting as it was easier being the 3rd in a draft line swimming at a faster pace, then it was swimming slower, yet solo.
We swam out for just over 10 minutes, chatted for about a minute and then headed in. The swim in was a little easier as the chop was now with us.
Immediately after finishing I consumed (1) serving of Endurox R4 mixed with an additional 5 grams of Power Glutamine. With the R4 I took (2) Antioxidants and headed over to registration to check-in.
Run:
Time: 23:36
Distance: 3+
Avg Pace: 7:30 (+/-)
Avg/MAX HR: n/a (regret to say I forgot my HRM strap at the condo on the drive out to the Lab)
Run Notes:
I drove out to the Natural Energy Lab to run what many call the hottest and most difficult part of the IM marathon. The Energy Lab is basically an out and back U-turn off the Queen Q and begins at about the 18 mile mark.
For many of the pros, this is the make-or-break point where many races have been won/lost. The weather today continued to be very humid, but was slightly overcast when I began the run around 2:30PM. According to the weather stats, it was 87F with a heat index of 94F, but truthfully didn't feel too bad.
I jogged the 1st 8 minutes very easy as I forgot my HRM and wanted to err on the slow side before picking up the pace for the IMPaced surges. There was a slight headwind as I ran down to the turn-around which kept it from feeling too warm. It's mostly downhill towards the turn (although slight), but it still means that you're 'climbing' out of it on the return. The 1st 5 minute interval into the turnaround, felt OK, not great, just OK. After I hit the turn and the wind was now at my back, the temperature took a big leap. I didn't notice any perspiration on the way down, but it was like flipping a switch on the way back. Our NJ Summers offer a lot of triple H days (hazy, hot and humid), and I did have my fair share of them over the past few months. The heat and humidity on the run today weren't pleasant, but it wasn't too over the top either.
Immediately after finishing I consumed (1) serving of Endurox R4 mixed with an additional 5 grams of Power Glutamine, stretched and drove the few miles back into town to grab a late lunch.
Run Nutrition:
The heat in the Energy Lab was warmer than an average 25 minute at home which is why I opted to bring along hydration. You can get easily dehydrated there in a matter of minutes, so I took along 16oz of Gatorade as this is what will be on course and I wanted to be sure I didn't leave anything out there for this 25 minute effort.
Misc Recap
After this morning's swim, I did have some slight fatigue in my lats as it's the 1st back-to-back open water swim I've done in about a month. Swimming open water is definitely a little different as there's no (or very little) recovery as you never stop your stroke as you do in a pool due to turns. Tomorrow I may just opt for a little 'play swim/snorkel' in front of the condo as it's just too nice not to get in the water.
Tomorrow's workout will include an 85 minute brick workout, on the race course, and another day with my feet up on the couch as much as possible. A fellow coach once said that during your taper, 'Never stand when you can lean, never lean when you can sit and never sit when you can lay down.' Good advice to remember!
Wednesday - 10/13/04 (3 Days to Kona)
Pre-workout Nutrition
Consisted of an Ultramet smoothie which contained (1) VanillaUltramet packet blended with 16oz of 'Paradise Blend 100% Juice'. With the smoothie I also consumed (2) Multivitamins, (2) Antioxidants, (3) Optygen, (2) Endurox Capsules and (6) Muscle Nitro.
Scheduled Workout:
Bike: 60 minutes (+/-) with 3 x 5 minutes at IMPace.
Run (off the bike): 3 miles in/out from beginning of run with 3 x 3 minutes at IMPace
Workout Log
Bike:
Time: :60
Distance: 15 miles (+/-)
Avg Speed: 15mph
Avg/MAX HR: 120/150
Bike Notes:
Rode very easy through town, up Palani out to the Queen Q. I rode conservatively to the Energy Lab, and at the turn completed the 3 x 5 minute effort. HR avg's for those were 138-140, with peaks at 150 on the uphills. I felt progressively better as the ride progressed.
Bike Nutrition:
Consumed 200 calories of Accelerade and (1) 28oz bottle of plain water.
Run (off the bike):
Time: 23:50
Distance: 3+
Avg Pace: 7:30 (+/-)
Avg/MAX HR: 142/157
Run Notes:
Ran out from the condo to the 3 mile mark (+/-) of the run. Intervals were completed on return with avg HR on the efforts at 151-154. Overall felt very good on this workout, especially considering the extreme humidity.
Immediately after finishing I consumed (1) serving of Endurox R4 mixed with an additional 5 grams of Power Glutamine. With the R4 I took (2) Antioxidants.
Misc Recap
I got a good taste of the Hawaii humidity as it rained a little on the ride, and then the sun came out. This left the wet ground open to the heat/sun, so the humidity was oppressive. It felt OK for a few miles - it will be much more fun for a marathon on Saturday :o)
Thursday - 10/14/04 (2 Days to Kona)
Pre-workout Nutrition
Consisted of (1) English Muffin with mango and pineapple with (1) serving of Complete Whey blended with 16oz skim milk. With this meal I also consumed (2) Multivitamins, (2) Antioxidants, (3) Optygen, (2) Endurox Capsules, (2) PBN Ultimate Performance Accelerators and (6) Muscle Nitro.
Scheduled Workout:
Swim: 30 minutes relatively easy w/ 2 x 3-5 minute intervals at IMPace.
Workout Log
Swim:
Time: :30
Distance: 1 mile (+/-)
Swim Notes:
Very easy 8AM swim out to the 3rd or 4th buoy for about 12 minutes. I paused briefly on the way out to observe some of the sea life as there are many tropical fish swimming around the reef below (I'll be a little more focused on Saturday!). After I made the turn to come back, I surged 2x for about 3-5 minutes at approximately IMPace. The pick-ups felt good and between these efforts I again swam very easy into the beach.
Immediately after finishing, I headed back to the bag drop-off and picked up my bottle of Endurox R4 which is mixed with an additional 5 grams of Power Glutamine. With the R4 I took (2) Antioxidants.
Misc Recap
Today I tried to get as much R&R as possible, stayed off my feet and had a massage this evening. I spent most of the day with my feet up, reading a book or enjoying the views from the balcony of our condo:
I also watched some videos I'd brought with me of Ironman Hawaii '95 & '96 in which Mark Allen and Luc Van Lierde won, putting together 2:42 & 2:41 marathons respectively. Simply watching these athletes perform as they do in this heat is just incredible. Hopefully I can visualize this fluidity on Saturday.
I also spent some time re-reading my Ironman Florida Race Report to remind myself of what I experienced last season and how I may mentally prepare to avoid them for this year's Ironman. In addition to the race report, I also re-read many of my training log entries over the past few months. There's nothing I can do between now and Saturday to make myself any more prepared physically, but there are a lot of things I can do to mentally prepare. Re-reading these logs helps remind me of all the work which has gone into October 16 and builds my confidence that I have done everything I can to perform well. I cannot control the weather, the wind, the heat or my competitors, but I can control how my mind processes each situation which presents itself on race day. Maintaining a positive mental state at the most difficult time of the race will be key to achieving my goals.
I am very much looking forward to seeing my wife (who is expecting our 1st child in February :o), as she is flying in later this evening. I have a short workout scheduled for the tomorrow, getting in a swim with PBN Team Member, Patrick High. Patrick, who had an incredible 1st time Ironman Hawaii in '03 finishing in 9:36 (5th in the 40-44 age group). Unfortunately, Patrick and his family had a tragic run-in with Hurricane Jeane last month. His story was recently profiled on an
Inside Triathlon web article.
I will also a complete a 45 minute bike/run brick and intend to drive up to Hawi to view the entire bike course before having another solid day of R&R.
Friday - 10/15/04 (1 Day to Kona)
Pre-workout Nutrition
Consisted of (1) English Muffin with mango and pineapple with (1) serving of Complete Whey blended with 16oz skim milk. With this meal I also consumed (2) Multivitamins, (2) Antioxidants, (3) Optygen, (2) Endurox Capsules and (6) Muscle Nitro.
Scheduled Workout:
Swim: 15 minutes easy w/ a slight increase in pace on return.
Run: 10 minutes, zone 1 w/ 3 x 20 seconds at IMPace.
Workout Log
Swim:
Time: :15
Distance: 1/2 mile (+/-)
Swim Notes:
Very easy 8AM swim out to the 3rd buoy with Patrick High. Swim felt very good as I was in a good synch, despite easy pace. I also spent another 10-15 minutes of easy swimming with my wife after I returned to the beach.
Immediately after finishing, I headed back to the bag drop-off and picked up my bottle of Endurox R4 which is mixed with an additional 5 grams of Power Glutamine. With the R4 I took (2) Antioxidants.
Run:
Time: :10
Distance: 1.2 miles (+/-)
Run Notes:
I opted to remove the brick workout which was scheduled as I was feeling a little tired and didn't want to have any undo stress. I did do an easy 5 minute out/back run on Alii, and included 3 x 20 second surges to IMPace. The surges felt OK, not great which is par for the course during my taper. The weather today was warm (90F), but felt a little cooler than normal as the humidity wasn't as bad.
Immediately after finishing, I again had a serving of Endurox R4, mixed with an additional 5 grams of Power Glutamine. With the R4 I took (2) Antioxidants.
Misc Recap
Today was another great day in Kona. In the afternoon I checked in my bike and was treated like a king as the volunteers lead you through the transition area, inspecting every area until you are 100% comfortable:
After checking in my T1 and T2 bags, I had the opportunity to inspect the pro racks which is always interesting to see what the pros are on. The obvious draw was to Peter Reid's bike (#1):
I had a great early evening dinner with my wife Andrea, friend Moira and our condo mates, John, Helen and Mitch Anderson. Mitch finished 20th o'all in '03 and had the 2nd fastest bike split here in Kona. Getting to spend that final pre-race dinner with an athlete of his caliber was invaluable. More importantly, we had a lot of laughs and a very relaxing evening in our condo.
Well the day is finally here. This is the moment I have thought about since doing my 1st sprint triathlon in '95. I don't believe a single workout has gone by in these past 9 years where the idea of being at the start line of the Ironman Hawaii didn't creep into my head. To be in Kona, on 'Super Bowl Saturday' is an absolutely incredible feeling and I feel privileged that I am participating. My training for this event has gone as well as I could have expected and I know I am ready. I don't know what the day will hold, conditions look to be favorable and I hope my body performs well.
I have thoroughly enjoyed putting this 21 day build together and thank you for your positive e-mails, calls and energy. I hope I meet and exceed those expectations you've placed on me, and most importantly hope to exceed my own.
Thanks again - cheers to a phenomenal inaugural Ironman. Time to kick @ss!!
Please don't hesitate to drop a post on the PBN Forum if you have any questions or there's anything else you'd like to see included in these reports.
Brian Shea
www.PersonalBestNutrition.com
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