enginerd's geek heaven - FULL (Page 17)

Steve, with your workouts, you'll tear through that course!

Sorry I've been so quiet as of late.  I've actually been sick since last week.  I think it was inevitable I caught it since there are 4 of us sick at work right now.  Oh well...I'll consider it an early start on my taper for Alcaztraz.

Kyla, sorry to hear about your knee and ankle.  RICE will do you good.

Steve, I can't imagine boise being anywhere near so difficult as silverman (that being said, i don't know anything about the boise course).  It definitely won't be as hilly on the bike.  You may make big gains there.  Won't be as hot, so that'll help a lot on the run.  Can't wait to hear how you do!

Ditto that....
Steve, you are so prepared, just get out there and rip it up!

Kyla, sorry about your injury. Give it some rest and ice and you will be back out there before you know it!

Frustration is really setting in for me as it is now 5 weeks since my last run. I will finally be seeing my GP and a sports med doc this week and getting some xrays. Hopefully I will also have some answers.

Shake your head moment of the day...I woke up to snow!!!! Apparently Mother Nature didn't get the memo that it's bleeping June!!!!!! Hopefully things will be ok for a ride tomorrow.

Great job on the 100K ride, Pam!!

And Yvonne, so sorry you have not been able to run for 5 weeks. I would go INSANE. I hope you get some answers. Keep us posted for sure.

Fortunately may ankle came around quickly, and I was able to do a 10-mile run yesterday and was able to swim today. (Sometimes ankle injuries can really hurt when you swim/kick.) Yay. Glad to be getting back in the saddle, so to speak. No more travel for me until race weekend. Yeehaw!

Phew, great news about the ankle.  Sometimes it can just be a warning pain and sometimes it can be a, you are screwed for a long time pain.  It is great that you got in 10 miles without noticing anything pain wise, is a good sign.  I would probably ice it after runs just as a precautionary note and maybe put a compression brace on it for a week or so just cuz you don't want to give it any excuse to act up.

Thanks for the advice and encouragement! I should be icing more than I am... but it continues to feel better every day. One of my worries was that swimming would really hurt (ankle flexibility), but I kick so little, esp. when I'm wearing my wetsuit that it doesn't matter!

Bao, you're doing Boise, right?? FOUR days away??!! How are you feeling? When are you going there? (How far from home is it for you?)

My half is 12 days out and I am starting to do a low-level freak-out. Normal for me... it's the whole unknown thing. I was like this before my first sprint and I did just fine. But the longer race seems like it gives me more to worry about: pacing, nutrition, flat tires/equipment failures. Ack! Does everyone feel this way before a new endeavor? Any words of wisdom or advice???

Very glad to hear about the ankle.  If you went no pain for 10 miles, you should be in good shape.  Yes, RICE is your friend.  I'm lucky we have an ice machine here at work and I've spent many meetings with a leg propped up icing my knee.

Having a bit of angst about the unknown is pretty normal.  The main thing is to trust in your training.  If you've put in your meters and miles, then the race itself is really just the icing.  I'm sure you'll do great.

I think that the unknown is also a good part of the thrill for me too.  No race is ever a given to finish, esp. a long one, so I derive some excitement from that.  But it's even more exciting to do a new race or a new distance.  Personally, I keep thinking that's why I keep pushing myself to do these longer or more challenging events.

Yep, Boise in 4 days!  I am driving up on Thursday because they have the athlete briefing early on Friday (no idea why) so I have to get up there the day before.  It is about a 7 hour drive and we lose an hour because of the funky time zone line that juts way west for Idaho. 

I am felling pretty good.  I am coming off 2 x 6 hour bike rides 3 and 2 weeks ago, so last Saturday's 2 hour bike ride was soooo short.  I averaged almost 20 mph on the ride with a 15 mph wind and I usually ride closer to 17 mph on the long rides.  I did a short 7.5 mile run on Sunday just over a 8:00 pace which again is fast for me.  So it looks like the body is recovering well and getting ready for the race.  My first HIM ever last fall was like 6:45:xx ish, but was on an extremely hilly course with temps topping out at 105 F.  On that ride I started fatiguing on the bike around mile 40 and the run was slow.  I also under did my calories by about 200 and the water stations were screwed up 2.5 miles appart.  

With the IM training and with a full mary under my belt I am hoping to have a better time for this one, hopefully closer to 5:59:59.  The bike course is easier and the temps shouldn't top mid 80's and with much better support for fluids. I am anxious about the T1 not being anywhere near the T2 and getting all my stuff to where it is supposed to be and hoping for no rain, but otherwise, I probably won't get too anxious until like the night before.  Always get a bit of prerace jitters.  I am also a little anxious about upping my bike and run speeds this go around, but I have the training in so, should be able to handle it.  It all works our very nicely on paper 8).  

So the bike chain is cleaned, I have the Michelen Pro-3s on it and just need to gather my junk, the camping stuff etc. etc.      

just thought of a QOTD: what's the darkest/worst moment you faced in a race?  How did you pull yourself through/out of it?

Phoenix Rock n Roll Marathon 2008. I *really* wanted to do well in this race. I trained hard. I trained well. My father-in-law paid my ticket to come out and run the race, I had high expectations. It was the first time I went into a marathon wanting to do a certain time (sub-4:00). Several weeks before the race I got fairly sick, with a low-grade fever for more than a week. Felt like crap. Couldn't train, couldn't eat. Missed some key runs. Then one day also a few weeks before I fell down the stairs and twisted my ankle (sound familiar??!!). I tried to trust the training, but also tried to "make up" a longer run.

Anyway, went into the race still feeling (hoping) I could pull it off. But it felt horrible from the get-go. You know how early in a mary should feel good? Yeah, I didn't. But I figured I was just warming up. I think I felt "decent" for a few miles around mile 9, but it didn't last long. At some point I realized I needed to let my time goal go, and maybe I could pull off a PR (I had done a PR in every previous marathon, didn't want to break my streak). But I continued to feel awful. Heavy quads, burning legs, etc.

Around mile 21, I saw a guy on a stretcher... My dark moment was feeling envious of him because he could stop running. I was truly jealous. How sick is that?! I continued to gut out the run. I let myself walk a bit, I kept going. I did finish much slower than I wanted (4:20, whereas my previous PR was a 4:11), it was my first marathon that was not a PR. Blech.

But you know what? My father-in-law (yes, the one who is dying right now) and his brother (who was in from VA to run with us as well) were so proud of me, told me how great I did... told me some wonderful things about being his daughter-in-law... it made it all OK.

That race has stuck with me and I haven't run a marathon since. It was such a downer to put in the work -- through the rainy fall and winter, no less -- and not reap the benefits. I've been thinking about training for Portland in October, but have not made any firm decisions yet.

Good QOTD, Donato, going into some longer races. Would love to hear others answers!!

My HIM last fall.  It was my first.  They said it wasn't a hilly course, they lied.  It was the front half of the Silverman course.  By mile 40 on the bike I started losing umphta the hills were taking it out of me.  I was coasting down the hills, slowly climbing them.  Around mile 50 the hills got smaller and I was able to muster a faster last 6 miles, but it was starting to get hotter.  It was probably 90 when I got off the bike.  Drinking anything didn't seem to last very long.  I could drink 20 oz of water and be thirsty 30 seconds later. 

The run started gradually up hill for the first 5 miles.  The water stands were supposed to be every mile, but ended up to be every 2.5 miles.  At the half way point the temp approached 100 F.  I was just plodding along, still doing alright.  It turns out I missed 100 calories on the bike accidentally.  The water stations were so far appart I didn't want to take a gu unless I was near one.  So I missed another 100 calories on the run.  At 3 miles out I was thinking hrm no water station, but it is only 3 miles, I can make it without hitting that last gu.  Well, around mile 12 there was a water station.  I stopped drank some water and went to start plodding along again and well about 200 feet out started walking again. 

My respiratoin rate was up, heart rate was up, nothing left.  I just walked.  About 5 more times I tried to pick back up to a jog and well it didn't last long.  I tried to keep thinking at the end there will be an ice cold coke and it will be glorious.  It was a very long mile.  I just kept on plodding I was gona finish it.  Then the last 100 yards I mustered something of a jog and maybe shouldn't have.  But I made it across. 

They had already started cleaning up, they were laying folks bikes down on the ground, they didn't post any times.  Post race celebration was oreo cookies, a few bottles of water and some oranges.  It was a bit of a letdown.  But I did finish it.  When I got to my car I looked at the temperature and it was 105 F.  I then had to drive 12 hours home so I could make it to work the next day. 

When I got home I looked up the results on line and found out I had finished 3rd in my age group only a couple minutes behind number 2.  What a surprise.  I now have more hills in my rides.  Typically 4500 to 5000 of climbing on my long rides and 6500 on my hardest long ride.  And I will not be missing 200-300 calories on the HIM this weekend.  A lot of learning happened that day.  It was tougher than the last 3 miles of my first marathon in January, though that was not a cake walk either.  I didn't walk in that one.   

Edited by Baowolf 2009-06-09 11:50 PM

Bao, I simply cannot WAIT to hear how your HIM goes this weekend. I think it is going to be about a thousand times different (and better!) than your first! You have put in a ton of training. I will be looking forward to lots of details!

So do you use gu for your run nutrition?

Race day is coming up very fast!!! What is up with the 2pm start time for Boise? That would be hard for me, I think. I love the early mornings for training/racing.

Happy trails! Good luck! And HAVE FUN!!!!

Timer is ticking down, pack tonight, leave for the long drive tomorrow morning with the family, 9 ish hour drive.  

I use Infinite on the bike and Triberry gu on the run.  I just like the taste of it 8).  I take one every 25-30 minutes.  It worked well on my marathon, I wasn't hungry at all at the end.  If they have gu/gels on the course I will just use what they have.  However, I have never been to one that had a reliable supply of the stuff on the course.  

Ya the 2pm start is bazarre, it means more wind for the swim and bike and warmer temperatures for the entire event.  They have it all planned out very well though.  The last athlete brieving is early Friday and the race goes until late Saturday.  That way you have to stay Thursday, Friday and Saturday night instead of just Friday night.  It appears to be purely an economic consideration, but I could be wrong (<--sinic).  That senetor stating on TV that the US govt. does cap/control the maximum gas milage of cars sold in the US did not help my sinicism one bit.   

So ya looking forward to the race, 20 to 30 min workouts are not taking the edge off of my energy.  It is going to be soo hard to not just get out there and go too fast at the beginning.  Taper, 1500 people, adrenalin and the race..... now go slow er.   

Ugh, that's brutal! I'd end up walking a 10K in those temps! Way to tough it out and finish, I'm sure Boise will be a better experience with the training you've been putting in (100 mi bike - 5 mi run brick, anyone?). Good luck this weekend, and have a fun trip!

My toughest race experience was hitting the wall at ~mile 21 in the SF marathon. I had trained pretty well, but was totally unprepared mentally. I hadn't thought about race strategy or nutrition at all, and just went out there and ran it. I felt GREAT at the start, so of course I went out way too fast. If it had been a half marathon I'd have been fine, but my knee started bugging me at ~ mile 14, and then it all came crashing down around mile 21. I went from feeling GREAT to being completely humiliated as I hobbled along, just trying to finish. The worst part was a lonely empty stretch of road past Giants Stadium toward the end. I can't remember whether I walked, but I don't think there was much difference between my walk and my run at that point, so it doesn't really matter! I did finish, and my time wasn't terrible, but I definitely learned that you can't just go out and wing it on an endurance race!
 

That sounds like it would be a nice race. You should do it!
 

I was thinking the exact same thing when I was reading your post Steve!!  You're going to have an awesome race this weekend!!  I'm so stoked for you....can't wait to read your race report!!

Dontao, is Alcatraz on Saturday or Sunday? Hope you are recovered and ready to tear up the course!!

Thinking fast thoughts for Steve too, as he readies for Boise tomorrow.

Looking forward to reading weekend race reports! Yay!

alcatraz is on Saturday.

looks like only the swim results are up for Steve's race in Boise - 00:50:09 on the swim.  wish I knew how it was going!

For me normally the first time at a new distance makes me crazy. Well except for this upcoming first IM for some reason. The main thing is to go with the flow and be ready for mid-race adjustments. You'll learn a lot on your first HIM. And if in the middle of the race you feel in the depths of despair, just take a couple of deep breaths, relax, and remember its a hobby... then you'll curse yourself a few times and keep on moving. At the finish it'll be all worth it.

Oh yeah, hey baowolf, good luck on your race today! I know, I'm a little late but I think you're still on your run right now!!

Steve had a great race!! He crushed his "hopeful" finish time! I can't wait for him to post about it! Another friend's logs tell of rain, hail, and thuderstorms and lightening. Egads. Sounds like there will be some stories to tell about this one!

I survived Alcatraz.  Swim is tough, esp. since that's my weakest discipline.  Perfect day though for a race.

Yay!! Great for you -- please tell us more about the race! Congratulations! I think anyone who chooses to swim in the Bay is uber-brave! Details...!!!

Steve, way to go - way under 6 hours!!  Well done!!!

871/541/412

42/I

00:50:09

02:57:16

01:50:10

05:43:46