Ironman Coeur d'Alene : Official Thread (Page 28)

I'm just getting over 2 weeks of on/off sickness culminating on the "flat on your back" flu this last weekend Can't wait to get a long ride in this weekend.

On a side note, I'm really jealous of you guys riding the course.  Used to live close enough to train on  course and now new job has me on the east coast.  Only reason I wish I didn't take this job is so I could be back training with you guys!

I think my mistake was doing my first 100 miler on a sunday and then sticking to my regular scheduled long ride for thurdays just 4 days later when I rode 80, and had a minor crash at mile 65 which involved a bit a blood and one huge bruise on my A$$ and ego!!  On a good note my 15 mile run over the weekend went really well and a long soak in the local lake made for a great recovery!!

BTW... heading to Lake Merdian in Kent (over here west of the moutains) for my first OWS on sunday!  Had to borrow some booties though!!

ran 15 miles this morning and it might as well have been 30.  Tired?  YES!!!!!  This week is probably 18-19 hours.  Did I mention my son also has the Flu really bad and I avoid him like the plague.  Not too mention wash my hands every 2 minutes.  I'm also getting real tired of 20 mph winds on the bike during my long ride.  I was counting down the remaining long runs with my buddy this morning.  we're almost on one hand. 

Glad I am not the only one. Felt great after the long ride Saturday.....this week has been tough tho'. 

I would need 30 hours to get the kind of mileage in that you do in 14.

We are putting together a group order to ship bikes from Phoenix, Arizona. It looks like it will be about $200.

Anyone in Phoenix still need bike shipping? PM me your email address, and I'll forward you the info.

I am!  I came down with some sort of nasty chest cold and I'm hacking up a lung all night, so no decent sleep.  That and I've been traveling all April plus 2 weekends in March, so I'm having to double or triple up on workouts so I don't miss them.  

The good news is that after this weekend (I'm out of town for my best friend's wedding), I have no more travel plans until CdA!  

Which is kind of necessary since I think I'm a bit behind on my bike mileage...

Sounds like you have a good reason for being tired!  Add some recovery and you'll be back to normal!

I actually put these on my road bike just for Tri's. Its the same one I used to race XC with 10years ago and they still hold strong. I have dropped a bottle twice but its on a bumpy downhill section around -12%. I fixed it by putting some felt or rubber just on the inside. Cheap fix as opposed to buying a new cage for $40-50

On another note I am riding my first century this weekend. Although I am on east coast I am concerned. Not for distance but for elevation. Did 60m with 5500ft last weekend and that hurt me but it was sustained climbing over a couple of hours. This week will be 105 with about 8500ft but over many small hills. I am not sure how it will affect me yet.

What do you prefer for elevation? sustained in a 1-2 of hills or small hills spread out? I know overall elevation is the same but sometimes I feel like the sustained stuff hurts more even though I can get a rythm

Scott, you're a freaking stud. Just read your race report from CDA. Congrats on qualifying for Kona. Hope you are able to keep the injuries in check for the race this year. 

As for the hill question. I am not an experienced biker, but I personally enjoy climbing long sustained hills. I feel like it increases my fitness and strength. At least that's my hope. Sounds like you are getting plenty of climbing in to rock the CDA course.

my buddy likes to call it muscle memory. 

I read your race report too.  you will crush it on 14 hours per week. 

I know what you mean. When I did my first IM I had an infant daughter. Getting out of the house wasn't so bad. Now I've got a 3 year old and a 1 year old. It's hard to get out the door, and then I find myself missing them and feeling lonely on long rides.  Dammit!

I have definitely had some days where I am tired but overall I have felt pretty good. I have been struggling with some cramping in my shoulder blades on my long rides but I got a new fit done on my bike on Monday so hopefully that takes care of the problem. I am going to try to get a little taper in for Wildflower next week while also keeping up on my CdA training. I am probably not going to do either one of those things very well but we will see. Is anyone else doing Wildflower?

I did the full 112 bike to day with out music. Had some time to think about the ride. Here were my thoughts. the leg out to Higgins point and back is fine. The next hill you hit is Mica and it is a hard climb. it is about the hardest hill on the course. you ride over the top and down the back side of Mica hill which is fun. you end up at about the same altitude as before you started up Mica. the next hill is Red Hog hill. not as steep as Mica but it feels longer than Mica. at the top of Red Hog hill you don't get to go down very far and you are at the next hill. Sun Up Bay road. You start climbing this hill and it keeps changing grade on you. it does this about 4 times before you get to the top. it is not a step hill of the 3 south on 95 it is the easiest to get up. at the top you ride down just a little and then up a slight grade and then you are at the turn around. slight grade up and then down the back side of Sun Up Bay road and then up a little on the Back side of Red Hog hill. Because you climbed up Red Hog hill and then up Sun Up Bay hill with out go down much it is a lot of down hill to the bottom of the back side of Mica grade. lots of time to recover. The back side of Mica is a long steep hill but the grade does not change so it is easier to get in to a rhythm. You cant see the top because it keep turning till you get about 1/4 mile from the top. Down Mica at about 40 to 45 mph. that is great fun. a few small grads up and down then to the second lap. the back side of Mica was not that bad on the second trip around as I thought it would be. Hope this helps some of you out.

Now I just need to cut about an hour off my time around twice.

Beside a 90 mile ride Wednesday I haven't gone to long this week also a bit of Recovery week.

So when I am not doing to much my wife says I act hyper kinds a squirreley ? Anyone else get that on off days.?

HIM in 2 weeks then we are in the Show in 8 weeks.

Mark, thanks for the course report. Nice job knocking out the 112. The more I hear about this course the more challenging it sounds. At least we have a few more weeks to hit the hills.

Sounds like people are getting after it. Good luck to those with races in the next few weeks.

Water temp has dipped back to a little under 47 We are getting rain, light snow, wind, it sucks out there right now!

Yeah, what Smithe said.  Snowed on me yesterday morning and saw a couple more flakes this morning on the way to work.  This is going to hurt my planned bike ride this afternoon.  Not as bad yet as 2008 though.  We had an inch of snow on the morning of June 10th that year after a long, cold spring.  However, water temp on race day was up to almost 60 if I remember correctly.  Happy training everyone.

Rode my first 100 miler yesterday in the heat and humidity(85) that is North Carolina's Piedmont. Feel decent, now I am tired also, my New Tri Bike seems dialed in now as I am as comfortable as I have ever been on a 100 miler.

A couple Bike Questions, first one might seem silly but at age 52 it's kinda important to me.

are there plenty of places to hop off and take a quick leak? I figure I am gonna have to pee 3-4 times. 

Second question is climbing on a tri bike, do you guys stay aero the whole time? Seems I have more power sitting up on climbs....Let me put it another way....How do you guys ride and specifically this course.? Thanks