Aaron Davidson's Group -- Closed. (Page 72)

That is so cool Bob! I hope that is good mojo for tomorrow...good luck!

It was a LOOONNNGGG day today - we got 10 inches of snow, lost power for 4 hours in the middle of the day, the kids had a snow day...can't wait to hit the road tomorrow to head down to Newmarket. Let's hope the roads are dry by Sunday.

Finally home - finished with the second half marathon for this year...only two more to go. It was a beautiful clear day - nice and sunny, but wickedly windy. Lots of gusts which seemed to hit right as I was attempting to go up a hill. The course is lovely - but it is a challenging one...part of the course was on a dirt road that really suffered this winter - lots of pot holes, ruts and mud, and HILLY. No outrageous long hills, just lots of relentless rollers.

According to my watch, my time was 2:16...but haven't been able to find the results online yet for the chip time. I am consoling my self with the fact that is the same time as the Hyannis race - on a much harder course. I will get to a race report sometime tomorrow.

Now - Bob...let's see some details about your race! Did you get to swim with the dolphins again? How was the ride on the base?

Race report is here.

I'm struggling with how totally spent I was after this race (and still am today) and contemplating tacking a 56 mile bike ride and 1.2 mile swim on top of that feeling. It's definitely spooking me. I have a pretty good base and (prior to yesterday) thought I could finish a HIM today if I had to (I know I could cover the distance for each sport)...now, I'm not so sure. The HIM plan kicks in at the end of April, so I'm going to just play for the next couple of weeks.

For those of you finishing a HIM who did a half marathon before - how does the level of exhaustion compare? Is there something I should/could do to be better prepared? Maybe higher effort on the training days to better simulate race-day conditions? Pace differently during the race? Don't know...

race report is up here with a little more detail...

Jennifer, I think it changes to the point of hanging on for the run. On a Half Marathon, I'm thinking pace and paying attention in the early  miles but on the HIM, I don't think too much about pacing in the two I've done...I'm just hanging on and going as fast as I can without blowing up. Maybe others get better strategy and are running to a plan but not me.

I would suggest you do a really long brick, (56 mile ride and a 10 mile run or so)...I did one of those before my first and it really helped me understand nutrition / hydration and the effort involved. Definitely loop around a local course for support or pre-plant nutrition and hydration out on your run. The first time I did this I found myself in a world of hurt about 5 miles from home and ended up getting some help from a friendly old lady watering her roses to refill my two water bottles from her hose.

So you change the tire from your road tire to the trainer tire when you go on the trainer?  I'm lazy, but I guess I'll have to either become a tire changing expert or bag the trainer for the spring/summer/fall.

Good question:

A few options might be: buy an extra trainer wheel you can swap or buy race tires and only use them for races and just let the "training" tires wear out on trainer and road and replace.  Now that I am a two bike owner, I am currently riding my road bike on trainer and tri bike on road to keep from having to spend any time switching, and I'm babying my new tri bike a little by now putting on trainer.  But I think I need to train more on the tri bike because I am not yet getting use to the position, very uncomfortable and that is doing less than half the distance of IMCDA.

Thanks for that advice.  I'm as worried about keeping up with nutrition and hydration as much as, being able to complete the hills on the bike course.

I'll have to read your race report this week sometime, but great job on a hilly course.  I'm not sure how to answer that question though, I thought the same thing after my half marathon last month "how the heck can I do a full IM" if I feel like that after just a half marathon.  I think it has to do with these shorter races can be just as much of a challenge (to a degree) with the intensity level so much higher.  This is a good reminder to me to just trust your training plan, if you complete the training, then you will be alright on race day.  Create a mental bank and make deposits in it with good days and forget about any tough days after a little reflection.

You're going to do great in your HIM!!

Did my longest run to date today - 15 miles.  It was a bit tough due to wind.  I was actually hoping to get a long run in some heat (relative heat) since the HM I'm doing in 2 weeks may be a bit warmer.  Unfortunately, it was 42 when I started, so I didn't get the heat acclimation.  Hopefully the weather stays cool.

And Jennifer, I agree with Matt - with your training and all summer ahead of you, you're gonna nail the 70.3.  The HM course you just did is loads harder than what you'll see at Pumpkinman.

How is everyone's IM training going?  I poke into your logs but I've been busier at work than expected so I haven't been commenting. 

Hello all,

Just a quick note...I got to see the Boston Marathon in person on Monday - it was awesome! I would really recommend going to see a big event like that if you have the opportunity. Other than getting to see the elites perform amazing feats (the course record was broken Monday with a 2:03), and the AGers do a great job - it was really cool to have all of these runners out and about. Everywhere we went there was always at least one person that was going to run/had run.

Also - big news for me...I got a new (to me) bike. It's used, hopefully gently (the seller said he only rode it alternate Sundays ;-) ) and is a 2009 Kestrel. It's raining today so I can't take it out, but I am hoping I will get a chance tomorrow. I'm very excited as the 1997 Cannondale is getting more and more grumpy the more I ride it. I'll post pics in my blog once I've had a chance to get it out of the box (it was delivered while I was in Boston - talk about cruel!).

Hope everyone's training is going well - IMCDA is right around the corner...it's Matt, Rene and possibly Aaron, right? Warren's got a HM in a week or so...anyone else?

Have a great day!

Congrats on the new bike Jen!  That is cool you got to see Boston on top of that!

I updated my blog to reflect my last 2 1/2 months of training.  Hope everyone has a great weekend of training!

There's some serious rides in that log Rene, looking good.  Sorry to hear you're out Aaron, but your training looks good anyway.

Congrats on the bike Jennifer, and get ready to start your plan this week.  You're gonna kill that 70.3.

I have a HM next weekend, the goal is to hold 8:35 and negative split the course.

Congrats on the new bike and being able to watcht the Boston marathon.  I've signed up for the second year in row for the NYC marathon, almost hope I don't get it this year.  If you sign up like 3 years in a row and don't get it you automatically qualify, so I'd like to run that as a milestone big marathon.

I'm sorry hear your not joining Rene and I at CDA, we will miss you (assuming I make it there!).  Workouts and weeks are getting really tough, outside my previously known limits. 

Rene you are kicking some serious butt, keep it up man!!

Hope everyone is doing well.  Happy Easter!!

I don't even want to hear that after a 5 hour ride and that long swim!!  You will make it there and you will be ready!

Wow!  Surprised to hear that!!  It must have taken a lot of soul searching to pass this up.  Sorry to hear that Aaron!

Good luck Warren you will do great!!

That's great news! No blowup due to nutrition, good steady pace, great job! Now you know you can do it.

Awesome job on the HM!!!  We all knew you would nail it!!