Call Me Mr. Toast

Let’s start this journey by forgetting that I ran a marathon PR last weekend and just go with my plans for the Memorial Day weekend. This is my second to last long workout weekend before IMCdA and it is my last burn-out weekend so I wanted to take full advantage of the three days of free time.

On tap for Saturday was a long ride with the GeekGrl. We headed out for 100 miles but I miscalculated and we ended up with 95 but it was a good ride non-the-less. The weather was fantastic all day, we kept a nice easy pace and just had a great time together.

Sunday the plan was a long open water swim out a Cochiti Lake followed by a short run. Several other Outlaws came along for the swim and we hit the water for the full 2.4 miles. The water temperature was 57 degrees and it wasn’t all that bad. With any luck the temps at IMCdA will get to that mark by race day. My swim went well and I kept a pretty good pace but I still swim crooked. Not terribly crooked but enough to add maybe 5 minutes to my total time. We followed up the swim with a six mile run that begins with more than a mile of uphill running. It started heating up out there but we were able to keep a decent pace.

Today was the final push with a 105 mile ride followed by a run. Fellow Outlaws Mike and Maria headed out with me to ride the 105 mile “punisher”, a ride I developed while training for Silverman. This ride begins with about 12 miles of flat followed by 81 miles of climbing, over 11,000 feet of climbing to be exact. The day began with fantastic weather but by noon the wind was howling and the temperature was pushing the mid 80s. The full final 15 miles was spent riding full into a very stiff headwind and then we got off our bikes to hit the run.

Mike and Maria were slated to do a 10 mile run and I wasn’t really slated to do anything but I thought I’d hang with them as long as I could, which was about a quarter mile. At that point I just decided to get in four miles. The wind was so strong by now and still in our faces that it took a minute and a half per mile off my pace and the temperature was probably pushing 87, which was supposed to be today’s high. When I hit my turn around point I thought maybe I’d go an extra mile and get in six but my legs were feeling pretty bad; every step sent these weird shocks through my legs. I’ve experienced this before and I know it means I’m getting ready to crash, which means I’m approaching injury. I decided to turn around and head back to the car. By the time I made it back I was completely toasted but felt good that I had gotten it all in and I’m feeling very strong.

I’m not making any predictions because I know just how many things can go wrong during and Ironman but I think I’m going to do well, I feel a PR coming on.

Now it’s bed time!