Getting Closer

I am sitting here, not having to train tonight (as I trained early this morning) and looking at a rest day tomorrow...what a great feeling! [Thursday night post]

I have learned how important rest and recovery is in the training process. 

One of the tough parts about the training is how long the training is to adequately prepare for race day.  Another part is having the stress of the upcoming race always in the back of your mind.  That's why I have kept the mantra, "one day at a time" at the forefront of my thinking...so that I don't look too far ahead and drive myself crazy. 

The countdown until race day is 70 days!  Wow!  I thought it was going to be a long time until we got close to the race...it is getting close.

I am now 6+ weeks post-surgery and I am feeling good overall!  I still have days and workouts where I feel it in one way or the other, but I have been able to do the training.  I still listen to my body and how it feels and am being smart about my training.

I had a great success last Saturday.  I completed the Muncie Man Triathlon, consisting of 1.89-mile swim, 38-mile bike, and 9.3-mile run.  I was to treat it like a training day, with numbers to focus on.  I was able to exceed those numbers and finish in 4:48.  Considering I did not sight one of the yellow buoys during the first lap of the swim, I am sure I swam 2 miles...2 miles!!!  I have never swam that far in my life!  2 1/2 years ago, I didn't know how to swim!  That gives me great confidence for Louisville and the 2.4-mile swim.  I am going to get to swim the opening portion of the actual swim course on June 30th, as we are going to swim and bike on the course. 

Thank you Ron Stohler, for waiting to see me finish the race! 

Congrats to Joe, Ginger, and Raj for completing the Muncie Man as well! (and Hank and Ron on the Olympic distance!)

We were able to wear wetsuits during the swim.  Because of the water temperature that will most likely be present on race day, wetsuits will not be race legal.  I feel more confident in my swim to be able to swim without a wetsuite on race day.

Ginger, Raj, Hank, and I will be doing a 5k swim on June 23.  Yes, 5k...3.1 miles of swimming...yikes!  I would rather run that distance than to swim it.  While I am nervous about swimming this far and within 2 1/4 hours, it is another confidence builder...right Ginger?! 

I am still having issues with downloading pictures that show right side up (I am not automation challenged, really!)  It appears that I need a Ph.D in Graphic Design in order to correct photos that upload sideways

On May 26, I went down to Louisville and biked with the iAmTri group.  The roads were open, but there were sag stations with drinks and food (gels, bars, water, Ironman Perform, bananas, orange wedges).  The day I was there, it was 94 degrees...can't imagine it could get hotter than that on race day.  I biked the entire course except for doing the "LaGrange Loop", a 30-mile section of the course that we will bike twice during the race.  I biked 78 miles.  It is hilly...the hills don't stop.  The only section that is truly flat are the first and last 10 miles of the course.

[I'll post the pictures from my first Louisville trip when I figure out the photo editing thing]

The iAmTri community has been helpful, as over 500 IM Louisville participants ask and answer questions about the race and doing triathlons in general.  While a lot of emails fly around, I pick up good information.

I learned that I need to pedal down the hills to keep momentum and to make the next climb easier with momentum, as well as how important that nutrition will be throughout the race.  I got to experience the feeling of the thought process about getting ready to complete the bike and get ready to run a marathon...a marathon!  I have completed 9 marathons...but that was all that I was doing that day.  This time, the marathon will come after a 2.4-mile swim and 112-mile bike.

There is SO much to know and learn.  I am thankful for the many sources of experience and knowledge, from Coach Sean, Nutritionist Jackie Dikos, to my IM teammates (Mark, Ginger, Joe, Raj) and many others.  It is quite a steep learning curve.  I learn new things almost every day.

I am focusing a lot right now on my nutrition for the race.  I met with Jackie last week and we discussed my pre-race, during, and post-race fueling for Muncie Man.  Now is the time for me to practice, so that I can see what works and what needs to be adjusted. 

This past week, I did my first sweat test, to determine how many ounces of fluids that I need to consume during the race, based on several factors, including how many fluids consumed, weight before and after the training session, temperature, and duration of the session.  It is going to be critical for me to take in the right amount of food and drink so that my body can perform at its best.

I learned from Coach Sean that I need to make sure that I have the fluids and food with me on the bike so that I do not have to rely on the sag stops for my nutrition and liquids (as I could miss the one I need and have to go without).  I am going to be focusing on what I will put in my special needs bags for the race (food and drink that are put in bags and given to me during the bike and run that I can access and consume).  An example of what I just learned.

I also learned that I need to pedal down a hill so that I keep my legs going and avoid them cramping up.  When I was at Louisville, I was using the downhill to rest my legs.  I knew from past experience that you want to pedal on the way down so that you have momentum for the next hill...I was trying to save my legs as much as possible, since I know I have a marathon to run after the bike.  Another example of what I have learned.  (again, thanks coach for that information/reminder!)

A big milestone in my training occurs tomorrow...I do my first 100-mile bike!  Yikes!  We will be riding to get the saddle time in for being on the bike for that long, as well as to practice hydration and eating.  I recently learned that I like Nuun (a flavored electrolyte additive for water).  I am all about mixing it up and having variety in what I eat and drink during the race. 

What do you think about my new running shoes?  They make me look fast!  I think they are cool!  

I have this picture on my iPhone...the Finish Line!  That is the goal!  I will be running down that carpeted chute and complete IM Louisville on August 26th!

One day at a time, one training session at a time, I will get there (and so will my IM teammates)!