The big day is almost here. I can not really believe it. It is like the night before Christmas with more restrictions. I do not have much to do today -- just drop off the bike along with my bags of equipment for the bike and run. That way at 5 in the morning you just show up with your goggles and swimsuit and you are good. What sucks about today is that you have free time, but you can't use it! I am in a cool new city, but I do not want to eat new things or walk around too much. It is like my life is on pause until tomorrow morning -- no new experiences until then.
This morning, I finally rode my bike. It survived the trip and reassembly. Riding in Nice was interesting. Normally I would have embraced the challenge, but today I just wanted to test my bike and loosen my legs. I got up at 7 and just went for short ride down the run course with a guy I met at the hotel. This morning the streets where wet and mostly empty. The main street has trams running through the center of the road along with broad walking and parking areas. In Nice, the parking/driving/walking areas are not always clearly separated. As we rolled down Avenue Jean Medecin, the other guy found the seperation between the road and walkway as he crashed only about a minute into the ride! I just heard the clatter behind me -- that helps wake you up in the morning. The avenue was lined with a different rock that created a small lip (1"). He was just moving over and did not see the lip. Luckily, he and his bike were fine -- a small bit of road rash on his knee and hand. The rest of the ride went with out incident, but we were both glad to finish without getting taken out by a car or pedestrian. It was not that it was dangerous, but this close to the race you become paranoid about doing something stupid. A guy I ran with this winter, said this time before a race is when you need to wrap yourself in bubble wrap.
After the bike, I walked back to the sea with my goggles and wetsuit. One of the sponsors, had booth done by the water for people to test their wetsuits, so there was a bunch of races in a that spot swimming. I wrestled my wetsuit on an tenderly picked my way to the water. (The beach in Nice is made of rocks.) The water is clear and bright blue. The waves lap at the shore quietly but with strength. There are no big breakers, but the swells are there and you can hear the rocks getting sucked back out to sea with each wave. I am not complaining about the water temperature. It is a little cold on your face, but nothing compared to what my friends are going to face tomorrow. My swim felt good and strong. The salt water and wetsuit make you float on the surface for a fast swim. I do not think tomorrow will be quite as calm with 2499 others trying get to the same place as me!
Time to go relax before dropping of my bags and bike at 5 tonight. Then tomorrow it starts early. A 3:30 wakeup with breakfast at 4 am. Stroll over to the race site by 5. Drop off your food for the run and bike in the morning. At 6am, hop in the water for a brief warmup. Then at 6:30 it is showtime! You can follow along in the fun at Ironman Live. (Make sure you are looking at Ironman France -- there are two other races tomorrow!) Nice is 7 hours ahead of Austin, so I suspect I will be well on my way before most of you wake up.
Showing posts with label Ironman France. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ironman France. Show all posts
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Monday, June 9, 2008
Final "Tuneup"
Saturday was my big transition workout (bike and run). It was chance to practice nutrition and my race plan. Keeping fueled for Ironman is often called to the fourth sport because it is so critical. The idea was to ride for 3 hours with intervals of race pace followed by a long run (70 minutes) . I rode from Pure Austin, and headed out to 360 to do the "dam loop".
20 minutes into the ride, I headed up the hill at Courtyard Drive. This is one of the toughest hills in Austin. While only about 1/2 a mile long it has three steep sections (15%, 10% and 19% grade). Earlier this spring, I could not make it up the last section on my tri bike, and I wanted to try it again to see how I had progressed. As I started up the hill, I noticed the sign and the graded pavement to help cars get up the hill -- if cars need help getting up the hill it is not going to be easy!
The first section is short and steep. I pedal up it with a good cadence and fresh legs. The second section is not as steep, but my heart is pounding with effort and my muscles start to tire. My quick cadence has slowed to a labored climb. I try to focus on form -- pulling and pushing to keep moving. Slowly upward I go. The steepest section of the climb is here. Two months ago - I stopped here. I keep pushing. My heart rate has spike at close to 190. My heart is pounding in my ears, my breath ragged and my legs slow to a painful-slow motion cadence. Climbing is a full body effort. My arms strain against the handle bars and my legs fight to keep going forward. I am barely going forward as the grade eventually relents and slowly ease my way to the top. At the summit, I unclip, check out the view of the lake, and catch my breath!
Satisfied, I roll down the hill for the rest of my ride. At the bottom of the hill as I turn on to 360, my back tire goes flat. I had been wondering, if it was time to replace my tires before the race -- question answered. I quickly change the tube, only to realize the valve stem on my spare tube is too short. The new bike has deeper rims and my spare was from my old bike. Back off comes the tire... I patch the first tube and I am off again. Unfortunately, it was one of those days as an hour later I apparently ran over some glass and my back tire goes flat again. After a bit of struggle to find the hole, I patch it and use my last CO2 cartridge. With an all too familiar sound, the air rushes out of a previously undiscovered 3rd hole. As I ponder WTF to do now, a couple of Texas Iron riders happen by. I bum a new tube and CO2 cartridge from them. While working on that flat two more Texas Iron folks stop by. They offer me a spare cartridge and tube , so I can make it home with some confidence. (Many thanks Joe, Ali, Michelle, and Michael!)
The rest of the ride was uneventful. I opted for the boredom and relative cool of the treadmill for my transition run. I took it easy for the first 30 min and slowly built to a comfortable race pace. The race pace was still conservative and felt easy, but I had only biked for 3 hours not 6+! Running inside made a huge difference. I felt strong and the pace seemed too slow. It was a mental battle not to tap the speed dial up on the treadmill. My heart rate was solid throughout and I kept up with my nutrition. I am sure the people around me, were wondering why I needed several gels and 2 bottles for a run on the treadmill!
The taper is in full swing. Now it time for logistics and more mental preparation. I dropped my bike at Jack & Adam's for its final tune up (including new tires) on Saturday. Time to tackle the rest of the list(s)...
20 minutes into the ride, I headed up the hill at Courtyard Drive. This is one of the toughest hills in Austin. While only about 1/2 a mile long it has three steep sections (15%, 10% and 19% grade). Earlier this spring, I could not make it up the last section on my tri bike, and I wanted to try it again to see how I had progressed. As I started up the hill, I noticed the sign and the graded pavement to help cars get up the hill -- if cars need help getting up the hill it is not going to be easy!
The first section is short and steep. I pedal up it with a good cadence and fresh legs. The second section is not as steep, but my heart is pounding with effort and my muscles start to tire. My quick cadence has slowed to a labored climb. I try to focus on form -- pulling and pushing to keep moving. Slowly upward I go. The steepest section of the climb is here. Two months ago - I stopped here. I keep pushing. My heart rate has spike at close to 190. My heart is pounding in my ears, my breath ragged and my legs slow to a painful-slow motion cadence. Climbing is a full body effort. My arms strain against the handle bars and my legs fight to keep going forward. I am barely going forward as the grade eventually relents and slowly ease my way to the top. At the summit, I unclip, check out the view of the lake, and catch my breath!
Satisfied, I roll down the hill for the rest of my ride. At the bottom of the hill as I turn on to 360, my back tire goes flat. I had been wondering, if it was time to replace my tires before the race -- question answered. I quickly change the tube, only to realize the valve stem on my spare tube is too short. The new bike has deeper rims and my spare was from my old bike. Back off comes the tire... I patch the first tube and I am off again. Unfortunately, it was one of those days as an hour later I apparently ran over some glass and my back tire goes flat again. After a bit of struggle to find the hole, I patch it and use my last CO2 cartridge. With an all too familiar sound, the air rushes out of a previously undiscovered 3rd hole. As I ponder WTF to do now, a couple of Texas Iron riders happen by. I bum a new tube and CO2 cartridge from them. While working on that flat two more Texas Iron folks stop by. They offer me a spare cartridge and tube , so I can make it home with some confidence. (Many thanks Joe, Ali, Michelle, and Michael!)
The rest of the ride was uneventful. I opted for the boredom and relative cool of the treadmill for my transition run. I took it easy for the first 30 min and slowly built to a comfortable race pace. The race pace was still conservative and felt easy, but I had only biked for 3 hours not 6+! Running inside made a huge difference. I felt strong and the pace seemed too slow. It was a mental battle not to tap the speed dial up on the treadmill. My heart rate was solid throughout and I kept up with my nutrition. I am sure the people around me, were wondering why I needed several gels and 2 bottles for a run on the treadmill!
The taper is in full swing. Now it time for logistics and more mental preparation. I dropped my bike at Jack & Adam's for its final tune up (including new tires) on Saturday. Time to tackle the rest of the list(s)...
Thursday, May 22, 2008
1 Month to Ironman France!
On June 22nd, I will be swimming 2.4 miles in the Mediterranean, riding 112 miles through the mountains outside the Nice, France and the running 26.2 miles along the Promenade des Anglais as I try to finish my first Ironman. The date is fast approaching and the abstract goal that has been rattling around in my brain for years will be put to the test.
The logistics are all set. My body is ready as it will be. This race the culmination of 4 years of training and racing. I have trained specifically for this race for three months logging hundreds of miles in the water, on the bike and by foot. Can I do it? There is only one way to find out. Try. At its essence, that is why I race -- to test the limits of my mind, my body, and my world. Should be fun.
The logistics are all set. My body is ready as it will be. This race the culmination of 4 years of training and racing. I have trained specifically for this race for three months logging hundreds of miles in the water, on the bike and by foot. Can I do it? There is only one way to find out. Try. At its essence, that is why I race -- to test the limits of my mind, my body, and my world. Should be fun.
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