One day late and too many airport lines to mention, we are in Nice. My bike and luggage made it as well. The race can not be as hard as getting here!
French keyboards are very hard to type on.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Time to go!
My flight for France leaves in a few hours! The last few days have been a flurry of packing and finishing todo lists. I think the race will be much less stressful than getting ready for the trip. Less than 4 days to go!
Yesterday, I got a very kind offer from someone offering me a place to stay in France. They had also lost someone to a brain tumor and happened to be staying in a town near Nice over the next month. Hopefully, our schedules will allow us to meet in France.
A bientôt
Friday, June 13, 2008
Race Briefing
Wow! I just got my race briefing. It is a 74 slide and 7.5 MB power point presentation. I wonder if they expect me to remember any of that after racing for 14 hours?
I love the question/answer that comes with the Power Point brief:
I love the question/answer that comes with the Power Point brief:
Question
I do not have PowerPoint, I cannot see the file, nothing happens, I am irritated because I miss important info!
Answer
We are sorry that you cannot watch the presentation correctly. Please get the Briefing in PDF format (without animations):
http://www.ironmanfrance.com/IMFR2008_Briefing/IMFR2008_Briefing_PDF_en.pdf
Race Number 722
Cher Scott
Ton numéro porte-bonheur sera le 722 pour l’Ironman France, et c’est aussi ton numéro de dossard !
Or for those of you that do not read French (like me):
Your lucky number for Ironman France will be 722 and it will also be your race number!
8 days to go!
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)...
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
2500 meters, 77 miles, and 30 kilometers
The weekend was a blur of distances in the final preparation for IM France.
Friday afternoon found me in the quarry at Pure Austin. My schedule called for 20 x 75m. I opted to do the workout in the open water of the quarry instead the pool. All in all, an afternoon at the quarry in sunshine is nice way to wash the work week away.
The Real Ale ride was 77+ miles of hill country fun starting out in Blanco, Texas. The country is beautiful, hilly, and hot. The ride pulled out of the brewery parking lot into an immediate headwind and through a series of hills. I kept waiting for the hills to stop, so I could get in rhythm. They never stopped. The course snake up and down through the metropolitan areas of Sisterdale (population 63) and Luckenback with decent roads and no traffic.
Early in the ride, I tagged along with a group fast riders from Texas Iron. They were going too fast for me too hang on long, but it was fun. I noticed that were eating a drinking all the time and keep spinning while grabbing food and drink. My legs tend to stop going when, I grab for food or a bottle. I guess I have trouble doing more than one thing at a time... The 30 minute run after the bike in the high-noon sun along blacktop -- no fun, but I finished.
It turned out to be a great ride despite a few minor logistical issues -- I will definitely do the Real Ale ride again.
Early Sunday, brought the 30km trail run called the Loop. I am not a big trail runner, but I needed to get in a long run and the idea of support, shade, and company the run was much better than running in little circles by myself. The first two of the 10km loops were fun. The terrain was challenging and interesting. It would be fun to really race a trail run someday. The 3rd loop was rough for me. I was dumb and did not drink or eat near enough. Oops. The support was a stop about 5 km apart and I did not think about how long it would take between stops. I ended up drinking about 50% of what I should in that heat. I should have run with 2 bottles instead of one. The terrain definitely builds strength and I am glad I did it. Hopefully, the painful lesson will make me smarter for France.
After the run, the I headed back to the quarry for recovery swim. After some eating, it was nap time. I took several days for my legs to recover from the Loop and I think a few toe nails may never recover, but I made it through my longest run in Ironman training without serious injury.
It is all downhill from here.
Friday afternoon found me in the quarry at Pure Austin. My schedule called for 20 x 75m. I opted to do the workout in the open water of the quarry instead the pool. All in all, an afternoon at the quarry in sunshine is nice way to wash the work week away.
The Real Ale ride was 77+ miles of hill country fun starting out in Blanco, Texas. The country is beautiful, hilly, and hot. The ride pulled out of the brewery parking lot into an immediate headwind and through a series of hills. I kept waiting for the hills to stop, so I could get in rhythm. They never stopped. The course snake up and down through the metropolitan areas of Sisterdale (population 63) and Luckenback with decent roads and no traffic.
Early in the ride, I tagged along with a group fast riders from Texas Iron. They were going too fast for me too hang on long, but it was fun. I noticed that were eating a drinking all the time and keep spinning while grabbing food and drink. My legs tend to stop going when, I grab for food or a bottle. I guess I have trouble doing more than one thing at a time... The 30 minute run after the bike in the high-noon sun along blacktop -- no fun, but I finished.
It turned out to be a great ride despite a few minor logistical issues -- I will definitely do the Real Ale ride again.
Early Sunday, brought the 30km trail run called the Loop. I am not a big trail runner, but I needed to get in a long run and the idea of support, shade, and company the run was much better than running in little circles by myself. The first two of the 10km loops were fun. The terrain was challenging and interesting. It would be fun to really race a trail run someday. The 3rd loop was rough for me. I was dumb and did not drink or eat near enough. Oops. The support was a stop about 5 km apart and I did not think about how long it would take between stops. I ended up drinking about 50% of what I should in that heat. I should have run with 2 bottles instead of one. The terrain definitely builds strength and I am glad I did it. Hopefully, the painful lesson will make me smarter for France.
After the run, the I headed back to the quarry for recovery swim. After some eating, it was nap time. I took several days for my legs to recover from the Loop and I think a few toe nails may never recover, but I made it through my longest run in Ironman training without serious injury.
It is all downhill from here.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Back to work
The last big training crunch is here. Here is what my training looks like this week:
- Sunday - I raced the Cap Tex Tri, an Olympic distance triathlon in downtown Austin. More on that later...
- Monday - Rest day!
- Tuesday -
- Pool swim workout in the morning. Finished with a lethargic 2700 m in around 1:15. For me, it was all about getting back in after the hard effort on Sunday.
- Evening, speed work with Texas Iron. The workout was geared toward getting your legs moving again. A storm blew in a cooled everything off -- made the workout much more doable.
- Wednesday -
- Morning - 30 minutes of weights and core work
- Evening - 2 hours on the bike with Lost Creek Hill repeats. My goal is 6 for tonight. We will see.
- Thursday - Texas Iron Bike-Run workout. Bike hard. Run hard. Repeat.
- Friday - Back into the pool for more work. (1hr)
- Saturday - I will be doing the Real Ale Ride (the 85 mile route) followed by a 30 minute transition run.
- Sunday -
- 3.25 base run. I am going to do the Loop trail (30 km) run to get my mileage in.
- 30 - 40 min recovery swim
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