Training Week in Review: Week 20

2 Months To Go...

I saw numerous posts this week with countdown clocks to race day for Ironman Chattanooga and this weekend they were just about to the 60 day mark. I must admit that this seems like its too close and I won't be ready in time, but I know that's just my mind going into overdrive, as it often does, when contemplating race day. I'm excited that the day is approaching and I can't wait to have the opportunity to put the past few months of training to work!

This week was a difficult one for me to get in my workouts as it is crunch time at work and I had to go to several events this week which conflicted with my normal early morning workouts. Monday was no problem as it was rest day (my favorite day of the week now), but I had to skip Tuesday's workouts and add them on to the other days of the week. I got in most of them, but I came up a little short on the swim this week. If I'm going to come up short in workouts then the swim is where I feel most comfortable slipping a bit. I managed a short run very early Wednesday morning (5:15am) and got in my full hour on the bike and 45 minute swim on Thursday. Friday was another 45 min. run and Friday night I crashed into bed early to prepare for the long weekend of training.

The Long Bike

Got to stay hydrated!

I had ambitions of making up extra distance/time on Saturday's long bike ride since I had missed the previous weekend. Those ambitions didn't translate into success, but I still put in 4 hours on the bike and pedaled out 61 miles. My plan was to ride the 31 mi. route twice so I could get in some practice with repetitive loops like I will encounter in Chattanooga and the 19 mile route to finish the day. My first loop I tagged along with various groups until it ended up just being me and another cyclist named Megan. She was part of the Team in Training and is working towards her second half ironman in Augusta in late September. There were lots of animals out and about and I had my first ever experience of someone yelling out "cat" as a warning for an upcoming hazard. It was a small cat, but it just walked across the middle of the road unfazed and unimpressed by our presence. We were also yelled at by a donkey and I saw a couple of deer running back into the woods as we approached. Megan and I chatted about past races and how training was progressing this year as we steadily pedaled along. Before I knew it we were back on the main road headed to the end of her ride and the start of my second loop for the day. My pace was a bit slow on the first loop compared to where I have been so I decided to push the pace on my second loop. This was a mistake. I managed to shave off 12 minutes between my first and second loop, but it took its toll. Steady pacing is going to be essential for me to succeed in Chattanooga so I need to remember that even if I'm a bit behind my target pace, I need to stay steady and not try and make up time as it will cost me more in the end. I was supposed to go back out and ride the 19 mi. route to finish the day at 80 miles, but I decided to turn back to the parking lot and call it a day. I took a quick break at Sosbee Cycling park for a bathroom stop and then was on my way back to the car.  I was a little disappointed in myself for not pushing through, but I'm not going to linger on that too long as I know I have to keep moving forward after each training session if I'm going to be successful on race day. The great news was that I have definitely found the right saddle as my 2nd ride on the Cobb V-Flow Max proved to be much more comfortable that any others I have tried. Time to go to All3Sports this next week and trade in the test saddle for the real thing.
Garmin track for the bike: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/550625096

The Long Run

Sunday morning's run was going to be incredibly tough. Or so I thought. I had 3 hours on schedule and after the way I felt last Sunday on the long run, I was expecting to really have to dig deep for this one. I was pleasantly surprised at the outcome. It was a piece of cake mind you, but I did find that I didn't feel as tired or feel the urge to take an extra walk during the final few miles. We were headed to the parking lot (aka the finish line for the day's run) and when we got there my Garmin said we had run 18.37 miles. That wasn't good enough for me. I hate ending on odd intervals so I shouted back to my running partner, "Come on! I want 18.5!" He agreed and we made a couple of extra twists and turn through the parking lot to hit the mark. I haven't run that distance since my first marathon last November and I didn't feel this good during the marathon by a long shot. Training for this race has really taken my endurance to a new level which has, in turn, taken my confidence to a new level as well. Garmin track for the run: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/550625139

Weekly Totals: Swim - 3500m • Bike - 79mi • Run - 28.34mi