The big SORT weekend is upon us, the first of two scheduled half iron distance races.So what have we done to alleviate our nervousness about the distance? Hopefully enough.
THE GOOD:
We have
* biked big (50+) every week for several weeks
* I put together a plan and tried to work it logically. (Mike poked fun at the plan.... we shall see who laughs last....)
*Swim, swim, swim swim. Lots of laps and drills in the pool, several trips to local lakes for OWS practice.
THE BAD:
As per my usual, I have not logged nearly enough run time. Why because I hate it. I love it, but I hate it if that makes sense. When I run, I am totally frustrated that my overall speed get slower and slower all the time. Last night during a particularly slow feeling stretch of road, I actually welled up with tears of frustration. I want to go faster, and yet I am slower this year than at any time last summer. Pisses me off and makes me not want to run. Seems like an exercise in stupidity to keep doing something with no improvement.
This Week's Final Tweaks:* Sunday while we were in the neighborhood for Danskin, we tried to pre-swim the swim course. The beach is gorgeous, the water is clear. Oh and the water temp was 53 degrees. 5 minutes of swimming in it yielded numb feet and hands and a wicked ice cream headache. Now we added insulated neoprene swimcaps to our ensemble. Hopefully that does the trick.
* Used Danskin as transition practice and saw some small details I need to focus on to make that more streamlined.
* Tomorrow we are going to do the July Aquathon (swim/run race) as practice so Mike gets in a group open water swim and some wetsuit practice.
* Watch the water temps obsessively online, bringing out a little OCD.
I have not done nearly enough to plan my nutrition and work everything out in practice.
I have done the work to prepare and am feeling pretty good about my foundation.
SO WHY AM I STILL SCARED???
There are time cutoffs. I thought this was a race til your done race. Nope. TIME. CUT. OFFS.
Swim in 1 1/4 hours? not a problem.
Off the bike by 1pm? I don't see an issue.
Complete the run by 3:30? Crap. I am totally shitting bricks about it.
What can I do about it now? Absolutely nothing now. So I will give it a whirl and see where I land. If I don't make the cutoff, I guess I have something for Pigman next month.
12 comments:
I recommend figuring out run mile paces based on various bike finish times and then you will know exactly what you need to do to finish within the limit!
I am laughing at your checklist of things to fix because it is so much mine also - I did a swim-run race this weekend, TOTALLY forgot to untie my running shoelaces and also have an extremely painful wetsuit hickey, it simply did not occur to me to put on Bodyglide - that back of the neck at bottom of the hairline is a SENSITIVE SPOT! I also failed to turn on the footpod device & so have no run splits!
Have a great time racing!
That picture of fear is me and I do believe I will shit my pants. Probably more than once.
Thanks for helping me with my swim. Wish I could have helped you with the run but sadly, my run times are the slowest since I started running.
Provided I make the swim, if I see you on the run I will try to scoop you up. You do the same for me.
I don't know why you are scared. You are a nurse for crying out loud! You see and deal with tougher shit that triathlons every day!! Buck up girlfriend, slip into those big girl nurse panties and kick ass on that course!!! You have trained well for it, no worries. remember, you. are. a. nurse.
the plan will all go to shit the minute you get off the bike. Just go have fun on your first Half - and finish! Hey....if worse comes to worse, you can walk 13 miles, right?
Good luck to you and Mikey - you are both going to do great!
You go and kick ass this weekend!!! Nothing but positive thoughts!! You are ready!!!
There are worse things that cold water--trust me. Plus, us bigger people seem to better be able to tolerate it than most. I got more comfort out of the neoprene cap when I pulled it low over my forehead, because that's what ached the msot. But before IMCDA, I swam in a 50-degree lake in Colorado. I gradually got used to it. Just move like hell so that you're all nice and heated up when you get in it!
Best of luck! I can't wait to read your report!
You'll kill the swim, blow away the bike and have 4 hours to finish run. No problem!
Good luck out there!! Don't worry about that cut off - just take it event-by-event, and just do what you can out there on the run. YOU'LL DO GREAT! We ALL want to have logged more time!!
You're ready for this! And Steve is right, don't worry about the cut-off times. I know it's easier said than done, as they were front-of-mind for me during Ironman training, but get a plan together and stick to it -- what you don't want to do is kill yourself on the bike out of fear of the run. Race your plan and you'll be fine...promise!
Good luck...see you out there...and if you guys are interested in dinner, see Xt4's blog for details -- a handful of us are gathering for a pre-race meal.
You are so ready - you've been training your butt off, girl!
My training runs are so slow, and I always wonder how in the hell am I gonna go any faster during a race!?! Adrenaline will kick in. Plus, you're gonna kick butt on the swim and bike, giving you plenty of time to enjoy the run :)
I'll be rooting for you!!!
excellent post....and pics too!
keep tri-ing :)
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