Wet one

We did Clearwater Beach Ocean mile swim Sat morning under dark skies, thinking we may get a chance to ride afterwards. Not. I had no goal, once again, just wanting to get in a good workout. I have a love/hate relationship with these open water swims. On the one hand I like to compete with the pure swimmers, see how I measure up (usually, I don't). On the other hand, I like (yeah, right) to try and practice being more aggressive in the opening, not bowing down to the blows and attempts at drowning me. I really don't like that but it's not dissimilar to a tri start! So anyway, survived another start and open water swim. I never got in a good rhythm due to some chop and current, I'm not great with choppy water. Every look ahead on the way out was greeted with lightening in the distance. Yikes! We had a favorable current going out, which means not so favorable coming back in. I finished, unofficially, second in my AG which is better than I've ever done in one of these swim races. I wasn't happy with my effort, just couldn't find the extra gear to push it but then, we're 3 weeks out from "A" race so that's probably totally appropriate. The Dane had a good effort as well. We got back home and realized there was no way we were going to fit in a bike ride amongst the lightening strikes, so lounged at the beach until the black clouds rained down. We spent the evening wishing good friends Bon Voyage on their adventure moving to the OC! Fun but sad at the same time! :>(
Today brought yet another ride in the hills. Yet again, longer ride than I was supposed to do but couldn't get the brick in due to rain and lightening so no harm done. We fought the pouring rain and lightening for over 2 hours of the ride and managed to get back in one piece! Thanking God for safe return now, we venture into the beginnings of the taper. Ahhhhhhh. Really, I'm always thinking of how far out from Kona I am now, 16 weeks for those who are counting! So, the 4 1/2 hour ride was not all for nought! As LM says, building character type of ride today! So start to back down a tad this next week, necessary as far as I can see based on my need for sleep! Maybe it's just my age! Best of luck to all....
Kia Kaha

Winning one in the swim

A major first for me! When you come from nearly drowning in the swim for many of my beginner years of multisport to actually coming from behind to win a race, any race, in the water, it's encouraging. We did the Sunrise Biathlon on Sat morning. Felt it would be a nice low key affair, as have been the other 2 biathlons I've done ever. And, since I've been training about 18 hours a week for half ironman in 4 weeks with no real rest days, I wanted a low key event. Showed up and there are a lot of people and timing chips. Wow, not low key at all. Took it all in stride and used it more as a nice hard workout than a real race. We swam every day last week too so the old arms/shoulders were pretty tired. No excuses, just here for fun anyway. And it was fun. Two mile beach run (out and back), 1/2 mile ocean swim (two loops) then one mile run (out and back). The first run I was a little slow to get going, no speed at all! Passed a few gals on the return trip and went into the swim in third, but the first girl was flying on the run! Arms super heavy and breathing hard around the first loop of the swim and wanted to settle into solid tempo on second loop. Stood up to exit the water from the first loop and there was the first girl right in front of me so I needed to hammer the second loop hard to get a lead on the fast-running girls ahead of me. Out of the water, onto the second run. Didn't realize I was in the lead until the turn around. I DID realize the gals behind were charging hard to catch me. Luckily, it was only a mile and I was able to hold them off for the win. The Dane finished up second in his AG. We took our bikes with us and did a 2 hour ride to/in/out Fort Desoto then it was Corona time! Rode super hilly 66-miler yesterday, reportedly 3000ft of climbing on this ride and I felt each foot! Did 45 min brick off that which felt better than the ride! One more week of hard workouts then easing into taper for IM Rhode Island 70.3. Can't wait. Think I'm ready.
Kia Kaha

Whoa Nelly

Ok, I should have known I was totally going to jinx myself with the last post. Live and learn. I'm not wrecked or unable to train or anything but the hammy isn't as happy as when I posted last. Ran hill (bridge for us in FL) repeats on Tues with Linda M and the Dane. This workout was fine but tightened up the hammy a bit. Rode intervals at Fort Desoto on Weds night which was really tough but got through it. Swim in AM and long run after work on Thurs kind of burried me. Ran almost 13 in pretty sultry conditions which I'm slowly getting used to. Rode 78 miles in the hills on Sat and had some tough spots but didn't get dropped. Pleasant 65 mile ride on Sunday with a 45 minute brick which I wanted to run around race pace. I had some really tired legs for the brick but that's what I want to train, to be able to run steady with really knackered legs. Managed to average 7:15/mile for the brick and was happy with that. Back to it today after couple swims already, we'll hit the bridge today again. And the beat goes on...
Kia Kaha

hammy healing

Yup, I think I'm spontaneously healing. It shouldn't be too amazing, I spontaneously get injured all the time! Seriously though, I put together a nice training week last week which actually looked like an organized attempt to get fit enough for a 70.3 race (half ironman for you old schoolers) and I feel pretty good. I did note that the speed/tempo work seemed to aggrevate the hammy the most so I replaced that with hill repeats this week. Since the run course at Rhode Island 70.3looks anything but flat, I thought I would toss this in. Been riding in the hills, did 86 miles Sunday with 30 min brick which went amazingly well. The Dane wonders what I'm worried about, that I'm pretty fit but I just don't feel it for some reason. I look in my training log and don't see the weeks of 15-20 hours strung together and worry. Maybe I shouldn't. Who knows but we'll certainly find out 7/13! Fingers crossed. Mostly, gotta stay healthy to train for Kona!
Kia Kaha