some pics

Gettin ready to ride


Yippee, happy to go ride at sunset


Ugh, heavy after paddling!



Just wanted to put up some stupid SUP pics. We are trying to launch off the seawall across the street but hard when tide is out. I am having difficulty lugging the board as well - I know.....weak!
Training is going well except for the running. Trying to manage upping mileage with foot/achilles problem but going to work it and see how far I can go. Supplementing the running with power crank (http://www.powercranks.com) workouts instead of swimming tues and thurs morning prior to weight/core work. I have good days and not so good days with the foot but it doesn't bother me enought to take a hard break from running so..... I won't. After all, we're 9 1/2 wks out from IM Canada, kinda have to run! Winging it!!
YOLO

Starting IM training

We are 10 weeks out from IM Canada and a good week in the bank. I have been cycling 5 days per week, up to 4 runs per week now and 4 swims. My run is not where I'd like it now as I'm nursing my left foot. It only bothers me when I run, of course, but I'm going to try and push it and see what I can do with it. I'm supplementing my run with the power cranks twice per week on the computrainer which is no easy task, I assure you. We had a nice 85 mile ride in the hills yesterday with a good group. It has been super hot here for June with humidity through the roof, even for Florida! Came out of that feeling quite tired. We got the call that our SUP boards were in and we went and picked them up, very exciting! We couldn't stand not riding them straight away so did a sunset paddle off the sea wall across the street. What a ride! It is amazingly peaceful to paddle at sunset in calm water. I think I found my new drug (besides regular training). Today presented the usual Sunday ride. It is always fast, hard and now, hot. I tried harder to tack on the the front group today in spite of the fact that we did the 85 in the hills yesterday. The legs were really tired but I feel a bit stronger every week now, good progress. After 100K on the bike today and a max HR of 183 (don't know if I've ever been that high on a bike), the run beckoned. It was over 90 degrees once we started our 4 miler off the bike. Heat index was way higher I can bet - hotter than any part of the IM Hawaii course in my two showings! Got through that with a niggle in the left achilles but all went away with a dive in the pool once home - ahhhhh. All pain goes away once I stop! We didn't quite have the energy to paddle today, yet - maybe later. My dream is to paddle in Hawaii and see the fishies beneath me. I'm glad that my motivation is back in full force after a good spring racing season. After all, YOLO.
Cheers.

YOLO

If you look at the youtubes. just mute the music. There is sooooo many cool videos on SUP, it's SICK. We aren't surfing the big swells.......yet! Thanks Christina N for the link! You're a rock star and I wish I was riding with you in France in July!!

Good week in the books. I started back running after a forced break due to left foot/heel/achilles problem. Haven't really nailed down what the culprit is but I don't think my achilles is the major problem, which is good. I had a couple ART treatments on it and my ART guy didn't feel the achilles was problematic either. I do/did have pain in the ankle ligaments which is really strange. I thought I had injured every body part possible, this is new! Anyhow, I feel better although not totally pain-free. I only have pain when I run, of course. I plan to try and manage this and begin on my Ironman journey as is. I can't afford to take any more time off from running. That said, I will just be doing run frequency for now - nothing super long or fast until I feel my foot can handle it. I am really intrigued now by the whole barefoot movement and plan to persue this idea more in the off season. I'm reading "Born To Run" so, forgive me. Awesome book and extremely motivating - makes me want to take up ultra running! Meanwhile, we had our "first" long ride (we've been doing this all along during the spring) in the hills yesterday without too much problem. Actually, I felt quite better as the ride went along. The Dane was moderately shattered (but, ran 12 miles thursday evening then raced a 5K on fri night) so, it's all relative. We did the usual Sunday group ride this morning which I was concerned about after 4 hours in the hills yesterday but I felt better than last Sunday! Crazy but glad to know my fitness hasn't dropped off too much on the bike. I've had five days on the bike this week and plan to continue this track until I can run more. Swim-wise, we are on long course now which is always difficult to begin with but I love it as it goes. Now, our extracurricular SUP activity was awesome today. We launched at a new spot (normally alot of fishermen there) and got about an hour riding which is a real sweat-sport! The more I do this, the more I like it. We toured around the bird islands off the Belleair causeway which was cool. The Gulf is still a bit too rough for us right now, the wind blowing out of the west is churning things up! We will stick in the intracoastal for now. I will post pics of the boards when we get ours - they are getting shipped now and we are on borrowed boards. Great core workout and fun in the sun!
Cheers. And, my new mantra, YOLO (You Only Live Once)

It's all about the SUP

Boards sleeping in the pool

Owe, that hurts!

Our lovely launch spot

The Audi is packed!

The Audi likes carrying stuff

So, as if we need more physical activity and sports in our lives leading in to Ironman time, we have discovered the SUP. For now on, understand the SUP means 'stand up paddleboarding'. Cuz I don't want to keep typing 'stand up paddleboarding'! So, we saw these last October while we were in Kona but didn't rent because we were dead set on surfing. I am not a good surfer and I'm still not a good surfer. If I lived in Hawaii, I'd likely become a good surfer because it's all about loving the water and becoming one with the elements which I love. Here in FL, I have to mix work with training which doesn't leave much time or energy for watersports. And, the "surfing" on the Gulf just aint that great. I know, you can drive over to the East coast but we simply don't have time for that. That said, for some reason we rediscovered the fasted-growing water sport in the world, SUP. It is described as 'walking on water' and it really is......once you get more more comfy with it, I'm sure! So we have sought out a few shops who actually sell these boards locally and got some demos this weekend (the shop insisted on it......and they can't keep stock because there is such a demand). I had a bit of a shocker the first time out. I, first of all, had a board that was a bit narrow and short for my skill level, which is......nil. We had to launch these monster boards in water that was calm, not choppy and with a sandy bottom (preferable to oyster bottom...ouch to the feet). Went to a little park near the Sand Key bridge, under which runs the fast current of the Clearwater pass. I got up ok on my "narrow" board and paddled a bit but ended up in a bit of a current which I found which was more than my amateur self could handle. I fell off the board for the umteenth time and found I was getting swept in the current and got a bit panicked. I got off the board and swam with the paddle in one hand to the shore as as fast as I could with one arm. The board, paddle and myself survived but I was spent. I tried to carry the board and paddle back to where we started but the Dane came to my rescue and carried it for me. My arms and shoulders were done. I went back out but avoided the current, I learn fast! We went out again today, found a calmer launch spot, and totally enjoyed the workout (that is after our 3 1/2 hour bike). We found calm water with dolphins and fish jumping, it was nice. My shoulders are pretty rocked but I'm all in. Swim tomorrow will be ugly but that's ok. On the injury front, my foot is ok after a week off of all running. Had ART on thurs and found where the pain really is so going back tomorrow for more torture. i'll likely get back running this week. We're 11 weeks from IM Canada so I don't want to take much more break from running. I think I'm heading in the right direction so feel good as I can without running (thanks Powercranks). Cheers.