Well the numbers are posted, as in race numbers. The number to be watching on October 11th is.... #1121. Yep that's my number. Not sure I have enough arm for all those numbers to be stamped on. Not sure exactly how they do the number assignments within age groups but I think they might do it by qualifying time if so I think come in with around the 40th fastest time in my age group. If things go well on the island I'll be looking for a much higher finish in my age group but to honest it will be a successful trip if I finish but I expect much more from myself.
Just a few more days of long, hard training this weekend then the taper begins (right coach....I get a taper for this race....right). The bike has been tuned (it needed it badly), underwear has been selected for the underwear run, there is stuff strewn all over my house that needs to be packed and under the airline bag weight limit and getting things wrapped up at work so I can focus on racing and having fun.
This week has been good; good swims and a great hard tempo run the other night. Normally I'm pretty cooked after the negative side of my tempo run and the day after. This week I felt great (after nearly 5 miles at 6:25 pace) with the run totaling nearly 12 miles all at sub 7:00 pace. I've had two good trainer workouts as the rain has returned to the NW and I'm really feeling ready and excited to race and enjoy the experience.
I appreciate all the well wishes that everyone has been sending me it's really been a big boost and it really helps. I'm hoping to make all of my supporters proud on the 11th.
I'm hoping to getting a few posts made from Kona with lots of pictures hopefully.
I've posted a full race report under the "Racing" link. In summary it was hot and hilly. There was some good and some bad in the day.
I finished 22nd oveall and 3rd in my age group finishing in 4:56:55. I had an amazing swim, a solid honest bike ride and a meltdown on the run with intestinal cramps slowing me considerably.
You can read the complete report by clicking on the "Racing" link. 4 weeks till Kona we're down to the final hard training days and taper.
I posted a race report yesterday under the Race Reports but the splits wheren't available yet. Here they are:
Swim - 10:32 (31st OA)
T1 (including 300m run) - 2:16 (16th OA)
Bike - 30:23 (5th OA)
T2 - :31 (15th OA)
Run - 14:48 (9th OA)
Total 58:31 (4th OA/2nd AG).
I realized that the guy that finished 3rd just one place ahead of me finished in the same spot in the last sprint I did (1.5 years ago) and passed me at the same spot on the run and beat me by about the same amount of time.
In any event it was a good race considering I don't race sprints. Another week with lots of intensity upcoming and the difficult Grand Columbian Half Iron on Saturday. Looking forward to it. Would love to pull off a top 10 at this race as I've gone from 50th two years ago, to 26th last year (injuried) so this year I hope to have a solid race but will be racing without any taper and it's more about getting my head right and getting used to putting the hydration and nutrition plan in play. There was no hydration or nutrition plan at the race yesterday. I took one sip of water on the bike and that was it.
The last few weeks were a littel rough in the training department. Not feeling particularly good on the run or fast in the pool. I had a really solid bike ride up in Penticton so I'm feeling pretty good on the bike.
What I'm happiest about right now is my run fitness. I think it's taken to now to shake out the Ironman race from my body completely. In the past two weeks I've had some solid run workouts.
This weekend I had a solid 1:45 run this weekend and had a solid long negative split tempo run last night. Basically a short warm-up then 32:30 at a omfortable tempo (7:00/m) then run the same distance covered in the first tempo faster. In the case of last night that was in 30:13 or 6:31/m pace, then a quick cool down. Total last night was 12 miles in 1:22:30 or 6:52/m pace. If you're doing the math that is just under 1:30 for the half marathon. The best part was I really didn't feel like I was stressing myself much at all last night and the entire run was relatively comfortable which I haven't felt in few months. I'm feeling good about my running right now which is critically important heading into the Kona. I've got a few more big training weeks before the taper (can't believe I'm even talking taper, it's almost here).
I've got races the next two weekends so these should be a good little indicators of where I'm at, but no taper for these races. This weekend is the Escape from the Rock (1/2 mile swim, 12 mile bike and 2.5 mile run) which I'll hardly get warmed up for and it will be over. Next weekend is my return to the Grand Columbian Half Ironman. It'll be my third trip to this race and I'm hoping for a top 10 finish (first attempt I was 50th, last year I was 27th). It's a brutally tough bike and although the run is flat it's on a gravel trail so it's not exactly easy footing but it should be a good effort.
Hoping for a couple more good solid workouts this week and I'll be posting race recaps after the races.
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