TOTAL TIME CLOCKED: 14 Hours
SWIM: 5500 Meters
BIKE: 116 Miles
RUN: 38 Miles
“That’s
it. I’m not doing Ironman,” were the words that came out of my mouth as I laid
on the floor last Saturday after my five-hour brick workout. 8-weeks out, last
week was a test in training stamina. A 37-mile run week, over 120 on the bike
and 7500 meters of swimming pushed my body to the limit. With 15 hilly miles
left on Saturday’s ride, the heat, exhaustion and solo effort were only overshadowed
by the dread of the 6-mile run that I was going to have to do as soon as I got
home.
This
is Ironman training.
 |
| Saturday's ride profile |
Training
for Ironman Tahoe has been a test of organization and willpower. Juggling a demanding
job, a toddler and training has not been easy. I remember the physical fatigue
I had in 2009 training for my first Ironman, but this go around it is
compounded by an even more demanding work schedule and the desire to spend time
with my family in our new home here in Colorado.
I
drank a couple of beers on Saturday as I felt my legs throb from the swelling.
2 Aleve and a good night’s sleep seemed to be all I needed to complete my 14
mile run on Sunday. I hit a combination of trails and multi-use paths to get
the mileage in. My standard route around Table Mountain had plenty to look at
and that great Colorado air to breathe in. Afterwards I was spent, but the run
went well and I was 14 miles closer to my goal.
Last
week was the first taste of how difficult the next 4 weeks were going to be
leading up to my taper.
7 Weeks to go: 8/4/13 –
8/10/13
TOTAL TIME CLOCKED: 14 Hours
SWIM: 6500 Meters
BIKE: 145 Miles
RUN: 28 Miles
TOTAL TIME CLOCKED: 14 Hours
SWIM: 6500 Meters
BIKE: 145 Miles
RUN: 28 Miles
 |
| Sunrise at Boulder Reservoir |
My
program for the next several weeks is pretty much the same mid-week:
·
M:
Rest or optional 4-mile easy run
·
T:
3000-4000 M ow swim (early morning) \ 20-25 mile ride (lunch time)
·
W:
6 mile tempo run (lunch time)
·
TR:
3500-4000M pool swim (early morning) \ 20 mile ride (lunch time)
·
F:
6-8 mile easy run (lunch time)
My
weekends are where I put in the long hours and race specific training. I
alternate my bike and run focus each week to allow me to focus on each sport
and the endurance required for the race. This week was a bike-focused weekend.
Saturday
I woke up early and rode out to Carter Lake, which is West of Loveland and East
of Estes Park. It is a 55-mile ride to the lake store with a couple of fun
little climbs to break things up. It is fast overall, which will be typical of
the Tahoe course. I went easy, used my gears on each climb, and stuck to tempo
the rest of the ride crouched in my aero bars. My goal for this ride was manage
my energy and output to allow me to finish the ride strong and with enough
energy for the run. I blazed through 105 miles in around 5 ½ hours, averaging
19ish MPH with over 5000 feet of climbing. As soon as I got home, I put on my
running shoes and knocked off a 4-mile transition run. The cooler weather
allowed me to keep up my cadence and keep a pace of around eight minute miles.
I felt pretty good afterwards and was encouraged that my fitness is coming
along.
Sunday
was an easy out and back 10 mile run. I kept the run easy paced and my heart
rate in zone 2 for the entire time. 10 miles seemed easy compared to the longer
runs I have had for the past several weeks. Home in less than 90 minutes, my
body almost wanted a little more. Good sign of things to come I guess!
6 Weeks to go: 8/11/13
– 8/18/13
TOTAL TIME CLOCKED: 13 Hours
SWIM: 6500 Meters
BIKE: 105 Miles
RUN: 34 Miles
TOTAL TIME CLOCKED: 13 Hours
SWIM: 6500 Meters
BIKE: 105 Miles
RUN: 34 Miles
I
took Monday off as a rest day this week. My legs needed a break from the
action. The weekly routine was the same this week.
·
M:
Rest
·
T:
3000M open water swim at boulder res (6AM)
\ 20 mile ride (lunch time)
·
W:
6 mile tempo run (6AM)
·
TR:
3500M pool swim (5:30AM) \ 25 mile ride (lunch time)
·
F:
8.5 mile easy run on Table Mountain (lunch time)
All
of my workouts went pretty well besides Wednesday’s run. For some reason my
legs were super heavy and I could not find my groove. I blamed it on a harder
than normal bike effort on Tuesday, but you just never know.
I
have a huge calendar at home with all my workouts listed. Each day I finish, I
put a big line through the day and move on to the next. It is about all I can
focus on right now. One day at a time.
On Saturday, I woke up and headed out for a 60-mile 3-3.5 hour ride. I mapped my route out the night before, but about 10 miles into the route, there was a road closure due to an airshow. I had to take a major detour and I wound up completing an entirely different loop. It threw my pace off a bit, but I was able to see some new roads which was cool.
On Saturday, I woke up and headed out for a 60-mile 3-3.5 hour ride. I mapped my route out the night before, but about 10 miles into the route, there was a road closure due to an airshow. I had to take a major detour and I wound up completing an entirely different loop. It threw my pace off a bit, but I was able to see some new roads which was cool.
 |
| 1/2 way point on Sunday's long run along Clear Creek |
5 Weeks to go: 8/19/13
– 8/25/13
TOTAL TIME CLOCKED: 13 Hours
SWIM: 6500 Meters
BIKE: 170 Miles
RUN: 16 Miles
SWIM: 6500 Meters
BIKE: 170 Miles
RUN: 16 Miles
So
excited this week! The USA Pro Challenge is in town and this was the third year
in a row Julie and I were able to head up to the mountains to watch a couple of
stages. It’s pretty cool to live in Colorado now and have the race in our back
yard. Monday was another rest day for me and I spent the day at work getting
things in order for the days I would be out of the office.
Tuesday
I woke up at 5AM and headed up to Boulder res for three laps around the 1000-meter
course. The water level at the reservoir is getting low since it is late summer
and I actually grabbed sand a few times around the buoys. Regardless, I trudged
ahead completing the three laps in just over an hour.
I
drove home, showered, and Julie and I loaded Micah in the car to take him to
meet grandma in Castle rock. She would take him for the next few days.
Bikes
loaded and ready, we drove from there up to Steamboat.
 |
| Wednesday's ride through Oak Creek |
Thursday
Julie headed out for another ride while I hit a 6-mile run along the Yampa
River. The scenery in Steamboat is incredible and if it was not so far from family,
I could see living there. I ran easy along the off-street path and turned
around after 3 miles for the run back.
 |
| Yampa River run |
After
watching the Pro stage take off from Steamboat, we made the trip back home.
Micah would be waiting for us with our nanny as grandma drove him up in the
morning for us.
Friday
morning I woke up at 5AM and swam 3500 meters at the Splash outdoor pool in
Golden. The Community Center in Golden was closed and this was the next best swimming
option. There was a salamander swimming in my lane with me that led to some
entertainment for the lifeguards as they fished him out of the pool. Ahh, the
outdoor pools!
Due
to my long ride scheduled on Saturday I didn’t have a run scheduled for Friday.
Loading
up my nutrition on Friday night I got nervous. Saturday would put me in the
saddle for sevenish hours and over 120 miles. It had been a long time since I
have clocked that sort of distance. Today I decided that I would not be
drinking any more alcohol until after the big race.
The
ride started off at an easy pace when 15 miles in, my front derailleur came off
the bike. The screw that attached it to the frame was loose and of course I had
forgotten my multitool. Spinning in my small ring, I made it to a Home Depot in
Superior and bought a set of wrenches to get me back on the road. 25 minutes
later, I got all the repairs done and headed back out.
While
the ride was long and hot, I was able to keep pushing. I had to climb out of
saddle towards the end of the ride, but I felt decent enough to make it home. I
drank some chocolate milk, and passed out on the floor. 123 solo miles at
19.3MPH average and 5500 feet of climbing is not ½ bad!
Sunday
was an easy 10-mile run. I took on a few hills around the reservoir to keep it
interesting. I tried to stay in zone two the entire time and keep moving.
Success! One more week in the books. and all in time to watch Stage 7of the USA
Pro Challenge Bike Race in Denver with my whole family!
4 Weeks to go: 8/26/13
– 9/1/13
TOTAL TIME CLOCKED: 15 Hours
SWIM: 7000 Meters
BIKE: 145 Miles
RUN: 35 Miles
SWIM: 7000 Meters
BIKE: 145 Miles
RUN: 35 Miles
Well
the clock is ticking down! Not too much longer. I have felt a little flat this
whole week. I took Monday off as a rest day and picked up early Tuesday with
the typical routine. 6:00 AM for 3,000 meters at Boulder Reservoir. I was more
tired than usual for this workout and the time seemed to drag by
stroke-by-stroke. I took a 45-second break after lap one and then pushed
through the final two laps. Good news is my times are getting a bit quicker.
Not by much, but they are improving. I am expecting around a 1:25ish Ironman
Swim time at this pace.
My
lunchtime ride on Tuesday through Red Rocks left much to be desired. I was slow
all around. I had no power in my legs and just slogged through the 20 miles.
Guess the weekend really zapped me.
Wednesday’s
run went a bit better. I came into work early to beat the heat and I ran a somewhat
hilly six mile loop from the office. My legs felt good though and my heart rate
is starting to adapt.
Thursday
morning I was at the pool at 5:30 AM sharp. I had 4,000 meters on the docket
and I needed to power it out. My splits were improving big time and I was
pleased to notice I had a bit more energy in the tank from Tuesday.
My
lunch ride on Thursday went better as well. Pushing pace for 20+ miles I
averaged just over 21 miles/hour.
My
appetite has been changing big time and I’ve been eating up to six full
meals/day. My weight has stayed the same, but I feel lean. I am down to about
138 pounds and less than 10% body fat. It’s pretty cool.
Friday
I ran early from my house and banged out 8 miles. I was blessed to see an
amazing sunrise over Westwoods. I never get sick of this place!
Julie
left on Friday to head to Nebraska with family for the weekend so I would be
able to focus on my weekend training. Don’t get me wrong, I love my family, but
at this point in the routine training is enough stress without trying to fit in
a full day of family time on top of it. It would be my biggest dress rehearsal
weekend for race day.
I
spent Friday evening tuning up my Bike and setting it up exactly as it would be
at my race. I would practice everything right down to my nutrition on
Saturday’s 100-miler.
I
rode out to Carter lake again taking a new route on the ride out. My legs felt
great and I decided to let them power it out. When I hit the turn-around at 56
miles, my average pace was almost 21MPH. Making the turn back down to Boulder I
was greeted with mid-day sun and a nice headwind. The road is slightly uphill
all the way home, so with the headwind, by legs started to pop. At mile 90, I
had to push up every little climb while standing. I realized that I pushed it a
little too hard early on. Trying to focus mentally during these times is tough,
but I do all I can to stay positive because I know on race day it will be
critical.
I
powered the rest of the way home. My average for 105 miles was 18.9MPH with
over 5K feet of climbing.
I
immediately got off the bike for my 4-mile transition run. It was super-hot out
and my heart rate would not drop. I slowed down but it didn’t matter. I was on
average about 10-15 BPM above where I should have been. I know my body does
horrible in the heat. I still averaged an 8:45 pace with the short walking
spurts.
I
got home, drank a pint of chocolate milk and laid on the floor. Another 6 hours
in the books.
I
was dreading my Sunday 16-mile run. My legs were still heavy, but I drove to
Golden to run Clear Creek again. Surprisingly enough I felt great the entire
run. I focused on an easy pace, good turnover and low heart rate. Averaging an
8:40 total pace my heart rate barely climbed above 150 which is a sure sign
that my body is peaking. I am amazed at the fitness that training brings.
I
ate enough food to feed an elephant that afternoon and about ½ gallon of Ice
Cream. Another week down. 3 weeks to race day.
3 Weeks to go: 9/2/13 –
9/8/13
TOTAL TIME CLOCKED: 12 Hours
SWIM: 5500 Meters
BIKE: 105 Miles
RUN: 30 Miles
SWIM: 5500 Meters
BIKE: 105 Miles
RUN: 30 Miles
I
get to start the gradual taper this week, which is cool. My mid-week stays
about the same, but my weekends will drop for the next two weeks before the
race. Monday I took the day off to rest my legs. They were super sore from the
weekend.
There
are only two open water swims left at Boulder Res this season so I planned to
go both Tuesday and Thursday. The sun is coming up later so the swims do not
start until 6:20. This gives me a little more time to sleep in, but not as much
swim time. I hit the water right at 6:20 and swam 3000 meters straight with no
stopping. I felt great. I did start getting tired about ½ way through the third
lap. I am confident I can power though all 3900 meters at Ironman now. That is
a cool feeling and if you would have asked me in March how I felt, I would have
had a different perspective.
I
ran my normal 6-mile loop from the office at lunchtime. My legs were heavy, but
I powered through just fine. I am getting there!
 |
| View outside Morrison on Wednesday's ride |
I
have not been sleeping well at night. Even though I have not been drinking the
past two weeks, my sleep has been light and restless. Not sure what the deal
is, but I need some good rest. Wednesday night was no different. After
lackluster sleep I woke up at 5:00 AM and headed to Boulder Reservoir for the
last open water swim of the year. I only swam two laps but held a steady 19
minutes/lap which was the best time I’ve clocked all year. My body is definitely
peaking in fitness.
 |
| Post swim/run on Thursday |
Friday morning I decided to skip my swim. Since I have not been sleeping well, I wanted to try and catch up a bit. The plan didn't go great, but I was able to stay in bed an extra hour which was nice. It was another hot one in Denver with highs expected to be close to 100 degrees. I couldn't run early due to some work meetings so I headed out at lunch time. I did the 7.5 mile run on South Table Mountain by my office out to the rock that overlooks Golden. Desipte the heat, the run went well. I took a second at the overlook before heading back to the office. The views never get old.
 |
| View for the South Table Moutain Overlook towards Golden |
I
was wiped-out Friday afternoon. Not being able to sleep the last several nights
finally caught up to me. After work, I came home and slept for about an hour on
the couch before Julie got home. I was just that fatigued. I was thankful the
ride on Saturday was slated to ba about four hours instead of the five or six I
have had over the past few weekends.
I
woke up Saturday around 6:30 AM and slowly got my things together to head out
for about 70 miles. I felt more rested than I did on Friday. I decided to hit
the same loop I had done 8 weeks out. I also worked on pacing. I wanted to
finish strong, so the first part of the ride I took it a little easier than
typical on the hills. Steady tempo was the name of the game. The strategy
worked and I hit Lefthand Canyon and Lee Hill Road without any issues. The ride
back on Hwy 93 also went well and I finished feeling like I had gas in the
tank. My average pace was a bit slower at 18.2 MPH, but I knew that I would be
able to run off the bike if I pace it like that at Tahoe.
 |
| View at Lee Hill Road Summit |
Sunday,
Julie was going down to the Springs to walk the Race for the Cure with her mom
and sister. Since they are both breast cancer survivors, Julie was super
excited to support them and be here in Colorado to walk alongside them. I decided
to cruise down last minute and just do my run in Colorado Springs. Since the
altitude there is almost identical to Tahoe, it would be good to see where I was.
I had a 12 mile run planned so I ran out along the Templeton Gap Trail and
connected to the Pikes Peak Greenway Trail along Monument Creek. The trail is a
rolling trail but even though my legs were heavy, I felt like I could have run
even further. This marks my last big run before the race in two weeks.
 |
| Pikes Peak Greenway Trail |
2 Weeks to go: 9/9/13 –9/15/13
TOTAL TIME CLOCKED: 6 Hours
SWIM: 5500 Meters
BIKE: 33 Miles
RUN: 14 Miles
SWIM: 5500 Meters
BIKE: 33 Miles
RUN: 14 Miles
I
took Monday off as a rest day. The taper starts this week. I hate the taper
period. Mentally it is hard to go from 15 hours a week of hard training to less
than 10. While I still have workouts, they are much shorter. My volume is
almost cut in half as I move into next week. Your brain starts playing tricks
on you that you are getting out of shape quick. You feel fat, lazy and tired.
You notice aches and pains that never showed up in peak training. My back,
knees, and ankles are sore. I am tired, do not feel like eating and am
borderline depressed.
I
know it all sounds stupid, but it is a reality of the taper. I really feel like
I am losing my fitness daily.
Tuesday
I went to the pool at 5:30 AM for a 3500-meter swim. This would mark my last
big swim before the race. The taper off from here is steep. It was raining when
I left the house, which is not helping my depressed and bland mood.
The
swim went well and I headed to work. Still raining. Rghh. I held off on my
four-mile run to see if the rain would quit and finally about 1PM I sucked it
up, threw on my shoes and knocked out an easy four. In the rain.
I
had to take the afternoon off and work from home due to a doctor’s appointment
Julie had. I stayed home and worked when I could but mostly entertained Micah
and played. Once he went to bed, I was able to get more work done. There is a
ton to do at the office before I leave in a week.
Wednesday
morning it was still raining. I had a 20-mile ride on the calendar. I packed my
bags but at the last minute, I left my bike at home. The rain was
forecasted to last all-day so it would have been more risk than it was worth to ride. So I skipped the workout. This was the first workout I have
missed in over 8 weeks which didn't help the blah mood.
Thursday
it was still raining heavy. We were woken up by a flash flood alert in the
middle of the night. Boulder got it the worst as flash flooding caused massive
damage and three confirmed deaths. Close to our annual allotment of rain fell
in the Denver area in less than 15 hours. It was crazy. There would be no bike
riding or running Thursday.
I
headed to the pool at 5:30 and jumped right in to knock out 2000 continuous
meters. No problems whatsoever and I felt better at the end of the swim than at
the beginning.
I got in the hot tub for a few and stretched out before braving the rain and heading to work.
Friday it was raining in the morning, but things cleared up for a little bit mid-morning. I ran a somewhat hilly four miles from the office around 11:30. My legs felt heavy even though my volume is down. This is typical for the taper period as your muscle tissue repairs from the heavy volume. The run went well though, and I was looking forward to my short ride Saturday.
Saturday I woke up around 6:30, ate a Cliff Bar, and headed out for a 30-mile ride. The rain had stopped, so the roads looked dry. Saturday was the day I realized how extensive the flood damage was. Every single road I had mapped out for my ride was closed or detoured in some way. Parks were flooded, bridges washed out, and grasslands had become lakes. There were still roaring streams in places that never had streams. It was crazy.
I finished about 35 miles and cleaned up my bike. I did the full check and tune up before dropping it off in Golden to be transported up to Tahoe via Tribiketransport.com. My baby would be waiting for me at the Tahoe start line.
Sunday it was lightly raining, but I decided to head out on a short six-mile run anyway. About two miles into my run, the floodgates of heaven opened up and it started to downpour. I was completely soaked. I kept running in the rain and wind, jumping over water and through it. Not the smartest idea, but I made it home in one piece. I stripped down in the garage, Julie gave me a towel, and I took a deep breath. I would never do that sort of thing again. It was not worth the risk.
The biggest casualty of the weekend was my Garmin 305 training partner. After the rain, it refused to hold a charge or turn on. I feel like I lost a friend. I ordered a new Garmin on Amazon that would get here before the race, but I was sick about my 305.
I got in the hot tub for a few and stretched out before braving the rain and heading to work.
 |
| Local Flooding |
Friday it was raining in the morning, but things cleared up for a little bit mid-morning. I ran a somewhat hilly four miles from the office around 11:30. My legs felt heavy even though my volume is down. This is typical for the taper period as your muscle tissue repairs from the heavy volume. The run went well though, and I was looking forward to my short ride Saturday.
Saturday I woke up around 6:30, ate a Cliff Bar, and headed out for a 30-mile ride. The rain had stopped, so the roads looked dry. Saturday was the day I realized how extensive the flood damage was. Every single road I had mapped out for my ride was closed or detoured in some way. Parks were flooded, bridges washed out, and grasslands had become lakes. There were still roaring streams in places that never had streams. It was crazy.
I finished about 35 miles and cleaned up my bike. I did the full check and tune up before dropping it off in Golden to be transported up to Tahoe via Tribiketransport.com. My baby would be waiting for me at the Tahoe start line.
Sunday it was lightly raining, but I decided to head out on a short six-mile run anyway. About two miles into my run, the floodgates of heaven opened up and it started to downpour. I was completely soaked. I kept running in the rain and wind, jumping over water and through it. Not the smartest idea, but I made it home in one piece. I stripped down in the garage, Julie gave me a towel, and I took a deep breath. I would never do that sort of thing again. It was not worth the risk.
The biggest casualty of the weekend was my Garmin 305 training partner. After the rain, it refused to hold a charge or turn on. I feel like I lost a friend. I ordered a new Garmin on Amazon that would get here before the race, but I was sick about my 305.
You rock my brother! This is really great reading your info and stats. Way to get it done. Praying for your achievement.
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