17 Reasons You’re Not Getting Faster 

warning- if you are not a triathlete, skip this blog :) 

I read articles daily from Triathlete, Ironman,com, Outside Mag and many other triathlon/fitness related sources.  Thanks to my family I read articles (they deem worthy) from the NYT, WSG and other such heady sources.  

But this article, published yesterday online, is one of the best I have read in a long time.  Hit the nail on so many heads, so to speak....  

I'll answer each of these personally and than make my "coachie" observations.... I do challenge YOU to read each one and have an honest conversation with yourself.

1: You don't practice transitions-  when I was new to the sport I practiced a lot- I was that nerd that on a Friday before a race would jump in my pool with my wetsuit ON, run to the driveway, strip and hop on my bike, ride around the park and then transition to my run.  I would do this time and time again. Mind you I was racing Sprints and Oly's but I did do this before a 70.3.  So....since then I can tell you I have practiced on 2 different occasions - both with my Coach  Mike Ricci - who happens to be quoted in this article.   Is this necessary for Ironman, I say NO.  But for 70.3's and anything shorter absolutely- think about an extra 1:00 off your run split- you'd take that right- well than practice a few times before your next race.

2: You are not drinking enough coffee-  NO way.... I excel at #2

3: You are going too hard on recovery days.  Guilty for many years but I get it now.  Frankly my hard days are so hard now, I cannot go hard on recovery days.    A good analogy here is many, many triathletes train every day at a 5 or 6- steady steady when they should be training some days at a 1 or 2 so on the other days they can go 9 or 10. When recovery days are too hard you cannot dig really deep when you need to.  When I do a recovery ride my watts are 40+ lower than Ironman watts.  

4: You're not committed enough.  I'm committed, just ask my husband -  I think he wishes I was a bit less committed.  But you know who you are - late night before a key session?  you need 100% of what you have to make it happen- 7 beers will not help!  Off season, get drunk and fat! 

5: You are not fueling long rides properly.  I have this nailed- 200-250 calories/hour without fail, after a solid (clean breakfast) of 300 or so calories and a thoughtful dinner the night before.  But I see so many who skip breakfast or throw down a pop tart, bring 1000 calories on the ride and only consume 400 on a 5 hour ride.  About 4 hours in they bonk hard.   Steady calories are key- no 700 calorie dump 3 hours into the ride with a sandwich.  Practice it!  

6: You're not doing this swim session: 1500 yard TT  I admit I am NOT doing THAT swim session but I do a lot of suffering swim sessions.... the bigger point here I think is not going quality sessions that test your true fitness against the pace clock

7: You approach your run training wrong.  Before I even read this I was nodding my head yes, because I am somehow sure I assume I must be approaching run training wrong.  Well I take that back  "triathletes must do hills"  I do hills, love hills and especially hills OTB (not) 

8: You're not doing yoga.  UGH right I am not doing yoga and I should be doing yoga.  enough said

9: You're not maintaining your bike: I sort of maintain my bike, as in I clean it when there are copious amount of sugary substance running down the frame and jamming my components.  BUT I always get my bike cleaned and tuned pre: race- thank you Nytro!   Light road grid = 1-3  watts- Clean your bike or pay someone else to do it

10: You're cutting corners:   ie: not warming up, cooling down or strength work. Dang it here again we see a quote by "Ricci"  “When you’re working out in three sports, you need to be careful of all the moving parts, which isn’t easy,” Ricci says. “Working on your limiters, mobility and strength are all important.” He recommends out of season, lift three times per week with core work and mobility every day. During the race season, strength train twice a week, with mobility and core work every day.  This is a big one for me - strength that is - I don't do it.  I do mobility every day, I do core 2-3 x a week and I do strength 0 x a week.  October this will be in my wheelhouse and I am committed to carry through 2016.

11: You can't turn off the internal chatter.   Like at mile 10 of the Ironman " I suck at running"  "why didn't my parents put me in Steeplechase- they are all the fast runners" "  I will never run like X I am too big"    etc.... Working on this one for positive mantras

12: You are too competitive.  I reigned this one in years ago.  Early in my racing I would continually "win the workout" and than upload my workout with a litany of excuses as to WHY I rode so hard, when the workout was not that hard.  My coach at the time Kevin Purcell responded one time with " do you want to win the workout or qualify for Kona.  It's your choice but you can't do both"    Roger that.. I learned to let others go.  So my riding partners now probably calling BS, admittedly there are days I cannot let others go but on the days this is imperative I don't put myself in that situation - because I know sometimes I just can't do it/

13: You are choosing the wrong races. I get this one.  Hard, hilly and cool weather that is my strength! Thus my best races have been CdA, St George, Wisconsin. Whistler and hopefully Tahoe.  But next May I am toeing the line at IM Texas because my coach is making me  so I can "learn" how to race in hot, humid conditions.

14: You're too hairy - LOL Marcus?   Not an issue

15: You're racing too much - HA considering I have raced once in 9 months I'd say NO.  This has never been an issue for me- frankly I probably don't race enough.  I have athletes who are prolific racers- it makes it hard to nail quality workouts, prepare for races etc.... there is a balance to be had- find what works for you and your coach.

16: You don't know your "why"   I know mine...  Because I can, because the bar can always be raised, because there is no other feeling like finishing an Ironman and because I love to go hard!

17: You are not using technology to your advantage.  As the owner of a power meter, Gramin 1000 and Garmin 920xt - not an issue.  I use it, understand it and am continually learning more about it.   If you have a power meter, make sure you are getting the most out of it.  What is your FTP? How often are you testing it?  What is your cadence, HR zones, do you use them and how?   Be a student of the sport. When I bought a PM I bought  Training and Racing with Power  and I read everything training peaks had to offer on the topic.

So my takeaway is..
1- get back to yoga
2- commit to strength
3- drink more coffee - ok not really
4- work on the positive mantras
5- clean my bike
6- while not address- work on my run form- I know it as does anyone who sees me running :)

Traveling is so glamorous

4:20 wake up...dogs moan, roll over and go back to sleep.John opens eyes and rolls over.
Coffee started, shower dress final packing. Reminder to John we  are out the door in 10 minutes.  Dog's  (and John) pull themselves out of bed like lazy teenagers.  Dogs are tired  and cannot be bothered to go outside to pee.  Lay back down and scowl at me.  John was not so lazy and dove in pool and rallied.

Departure  4:50  5:00 as not planned.  Traffic  is light, dogs whining for windows open, windows open and loud wind in car but dogs quiet - although the occasional whine when they get a whiff of the beach and the car is not exiting.  Sudden excitment in the back and the urge to rush up front and jump on my white shirt with waggy tails.  Than excessive sneezing on my arms, gee imagine getting crap up your nose when you hang it out the window at 75mph.  A completely non relaxing drive to the airport.

Traffic jam at 5:30  - backup 10,000 cars.... road construction (genius on that timing- maybe Thanksgiving week would be better)  Jump slowly roll  out of car and into line.  Yes I am checking my bag as I cannot really life it ( my sciatica)  

Security is such fun. Get 1/2 naked, dig out stuff, load in bins, watch the idiot in front of me pull out full size bottle of shampoo and wear his belt through the hands over your head scanner.  "bag check" Belt off.... and then the other full size bottle of conditioner was in the bag.  Guy has buzzed haircut- this amount of product would last a year.

At gate 1- which means fast security and no REAL coffee.  The lovely "Brothers" coffee in pumps with non dairy powdered creamer was a treat for $2.  The bar was open- and yes 4 people starting of their day with bloody mary's 6am.

I do auto check in on SW because 99% of the time I am sitting at my computer 24 hours in advance and have found if you are 20 min late you end up with C25 sitting between the mother and infant and the 6'7 man.  A35- 10th row back, aisle seat.  

Than the waiting game of who will occupy the other seat(s) No not the infant and parent(sorry mom's) and not the infant and parent and 2 year old.  Ok guy comes in and takes window- promptly removes flip flops and begins pulling off dead skin and dropping on floor. Sometimes inspecting it and wait brief moment to smell it.  Really, really ?   Last few people getting on plane and 10 middle seats left-  I look mean, put my bag on middle seat and do not make eye contact with anyone. Worked like a charm and we take off.  Seatmate oders Dosxx and vodka- perfect for 6:30 am.  Wait another round at 7:30. And now- he is signing sort of to his music and bobbing his head.  And the guy behind me who gets up every 15 minutes and uses his full weight to pull my seat back to stand up- kinda like an E ticket ride.  .... Love this kinda day! 

Bulletproof or Bulletridden?

After my 11 week shin injury Coach and I agreed I would come back stronger and with a solid foundation. "bulletproof" as he put it.  Since Easter and my discovery of Ready to Run  I have been diligent ( as in missing 1 day since 3/30) in doing my 18-22 minute routine of mobility.  

The other part was getting strong- but this did not work out so well.  With 18-22 hours of training a week I + working both jobs I am wiped out, looking for naps and sore.  Since I have not been consistently in the weight room the intermittent times I go I end up more sore, tired and frustrated.   So I focused on mobility and core along with swim.bike run.

And it WAS working. yes WAS.  Minor set back after Vineman with a bruised forefoot (form .4 miles barefoot run on concrete) Caused some pain, few days off, compromised running but nothing major.

I was in the 4th position here when it went dark

2 week ago, getting ready for a 16 mile run, doing my "Ready to Run" mobility that includes a bit of yoga I fell.  It was  6am, 5 hours of restless sleep on a hot futon at a family rented beachouse in Oceanside, low on calories and probably dehydrated form the 7 hours of training the day before.  Tadsana (mountain pose with baby back bend) Awesome right?  Often when I do this I get a bit starry eyed and well on that day the starts turned to cool fireworks and next thing I know I am on the floor looking up.   My mother nearly passed out and came running over  asking what I was doing.  Well, not really sure I was trying to make sense of where I was and what happened.  All "good"  or so I thought,

Iced head- big lump but all in all I felt okay.  Well enough to knock out a 16 mile run. No signs of concussion just a headache and a really sore sacrum.  No bones hurt just the entire region.  It was manageable and I had another 1.5 weeks of solid training with minor issues and some pain - but tolerable.

Head pain gone in 72 hours.  The lower back/sacrum area was still tender- no place to touch just the region but seemed to be getting better until last Tue.

I had a long run on the books Wed and I was tired.  Coach and I  agreed on split run   90 min in AM and re- assess a possible pm run. Run was rough to start with some pain and tingling in my piriformis/sciatica but loosed up, went away and I felt pretty good. But  within minutes of finishing the run my piroformis/sciatica seized up and it was painful, really painful.    Triage begins... ART, epsom salt bath, rolling, chirtopractor, rolling, Dr Google -  "What is wrong with me" .

this is what my left side feels like 

Went to my regular Dr (vs all the out of pocket non insurance help) injuries are painful financially and physically  for xrays to make sure nothing was broken - all clear.

Running was out, swimming was okay and cycling okay.  Santa Barbara Tri was taken off the books.  Driving was not possible  (sitting hurts) The idea of 31/2 drive in pain, to swim an bike and possibly not run, was no going to happen.  

New plan....ride Sat ride but shortened we will see how it goes - it did not go well, ended early and with me on the floor with ice packs and that feeling that something was really wrong.  On a scale of 1-10 pain - it was a 9.   I was worried and in enough pain to head to urgent care.

Muscle spasm, pinched sciatica nerve and that was the cause....after a shot of some anti- inflammatory and prednisone I was feeling great.  ( of course the sick triathlete in me was thinking maybe I can knock out a run while I am doped up  - I did not)  I took a  2 + hour nap with a warm blanked in a nice room at hospital while the did xtrays, assesed, and finally released me.  Really all in all not too bad of an afternoon.

So it hurts when I sit, it hurts when I walk, it hurts when I swim unless i use a buoy and a band.  So.... with an Ironmnan in 4 weeks WTH!

Plan...

1- on a plane now to New Orleans for 4 days of work + 1 day in DC and home again- hoping with the miracle of Voodoo and Hurricane's this will ease up and go away. I have new routine of stretches and mobility to "help it"

2- If I can pull off next weekend training:long bike and long run- Tahoe is a go

3-  If I cannot pull off a long run, Tahoe is out.  I will not go into another Ironman injured- been there done that and it just does not pan out.   It is either a really long day for a medal I don't need or a DNF which I don't need)

4- If Tahoe is out, I will slice my wrists and join a knitting club.    I have a back up plan
Plan A:  Delete Ironman this year and do Silverman 70.3 in Oct and possibly Austin in Nov
Plan B: Ironman Fortaleza in Brazil 11/8 - I cannot even believe I am considering this-  but well I am that warped.   When I floated this to John ...hey wanna to go Brazil in November?  His excited reply was "no thanks"

SO who knows...... knitting is looking good right now !

2015 is NOT my year for Triathlon... will see how the next few weeks play out.

Ironman training...when it gets real

5 weeks to Ironman Lake Tahoe.  For those of you who race Ironman you know what this looks like... 20+ hours of training a week - includes long days in the saddle and runs off that bike that seem somehow impossible. The goal is to be in bed before it is dark as the alarm goes off at 4:45 for AM swims and runs.  

But we do it and some of us do it over and over....either we were idiots or we somehow find this challenge an addicting "habit" 

Lake Tahoe will be Ironman #10 for me.   Saturday was a 7:45 hour day.... 108 miles on the bike with 7700 feet of climbing at a average temperate of 91 degrees and 3 hours of that ride with temps over 105.  Topped off by a run that was about getting it done in 90 degrees. When it is 90 in Encinitas you know it is really hot. Global warming... right that is just a left wing theory.  It was a run that you simply  know not to look at your pace on the Garmin - you just run. When your HR is over 170, your head is tingling you know the pace is not pretty. 
 I finished the run, dove in the pool and floated for long enough that Roo was on her feet ready to rescue.  Fueling on a day like this is a mission.  I drank 336 oz on the bike- 72 oz of Gatorade endurance, 144 oz water, 24 oz shameless rockstar recovery, 96 oz with NUUN.  18 salt tablets, 1 V8.  The plan was all liquid calories- 1680 calories of lovely Gatorade endurance, but when the Gatorade gets to be 100 degrees it does not go down well and when Julie gets hot and tired my gut says not thanks.  I knew I had to keep the calories up so I went off the rails and added ice cream sandwich and a jumbo bag of fritos.  Calories in - so run was "successful" This was not really a race sim as likely it will be snowing in Tahoe but well it was sill training.

Thanks to Jen for starting the ride with me and the brave Rachel, Kyle, Liz and Maureen for riding to H and back. (who are not Ironman training and merely did this for support and fun) Well beyond required friendship. Although I am fairly sure they will not do it again.  Ironman training is so much better with friends :)    

Sunday was supposed to be 18 miles and I came up short- I called it a day at 16, that feeling of dying, dragging my butt up the hill home, buzzards circling. when if you force it something may go sideways. Been there and done that- so I wimped out made the smart choice and called it a day.  I am totally beating myself up for quitting  ok with my smart decision to stop early I really did think for about 30 seconds  of  finishing the run in the evening.  I did not.  I was too busy making and eating out of the Vitamix, Chocolate Avocado Pudding ( recipe from http://www.foodsensenow.com/)  

·       2 Large Ripe Avocados

·       ¼ Cup Coconut Oil

·       ¼ Cup Organic Cocoa Powder (raw if possible)

·       2/3   Cup Raw Agave Nectar

·       1/8 tsp (pinch) of Sea Salt

·       2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Blend in Vitamix and eat!  It's really good chilled  -but well could not wait that long.

We are having a (real) heat wave in San Diego, we do get them on occasion (if you are FB friends with SDiegans you will see the Armageddon of heat that has settled on our fine city ) But the oddity of SD is that when you go to our mountains or big hills  it gets warmer.  Inland and higher and the temps go up.  Lake Tahoe  is a hilly race, as in over 7k of climbing, hilly so training on the hills is necessary, while I am fairly sure and praying to the weather God's daily,  it will not be hot, it cannot hurt to be tortured in the heat. 

 

Post Ranch Inn to Marriott Wardman Park... reality set's in

lobby

Post Vineman John and I spent 2 glorious nights at Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur.  All I can say is it was stunningly beautiful, relaxing and amazing.    We rolled  in around 6pm and immediately  were offered wine or champagne and I said yes.  Attendant says to both, yes.  Another long day in the car AND post race, yes.

amazing inside and out 

my kind of tree house

Simple check in they load you into the car and drove us to our tree house.

  The driver did a 2nd glance when we loaded in the Battlestar  ( we had recovery rolling to do)

battlestar

We changed and headed to a delicious dinner with more amazing views .... truly stunning and promptly went to bed.

Our Tuesday was so productive....

slept in, went for a "run", breakfast, nap, walk, nap, massage, dinner... it was about as ideal as we could hope for.  I had enough sun at Vineman  and John was engrossed in a book so we did not partake in much.

Truly it was a 100% vacation day.

We rolled out in the dark, so sad to miss breakfast and a few more hours of doing nothing adventure, for the last 7 hours in the car.

Reality hit about LA when my email was blowing up and I knew it was all coming to end.

After the homecoming of the century from Roo and Mako and a few tail wags from Zen it was game on. Unpack, walk dogs, shower and put on real clothes for a 4pm meeting and dinner with a client.

My real other job, from coaching, is working for HPN Global.  For those that have no idea what I do when I am not coaching, swimming, biking, running or walking the dogs... here it goes.   HPN Global is a global meeting services company.  We offer an solution to companies and associations who plan meetings and events.   Offering a streamlined process in securing a venue while saving your organization time and money, leveraging the business we do.  Still confused...X company needs to find a hotel for X meeting in 2016 and they want to check New Orleans, SF, Chicago and Orlando.  How does X person do that...

Option is a laborious process on their own by sending out the RFP (request for proposal) to each hotel, following up for a reply, compiling responses, setting up visits to the hotel and then negotiating the contract.   This process is time consuming and the only leverage they have to negotiate is X companies business.

Working with me at HPN Global.  1 phone call and I send out the RFP electronically via our proprietary web based  RFP sysetm to 1,5 or 20 hotels.  I collect the replies in 24-48 hours, compile in an  excel spread sheet that gives details on rates/dates/addional costs for each hotel.  Wait it gets better....if you need sites set up  - I set up the entire trip once you give me your dates-- including transfers,meals etc.  Post sites we work together to negotiate the contract.  Using pre- negotiated contracts we save time and money and I leverage the $100+ miillion HPN Global does in revenue to save the client money.   I work on behalf of the client.  Its a great parnership and a win-win for all.  Payment? Hotels pay a commission on room revenue so not cost to my clients. And a question I frequently get is "don't the hotels raise room rates to  cover commission?"  Absolutely not.  We represent too much business for them to risk alienating a company like ours.  I can guarantee you 90% of the time I can negotiate a better rate than my clients can on their own.  And for the other 10% I will guarantee the same rate they can get on their, but they still have save 10X hours in the process. And generally I can get more concessions.  It really is a win- win !  

So with that.... you know what I do with my other time.

Wednesday night was back to reality and Thursday was more time with my client.

Friday I jumped on a red-eye ( bad decision) to DC to help another client.   Oh boy..... 5 hour flight means 3 hours sleep and arrived in DC and ready to work at 7am.  It was a 12 + hour day on my feet helping with a clients meeting- working registration, running errands etc.  The highlight of the trip was escorting one of the key note speakers- George Takei over from his hotel.  He was so friendly and chatty.

I collapsed at 7:30 and woke up still exhausted at 6am for another 12 hour day.   But my clients were putting in 15+ hour days for 5 days running.   I don't know how they do it  and I have the utmost respect for their efforts.   While tiring it was extremely productive. Seeing the meeting in action allows me to do more pre-screening for the next one!  It's all good.

I did not train 1 minute over the weekend, my feet are swollen and I am tired...

Life happens, as I tell my athletes.  Today is a wash as well- up at 4:30, delayed flight that is now being diverted to LA due to fog, so no idea when we will land in SD.

I truly enjoy my job....just sometimes it is overwhelming!    

Vineman 70.3 (my) race report

Vineman 70.3 !  If you want a generic (not about me) recap of the Vineman Course, check this out this blog.  If you want to read about my race, continue. If you don't want to read about my race, than why are you on MY blog.

I call it panic training, but I would guess my diligent coach Mike Ricci would probably call it strategic coaching.   Let's be real, 7 weeks ago, Vineman 70.3 was looking like an Aquabike.  But I started running, 10 minutes at a time, and we slowly began to build.  Once I hit the 1 hour mark I knew I could participate in Vineman.  It was really only 14 days out that I did some volume runs and they were SLOW.  Some runs said "see how you feel"  Okay so I did them by easy effort and they were so slow I freaked out and ran hard to nail it, But who was I kidding, I LOST a lot in 11 weeks.

LOVE Cervelo, Betty Designs, Nytro, Enve

Going into Vineman I had zero pain in my shin - it  is 100%!  So good there... In the big scheme that is all that counts until I run slowly off the bike and I was pissed.  So I had a few or maybe 2 solid runs.  And let's face it I am NOT a runner. For me to run well OTB the planets need to align and it needs to be a full moon.  So.... the plan was

Swim 27
Bike 2:40
Run 1:50

drumrolll..

Swim 27.06
Bike 2:39:32 with goal power spot on
Run- FAIL  1:52 XX

Temps were not predicted to be really hot but I still did the Osmos pre load Sat night and race am. 1600mg sodium

Breakfast: 250c whole wheat bagel with espresso almond butter and honey and 250 calories gatorade endurance + 1 monster cup STRONG french press coffee with coconut milk

Julie and Liz ready to rock- just missing Monica 

15 min pre- swim: Salted carmel gu.

Swim- sleeveless wetsuit and awesome mirrored Roka goggles.  Swam hard and stayed focused- only yelled 3 times at the idiots  my fellow racers who decided to stand up and walk in front of me.   Did not take the line to the bridge- I followed the buoys which go in and out- swim distance on my fancy new Garmin 910xt was 1.3 miles- dang it!

Still clocked fasted amateur swim time.  Transition was muddy, I refuse to bring a towel to a triathlon - ever-  but I wished I had one Sunday.

Ok confession time - to the nice female racked next to me, I did wipe off the mud and rocks on your towel.  It was a giant beach towel so I hope you did not mind, plus you had a bin of water and luggage with I am not sure what.   On my bike, clipped in and riding up the hill yelling for the 2nd time in the race  get the F out of the way politely asking the people walking up the hills to move a smidgen to the right so I could please pass.

Bike: plan was to ride a bit harder than I have before. Rode 5 watts higher AP and felt awesome. The last 6 miles I was riding + 10 watts aero and totally comfortable.   New fueling plan was ALL liquids- I was guzzling gatorade endurance the entire ride and it went down fine. For those who care- pee'd 3 times on the bike.  I was ready to rock the run, but did not have the miles in me.

T2 - hello LONG run .3 miles with your bike. Luckily I left my shoes on the bike and was able to  run along.

I was feeling awesome at this time.  Chugged 12 oz water and another salted carmel gu.  YUM.  really  it was good.

Run. 1st mile was epic! holding back feeling good,  mile 2-4 were good and than the 6 weeks of running showed it's ugly head.  I was not dying per se, I just did not have another gear.   The Garmin was lying to me, okay telling me the truth and around the Vineyard at La Crema (which is one of my favorite Chardonnay's BTW) I was shouting grumbling obscenities at how slow I was going,  Maybe the Garmin is broken, I was so hopeful I asked a guy running with me, hey what pace are you running. He replies and I say F.  

Okay so now I pull out my running mantras
1- be happy you CAN run !
2- You are capable of more than you realize
3- why do I suck at running . I want to be a gazelle- I hate that girl that just ran by me
4- Smile - its hard to be grumpy when everything hurts-  BET ME :)

Jen Sloan- love this girl. We met 10 years
ago at Vineman- she was winning her AG than
and still winning today -with an 18 mo old!  

I then I take it 1 mile at a time.

Around mile 8 I see the love of my life John and my rockstar daughter Riley- I am re-energized for 11 seconds  a while and start counting down.   It was not pretty, it was slow and I got spanked by 1st place. BUT I know, I know be happy.... I did happily accept my award and am thankful to have held onto 2nd place.  You cannot expect race day miracles at 48.   I get it I get it but I don't to like it .

1 - swim was good
2- bike was good
3- run was what I deserved

Fueling:
500 calories breakfast- see above
100 c pre swim
Bike: 120 oz gatorade endurance  -720 calories.  8 salt stick + tabs
Run: 1 gu out of transition. Every aid station 1 cup gatorade and 1 cup water and as much water as I could pour over me.

Post race rocked.. award with my No1 daughter Riley who came up from Santa Cruz to support and cheer!    Dinner at our place with Elaine, Tony, Liz, Gunnar, Riley, Chuck and Jen and Annecy- really the best part of this sport is the people we meet and the fun we have and wine we drink  post race.

Vineman was not an A race it was a gift... up next
Santa Barbara long course and Ironman Tahoe- I have work to do

I hate the thank you speeches but I would not be where I am without the "village" that supports me.  My #1 fan and love - John!  Mike Ricci- my coach who puts up with a lot - let just leave it at that)  Groove Tri, Nytro Multsport, SmithOptics, Enve Wheels, Cervelo  Roka and Betty Designs

Ironman Lake Tahoe Recon on the way to Vineman 70.3.

So on the way to Vineman 70.3 ( well not on the way) ,but you get the idea, we headed to Lake Tahoe to do some reconnaissance for Ironman which is 9/22.

Add caption

We are staying at the Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe in Incline Village which is a sensational hotel.  Not an ideal spot for Ironman but if you are
coming to Lake Tahoe in the summer - this is where you want to be.

Lake Tahoe sunset

If I was not racing Vineman I would be our riding and running the course but I AM racing!  Which is great news considering I was not running 6 weeks ago.  It has been a big 4 weeks build of cramming systematic training to get me ready to run 13.1 miles.  90% of the time I think my coach is the best, but I have to say this last week I had a few occasions to really dislike what I saw in Training Peaks and thus cursed his name a lot. And he has let me know he is not looking to win a popularity contest so there.  In any case, I it done. One day, one workout at  time.  The last tough day with 1x20 and 2x10 bike intervals I lobbed out an email complaining how tired I was, sluggish and grumpy. No reply- I got it - out the door I went and overshot the 1st interval and fell short on the other 2.  UGH oh well- and pulled of the run off the bike and it was taper time.  I will admit the twice last week I found myself splayed on the tile floor looking up at Roo and Mako.  If they had bubbles above their heads  "what's wrong with mom?"  "don't know?"  " she smells good."  " lets start licking her alot and see what happens"  When I dove in the pool and swam underwater for a bit I popped up to a very concerned Roo- ready to dive in to the rescue.

So the recon was done mostly in the car.  

Swim- not done in the car.  Stunning lake, great temperature and clear as can me.  Cannot wait for 2.4 in this beautiful spot.

Bike-  Wow is all I can say.  Again the scenery is beautiful, my kind of race.  And guess what is is hilly, really hilly, but doable climbs and a reasonable course.   Taking out the climb to Alpine Meadows is huge.  I would not say it is now easy but it is doable. I see double GWL's,  GWL/Mt Laguna rides- really my favorite kind of training.  There is a lot of climbing late it the race so training needs to accommodate that.  So adding Honey Springs and later climbs in rides - to be climbing on tired legs.   KP's EPIC ride which includes a ride to Dudelys and then out the S2 and up banner grade.  Good stuff- will be fun!    I've had a few people ask road bike vs TT.  TT without question- the descents are fast and not technical so a TT bike will prevail here and on the rollers you can stay aero.   Road quality is good and they re working on a lot of the roads now, so smooth surfaces.

Run-  T2 and the finish are at Squaw Valley.  This will be my 3rd Ironman finishing at an Olympic Village ( Lake Placid, Whistler and Tahoe)  It's definitely motivating.  The run is not flat - gee what a shocker!   And the finish is a gradual 2 mile uphill finish.   Most of the run is on the river trail which is nice.

Altitude- there is some, a lot actually, 6200-7200ft.   Do I notice it ? yes.  Here is my theory - not many people live here in Tahoe so most of us are at the same disadvantage  - suck it up!   I plan to get here 7 days early- I know I know it takes 21-30 days to acclimate but I am not a pro and not looking to live in Tahoe alone for a month.

Thinking about the course I am excited, scared, nervous, anxious.... pretty much Ironman!

Today I ran from T2 and did an out and back to "test" the hill- not bad and it was a nice run  John came along and then decided to keep running.... 26+ miles later he finished.  Gotta love a guy who randomly does a marathon at altitude.    

Dip in the lake post run