My dearest apologies to my blog readers. But like this blog, I have neglected many things and had to let some stuff fall to the way side to train for Louisville Ironman.
Details lie here, Summary at the bottom (if you want to skip the details).
Training: Lets go back to the last blog: the RnR SD marathon, 2 weeks later I did a half Ironman (HIM): Eagleman 70.3.
Eagleman was a disappointment only because I figured out that my bike crank large ring was 55 teeth and my small was 50 teeth, apparently only men over 6'7 need this big of a ring. So recovering from a marathon that was 2 wks prior and working harder than most riders, my legs were spent and my run split was pathetic. But.. its all training for my A race: Louisville Ironman.
So having that under my belt, I bought a $60 8 wk training plan online for the IM. The plan was not personalized to me, but I made it personalized to me.
Swim, 50 meter pool helped me in such a great way. I finally "felt" a rhythmic stroke while swimming sets of 1000 meters.
Bike, found some nearby Bryn Mawr hills for the week rides, and took it to flat back roads of the Jersey shore mainland to long endurance rides.
Run, Bryn Mawr Running Club.... has made me such a stronger runner!
The plan:
Author: David Glover
Requirements: (basically complete a HIM) swim 1500 meters, bike 50 miles, and run 10 miles continuously.
Plan: 63 days, 151 workouts, 104 hours, and 70,00yds of swimming, 922 miles of biking, and 200 miles of running. The plan also incorporates strength training, stretching, and core... but I also work, and would like to keep my job. So the things that did include swim bike or run, fell to the side only to be done maybe a few times over the 63 days.
Actual: 60 days, 147 workouts, 100 hours, and 65,000 yds of swimming, 890 miles of biking, and 200 miles of running.
I always felt tired. Trained on a tired body was the theme. It makes sense, it made me a better athlete, I hated feeling tired all the time. But as I look back on it, I loved every moment of the challenge of training for an IM. I did some training with friends, especially the runs. I welcomed the friends on the rides. And as much as I hated trying to keep up with some of those faster guys!! I knew it was only making me a stronger rider. I built it up, then tapered for the race.
Tapering. As I tapered the body started to get all crooked and painful on me. I had to call Jacquie to help massage out the tightness I couldn't stretch out. Of course I am thinking to myself, I should have kept committed to the flexibility sessions David had given in his training plan! I skipped almost all of them, and did very little stretching.... I was too tired.
My bike, after much tweaking over the summer. I got a new stem, new crank set, new seat, new pedals, new tires, and a new shimmy in my new bike shoes. When I was in New Hampshire spectating at the race, Timberman 70.3, I had a bike fitting at the race mechanic, PKT. He was from North Carolina. You knew this is man who could identify what all sorts of plus and minuses once he saw you on your bike. So he asked me, Do Ghosts pass you going up hill? ..of course they do! I just thought I was a weak climber. he showed me how my weight was distributed in the wrong place, and he also noticed the discrepancy in my leg lengths, hence the shim in bike shoe. So there I was ready for the following week with a last minute fitting and some aches and pains that need to be massaged out.
Travel. Drove to Louisville by myself. Met up with Philly friends who are also racing Louisville. Chris, Mike, and Lou. It was great that they we all hung out together. We did pre- swims in the mornings, rode a little, pre-viewed the bike course, ate together, and calmed each other's nerves about the race. Bunch of "what if's" were spoken. I will forever have a bond with these comrades who I shared the first Ironman experience.
Race.
Before I got in line for the swim and was body marked, I cried. I said, I cant believe I am doing this. I NEVER cried before a race... weird, but emotional me!
The swim was a time trial start, first come first serve. It was still dark out. I walked a mile, then a mile and a half looking for the next available spot. Finally I heard someone call my name, it was Chris & Mike from Philly. I asked them if we could get in line with them, and they said sure. It was really cool to start with them!
The swim was kinda gross and murky in some sections, and lots of walls of slow swimmers but other than that.. it was fine. 1;15
The bike was nice. It remind me of Chester County back roads (would've done more training in that area). Lots of Horse farms, never a dull moment like the hellish rides I had in Delaware. I took it easy on the bike, maybe a little too easy? A lot of people passed me, but I knew I would see them on the run. Always had the thought of the marathon in my head, especially on the hill climbs. But any which way, I was ready to get off the bike and run at mile 40! 112 miles and 6hrs and 30 mins later I got my wish.
The run. lets back up a bit.
The bike to run transition (T2)... was over 7mins long. Here is the sign of a rookie. I changed completely...put the wrong bra top in the bag- one with cross straps.. that was difficult putting on. I quicked got dressed but then I had to use the portie (haven't gone in over 7hrs at this point), and the ONE volunteer who was putting on sunscreen on the athletes had a line. I needed some, b/c the last one missed some spots. Note to self, just put your own sunscreen on before the race. (they asked us not to do so).
Out to the run, I came up to a girl who was running out as well, I said lets go run a marathon (with a smile), but she looked at me with a shocking and frightened face. I thought to myself, didnt anyone tell her that was next??? Lap 1: 13.1 miles, ran every bit of it and felt good. I started to go too fast, I felt myself going too fast. So from mile 15-19 I had to walk the aid stations.. I hate stopping and starting (it takes more energy). At the last 10k of the race, I told myself to go... and just go, no aid stops allowed. But now I was "conditioned" and wanted to stop at ea aid station. Then a guy came up on me and said "hey lets go, I am trying to keep your pace, its good". I responded with an ok, and we ran side by side. he wanted to make small talk, but I didnt nor really couldnt. He was from DC. never got his name. But we were cooking. and then we came to bridge where it went down and then up. I couldnt recover from the up slope, so I told him I have to walk this aid station to recover. We had less than 4 miles to go. So once I recovered I ran, and promised myself not to stop. 3, 2, 1... less than 1 mile I really picked up my pace, even got Mr DC and said "gotcha". We ran in together, but then I backed off a bit and let him go, only so I could have my own moment to come across that finish line. Run 3:54
I came in on the last stretch under the lights of 4th street live and the announcer saying "Sue Anne Clark, you are an Ironman"...I was just soo HAPPY to cross that finish line. One of the best feelings I ever had. ONE OF THEE BEST FEELINGS!
A volunteer catches me, throws a heat sheet on me and tells me to stop and wait in line. Wha Wha What? Why?? I have been in forward motion for about 12hrs and over 140 miles to a complete hault? Only to find out that I was in line to get my picture taken with IM logo's behind me. Mike came in after me, 5 mins later. We all waited for Chris C to finish, and did so with a corona!
I was craving real food, a burger please!
I had turned to my friends as I am drinking my Corona, I can't believe I JUST DID THAT?!!
So overall: My training was soo much harder than the race, which leads me to believe I took the bike a little too easy. I know I can improve soo much more time next race, and know exactly how to, which is good news to me. Louisville people and the volunteers were Amazingly great! I highly recommend it, and hope to sign up again for next year's race. I felt a little out of place at the IM, as a female. There were 130 women in my age group, we had the largest field of females. Being a heavy male dominant race, there was so much testosterone in the air, I was afraid to catch some of it and grow a beard! I rolled back into my norm of the halter top and AG jeans the next day. Maybe I was just sick of so much IM paraphernalia. Anyway, I was sick after the race . I thought it was allergies a few days before the race, but turned into a nasty head and chest cold. Its gone now, took 10 days off completely. Normally I would have gotten back in the water or the bike or done an easy run... but just was sick and needed the rest and this thing to clear completely out of my system and never to return! I am such a whiny wimp when it comes being sick.
So now its a week and half later, and don't even feel like I did an Ironman. But I did, and look to do a few more so that I can get to that Big goal. Still think XTERRA is more challenging of a race.
Today I registered for the Boston Marathon 2010. I think Endurance is the drug of choice for me these days.
