Wow we finally made it home. The week long trip to New York that started last Sunday and ended yesterday around 1800 hours was wonderful. The conference was great but just not a lot of new info fed to us this year. Lots of goals and stuff coming in the future so the next 5 years in the fire service will be interesting to see what all happens.
I did learn that Manhattan would not be a spot for me to live. It is very fast paced and very expensive. Not sure how you could own a car living there. Explains all the taxi's, subways, and rail systems. My wife would like to visit someday and she would love all the stores and sight seeing. Did most of my runs in Central Park every morning and afternoon. Great route and always surrounded by runners and bikers. Large amount of officers patrolling this area.
Woke up Friday morning a little stiff and sore but nothing unusual after a long run However all the sitting around in the airports and airplanes made me sore and stiff. We arrived to LaGuardia Airport a little late d/t the fact the ass of a taxi driver we had thought he heard Kennedy airport instead. It started by him telling us after we were in the cab and all the luggage loaded that unless we were paying with cash then he was not taking us. Well this went on for a couple of minutes then he told us to just get in. All in all I thought it was funny. Poor guy.
Arrived at the airport and luggage checked at the curb. Great. Get to our gate and the flight is delayed 45 minutes. Well we get on the plane and get out to the run way and I notice all (I mean like 20 planes) just sitting. Then our engines go off and the pilot states d/t a weather system over the coast no flights are headed west at this time and he was not sure of the delay. After about 50 minutes we were air bound. Knowing we were going to miss our connector in Chicago we were brainstorming. The flight was very smooth once the pilot reached our cruising altitude of 39,000 feet.
About 2 minutes before touching down I brought up the flights and noticed the flight to Des Moines was delayed d/t mechanical issues!!! It was to depart at 4:00. Well we got off of our flight at 3:59 and made it over two doors to the flight and they were still boarding. Long story short we made it home just a little over and hour from the original flight time:)/
Arriving home Alison and Olivia came out to greet me with a huge hug and kisses. Alison had pizza waiting on the table for me. I love pizza before a big day of training. She knows me too well. Before I could eat though I had to get the gifts out cause Olivia was itching to see her stuffed animals.
Well bed time came before long and here it is 0300 and I am up having a cup of Joey, checking the weather which it appears we may get a few drops on us this am but most of the storms-strong anyway are staying south of this area.
Woke up at 0300 after a very poor night of sleep. I just tossed and turned as I do the night before a big race. These RR's make me a little anxious and giddy like a child. Coffee was brewing and smelled wonderful.
Prepped everything to be sure we were set. Nutrition on the bike was Infinite 250 cals per hour x 5. Made enough for 6 hours just in case. These are two 30 oz bottles mixed with 3 hours of concentrate each. So I had a total of two bottles in the hydrotail and 42 oz of water in the Spedfill. I also took 1000 mg of salt tabs per hour and a few gel packs for emergency back up.
Off I went and met with the crew at DQ. What a beautiful morning!!! All the storms stayed to the south of us. We started off and headed to Colfax. First hour was to be at 168 watts. Very comfortable and getting warmed up. Letting the body settle down and the gut adjust. Remember in Wisconsin I will be coming out of the lake after swimming 2.4 miles. It is fun to look back and see 5 bikes cruising at 0400 with the head and bike lamps and red blinking tail lights. After 50 miles a couple of friends dropped off and we were cruising back into town. One of them just was not having a good day and was having a hard time holding a pace. The other decided to vomit three or four times but felt better afterwards. Made into town and hooked up with the rest of the crew and off we went again. The goal watts for the rest of the ride was 180.
Bike leg finished up at 5 hours and 40 minutes. Pnrom was 184 so just a little high but I will take it. IF however was .72. I am comfortable with that but may bring it to a .70-.71 on race day knowing I have a 26.2 mile run ahead of me. You would not believe was a .1 of a difference makes to you and your TSS points. Just not worth it. I burned around 3900 calories on the bike. My ave heart rate was 131, My ave cadence was 88. My overall ave speed was 19.7. So very happy.
Transitioned to a run-plan called for 6 miles but we decided to only run three. Why? Well after my big volume week in New York and just finishing riding the ride of my life I was afraid of pushing things and flaring up my ITB this close to the race. I have had one flare up this year compared to 8 last year. I have learned to listen to my body. Funny what it says if you listed. The three miles we decided to increase the intensity to make up for it. We ran the three miles in an ave pace of 7:38. Note my E pace for the first 6 miles of the marathon will be 9:00 then miles 6-18 will be 8:45 min miles. From mile 18-26.2 it will be whatever the body allows it to be :) but hopefully it will be faster than slower.
They say the pain you feel in an Ironman towards mile 18 -26 is a pain that makes you hurt from the inside out. They say your mind is trying to tell your body enough is enough. It is where the "suck find you". You have to have that special place in our mind, heart, and soul to go to at this time. I have found mine and know where to find it. Mile 26 to 26.2 they say the crowd is so loud that all your pain disappears for that moment, you get very emotional and in that .2 tenths of a mile you become and IRONMAN. All that handwork, dedication, and commitment pays off.
Be safe out there my friends.
Let the taper and mind games begin.
