Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Ironman Canada

Hey all,

Congratz to all that did and completed Ironman Canada Julie, Dan, Lisa, Richelle, Dusty, Mike(from work), etc(I'm sorry if I missed anyone). No matter how many times you've done it, wheather it's your first or umpteenth, it still is never easy and if you got to the finish than you completed the number one objective of the day. Sorry I couldn't didn't come watch. I wanted to, but after our vacation I was broke, sick of driving, and still had not procurred a place to stay(that was cheap enough for me) hee hee so I didn't go. I will however make sure to go next year, I know, broken record I said that last year too. But this year I signed up, so I def will be on the course... As long as training goes ok. **cough cough (I have not swam in a long time).

EDITED: Here's a summary of my trip in Garmin recorded runs. Try to recognize where each run is...run!

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/108365902 (guess the first one will be impossible, we were in the boonies, wayy of the main highway near Kelowna, but super high, check out the elevation graph on that.)

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/108365871
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/108365835
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/108365787
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/108365766
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/108365708 (short but quick ;) )

Monday, August 8, 2011

Day off too

I raced a itt this weekend. The results are here https://zone4.ca/results.asp?ID=4039&cat=274

A friend from work had invited me to race. It was a lot of fun, really neat experience, and hard, really hard. These cyclists really know their pain, they're like masochists. It was interesting lining up for my turn, everyone leaving in one min intervals. I started out behind the two citizen women(I was the first cit. male). I caught the first lady right away, but man the second was soooo strong. It was really disheartening when I didn't see her up ahead for the first 10km and then when I did see her there I couldn't catch her till about 16km. That was very humbling. Oh well, after that I rode alone till the hill up to the turn around. There I started to see some cat5s on the return. Once we turned it was a tail wind, and some down hills. Yikes did we ever fly. Every time I looked at the computer it read 45-50km and that was just on the flats. I think I maxed out at like 74km p/h with no big downhills. Thinking back with as strong wind as we had, I think I probably lost some time on the return with all the times I was spun out and had no more gears. I was riding in my second highest gear on the flats. It was hard motivating myself to push, I kept reminding myself that I would not have to run after, push push push. Eventually I saw the finish and gave it a little extra to cross the line in 1:09. Later I saw this and was a tad disappointed, but I did all I could with what I had. I will get faster again next year. I own a power meter now and managed to get a average wattage of 261W so this will help a lot in training, having that bench mark. That is essentially my FTP and I can do all my workouts using that number.

Yesterday I met Curtis at the Res for our regular loop. My legs were heavy at first, but by the time we hit the big hill I was ready for some high revs. So I pushed it up the hill, heart rate up around my threshold. Then later I also picked it up for the last 4 miles. It was really encouraging seeing the low sixes for the last few miles, especially towards the end of a 11.3 mile run. I nearly choked on a bug as I was sucking wind so bad and one went right down. My last miles were 6:39, 6:44, 6:22, and the last 0.3 6:02 pace. I've written my running PBs off, but as I improve it makes me start to wonder. It's really working well to run less mileage now(did high volume at the beginning of the season) but with more intensity. I run hard almost every run at some point. They aren't long workouts, sometimes all I do is crank it up for a mile or two. Or add some intervals with jogging between.

Thursday morning we leave for BC, roaddddddddddddddddd trip!!! We're stopping in Kelowna, Van, Tofino, Vic, then down to Seattle(through port angeles) and then CDA no not to do the Ironman. Should be lots of fun, lots of driving. Don't worry Cam I'll save some driving for IMC. Looks like I got monday off so I can go watch, if you're reading and doing the race make sure you comment so I can look for your name out there. I will be sure to yell to HTFU lol j/k I'll be nice.

DP