Taper Time

Got my last long brick in today. Put in 3 hours on the bike followed by a 45 minute run. Ended up going somewhere around 55-56 miles and 5 miles. Rode the first hour on the trainer since time hasn't changed and it doesn't get riding light until 6:45. Needed to be finished by 9:45 so I got on the trainer around 5:45. Got off the trainer and got the bike outside and it was freakin' cold. Due to the fact that I had been riding the trainer indoors, I was sweaty and that made the first 20 minutes of the ride outside miserable. Couldn't get warm even with my cycling jacket on. Sun finally came out enough to knock the fog down and it got less miserable.

Finished the 3 hours and took off on the run. Two mistakes, 1. Didn't have enough fluids for the run and 2. Garmin ran out of battery at 3 mile mark. Ran the first 3 at about a 8:30 pace and finished up somewhere just over 5 miles for the 45 minutes. Felt pretty good and hope I can hold 9:00 pace for the entire 13.1 miles in 2 weeks.

Yesterday morning was my long run. It was supposed to be 12-13 miles, but I got derailed. Got up late, had bathroom issues before I left and had bathroom issues on the run. Found a port-o-potty to hit, so no front yard squats this time. Only got in 9.5 due to the fact that I had to be back at 6:55 so the wife could go to work.

Going to go ahead and put some goals for the Half Ironman in writing. 'A' Goal - 5:45, 'B' Goal - 6:00, 'C' Goal - Finish. I am pretty sure I can make 'B', but with my swim, 'A' is going to be tough. I think I can go right at 3:00 for the bike and around 2:05 on the run, which gives me 55 for the swim and transitions. That is definitely doable, but this will be my first half, so I don't want to get over confident. We'll see...

Garmin Forerunner 101

I am now the proud owner of a Garmin. I know, it is not the fanciest of the bunch, but it does what I need it to do. It allows me to run without mapping out a route every time and it gives me pace as I run, what else do you need. Have used in twice already and it was a great purchase. Got it barely used for $40 from a guy in our local BRTri group. Someone gave him a 301 so he no longer needed this one.

Starting to get nervous about the Half IM. Only 2.5 weeks to go for my first "long" triathlon. I know, it's not a full, but 6 hours of racing is long in my book. Doing one more long ride this weekend and then going to start tapering next week. Only problem that I have at the moment is a slight injury.

A couple of weeks ago I ran in the hills of Syracuse, NY and got a strange pain in my heel a few days later. I just blew it off as fatigue. Well, it has gotten worse. It started hurting worse after mountain biking last week and now it pretty much hurts 24/7. Especially in the morning and after I run. It has the classic symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis, but I hope not. It started hurting after running in hills, it hurts worst in the morning and it in my heel. Based on everything I have read, that progression fits the bill. I am praying that I just bruised it and all will be better with some icing. Did 7 miles today with 3 - 1 mile repeats at 7:00 pace. It is bearable during the run, but painful as soon as I get home and get back on my feet from the car. It's too close to the race to stay off of it for a couple of weeks, so I am just going to have to tough it out until after the race. If I had any readers, I could ask your advice...

Camping and Mountain Biking

Don't feel too much like posting (ran 12 this morning and bike 35 this afternoon, then ran sprints in the backyard with my 3 year old), but if I don't I'll miss the chance. Went camping and mountain biking at Lake Kincaid in Alexandria this past Wednesday thru Friday. Weather kind of sucked for camping, warm and rainy, but we had fun anyway. Got in about 30 miles on the mountain bike on Thursday and did a 1 mile open water swim while the wife read a book. Put in 10 miles Friday morning and headed home after lunch. Here are some pics:

View of the lake from one of the trails.

My bike taking a break on a bridge over part of the lake.

Contemplating the significance of Mountain Biking...

My riding partner, i.e. my wife, crossing another bridge.

Me and the chipmunk look (10-12 grapes shoved in my mouth).

Only three weeks left until my first half ironman. Training has not been going as planned due to interruptions like working out of town and camping, but hopefully this week will be better.

Century Ride

Completed my first Century ride today in the hills of St. Francisville. Actually went 101 by my computer, but most of that extra mile was due to backtracking occasionally to make sure my riding partner was okay. Reeb had bike issues for most of the morning, so we didn't get to go as fast as we would have liked. Ended up at 16.2, but felt we could have stayed with the pack and went 18ish if not for the bike issues. It was a great time anyway. Learned to wear cycling shorts if I ever do one again. The mini-pad on the tri-shorts did not help at all. After the SAG at mile 84, I thought I wasn't going to be able to sit on my bike again. Reeb said I stood up for like the last 5 miles. Sure felt better than sitting on my butt on that seat.

Hills Suck

Whenever a New Yorker describes a run on Map My Run as " Rolling Hills, Rolling To Flat", don't believe them. Ran this route this afternoon http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/united-states/ny/syracuse/687065738. Maybe to a New Yorker it is rolling to flat, but to someone from Louisiana, it is freakin' steep. I lengthened it to about 5.2 and ran the thing at a blisterin' 10 min pace. That is 1:15/mile slower than my recent easy runs. Hills blow. Oh yeah, I'm in Syracuse, New York taking a training seminar on Pumping Systems Design, how exciting...Of course, it is better than being behind my desk and it is something that I will be using soon in my work.

Last Saturday night, my wife, a friend of hers and I all ran the Oktoberfest 3 miler at Mockler Beverage in Baton Rouge. I ran a 21:45 (7:15 pace) after having run 9 miles (8:50 pace) that morning. Felt like I could have been around 21 if I hadn't run that morning. Mel ran a 32:45 in the longest run she has ever done to date. I was proud of her. Her friend ran a 41 in her first race ever. Signed up last week for the Iron Star Half Ironman on November 9. I had intended for the New Orleans 1/2 Ironman to be my first half, but I just couldn't see throwing away all the training I had done for Holy Toledo, so I groveled to the wife and she was okay with me doing the half. It is going to be a "suicide" trip. Going to leave on Saturday, head to Houston, pick up my packet, crash at a friends place, do the race Sunday morning and then drive home that afternoon. All solo. We'll see, hopefully I don't regret the solo part.

Doing the Baton Rouge Bike Club Century ride this weekend with Reeb. We are doing the full Century. Longest ride I've ever done has been 70 miles, so we'll see. Longest Reeb has done is 65, so at least we'll be in the same boat. There are 5 SAG stops, so we should be good and we have 7 hours to do it. Don't see a problem since that is only a 14 mph average. Even with stops that should be doable.

Pics from the 3 Miler:

Austin kicking it in the kids 1/2 mile race.

Emilie doing her thing in the kids 1/2 mile race.

Melissa starting the race with a smile.

My wife Melissa's friend.

Me talkin' to a fellow BRTri member and looking like I'm on drugs...