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Ironman Coeur d’Alene update

I didn’t do much right this time. 

Some days I trained hard and didn’t take time off.

Some days I took too many days off. 

I started the real training too late.

I have so many excuses. 

But then again, despite logging every training run, swim and bike – I don’t refer back to it to remember I did train well, sometimes. I just have selective memory. 

While I feel ready for Ironman Coeur d’Alene, I don’t think I’ll ever be ready.

It’s part of the endurance lifestyle – you just never feel ready.

You think “I could’ve done more”. 

Come Sunday, the test will be real: can I finish an Ironman when the high temperature of the day is 100.

This is the forecast for Coeur d’Alene.

Two of my DNFs happened in the best training conditions possible. I want to finish this.

Right now I’m not thinking too much about race day (other than the weather). I told Mark, who is racing with me that the Friday before we will strategize on race nutrition. I can’t think about it now. 

I have two more regular days then Thursday is a travel day. Then it is race weekend.

Thursday I will drop off dogs at the kennel, drive to Boston, fly across the country to Spokane and hope that I get there before midnight. Friday we will drive to Idaho and then I will have time to be nervous.

Right now there is work and dogs and tapering. I love it all. 

Adventure starts on Thursday. Who knows what will happen? I for sure don’t know.  

But I’m in. I’m going in with the hope to finish and cross that line for Ironman # 7.

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Training Update, 4 weeks to IMCDA

While this past week was only 6.5 training hours (let’s just call it an unplanned recovery week) I’m ready to gear up for a big training week. The goal: 20 hours. I’m not following the training plan exactly since my work schedule changed but I’m cranky and irritable and fatigued so I know I’m doing something right. 

Saturday is the 15 mile Chocorua race and then Sunday will be a big bike mile day – hoping for 80+.

Somehow I need to fit mountain biking in too. I didn’t mountain bike at all last week. 

Despite the cold temps the last few days, summer is right around the corning. Here is the updated race calendar for the summer.

This is how yesterday felt when I went swimming at my new gym. The entire pool to myself for 3,336 yards.
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Ironman Training Update, Biking in Maine

This past week was a bike-centric week and recovery from the 50K. My quads hurt for three days post-race so swimming and biking felt great. 

The week I finished with 15 hours of biking and 45 minutes of swimming: no running. 

I got my long 5 hour tri bike ride in on Friday before heading up to Carrabassett Valley to mountain bike. It was great to get out of town and visit Patrice and Clay. The trails at the Carrabassett Valley Outdoor Center are amazing; and endless. It was fun to just follow them around and get two good great training days in. 

  • Me and Patrice

Riding on fatigued legs from my 77 mile bike on Friday was great training. We rode 15 miles on Saturday and just about 8 on Sunday. While Sunday was an easy ride I was still a bit fatigued. All Good Training.

Today, Monday is a run day. I haven’t run for eight days so I’m excited to see what my legs do. Yesterday I signed up for Ironman 70.3 Timberman. My race calendar is filling up but it’s so fun to have a full summer of races and overdoing it like I also do. Life is good.

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First race of 2021, Bloodroot 50K

I finished the Blood Root Ultra as the first race of the season yesterday, May 15. I did this race two years ago and when I signed up I seemed to have forgotten how hard the race is. I remembered the two peaks and mud but I forgot that there really isn’t a trail and the trail surface is uneven for 80 percent of the course. Oh and the mud and black flies were really bad. The course was well marked this year and a little bit different from 2019 but I was two hours longer this year. I’m still waiting for official results but there will be no second female awards for this woman. 

A few more miles and more vertical this year compared to 2019,

It’s okay. It was a great day to be out there learning all the things I need to know such as train harder, train more consistently and work on my core strength. All the things I know but don’t do because I’m lazy, run out of time or just don’t want to do it. 

  • The bugs were terrible
  • A view
  • Finishing

While I ran my self-talk included “stay loose” and “get into a flow” with the hope that I would just relax and be happy in the moment. It’s hard to stay in the moment when you’re out there for so long. I just knew that the mental training has to be dialed in and if I can’t do it for a 50K how will I do it during an 100M. 

I’m glad I finished and stayed on the trail. I’m going to try to swim today and foam roll and eat a lot. 

Next up: June 5 Chocorua run. I need to hike more and will do more hikes to Gunstock, Sunapee and Ragged during the week to get ready for this mountain run.

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I am an Ultrarunner with a Biking Problem

I really needed this run today. 20 miles in the book: mainly trail, some vert and ending on flat for a few miles. I needed it to get my legs used to running when I don’t want to. It really was more mental – and I got it done. 

I opted to run today instead of bike because it was so windy and cold.

I started the run around the quarry with some beautiful views. I headed toward the West End Trails knowing that I would get some serious miles and vert.

I have been falling at least once on every trail run this season due to the little stumps that miss my eye. As I laid on the ground I looked back at this little bugger and snarled. “I hate you,” I said to it. And then took a picture of it.

My fall was not too hard this time but come. on.

Tomorrow is going to be less windy so I’ll get my 50+ mile bike ride in. My plan is to ride to Sunapee State Park and back. I’m sure my legs will be dead tomorrow morning but I need to see 50 on my watch. Ironman is on the horizon.

I also have race calendar changes:

I added Blood Root in Vermont 50K and a Pemi Loop. I did the Blood Root in 2019 so I know what I’m getting myself into: mud, black flies and running up mountains. It’s going to hurt. But knowing I’m doing this race in 15 days motivated me to complete the 20 miles today. I needed to see 20 miles on my Garmin. I’m going to do a Pemi Loop midweek; most likely solo. It’s going to be interesting but this race calendar is keeping me motivated.

Last week: 10.5 training hours

This week: 10 training hours (so far, but the goal is 15)