Ironman Coeur d'Alene Bike Course

How is training going? 298 days till Ironman Coeur d'Alene!

Lan and I went to Idaho to check out the CDA Ironman bike course; I wanted to know what to expect and I LOVE the 2011 course. The only problem I see is that they are talking about doing it on Hwy 95 instead of the nice country roads they have been using so its going to be a whole lot of UP HILL. 12 miles of mostly uphill one way, then back down & turning and repeating it. I can totally handle the downhill but the uphills will KILL me. We did 36-37 miles on the bikes yesterday.

You can kinda see which paart of the course we went on but I didn't mark on here where we accidently went off course... about half way around the lake. So we still got a really good hill workout done but I skipped the turn around on the actual course. We also didn't do all the in town section, to avoid traffic. We started/ended at Heyden lake park & took a nice refreshing swim afterward.

Here is the swim start

  Here is the swim out steps to transition

Here is the transition area

The run course is fine but at the turn around, once again, its got a serious up, then down to the turn, then back up. Twice. But at least I know what to expect now and should be able to handle it just fine.

Today Lan and I both went out and ran a nice easy 3.7 miles around the neighborhood. The hardest park is starting!

Banner Forest in the summer

How is training going? Good.

This afternoon Lan and I went out to banner Forest for a mtn bike ride. The forest is nice and cool on these warm summer days. There isn't any mud at all and barely any loose dusty areas either.  I did have to get off twice to go up steep loose hills, one of which had a curve in the middle of it.

I didn't crash but had a couple close calls. My arm isn't 100% healed from last weeks wipe out and I did not want a repeat of that.

Tomorrow I'll be working till midnight then Lan will pick me up and we're heading east to Idaho. We're going to Coeur d'Alene to ride the ironman bike course. I'd rather know a bit of what to expect ahead of time instead of being surprised.

We'll swim in the lake too and if there's time we're going to ride the gondola up the ski slope mtn and ride down. That should be a FUN time. Cheating, since we wont be riding up, but once in a while we deserve a freebie.

I feel better

How is training going? I am healing.

I haven't been able to run and with the busy 35 hours in 3 days at work I haven't had time to get any exercise. But I have gotten my steps in every day. Ok, yesterday I didn't because I was selling for 10 hours but for the next 5 I was taking tickets so I got 5800+ steps then. Today I was just too tired to do anything.

So I shoveled 11 loads of buckshot into the cart and dumped it into Sunshowers run, then spread it. Finally Lan got the tractor out and moved a lot of it for me and then we repaired electric fence that has needed it for a year.

I'm going to talk to Lisa about training. I mean, I'd like to have a sit down talk, just she and I. I want to know what she sees herself doing for me for the next 10 months and how much she would like to be paid for it. I know she CAN train me for an Ironman, she has completed 6 of them herself already and as leader of TriBabes I know shes able to train anyone to complete a sprint. I have total trust in her.

But I need to be pushed once in a while and Lan isn't pushy enough to me. He asked me if I wanted to go for a bike ride but then I started the buckshot and the day got away. He was upset but didn't say a thing to me.  But I really have been tired from work.

Yesterday I took enough food for about 1 meal, expecting to come home and have dinner at a reasonable hour. I caught the 6:05am ferry there and the 10:20pm ferry home and when I got home Lan had JUST started cooking some food. Which I had to finish cooking. And I had to serve.

Tomorrow I have Torreys class at 7:30am, first one I'll be able to attend in about 3 weeks, its going to kill me. Then Tovah and I are planning on taking the horses out to Banner Forest, if its not raining. Maybe after the class or ride I'll go for a long, slow bike ride for a couple hours. No big hills except to get home, no speed play. Just ride and ride and ride.

If its not raining.

It hasn't rained here since July 28th and whats coming down now it the annoying stuff that is small but many drops. More like heavy sprinkles.  The pasture and arena needed it. Wifi was bucking and trying to open the gate to get into the barn as soon as it started coming down. Shes such a princess.

I brought home 7 chicks tonight and stuck them under the hen who has been brooding, unsuccessfully, all summer. Now she'll be happy. As soon and I started putting them under her she started talking to them, Good Girl.

It seems if its not one thing, its another

How is training going? Painfully.

My hip flexor is acting up again, but a different part of it. Today is a forced day of rest with ibuprofen and maybe ice.

If you were to put your hands on your hips with the fingers in front and press into your body with your fingertips, that's where it hurts. Before, pain was at the bottom of the blue section. This is new pain for me.
I have jogged for the last 3 days, just 2-4 miles each, not fast at all. But it must have been too much. When I sneezed this morning it felt like I was ripping my hip off.
I'm not a happy camper.
I'll be working on flexibility and additional core strength in the future and its a good thing I have 311 days until my Ironman because I'm going to need every bit of it for training.

I'd rather ride horses

How is training going? Ho hum.

I'd rather be riding my horses. I've been able to take the horses out 3 times in the last week and have plans for going up to Greem Mtn with Joey on Thursday. They all need new shoes before I can take them out for anything serious but getting Gary out has been difficult. I know hes working full time but it would be nice if he didn't have a job. lol.

Tovah on Joey

We have been getting reallllllly nice summery weather for the last 2 weeks and even though its been beautiful, my body isn't used to it. Today while jogging in the afternoon it was uncomfortable and humid. Even with a nice breeze along side the Carbon River in Orting, it was muggy. Lan ran about 3 miles, I made it about 2 of those, maybe.

Yesterday I ran 2 miles in the morning and still got another 10,000 steps at work so its no wonder my legs are tired and feet sore. But sore feet are going to have to be part of my life for the next year.

I was not able to do the Danskin, the boss wouldn't give me the time off. I told him the other day that I'm doing Ironman CDA and he said he might not be able to give it to me so I said I'd have to quit if they can't give it to me. We'll see. I might not even be working at Fauntleroy next year.

Me landing the 8:05

I took my mtn bike to Trailside Cyclery in Orting and ordered a rebuild kit for the front shock. A new shock is about $600 so paying $135 for a rebuild kit was cheap. I was hoping Brian could do it for me today but he doesn't do those things. He just llikes to do basic repairs on local bikes.

I don't know when I broke the shock but it does a little bang now on bumps and isn't as nice to ride. I can still totally ride but it will be nice to have it working properly.  I think Brian was impressed that I have such a nice mtn bike.

10 hours at work = great mtn biking and run after ward

How is training going? GREAT.

OK, I'm going to be an Ironman in 1 year so I'm trying hard to get more miles in.  This week between biking, spin and running I'm at 30 miles. Not a lot by any means but I'm doing more.

Today I got up at 3:20am, worked 10 hours and got back home at 6pm. At 6:18 I was out at Banner Forest on my mtn bike and had a nice ride for 40 minutes. Then I came home and after feeding horses I got a 3.1 mile run finished in 33:24 on our hilly neighborhood roads.

I'm really, really hoping I can get next Sunday morning off so I can do the Danskin Triathlon but wont know till Wednesday. I've even told one of the supervisors that I'll switch shifts with someone, if they were to work my morning shift I'll come in after noon and do theirs. As of right now I know there are 6 shifts not going to be covered next week so I might get overtime and I probably won't get Sunday off.

I have hired a girl to come and condition my horses for me and coincidently, Equus Magazine has an article on getting horses back into good condition. I'll have her read it and we can follow that, it will be good for the horses and save us from getting injuries if we think she should go faster. Right about the time they get into shape, it will be winter.

From my Ironman Coach

I asked her how scared should I be?

You should be . . .


. . . TERRIFIED!!!! Just kidding. I am so thrilled that you did this. We will make SURE that you are ready. As long as you are willing to make this a priority every day for 4-6 months, you CAN do this. Once Tri Turtle Tri is over, we will work out a very specific plan for you and Linda so that you will be comPLETEly prepared. Your first Ironman will be the very best because you will be so motivated to prioritize your training that you will be in better shape than you can ever imagine. And, you ARE a seasoned triathlete so you will have lots of experience to draw upon . . . the wonder and excitement and energy of the day will take you the final miles to the finish line.

So, flip that fear into excitement . . . you WILL be an Ironman!!!!
Lots of Love,
Lisa Be so excited for you

Am I Ironman Material?

How it training going? GREAT.

Today I signed up for the Coeur d'Alene Ironman.

June 24, 2012

Swim 2.4 miles

Bike 112 miles

Run 26.2 miles