IM Date: 8/25/10 - Travel Day #1

All stretched and ready to go!

Yesterday I had my last appointment with Kelly to work on my legs and neck before we leave. It was quite a bit more painful than the last one...but hopefully, like last year, well worth it. A 2.4 mile, open-water swim is NOT the place you want to cramp up.

Today is travel day #1 and we'll be heading out in just a few hours. TRavel time is a almost 3 times as long as it was to Madison, but still drive-able.

We'll be cruising down in the LifeTime Run CLub vehicle, which will be cool. We'll and get it as much visibility as we can while we are down there.

It's a Toyota HIghlander with run club graphics all over it.

I'll try and snap some pictures of it and post them...it's pretty cool.

Anyway...I will try and post again before race day and then of course a full (and hopefully happy) re-cap.

The race-day forecast has dropped a degree to a high of 89 and a low of 68 with a 0% chance of precipitation. Hmmm...I'll focus on the fact that we hopefully won't have any rain ; )

Back soon...

Bri

IM Date: 8/24/10 - RUN PREVIEW

IronMan Louisville 2010 Run Course Preview:

Saving the "best" for last...of course that's assuming by "best" we mean the "hottest". By the time we get out to the run it should well have hit 90+ degrees on Sunday.

The course is mostly flat and like Madison was, it is a 2-lap "out and back" that once again will take us frustratingly close to the finish line at the end of our first lap before turning us back around for another time around the course!

I have to admit that last year this same situation gave me as much inspiration as it did frustration...to hear the crowds of people yelling, etc. was amazing. Plus last year I actually passed the overall winner as he was heading in to the finish as I was heading out on my run...which was very cool to see.

The biggest surprise last year on the run was how much I learned that I liked coke when running...it was the best thing, way better than water or gatorade, to cut through the "gunk" in your mouth after going hard for 9+ hours already that day. I look forward to that...and the ice they hand out which feels so good just to hold in your hands as you run.

Funny what is comforting in an extreme situation like that.

But in the end, all I hope is that I get to the run in plenty of time and feeling as good as possible. The rest of it will take care of itself from there.

Back soon with updates!

Bri

IM Date: 8/23/10 - RACE WEEK

Well, here we are...it's race week. Just 6 days to go.

As of right now, the forecast for race day is a high of 90 with 61% humidity and a low in the morning of 70.

Basically of our training is "in the books" and aside from one day (either today or tomorrow) our workouts this week will be very light as we rest and eat as "clean" as we can to prepare for Sunday.

Tomorrow I have my last "stretching" appointment before the race as well. Hopefully this one goes as smoothly as the first one did!

Wednesday will be our first travel day as we head south. Wednesday I'll begin to slowly "load" my system with carbs which will be converted into glycogen...which is one of the most important things I will need come race day.

We started packing over the weekend and I think I just have to make one more stop at the bike shop before we leave. There's always a lot to bring to an IronMan, and even more this year since we will be gone for a week around the race.

I will be posting my final preview before the race, the run preview, very soon.

Back soon!

IM Date: 8/20/10 - BIKE PREVIEW

IronMan Louisville 2010 Bike Preview:

From all accounts the 112-mile bike course at Louisville looks to have it unique set of challenges. Most reviews I have read talk of lots of "rolling" hills. The one person I have gotten an eye witness account from agreed but said there is one monster hill a roughly mile 14 or 16.

No matter what the hills are like, 112 miles is a long ways to ride in the Kentucky heat in August.

The only thing that passed the time for me last year was the constant re-fueling I had to do to stay hydrated and full of enough salt and electrolytes, etc.

This year Jodee and I have both moved away from sandwiches and will use PUREFIT bars as our source of solid food during the ride. Gels will be taken as well as electrolytes, salt and plenty of water and Hammer Perpetuem endurance drink.

The biggest factor yet to be determined is heat.

I am hopeful for 3 things with the bike:

1) Good weather

2) No mechanical problems

3) No accidents

If we are lucky enough, we will exit the bike feeling good and in plenty of time to have a good run and finish strong.

Maybe I'll start praying now...

IM Date: 8/16/10 - SWIM PREVIEW

IronMan Louisville 2010 Swim Preview:

Unlike all other IronMan races, the swim at Louisville is a time trial start. The cut-off time starts when the last swimmer has entered the water, so Jodee and I plan to get down there as early as possible!

We swim in the Ohio river and start the race (yep, you guessed it) swimming up-stream for the first part of the race. We then make a 180 degree turn around an island and finish the rest of the swim down-stream.

It will be interesting to see how strong the current is. As much as I don't want to fight it at the start, it would be a nice help for what looks like the last 2/3 of the race.

But I guess we'll find out soon enough. We'll see if we do a test run the day or two before the race. We'll be in Louisville two full days ahead of time so maybe we will.

I'll preview the bike soon...

Bri

IM Date: 8/16/10 - Week 17

With less than two weeks until race day things are getting a little tense. I can tell both Jodee and I are getting towards the end of the training program and I have to say that after 16 weeks...I for one am getting close to "burn out."

We had a good, long run on Saturday but our long ride yesterday was very labored. There were 20-30 mph winds and it just wasn't any fun from start to finish. The long rides are probably the hardest part of IronMan training. They consume so much time, between getting all the food prepped, everything loaded, etc. and then comes the actual ride! And after you spend that much time in the sun, you're pretty wiped out for the rest of the day. It will be nice to have our Sundays back in a couple of weeks!

This week sees things really begin to taper down in terms of duration of workout. Our "long" ride is only 3 hours this weekend which will be nice. I'm going to try and get an open water swim in this week if I can work it out. It would be good and the chlorine is really starting to bother so I hope I can fit it in.

I will also be posting previews of each leg of the race...first up: THE SWIM.

IM Date: 8/13/10 - Meet the "U-Bee"

After getting hurt I had to try and find something help me work my upper-body since I couldn't lift like I usually do and swimming was kind of "iffy" at best...so I found this: the SCIFIT Upper Body Exerciser or the "U.B.E."

As I described it to Jodee, it's me new favorite thing I love but hate at the same time.

It's been a great help as I have had to nurse my ribs back to health.

On another subject, I have my first "stretching" appointment today with Kelly and soon I will post my first preview of the Louisville race course.

Back soon...

IM Date: 8/11/10 - Injury update

Today I tried to swim for the first time since the injury and it went okay. I could certainly feel it, but I got through an hour of laps which I was happy with.

I ran afterwards and then worked on my new favorite torture machine: the SCIFIT U.B.E.

More to come on that soon...Bri

IM Date: 8/9/10 - Week16

Well here we are...less than 3 week until race day and I sit here, in pain. Yep...sure enough, it happened–just as I was planning to take the last 3 weeks off from grappling hard/sparring at the Academy to make sure I stayed healthy before the IronMan...I get hurt 3 1/2 weeks out!

It happened last Thursday grappling with my friend Tom...one wrong twist and OUCH!!! My ribs were hurting like crazy and I couldn't breathe. I later learned the cartilage that connects to the bone has become "displaced"...ouch!

This past weekend we rode the "Tour de Tonka" and the ribs didn't seem to bother me too much. Of course my mind was somewhat distracted by the pouring rain, wind and cold.

Update: it's better this week. I ran (slowly) for the first time this morning and I went to the doc at lunch and he worked on them which has helped even more. While the appointment was painful, I can breathe a little easier.

I hop this week sees the pain fade even more, but we'll see. Te only thing I haven't attempted yet is swimming...I'll keep you all posted!

Back soon,

Bri

IM Date: 8/3/10 - Week 15

Wow the last month is here, less than 4 weeks until the IronMan. Last weekend Andrew and I ran the TWINS 4K before Jodee and I did our last long ride from Hinckley. We logged 85 miles that day and got to ride back into a nasty head wind and got poured on from the rain. This week is the "Tour de Tonka" which is 65 miles and we'll go down more and more each week until we leave.

I plan to do a long swim this week and next before tapering that as well. I've been doing a lot of reading of preview, reviews and blogs about Louisville and it sounds like it will be an interesting and tough day of racing. I'll preview each part in the coming weeks...

Back Soon!

Bri