Math For Zombies (40 days)

40 days = 5 weeks, 5 days.
5 weeks, 5 days = 3 weeks, 5 days of hard, hard training.

I can't even pretend to think that I'm not getting more nervous by the day.

Mike, Von, and I did a nasty, nasty ride yesterday.
It was supposed to be a century, but even though no one said it, I think we all knew that at 25 miles, we weren't going to go all the way.
The windchill had to be around 40 and rain...ideal hypothermia conditions.
We bailed at 85...which sounds lame considering we really only had another hour left, but the headwinds were relentless and we were freezing.
The course was extremely hilly, and I feel good about where my legs are at.
Today I feel as though I could do the whole thing again.
I did have a humbling/sobering moment at mile 80 yesterday when I reminded myself that in a month, I need to another 256 miles on top of that.
Apples and oranges, though.
Hilly course, fairly intense yesterday.
October = relaxed pace as possible, flat course.

Barring major tragedy, I think I'll be ready for the swim. I have a fairly aggressive buildup plan over the next few weeks. I don't have to dog-sit anymore, so that opens up major time.

Bike wise, I still have a couple things that need to happen. TT bike or road bike? I need to do a long ride or two on the Cervelo to figure things out. If I can't be comfortable on it, it's going to have to be road bike.

On the "run" side of things, I need to do one more all-nighter and pretty much walk/run everywhere I go from here on out.

Will I be ready?
The answer lies not in my body, but in my head.
If I can achieve enough balance leading up to the race to want it when things start to get ugly.
If I can stay there mentally during the race to eat right.
If I can be patient enough to pace myself in the early hours of the bike.
Right now, I want it. And as time goes on, I think I'm only going to want it more.

kp

47 Days

Had a great conversation with Pete yesterday about sleep deprivation and training.

We talked about caffeine, pain management, etc...but what I really brought away from the conversation is the fact that in order to finish this, I am going to have to be an anomoly of sorts.

I believe the quote was this:
"Every kid I see come to Lake Anna is a DNF. Unless there are bones sticking out somewhere, you have got to keep moving."
Apparently, the younger guys like me just don't have the mental goods yet to get through that 2nd night. It makes me nervous.
Why has no male under 31 ever finished this event?
Am I missing something? Why do I think I can?

I compare it to getting my first tattoo.
I think, "How awesome to do it...but how much is it going to hurt?"
So many unknowns.

So much going through my head right now.
Am I training right or enough?
Pete seems to think I'm doing well with my sleep deprivation training, but that for the most part has been easy. Am I doing it wrong or something?

I need a confidence booster bike ride before I do this, or I will stand on the start line unsure of myself.
Pete has said that he doesn't do any mega-rides, but as an indivdual, I feel like a I NEED to get a solid 20 hour bike ride in.
Just so I know what it feels like.
Just so I'm not questioning my ablities.
If it's all in your head, I need that extra edge.

"Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside them was superior to circumstance."-Bruce Barton

47 Days.

Perspective

57 days.
Let's think about how stupid this is:

Peaks To Portland, a difficult endurance swim in southern Maine is 2.4 miles.
I have to do this distance 3 times with no rest.

The Trek Across Maine is 180 miles in 3 days.
I am supposed to do almost TWO of those in one day. 6 days of riding in around 24 hours.

A marathon is the pinnacle of some runner's endurance achievements.
I need to run 3 of them consecutively after doing 2 Trek Across Maines, consecutively, and 3 Peaks to Portland swims.

Kind of hard to wrap my head around it, really.

NO SLEEP TILL BROOKLYN!
Oh, wait...NO
SLEEP
TILL
LAKE ANNA!

Doesn't really flow...but you get the point.

kp

60 days

46 days until "The Hay is in the Barn", as my old track coach Bruce Bell would say.
At that point, you can no longer do anything to make you more fit, and rest is the only thing necessary.

Most high-intensity events call for a full-month taper of training.
This low-intensity event is doable on 2 weeks of rest.

My life is getting turned upside down right now, but training is a great tool of relief.
Not really sure what to do with my car, the dog, or my apartment, but at least I can still ride a bike. Blech.

This comes at a great time in my training, really.
My rage at earth in general makes physical pain easy, and there is certainly no shortage of motivation to get me out the door.
My only focus for the next two months is surviving a Triple Ironman.

Rode a nice 120 mile bike ride last monday, and it was relatively easy on the body.
I still need more "ass training", or new shorts. My ass was chizzapped after that ride.
A double century(200 mi) is next. Not sure when, but very soon. I just need to get rested.

Within the last week, the 336 mile bike ride has turned from something I fear to something I think is doable. The 120 mile ride was very, very hilly, and the amount of work done on that would probably be akin to at least 150 miles on the flat Triple Iron course.

Gotta start putting long kick sessions in the pool. I'm not worried about my upper body on the swim, Troy at Northern PT has me doing some wild stuff.
Maybe two more overnight walk/runs.
3 more uber-bike rides.

And then...the hay is in the barn.
I'm just ready for the harvest.

kp

Think Negative. 68 days

I'm stiff.

This is my last week of easy training for the next month or so, and today is the last day of this week. Looking back at some of the things I've written in this blog, this is usually about the time I start to make these declarative statements... things I'm going to do or my times for the race.
It jinxes me, and they never get done.

This time, I am going to do the opposite, and write about everything that is wrong.
Perhaps it will further help me put a grasp on what I need to do between now and October 9.

1)My swimming is in the shitter.
When Leah comes back, I can spend less time walking the dog and more time swimming.

2)My butt is not hardened enough yet.
Long rides are on the way though....

3)Not enough all nighters.
At least that doesn't require extra time...it actually creates time to train...hmm. Two birds, one stone...

I gotta say, if that's all I have for negatives, I am fairly satisfied.

My whole race hinges on the 336 mile bike ride. I am not afraid to admit how much it scares me.

So much can happen. How will it affect my back and neck, being hunched over for over 24 hours? What about my ability to walk or run after? At first glance, one looks at the flat course and thinks AWESOME...but then, if you think about it, flat only means that you have to constantly pedal. No coasting. No climbing to change up the muscle groups.
I'm experimenting with a couple different bikes to see what will be the best compromise of comfort and performance.

I think about the bike a lot, and think some more, and then realize I'm ignoring my lifetime mantra...

"Don't think, just do."

kp