Saturday Oct 11 |
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| Event: Ironman Hawaii World Championships
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 | swim 1:26:00 [2]2.4 mi (35:50 / mi) | |
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| stayed easy on the swim, trying to not push it and always find some heels to chase. i didn't tire my arms out and was only a few minutes slower than in 2005 |
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| C • Many congrats!! 2 |
| swim 6:13:00 [3]112.0 mi (3:19 / mi) | |
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| i started off feeling pretty good on the ride. I tried to take in a lot of calories early on, but might have gotten too much simple sugar in, as my energy died for a while.
at the fork off of the Queen K, the wind shifted and turned into a stiff headwind all the way up to Hawi. It was pretty brutal. After the turnaround, we had sweet section of fast downhill, but that was shortlived.
Back on the Queen K, the wind was picking up more and more with every hour. The cross winds were fierce, but the head winds were even worse.
it was one of my slowest ironman bikes ever. I think the worst part of having a mediocre swim is that it penalized me more for the bike, as the winds were especially bad around noon onwards. |
| Run 4:19:00 [3]26.2 mi (9:53 / mi) | |
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| it was stifling on the run, especially on Alii Drive. i started out okayish, but feeling depleted from the ride. i felt better on the Queen K until the Energy Lab.
unfortunately, i accidentally destroyed my salt pills on the run, so i had to rely purely on gatorade and soup broth for sodium. i don't think it cut it, and i started feeling really hyponatremic for the last 9 miles.
i was getting sidestitches from the sugar water hanging out in my gut and slowed way down. my fingers were swelling up. for the last 3 miles, i didn't let myself take in any water. one thing i've noticed is that when i really start to tank for sodium, i all of a sudden crave pure water - probably because my cells can't access water for the lack of sodium. i crossed the finish line and went straight to medical. i'd gained at least 5 lbs during the race. they measured my blood - i was low on sodium, but not yet dangerously so. good thing i had not given in to urge to guzzle the pure water.
it was a brutal race, one of my hardest ironmans. partly heat, partly low sodium, hugely wind - also, it was just too much for me to go into this race with so many life-altering changes in my life, as well as having completed primal quest and 3 other adventure races.
i'm now less than keen about AR. i suppose some people can manage expedition racing and ironmans, but they don't work 60-70 hour work weeks at silicon valley startups. ha ha - some people just do all of that PLUS do things like gigathon... |
Friday Oct 10 |
| Note | |
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| yesterday was the slowest day ever. i hung out with some people from the hostel in the morning - we went for coffee at the top of the hill. a german ironman athlete arrived at the hostel, so then he and i hung out for the day. we went to the athlete village to check in, then went beach-hopping for several hours before going to the welcome banquet. he is hilarious! it was great to meet someone else who's been such an underdog in training. he never trains with a watch, or hammers during, or takes anything very seriously. we agreed that my bike would be in the top 10 as far as the oldest bikes are concerned. but, he's riding with a 5 euro Tschibo helmet. it's his 5th time in Kona - so his results are there, despite not being typical. it was kind of cool hanging out with him, amidst all the OCD people in their sperm helmets, running and biking up and down alii drive in full race kit two days before the race... |
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| C • T-Minus 1 day!! 2 |
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| C • Best of luck... 2 |
| cycle 1:35:00 [3]24.0 mi (3:58 / mi) | |
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| cycled from pineapple park to a bike shop on the queen k. my gears were still skipping.
well - to make a long story short - the bike shop i went to in cali put an 8 speed cassette on my bike, which is really a 9 speed. so, i had to change the cassette. i had put my zip tie over the brake cable, so i rode the whole way with my brake somewhat on, plus i am carrying a 20lb pack.
so, hopefully by tomorrow, the biking will get easier |
| walking 1:20:00 [1]4.0 mi (20:00 / mi) | |
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| walked along mamalahoa hwy to the coffee shack for breakfast and back. |
| Note | |
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| how on earth have i put in 12 hrs of exercise this week?
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| Note | |
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| how on earth have i put in 12 hrs of exercise this week?
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Thursday Oct 9 |
| Note | |
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| well, i actually did 1850 net feet of climbing and 2850 total feet yesterday in my somewhat less than 20 mile ride.
so, that is more than in the entire ironman race (112 miles) and, as far as i recall, i don't have to wear a heavy pack.
remind me to never bulk up to 200 lbs : ) |