Ironman World Championship Race Week Training

 

After a good night of sleep on Monday, we had a good breakfast and got caught up on some work before loading up the rental SUV with our bikes and gear. We are staying in Washington (half way between downtown, where T2 and the finish is and Sand Hollow Lake, where the swim and T1 is) which makes it easy to get to various places on the course. We drove to Royal Oaks Park (on the run course) to start our ride. We like to do one last "longer" ride on race week to remind the body what it is preparing for and to keep the body in a routine. Although we are very familiar with the 70.3 bike course, the "Veyo" loop is new to us for this Ironman World Championship course. Karel had the course downloaded in his Garmin although the course was well-marked with tape arrows on the pavement. It was very windy to start our ride and we had NW winds for the majority of the loop - which made for a long ride. However, the scenery was incredible and the roads were quiet and peaceful. 

We stopped several times for pictures/videos and we were even greeted by a few wild cows along the way. Over 31 miles, we accumulated around 2100 feet of elevation and it took us a little over 2 hours (14.6 mph). There were a few steeper climbs but nothing too long. When we got to the "wall" we made the switchback turn and finally had some tailwind. I didn't find anything difficult on this loop but the wind will bring the challenge to this course - and the fact that we start this loop around mile 50 of the 112 mile ride (and then finish the ride at mile 100 with a 4-mile climb up Snow Canyon). 

The weather was on the cooler side so I rode with gloves and arm warmers. I took off my gloves a few times but the air was crisp and I didn't want to get cold. It was in the mid 50's when we started and we finished in the mid 60's. 

The next ten miles were faaaaaaast. 10 miles of descending and I averaged almost 32mph and a max speed of almost 46. Thankfully the wind was at our back for most of it so no gust crosswinds. Karel averaged 34 mph and had a max speed of almost 51mph! And he was passed by professional athlete Sam Long on the downhill - and Karel couldn't even keep up (he tried :) 

After our ride, we put on our run gear and headed on to the run course (it was marked) for a short run off the bike. The run course is either up or down (except the out and back section in town after the first loop and before the finish) and it includes a lot of neighborhood and paved trail running - which I really like. We made a quick stop at the Kneaders bakery and then headed back to our condo. 

Later in the afternoon, we checked in for the race (around 3pm) and walked around the expo. 

Because our last swim was on Friday, we needed to get into the water. Luckily, we have an outdoor 25-yard lap pool at our condo which makes it super convenient to get in a swim workout anytime (one of the main reasons why I selected this location for the 70.3 WC and this event). After our warm-up we did two main sets. It was nice to be in the warm water and finish off a good day of training. 

Bike: 2:34, 43.3 miles. 
Run: 22 minutes, 2.8 miles
Swim: 25 minutes, 2000 yards

This morning was our first time at the lake since arriving to St. George for this trip. The water was a brisk 59 degrees. We both opted to wear our Xterra neoprene booties to keep our feet comfortable in the cold water. My face and hands were really cold to start but after a few minutes of swimming, I forget about them and found myself warming up under my Roka Wetsuit. We swam two loops of the "practice" course for a total of 28 minutes 1900 yards of swimming. I was pretty cold when we got out of the water and it took a little time for me to stop shivering. This always happens when I do the practice swim at St. George but with the rush of endorphins on race day, I never feel cold. 

After the swim we did a run around the park. We each did our own thing. Karel is undecided which shoes he wants to wear on race day so he broke up his run into different out and back segments to try on both sets of shoes to decide what to wear - he's still undecided :) I finally warmed up during the run (even though the air temp was in the 60's) which made for an enjoyable run. We ran into our friends Meg and Kelly Fillnow which was great to see some familiar faces. 

After the run, we headed back to our condo to be reunited with some of Karel's Czech friends (who are staying with us). Tomorrow we plan to do another open water swim followed by a bike on the start of the bike course in the Hurricane area. 

IM Kona - one more sleep

First off, thank you for your continued support and encouragement. Karel and I are incredibly grateful for this incredible opportunity to participate together in the 2019 IM World Championship. We will also be sharing the course with three of our coached athletes. Your virtual high fives and kind words will help us get to the finish line so keep the cheers coming. If you are planning to watch the race, here's a link on how to watch the Ironman World Championship. There will be 20 hours of coverage on Facebook (Ironman Now), beginning at 10:30am EST (4:30am Hawaii Time). You can also track via the Ironman Tracker App or online. 

Thursday was a low key day of training. We have been trying to sleep as long as we need (~9 hours) so we are never rushed to get up and train in the morning. We started off with a quick 20 minute swim in the ocean around the time of the end of the underpants run. The pier/swim start was packed with athletes so it was a bit chaotic swimming out into the ocean. There were also some swells and the current was strong. After the swim, we were planning a bike ride but then it started to rain. We sat around in our cycling gear for a good hour until we decided to postpone our ride until the afternoon. Since it was cloudy out, we went down to the expo to chat with our friends at Ventum. Although the sun wasn't out, it was extremely humid and hot. Once the roads dried, we went out on our bikes for a 45 minute spin. We headed up Kuakini and then took a side street to Ali'i drive and then biked the old and new run course in town. After the ride, we picked up pizza from Lava Java (my typical pre-race ritual) and yummed while watching Breakfast with Bob interviews. Around 3pm, our athlete Roman came over so that Karel could give him a course talk in Czech before our other athletes arrived at 4pm for the English version. With a combined 9 times of racing IM Kona, Karel and I have learned a lot over the years. 

Around 6pm we made our way to the King K hotel for the athlete opening banquet. The athlete briefing didn't start until 830pm (which has been our bedtime) so it was a bit of a late evening for us. 

We made sure to sleep in as late as possible on Friday so it was nice to get up just before 7am. We took our time in the morning and eventually started our workouts. I did a quick swim and run and Karel went to the energy lab for a bike/run. 

I was super excited to finish my workout as a giant cinnamon roll from Lava Java was calling my name. Yum yum!!

As for the rest of today, we packed up our gear bags and we will be heading down to the excitement of checking in our bikes and gear bags - which is quite the spectacle. 

We are both feeling healthy, fit and strong. We are thankful for our coach Cait Snow for her continued support, encouragement and coaching wisdom and experience. Also a big thanks to the Trimarni affiliates and supporters.

With the weather looking to be hot and very windy, we will utilize our "race smarts" and try to put together the best performance possible on the day. Thanks again for following us along to the start line.....see ya at the finish line!  

IM Kona: All checked in!

Now that it's race week, the training volume has dramatically decreased whereas the craziness of the town has dramatically increased. Every day there is something to do, see and visit - but we are resisting the temptation. It's far too easy to see/do everything that is offered during IM Kona race week but with that comes lots of time on the feet and out in the hot sun.

As for training, on Monday we started our 80 minute ride from the energy lab. After a warm-up, we did 4 rounds of 20 sec burst and then 1:40 easy pedaling. Then after 6 minutes of easy spinning we did 2 rounds of 10 minutes at IM effort w/ 3 min EZ. Then cool down. It was a perfect set to wake-up the legs. After the ride, a quick and easy 20 minute run. I managed to keep an average heart rate of 130 bpm for the run.

In the early afternoon, we drove to the high school pool and did a 3000 yard workout. Luckily, the pool was not as crowded as last week so we were able to do our planned workout:
800 warm-up
2 rounds of 100 smooth/25 fast, 75 smooth/25 fast, 50 smooth/25 fast, 25 smooth/25 fast (continuous) with rest between the rounds. First round was with buoy and second was no toys. After that, 600 yard buoy and paddles. Then 3 x 200's broken as (2 x 100s, 4 x 50, 8 x 25). Then cool down.

Since we had two of our athlete with us (and a friend of a friend), we had to re-visit Gypsy Gelato again. Oh it was so good!

Tuesday was a recovery day or a day off. It's hard to do nothing here so our coach gave us the option of a spin or a swim. So we decided to do a 1000 yard swim with a 500 yard swim to the coffee boat in the ocean. They were out of coffee when we arrived to we had a few sips of Clif Hydration. The water is fairly cool, very salty and incredibly clear. There were so many fishies to look at underneath us.

As for the rest of Tuesday, we checked in and picked up our gear bags/swag. It's quite the process to check in at the Ironman World Championship as there is a series of tables to visit and lots of volunteers helping out. The guy who helped me out was participating in his 15th Ironman Kona and his 53rd Ironman! And he is in Karel's 40-44 age group! He was super nice.

After checking in, we walked through the merch tent and then went to the expo. The IM Kona expo is overwhelming with so many booths, people and things to see. We spent about 30 minutes in the expo and by the time we were done, we were hot and sweaty - it's super duper hot here! It was nice to see some familiar faces and to say hello to some of the Trimarni team affiliates.

Karel participated in the Parade of Nations - walking with his home country of Czech Republic. IM Kona is always special for Karel as he can connect with other Czech speaking athletes.

I can't believe that we are just a few days away from the 2019 Ironman World Championship. I am so excited to share the course with 3 of our athletes and of course, being able to share this race experience with Karel is extra special (this is our 2nd time racing IM Kona together - my last time racing the event was 2015 and it was with Karel). I am experiencing all types of emotions from excited, to nervous, to excited!

Oh and yesterday was Campy's 12 birthday!! Happy birthday to my furry best friend!! I couldn't imagine living life without you. <3

IM Canada: Day 2

Now that we are officially settled into Whistler, I can honestly say that I've fallen in love with this place. Never have we raced in such a beautiful venue - and we've raced in some beautiful places! The scenery is jaw-dropping and I keep finding myself wowing at every mountain view and scenic river. It's just beautiful here.

While it's always good to adjust to the time zone as soon we arrive, it's actually easier for us to get to bed a bit earlier so that we can wake-up a bit earlier - similar to our schedule at home on the east coast. With a super early race start on Sunday (6am), I am trying to get to bed around 7:30/8pm so that I can get a restful night of sleep and still wake-up feeling rested. This morning I woke-up around 4:45am after a solid night of sleep. The temperature has been very comfortable during the day and drops slightly in the evening.

After a pre-workout snack (waffles + PB and Canadian Maple Syrup for me and oatmeal for Karel), we drove a few miles down the road to Rainbow Park to swim at Alta Lake (swim venue). Today was a packed day of training - which was good since we needed yesterday to fully recharge, unpack and settle after a long day of travel on Tuesday.

Karel and I had a specific OWS workout this morning and it was perfect to have something to focus on for the duration of our swim.

Workout:
10 min warm-up
4 x 30 strokes fast/30 easy
5 min smooth
4 x 60 strokes fast/30 easy
5 min smooth
4 x 30 strokes fast/30 easy
5 min smooth

The water was fresh and clear and the views were incredible. Although a little nippy to get in, the water turned out to be the perfect temperature - not too cold and certainly not too warm. It was around 67 degrees when we swam around 7am. There were small buoys set-up in a line parallel to the shore and each buoy was labeled by 100 meters. I swam to the 1200 meter buoy and then turned around.

After the swim, we drove back to our place, had a quick bite to eat, changed and grabbed our bikes to load in the car. We drove on the bike course (Sea to Sky Hwy) and parked at Brandywine falls park. Our athletes Erick and Gin met us there and we all biked together.

We biked to the Callaghan road climb and did the entire climb to scope out this section of the course. Although a significant part of the course, there is 8000+ feet of elevation gain over 112 miles - with no flat section - so I'd consider every mile significantly important :)

The climb was absolutely beautiful. We rode easy/conversational pace for the 8 miles (1000 feet) to the top. There were a few declines to shake out the legs but overall, it was a nice steady climb - something we are use to living in Greenville (although the roads are much smoother here!).

It took us about 36 minutes to get to the top and a speedy 18 minutes to get to the bottom. The total ride was about 75 minutes with about 1660 feet of elevation gain. Again - we are use to this type of riding living in Greenville but in an Ironman, everything becomes more difficult as you get more fatigued. 

I didn't find any of the segments too difficult on the climb. There were a few windy segments on the way down but nothing technical or scary. I think this is going to be my favorite part of the bike course.

After the drive home, we got our run stuff on for a quick jog on the trails. There are so many running paths here, along with mountain biking trails. My run wasn't the best as I was struggling with some tugging in my hip/inside knee from my hip. I tried not to get discourage so I just walked it out and finished with a jog when it eased up. Although I was making some great progress with my pelvis getting back into alignment before we left, I think all of the travel caused me to get back out of whack.

I'm still trying to stay positive but if anything, I'm going to make the most of the swim and bike - in the case that I can't start or finish the run. 

As for the rest of the day, we attended the athlete briefing at the expo - which is situated right behind our condo at the Marketplace Lodge. We then checked in to get our packet. Even for my 15th Ironman, I still enjoy the entire process of getting my wrist band and all the "stuff" needed to officially be an Ironman participant. We have been seeing more Trimarnis around the venue which makes me super happy to see so many familiar faces.

After the check-in process, Karel and I walked around the village and checked out some of the local shops. The town is super cute with so much to see and to do. Did I mention how much I love it here?

I am fighting with myself as I want to go to bed right now but I'll try to make it to 7:30pm before I call it a day. Excited to experience another beautiful day in Whistler tomorrow!

IM Kona '18: 2 & 3 days out

The past two days have been incredibly busy. I am not even racing and I have found myself with a packed schedule!

On Wednesday morning, Karel and I both ventured out for a run workout. Karel had a few 1K efforts followed by a 15 min IM effort. I gave myself a workout of 3 x 6 minutes with 1 min rest followed by a 15 min at IM effort just to spice it up. I'm noticing that I have acclimated to the heat over the past week as my breathing is much more controlled, I can run "faster" paces at a lower heart rate and overall, I don't feel like I am running through a blow torch. We both ran along Ali'i drive and as usual, the shoulders were packed with cyclists, walkers and runners. 

The nice thing about not racing is that I can deviate from my training anytime I want, which means stopping to take pictures, especially selfies with friends. This is my athlete Dana who lives in Greenville who is here spectating. It was fun to "run" into her along Ali'i drive. It's so funny how you can run into so many people that you know despite there being 2500 athletes and thousands of spectators and volunteers. 

Karel showing off his custom paint design to co-found Diaa Nour

After the run, we did a quick change into our bike gear as we wanted to join the 3rd Annual IM Kona ventum ride. Not only did we get to see so many Ventums (several with awesome custom paint jobs) but we were able to see the reveal of the NEW Ventum road bike. 

The group ride was led by Leanda Cave and there were also a few other Ventum professionals who were at the start of the ride, such as AJ Baucco, Kevin Collington and Lauren Brandon. 

The ride was an hour long and we rode up toward the airport (on the Queen K) and then turned off to take a picture inside the energy lab. For those who have raced/been here before, this is the "new" section of the energy lab run course to start/finish the section in the energy lab. 

Picture by Ventum Media crew. 
Check out this awesome video with a little cameo of my Pink Rocket.

I even got to chat/ride with Triathlon Taren.

After the ride, it was a very busy afternoon. After a well-needed meal, I got some work done before making a video with my contact at Levelen regarding sweat testing. If you missed the video, you can check it out on my Trimarni facebook page. As for my other half, Karel's Czech friends arrived on Tues evening and one of them had an issue with his bike. Karel was unable to help as he didn't have the right tool for the job but since his friends don't speak English, Karel went to Bike Works with them to help translate so that his friend could get his bike fixed. Karel also had a swim on the schedule but the pool didn't open until 3 (break from 1:30-3pm) so around 2pm, I made a quick trip up to the grocery store (Safeway) for a few more specialty food items that I couldn't find at Walmart (more like produce and fresh bread/croissants) before heading to the pool. We rode our bike to the pool around 3pm but we only had about an hour to swim as Karel had an interview with Czech TV at 4:30pm. I was invited to attend the Clif Bar BBQ which started at 4pm so I drove there around 5pm and stayed for about 40 minutes. As usual, the food was fresh, locally sourced and amazing.

The pool was packed and we even had a few pro sightings (Daniela Ryf, Tim O.). It got very chaotic when 6-8 of us were in the same lane circle swimming and each one of us was doing a different set, with different swimming abilities. Somehow we made it happen and Karel was able to get in his prescribed swim set.

600 warm-up
Pre set:
100 smooth
2 x 75 build
3 x 50's fast
4 x 25's very fast
MS:
100 smooth
100 build
100 smooth
50 fast

You continue to repeat the above but add a 50 each round to stop at 4 x 50's. 

After returning home from the Clif Bar house, I had a bit more to eat, we caught up with Breakfast With Bob, Talbot Cox videos and Ironman Now (on Facebook) before I fell asleep around 8:30pm. Karel met up with his Czech friend Roman soon after I fell asleep to get his Czech tshirt (designed for Czech IM Kona athletes) and a few sweet treats from Czech. Of course Karel can't do a race without his favorite treats! 

It's crazy to think it's already Thursday. The IM Kona athletes only have two more sleeps before race day! Karel slept in and had a solid 9+ hours of sleep. I was already out on the patio working on the computer and eating my pre-workout snack. After Karel had his espresso (or three) and his pre-workout snack, we walked down to "dig me beach" for an open water swim. Holy moly the ocean was packed! Not only were the construction crews setting up the finish line area but there were athletes everywhere. This was our first AM open water swim since Sat last week so it was nice to be back in the ocean - navigating our way around so many other athletes.

                                Group photo with our Ventum friends and co-owner Jimmy Seear.

After the swim, we walked back to our condo (about 5 min walk) to get ready for a bike ride. One of my favorite parts of IM Kona week is around this time and seeing the finish line area transform. The red carpet is yet to be laid but the finish line arch and backdrop screen and bleachers are getting set up. It's so exciting to see it all come together! 

For Karel's open water swim, he didn't want to overdo it in the ocean as sometimes his shoulder gets sore/tight so we swam 500 yards out to the coffee boat (Karel can always have one more cup of coffee) before heading back. Although the water super choppy/wavy and we needed to sight almost every stroke to avoid swimming into another athlete, Karel swam really well. I couldn't keep up! Then again, I didn't have a swimskin on (that's my excuse and I'm sticking with it). 

On our way back from the swim, we stopped by the Picky Bars booth and spun the wheel for a prize. Karel one a package of Picky Oats and I won a $25 gift card! Oddly enough, we ran into Jesse Thomas as we were walking up the stairs to our condo. Selfie time!

To avoid the stop and go/lights, we drove our bikes to the Energy Lab (new entrance) and parked so that the only light we would need to get through was the airport light. Then it was nonstop riding along the Queen K for the rest of our ride. Karel kept the ride fairly smooth but included a strong 15 min effort on the way back to town to wake up his legs. His hips were a little stiff to start but loosened up as the ride went on. 

Once again, I'm running into friends. This time in the middle of the Queen K! It was nice to catch up with my friend Emily who is a superstar athlete. 

After the ride, we drove back to town and I did a quick change before heading to the King K hotel to meet Marnie (how cool is that!) who is the Global athlete development director at Ironman. We chatted for a while, I shared my thoughts about helping to grow the sport of triathlon and she told me a bit more about some of the Ironman initiatives to help get more people into the sport of triathlon. 

I then made a quick stop in the merchandise tent to pick up a few requested items for Karel (for race day) before walking back to our condo. Once again, the island continues to transform as the buoys are getting ready to find their location in the water and the finish line area is getting more touches. 

Karel is feeling good. Tomorrow he will do his pre-race brick and then spend the rest of the day off his feet, visualizing and fueling up (with carbs) for the big dance on Saturday. I have a long ride planned in the morning so that Karel can do his own thing before he checks in his bike after 2:30pm. There's something really special about the entire IM Kona bike/gear bag check-in process.

I still remember the very first time I checked in my bike and gear bags for my first Kona back in 2007. 

First IM Kona in 2007 at the age of 25. 

I was so excited to be part of this historic and special event as an athlete and even today, I feel so lucky that I can be here as a spectathlete and to cheer on Karel. Who would have thought that back in 2011 when Karel spectated his first IM Kona (my 2nd IM World Championship) that he would be back here as an athlete for his third IM Kona?? He didn't even start the sport of triathlon until 2012, with his first IM in 2013!

How can this be seven years ago?!?!

Hello from Madison - It's IMWI week!

Wow, I can't believe it's finally here. It's race week! Just three more sleeps until race day.

A little update from this week.

Karel, his mom and Campy started their journey to Madison, WI on Monday morning with a long drive to Indianapolis. They spent the night and then finished the drive on Tues. With traffic and a few stops, it was a long two days of traveling. The house was pretty quiet for me for a day and a half but I kept myself busy with a few light workouts and work until I left for the airport on Tues afternoon. My athlete and friend Thomas and I flew from Greenville to Detroit to Madison on Tues evening and all went smoothly. Since Karel had our bikes and all my race stuff, I traveled pretty light with only a backpack.

To be honest, the week was a little stressful to start because of all the flooding in Madison and the great possibility of a cancelled swim and the unknowns of the bike and run course. Thankfully, the Ironman staff went above and beyond and the course is on for the entire 140.6 mile distance. Sure, anything can change between now and race day but the weather is looking good for an amazing day of swimbikerun come Sunday.

Our homestay and friend Ed picked Thomas and I up at the airport on Tues evening around 8:30pm and it was nice to reunite with Karel and Campy when we arrive to his home. With all the chatter about the weather/rain in Madison, all it took was a drive through downtown - in route to Ed's house in Fitchburg - to remind me why this race is so special. No matter what happens on race day, Madison knows how to put on a top-notch Ironman event. This will be my 3rd time racing IMWI and although it's a challenging bike/run course combo, the crowds are unbelievable!

Campy has been on squirrel (and rabbit and chipmunk duty) since he arrived and he is loving looking out the windows for any intruders.

Ed made us the most amazing pumpkin waffles on Wed after our wet run. YUM!

After a good night of sleep on Tues evening (the one-hour time change wasn't too hard to get use to!) we woke up to a very rainy day. This was expected according to the weather channels so we adjusted our planned training and instead of riding a loop of the bike course we went out for a morning run and finished the day with a late afternoon swim at Pinnacle Fitness.

Run workout (mostly on a bike/run path):
~15 min warm-up w/ walking to reset form and to control breathing
MS: 3 x 6 min build by 2 min to strong w/ 90 sec walk/rest between
~10 min smooth form focused running

Swim workout:
600 warm-up
Pre set:
200,175,150,125,100,75,50,25 w/ snorkel and buoy
MS: 2x's
2 x 100's build to strong w/ 15 sec rest
50 smooth
50 fast

Cool down: 100 EZ

Between the run and the swim workouts, we stocked up on groceries from HyVee and Karel's mom made us the most delicious vegetable and potato soup for dinner.

Because Karel is not racing, he is able to shuttle me around and also get in a few workouts of his own this week in route to his busy end-of-the-year race schedule with Augusta 70.3, Kona and IMFL all within about 8 weeks.

This morning we drove to Verona to bike one loop of the course. I really enjoyed being on my new Ventum and seeing the Wisconsin landscape of cows, farms and fields. Several of the roads have been paved (and others are still super bumpy) which was really nice. The course is challenging but it's also a lot of fun because it's constantly changing - up and down, left and right. It reminds me a lot of Greenville so it's not far from what we train on on a daily basis.

After the bike we drove back to Ed's house and had some lunch and then ventured to downtown Madison for the athlete briefing and check-in. Although this is my 14th time going through the athlete check-in procedure, I still get excited as if I am a first timer. I always go to the athlete briefing as you never know what updated or race-specific information will be provided. In the case of IMWI, a lot has changed such as the new bike course (first and last 3-miles) and the new swim course and rolling start (instead of waves). Also, IMWI has indoor transitions so it's also worth scoping out the layout before race day.

It was also fun to run into so many Trimarnis this morning. We have 13 athletes racing! 

While it seemed like a busy last two days, it has actually been rather smooth and relaxing. I have stressed myself out in the past by trying to do too much in one day and leave little time to myself to rest so I have tried to do a better job of this before my races.

Thanks for following along!

Ironman Austria - Race week part 1

Now that the stress of traveling is behind us, it's time to do a little catching up on the fun that we have been having here in Europe. Despite all the obstacles that we go through to get here, I really do love being here.....and here's why....... 

Karel gets to spend time with his family. 

The only time you'll find me at a McD's is in Europe. A delicious cappuccino. 

Airbnb on the top of the mountain. Could this be any more quaint? 

Spending quality time with my athletes/friends while enjoying meals outside in nature. 

Bright bikes and exceptionally made Alto Wheels making an appearance in Klagenfurt. 

Riding one loop of the Ironman Austria bike course on Wednesday. We managed to miss the rain and the temps were near perfect - not hot, not too cool. 

Endless views for 110-112 miles (2 loops). 

I love riding through the many small towns during the bike portion. 

Bike-friendly roads. I always feel safe riding here in Klagenfurt (even when semi-trucks are passing us).

The hills are alive! 

The amazing views never end!

Making memories with Justine, Kelly Fillnow and Natalie. 

Saying hello to my farm animal friends. 

More furry friends! 

The Ironman race staff do a great job of keeping us on the bike route as the entire course is marked. 

Panoramic views with every mile. 

Making memories with my life-long teammate. 

Seriously....even on a rainy/cloudy day the views are exceptional! 

Amazing road conditions. 

Riding on a fast but hilly bike course.

I can't get enough of this jaw-dropping views!

Non-stop smiles. 

Delicious home-cooked meals thanks to Karel's mom. Spinach stuffed crepes, boiled potatoes and the most delicious hardboiled eggs.

Making more friends outside of our rental home in the mountains. 

Freshly made desserts - rice cake and apricot cake. Two of Karel's favorites. 

All stocked with food!

Heading to the race venue. 

Slots for Kona (not confirmed). 

Heading out for a run on the run course. 

Running in the rain!

Lake Wörthersee - love this lake! 

The birds love the lake.


All smiles before a dip in the water. 

All checked in!

The best-tasting soup made with fresh vegetables. 

IM Kona Race Week - Mistake #4

RACING WITH A SPREADSHEET

Racing an Ironman triathlon is dynamic as there are so many variables that affect your performance. Some are within your control and others are out of your control. No matter how hard you trained, you will never feel fully prepared for everything that happens on race day. And in Kona, the unpredictable nature of the wind and heat make for an intimidating racing experience.

Going into the race with expectations and assumptions of how the day will go is just fine if that approach brings you confidence and excitement. But remind yourself that a great race day performance requires flexibility and adaptability.

With a spreadsheet, metric-obsessed mindset, it's easy to fail to reach athletic excellence on race day. Although it's the approach of many athletes, you can't go into an Ironman and expect your body to go on auto cruise for 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of cycling and 26.2 miles of running by trying to hit certain paces/watts/speeds for 140.6 miles. The body wasn't designed to function like this. Additionally, from a physiological perspective, you can not hold the same effort, watts or pace for 140.6 miles - if you can, you are likely underperforming. To perform at your potential, you have to adjust as you go, through the high and low moments, hot, very hot, windy and very windy moments and by listening to your body as it relates to energy, fuel, hydration and mental focus. 

The goal of any Ironman athlete is to be great at not slowing down. In an effort to be great at not slowing down, you have to be constantly in-tune with your body signals. For many athletes, metrics are used to control a given output to avoid under/over racing. But a metric focused, spreadsheet approached racing plan typically hinders performance because it's very difficult to take care of yourself in the moment, when the mind is obsessed about hitting (or not hitting) a certain number. And when you can't follow your spreadsheet, you feel defeated.

As an athlete, you need to put all of your attention and focus into the present moment. A spreadsheet does not help you control everything that you will experience on race day. 

In any competitive situation (like the Ironman World Championship), a spreadsheet doesn't let you "race". When your brain gets caught up in non-constructive thinking (ex. thinking about the swim when you are on the bike or the bike when you are on the run) or if you start thinking that you are not meeting your expectations of what you think you should be doing, this mental chatter in your head can make it difficult to maintain focus and perspective. As an example, if you exit the water in Kona and see a time slower than what you anticipated, you may tell yourself that you are having a bad race. Same goes for the bike - if it's windy and you see a speed that is slower than what you have ever done before, you will struggle to stay focused with self-defeating thoughts.

It's important to make good decisions in the moment on race day - a spreadsheet can not do this for you. As an Ironman athlete, you must remain alert, focused and present, while constantly listening to your body and taking care of yourself. Because most athletes will struggle to meet metric goals on race day in Kona due to the unpredictable nature of the island, you may find yourself with great anxiety frustration and a sense of failure if you have a pacing and nutrition plan that you just can't keep up with on race day. 

I encourage you to go into the Ironman World Championship with a nutrition and pacing plan that reflects what is familiar to you and what you trained your body to do on race day. However, with this plan comes the understanding that you may need to adjust. You must adapt, stay processed-driven and focused throughout the entire race. If you can do this, you will find yourself having the best race performance possible by your body based on how well you managed what you were given on race day. 

IMWI - Day 1 and 2

We are looking at perfect conditions on race day. However, during our ride it was warm but nothing we were use to living in the South. Race day should be at least 15 degrees cooler and hopefully the winds will not be as gusty as they were when we were riding. The winds were so strong, even Karel was getting blown around. 

We find it so helpful to not only wake up the legs with a "long"-er workout on the 4 days out from race day but to also put our bodies in real world conditions before the race. Knowing the course is extremely important when it comes to pacing but also for knowing what gear to use for race day. 

Since I have raced IMWI and Karel has been on the course, we know there is very little time to settle into a rhythm on this challenging course (which I believe is the hardest course I have raced in 8 Ironman races ) which has a little of everything that can make for a tough bike ride - hills, bumps, winds, climbs, turns. 

We will be wearing our GIRO helmets (and not the standard "aero" helmets) because our bodies do a lot of moving on this course. We will not be aero through the entire race and unlikely that there will be more than 20 minutes of the race that we will not be sitting up or out of the saddle. Also, as for wheels, the "best" race wheels for race day is determined by the course and the rider. A disc wheel does not benefit me as a light, small rider who can not ride at top speeds (21-22+ mph) on these courses. Also, I tried Karel's deeper dish wheels in training and I found them much harder for me to climb with them as they were a bit heavier than the wheels I typical use as my race wheels. Climbing requires a light bike and this is why you do not see Tour riders using dish wheels during the climbs. Therefore, when it comes to selecting gear for your races, it is much more important to think about what is fast in your race day environment than on a flat course or wind tunnel. 

The IMWI course will have wind and it is incredibly hilly, with much more climbing than descending. Therefore, the right helmet and wheel selection is critical. 

                           

With 3 bottles (for each of us) and INFINIT nutrition in each of those bottles, we set out for 1 loop of the race course (lollipop like course with ~91 turns total in the entire 112 mile ride) leaving from our homestay (which is a few miles from the race course). 

It was warm and windy but we were really happy to be on our bikes and to check out the course. 

Not only from a mental standpoint is it good to see/be on the course but it is also good to check out a course ahead of time to be prepared. 

We know that the IM crew will do their best to clean-up the course before the race but we encountered a few obstacles while we were riding and gravel on the roads was the easy part. 

Practicing my cyclocross. 

The course was marked with orange arrows but Karel also had the course programmed in his Garmin 810 Edge bike computer from Map My Ride (but we always seem to have a course downloaded that doesn't always match correctly). 

Well, this picture (above) pretty much sums up what it feels like to ride on the IMWI course. 

And this picture (above) pretty much sums up what it looks like when riding on the IMWI course (insert smells as well - love farm life!) 

And yes, I will talk to my animal friends on race day and will moo and neigh. 

That's just what I do. :)

In 3 hours, we covered around 51 miles with just a few steady efforts. We had an elevation gain of 2800 and for every climb you get very little downhill to recover. It's kinda like you are in between gears the entire ride with no good time to get your rhythm. Oh, and the course is bumpy so secure water bottle cages and the right tire selection/pressure is key.
For anyone racing, my Trimarni tip is DO NOT fall behind on your nutrition on challenging courses. Start early and be consistent. Repeat in your head "The bike portion is where I have to fuel for the run!"

So if you like challenging courses like us, IMWI is YOUR course. 

Here are a few more pics. I would have taken more while riding but it was SUPER windy (I think I mentioned that already :) 

After we arrived back home (around 6pm) we cleaned up, had a whey protein recovery drink (mixed with water/skim milk) and had dinner with our homestay family and their friends. Veggie lasagna, salad, local bread. Yum!
Then it was early to bed for us around 9:30pm - we were tired! 

With no alarm set for Friday morning and a dark basement room to ensure a solid night of rest, we woke up around 7am. Glorious! 

After a pre-workout snack (waffles w/ PB and Jam and fruit for Karel and rice cake w/ PB and bananas for me) we headed to the swim start to meet up with a Trimarni follower/friend Kayla around 9:10am for a great 1 mile swim in the open water. 

The water felt great but since it was rather warm out, it was a bit hot in the wetsuits. But since it is suppose to drop in temps over the next 48 hours, the water should be perfect for race day - not too cold, not too hot. And unlike Thurs am when we drove by the lake, the water was not choppy which made Karel happy. 

I decided to wear my tinted goggles even though it was cloudy. 

Yay! I met so many Trimarni followers on Fri morning - thank you for saying hi!! 

Love our Vector Pro Xterra wetsuits!

My happy place.
Karel get happy when he exits the swim. 

After our swim we headed to the athlete briefing which we never miss as we always want to hear of any last minute details or changes. Three important questions I had 1) Do we need to wear bib numbers on bike? NO. 2) Where is Special Needs (SN) drop off on race day morning. BY STARBUCKS. (I will be using SN on the bike - for the first time and on the run). 3) Can we access transition bags on race day morning. YES

So many soon-to-be, first time Ironman finishers in this room! Can't wait to race with everyone!

We headed to registration and as AWA (All World Athletes) we were able to bypass the long line which was rather nice of Ironman. We also received special caps that we can use on race day if we choose and also we each got a ticket for a friend/family to attend the post race banquet for free. 

New swag to add to the Ironman collection. 

After registration, Ed (our homestay) picked us up and then we headed home around 12pm to eat a meal and then chillax for the rest of the afternoon.

110% Compression on and watching the Vuelta a España on the iPad thanks to DishWorldd!