'23 XTRI Canadaman Race Recap - 26 mile run/hike, 4500 feet

 

26 mile run, 4545 feet – 6:00.00

• New Balance Fuel Cell Shoes
• HOKA trail shoes
• Women's Distance Carbon Z Trekking/Running Poles (105 cm)
• Naked Running Band
• Naked Running Vest
• Camelback
• Nathan hard flasks (10 ounce)
• Naked running soft flasks (17 ounce)
• 100% gloves
• Roka sunglasses
• Cooling towel
• Marmot Women's GORE-TEX® Minimalist Pro Jacket
• Nutrition: NeverSecond C30, NeverSecond Gel, Powerbar chews, Skratch Orange, Gu Aminos, Pretzles, Coke, water

Mile 1-3.7 – 219 feet, 9:51 min/mile
Woods and gravel

As I left the transition area, I was looking forward to the first off-road section. I assumed it was all gravel but first I had to make my way through the woods. There was barely a path in the woods. The ground had a lot of roots to run over. It was actually a lot of fun but it required a lot of work to get through. The course was really well marked with pink flags at every turn and keeping us on the path. Once I got through the woods, I was looking forward to getting on the gravel. Only to see a super steep hill. I walked up the hill as it was very steep and I wasn’t even a mile into the race. The gravel was also very rocky and loose. Once I got to the top, I was looking forward to finally running but I found myself shuffling my legs down the steep, switchbacks lined with loose rocky gravel. Finally after almost a mile and a half, I was able to settle into a normal running rhythm on packed gravel. The next 2 miles went by pretty quickly as it was a straight gravel road (net decline) and I could see Karel and the parked car in the far distance. He ran over to me asking if I needed anything and I told him I was good and he could drive ahead for a mile and recheck there. Our plan was for him to leap frog me in the car and to drive ahead each mile on the road and also before/after each gravel section. I was sipping my sport drink flask along with water. It was humid and a little water (low 70s) so I was glad I had my cooling towel on. Karel would wet it every now and then it helped tremendously.

Mile 3.7-10.5 – 138 feet, 8:41 min/mile
Road
Although my trail shoes would have been helpful in the previous section, I was happy to have my road shoes on for this road section. Looking back, I would have made the same decision to keep my road shoes on until mile 18. This section was all road, slight decline with a few long uphills. The nice thing was that there was tailwind and it was fun to see the other athletes riding on the other side of the road. I had one quick potty stop in the woods (normal BM) but no nutritional issues. I was dealing with some side stiches in this section – likely from being crunched in the aero position in the last 10 miles and also navigating through the woody/gravely section before the road. Karel was strategic with where he parked the car and I would continue running, only grabbing what I needed. I had all my flasks filled so Karel only had to hand me things. I had a few sips of coke throughout this section and continued to sip on my sport drink and water. I thought I was going to feel more tired (sleepy) but I think taking 3 Gu Aminos every hour on the bike and then a few throughout the run helped my brain stay focused. This part of the marathon was the only section that felt similar to a stand alone Ironman. I was a little nervous about the next off-road section as it was the longest section that I would be without Karel. At mile 10.5, before turn on to the gravel road and saying good bye to Karel until mile 15, I took off my Naked Running band and put on the Naked Running Vest with 2 x 17 ounce flasks (one sport drink and one water). I also had a few chews and a gel with me if I needed it. I found myself only wanting liquid calories. It was also really nice to see my friend Mary along the course and also to see Trimarni team member Jeannie on the bike as she was riding strong in the headwind. 

Mile 10.5-15 – 516 feet, 11:19 min/mile
Gravel, grass, field
This section was very pretty. There were times when I was in a wide open field, sometimes running by a creek. Other times, running on a tractor-groomed grass trail with trees hanging over me. These 5 miles had everything. There were two big hills (a 1.5 mile gradual rolling climb to start and then another mile climb near the end which was up and down) but otherwise it was fairly flat. I was surprised to see an aid station before the grass/field section but it was welcomed as I was by myself and had only been passed by one guy since I started running (on the road). I walked, shuffled and ran the 4.5 miles and I was really looking forward to seeing Karel and knowing that I only had ~2.5 more road miles until the trail started. The funny part in this section was a volunteer at the aid station telling me (first in French until I asked in English) that the bridge looks broke but a man fixed it so it’s safe to go over and I don’t have to run through the creek. I laughed as I was carefully running over the wooden bridge. I never thought about what mile I was on or how many more miles I had but instead, just focused on each segment (off-road, road or trail). Although my legs were starting to really struggle by mile 15 (~2:25 of running), I worked through all my niggles/side stiches and I felt like my form was much better and it was a lot easier to run (minus my quads screaming at me).

Mile 15-17.6 – 174 feet, 10:28 min/mile
Road
This 2.6 mile road section was hilly. I had Karel load me up with two fresh soft flasks and I didn’t need him much throughout. It was actually better for him to keep driving so that I could keep my rhythm and just make it to the trail section. Although my legs were hurting, I feel like these miles went by the fastest (mentally). 

Mile 17.6-20.3 - 572 feet, 19:35 min/mile
Hiking Trail
Across the street from the trail entrance, I changed into my trail shoes, put on a visor (less warm than the hat), wet my cooling towel and got two filled flasks (one sport drink and one water). I had a gel and chews with me. I wasn’t allowed to sit in the car (per the rules). I was really looking forward to tackling this section knowing that in a few miles, Karel and I would be finishing the race together. This section was very hard. It was muddy, slippery and very technical. The rocks were loose and big and there was a lot of climbing. I tried to run when I could but most of it was shuffling. I was passed by a group of guys near the end which was nice to have some company. The trail was very beautiful and I tried to put myself in a place of going for a hike and just enjoying the scenery (while still “racing”). I had given Karel my phone as I didn’t want to carry anything extra but maybe it was good that I didn’t have it because I would have been tempted to take pictures of the creek. I picked up two small rocks for my dad (I like to collect rocks from places I visit and put them on his grave site). Finally, after almost 50 minutes (and ~2.5 miles later), I saw Karel standing outside of the woods. We shuffled to the aid station which was right before the actual trail up to the observatory. All I had left was ~5 miles and over 2500 feet of climbing. 

Mile 20.3-26 – 2566 feet, 24:19 min/mile
Hiking trail
I put on my camelback (with skratch) but looking back (after running past two aid stations up the mountain), I would have kept with only two flasks and had Karel carry a bit more and relied on the two aid stations for refilling. My quads were absolutely screaming at me (similar to the last few miles of an Ironman) but the difference here was that I had to climb up a mountain – over slippery roots and up and over big boulders. Karel was super supportive and he was really keeping me going. The first mile took me 20 minutes and then next mile was the hardest and it took me 30 minutes! These miles were never ending. The trails were really technical since it had rained so much earlier in the day but there were still several places where you could run. The backpack (and my tired body) made it hard to run but I tried to shuffle whenever I could. We were stuck behind the group of 4 guys (who were chatting) and while it was nice to have some company, once we passed them, I really started to pick up the pace. Perhaps that took up some time. The hiking poles really helped me get up and down the big rocks as I was using them for stability and also to help my tired legs move forward. I wore light gloves to help protect my hands in the case of a fall and to hold on to trees. Karel sprayed bug spray on me before the previous section. The air was warm/humid and it was cloudy so we couldn’t see any of the views. Karel was somewhat familiar with the course as he ran it all the day prior so he was helping me stay focused. I was passed by a few speedy male runners and kept looking over my shoulder wondering if the 2^nd place girl was getting close. Although I had a 30-minute lead, I was still worried. Although I was running (well shuffling/walking) as fast I could, with less than a mile in the race, I was passed by a female. It really hurt me mentally and I felt so defeated. I had led the race for over 13 hours and with less than 20 minutes to go, I moved into 2^nd. Karel was helpful as my mind was just as tired as my body and we kept on fighting. 

Even though it was nice to have Karel’s company, we didn’t do much talking. It took me over 2 hours to climb this final section and I could feel it. When we got out of the woods/trail and on to the road, it was so foggy I couldn’t see the finish. I kept asking Karel “where is it??” and he would say “it’s right there.” I power walked my way up the hill until I could finally see the finish and started shuffling/running. I finally crossed the finish line and couldn’t wait to sit down and collapse after 13.5 hours of racing. I ended up being the 2^nd female and 8^th overall. Missing the overall win by 5 minutes.

I was interviewed by some of the media/staff and changed into some dry clothes (which we brought with us in Karel’s hydration pack). I couldn’t believe what I had just accomplished – it was harder than I imagined. We waited until the 3^rd place female finished and took a podium picture. We then waited for our friends Russ and Mary to finish. We then boarded a bus to take us down the mountain to get to our car. And just like that, my first XTRI event and 20^th Ironman was complete.

This was the finish of the race - the ASTRO Lab of Mont-Megantic. Karel took this picture on Saturday. Sunday (race day) was very cloudy. 

Total: 13.37.59, 8^th overall, 2^nd overall female, 2^nd age group (40-44)

We arrived back to our Airbnb around 8pm. It was a long day after leaving the house at 3am. Karel unloaded the car with all the stuff that he collected throughout the day. As part of his crew responsibilities, he had to collect my swim gear in T1 and all my bike gear (and bike) in T2. I ate some leftover pizza with a glass of milk when I returned home and took a shower and then went to bed. I slept a little throughout the night but my legs were throbbing. Spending 6 hours on my feet for the run was tough. It was a similar soreness feel to an Ironman but I didn't have the empty feeling inside like I do after digging so deep in the Ironman run. Because of all the walking, steep uphills and downhills and terrain changes, it wasn't the same effort of an Ironman run. I was also really sore in my neck muscles. I felt a little down about not getting the overall win but I kept reminding myself of the achievement of finishing and doing something for the first time. I could not have done this without the support of Karel. This is one of the perks of XTRI - your family/friends can be very involved in the race. Karel said he was emotionally and physically exhausted as if he did the race because he was so invested in my race all day. He knew without his help, I couldn't finish but he also got to see me race up close all day. That's a very different feeling to a normal Ironman where family/friends can only see you a few times throughout the day. 

I got out of bed around 6am and shortly after, we started to pack up the house. I was moving very slow and it was very hard to walk downstairs. My quads were so sore, I had trouble making steps. I remember a similar feeling after 2017 Ironman Chattanooga. Around 11am, Karel packed up our bikes and we loaded the car and cleaned up the Airbnb to leave for the awards ceremony at 12pm. I loved our Airbnb - it was the perfect home away from home for our race-cation. 

The awards ceremony was mostly in French. I think they gave up translating into English 😄. We had some light food at the banquet before the awards were given out for the Solo Point Five and the Xtreme tri. We also watched a great recap video from the race. I received the most amazing gift......all things Maple! 

Maple butter, maple syrup, maple candy, maple water and a $500 gift card to a local bike shop. 

After the awards ceremony, we said good bye to Jeannie and our friends Mary and Russ and we made our way to Montreal to the airport hotel (Marriott - I used points from this credit card and booked via the hotel portal on the CC website and got a great deal - the room was just over $125 when normally it is over $350!). I was hoping to be at the hotel around 5pm but after a very long drive to Montreal (over 3.5 hours), we decided to stop for dinner in downtown Montreal at a vegan restaurant (Archway) that I found while driving. It was nice to stretch the legs and get some fresh air. I really wanted a veggie burger with fries but this place didn't offer it so we both went for the mushroom "steak." It was super flavorful! 

We arrived to the airport hotel around 7pm. Checked in, unloaded all our stuff in the room, returned the rental car and walked back to the hotel. The reason for booking the airport hotel was our 6am flight on Tuesday (July 4th) morning. The hotel was attached to the airport so it was worth the convenience after getting up at 3:15am to check in at 3:30am (you go through customs in Montreal to get back to the US so always plan for extra time). The flights to JFK and then to GSP went smoothly and we were back home by 1:30pm. 

We flew in Karel's mom (from Czech) in early June and she will be staying with us until mid September (89 days - she can only stay 90 days on her Visa). She is taking care of our furry crew when we travel this summer. Plus, she's great to have around :)

If you'd like to listen to my entire race recap, you can check it out here.

'23 XTRI Canadaman Race Recap - 111 mile, 9000 feet bike

 

Photo: Triathlon Canada

111 mile bike, 8993 feet elevation gain – 6:33.10 (6:21.03 riding time, 17.5 miles), fastest female, 6^th fastest overall

• Ventum One w/ Podium 90 rear and Podium 60 front Boyd Wheels
• Gearing: Front 39/53. Rear 11-32
• Tubeless: Continental Grand Prix 5000 S TR 700x25
• Giro Helmet
• Bont Cycling Shoes
• Nutrition: 3 x 26 ounce of 360 calories Infinit Fructose, 2 x 26 ounce of 360 calories Neversecond c30 Berry. 1 Never Second bar, 1 bag Powerbar chews, a few sips of coke, 1 bottle water.

I had the course downloaded in my Garmin Edge computer and I knew every mile of the course from our recon the previous days but the course was still very well marked and there were plenty of volunteers at the intersections. There were also kilometer markers every 5K. I was very impressed with all the signage on the course and around the venue. Some of the roads were very smooth and well-maintained but overall, the roads were semi to very rough. 

 

Mile 0-9 (16.5 mph, ~1000 feet)
Pouring rain and very hilly. The climbs were between 1-2 miles and the grades were around 11-14%. The hills were long and steep and the downhills were steep and fast. I focused on heavy feet and light hands as I was descending in the rain. It was hard to see because of the strong rain. I kept my shield on my helmet (magnet) until the rain stopped. My legs felt good and I was passing several athletes from the half distance (they started at 4:45am and their course started the same as the xtreme but had a turn around mile 25ish). 

Mile 9-28 (21.6 mph, ~310 feet)
The rain was still coming down hard but this section was fairly flat. I was able to settle into a good rhythm and I focused on riding strong to cover this section as fast as I could. I was looking forward to seeing Karel around mile 28 as he was waiting for me at aid station 1 to hand me another  bottle. I had finished my first bottle between the aero bars by the time I got to Karel and tossed the bottle and grabbed my next one.

Mile 28-62 (17.7 mph, ~2266 feet)
Karel and I rode this segment on Thursday and as I approached it on race day, I felt like this was going to be a long segment. While it took me almost 2 hours, it was actually one of my favorite sections of the entire course. Once again, the hills were steep and long and the downhills were fast but the rain had started to stop. I really enjoyed the scenery of farms and riding through the small towns (each with a beautiful church). The roads were really quiet and I never thought about the fact that I was racing the bike starting at 5:30am. By the time I reached Karel at the next aid station (mile 62) it wasn’t even 9am.
Once the rain stopped, the wind started to get stronger. We had a bit of headwind and sidewind but I felt like I was able to stay in control and ride strong. My legs still felt great and I was in a great headspace. Even though I hadn’t seen another rider since ~mile 20ish, I still felt like I was racing. I would check in with my metrics every now and then but I was more focused on riding well and keeping up with my nutrition. Around mile 50 there was a very steep and long (~1.5 mile) climb with a super fast and bumpy downhill (I lost a bottle on the downhill). Between mile 50 and 62 I started to chew on my Never Second Bar. I also took 3 chews every hour. I sipped my sport drink every 15 minutes (4-5 gulps).

Karel stepped out in the middle of the road to let me know where he was at each aid station. This  made our stops/hand-offs very efficient. He did a great job navigating the side roads (driving) to get to each aid station. He had all of my nutrition ready and I got off my bike at this stop to stretch and have a few sips of coke from a bottle. Karel refilled my hydration system on my Ventum with sport drink and I opted for a bottle of water between my aero bars as it was started to get a bit warm and I also wanted to sip on it to digest the bar that I was chewing on.

Mile 62-85 (17mph, 2083 feet)
This section was hard. I was passed by one guy and it was really nice to see another athlete on the course. At this point I was the 3^rd athlete on the course and I had a lead of over 20 minutes on the next female. One of the race favorites (Lynn B, a previous Olympian) got off course and she eventually DNF. Once I got back to the area by the lake, it was time to tackle those 8 miles of long hills once more. Then it was more long hills (most of which were over 12% grade and over .5-1 mile) to get to the town of Val-Racine. Although this was a tough section, I was still feeling good. I didn’t have any low moments and I felt like I was riding really well. I was also really enjoying the bike. I made sure to say hi to all the cows. I felt like I could hold good power up the hills and I was taking advantage of each downhill. There was a gravel section (~10 yards) in the road (road work) and a wooden bridge to cross before getting to the town to see Karel and I was a little nervous about a flat tire but all was good. I wasn’t planning to stop when I saw Karel at this aid station but I opted to stop and fill up my hydration system (instead of doing it as I was riding) and get another bottle of water.

Mile 85-101 (19.3 mph, ~991 feet)
This section went by where we were staying and I knew I was nearing the final stretch. I wanted to get as much of a gap as I could to the 2^nd place girl so I pushed this section. There was a lot of wind but I was feeling confident with my skills. It was only in the upper 60s (temp) but it was humid and I was feeling warm. I was prioritizing my liquid calories and taking a few sips of water to wash down pieces of bar or chews. I felt like I was doing a good job with my nutrition as I had peed a few times (on the bike) and I hadn’t had any low moments. It was cool to see the solo point five (half distance) athletes running on the road as I was biking. I was getting cheers from a lot of the runners. When I saw Karel at the final aid station, I tossed my water bottle and didn’t grab anything from him. I didn't want any extra weight going up the final climb. It really helped to look forward to each aid station to see Karel and he did such a great job “feeding” me.

Mile 101-111 (13 mph, ~1197 feet)
This section was very tough. Straight headwind and it was getting stronger as I got closer to the final climb and transition area. I tried to stay as aero as I could, which was tough as all I wanted to do was sit up and stretch. The nice thing was seeing some of the run course (miles 3-10) and knowing that I would have tailwind for this section. I was really happy that even with this strong wind, I didn’t have any low moments and I was feeling energized and strong (just moving slow through the wind). Throughout the entire race I kept getting cheers from other support crews and the support really helped in this final stretch. This was the only stretch of road on the course where the support crew was allowed to drive on the same stretch of road that the athletes were biking on. I saw the sign to New Hampshire (4K) and knew I was close to the final climb. The last climb was so hard. Over 18% and almost a mile in strong headwind. I knew I wouldn’t gain anything by going hard up the climb so I tried to take it easy as I slowly pedaled my way up the climb. Karel was there cheering for me and since I was the 2^nd athlete nearing the transition (one guy ahead of me got a flat tire a few miles from the finish and he was changing it on the side of the road) I also had a small group of spectators giving me a cheer to get to the top.

The end of the bike was pretty spectacular. There’s a huge cross and it’s on the top of a hill and the wind was howling. Karel had all my stuff laid out in the white tent (I wish he took a picture, it was so organized!). I changed into compression socks, changed out of my kit and into tri shorts, a clean sports bra and a tank, put on a hat, grabbed my sunglasses and put on my Naked Running belt w/ 2 flasks. I also put on my cooling towel. Karel rubbed PR lotion on my legs as I was putting on my NB Fuel Cell Running shoes. I used the port-o-potty at the transition area before starting the run. The organizers did a great job with potties all over the bike course and also put signs out any place there was a public restroom for us (or the crew) to use. I was a little nervous and a lot excited to start the run.

If you'd like to listen to my entire race recap, you can check it out here.

2023 XTRI Canadaman - my 'extreme' training plan

 

Although most XTRI events have a similar distance to that of an Ironman distance triathlon (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run), the demands are much more extreme. Extreme triathlons are almost always hilly. and the terrain and weather conditions can be..... extreme. For example, the 112 mile bike course at Canadaman has almost 8,000 feet elevation gain and the run (which includes a lot of trail running and hiking) has almost 4,000 feet elevation gain. The water is predicted to be cold (in the 50s) when we start the swim at 4:30am and it may be very windy and a bit rainy throughout the day. 

My approach to preparing for Canadaman was not too different than what I would do for a standard Ironman. It takes a very strong, powerful, efficient and resilient athlete to complete an Ironman distance triathlon but for an extreme triathlon, I believe that you must be physically fit but also mentally strong and emotionally resilient. Since my training playground (Greenville, SC) is very hilly, all of my outdoor training requires strength. I feel this has helped me stay injury-free over the past 4 years and has contributed to success in the Ironman distance. I don't train to be fast, I train to be great at not slowing down (aka fatigue resistance). 

I started my season focusing on strength. One key weekly workout that I feel really helped was a 3-4 mile run to the Furman gym. An ECFIT heavy lifting session (~30-40 minutes) and then a 3-4 mile run home. I also did a lot of mountain biking and road biking this winter, which requires a lot of power and strength. I also incorporate group riding (road bike) into my weekly routine. Group rides force me to push at higher intensities than what I would do alone. 

The truth is that I didn't do any epic/extreme training sessions throughout the year. Instead, my focus was on consistency.  Although I coach myself and write my own workouts each week, I was able to stay extremely consistent with my vision/plan for training. I also know what my strengths and weaknesses are and I'm not afraid to prescribe myself workouts that I don't like (but know I need).

Since February, I've participated in 8 endurance events. 

• 2/25: Pleasant Ridge MTB - 5:52, 57.2 miles, 5942 feet elevation gain 
• 3/25: Whole Enchilada MTB - 5:24, 51.5 miles, 2398 elevation gain
• 4/1: Saluda Redbank Gravel - 6:07, 95.8 miles, 4928 feet elevation gain
• 4/30: 6 Gap Gravel - 7:24.01, 91 miles, 10,755 feet elevation gain 
• 5/6: Whitewater Off Road Triathlon - 2:44.56, ~4400 feet elevation gain 
  
• 5/20: Xterra Oak Mountain Triathlon - 3:31.17, ~2100 feet elevation gain 
• 6/4: IM 70.3 Blue Ridge - 5:02.17, ~3588 feet elevation gain
• 6/10: Belgium Waffle Ride NC - 10:30.59, 132 miles, 14692 feet elevation gain

Each of these events has provided me with training stress and racing experience. Since XTRI events are often held in extreme weather conditions, I've had a lot of experience racing in "bad weather." I can't tell you how many times this year I've raced in the cold and in the rain. Not only have I been able to work on my mental skills, but I've learned how to dress strategically for specific conditions. 

The other benefit of racing so much this year is being able to practice and fine-tune fueling strategies that I can use during XTRI. Knowing what, when and how much to fuel and hydration is critical in an extreme race, especially since these events are 100% self-supported. I must plan my nutrition and my crew (Karel) must provide it to me at designated spots. Racing for 5, 6, 7, 10+ hours has given me valuable insight on how to best fuel the day before, the morning of and during a long distance event. This just can't be replicated in training. 

Going back to consistency, despite racing 8 times, I was able to stay very consistent with training. I also focus a lot on frequency so that I am not a weekend warrior (my weekly swim, bike, run miles are spread over 3-4 workouts over 7 days, not just from megaworkouts). 

Monday is always an easy day (likely a swim or spin) and Friday is also an easier day after a hard morning masters swim. I usually run 4x a week, swim 4x week and bike 3-5x week.

Here's a snapshot at my training. Of note, this doesn't include time spent strength training and mobility. Also, my biking miles are a mix of road, gravel, mountain bike and 1 weekly trainer ride (usually around 60-90 minutes). I rode my tri bike 2 times before IM 70.3 Blue Ridge and once before Canadaman. This is because I've learned that my hips/back/glutes/neck is happier when I don't do long tri bike rides. Lastly, my "biggest" workouts were events (except my final prep weekend, which I'll get to below). I never ran more than 2 hours (except for my final prep weekend) and most of my "long" runs were ~1:40-1:50 but included specific intervals throughout the run. I run off the bike at least twice per week (sometimes 3 times). 

2/20: 18:27 weekly hours, 18025 yards (swim), 133 miles (bike), 9.51 miles (run)
2/27: 14:53 hours, 15400 yards, 114 miles (bike), 32.2 miles (run)
3/6: 18:52 hours, 15725 yards, 169 miles (bike), 26.7 miles (run)
3/13 (travel): 19:50 hours, 7700 yards, 208 miles (bike). 34.5 miles (run)
3/20: 18:23 hours, 19050 yards, 96.3 miles (bike), 29.8 miles (run)
3/27: 20:02 hours, 14300 yards, 196 miles (bike), 31.4 miles (run)
4/3: 18:16 hours, 14475 yards, 193 miles (bike), 29.4 miles (run)
4/10 (Trimarni camp): 16:54 hours, 16408 yards, 157 miles (bike), 25.3 miles (run)
4/17: 18:01 hours, 14936 yards, 165 miles (bike), 31 miles (run)
4/24: 20:52 hours, 15667 yards, 188 miles (bike), 22.2 miles (run)
5/1: 17:17 hours, 15154 yards, 99.7 miles (bike), 28.6 miles (run)
5/8: 18:24 hours, 16275 yards, 178 miles (bike), 31 miles (run)
5/15 (taper for Xterra Oak Mountain): 12:58 hours, 12770 yards, 16.5 miles (bike), 16.5 miles run)
5/22: 19:44 hours, 17958 yards, 200 miles (bike), 30.3 miles (run)
5/29 (taper for 70.3 VBR): 14:45 hours, 7795 yards, 158 miles (bike), 28.6 miles (run)
6/5: 21:59, 10750 yards, 168 miles (bike), 19.8 miles (run)
6/12 (final prep): 22:27 hours, 17074 yards, 196 miles (bike), 38.4 miles (run)
6/19: (start taper): 15:31 hours, 14950 yards, 140 miles (bike), 24.8 miles (run)

For my final prep, I did a dress rehearsal to practice in gear similar to race day and to test my nutrition on similar terrain The weekend workouts were: 
6/17: 5:19 bike, 85.8 miles, 7100 feet elevation gain
         + run off the bike, 59 minutes, 7.04 miles 
6/18: 3:25 trail run/hike (testing hydration packs and using hiking poles), 18.6 miles, ~2000 feet elevation gain

I'm feeling very healthy, strong and resilient and I am very proud of and thankful to my body for what it has allowed me to accomplish over the past 6 months.