Just Another Long Training Day with Catering...

Well, the day started with high hopes for a PR then quickly became a day of endurance and persevering.

The swim was brutal - I started halfway up the beach and entered the water feeling good. Surprisingly the water opened up and I was getting into a nice stroke - for about three strokes - then the pack just stopped as people sighted and waited for open water in front of them. This continued on until the first turn. I decided to move to the left of the bouys and swim inside them until the turn. I found more open water there but had to swim across a bunch of folks to get there. Then the turns were awful - everybody and their brother slowed down and then there are the clowns who have to swim over you. Lots of breast strokers with their frog kicks to the side - and into my side.

I made it to the beach after looking for the inside route of the bouys - first loop was 37:30 - I was hoping for around 34/35 but decided the mass start made me slower. A quick turn on the beach and I was off again. Looked for the inside line and made it to the first turn then the second turn back to the beach. Stole a quick look at my watch and saw 59 minutes - can I make it to the beach in 15 minutes? Sure would be nice. About halfway I paused to sight and got a little verticle - and vertigo. My head was spinning and I was severly dizzy. This happened to me at our CLear Lake training weekend 2 seasons ago. I was starting to have thoughts of dropping out.

I made it to the beach and tried to stand up. Looked at my watch and saw a 1:18 - 2 minutes faster than my Canada swims. But I was staggering - walking like a drunken fool. I saw Yun (he was one of the wetsuit strippers) and he got my suit off very fast. Dragged me up and sent me on my way.

Again, I staggered into the changing tent with my T1 bag. Found a end seat, sat down and started throwing up. Spent the next 20 minutes trying to recover from the dizziness and also throwing up. This poor kid who was volunteering didn't know what to do with me. Then I decided I'd try getting on the bike and see if I can keep from falling over. Saw Jeff, Michael and Christy on the way out - it's so great see friends on the course to offer support.

Started the ride and tried to keep the speed down and the cadence up. Saw several team mates on their way back from the first turn. Dana was moving at a vey good clip, heard Lori yell at me and saw Wass towards the turn around. Glenn passed me in the first few miles and was on his way. I was hoping I could catch up to Mike.

I was still feeling dizzy - I couldn't look down or to the side at all without feeling the world spinning around me. Finally caught Wass on the first long climb. He was looking strong as always. At about mile 28 I ate my PB/J sandwich and immediatley felt better. After tossing my early nutrition in the T1 tent, it felt good to get something in my stomach that would stay down.

My foot and Morton's neuroma was starting to bother me - to the point I needed to stop and massage it out. I found an aid station and looked for a shady spot to rub it out. Did I mention that it was about 100 degrees by now? The shady spot happened to be the med tent and the best news was they had some Vaseline. I had used, what I thought was plenty of butt butter but I was really chafing anytime I got into aero. I excused myself as I shoved a handful of the wonder jelly down my shorts. I turned to the woman volunteer and said "The boys thank you". She replied that the girls thank her also. I'm not sure she caught my reference.

On my way into town I saw Dana heading out to the overpass. She was at least an 1.5 hours in front of me. Made it to the turn around and saw Scott McAvoy from las year's team and also the good doctor - Steve. Steve was having tire troubles with 4 flats. The disadvantge to using tubular tires is that there's not too many others using them so if you run out of spares you're sorta hosed. I had an extra tubular so we rode together out of the bike special needs. It was really nice to have someone to talk with on the road. We road side by side for quite awhile and I thought we were sure to get a penalty. But the marshalls were generous and we didn't get penalized.

The second loop was feeling better as the dizziness and spinning was gone. But the heat was unbearable bouncing off the black asphalt. The hills were no worse than what we ride on at home but they felt like Old La Honda. Steve and I stopped at another aid station to let me rub my foot again. They gave us some wet towels to put on our heads to help cool us down. I looked on the ground and saw what I thought was part of a bike shoe cleat. I was thinking some poor soul lost their cleat. Then I realized it was the click part of my bike shoe that holds the strap on. Crap! I thought I was going to have to duct tape my shoe closed. Thankfully Steve saw that the screw was intact and I was able to re-fasten it. I also took the metasarsal pad out of my shoe and had no more foot problems at all. At least not from the neuroma.

Steve's gut was starting to shut down and he dropped further back. I lost sight of him at the dog track loop. Turns out he decided to drop out and not finish - a wise decision based on his condition.

Finally caught Wass who said his feet were burning and he couldn't push down on the pedals without pain. As I said earlier - it was a day of high hopes turned into challenging perserverance.

Finally made it back to T2 and got my run stuff ready. Stopped by the ART guy and had to wait about 5 minutes before he could work on my hamstrings. Headed out on the run and saw Mike Booth. We ran for a bit and talked about how tough the day was then he took off. I wanted to do a 4 minute run then a 1 minute walk. That 1 minute walk went by very fast. I kept this up through town and saw Dana in her street clothes - damn, I thought- she must have had an awesome race but then quickly found she had to drop out on the bike due to some severe gut issues. Another hard but wise decision. She and Mike Pickels ran with me for a few minutes then headed back to their post. I can't say enought about having friends on the course for support.

On the way back into town I saw Lori - she was having an awesome day. As I was heading in to start my second loop she was heading into the finishers chute. What a strong athlete she is.

Karen Rock was also in the group of parents and friends and while it was wonderful to hear her cheering support - I knew thne that she must have dropped out also. Seems the heat got several people who made a very smart choice in dropping out and not injuring themselves. I knew she was crushed after training all year for her IM only to have to drop out. But she made the right choice as did the others. Sometimes perseverance means making the tough choices and coming back to tackle the course again.

By this time I wasn't eating much at all. I was really looking forwad to my special needs bag and the gummy bears. As I was heading into special needs for the turn there was a newswoman from the local station doing a live report with her cameraman. I stopped and stood next to her and did my own race report - "Here live at IM CDA, the triathletes are battling the heat but still moving forward to hear those words at the finish You are an Ironman! - back to you at the station George". The newswoamn laughed and said at least I still have my sense of humor. The camera man just kinda looked bored.

By now there was no more running in me at all. So I remembered what Mike Booth said and started "Walking with a purpose". I even passed a few "runners" who were just shuffling along. My Ironman marathons are becoming just a long walk. I walked from mile 14 on. Every other aid station I would get ice and put it into my shorts just above my knees. This helped to ease the pain and the cramping and I'm sure was amusing to the volunteers.

My hopes of finishing before dark soon changed to hopes of finishing before midnight. It was pretty dark and lonely on the way back. Until I got into town - there was our Iron crew waiting. They all came out and ran with me down the finishers chute. I wanted them all to be in my finisher photo but they declined. So I got a few of them to join me in the post finisher's photo.

What a day. What a journey and it just keeps getting better. Or I just keep getting more and more senile.

Ready or not...

tomorrow's still gonna happen. I stoppd by the Active Release Techniques tent yesterday and today. The guiys there worked on my knee for a bit and seem to think it's more of muscle tightness than a knee issue. Let's hope that's all it is.

Drove the course with the 'rents and Steve today. Looks a bit hillier than we expected. Not as long of climbs as Canada and nothing like what we've done at home.

Got back via the Walgreens for H20 and some razors. I've been told to shave before race day.

Gotta go get me a latte for the morning (keep it in the fridge in the room and zap it at 4 am). Then off to an early dinner with the group.

Omigosh - Ironman CDA is here and is gonna happen whether I'm ready or not. And I don't think I'm ready. I tweaked my left knee at our Clear Lake training weekend and it's been feeling tight and a little painful ever since. I haven't done more than 4 miles running since then. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit more than concerned, well, maybe even scared.

I hear my team mates telling me I'm ready and will do fine and I have a solid base, etc. - but I won't know how I feel until Sunday morning.

The trip up here was great - beautiful scenery, fun with the Booths, a nice night in Bend with a good dinner. The area here is just gorgeous - clear skies, fresh air, lots of trees.

We'll be heading down to the swim start to do a short swim/run then hit registration and the swag tent.

Tomorrow we'll drive the bike course and check out the hills. Temps are in the high 70's low 80's - race day predicted to be in the 90's. But hey - at least there's no rain in the forecast.