Well, I officially had to punch in to work this morning. I left around 5:30. I came home, got a quick bite to eat, and went off for my bike ride. The main difference I noticed about riding in the evening verses the middle of the day???? The bugs.
I've never been fond of the little winged critters. Ask my parents! I made many a promise to make life miserable if they took me camping again! Lo and behold, I take up backpacking and move to Colorado. They're scratching their heads. But I have a little secret that they don't realize, Colorado doesn't have as many bugs as the midwest! We still have SOME bugs, just not as many. And apparently they like to come out at dusk and hang out on the bike path.
So school has started. Today and tomorrow we don't have kids, just meetings. Some of the meetings are boring, some are inspirational, some make you wonder how on earth someone thinks you're qualified to do everything they expect of you. The nice thing about my current school is that I really like some of the teachers I work with. I've worked at several schools now, and the staff at this one is by far the best.
One of the guys I work with also moonlights at a bike shop. How's that for good luck? My bike was missing a bar end and that could get me DQ'd in a race, so he told me to come in tonight. With some electrical tape, we were able to squeeze a bar end in. But then he looked at my chain...... "TURTLE!!!! When was the last time you lubed your chain??????" I buried my head in my whatever I could find. I knew it was bone dry when I left the house tonight. I could hear it as I pedaled to the bike shop. "Turtle!!!! Do you know what the tire pressure is in your tires????????" Nope, I just hopped on the bike and took off. Pretty standard for me lately...
With a fatherly smile and some head nods, he fixed up the bike, and boy! It really did ride better! Lesson here: Keep your chain lubed up and check the air pressure in your tires ladies and gentlemen! On a regular basis!!!!
Notice I haven't mentioned my half ironman this weekend........? I... I.... I'm... mmm..... a... little... scared....
TriTurtL, You are an Ironman!
After countless hours and miles of training, I did it! And I truly surprised myself. 15:09 and one of the biggest accomplishments of my life! Now what?
Just call me TriTurtL
Setting up my gear one early triathlon morning!
4 comments:
Don't be scared! You're going to do FANTASTIC! Just look at it as a learning experience and don't worry about anything other than your own body. You'll do wonderfully, I just know it!
Just remember that half iron distance is about survival, not about time. It is also a learning experience for the big one. Remember how you feel during the swim, in transistions, during the bike and during the run. See what works for you out on the course. How are you going to handle a banana on the run? What is coke going to taste like and do to you at mile 8 of the run?
Don't forget to eat and drink out on the course. Also, keep that HR in check during the first 1/4 of the bike, you will thank yourself in the last 1/4.
Good skill- you will do great!
PS: take the five minutes to check your bike's tires before you leave the house for crying out loud!
You'll do great this weekend - just do the race like any other training and control your intensity - especially on the bike.
Here's a link to my favorite race strategy:
http://www.cruciblefitness.com/etips/RaceDayBeginnersClinic.htm
Good luck and I'm looking forward to your race report
I'm personally fond of "denial". Sometimes, I pretend I'm not racing right up until the second I jump in the water.
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