Ironman Training - BIG training weekend

One of my biggest training weekends yet. I was kind of nervous going into it, but I made it!

Saturday: 14 mile run. HUMID! Felt pretty good considering, but with the heat I slowed it down a little bit. Didn't want to get too nutty before...

Sunday: Amelia Earhart CENTURY ride followed by short run! Atchison, KS

Okay this is what I was most nervous about. It had been years...7+ or maybe 9?...since I did the MS 150 ride, which included a century. I did that ride 3 times. It's a lot. It's tiring. I kept telling myself that I am in MUCH better shape than I was then. Yes that helped a little.

In the training rides building up to this, there has been a point where I really felt like the fatigue was trying to take me down. To the point where I feel like I want to cry...and I'm cranky.

But as the rides get longer, my perspective changes and that fatigue point gets pushed out. Last week when I did 80, at mile 72 I was in that mentally & physical zone of discomfort and crankiness. This week, it was at about mile 82. Then once I get to mile 95, I'm happy again because I'm almost finished. And when I'm finished, I'm practically jumping up and down in the parking lot with joy.

It's pushing through that wall of fatigue that is really hard. All I can do is keep it steady, maybe slow it down a bit and try to be mentally strong. But what I really feel like doing is crying. All I can think is to just keep going and take it one mile at a time at that point.

Final result (not including SAG stops) 5:58 ~ 16.7 mph

Hour 1 & 2: slow warmup + headwinds ~ 16.3 mph (33.25 miles)
Hour 3 & 4: feeling good + tailwinds ~ 17.4 mph (34.05 miles)
Hour 5: tail and crosswinds back into town...getting warm ~ 17.1 (17.84)
Hour 6: really tired + headwinds ~ 15.9 (14.87)

Highlights: it is really beautiful up north there. I really enjoyed the peaceful, green countryside. The course is great...some rolling hills but nothing killer. My bike is still getting lots of attention..."I like your bike", "that's a nice bike", "I want your bike". LOL. I'm loving it. Nice to eat and hang out with Chad, Carly, and Oliver after the ride.

Negatives: I HATE seeing roadkill.

To improve: stick with the relaxed first hour. Don't try to hammer it. Probably pushed it a little too much around mile 55-70 and maybe could have saved a little bit. Might still be overdoing it a bit on the nutrition...a little too much Perpetuem maybe. Don't want too much in my tummy.

Woot woot....now off to check in on my Ironman Couer d'Alene friends! They are doing the whole darn thing today!!!!