Finisher Vids

Some of you have your clips from the finish-line camera. I lost the link telling us where we could buy the custom CDA DVD with finisher clip (or maybe you could download your clip for a fee, something like that.) Can anyone tell me where we can get them? Thanks.

Here is mine...

Since we're showing vids...

Here's the video my "fan club" made for Coeur d'Alene. I can't believe how much work they put into it. After I watched it, I told them "how could I NOT finish an Ironman with people like this behind me?!" There are 2 featured athletes in the video: the fast one is my IronBrother Rich. The slow, sobbing one who always looks stressed out is me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7T3Ad6x2ec&fmt=18

Since were showing tat's..

Tac thought he would resurrect the now famous youtube video of Trimama and Kahuna Getting inked....

My CDA Tattoo

I figured I would share my Tattoo also. You are not alone Wedgie it hurt like hell on the calf!!!

My new tattoo

It REALLY hurt! Maybe I'm just a big baby, but wow. I had an easier time walking after Ironman than I did after getting the tattoo. There is some symbolism with the whale: while most people struggle to shave every extra gram from their bikes to make them as light as possible, I ride around with a killer whale squeaky horn. It's just part of my way of not taking triathlon TOO seriously. So although my tattoo may LOOK like a giant predator of the ocean, it's really just an adorable squeaky horn.

Getting Inked

12:35 I am lying on a table at the tattoo studio. The guy just made the first incision. I can't see what he's doing but I swear he's slicing the flesh from my bones.

12:47 The plastic pillow I am leaning on is drenched in sweat. As is the table.

12:54 When I arrived here, they offered me cookies but I passed, fearing they would be some sort of tofu crap. But I asked for cookies now. I told them "I think I'm earning cookies". Happily they brought over some Chips Ahoys but I fear I may be creating some sort of Pavlovian connection between pain and cookies.

Anti-social Ironman?

I realize I missed out on a lot of the great tri-blogger activities, but I think I have a good reason. On Friday, 3 friends from my tri-team surprised me by flying up to Idaho unannounced to support my race. I was incredibly moved by the gesture (I shed more than one tear throughout the weekend) and wound up spending the time with them. Still, it was great meeting you all at the Thursday dinner and seeing some of you along the course, both racing and cheering us on. Go Tri-Bloggers!

Withdrawls anyone?

Anyone going through workout withdrawls yet?

Nicole and walked with dog today and its clear to me that my body isn't quite ready. I can't wait to get back out there!!!

So what is everyone doing with there free time now?? I checked the CDA Lake temp today. The lake is at 64 degrees. Heating up....probably will be the last time I check :)

The After Party

The celebration after IMCDA was legen- wait for it - dary!

For those of you that left early, I've found a video clip that sums up the rest of the night. Just play it over and over, about 7-8 times per person. Then switch. :)

Those of you that were there, this will make you laugh so hard you'll fall off your chair. So don't watch it at work. hee hee hee

I love you all!!!!

Loop 1 on the bike

Duane, Pirate, 21CM, Benny, Nytro, Mr & Mrs. Fe-Lady
Shane
Curb Sherpa
Supa!
Krista
Tac

Bigun
Momo
Got salt?
Bold
Greyhound

Photo updating by Stronger

Nytro, Supalinds, Momo
Benny & Devin (he brought it!)
Getting ready...trying to get rid of the nerves
Beauty & the Beast
Me and my Momo
Di & Bigun

Bigun
Bigun & Tac on the walk to the water
That's a whole lotta swimmers
TriDogMom Krista out of the swim. I missed the photo of Shane ahead of her.
Daniel on his first IM swim exit

Greg headed to the changing tent (center)
Momo walking to the tent. Tacboy sitting on the ground in front of her.
Tac swings by for some big 5s
Momo heading out with Malibu Barbie
Bigun- get on the bike!

It's Here Good luck everyone!!!!!

You will all Sooooon Be a IRONMAN!!!!!

Thursday night dinner

Hi everyone!

Would anyone be interested in Capones Pub for dinner Thursday night? I attempted to find a place that has vegetarian options that were not the typical all pasta or salads. I'm not sure if this fits the bill for everyone because I realize that we probably range from vegan to "I don't eat red meat".

They have pizza, sandwhiches, salads, etc.

Here's a copy of their menu: http://www.caponespub.com/menu7_07.pdf

If this sounds like a good option, please post here and let me know how many people will attend. I'll make reservations (for parties >12).

I also need to know if 6pm works.

Honestly, I'm open to pretty much anything. I have kids that might be a little cranky and hungry, but I'll probably be even crankier and hungrier than they are!

Lemme know...

IM CdA Contact List

Last call if you want your name and number included in the IM CdA phone list. E-mail me at my blog e-mail address. I will be finishing the list tonight.

Taper...Crash???

Today was supposed to be a easy brick workout today. 1 hour bike and 40 min run. I decided I was going to combine them because I wasn't sure how long I would be at my parents house for Father's Day. I washed my bike yesterday and tuned it up. I even put new aero bar gel grips on.

I got 2 miles into my bike ride and down I went. I ride the Cherry Creek Reservoir all the time and never crashed in the spot. I had one close call. My bike lost traction because of the dirt/sand at the entrance.

I got scrapes/road rash. Like a normal crash. Wounds that keep me from my swim workouts. The one day I don't wear my bike gloves. My wrist hurts the most and I am very nervous about it.

I only mention this to all my blogging buddies because I need some prayers. Prayers for super fast healing!!!! Pretty darn lame to crash one week before Ironman! I mean...who does that? See you at CDA!! I am still racing!!

Iron Eric

Airport Policy?....Anyone?

Hello Children,

Exactly 1 week from now we will be in our wetsuits waiting to get going on our Ironman Adventure. Holy crap, it is amazing how fast the year went by since we all signed up.

I have started my packing process, most specifically getting my bike in the travel box and preparing for the nerve-racking thought of having to travel with it and praying it won't get lost during the hour and a half time I have during my layover in Pheonix (oh yes, I am flying from Boston to Pheonix and then to Spokane, kind of like the great circle route). As I finish getting the bike packed, I have 2 big thoughts that maybe some of you can answer...

1) I really want to bring my Speedplay pedals on the plane as a carry on item. WIll the get taken from me? Is that allowed? Should I check them in my clothes bag?

and,

2) Will my cycling shoes be allowed on as a carry on also, especially since they have metal cleats on the bottom...

Now, outside of this one major fear that I will lose my bike and/or have my shoes and pedals confiscated, I am doing pretty damn good. I feel great. Have a ton of energy due to my taper, although I feel as if I am getting fat. But that is normal...and if I am getting a little fat, I will view that as some glycogen stores to burn in the last 10k of the run. GOOD TIMES

I know a meet-up is somewhat in the works. My quick schedule is to arrive on Wednesday at my place in Harrison (across the lake), and then I will do the swim and register on Thursday, then definitely at the pasta dinner on friday and of course, bike check in Saturday, which I will do on the earlier side. I look forward to meeting everyone out there.

Have safe travels and I'll see you at CDA,

T-Guy J (also known as Jared, Bib #290)

Lake CDA Swim

Nine of us swam in Lake CDA this morning (the lake temps were just under 52 degrees) and after the first couple of minutes it was not so bad. We swam a 1.2 mile out and back course and afterwards most of us felt that we were ready and able to jump back in and do another loop, even with the somewhat choppy waters.

I wore my neoprene cap under my swim cap, the top that was recommended earlier, and my newly purchased booties under my Blue Seventy booties. I was comfortable throughout the swim. The hands were a bit cold and I suspect the feet would be as well after a second loop but I felt it was nothing that I could not handle.

After this morning's swim I will no longer fret about the lake temps. It may not be pretty, for me at least, but it is definitely doable!

Greyhound Juice

Ben Greenfield is a very talented, extremely fast local triathlete. He is also one of the most highly certified and experienced triathlon coaches and personal trainers in the Pacific Northwest, as well as an all around nice guy.

His most recent blog entry talks about Greyhound Juice, a warming salve, traditionally used by cyclists to warm their legs in cold weather.

It might be worth your consideration in battling the temps of the icy cold Lake CDA.

Pre-Race Talk at Ironman Coeur D'Alene

PRESS RELEASE: Endurance Nation Pre-Race Talk at Ironman Couer d'Alene

Join Endurance Nation coaches Rich Strauss and Patrick McCrann as they deliver their Four Keys of Iron Distance Execution talk at Ironman Couer d'Alene. Honed over the last five years at Ironman Triathlon (TM) events across the country, this talk has helped hundreds of athletes get their head screwed on straight before the big day and will walk you through the big picture elements and race day details you need to know.

When: Friday, June 20, 10am
Where: Look for the Endurance Nation EZ-UP and banner "on the grassy knoll" near the Gatorade bottle at swim start area.
In addition, attendees will receive a FREE Endurance Nation Four Keys t-shirt AND a CD copy of the Endurance Nation Swim Clinic eBook

Can't attend the talk? Check out the Four Keys DVD, on sale for only $20 through July 1!

Endurance Nation is a unique community, providing affordable training solutions for self-coached multisport athletes. As of June, 2008, 403 athletes have joined TeamEN since our launch in November, 2007! Learn more about the incredible value that TeamEN provides for its members!

Dinner/lunch?

Did we come up with a plan for Pizza or some other get together? I couldn't commit to anything because Frontier moved our flight around a few times.



How dare them declare bankruptcy before our flights!



Our flight now arrives in Spokane at 1:15pm on Thursday. We'd love to meet up either Thursday evening or sometime Friday.

Bib Numbers

Bib numbers are now posted here, in case you are interested - and who isn't?

Lookin' Pretty Good!

Sunday 6/22 Forecast in Detail for COEUR D'ALENE, ID
Day
Partial sunshine
Night
Clear to partly cloudy
High 81° F Low 54° F
Maximum RealFeel 83° F
Minimum RealFeel 54° F
RealFeel Shade 79° F RealFeel Shade
Winds ESE at 4 mph Winds ESE at 5 mph
Wind Gusts 5 mph Wind Gusts 10 mph
Maximum UV 7 Maximum UV
Thunderstorm Probability 0% Thunderstorm Probability 0%
Amount of Precipitation 0.00 Amount of Precipitation 0.00
Amount of Rain 0.00 Amount of Rain 0.00
Amount of Snow 0 Amount of Snow 0
Hours of Precipitation 0 Hours of Precipitation 0
Hours of Rain 0 Hours of Rain

T's are in!

These came out really, really cool.

The fabric is nice - it's called anvil dri-release. It's got a little bit of cotton in it to make it soft.

Of course there are some without the Sherpa on the back too.



Dang there are a lot of t-shirts in this box! We are gonna seriously represent in Idaho (who you calling a ho?) this year!

Maybe we should have had them done on sweatshirts?

(the.bigun apologizes for the lack of photographic quality in the representation of these fine, fine T-shirts. These pics were not taken with TrisherpaDi's high-speed camera, nor with her trained eyeballs. Sorry.)

SEA ELITE 2MM NEOPRENE SOCKS

In an attempt to make sure I am as warm as possible for the swim I once again headed to an on-line diving store for apparel. I do own a pair of Blue Seventy swim socks but am concerned that their primary purpose is to prevent foot injuries while walking on rocks rather than warmth.

So I went here and ordered a pair of these with expedited delivery.



I will be swimming in Lake CDA later this week with my new socks, and am hoping they make a small bit of difference.

Thanks for reading.

Which one are you?

I'm the one in the green.

Think about this...

A pre-race Haiku


What used to be "long"
Is now part of the "warm-up"
You are IRON FIT!


Go get 'em champs!

Special Announcement regarding the swim

" Special Information regarding the Swim at the 2008 Ford Ironman Coeur d’Alene
June 6, 2008
As many of you are already aware there has been great deal of speculation regarding the swim at this year’s event focusing on cold water temperatures. Due to a record snowpack in the Bitteroot Mountains, which is the source for Lake Coeur d’Alene, we anticipate that the water on race day will be colder than normally encountered. In order to ensure the safety of our athletes, NA Sports is going to make the following changes to the standard Ironman swim rules for this event only:
1. At temperatures below 60°F wetsuits are MANDATORY.
2. Neoprene booties (aqua sox, swim sox etc) will be allowed below 60 F°. ABSOLUTELY NO FINS.
3. We encourage athletes to consider a neoprene hood worn under the issued swim cap for additional warmth. NA Sports will continue to closely monitor the water conditions and always reserves the right to make changes as we deem appropriate with athlete safety the primary factor in our decisions."

http://ironmancda.com/

Open Water Swim

I just returned from a short, 35 minute, open water swim. I swam in a local lake that, although I do not know the exact temperature, I suspect is warmer than Lake Coeur d’Alene.

I used a neoprene cap and booties, and the thermal wetsuit shirt that swtrigal recommended.

It was a bit brisk for the first five minutes or so and along with the cold water, this was my first open water swim of the year in my wetsuit, so that also took a bit of getting used to.

I was fairly comfortable for the swim and got into the rhythm of things, although I think that the cold water did make me swim a bit slower. And while the swim is definitely doable, I would be a bit dishonest if I did not admit to some trepidation about the upcoming IM swim which could find me in the water for three times as long as today’s short excursion.

At least I know that on June 22 I won’t be alone out there.

Contact Info

Seems we need to collect mobile phone numbers so that we can find each other in CdA and so that our Sherpas can share race reportage the day of the big dance.

So, if you're not afraid that I'll stalk you, send your real name, blog name and mobile phone number to the e-mail address on my blog. I'll program them all into my phone as well as create a spread sheet of everyone's contact info.

Up To The Minute Swim Info From NA Sports

June 6, 2008
As many of you are already aware there has been great deal of
speculation regarding the swim at this year's event focusing on cold
water temperatures. Due to a record snowpack in the Bitteroot
Mountains, which is the source for Lake Coeur d'Alene, we anticipate
that the water on race day will be colder than normally encountered. In
order to ensure the safety of our athletes, NA Sports is going to make
the following changes to the standard Ironman swim rules for this event
only:
1. At temperatures below 60°F wetsuits are MANDATORY.
2. Neoprene booties (aqua sox, swim sox etc) will be allowed below
60 F°. ABSOLUTELY NO FINS.
3. We encourage athletes to consider a neoprene hood worn under the
issued swim cap for additional warmth. NA Sports will continue to
closely monitor the water conditions and always reserves the right to
make changes as we deem appropriate with athlete safety the primary
factor in our decisions.

Record low high temp in the area

Very nice...no change in this trend due through next Tuesday.

Statement as of 6:16 PM PDT on June 05, 2008
... 24-hour record low high temperature tied at plain WA... The high temperature at plain in the past 24 hours ending at 600 PM was 57 degrees. This ties the record for the coldest high temperature for this period. The previous record of 57 degrees was set in 2001.Records have been kept at this site since 1937.

The.Bigun...obsessing about the weather since the advent of cable and the Weather Channel.

Thank you all...

Thanks for your support and well wishes....I am experiencing schitzo emotions right now. From relieved and excited to meet all of you sherpas and racers, to teary-eyed, "why me?", bordering mild depression.

I put in over 2000 miles on my bike...almost 400 miles of running and crazy swim yardage that I can't even remember it right now.

Showing up to cheer you on will be the easy part.

Not racing with you will be one of the most difficult things I will have to do on Sunday, June 22nd.

Have a great taper!

Need another Sherpa?

I have decided to not get a bib number.
An injury popped up two weeks ago during a long run that is just not going away.
I refuse to walk/limp through 26 miles.
I don't want a permanent injury that will keep me from competing in years to come.
Hubby and I both cried this morning. We both have put so much time an energy into this.
But we are still going.
We will still be there for those of you who are toeing the line.
We will help in any way that we can.
Maybe it's just time for me to be a sherpa.
And I will sign up for next year.
It's that simple.

Sunrise, Sunset

I discovered an odd convergence about Ironman Coeur d'Alene...

In the northern hemisphere in the summer, the farther north you go the more daylight hours you have. And the closer to June 21st, the more daylight. CDA is one of the more northern Ironman races and takes place on just about the longest day of the year. Which means this is one of the best races to try to finish during daylight hours.

According to online charts, sunset should be at 8:51. That's a sub-14-hour Ironman which is a little fast for me but it might be a goal for others to reach for. (Besides the main goal of just finishing!)

Ironman Canada is farther north but takes place later in the summer and sunset is at 7:59. Your best bet seems to be Ironman Germany on July 6th, where sunset will be at 9:36 pm. Other good races are Ironman France (same day as CdA) with sunset at 9:16 and Ironman Switzerland July 12th, 9:20pm.

Power of Group-Think

Think WARM thoughts.

W. (WE)

A. (ARE)

R. (Red-blooded, Ripped, Race-Ready, Radiant)

M. (Mammals)

If everyone puts their minds together maybe we can make something happen!

Become a member of W.A.R.M. and get the lake heated up (let's shoot for 60 degrees!) before June 22nd!


Thanks!

Obsess much?

I thought I'd post the following. This is the temperature at Lake Coeur D'Alene over the last 7 days.



Almost up to 54 degrees, dudes and dudettes!

2008 CdA Podcast Feed

http://nasports.com/nas_podcasts.rss

if you subscribe to this feed above in I-tunes or your feed gatherer, you can listen to PNF and the RD.....

Thermal Socks

I have decided to treat the cold water sitchyashun in the time-honored approach to age group triathlon: there is no problem that cannot be solved (at least psychologically) with shiny new stuff.

Gear, baby.

I've obtained a new, full sleeve wetsuit, a goofy neoprene cap, the thermal shirt mentioned in the post immediately below, and the fetching little booties pictured above. I ordered them here.

I will be the only swimmer to DNF in 50 degree water because of overheating.

Thermal wetsuit shirt..

FYI: This is what I got for under my wetsuit for IMCDA swim. It kept me very warm. I tried it in 57 degree water last weekend..It is: 13 Ounce Thermo-X Short Sleeve Crew By: ONeill $59.95. I got it at Scuba.com, the only place I could find it in an X-small. They only come in men's sizes. Was a bit snug until i got in the water, then was fine.

Forecast

Just saw on the news...weather forecast for the Northwest (includes Coeur D'Alene!)- for June, July, August....




DRY and WARM!


yea!

(Let's hope they get this one right for once!)

Race Reports

If any of you are looking for some extra inspiration, or laughs... We have some race reports on the ATT website here.

If you scroll to the bottom you should see a few from IM CDA last year... There is also a copy of Shane's IM Moo in 06 and momo's IMFL in 06...

Happy reading.

I'M SO EXCITED! The athlete guide is now up on the website!

http://www.ironmancda.com/08CDAathguide.pdf

I think this is going to be the longest 26 days of my life....

Lake CDA Water Temps

I was talking a friend "in the know" concerning Lake CDA's temperatures as reported on the website that momo linked to this site. It seems that the exact location where the official water temps are measured for that site are approximately 300 yards upstream from the IM CDA swim location, with the flow of water traveling towards, across and beyond the IM CDA swim location.

So, in other words, the temps from the official site are precisely the same as those at the IM CDA swim location.

I don't know if this info is actually helpful or not. Perhaps not if you were hoping that the water temps at the swim location were a bit warmer.

P.S. The lake water temps seem to be as volatile as recent financial market activities.

One of US...

I just want everyone to know that Monica from

"I just want the tattoo"

finished Ironman Brazil in a smashing time of 13:47!

Congratulations Monica, You are an IRONMAN! (And quite the speedy one at that!)

Let the fun begin!

I know, I know, all of you athletes are busy training and thinking about racing- but I'm thinking about socializing.

The Tribe and I arrive in CdA Friday afternoon and I've got pizza on the mind. Let me know if you want to join us and other bloggers, and I'll look for a place. Second option would be pizza/pasta at our race headquarters in town. (we are communing with The Greyhounds) Make your reservations(an email or comment will do-a phone # is helpful), and I'll let you know the time and place.

Also, I'm compiling a map of our group- where are you staying and with whom, including contact numbers so we can connect better. Especially sherpa's on race day. Again, an email or comment with contact info and I'll make a master list. The "I can't wait" bug is growing- see you all in a few weeks

Updated Map

A long while back I posted a map on CdA living arrangements by blogger. It's been a while since I updated it, but there have been only a couple of changes.


The Outlaw gang is staying a few million miles to the southeast.

What I'll do is print out a map with streets and bring it with us - if folks want it then, I can give ya a copy. Or, if you have Microsoft Streets and Trips, I have a file I can send you.

IMCda Course Guide!

http://www.ironmancda.com/08CDAathguide.pdf

This is really getting close....

GULP

IM CDA Run Course

From the gentleman who previously brought us a blow-by-blow account of the bike course, here is his perspective of the run course.

After having run the course a couple of times, I would agree with his assessment.

IM CDA Bike Course Description

Here is a rundown from a guy who rode the IM CDA course recently. I rode it last week and would agree with his comments and think he did a very fine job in his description.

Slowtwitch IM CDA Thread

Here is a terrific thread from Slowtwitch.com and provides some great insight into IM CDA. I learned a few things I did not previously know.

More CDA images

I accidently typed in the wrong url for the blog and came across Doug's blog. He posted a bunch of recon photos from Coeur d'Alene so take a look:

http://imcda.blogspot.com

CdA Bike - take a look

It aint all that bad...

Bike Course Video

Hey, Peeps. One of the local CdA peeps found a video online that purports to be of the CdA bike course. You can view it here.

It's all kind of hypothetical though. If you're a crap swimmer like me, you'll die of hypothermia in the lake long before you have to worry about the bike course.

A Sherpa Limerick

For fear of being called out...

The water will be extra cold
Meaning major shrinkage for Bold
Will they cancel the swim?
The chances are slim
Warm water at this point; like fool's gold

You'll loop back and forth on the bike
It helps to know what you look like
We'll ring the cow bells
Keep downing your gels
Or your body will go on hunger strike

T2 a relief; 26.2 miles await you
Tired legs to carry you through
As the miles tick away
You'll relive the day
And realize there's nothing you can't do

A ticket to Sherpa a race
Is worth every smile on your face
We’ll cheer really loud
And tell you we’re proud
Even if you finish last place

The One Thing..

Thought I would share a great article I read in 2004 that helped me with IMFL:

http://swtrigal.blogspot.com/2008/05/one-thing.html

Debi :)

Warming up...

Looks as if Coeur D'Alene will be warmer than Tucson this weekend....the lake is already over 50 degrees.
Good news hmm? (whew!)
Let's hope the warming continues. I like warm.

Bike course

Hi everyone,
I went on to mapmyrun.com and found a link to the new cda course. I cannot verify it's accuracy, but it does look different than what is posted on the ironmancda site.

Here's the link if anyone is interested.
http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/united-states/id/coeur-d-alene/490178854

IM CDA Peeps Get Together

I appreciate the response to my original post. Some have suggested a Friday evening dinner would work better for them. In looking at the IM CDA website schedule of events, it offers the following for Friday evening:

5:30PM - 7:30PM - Ford Ironman Coeur d’Alene Welcome Dinner - Banquet Tent
7:30PM - 8:30PM - Mandatory Athlete Meeting - Banquet Tent

That is what headed me in the direction of Thursday evening. Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Pushing Your Limits

Pushing Your limits. That is easy to say. Our bodies can do wonderful things and we can go beyond extreme limits. When do we quit and when do we keep going? Is it mental or physical? Many questions we might ask ourselves when we push our bodies to do nearly impossible things.

Every person is different and some people may not have the drive. Extreme sports. Are we crazy? Some may thing so, but each time we run, bike, swim, hike, climb, row, or sail, it can be an awesome journey. Each struggle we might have may tweak this journey, but should never stop us.

I have brought up a few topics that we all should be thinking about. I wonder how extreme should I be and at what measures do I keep pushing my limits. How hard core are you? Do we do sports for its adrenaline rush?

Wonderful Weather
What types of weather would you be willing to train in?
-Cold
-Rain
-Snow
-Ice
-Hail
-Extreme Winds
-Extreme Heat

Ultra Endurance Events
Would we really push our limits and spend more than 8 hours or more doing one activity?

-Ironman
-Ironman (x2 or x3)
-Ultrarunning
-24 hours of triathlon
-24 hours of cycling
-24 hours of running
-Birthday Triathlons (bfitbday.com)
-Cross Country trips

Extreme Sports/Activities
How much skill or risk does it take to become an adrenaline junkie?
-Rugby
-Wheelchair Rugby
-Rock Climbing
-Mount Everest
-Amazon River Swim
-Skydiving
-Storm Chasing
I am here to offer a few suggestions.
1) Create a Plan
A detailed plan will make things much easier. Fine details can give you guidance and point you in the right direction towards success.
2) Don't get injured
Getting injured can make or break you. A great goal is to start at the finish line injury free. Many methods can be enacted in order for you to prevent injury. Proper stretching, knowing your limits, core strengthening, weights, and proper equipment can help.
3) Never Give Up
During a marathon you keep running. During a triathlon you don't stop swimming. During a cycling trip you don't fall asleep. Keep going no matter what you are doing. Keep in mind that some endurance events and certain elements can stop you from a race. Stress fractures, broken bones, extreme fatigue are just a few reasons why people stop for a race. I don't blame them.
4) Keep Going
Know you limits and be willing to stop ONLY in extreme measures. Keep going even if you are slowing down. Continue walking if you must during an Ironman, but don't sit down and take a nap.

5) Too much
Sometimes too much of one thing can tear you apart. You may get bored, injured, or sick of it all. Don't go all out all at once. Don't run a marathon without training. Be smart about doing extreme things.

IM CDA Peeps Get Together?

The pages of the calendar are quickly disappearing as we mark time until IM CDA. With that in mind I was wondering if anyone would be interested in an evening get together prior to the event. I was thinking that Thursday night might be a good time.

If you are interested I would be happy to procure dining arrangements. I suspect that resturants in the local area are beginning to fill, so perhaps time is a bit of the essence.

If you are interested perhaps you would be kind enough to leave your thoughts in the comments or email me at alo4 at comcast dot net.

Also please let me know your dining preferences (Italian, Mexican ect.).

Thanks.

Freeze or Swim

Here is a recent article from the Coeur d'Alene Press.

It is beginning to look like we need to prepare for a chilly swim. Perhaps now is the time to start putting that body fat back on.

See you there!

Training Day

Today several of us got together for a mini IM preparation triathlon. Our goal was to get out on the IM CDA course and enjoy the magnificent spring sunshine.

We met at a local pool in Coeur d’Alene, ID for our swim to get things rolling. I swam an easy 2200 yards as a recovery swim after last evening’s master’s session.

Then we headed out on our bikes for one loop of the IM CDA bike course. Fortunately or unfortunately the hilly portions have not smoothed out much since the last time I biked this course. It does seem that there is a corresponding downhill for most of the up hills which is nice. The secret, I believe, is to get a good running start on the down hill portions before the road transforms into an up hill.

Much of the ride is absolutely breathtaking as we travel through pine forests and past beautiful lakes. There is still some snow on the higher hills which only serves to add to the great scenery.

After finishing the bike loop we took off on a run to cover much of one loop of the IM CDA run course. It is a great course that has some slight up hill portions and never seems to veer far from Lake Coeur d’Alene for most of the route.

After finishing I headed home, had a great dinner and a shower, and immediately fell asleep in my recliner. It was a good day and I look forward to my next tour of the IM CDA course in another week and a half.

Now I must rest for Sunday’s upcoming Lilac Bloomsday Run.

P.S. I was talking with an IM CDA official today and he mentioned that plans are being formulated in the event that Lake Coeur d’Alene does not warm up significantly prior to IM race day. Officials are planning on setting up a couple of warming yurts on the beach. These yurts will be readily available for swimmers as a part of T1 to combat the brutal chill that may affect many.

Thank you for reading.

Wildflower

Anybody in our extended Tri-family doing Wildflower this weekend? I did the Long Course last year and my feeling was "Great race! Never again!" It's a little too rough to be doing 7 weeks before CDA. But, to anyone else who is up there, good luck!

House At Cd'A

Wow..... look who decided to join the partay and post!! Little. Old. Me.

Okay, so I have a friend that just sent me the following email. If you or know of someone who may be interested, send me an email and I'll let Joel know. These are serious Hoping-To-Get-Into-Kona racers... if that helps.

Nytro,

I think you and some of your local triathlon peeps might be traveling to Coeur d’Alene in June. We have a house rented, and one of our Missoula racers pulled out of the race, opening up one of the bedrooms. It is a four-bedroom, two-bathroom house, completely unfurnished. It’s just like camping out, but with a roof over your head and clean bathrooms. Just like a motel, but with a kitchen and an empty two-car garage for gear. We’ve stayed there the last two years (a friend’s rental place). It’s truly a sweet option for a racer.

Let me know if anyone you know is looking for a place for the weekend. It’s $250 per bedroom ($1,000 for the house for the entire weekend), no matter how many people are involved. There is also camping in the back yard.

Joel

When will we know?

There are a bunch of great athletes in this group, and then I suspect there are a also a bunch of middle-to-back-of-the-packers like myself. For some of us doing our first Ironman, success isn't guaranteed. There's no doubt in my mind that all of us are capable of finishing the race in under 17 hours, but some of us may be more vulnerable if we have an off day. And anything can happen along the course.

My question is, and I don't know if people have answers for it, at what point do you think you'll be confident that "yes, I'm going to make it." Or if you've already done an IM, when did you cross that threshold? I used to think that as long as I could start the run I would be OK. The bike cut-off is 5:30, so in the worst-case scenario I'd just have to do a 6.5 hour marathon. That sounds kind of easy, but then again at Wildflower (an admittedly much more difficult run) I did a 3-hour half-marathon. So a 6 hour marathon isn't too unrealistic, and that could be cutting it close.

I think that if I can reach the half-way point of the run by 8:00 then it's pretty much in the bag. I'd like to be well ahead of that, but with 4 hours to do 13 miles I don't think I'll have to worry about finishing.

What about you? Do you have a mid-race goal that will signify "yes, I'm going to finish this thing!" ?

Calling All Triathlete Significant Others

Your alarm clock going off at 5:00 am. A wet bathing suit constantly hanging in the bathroom. The snack-food cabinet taken over by energy gels. No, I am not talking about the life of a triathlete. I am talking about the life of a triathlete’s wife.

If your husband (wife, child, sibling, or otherwise loved one) is an extreme athlete you know just what I mean. When I met Mr. Tri-Guy J., he was merely Mr. One Marathon J. I was suitably impressed and thought it was a mere hobby. Little did I know the years of racing that lay ahead of me. After curb-crewing my way through 5 marathons, I thought I had the encouragement thing down. After waiting at the top of Mount Washington him to finish his run, I thought I had the worrying in the cold routine down. And then, he said the infamous words… "I think I'll try a triathlon".

Here's what I knew of triathletes – they shave their legs. They have a race in Hawaii. That guy on "The Bachelor" was one. That's it. But as J trained for his first half-ironman (in Lake Winnipesaukee), I learned more and more. Suddenly two bikes were hanging on my livingroom wall, and the smell of chlorine seemed to be everywhere. And after a few successful half ironmen and a bunch of sprints, he signed up for Ironman Coeur d'Alene. Team Iron J is headed to Idaho.

I am sure you can all relate to the "training" a partner goes through. For me, the challenge has been balancing my extraordinary pride with my fear. I alternate between wanting to brag to everyone I meet that my husband is doing this amazing thing to privately worrying that he will get hurt. Particularly for those of us who are non-athletes (my idea of a triathlon? Read a book, eat a snack, crochet. Watch all three versions of "Law and Order" in one sitting), the idea that someone would choose to put their body through this is bizarre.

And so while J prepares by increasing his workouts and shaving his legs (I was right about one thing...), I'm readying myself for race day as well. In between the moments when we can see him ("Was that him on that bike? I think he has a blue helmet…"), and the moments of awe/horror that people are actually participating in this, I plan on a tight regimen of reading, listening to my ipod, and hanging out with our families. Like any competitor, I'll be sure to stay hydrated and remember the sunscreen.

For those of you who are fellow members of this elite group, I would love to hear your thoughts. How do you manage your worry? How do you stay encouraging when your partner gets frustrated? What the hell are we supposed to do all day?

And to all the other Coeur d'Alene partners, speak up and let me know who you are. Come June 22, I hope we can meet. After all, on the course it's every man/woman for him or herself, but as for curb crew? We're all in this together.

Mrs.T-Guy J (a.k.a. Betsy)

P.S. For the athlete reading this, pass it on to the loved ones. You'll find them rinsing out your bathing suit in the bathroom...

Nutrition Plan

I thought it would be a good idea if we shared our nutrition plans for the race here. Really, I'm being selfish and looking for a little insight as what to do. Most of you out there have a plan, and a lot of you have done this before. I know everyone is different but at a comparison, or for me, a starting place would be nice.

On my long rides (between 4-5 hours, have not gone longer yet), I have been consuming 4 bottles of liquids (64 ounces). 2 water and 2 sports drink. This is probably not enough as I did not have to use the bathroom until after I got off my 5 hour ride last weekend.

I try to consume 150-200 calories an hour but usually fall around 130 (not including the sports drinks.

So after a 4 hour ride I typically have ingested about 1000 calories.

Does this come close to what you are all doing, or am I way off??

Tires..?

Hi All,

My first post on the CdA blog...

I am looking to buy new tires and am wondering what you all are riding on, recommending, and mostly Using for CdA.??

I have been having a problem with my rear tire as it seems to causing slow leaks to new tubes. I have checked the tire for anything possibly puncturing the tube but no luck. Or maybe I am pinching it when I replace the tube, I don't know but bottom line is I need new tires overall.

Thanks for the 411...

rockon`

Ironman "Reminder"

I thought this was kind of funny. I received an email with the subject "Ironman Reminder Letter". And I was thinking, yeah, like I REALLY need to be reminded that Ironman is coming up. Turns out it was a message from the hotel letting me know that my deposit becomes non-refundable next week. It's pretty much a non-issue since canceling is not an option, but at least it's good to know my reservation is still on file.

I am surprised that we're not getting more CDA-specific messages from Ironman. I'm on their mailing list so of course I'm getting all the announcements about Arizona or other general-interest items. But I was expecting... well I'm not sure what I was expecting. Maybe every 2 weeks or so getting an update on what's happening in Idaho, new sponsors or activities that are going on with the event, general overviews of how the special needs bags will work. This is a really big deal and many of us are diving in head-first blindfolded. I know I can get all the information I need, but I was just hoping for a little more personalized attention. Maybe as we get closer to the actual date the information will start flowing more.

I Heard a Rumor...

TriBoomer might need a place to crash for IMCdA....it could just be a rumor though.....

Good Luck Arizonians!

This weekend is Ironman Arizona, so best of luck to everyone out there who will be racing.

I don't envy these people; the weather report says Sunday will be high of 96 degrees. 96?!! In the Arizona desert? I was there last year to cheer on a friend and the big problem was the winds. But least with wind, at some point you get a tailwind to help you. Heat is just heat, there's nothing to help you with that. I suspect there will be a lot of people on the course wishing they were doing Arizona in November instead. I even feel sorry for the spectators.

But the greater the challenge, the sweeter the victory, right? So have a great race everybody!

Wedgie

So Sad...

For those of you who don't know it yet, TriDummy will not be joining us at IMCdA this year. Please send him your regards. We are going to miss having him, Aimee and the kids with us. I really mean it when I say that I am sad the Ferreira family won't be with all of us.

Final Shirt ORDER BY 4/25/08

These are done on a "Coolmax" Shirt. The price for them is $18.00 for adult sizes (with a minimum order of 37 shirts). For childrens shirts I will have to get the size and can then get a quote for you. (they will be considerably less than the adult shirts) Even if you have small kids, you may just wish to order an XSM adult size in the coolmax. Otherwise Kids' shirts are cotton.

Here is the front view

the back view. You do have the option to delete "sherpa"

Please email me with the quantity of shirts you would like to order. Remember, if you want to personalize them you can. I can do individual personalized shirts but the price is higher. If you order a minimum of 6 personalized shirts, the price stays the same.
PLEASE ORDER BY APRIL 25, 2008
EMAIL ME AT ART2DI4@AOL.COM OR PHONE AT 813-990-0951
SHIRT INFO:
Decoration Method: Screenprinting
Product Description: T-shirt material with Dri-Release properties. Shoulder-to-shoulder tape; double-needle neck, sleeve and bottom hem. A "tagless" t-shirt with Dri-Release material that dries four times faster than cotton by wicking away moisture.
Comments: Generous Fit. A very soft t-shirt feel with the benefit of patented Dri-Release fabric. Available in the US ONLY(American made).

California Ironman 70.3

Anyone else heading down to Oceanside this weekend for the half-ironman? I'll be racing in it.

This is what blows my mind: a half-ironman is a BIG race. This is the kind of event that people train for months, and then maybe take a week off followed by a light week or two of training afterwards. But with Coeur d'Alene looming ever closer, the 70.3 is basically just a heavy training day. There's no recovery afterwards, no taking it easy. There's no true tapering beforehand. This major race becomes just a stepping stone. We're definitely crazy for doing a full Iron.

Actually, I kind of lied about not having a taper. I injured my knee about 3 weeks ago and have been going to physical therapy to get it back in shape. (Basically, I have Runner's Knee.) It was painful for me to bike or run for about 2 weeks, and it's only been this past week that I've been able to increase the intensity of my workouts. So I am greatly under-conditioned for the race this weekend, but it's still an important practice race for Idaho. I'm just glad I got hurt now and not in June, because then I would have been in SERIOUS trouble.

-Wedgie
(Mister P.)

CDA Kit?

I was just wondering if there was any progress with the CDA Kit? I am trying to play out things in advance and will work on order t-shirts for my sherpa if necessary.

IM CDA Bike Course

There was some discussion about changing the bike course once again this year. The parts in question go through the city of Hayden Lake, ID. However this past Monday (March 17) the Hayden Lake city council met with the IM folks and the course will remain the same.

I will leave it up to you to determine if this is a good or a bad thing.

To Marathon or Not to Marathon, Revisited

I just wanted to come back to Mr. P's post mostly because of some of the comments. I can say that I did do two marathons and one ultra, before my first IM. I have now done four IMs and have had terrible "runs" on two, meaning I felt like crap, and two runs that were comfortable even if not speedy.

Like others, I agree that a stand alone marathon hurts more than a marathon at the end of an IM. I had experienced friends tell me that in advance and so I just trusted in their collective experience and didn't worry about it.

So here is my departure, comments to the effect of not doing a marathon during the course of training for an IM…not even in the same year as an IM. I'm puzzled as to why that would be the case because I have heard it so many times. Here are my thoughts.

Recovery - good reason but how long exactly does it take to recover and how thoroughly are you trying to recover?

Performance – sure, you are unlikely to be at peak performance if you show up "over-trained" but what kind of peak performance are you looking for? I always have time goals but they end up taking a back seat to my goals of finishing and having a good time. I can't divine any importance regarding the time difference between my 14:20ish PR and my 15:50ish fiasco. What if I got what would be a dream time for me of something in the low 12s or even a sub 12? Well, if I did pull off a sub 12 I would probably obsessively follow every training rule to see if I could "shave" another TWO HOURS off my time so I could pretty much be guaranteed a slot at Kona.

Avoidance of injury – excellent reason…however you don't need to be racing to get injured, heck, you don't even need to be training.

Time and cost – as far as I'm concerned the best reasons, let's face it we did not choose the cheapest nor most time efficient sport.

Personally, I am doing a shameful amount of marathons and beyond this year, enough even to embarrass me, and the only thing I think I will really GET out of it is maybe the ability to more happily plod along if my IM does go awry. On the other hand I did just cut almost an hour off my marathon PR and about 45 minutes off my 38 mile PR so the running is doing something.

So, why not do a marathon in the lead up to an IM…why not a few…what are your reasons?

Help!

I don't mean to way-lay the marathon roll call below, please don't miss that one.
The house we had reserved in CDA is no longer available to us, so I need to find somewhere to stay. If anyone has an extra room or bed they would like to rent out to me please let me know asap. It's just me, no kids and no date (unless you want to fix me up LOL) Thanks (dkn747@yahoo.com)

To Marathon, or not to Marathon?

Is (or was) Ironman your first marathon? I know people have individually talked about their marathon experiences on this blog, but I'm looking for a kind of roll call. It's an old question, whether it's better to have done a marathon or not. I did two marathons before I even considered ever doing an Ironman. But I'm one of those people who just HAS to experience the 3 events individually before trying them on the same day. (I've ridden 112 miles, and at some point I'll do at least a 2-mile swim.) Having done two marathons, and knowing how very real The Wall is, I'm not sure if that makes me feel more prepared or more frightened. But I'm very glad to have the experience behind me.

At this point, it's probably too late to decide to do your first marathon before Coeur d'Alene. So will this be your first marathon? For people that already did an Ironman, was that your first 26.2-mile run, and were you glad it was/was not?

IM CDA House

Look at me.. 2 posts in one day. I so need to exercise. Anyway, received this email about an available home in CDA. I inquired about it for our group, but it was booked at the time.

Bigun gets first dips, but just wanted to post it to everyone else in case he already found an alternative!
..........................................
You are receiving this email because you have either stayed with us in the past, or have inquired about accommodations during Ironman 2007 or 2008. Our Fort Grounds vacation rental has become available for IM 2008! We'd like to help our previously booked athletes who have encountered a hardship, by finding a replacement for the week.

Our "Corner Cottage" is a 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 2-car garage, with ample on-property-parking vacation rental, just minutes from the IM start/finish. (Corner of Empire & Military). It is two years new, has a jacuzzi tub and can sleep 8 comfortably (X-L, X-thick queen size sleeper sofa in living room). Mannerly pets are allowed.

The rate for the week is $3500, plus 6% sales tax, 2% travel/convention tax & a refundable $500 damage deposit: $4280.00.

Please let us know if you or anyone you know who plans on being in town for the race, is interested. First to make a deposit gets it.

Thanks,

Emmy Michaelsen
208-666-9998
208-651-3929
208-651-3928

p.s. Hope to see some or all of you at the free pasta feed the afternoon/evening before the race!

Rage in The Sage

So, I've been reading blogs... like ALL weekend long. Because rather than TRAINING, I've been resting, and getting healthy. Not that I'm upset about it or anything, Grr.

Anyhoo.. I've noticed that several people are heading to Vegas for the Rage in the Sage Triathlon on April 19th.

Shane (he's doing the half IM) & I are in.... Pretty sure Momo's in. Anyone else??

Here's a team photo from last year. Unfortunately, the winds were too strong that they had to cancel the swim. Without a proper warmup (swim), and some bike fit issues I locked up my hip on the bike and did not complete the bike/run duathlon.

We also did the race in 06. It was fantastic. There is something to be said for returning back to a race 3 years in a row. It's tough. It's beautiful. The wind sucks. The water is cold. But it is challenging as heck. Why do we keep coming back?

It's a small race and it is fantastically well run. It's driving distance (although terribly boring) from PHX. It's a GREAT warmup for CDA.

Hope to see and meet some of you there!

100 Days

I don't mean to scare anyone or anything... but we're 100 days away.

Gulp!

NEW!!! allthingstriathlon.com Launch

For all of you who haven't already signed up on our website, and did not see the email sent out, please check this out. It's a quick 4 questions survey and we could really use your help!!

http://ironshane.blogspot.com/2008/03/new-wwwallthingstriathloncom.html

Getting Real

Doing an Ironman is scary enough. But I also hate flying, and I just booked my flight to Idaho (well, Spokane). So I'm feeling stressed about that. Yes, I'm one of those irrational people who thinks that if click on the wrong flight I'm sealing my fate and and could be booking my way into a plane crash.

Every little thing is starting to make this whole Ironman thing more and more "real". With all of the training we have to do, we STILL need to plow through the logistics of planning a vacation. I freak out packing for a "relaxing" vacation; what am I going to be like the night before THIS trip?!!

Scaring Myself

It has been a LONG time since I have piled on mileage like this. In fact I really DIDN'T do mileage like this for my first Ironman. I was working full-time, my daughter was seven years old, and her dad (and I use the term loosely) tried to sabotage my long runs/rides on the weekends by staying out late and crawling in at dawn. Yes, the whole point was to keep me awake all night wondering where he was and who he was with.

I did the Ironman anyway...last in my age group, but still under 15 hours.
I gutted it out and used my endurance-memory from BC (before child) days to pull me through.

Now my daughter is grown, virtually on her own (not financially), I have a husband who supports me wholly and fully for this upcoming race, and I am working part time.

I have a nice bike (finally), and enough money for other gear and race-type nutrition.

Funny how when everything is in place like that wonderful things begin to happen.

For one, I am fooling my mind and body into thinking I am 28 years old again, when I was running high mileage and doing centuries on the weekend (just for fun).

In the pool I am keeping up with my husband and am even getting faster on the bike. Where I once climbed behind him up the hills, I am now along-side.

Running I am still leery of because I can injure easily. Upping the mileage SLOWLY, SLOWLY, SLOWLY! A few years ago I would have laughed if you told me I would run Catalina again. (Even though it was "only" the half marathon-it's a butt kicker!)

I am eating and sleeping well for the most part. Haven't caught any illness this year (yet...knock on wood), and things are clicking....

It's scary when things are finally falling into place and going "right".
Fun, but scary!

Time To Start A War

I have decided it is time to start causing some trouble. Starting a war of words. And possibly, eating my words at the end of a long day in Coeur D'Alene.

Why am I doing this...

Well...I have been drinking this morning!!!

Ok, not really, but I have been drinking this...

There is a whole community of bloggers going to Ironman Coeur D'Alene who have formed a great community online (HERE) and some of them might need to be put in their place.

For starters: Bigun and Taco Night (I mean Taconite) Boy have a great podcast, but are starting to become celebrities and may need to be brought down from their "pyramid-shaped" planet. Blink140.6, on that podcast talked about how us "young" kids can't hold up against those "older" guys. Tri-Dummy started the "Bling" controversy and I have officially decided that Greyhound is to good a writer and is making the rest of us "bloggers" look bad. Not to mention the rest of you... OVERACHIEVERS

SO THERE...

I will be calling one of you out and starting a war of words on the blogs, on the podcasts and not to mention while I am on my own out training in the frigid Boston weather.

Ok peoples, lets play!!!

Cheers,

T-Guy J

p.s.- I almost forgot, I still love all you guys and can't wait to meet you all up in Idaho.