Monday, June 30, 2008

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!

Saturday, June 28, 2008

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 :)

Friday, June 27, 2008

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!!!!


Sunday, June 22, 2008

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!

Saturday, June 21, 2008

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


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

Monday, June 16, 2008

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.

Sunday, June 15, 2008

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)

Saturday, June 14, 2008

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.

Friday, June 13, 2008

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!

Thursday, June 12, 2008

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.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

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.)

Monday, June 9, 2008

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.

Saturday, June 7, 2008

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!

Friday, June 6, 2008

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.

Thursday, June 5, 2008

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.

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

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.

Monday, June 2, 2008

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.