Copy Cat...

Tim DeBoom, the Boulder CO resident who is America's greatest hope for continued Kona success is out of the race this month. The link goes to the article about his stress fracture of the tibia. Hmmmm? Doesn't that sound familiar? DeBoom, if he had a blog, probably would have posted something like this a few weeks before the fracture occured.

Its taper time so I decided that today I will wear a normal watch. Gasp! I know. I feel naked not wearing a watch that gives heart rate data, pace, distance and calories burned. What good is a watch that can't upload a pretty graph to my computer? Anyone else feel like you turn back into a normal person when you taking your training watch off?

Ebb and Flow Part 2.

This weekend I am running a Polar Clinic at a LBS. Next door to the LBS is a TJ Max. Mistress is a big fan of the Max. I have never been in one and don't really understand the obsession. For all intents it's a store that sells designer clothing, jewelery and goods from large retailers and designers at massive discount prices. Something about women and a store on perpetual "Fire Sale" status.

I went inside just to call her later and rub it in, but they had some really cool stuff in there. Among all the Polo shirts and designer clothing I decided to get a new pair of pants. Like everyone else that is size conscious, I took three sizes to the dressing room, the 'in perfect world but ultimately I will have to suck in my gut and when I see myself in the mirror my belly will look like a muffin top' pair, the "if I was good on my diet I will fit in these' pair and the 'yeah I suck, same size as the last three years' pair.

Deciding to get the pain over with I put on the smallest pair.

-Crap, they not only fit, their loose.
-Quick check the tag inside to see if its mislabeled. Not mis-labeled.
-Must be stretched, get the same size in another brand. (This forced me to run across the store in the jeans and in my socks praying no one stole my shorts and shoes in the dressing room.)
-Okay don't be surprized, don't be surprized, OH CRAP their loose too!

So not only did I buy a $80 pair of jeans for $25, I got them three sizes smaller than the last pair I bought. Woo-Hoo! ( I had to ask my receptionist if I spelled that right, blame her).

Went for my last big run a 20 miler today and only put in 14. At 10, my knees started to get really sore and limped it in. I believe the damage is just repeative stress to the joints from all the pounding I have been doing on the bike and road with my last two peak weeks. With a good taper, a little vodka and orange juice, some ice (for both the drink and my knee) I will just fine for Florida.

The Cheese, The Wing and The Mo

Heady days in the Valley of the Sun. Not all good news today but some exciting news. I met The Big Cheese at Hooters for some slapstick fun. TBC told me to look for the guy in the Fat Suit, but when I walked in the door, it was like lunch time at a Comic Book Convention, tubs o' lard all. I asked eight or nine of the biggest Losers eating alone if they were TBC and between stealing glances at the waitress and sucking the meat off the leftover wing bones, none said 'Yea'. I decided to sit and have him come to me.

Finally TBC walked in the door and threw me a wave. I didn't wave back at first, because...ya know...I was throwing up in my mouth a little bit, but eventually I built up the courage to shake his hand. He had brought the oft mentioned 'Producer' with him, in case I turned out be some crazed lunatic and he needed backup.

Well really, in all honesty, I did meet TBC today and it was a blast. I have loved reading his blog though it is not a family site to say the least. We tried to meet up when he lived in town but were unsuccessful. We have talked on the phone a few times until he thought I was stalking him and he changed his cell phone number.

I was going to ask for a picture but figured the two of us were ugly enough to make make a momma babboon cry. I mean... he is the The Big Cheese and I am a self admited cross between Quasimodo and the Elephant Man.

But we had a good time, he didn't hit on waitress and then cry. I didn't cry. I didn't hit on the waitresses either but they all seemed to know my name by the time TBC got there. For the life of me I can't figure out why he has such a hard time with the ladies since is he is a really funny likeable guy. Oh wait...ya know you ladies sure can throw some weird stuff at us guys. Always saying you want the nice dependable ones in the movies and yet sleep with all the bad boys in real life.

In a well timed attempt to completely deflate the humor in this post, Mighty Mo just got back from the doctors and with the cheerfullist of voices proclaimed over the phone, "I sick!" Yes, the six minute in-office Strep test came back positive in less than five, no need to send a second sample to the lab. So more antibotics to fight this illness along with the stuff he just got put on for the colitis.

As usual he is aplomb about life and cheerful and positive, even though run down and miserable. If only I could bottle a portion of his goodness for my ironman marathon.

I went home from work to be with him, so Mistress could go back to the office and finish work. I am lucky enough today that I can work from any computer.

Taper's starting just great!! See my big smile! ("F-ing Murphy" muttered under breath)

The hard part

"The only easy day was yesterday." A SEAL buddy told me that every morning we did our workout along jungle roads around his base.

Tapers for me are a tricky thing and remind of that quote. I still don't think I have ever done one right. I think it goes back to the Army. As a light infantry soldier, miles from protective lines and with little in the way of transportation other than your LPC's (Leather Personnel Carriers aka 'your boots') it was constant movement to contacts, working under stress, accomplishing your mission regardless of cost to your physical self. In daily training the goal of our chain of command and cadre was to achieve a high level of endurance while at the same time being completely exhausted for extended days at a time.

Translating into tapers for races, I subconciously train all out until its too late to do any good to rest or I completely shut down like an extended R&R and become the common man. Either way it does me a disservice.

This month I will put as much effort into my taper as I have for any portion of my training. I have to. At last months Olympic was a perfect illustration. My taper week consisted of 100 miles of riding, 4 miles of swiming and 15 miles running; I paid for it by being beat by people who actually did rest extensively.

All On or All Off. Finding the happy medium is not my style. But I will do my damnest to do it right this time. I have too.

The last six hour workout is in the can. Other than a 20 mile run...its taper time baby!

3000y open swim. 1'06" One loop short of iron. Left bike cals. At home, had to get them before ride.

More than one test...

A confluence of crap has crippled workouts this week. Its hard to believe that tomorrow will be my last blast workout and then taper. I was going to write that my volume would drop and intensity go up but my volume this week was 75 minutes on the bike and a 75 minute massage. Saturdays workout will a be test in so many ways now.

Can I go from zero to hero in one workout? Saturday morning I will be jumping in the lake for a 2.4 mile swim. No time trials here, not even really pushing IM pace, just a methodical get it down workout. Then its down the road to the bike loop 3 hours of faster than IM pace training. Finally a I will run 90 minutes or until 2pm which ever comes first.

At 2pm I promised to be at a jr. high football game which is a mile from the bike loop.

In essense this is a modified half iron distance workout. After this my only goal is to put in one four hour run next week and then it true taper mode.

Hard to believe that after 472 days, I have done all I can do. Will it be enough?