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View albumBuilding a lean & fit me - one bite at a time
July 18
July 17
I'm so happy I was able to find a place to log in. I hated that I went off and left things on a negative note here. I was fretting pretty good, but about half an hour from home, I decided I could make myself miserable all day or quit worrying about it and be happy to have this experience. I've waited a very long time to get to this point and a stupid little current is NOT going to get in my way! So there! Actually, when we drove over the O-HI-O, I told Fred it doesn't look so bad. It looks about like the lake I swim in when there is heavier boat traffic. I'll make it to the turn around where I get to go with the current and I WILL be fine.
Well crap, I was doing so good. Really calm, recognizing the taper aches and pains for what they were, then I went back and reread Maura's rr from last year. I am now officially freaking out over the swim. I'm not a strong swimmer. What if the current is too much for me and I end up swimming in place? It would really stink to not make it out of the river. Okay, deep breath. Be the fish..... 
Hopefully when I go to the race site this afternoon, I'll be able to say, "Ah, that's not so bad." and calm down. Fingers crossed!
Well, here we are. Things are loaded and ready to go and I'm ready to go do this. I've been thinking about the race in sections. If I think about the overall day, I just can't wrap my head around that much, so I've been thinking this way, 1-4-3. An hour swim, yep I can do that. Four hours on the bike. Relax into it, tackle one hill at a time, and HAVE FUN!!! I can do that. Three hour run. I can definitely do that AND I am not locked into running the whole distance. I can do what feels best to complete the mileage. Most important thing is to keep a great attitude and enjoy the day. AND... If I get tired out there, I'll just remember that I could be home doing tax returns! 
I'm meeting up with Amymengle, her husband, and JungleJenn for dinner. We'll also do packet pickup tonight and check out the river. Tomorrow is going to be a great day and its very cool knowing that there will be friends out there with me!
I'm not sure when I'll have access again. We're unsure where we're staying Saturday night and Sunday, we promised to take the grandson to the airshow, so I'll try to find a place to get connected and post as soon as I can after the race.
July 16
- 25m 40s
- 6.70 miles
- 15.66 Mi/hr
- 15m
- 1.11 miles
- 13m 30s /Mi
Got an email from one of the Volunteer Directors at IMKY telling me to make sure I have my shots before swimming in the O HIGH O on Saturday. Smartass!
Not much going on today, but I suspect the day will evaporate before I know it. I have a short bike and run planned. The bike is cleaned and oiled and ready to roll. Need to get my stuff loaded in the motorhome so we're ready to head out of here in the morning. Forecast for Saturday is mostly sunny with a high of 75. Sounds like a perfect day for a race.
Glad I went through the bike course again yesterday. Looking at it reminded me how painful miles 28-37 were for me when I rode it. I think being mentally prepared will make it less painful on Saturday. Thanks so much for the advice, well wishes and kind words. You guys make this so much easier and I appreciate you so much!
July 15
- 16m 58s
- 548.64 meters
- 03m 05s /100 meters
Also gonna give my bike some TLC and get it cleaned up and ready to roll. 
I'm amazingly calm and ready to do this. Yesterday, I had a brief moment when I thought, a half ironman, are you crazy? What makes you think you can do this? My answer.... Because I CAN do this. Found my corn last night. Granville started a Tuesday night farmer's market and I just made it before the corn was gone. It is a VERY good year for corn!
Store was out of turkey breast, so settled for turkey brats with green beans and tomatoes from my mom's garden. Fixed some fruit of the forest (rhubarb, blueberry, strawberry) crisp for dessert. Leftovers of everything for tonight! HR targets for Saturday:
Early bike < 139 except on hills
Later bike = low 140s
Early run < 145
Later run < 152 (except final three miles)
July 14
- 26m
- 800.00 meters
- 03m 15s /100 meters
Struggled a bit, then remembered c_cic's advice to relax into the waves. Both time and distance are estimated. Had the Garmin on, but I've got three bizzare readings on it, so I'll take a guess.
- 19m 30s
- 4.96 miles
- 15.26 Mi/hr
- 15m
- 1.14 miles
- 13m 09s /Mi
I'm off in search of corn. We had our first ears of the year on Friday and it was so good! Now I have fresh green beans & tomatoes and I'm cooking a turkey breast. Corn would make dinner perfect! :)
I have a 9 am meeting, then I'm going to Alum Creek for my tri run through later this morning. Going to try out a new tri top and see how it feels in the water. If it doesn't feel good, I'm going with my old one piece for the race. I'd really like to wear the Lava shorts, but I can't seem to find anything I like to go with them. I do feel more comfortable in the one piece suit. Don't think this body was made for a two piece. I may just wear the new tri top for the swim and take if off in T1. I'm wearing my cycling vest for the bike and run. I always train in it and I love it, so I'm wearing it even if I do look like a dork!
I'm excited to do my run through. Fred is gone today, so I can take my time really thinking things through and I won't be in a hurry. Always a good thing. July 13
- 23m 18s
- 731.52 meters
- 03m 10s /100 meters
800 yards in outdoor pool
- 27m
- 6.73 miles
- 14.96 Mi/hr
Drove to the school so I could ride my favorite hilly loop.
- 29m 31s
- 2.12 miles
- 13m 55s /Mi
Run on IM school driveway. One lap.
Short workout in all three disciplines this morning. Got my schedule for the rest of the season put together leading up to the Stone Steps 50K. (should I decide to do it) There's lots of running coming up, so we'll see how well the body does with it.
July 12
- 1h 47m 46s
- 25.28 miles
- 14.07 Mi/hr
Yesterday, I read this in the "Non-runners Marathon Trainer":
"If this is your first marathon, you should have only one goal and that is to complete it. You have the opportunity in training for and completing this marathon to have a tremendously satisfying and motivating experience. But that will only occur if, after it is over, you feel you have succeeded. So, the definition of success that you adopt for this experience becomes very important. If you set a target time and then miss it, even by a few minutes, you will have converted what could have been one of the greatest success experiences of your life into a failure!"
I was thinking about this on the bike this morning and how important it is for me to remember it next Saturday. I want my HIM experience to be a positive experience for me. I don't want to feel the disappointment at the finish line because I'm not as fast as I want to be. There is nothing worse than crossing that line and feeling embarrassed because I don't feel like I performed well enough. It's a freaking finish line for god's sake and I worked my ASS off to get there! My goal for Saturday is to cross that line and feel nothing but pride in the accomplishment. Think I'll do lots of mental training this week to make that happen. It's important.
Taking the bike out this morning for one last longish hilly ride. Planning to get an OWS in this afternoon.
My friends
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Race results are posted. Total time for me: 8:13:39
Preliminary times from Garmin