April Round Up

April ... was worse than March. Somehow.

Swimming: 800m (.5 mi)
Cycling: 15.07 mi
Running: 11.86 mi
Lifting: seven sessions (3:14)
Other: two sessions hockey (2:05), 30 walks (18:21)

I can't survive on this one swim a month situation and I know this. Same with the two rides. Though, on the bike front: I finally got my new tri bike fit to me so as soon as I get some bottle cages for it (or transfer one over from the old bike), I will hopefully be getting in some good miles on her.

Running ... was a disaster.

Even though I had fewer strength sessions I actually lifted a whole whopping two minutes more ... which I can't decide is a good thing, a bad thing, or just is.

I knew hockey season was coming to an end this month so that number is as expected. I'm currently happily enjoying a break off the ice until the annual Muddy Puck tournament as well as the summer skate I signed up for starts up (though I'm missing the first one of those due to other plans).

And the walks continue.

Honestly, this month was trash. Sure, there was a lot of travel in the first half which would normally be fine, but I also had so many late nights with early wakeups and my sleep went to absolute shit. 

Basically, I got into a sleep and nutrition hole early and never quite dug myself out of it. I'm still digging myself out of it. Hopefully I can do so soon because things have to change and soon.

2026 Goals

... truth be told, I wonder if I should even set 2026 goals given that I failed SO HORRIBLY at the one goal I had set out for myself last year, which was to end the year feeling better and stronger than when I started it.

Yeah. That happened.

But something needs to change. And badly.

Especially because any base-building that I should have been starting for Roth? Hasn't happened. And the loose logistics I started looking into in late September-early October spiked my anxiety horribly, realizing that I'm already so incredibly behind. So, I've made the tough decision to defer the race a year. Yes, it means I won't be racing on my birthday, but that's okay. Even better, probably, since I can in theory enjoy the day in success. And I can figure out the logistics (and lodging and whether I'll need to rent a car and actually TALK TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE RACED IT BEFORE) well ahead of time. Because racing a 140.6 is hard; racing it in a different country where you don't speak the language? Yeah. A whole 'nother level of fun.

But. I did register for USAT Sprint Nationals.

I don't know if I mentioned it here or not, but Brineman was a USAT regional championship and a few months after the race, I got an email saying I qualified for USAT Nationals - sprint and Olympic, but I don't like the Olympic distance. I initially thought oh fuck no, but after dwelling on it ... it probably is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for my slow(er) ass, so I bit the bullet.

So the plan (goal, if you will) for this year? Get back into the routine of swim/bike/run. Focus on getting some speed back, and then, post-nats, work on getting my endurance back for Roth. Because speed is necessary for Roth given the shorter time cut.

I did actually sketch out a few official fitness-y goals, and they are:
- perform one pull-up
- perform 10 strict push-ups
- run a sub-10 5K again (stretch: sub-9)
- finish above 75% (have 25% of the field below me) at sprint nats (because if I go, I don't want to embarrass myself)

And definitely be a healthier version of myself at the end of the year. Because this? Is unsustainable.

December and 2025 Round Up

... I don't even want to write this post if that tells you anything.

Swimming: 0m (0mi)
Cycling: 0m
Running: 9.92 mi
Lifting: eight sessions (3:32)
Other: one session ARCTrainer (:15), six sessions hockey (5:47), one session ice skating (:20), seven walks (3:04)

Terrible month to cap off a terrible year. I also did get sick - I felt it coming in early December and I told myself I just had to get through Goal Digger (mid-December hockey tournament). Well, I played that tournament sick and then proceeded to take basically the rest of the month off due to being sick. Of which I still kind of am (but almost better).

This is the worst year of swim mileage - by far - since I've started seriously tracking things. Actually ... probably the worst year with everything.

So it's no surprise that I tumbled even further from where I was at the end of last year. I thought I was in the worst shape of my life then? 2025 decided to take that as a challenge, apparently.

In that sense, December was a perfect microcosm of the year - complete fucking trash.

July Round Up

So, July. We have positives? We have fear? Read on ...

Swimming: 1300m (.81 mi)
Cycling: 28.08 mi
Running: 19.89 mi
Lifting: 19 sessions (4:36)
Other: one hike (:53), two sessions hockey (2:32), 11 walks (3:47), one session yoga (:25)

So. Some progress made. I swam twice! I cycled more often! (I think that was three rides). Running ... is still not long, but I'm doing it! I actually hiked! I DID YOGA!

All good things. 

But there's a reason for me trying like hell to focus on triathlon-specific things again and NOT just because I signed up for Brineman sprint again (because I did that, too).

It's because next year, on my birthday, I'm doing Challenge Roth.

If you don't know it, Challenge Roth is a full distance (140.6) mile race that is iconic and has been around for over 40 years. It takes place in Germany. Almost all - if not all - the speed records set at the distance have been at that race. There's a hill - Solarer Berg - that you climb single-file due to the Tour de France-style crowds (look it up on the 'gram). 

It also has a shorter time cut.

Most Ironman races are 17 hours with a few notable exceptions (Chattanooga being one at 16 or 16:30). 

Roth? Used to be at 15:30. Now? 15 hours.

I have never done a 140.6 race in 15 hours.

If you combine my fastest times across all disciplines (including transitions), I still have never completed 140.6 miles in 15 hours.

Am I terrified? Yes. Do I think I can do it? ... yes. I have to say yes. There's no other answer. I have to believe I can do it or there's no point. I've already paid my money. I'm going.

So wish me luck. And maybe more importantly ...

... wish me speed.

2025 Goals

... I should probably not make this post while I'm sick (came down with one of the plagues that's been going around for everyone - got it from B), but here we are.

Do I have goals for 2025?

Truth be told ... I don't know.

Get healthier. I feel like I took a large step back last year - I rarely get sick and yet I was sick multiple times last year. I hate the way I look, the way I feel in my skin - it's definitely a year where I felt like I came out worse than I entered it.

So for 2025? I'd ideally like to finally FIGURE OUT MY DAMN SHIT, but I've been hoping for that since 2021, so good luck?

I was considering signing up for St. George 70.3, since it's being discontinued after this year, but I still haven't quite decided. Whether I want to do it for the right reasons, or just because it's going away.

I definitely have a dinosaur-themed 5K that we were supposed to do last year, but had a conflict with something else, so we deferred it a year. I may do the Icebreaker du again, but we'll see. Brineman sprint is also a possibility. I in theory said I'd do a sprint up in Idaho with a friend, but I haven't officially signed up for it.

This is rambling. I don't know.

2025: may I end the year feeling better and stronger than when I started it.

December and 2024 Round Up

... let's just get into it.

Swimming: 0m (0mi)

Cycling: 0 m

Running: 2.27 mi

Lifting: one session (:10)
Other: six sessions hockey (5:56), one walk (:22)

The intentional rest from November turned into somewhat unintentional rest in December. There were some perks - I had a hockey tourney mid-month and we ended up having to play four games in three days ... and, unlike the Germany tournament, they were actual, full-length games. I also survived it (though my lack of endurance is starting to show) ... and I played some of my best hockey.

But really, the month seemed emblematic of the year. Idle. Stagnant. Never truly getting going.

What was good about 2024? 

I played a lot of hockey.

I ran my first (standalone) marathon.

I broke a very old half-marathon PR.

... and in terms of athletic accomplishments, that might be it. I'm slower. I'm definitely heavier. I'm weaker. And my brain still hates me.

But it is. It's done, and it's in the past. All I can do now is try to hopefully move forward.

2024 Goals

Well, as opposed to last year, I do have marginally more direction in my goals this year.

The first and foremost being, run my first (standalone) marathon. Which will be St. George (as soon as I'm allowed to register April 1).

I have a loose training plan already and I'll fine tune it as I get to the point where the actual plan would kick in (either 16 or 18 weeks out, probably).

As for the rest of things ... I've joined a hockey team (first game Sunday) ... mostly because B and I are hoping to play in a tournament in Germany over Oktoberfest with the same group I did my Europe hockey tours with back in college.

I have a few tentative races on the schedule, but haven't signed up for anything yet:
- Icebreaker Duathlon in early March (technically a tri, but I don't do pool swim tris)
- Antelope Island Duathlon in early April (are these two races question marks due to weather? Because yes, yes they are)
- Jurassic Run 5K in late June (okay, this one is going on the schedule because it runs through a dinosaur park in Ogden and DUDE SO US)
- Echo Canyon Tri in mid-July
- either Daybreak Tri or Provo Canyon half in mid-August (partially depends on what we do (if anything) for B's birthday)
- East Canyon Half in late August (depends on if I do Provo Canyon)
- Brineman again in early September (depends on if I have the time or if I'm on a plane to Germany at the time)

A cousin also is trying to get me to do the Chicago Triathlon (probably because he couldn't talk me into doing a charity slot for the marathon) which is in late August ... but that's probably gonna be a no.

I also know that balancing a local tri season with hockey and marathon training is going to be interesting - especially because I will have to get creative with runs around the Germany trip if it happens (I've already accepted I'm probably forgoing a long run that week, but the extra rest - and sprint work from hockey! - probably won't be the worst thing). But I've never wanted to be shoved in a box, and 40 apparently is me doing all the things. So it goes.

But. Actual goals:
- Finish my marathon
- Preferably with a respectable time (if I could do around 5, I'd be thrilled)
- Stay healthy and happy with everything
- Not neglect strength and flexibility
- If I do Brineman ... do better than last year

December and 2023 Round Up

 Oh 2023. I'm glad you're gone. But let's talk about December first, shall we?

Swimming: 0m (0 mi)
Cycling: 39.7 mi
Running: 16.27 mi
Lifting: 16 sessions (5:41)
Other: two sessions hockey (2:18), two sessions indoor rowing (:15), four walks (1:28)

Swimming just ended up being a disaster. I did actually try to go to the gym to swim ... only to find out that the pool was closed due to a broken heater. I almost went to another gym to try ... but the amount of energy I expended just to even go that day meant that nope. Not a thing. Pretty sure I started this year being frustrated by a closed pool, so it's fitting that it ended that way, too.

Cycling was marginally respectable (by this year's standards). I attempted the yearly Stomp the Trainer challenge, but only got two days done. But I tried. And we actually had a nice day in mid-December so I GOT OUTSIDE. Because that wasn't a thing at all last year.

Running ... was a bit of a struggle.

Lifting I had a plan which helped and as for the rest of it ... I have officially decided to get back into hockey (yay?), so more of that to come. And for the rest of it ... I moved. Some.

As for 2023 ...

Everything was terrible. My swimming hasn't been that bad since 2011. The cycling was the worst since I started logging it seriously back in 2010. Running wasn't my worst year. Definitely in the bottom half (third) of years, but still marginally respectable.

My main "goal" for the year - if you even want to call it that - that I blogged about here was to get back into shape and take back my health. Did I do that? I would argue no. But I do think I might be on my way.

The best thing I can say out of 2023 is that, while it was pretty shitty, it didn't break me. And I think I can finally see some light at the other end of the tunnel.

August Round Up

August was actually kind of ... good. Not anywhere close to perfect, but definitely decent.

Swimming: 10100m (6.28mi)
Cycling: 105.71 mi
Running: 44.16 mi
Lifting: six sessions (2:10)
Other: one hike (:45), five walks (3:46:04), one session yoga (:25)

I finally got over 10k in the pool again AND over 100 miles on the bike. Which means I basically did a third of my currently yearly totals in each sport in one month. Oops ...? One of the rides ended up being 25 miles (not planned), which was perhaps a tad ambitious given my lack of riding this year, but I managed it. 

Despite the slip up at the end of July, my running is back on track in terms of the every-other-day thing and I got up to 6 miles again, which is also nice. Maybe not specifically necessary for sprint tri training, but eh. Garmin badges can lure me in.

I did end up having two complete off days (oh 40, is this you?). Lifting ... was a disaster. I need to lift and lift a lot more. I legitimately feel the weakest I maybe have ever been. Or at least the weakest in over half my life. Which SUCKS. The other also needs to be more - walking is good - I actually walked a lot more than that - but the yoga, the mobility, the HIKING, playing with my inlines ... it all has to happen.

But first, a sprint tri.

2023 Goals

Ha, 2023.

We're a week in and I'm still not working off of a plan.

I am not signed up yet for any races. I'm sure that I want to race the local triathlon that takes place down the street from my house, but I haven't registered yet since I have no idea what distance I want to do yet.

(Part of me still wonders if I even want to race this year, but I also know I need something on the schedule to work towards.)

I have a loose 2024 goal (finally do a standalone marathon) and I'll probably return to the 140.6 distance in 2025, but 2023? Who the hell knows?

I guess my main priority for this year is to get BACK in shape and really take hold of my health as I turn 40 this year. I'm not doing all that terribly, given the state of the average American, but I know I can do so much better.

So there. I guess my goal is that. Turn 40 and become a person that won't need to rely on the system in 5, 10, 20, 30 years.

December and 2022 Round Up

... as you can probably surmise, 2022 wasn't the easiest year for me. But first, December ...

Swimming: 3700m (2.3 mi)
Cycling: 37.47 mi
Running: 23.71 mi
Lifting: 11 sessions (3:46)
Other: three sessions ice skating (1:23), one session erg (rower) (15:01), three sessions skiing (5:10), two walks (3:45)

December started off really well, but as it usually goes, the holidays hit and I swear stress floats in whether you like it or not. As a result, the last two weeks ended up being straight survival mode.

One monthly highlight was probably finally checking out a few of the ski resorts here (not my Winter Park, but what is), and skiing in hella powder, realizing that skiing the pow is a skill, and not one that I have. The other was definitely getting back on skates again and realizing just how much I have missed that. Hockey is a thing that needs to come back into both our lives.

As for the year ... I did not hit either of my stated goals. While I successfully finished IMLP, I do not believe I successfully trained for IMLP (although, if I finished, does that automatically I did?). I also definitely did NOT hit my time goal of 15:15. Moving during an IM is not something I would ever suggest to someone unless they a.) are way more type-A than I; and b.) have way more base fitness than I.

The main goal - finish out the year healthy and happy while having fun - is also kind of a miss. I'm healthy in the sense that I'm not injured, but I'm not happy in my physical body. Also "fun" is a word that's been missing from the vocabulary for quite some time now.

Swimming was a down year (if I miss 100k, it's a down year). Cycling was meh, and running was average.

Really, this was just one of the hardest years I've had, personally, mentally, emotionally, and athletically, and I'm just happy to have survived it.

State of the T

I probably should wait until the October recap for this, but meh. 

It's been just about three months from Lake Placid, and I am lost.

I have been out hiking and I've enjoyed it, but anything else? It's so hard. Just mentally impossible.

I'm in my favorite running season, and I can't be bothered to get out the door to run. Or to go ride. And swimming? Pfffffft. Attempting to do a lift up in our loft is almost as bad.

(and lifting at the gym? gym anxiety for lifting weights hit some time a few years ago (really, i blame crossfit) and it's never really left. so that's straight out.)

It's not that I don't want to move. It's just that there's a disconnect. It might be similar to what I dealt with through most of this year. Maybe there's still a frayed wire thanks to the 'rona (from one year ago)(i'm still dealing with a bit of a brain fog - words are hard - which sucks for someone who was always halfway decent with them) that's been making things hard. Maybe the waffling of the past two years did indeed break my brain.

Whatever it is, it's rough. 

The state of the T, as it is, is mostly idleness. I'd rather it not be, but energy is at a premium. 

Like from late last year/earlier this year, I'd almost say it's like I was depressed except mentally, I'm not. But maybe my physical body is.

All I can do is my best each day, and hopefully that'll start involving a bit more movement than not.

September Round Up

I'm slowly starting to get back at things - verrrry slowly - and September was indicative of that.

Swimming: 1000m (.62 mi)
Cycling: 50.59 mi
Running: 23.8 mi
Strength: nine sessions (3:34)
Other: one hike (1:00), one session erg (:15), two walks (1:07), four sessions yoga (:40)

Swimming still definitely hasn't come back, but I am trying to get there. I have good intentions, let's put it that way.

I actually did get back on the trainer again - woo! - and am continuing to get on the gravel bike ... even though it seems I get at least one puncture every time I go out. Grateful for the tubeless tires on that bike right now, let's just say that.

I am starting to get a bit more serious with the running again - more structured workouts, seeking out hills - which is a very good thing and really, long overdue. I think the last time I seriously did that stuff was what, 2019?

Strength hasn't been terrible, but it definitely needs to get more consistent and I think I need to start planning out my lifts better. I also would ideally like to get over my gym anxiety and get back to lifting in a gym again as opposed to at home, but we'll see if that actually happens.

I'm glad I had so much "other" - we're getting into my actual favorite hiking season (fall)(actual favorite season for everything, really), so I'm hoping to have a bit more of that going forward. The four yoga/stretch sessions is HUGE for me. I would also like to get out and walk a bit more on the regular, but not necessarily always log it, so we'll see how that goes.

The last thing not listed anywhere, but something I've actually been trying to do again, is a pre-run warm-up. This body definitely feels that it's close to 40, and my runs have been feeling a lot better after the warm-ups. So there's that. 

I have some loose goals for October, but I'm not going to share those here. Might try to keep things a bit closer to the chest here for the rest of the year ... mostly because I'm still trying to figure out my future.

August Round Up

I said at the end of the July recap that if my body wanted to chill, I was going to let it chill. Did I? Oh did I ever. Read on ...

Swimming: 900m (.56 mi)
Cycling: 41.76 mi
Running: 22.5 mi
Strength: seven sessions (2:02)
Other: one stint kayaking (:30), one session on the erg (:05), three walks (1:15), two sessions yoga (:10)

I'm not going to lie - it was really nice to finally just work on destressing from the entire year. I could probably easily do so for the rest of the year, to be honest. However, I know that's not the best for me so, moving it is.

I finally got back in the pool and I'm cautiously looking forward to doing that a bit more going forward. All of my rides have been on the gravel bikes and that has been quite fun. Running ... just is. I'm doing it. It's not going particularly well, but I'm trying to stick to that routine.

I would love to move forward with more strength but the absolute happiest thing about this past month is that I did two different things and one was brand new - kayaking. I've always wanted to try, and a trip up to B's parents' cabin helped make it happen. It is hard, but it is fun.

September for me needs to be about moving and having fun - not necessarily "training" but just more of a general "get your ass back in shape."

July Round Up

So, July. July was about par for the course for my months this year ... except that it finally contained my stupid Ironman (which, go back a post if you want to read about that).

Swimming: 14006.12m (8.7 mi)
Cycling: 274.98 mi
Running: 59.7 mi
Lifting: five sessions (1:53)
Other: four walks (3:35), two sessions yoga (:15)

Swimming was marginally decent thanks to a big swim or two at the beginning of the month (and then, you know, the race). 

Cycling ... is. I got in a few long rides (not nearly enough) and DEFINITELY should have ridden more. B thinks that while I like the bike, I don't like spending many, many hours on the bike, which might actually be a true fact I don't want to admit to myself. I did really start getting to enjoy up to about 70 in the IMoo cycle, but how long did that take? Things to think about.

In other cycling news, WE FINALLY GOT GRAVEL BIKES! Our fun moving gift to ourselves was taking advantage of the Obed Memorial Day sale and getting us some Boundaries. We did get clip in pedals, but also decided for cheap flat pedals which, to be perfectly honest, makes them more fun to ride as it makes it more like riding as a kid which was JUST FOR FUN. Most of my riding for the next few months will probably be on that as I think Sweet Cheeks and I need a break from each other.

Running ... well, I'll be happy to run again when it's not the surface of the sun anymore. I hate summer running so much, especially when all my body wants to do is sleep in which means I can't run in the few hours of the day when it's not 90-something.

I really dropped the strength ball in July and I would like to pick that one up again. Same thing with the "other" - most of those walks were around Lake Placid (... probably not wise pre-race, but eh). I miss hiking and we did move to a place with a lot of good hiking, so we're going to try to squash that back into our lives.

In general, though, I write this about 10 days out from the race and my body is NOT liking moving. I didn't do much the first week mainly because I had a giant blister on the bottom of my foot that made walking awkward (much less anything else). I've run a few times and biked once (and lifted!), but more than one thing a day wipes me out. I actually think that now that the race is over (and the move), my body is finally crashing HARD from all the stress that it was put through over the first half of this year. So if it wants to just chill? I guess I'm going to let it chill.

Race #3 of the Season: Ironman Lake Placid

If it wasn't obvious from my sporadic updates and my monthly recaps, I was quite undertrained going into this race. I hadn't even hit 1000 miles on the bike before the cannon went off which, for a race like IMLP, is NOT good. IYKYK, amiright? I had some decent swims and running had been iffy but not complete trash.

The things I had on my side going into this race were:
- 11 years experience doing long-course triathlon (9 of since my first full)
- a great mental game
- knowledge that I had probably similar training (relatively speaking) going into my first 70.3 and I survived that okay
- knowledge that regardless of anything, it was going to hurt.

Could all those things override the lack of training? According to the mental exercises I did at night before falling asleep to try to keep the nerves at bay? Yes, they were going to.

(spoiler: they did)

Lead Up

In typical T and B fashion, we road-tripped out to the race. Yes, from essentially SLC. We left Sunday afternoon to get a few hours down the road in Wyoming. Monday took us to Omaha. Tuesday took us to my relatives in LaPorte, Ind., and Wednesday took us to Syracuse, NY. Thursday brought us the rest of the way.

Chalked the car at the World's Largest Truckstop. Almost forgot!

We drove straight to athlete check-in and then off to the hotel.

Photo op Adirondack chair.

Village. Also yes, the hat made its return. It's the best for pre-race nerves.

After check-in, officially into town to grab some lunch, check in to the hotel, and unpack the car. We flopped for a while (ugh so many days in a car), eventually got dinner, and heard from our buddy Randy (an old MX12 teammate) so we went over to say hi to him.

Friday I got to swim in Mirror Lake and experience the joy that is the cable and knew that come hell or high water, I was going to get on that damn cable on race day. B took a day to himself and went down to Saratoga to the race track; I got a mani/pedi.

Saturday was a super quick spin on the bike before getting everything ready to get dropped off.

Oh gear bags.

Bike racked. Even though I came back to it a few times. First because I forgot a bottle on it (that I was using to hydrate with that day) and then because I forgot to let air out of my tires. I swear I've done this before ...

Gear bags dropped off.

With my favorite volunteer.

My official tri team right now - Feisty Triathlon. It was the North American Tri Club Championship, so there was a banner with all the clubs represented. Had to go find mine.

Dinner got a touch dicey that night; if you recall, I like to do a pre-race breakfast-for-dinner. I had talked with the restaurant at the hotel the night before to see if it would be possible (even though not technically on the menu). The person I talked to said it would probably be fine - and even said where they'd be working the next evening. Well, I didn't see them Saturday and at first it seemed like my simple eggs and toast wouldn't happen. I was trying not to freak out too heavily about this - I knew someday this tradition would probably have to fall away (probably if I ever raced overseas) - but it wasn't easy. Thankfully, it ended up working out (although I still got the backup meal I ordered which ended up being TERRIBLE so I'm glad I got my eggs and toast). I feel bad for restaurants in towns around these big races because athletes tend to be super high maintenance and have a lot of dietary restrictions so I don't like to be a difficult customer (also helllooooo trauma from childhood re: parents), so I was ridiculously apologetic and thankful to our server and we tipped him a lot.

Pretty sure I slept that night, but also don't remember. Eh. It is.

Race Day

Woke up just fine with the alarm at 4am, got ready, and went over to the free continental breakfast the hotel put out for us. Unfortunately, it was all just carbs. I ate a few bites of bagel, but that was it. Since B brought his gravel bike (oh yeah we got gravel bikes!) to bounce around the race course with, he offered to grab some protein-y type food for me from Starbucks when they opened later.

Like three bites of bagel later, we headed down the half mile or so to transition. I pumped up my bike tires, filled up my bottles, loaded my pickle chicken into my bento, and then dumped my handheld in my run bag. I then dropped off special needs (or personal needs, as they were called here)(which also weren't the easiest to find) before finding a spot to hide out at until B got back from coffee.

And got a sunrise picture over the IMLP rock.

B brought me back a ham and swiss croissant, but I wasn't really able to eat that, either. This was going to be quite possibly the least I'd eaten before an IM since my first in 2013. It also just was going to be.

Water temp was 75ish, so wetsuit legal for us AGers, but not for the pros. So hooray for that.

Oh hey, found a Randy again.

Waiting to enter.

The Swim:

Even though I unofficially swore off two loop swims after Rattlesnake in 2010, here I was doing another one. Oops. I seeded myself in the 1:40-1:50 group, thinking that would be fair given what I did in Madison and how my training was. I was able to fight my way onto the cable early and stayed on it, which was AMAZING. 

I should probably clarify: for those that aren't familiar with IM Lake Placid, they lay a cable along the race course in Mirror Lake. It's a few feet down so you don't touch it when you swim (although the little buoy things attached to it will probably smack you in the face if you swim on top of it), and the water is clear enough that you can follow it. Some say you can see it a few feet off the cable - like if you're six feet in either direction - but I preferred to keep it within probably a foot of me. If you stay on top of it as I did ... also be prepared to swim directly under the IM inflatable buoys because ... ooooops.

I did have to detour off course a tiny bit before the first turn thanks to some ridiculous mucus situation going on that didn't really clear up, but it cleared up enough for me to keep going (and every now and then, wipe snot off my upper lip while swimming. Triathlon: so glamorous).

Exiting loop one. Photo (c) FinisherPix.

Time: 45:54

Seeing my time did make me happy (YAY NOT AN HOUR LIKE IN MEMPHIS) and I took a quick second at the start of my second loop to pee (I have not yet mastered peeing while swimming) ... and proceeded to have issues finding the cable again. Oops. Found it quickly though and stayed on it again for the entirety of the second loop. Ironically, it was harder to stay on it for loop two than it was for loop one, which is the opposite of what I was expecting, thinking that more people would be out of the water, but alas.

I popped out, looked at my watch, went "HOLY SHIT," and went to get stripped.

Starting to peel myself out. Photo (c) FinisherPix.

Time: 1:34:58 (53rd division, 429th gender, 1625th overall)

T1:

I saw B as I was running toward the oval/transition and yelled something about a swim PR, and he yelled something back along the lines of "I hate you." I don't blame him.

I tried not to dally too much in transition, though my bags were NOT where I (and my wonderful bag check in volunteer) left them. I guess in past years, they had racks for the bags, and didn't this year, and it apparently threw everyone off. 

I popped some Aquaphor on the back of my neck right away for the wetsuit chafing, tossed on some more sunscreen, applied a tiny bit of chamois cream, stuffed my pockets full of food and other random stuff, put on my shoes, helmet, and sunglasses, and bounced out, carrying my bag to dump off as I grabbed my bike.

Time: 9:22

The Bike

Soooooo ... I didn't actually preview this bike course. At all. I didn't pre-drive it, watch videos (except for the Keene descent), nothing. I pre-rode like five miles of it and that was it. I knew it was tough and had a lot of climbing.

As advertised? Yes.

In short (because I could get into a lot of detail here), the bike course was absolutely fucking brutal. It was gorgeous - probably the most scenic and pretty of all the IM bikes I've done yet - but holy shit it was hard. It was also probably especially harder for me given that I was so undertrained. I'd gotten in what, two rides with a lot of climbing? For a course that has anywhere from 5500-8000 feet of elevation (oh Garmin discrepancies; fwiw, mine had 7500)? UGH.

Of note:

- the Keene descent was my favorite part of the day. I know how to descend a hill and I BLEW past people. Out of all the downhill portions of the day (of which there needed to be a lot more), I maybe got passed once on one of them, and not at all on Keene either time.

- Sometime after Upper Jay and before Wilmington Notch (maybe after the Haselton out and back?), we got a headwind. And at that point of the ride, it is (seemingly) all uphill and that headwind was SOUL SUCKING. Particularly on the second loop.

- I have never wanted to quit a race as badly as I did after loop one. If there hadn't been a good 10-15 miles early on in the loop that I liked so much, I may have considered throwing in the towel at special needs.

- Sometime around, oh, mile 45, maybe? maybe earlier?, the ball of my right foot started hurting. On loop two, some arch pain joined in and there were large stretches where I was crying (or some facsimile of it - I don't think the tear ducts were popping out tears) because every. single. pedal. stroke. hurt so goddamn bad.

- Sometime after 100 miles, I quit taking in food.

I think the frustrating part was until that headwind constant hill soul sucking bullshit, I was having an OUTSTANDING ride. And then all that hit. And my ride went to shit. 

But damn, was it pretty.

 

B getting me early on.

Photo (c) FinisherPix

Ha, the photog got me putting my food away. Photo (c) FinisherPix.

Pretty sure this is from one of the early climbs on loop two. Photo (c) FinisherPix.

Sometime later in the bike. Photo (c) FinisherPix.

This pretty much sums up how much I hated my life heading back into transition. Photo (c) FinisherPix.

Some very helpful (*rolls eyes*) woman was yelling out the time as we passed special needs again ("It's 4:45 pm!"), just reinforcing how terrible life had gotten. Thanks, lady. You were probably the same asshole I heard on the run (read on for that).*

Time: 8:09:22 (53rd, 435th, 1702nd)

T2:

I'm pretty sure the same woman (in a Galactic print Skirt Sports skirt) who stripped me out of my wetsuit also took my bike away from me, and if I had been more coherent (or in a better mood), I would have given her one of my volunteer wristbands, but alas.

They rerouted us a different way into the change tent for the run, which was a bit confusing at that point in the race. Not a lot of volunteers in the tent so I was on my own for prepping to run - which don't get me wrong, it was fine!; it was just a bit odd. Overheard a woman next to me saying that was one of the more brutal bikes that IMLP has thrown at people, so that was nice.

Otherwise, tried to keep moving and popped out on the run.

Time: 8:24

The Run:

First of all, I'm a little annoyed that there were NO photographers out on the run course by the time I hit it. Apparently that extra hour of being slow really makes a difference. Quite a few of us back-of-the-packers noticed we had no run photos. Which booooo.

Luckily, I had a personal one for a bit of it.

Love you husband!

I did my best to do what I had been doing on runs since late in Boulder 70.3 last year which is run as much as I could, walk for a count of 20 (basically 20 breaths out), rinse, repeat.

This worked kinda well, although I threw it completely out near aid stations so I could grab snacks or fill my bottle.

In general though, this run was pretty miserable. I saw the ski jumps at one point which was totally cool, but otherwise? I pretty much just wanted to curl up and nap on the side of the road during the entire run. I felt like the walking dead for pretty much the whole thing. And my right foot? The one that hurt during the bike? Oh yeah, it never stopped after that.

Still, I tried moving as best as I could, since that's really the only thing you can do.

Coming back into town for the little out-and-back, there's about a mile directly uphill which is mean and evil (especially on loop two as it's basically the second-to-last mile). Which meant it was great to see husband there on loop one.

I have never stopped for more hugs in a race. And I may be smiling, but I am dead.

Running back down the hill of death at the start of loop two.

Loop two was a lot more of a death march. Everything hurt so badly. I started feeling nauseous at one point - I didn't eat much at all on the run and probably drank a lot less than I should have.

At some point, I started doing a lot of mental math, realizing that even though I was in so much pain, I needed to start attempting to run a tiny bit more if I wanted to finish in time. And even though the thought of quitting ran through my mind a lot during this race - more than it ever has during a race - I didn't want to. I was this far into it and I was not NOT finishing. Which is why if you look at my splits in the tracker, they pick up a bit around miles 15-18 - it's because I was forcing myself to shuffle jog more.

I'd like at this point to insert a little shoutout to my seven-year-old Garmin Forerunner 920, as it started beeping low battery at about mile 20, but survived until the end of the race just fine. Thanks, little buddy.

The final three miles felt like they were about 10 miles long. That final out and back, man ... just ugh.

But the worst was the woman with a quarter mile left - "25 minutes to midnight" - lady, if it takes me 25 minutes to go the rest of this race, just fucking shoot me. Also, I've got like 15 minutes, not 25, so seriously, fuck you.

Not helpful.*

It's mostly downhill after the final turnaround, and I was able to run a good chunk of it back into the oval. I took a walk break after I entered in, but ran around the final curve and SPRINTED down the chute.

The pain disappears - it's the most magical thing. I think I may have been crying. I somehow still managed to go four-for-four on jumping at the finish - B says you can see Mike Reilly cringing as I do it (he's probably nervous that we jumpers will eat it).

I became an Ironman for the fourth fucking time.

Oh look, a running photo of me finally. Photo (c) FinisherPix.

Photo (c) FinisherPix.

Photo (c) FinisherPix.

Probably my favorite of the finish line shots. Photo (c) FinisherPix.

DONE.

Time: 6:43:32 (59th, 456th, 1703rd)

Overall Stats:

Time: 16:45:36

60/61 division (F35-39)

469/485 gender

1771/1817 overall

We all know this was my slowest and hardest. But let's see how it stacks up, shall we?

Swim 2013: 2:02:48

Swim 2016: 1:51:33

Swim 2019: 1:49:26

Swim 2022: 1:34:58

A damn near 15 minute swim PR. GO ME. I'd like to thank the cable for helping me not swim a lot extra (Garmin had me with maybe only an extra 100m or so) and helping me not lose form/body positioning thanks to not having to sight. You're the best, cable. Love you.

T1 2013: 11:24

T1 2016: 5:34

T1 2019: 10:04

T1 2022: 9:22

Always impossible to compare. But happy I could get it back under 10 minutes, which is always my goal.

Bike 2013: 7:26:02

Bike 2016: 7:28:32

Bike 2019: 7:36:02

Bike 2022: 8:09:22

... can I not have a bike split that ends in a two? Apparently not. Ha. Slowest bike by over 30 minutes. Which I guess given how much I didn't train isn't all that bad, actually? Only losing 15 minutes a loop (ish) ... actually I'm not that mad. I got out what I put into it - a crap bike thanks to crap training.

T2 2013: 7:52

T2 2016: 9:25

T2 2019: 7:58

T2 2022: 8:24

Impossible to compare. But under 10 minutes is always nice.

Run 2013: 6:07:29

Run 2016: 6:17:41

Run 2019: 6:04:56

Run 2022: 6:43:32 

Another place where I lost 30 minutes (15 minutes per loop). This is where the lack of volume training came back to bite me in the ass - I didn't have the built up ability to withstand that late race fatigue. 

Ah well. I obviously know I can do better, but I don't think I'm mentally ready to do so yet. But you'll probably see me do this again in another three years.

* Okay, so I will admit that some people may like this information. It is possible. But for the most part, I think those of us chasing cuts kinda know we're chasing cuts. Or at least we should. I definitely knew in AZ (my first).

May Round Up

 May was filled with both positives and negatives. As is the case with every month these days. Read on ...

Swimming: 13388.18m (8.32 mi)
Cycling: 187.7 mi
Running: 34.71 mi
Lifting: three sessions (:53)
Other: one hike (1:25), two days "home improvement" (5:00), two walks (:48), one session yoga (:10)

Swimming went down in terms of mileage, though I have gotten a few long sessions in (I'm up to 4k) and I did attempt some open water at the beginning of May while I was in St. George.

I doubled my bike mileage - WHICH WAS DESPERATELY NEEDED - and even though I'm not where I need to be there, I have started getting in longer miles. I actually hit my long ride last week, so yay for that?

The run has slipped some - run mileage went way down and I haven't gotten in my weekly long run in way too long. The only perk there is I can trudge forever and as long as I can keep running consistently and bump up what was my last long run by at least four miles, I'll be as prepared as I was in my first IM, so there's that.

Strength work was a huge disappointment and something that needs to get turned around. The other extras weren't bad - the "home improvement" was moving into the new house and schlepping around a LOT of heavy boxes - but if I keep them around, they mostly need to be yoga. Because an IM at 38/39 is surprisingly a lot harder than at 35/36.

But now that we're settled into the house (... for the most part), once the last giant pile of furniture is delivered today, my main priority for the next eight weeks is preparing for Lake Placid.

Let's go.

IMLP Check In #3 - Eh

I had it on my to do list to write a training update, so here it is.

I have nine weeks to go. That is not a lot of time. Training has ... been a struggle. 

There are a few positives:

- my mental game is strong. IMLP may be ugly, but I know I can do it.    
- I did the main loop of the IM St. George course while I was there cheering and while I was slow AF going up the wall, it wasn't all that horrible, and people I know who have done both said the hills were worse at St. George - just longer at Lake Placid. And that Placid is more comparable to Coeur d'Alene, and I did well on that bike course.
- I have been doing long-course endurance sport for a long time (11 years; 9 if we just want to count the 140.6 distance), and the body has a looooong memory.

That all being said, do I need to put in a lot more work? One thousand percent yes. I sketched out the next nine weeks, planning every single day (since, after our move, we don't really have any plans aside from being around for deliveries). It's a lot of work, but I know I don't really have another choice but to try to put in as much as I can.

April Round Up

So, in some ways April was better than March. But there are still things that need to get better. See if you can guess what.

Swimming: 21100m (13.1 mi)
Cycling: 90.81 mi
Running: 53.44 mi
Lifting: seven sessions (2:19)
Other: one day skiing (1:30), one walk (1:00), one session yoga (:11)

Swimming improved nicely. I'm actually on track there in terms of "long swim of the week." Same thing with running. I had a bit of a slip near the end of the month, but I can happily say I'm officially back on track in terms of "long run of the week."

Cycling, however ... the trainer sucks at my parents. I tried it. I did. And it was awful. The wind was holy eff terrible almost all month and just soul sucking. I did get out a bit, but not NEARLY enough. It HAS to come around in May or I am in trouble BIG TIME.

Lifting ... eh. I am upset there wasn't more other (well, there probably should have been more walking that I forgot to log), but alas.

As for May ... keep on keepin' on with the swim and the run and RIDE MY DAMN BIKE.

March Round Up

 What was that I said back at the end of February's recap?

"Hopefully March is somewhat better, though with it being the last month in the house ... we'll see."

Yeah, that was wise. Because reader? It was WORSE than February. Like seriously.

Swimming: 5600m (3.48 mi)
Cycling: 48.05 mi
Running: 25.74 mi
Lifting: six sessions (2:12)
Other: one session catch (:20), one day skiing (1:30), two walks (1:35)

So I basically took a week off after the half ... kinda sorta got back into things ... and then ALL THE PACKING and other random assorted crap that took a higher priority thanks to moving. Like flying out to SLC to do a final walkthrough of the new house. 

Moving during an Ironman year - DO NOT RECOMMEND.

At the end of February, I also wrote the following:

"As of now, I'll be in Tucson for April, so that might help things out as well."

Reader, I am not in Tucson. Rather, I am in Lone Tree, living back at the parents' house. There are a few reasons for this:

- when I cancelled my gym membership, it still was active until 4.25
- AirBnBs for a month are EXPENSIVE
- ... B is mostly in ATL this month and I kinda want him around in the desert, too, if possible
- the parents' is being used as storage for things the movers couldn't transport/store anyway (plants, alcohol, cleaning supplies, super fragile things (neon))

HOWEVER, it's been 11 years (almost 12) since I've moved out of this joint. It hasn't changed much. Don't get me wrong, I love my parents ... but this (marginally) organized chaos? Not so much. So it'll be good for me to want to get out of the house a lot. We've already gone for walks.

Also, they live in the midst of hills, and I was never a better runner than I was when I first started while also living here. So I should get a lot stronger over the next month as long as I put in the work.

The end of April and parts of May are still in the air - have to go to Chicago for a baby shower at the very end of April, I'll be in St. George for the IMWC for a few days (well. Cedar City is where the hotel is, but y'know) and then Vegas right after since I got me some free nights (at the MGM which actually does have a lap pool). We have a concert in Denver mid-month and in theory we can move into the new place in SLC on May 25 ... but it's the in-between that's the question. Maybe some will be at my friend Katie's. Maybe some will be in Tucson. WHO KNOWS?

... all I know is I get to put in a lot of work.