THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT

LESS THAN THREE WEEKS UNTIL IRONMAN!

We generally have lots of butterflies year round in Kona but you won't see many right now. Why? Because I'm convinced that they have started congregating in my stomach and I'm pretty sure they'll be staying there until the canon goes off at 7 a.m. October 10. 

Butterflies: How can something so beautiful and graceful make you feel so unsettled, unprepared and plain old scared? And how do they get into your stomach anyhow? 

Well, ever how they get there, I have a stomach full of them and their effect is bringing on doubt and lots of negative self-talk: I should have trained more, went longer, pushed harder. I'm not ready for this. That inner voice seems to be getting louder as Ironman draws closer. It's a struggle every day to keep a positive attitude. 

Sunday's Peaman race, a three-quarter-mile swim and 3.9-mile run helped some. Floating in the water at Kailua Pier Sunday morning waiting for the countdown for the swim portion of the race to start, I tried to visualize it was the start of the Ironman. I positioned myself at about where I'm planning to for Ironman - not at the front but not at the back and off to the left. I  got behind a few people and made sure there were people just behind me. Just to make it feel like it was crowded.

I looked across the bay and tried to visualize the boat way out there that marks the Ironman turnaround. Dang, that's a long ways ... Peaman counted down 3 ... 2 ... 1 ... GO! I visualized hearing the canon fire. Then feet, elbows, hands and bubbles were everywhere. You gotta love a Peaman race. It's the best practice in the world for triathlon swims. 

I must of visualized the Ironman swim start pretty well because I began to panic thinking of nearly 2,000 swimmers surrounding me. I got instantly claustrophobic and seriously began thinking I can't handle this; it's too scary; too much for me; I'm not good enough. At that moment I pulled off to the left and out of the pack of swimmers I was with losing my draft and falling behind. I thought about stopping and heading back to the beach, but no. I needed to face my fear. I headed back to the right and caught the tail-end of the pack of swimmers. 

By the time we were at the turn around buoy I was right in the middle of several swimmers. Making the turn I got hit, climbed over, and cut off but I never slowed down. After the turn it was time to stretch out, grab some feet and head for home. Fear faced. Panic over.

The run was a big positive that I'm going to hold onto these coming weeks. I ran nearly 4 miles faster than I usually run 3 miles. And each mile was getting faster. I finished with a 7 minute, 15 second mile, which is amazing for me. And on tired legs, too. I haven't ran a 7:15 mile in more than 30 years so you can bet I'm gonna hang onto that to help chase away the negative talk.

So the next 3 weeks as I begin to taper my training, I'm going to be dealing with a lot of second guessing. Wondering if I did it right. Did I go long enough, hard enough? And the biggest question: Am I ready? YES! YES! AND YES! I have to believe that. I have to remember that I have pushed myself, physically and mentally to the limit. I have done it right. All that's left is to show up at the starting line, face some fears and race smart.

Over the past few months I've been building a lot of positive memories along the Ironman course. Putting them in the bank for race day, as Bree Wee says. Hopefully as I taper and begin to rest up for race day I'll continue building positive memories and keep the negative talk and self-doubting at bay. 

Oh, and if you happen to see any butterflies around town please, please shoo them away from where ever I'm at. I've got more than my stomach can manage already. 

RIGHT WHERE I SHOULD BE

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2009
24 days until Ironman

Today I feel old. But I guess I am old - at least according to my kids.

My body is more tired than I ever thought it could be. I feel like I've swam, biked and ran my way from here to New York. Actually, after checking my training blog, I have swam, biked and ran nearly 5,000 miles while training for Ironman - about the same distance from Honolulu to New York City.

I guess that means I'm feeling just the way I should be feeling. Cool!

Today is just a swim day for me as well as a bike repair day. My bike ride on Monday didn't go so well. I had three flat tires and ended up stuck on Queen K and had to call for a ride back to town. So today I'm swapping tires (the old one has a slice in it), retaping the bars, cleaning the grime off and getting everything ready for my 112 mile ride tomorrow. I'm also making sure I carry along plenty of tubes, a great big air pump and maybe a spare tire or two.

I don't know. I think this will work.

See ya out there.

ENDINGS AND BEGINNINGS

This is it! My longest training week. My longest swims, my longest bikes and my longest runs. All in the same week. All leading up to a 3-week-long taper. 

It may sound like it is coming to an end  and it is, but the end leads me to a beginning - the starting line and the beginning of the race. 

That's what I've been thinking about today while I was running. It's my last hard week of training. Sure the next couple of weeks will still be intense, but this is the peak. Things will get a little easier, a little shorter, and a little more "normal" as race day gets closer. Sure, there will still be long runs (12- 15 milers, and 100 mile rides and lots of swimming over the next three weeks but it'll be the downhill side of training with a focus on recovery and filling the tank up.

So here's to endings and beginnings. See you out there.

SPEED WEEK: JUST WHAT I NEED

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2009

32 days until Ironman

Wow! Race day is getting close. I can't decide if I'm more excited or scared. Either way there's lots of adrenaline.

Training is getting longer now. Nearly 25 hours last week was spent in the pool or on the road. Two more weeks of building then the taper begins. This week I'm adding something new to my training: Speed work. It's new because I don't have speed. So for me to say I'm doing speed work is kind of funny.

Over the past several weeks, as my distances have increased I've noticed my pace has slowed, both on the bike and running. I guess I figured I needed to slow down to be able to make it the whole distance. Whatever the reason, it has become a bad habit and I need to break it. Thus, speed week.

I've also noticed that my average heart rate has been getting lower. A big indication that I should have the power to go harder. So this week is all about speed. Monday I did intervals on the bike, which is kind of new to me as well. I usually just pound the pedals at a constant speed. So to go all out for a set time then rest for a couple of minutes then all out again proved to be pretty hard. Maybe more so mentally than physically. But that's just what I needed.

Today I ran 10 1-mile hill repeats at the Energy Lab. The road to the Energy Lab really isn't a hill, it's more of an incline, but combine that with the heat and the fact that it is at mile 19 or so of the marathon course I'm sure it's going to feel like the Alps on race day.

My training today was to run the mile-long road out of the Energy Lab to Queen K - the up hill portion - at 80 to 90 percent, basically as hard as I could then back off slightly. Once I was at the top I would run at about 50 percent effort back to the bottom. Take a quick water break (about 2 minutes) then go again.

I've found that doing speed work on a slight up hill route reduces the pounding on the legs but still allows you to go all out with less leg stress.

I was surprised at how fast the 10 miles went by. I was also surprised to notice that my hard mile pace was getting faster with each repeat. By mile 8 I was doing 7-something minute miles, which is fast for me (and don't forget that was running up hill). Even my cool down mile (mile 11) was an 8 to 9 minute mile. I was having so much fun that I really didn't want to stop running. I don't usually run at this pace so it was a great day. I think today was just what I needed. A little boost in confidence that I do have more in the tank than I think I do.

I'm excited for my long bike and run days later this week just to see if I can pick up the pace on a few of the miles near the end. ZOOM, ZOOM!

PANIC ATTACK!

Holy cow!  Only 37 days until Ironman!!! What was I thinking?

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Just breathe. In .... Out .... In .... Out

Whew! 

OK, I'm better (for) now ... Good night.

FOR THE THRILL OF IT

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2009
For the past few days I've been watching Ironman videos on youtube and getting pretty excited about the race. I watch the videos and visualize the bike and run. I visualize T1 -- transitioning from the swim to the bike; I visualize cruising along Queen K and Akoni Pule Highway to Hawi and the turn around. Then heading back to Kona; I visualize T2 -- feeling strong as I jump off the bike and begin the run. I even visualize having a good, strong run for 26.2 miles.

Notice I haven't mentioned the swim. Every time I imagine floating in the bay waiting for the swim to start my heart skips a few beats, my breathing quickens and I feel nauseated. I imagine hearing the canon fire and the race beginning. I see the ocean erupt into a cloud of white spray from thousands of flailing arms and feet. My heart jumps into my throat. I find myself holding my breath. Usually about there I have to fast-forward my visualizing to well into the swim where things calm down. From there I can usually visualize a good, strong swim.

(if you are watching this on FaceBook you'll have to go to my blog to see the video. Click on view original at the bottom of this note)

If you haven't been in the chaos of a triathlon swim start it's hard to imagine what it is like. A lot of competitors stand on shore or hang back until after the start of the race then venture out and begin their swim. Much more relaxing I'm sure, but that's not for me. Maybe I'm an adrenaline junkie. But even with the panic attacks I get visualizing the swim start, I'd much rather be on the front line playing full-contact swimming than hang back and play it safe. Yes, you get hit - hard. You get kicked - hard. You get bumped, climbed over, and maybe even bruised and bloodied, but that's part of the sport and most of the fun.

Yes, on race day, floating in the water waiting for the canon to fire, I'm going to be scared to death. I'm also going to be excited beyond believe. I've never bungee jumped, or parachuted, or even cliff jumped, but I can't imagine the thrill that those bring could be more exciting than the swim start of the Ironman World Championship. I just hope I have good medical and dental coverage!

Ironman is getting close!

GOING THE DISTANCE

SUNDAY, AUGUST 30, 2009
41 days until Ironman

This video says it all. If you are reading this on my facebook page you may have to go to my blog to see the video. click on the "view original post" at the bottom.



Getting excited!

GLORY DAYS

SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 2009
42 days until Ironman

I've been wondering "why" lately. Why am I doing triathlons? Is it some midlife crisis? Maybe trying to relive my glory days. Or maybe it's just that living on an island there isn't that much to do except swim, bike and run.

I've already gone through a midlife crisis so I can rule that one out. That's how I ended up in Hawaii. And although it is true that there isn't that much to do when you live on an island, I don't think that's why. So the more I think about it the more the "glory days" theory seems to fit, except that my glory days weren't really that glorious.

I'm thinking that maybe I never really had any glory days and that right now may be my glory days -- my time to excel. To make memories that will last a lifetime. I'm thinking maybe this is the time of my life, the time I'll look back on and think "Wow! I really did all that and I was how old? Swam in water so deep and blue it's nearly indescribable, biked more than a hundred miles in one day at least once a week for months and ran 14 to 18 miles every Saturday morning just to get ready for a little race called Ironman." Now that will be something to tell grandkids about.

Yep, I'm thinking this is definitely my glory days, uh, unless I qualify for the world championship again next year. Then next year will be my glory days and what stories I'll be able to tell about that one.

-------------------------

It's been an odd training week for me this week. Every other day has been a hard workout followed by a relatively easy day. Monday was a swim, bike, run day; Tuesday just stretching and some core workouts; Wednesday was pool day with lots of swimming; Thursday 100 mile bike then a 40 min. run; Friday easy swimming and today was a 16-mile run -- the farthest I've run nonstop. Tomorrow is my play day. Hope you all have a great play day wherever you are.

Here are a few photos from my training this week.

Running along Queen K Saturday morning.

Running down the Energy Lab road at sunrise.

The road to Hawi. Just a few more miles to the Ironman turnaround.

On the way to Hawi. That's Maui behind those clouds. Almost close enough to swim to.

Sunrise over Hualalai volcano.

MY NAME'S RANDY AND I'M A COUCH POTATO

TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2009

46 days until Ironman

One of my fears is that one day I'll decide that being a couch potato is better than doing triathlons and just give up training. 

I spent Tuesday lying around watching TV. No swimming, no biking, no running. Just eating and watching TV. I was in full couch potato mode.

This week was supposed to be a typical training week. Same distances as last week except for adding a little bit of time to my runs. Basically my schedule called for 4,000- to 5,000-yard swims 3 times this week; 175 miles on the bike for the week; and 40 miles of running for the week. 

Monday I was right on schedule -- 4,700 yards swimming, 25 mile bike and a 6 mile run. No problem. Tuesday was supposed to be a 12 mile run, but Monday night I was having a couple if injuries flaring up that made it difficult to walk, let alone run. I won't bore you with details but I decided I had better slow it down now before these minor injuries turn into something that may affect my race.

I decided to spend a little R&R over the next two days and reduce the pounding on my body and give it time to heal itself. But the couch is always calling me. On days like today I always wonder if it's just my lazy side kicking in or did  I make the right decision to take it easy? 

I'm a lazy person by nature and a homebody so everyday is a challenge for me to keep off the couch. Every morning when my alarm goes off well before the sun rises I have to force myself to get out of bed and hit the pool or road. It never comes easy. 

So just to make sure I'm not tempted back onto the couch for good -- two days on the couch would definitely turn me back into a couch potato -- I'm spending most of Wednesday in the pool working on my swimming and probably doing some water jogging. 

Oh, the movie I was watching on TV Tuesday was a sports movie. Does that count as training?

A FEELING GOOD DAY

FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2009
(50 days until Ironman)

Today was one of those feeling good days. One of those days that I’m glad I’m off the couch and training for Ironman. Biking 100 miles in the sunshine, heat and wind makes you feel alive. Having a crossswind blow you and your bike clear across the road will make anyone feel alive and thankful to be that way.

I spent my Friday morning reflecting about how I got to this point -- being able to spend 6 hours on the bike in the wind while climbing hills. After all, just 8 months ago I was having knee surgery. I’ve spent a lot of miles on my bike in the past 8 months. Good days and bad days and today was a good day.

I was thankful I was riding alone. Just me, my bike and my music. It was a good day to make peace with my bike and find some much-needed inspiration. Here are a few photos from my ride today.

Sunrise over Hualalai

Can you see Maui way out there behind the clouds?

Mauna Lani Resort on the left. The Kohala Mountains way off in the distance is where I'm headed.

The wind picked up here. See the palm trees bent? 

On the way back down on Akoni Pule Highway. Don't try this at home boys and girls. I took this going over 20 mph in a pretty harsh crosswind.

Kawaihae Harbor is just around the corner. The Kona Coast can be seen off in the distance.

My emergency stop! A much needed hydration and lunch stop at Kawaihae gas station. They have great salty, greasy chicken legs (sitting on my bike saddle) that just seems to hit the spot on long rides. Oh, there are those blue tires of Karen's ...

SOMETHING BORROWED, SOMETHING BLUE

FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2009
Our son, Aaron, is getting married today (Friday) in the philippines. Aaron's soon-to-be wife, Grace, is from the Philippines and out of courtesy for her family they chose to get married there. They are planning a second wedding here for Aaron's family and friends, however.

My thoughts will be with Aaron and Grace as I'm out on my bike today. Six hours on a bike provides lots of thinking time. In honor of Aaron and Grace's wedding today, and out of necessity, I'm going to have something borrowed and something blue on my bike.

(Aaron and Grace)

For my 100-mile bike ride I will literally be on borrowed tires. Last night while getting my bike ready for my ride I noticed my front tire had a big slice in it and that it probably wouldn't last for that long of a ride. And with the bike stores already closed my only option was to "borrow" the tires off Karen's bike. Her blue tires off her blue bike.

So for six hours or so I'll be thinking of our son and his new wife and wedding traditions, romance and newly weds, and borrowed blue tires on my white and black bike and all the while wondering if Karen will notice when she goes to ride her bike to work that there are no blue tires on her blue bike ...

(Karen's blue bike and tires)