Ironman

Number 6 is in the books. For those that didn't follow, I finished in 10h 47m, good enough for 260th overall (2300 starters), but unfortunately only 53rd (444 starters) in my age group. Some how everyone is getting faster but me? Last qualifying slot this year was 9:55, when conditions were worse than last year! That is nearly a 2o minute increase from last year. As I have said before, if you can't run a marathon in 3:30 or less, you won't qualify. I did run better this year than last, 3:57, compared to 4:05. But not good enough. My strategy of going easy on the bike to run better, didn't seem to make a difference. I think 10 min slower on the bike, but only 5 min faster on the run. May as well just bike hard... it's more fun!!
The swim was very rough. Lots of scattered waves in your face going out, and BIG chop at the turn around. At times I would look up to breath and see people far above my head going over the next wave. Amazingly, I swam nearly exactly last years time.

After a very long transition that I put on my winter wind front base layer, arm warmers and full fingered gloves, I was off on the bike. My goal was average 200W, no more than 250ish. That was not possible. Some of the hills just to keep moving and not walk I had to get in the 300's for less than 30sec. Still no HR above 150. I'll down load the info later, but at no time was I breathing hard. Almost bored though. I was cold at times early, than warmed some during brief periods of sun, but then got cold again as the clouds and wind rolled in.

For the run, I figured I would be working hard, so I got rid of the arm warmers and winter shirt. In retrospect, maybe I should have kept one of them? It was cold! Plus the wind, made my hands frozen. At least the pounding in my legs kept my mind off my hands, until I would try to use them to drink. By the end, all my fingers were white. Luckily, I finished just as the rain started so I didn't get too cold. Go figure, 3 years ago I was here in 95 deg temps and dying. Today, 55 deg and rain.

That should be the end of the Ironman days. Despite a few different training methods and schedules, I can't seem to run much faster in ironman. Rather than torturing myself more trying to qualify, I think it's time to just ride my bike(s).....

rk