Riding in the Rain and Sun

Two of the people on the club triathlon team qualified for the world half-ironman championships in Clearwater Florida in November. So, we use them as an excuse to keep training because they need support. So last Wednesday they needed to do speed work, so I went with them out to the Vancouver lake area to do flat speed riding. We got there and it was cloudy but the pavement was dry, but off in the distance the hills of Portland weren't visible. So just as we started to ride the curtain that had hidden Portland hit us. It poured for about five miles of riding, then stopped and a small circle of blue sky showed up and between the sun and a very strong wind, the pavement was dry again by the second ten mile out and back. I led during the windiest section so they wouldn't get worn out too much with only weeks to go for their race. We ended up doing 25 miles at a 19.2 average, the top picture is of Gigi (my bike) in the back of my Jeep when I got home. She was not happy about getting that dirty. Saturday after group swim it was pouring out so we did 1 1/2 hours of spinning inside instead of riding outside. But today it was really nice out so after a 10.2 mile run at a fast for me 8:50 pace three of us decided to ride outside for a nice 20.2 miles at a 16.8 average. Tomorrow is supposed to be 60+ and sunny, so we're thinking of doing at least a 30 mile ride. I need 60.4 more miles to reach 3000 miles riding this year.
Thursday I'm flying to Los Angeles to visit my son. I'll take my running shoes and do some warm southern California running.

Working Out in October

One thing about being a recent Ironman- in pretty good shape. So with nothing really to train for and maybe not peak shape anymore, but still up there I've been having fun with the workouts. Last Wednesday driving to the club to run the ground was covered in hail pellets in the Camas area, so my main running partner who was doing the marathon on Sunday stayed inside on the treadmill while running partner number 2 and I went outside and ran up Dahlia Road twice for hill repeats (picture is from last March). We ended up doing four miles and doing the hill twice which was very hard. Got the heartrate over AT (anaerobic threshold) on the second climb. Then on Saturday during group swim coach Denise said, "no wetsuits". So we did 2000 meters of speed work without wetsuits. Then it was ugly outside, but not pouring, so 7 of us decided to go ahead and ride outside. Started out cold and misting, but after crossing the bridge into Oregon it was dry and cloudy. Rode out to Troutdale and back to the I-5 bridge and the pavement was starting to dry out by then. Got back to the club at 49.5 miles, everyone was surprised at how far we'd gone- seemed easy. Sunday I went downtown to watch my running partner in the marathon. Saw the start, but with 7800 people I couldn't see her. It was a nice 61 degrees out at 7:00 AM. Anyway, got a map and drove to mile seven and waited and yelled for her there, got a smile and wave. Went to mile 12 and stayed on a curve and yelled for her and she gave me a tired smile. Saw a girl that I knew a couple years ago and she said "wow, you've lost some weight". I guess the iron training did something (17 pounds lost). Drove over to the other side of the river and walked out on the St. John's bridge around mile 17 or so. Saw her and she broke into a giant smile and put up her arm for a high-five, so I high fived and yelled encouragement. Then the dash for the finish line. Had to park miles away and walk over there and then push into the crowd to get to the fence. Watched her finish and then went over to where they give the blankets and she came over and I congratulated over the fence. She did a 3:43 for her first ever marathon. After seeing runners all morning I went to the Springwater trail and ran 7.5 miles at a 9 something pace in dry 66 degree weather.
Monday, Columbus day, I had the day off being a government worker. So swim drills at 8:00 and then we were going to spin, but it wasn't raining, just foggy. So 3 of us put on yellow jackets and did 21.1 miles integrating 2 minute up to AT sprints and then 2 minute rests and repeat. Then as we got back a couple of guys who usually swim at 8 showed up to swim and said they'd go to lunch after the swim, so I decided to swim with them since they were only doing 1000 meters. We ended up doing 2000 meters instead. Then during lunch we saw half a sky of blue and high clouds, so back on the bike for 22.1 miles that was supposed to be social pace, but ended up being at an 18.2 average! Then drive home change out clothes and back to the club for ab class and then running partner 2 and I ran 3.2 miles using streetlights and a flashlight at a nice comfortable 9:30 pace. So Monday I ended up doing 3000 meters swimming, 43.2 miles bike, and 3.2 running with an hour ab class also- the perfect day off!

Post Ironman and Pictures

Here's some pictures from the Grand Columbian from the photographers they had at the race. Took a week off and then started back up with easier training. Not sure what's next or what direction to go in. I do know that I feel like anything is possible after doing an ironman!
My running partner has been training for the Portland marathon this coming Sunday, so I ran with her a couple times last week and felt great. We were supposed to do 10 miles yesterday, but she cancelled with some excuse- it was raining out. So I went and did my first solo run since August when I hooked up with her. Anyway, did 8.6 miles in the rain along the Columbia river and over the I-5 bridge. It was nice and with a baseball cap the rain didn't bother me. Did a nice comfortable 9:30 pace.
I've found that the heart rate has a limit since ironman, during Saturday's group swim I did a 100 meter sprint and had to stop at 75 meters for a few seconds to get the breathing and heartrate under control. Still hit the wall at 1:29, but it was hard. Then on the 32.7 mile bike ride I tried to sprint once and had to back off, have to give the body awhile to recover before trying sprint type stuff.