It's time to be an Ironman....

THE PLAINS.....

118 miles! 8:15 minutes! 7100 feet of climb! 90 degrees! 4 electrolyte pills! 1-gallon of sustained/gatorade mix! 8 gu shots! 1/2 gallon of gatorade! 1 gallon of water! and I still lost 4 pounds of fluids on the ride today. EPIC?? No, not yet as we still have to get through tomorrow but pretty damn close. This ride was tough, gut tough. I am beat right now and wonder how I'm going to get through the workouts tomorrow. Thank goodness my wife is gone until tomorrow because I am going to collapse tonight. For the last 30 miles of the ride I was craving Velvetta Mac & Cheese and Corona. So after the ride I drove around and found a grocery store and pick things up, came home at and drank one beer and I was tipsy! Well, let me tell you about today's ride:



I took this picture around 6:30am before the ride began. Look at that sun come up. You just knew it was going to be a hot one when you seen that orange ring just burning around the sun.

Today we started in The Plains, VA and rode all through the country side. I have no idea where we were during the ride but it was hilly and slow. The first loop was about 60 miles and I rode with Mark most of the time. When we made it back to the cars at mile 60, we refueled and headed back out again. The second loop was 58 miles and after 20 miles of the 2nd loop, we were way off course because we took a wrong turn. Well, it turns out several people took wrong turns because the cue sheet wasn't too clear. Well, as Mark and I regained our composure after realizing we screwed up, we headed back to the cars and got there around Mile 93. We refueled and headed back out again for the last leg that just seemed to take forever. I was so tired this last bit and could not wait until we got done. There were hills throughout this ride and they did not stop till the very end. Between the hills and the heat, this was the hardest workout I have ever done in my entire life.

Some thoughts I would like to recall in the future...

• Although I was in Zone 2 during the 1st half and had a great time, I still suffered on the second half because of it. I need to remember during IM to take the 1st half in either high Z1 or low Z2. My goal is to run the marathon and if I am wiped on the 2nd half of the bike, I won't have a chance to do the run in its entirety.
• Either don't use the water bottle in the arrow bars or put a damn bag w/rubberband over the lid. I can't take any more splashing of gatorade all over me and the bike!
• I saw naked girls on the ride.....really, I did!
• Got lost and was cursing the ride coordinator.
• The hills and heat were relentless- but this was great training weather and am glad I did it.
• I got to listen to White Snake over and over again before and after the ride played by two of my tri buddies....
• Saw Coach Ed and Matt at mile 110 and as I fueled up he looked at me and all I said was, dammit, it's time to be an Ironman - well in retrospect, not yet, I need to get through tomorrow and then June 24th. It will happen, just need to be patient.
• Best thing of all....my ASS did not hurt!! Woooohooooo. It's amazing after I got my ASS fitted for my seat by getting the cheek bones measured, my ASS is a new ASS and lovin life when biking. No more pinch nerve, no more uncomfortable feeling. Don't get me wrong, when you ride for 118 miles, the tush will hurt, but not like it did before!!! : )
• Compact cranks ROCK! To train all season with standard cranks and then for this ride to use compact cranks...Man what a treat!!!!!!!! I could definitely tell a difference going up hills with a higher cadence and keeping my heart rate down.

Now, we need to prep for tomorrow......