Like Daughter, Like Mother — February 3-9, 2003

Last week, with the end of Epic Camp, I capped the week off at 22 hours of training. And I’m still feeling excellent!

Pieces of the Puzzle
Things have a way of working out, like I always say. When I left on this little adventure of mine, I had no idea whatsoever where I’d end up. All I knew was a few months in NZ, at least three in Australia and then it was all up in the air.

Now that Epic Camp New Zealand is done, Epic Camp Colorado is next in the works. I’ve always wanted to go there and the first one was so much fun, I’ve committed to support duties again. Call me Epic Wy. ;-) Looks like now I’ll stay in Australia until mid-July, fly back home to Canada, and drive do the road trip to Boulder in time for camp start. Maybe spend all of August in CO and then drive back home and sign up for IMC ’04.

Short Bays the Mortal Way
This week I went and rode the Short Bays ride the right way! I rode OVER the mountain instead of through it this time. Not quite as “outlaw” exciting, but what an awesome ride that was. Now I know what the guys meant about the first 100 meters being the steepest. Oiy, it was a solid climb a lot longer than 100 meters. ;-) The views at the top were well worth it, however. And the descent into Governor’s Bay... oh my, what a descent! Fast, winding, switchback corners… I think I actually used my brakes on that one! =:-o

My Friend, the Wind
Friday was a steady ride out to Motukarara and back. I was having a great ride and managing to maintain my pace/effort. On the way back, the wind had kicked up more than normal and a nasty headwind tried to play on me. It wasn’t difficult to deal with until I got to the other side of Tai Tapu. I was on an exposed stretch of highway riding straight into it. I was finding it very hard to maintain my focus and was starting to get annoyed. The more annoyed I got, the harder the wind blew, the more my quads complained, the more I growled... So, I decided to find the positive in it — well, its making me stronger, tougher, a better athlete. “Okay wind, bring it on!” Either it worked or the wind eased off a little, but it suddenly became easier to deal with. Must remember this — find the positive in everything.

[Postscript: After that ride, I had decided I would take the old road that runs out and parallel instead of the exposed section of highway. However, every time I hit that stretch on future rides, I stayed on it — because it made me stronger.]

Like Daughter, Like Mother
My Mom rocks! I had a great chat with my Mom before my Sunday long ride – which could be why my ride turned out so good. She had this spark in her voice that was infectious. She sounded very excited and full of life and wonder — she had just signed up for her first triathlon! How cool is that I ask! There is a race in Harrison Hot Springs that is exclusively for first timers called My First Tri. She and her cousin are going to do the race together this August. I was so excited I put together a little training plan for her.

After our chat, I had the best ride to-date. I rode 135KMs out to Little River and back maintaining steady pacing and aero position. My heart rate crept from the low 110s at the start to the low 130s by the end, and later that day, my quads were feeling the ride when I walked downstairs. I call that a gooder. Coach calls that a good reason for a trip to the massage therapist. A little lady bug landed on my forearm and rode with me for a ways. Whether or not she was good luck like “they say”, she kept me entertained for a little while. This week capped at 26 hours of training! That’s a first for me.

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Hell Ride, er Saddle — February 10-16, 2003

I started this week off feeling a touch on the tired side — no doubt — and a visit to the bike shop to have a fit done.

Scott Millar at John Bull Cycles was my fitting maestro, and boy, did I learn a thing or two. I learned that my knees don’t track straight, they come in, which is why my heels come in when I ride to compensate. Also learned I’m an excessive pronator. Hmm... and I thought I was biomechanically sound. ;-) After all was said and done — in this session — Scott fixed me up with a new Selle Italia saddle, new Shimano carbon cycling shoes, and replaced my Speedplays with Look pedals (and the red cleats). He sent me home for a week to see how the new adjustments go and then we’ll address any issues and adjust my front end. He thinks I’m stretched out a touch too far and need a shorter stem and new handlebar angle.

Night Sweats
I had my first experience with the night sweats Tuesday night! :-) It was an odd sensation. I woke up in the middle of the night hot around the neck, tingling skin, and all the covers kicked off. I don’t know how long it took me to cool down so I could fall back asleep – I was too tired. ;-) Gordo says the sweats are a sign of over-reaching and that I’m very close to the edge. Scott says it’s also due to my metabolism racing at high speed. Both sound good to me. :-) Later in the week I had another round of the night sweats, only a little more mild that this first experience.

Dinner at the Pros Table
Thursday night I was invited to a BBQ dinner at Scott and Erin’s house along with Gordo and Clas. Scott whipped up an awesome Barbie with lamb chops and the whole works. Erin Baker is one neat lady. After dinner she dished out a small bowl of ice cream for me and said it was all about balance, dig in. I felt a little guilty with Gordo sitting right there. Clas however, felt no guilt whatsoever and helped himself to two bowls worth! Erin assured me to go ahead saying that she ate ice cream two weeks out from an IM. Of course, she was winning them. ;-) A mighty nice evening hanging out with four IM pros — two of which are legends — I say.

The Ride from Hell
The good news is that my hamstrings are starting to open up from all the yoga I’ve been doing. The bad news I can’t ride aero on my new saddle — flash as it is, matching my bike an’ all – it’s as uncomfortable as hell. By no strange coincidence, Saturday’s ride was also the ride from hell!

On the schedule was a regular route the guys do — The Gorges Ride. It’s about 150KM that winds through open countryside, rolling hills, turquoise gorges and quaint villages. Just as I was leaving for this ride, Gordo came in and said, “This is the ride that will tell you where your fitness is at on the bike. If you want a good bike split at IMNZ, this is the one that will get you there. This ride is your last chance to make a difference. Stay steady and stay aero.” Ugh, didn’t need that as I was walking out the door. Uh, thanks Gordo. Not.

It was less than a couple hours before my new saddle had become so uncomfortable that I could hardly stand being on the aerobars. The route was a big loop as well, so there was no turning around. Can’t turn around anyway, but the thought that I couldn’t combined with Gordo’s last words was playing on my mind. Bloody hell, I was uncomfortable!

The ride was actually a pretty nice route, but there were large sections of nothing — absolutely nothing. I was asking aloud for at least a road sign to give me an indication of distance past or future. Then I hit a section that was 40K dead straight with the exact same scenery. That was a tough section to get through. ;-) I was feeling pretty disappointed with this ride and my pace. I was so slow, I was hurting, I was breaking down mentally... By the time I got home was feeling pretty frazzled and a touch emotional. Gordo thought it best to speak to me about it after I settled. Good idea. ;-)

When my frame of mind had calmed, we had a good discussion. He said it’s very unconventional to be doing close to a century only two weeks out from an IM, but it was a calculated risk. I needed to wrap my head around what I could be in for come race day. Smart guy my coach is. He was right. I was out there thinking, “I feel like I’m doing an IM today!” I was in that same mental breakdown state I hit in Lake Placid. Better I get through that today than on race day. I guess you could say the days goals were accomplished.

Like Mother, Like Daughter
My Mom had herself some great training this weekend too. There is a group of people from her gym that are all training for My First Tri together — that was how she got involved. Every Saturday they have a group training session where they alternate weekends between swim, bike and run. These weekend group workouts often have coaches attend and offer training tips, technique evaluations, etc. Nice set-up for newbies. This weekend they all went out for a 20K ride. The route was a 10K loop and it started pouring rain about mid-way through the first loop. Half the women and a few of the men bailed after the first loop because of the rain. My Mom however, kept going and did the whole thing soaking wet. Her comment to me about those who had bailed early, “Pansies!” ;-) My Mom’s got what it takes! WoooHooo!!! :-)

Bring on the Beef, Baby!!!
Sunday afternoon I was at the grocery store stocking up and grabbed a few extra packages of beef fillets. That wasn’t on the list and we had some at home. Not sure why I grabbed it, but I did. I couldn’t stop thinking about it sitting in the fridge later, either. Finally, the craving got to be too much for me and I gave in — “Okay, I am going to cook up some steak of my own free will... and eat it!” I haven’t eaten red meat in about seven years now, so this was a real event for me. I couldn’t even remember how to cook the stuff!

I cooked up a couple fillets and thought, “Wow! Is this ever good!” It was so good in fact, that I cooked up a third one and came very close to cooking up a fourth. It would just be gluttony at that point, but I felt like a rabid dog on a fresh kill. I couldn’t get enough. Welcome to yet another new experience in the world of high-volume training. The body knows what it needs and when you get up there in volume, there’s something in red meat that it craves. Gordo suggested I get my iron levels checked after IMNZ, especially since I’ve never had them checked.

Another 26-hour training week under my belt. :-)

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Let the Taper Begin — February 17-23, 2003

What a glorious way to start the week. The sunrise was gorgeous and colourful coming up over the hills behind Sumner to the east as I headed off to the pool. The moon still hung low in the western sky casting a luminescent sliver light over the scattered clouds. Simply breathtaking. I had an awesome swim too — long course, less counting.

Ah, Now That’s a Saddle!
Back at the bike shop for a follow-up, Scott adjusted my handlebars, brake hoods and aerobars, and replaced my stem and chain. I was disappointed at first that he was swapping out my stem. My old one had my IMC and IMUSA bike check stickers on it. I was a little bummed that I was going to lose those. However, the new stem was flat black and very flash looking. So flash in fact, that I’ve decided there will be NO stickers of any kind adhered to it. Ever. ;-) So, I went for a spin with the new adjustments — and new saddle — and it felt great. I’m ready to race now!

My Religion
Wednesday I had a fantastic ride out to Little River and back. I started as the sun was just rising. There is something so invigorating about being on the bike at sunrise — I’ve taken to calling it my religion. I was jazzed the whole ride, drilled my pacing, and felt so good after that I did a little disco/rap jig around the kitchen while making something to eat. I’m so glad to have the hell ride behind me. I think it cleared the way for good things to come. Especially if the quality if riding I’ve done since is any indication.

Pieces Keep Falling In
More changes to my plans now. I’m going to go to Colorado at the beginning of May and stay right through until the middle of August. Now I’ll be staying in Australia until the end of April, spend the summer in Colorado, and drive back to Canada mid-August. I’ll head straight up to the Okanagan, race the Big Apple in Kelowna and ride the IMC bike course during race week. I’ll be one of those people that everyone driving the course always says, “Look at the nut riding the whole course race week!” Then I’ll do the volunteer thing and registration line party for IMC ’04. I’ve decided I will go back to New Zealand in October, so I will spend all of September in Canada.

LT Tech Assistant
Saturday Gordo and Clas went to the QEII to have their bike LTs tested. I went along and assisted Glen, the technician, by recording the guys’ HR, lactate, RPE and watts at regular intervals. That was quite interesting and something I’d like to try as well.

And the Taper Begins
I only did 17.5 hours of training this week as I begin to taper down for IMNZ. It’s funny how perceptions change. Once upon a time, not all that long ago, a 17.5-hour week was well above what I could handle. Now I find myself saying I “only” did 17.5 hours.

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Get Ready to Rumble! — February 24-March 2, 2003

Race Week
Tuesday started early with Clas and I driving to Taupo – Gordo was flying up the next night. The drive would be about eight or nine hours, broken in the middle with a three-hour ferry ride across the Cook Straight.

The ferry was small — about half the size of the Vancouver Island ferries, but bigger than the Gulf Island ones. However, they have a movie theater on board. I thought about maybe chilling out to a movie, but they were playing Die Another Day. Okay, maybe not. ;-) I sat out on deck and enjoyed the scenery for the first hour or so. That first hour is very similar to taking the ferry through Active Pass between Vancouver Island and the mainland. So similar in fact, if not for the accents you’d swear you were there.

The more you expose yourself to new environments, the more your perceptions change. These changes are what shape the person you are and guide you towards your path in life. After the last couple of months living in Christchurch, I found Wellington and its four-lane motorways much too big for me — I don’t think I could ever live in Los Angeles again! Too big! I’m really starting to enjoy the peace and pace of small towns. Who’d have thought — now I know why people live “out in the middle of nowhere”.

I saw the most incredible thing driving a couple hours outside of Taupo. The sun was hanging low in the horizon, casting a warm soothing glow across the rolling New Zealand desert landscape. As if placed purposely, a volcano rose up from the flatlands reaching for the sky. It was almost perfectly cone shaped with only its highest point obscured by a soft cool grey cloud in an otherwise cloudless evening sky. What an amazing sight. What an amazing energy.

By Wednesday the crew had all arrived. Five of us were renting a house right on the boat marina. The house was only a five-minute or so walk from the race start/finish and was directly across the river from the swim exit. My roomies for the week were Ally, Gordo, Clas and Mark (aka E).

Taupo is a lot like Penticton during Ironman race week — the whole town gets right behind the race 100%. One of the local pubs had covered its own sign with an “Ironman Bar” sign, all the local shops had Ironman specials, even the local radio station had dedicated itself to Ironman, complete with interviews with the pros, age groups and volunteers. Ally and I had gone to a fresh produce stand and the lady at the register asked us to write our names, countries and numbers on the whiteboard. She had to work on race day and would be cheering the competitors on listening to the radio.

On Thursday we did the registration stuff and bike course drive. Just a tip if you’re coming to Ironman NZ for the first time. When they say ‘bring a passport photo’ they mean, ‘bring a passport photo’. A lot of the IMNA races say that but they don’t enforce it. Here they did. I had to run across the street to have a photo taken —l me and about three dozen other people. ;-) And about that bike course, very deceiving! It’s an out-n-back and looks like its downhill all the way!

Here’s the scene the night before the race: Sitting in our little house, looking out over the marina, the lake, the mountains… It’s a warm evening, a little humid. We’ve opened all the windows in the house and have a nice cross breeze blowing through keeping us cool. The five of us are sitting around the living room, quietly eating our pre-race dinners while listening to some cool jazz. Such a great ambience going the night before the race — calm, comfortable, relaxed, peaceful, introspective... This is the way the before every race should be.

Race day Saturday! The whole story is on the race reports page.

I woke up the day after the race feeling pretty excellent. My legs were a touch stiff, but that’s about it. Ally, E, Gordo, Clas, Scott and I all had breakfast at a little café in town, then all made our way to the Internet café. Pretty entertaining sitting six abreast all online — three of us chatting on the same page... The Tri Lounge. Nothing like having a conversation online with people you’re sitting right beside. ;-)

We all picked up our race photos and finishers gear then napped before the IM dinner. Got to meet KK, soon-to-be Mrs KK, TriBuddha and Mrs Tribuddha at the dinner. We were also sitting right beside Julie Moss as she was talking to Scott and didn’t even realize it was her! Then it was off to the IM party. I think the post-race hormone shaker combined with alcohol wasn’t going over so well for me. A friend of a friend made a couple comments that pretty much set me off. Then a very good friend of mine snapped at me, and well, that was the capper. Partying wasn’t happening this night, so I decided home in bed was a better place for me. Besides, I had just done an Ironman and what my body needed most was some TLC.

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