"The Big Push"

"The Big Push"

Football fans know this title. Coach Lombardi's famous: "Gentlemen, today we start the big push" (read Jerry Kramer's Instant Replay; I'll wait). Steelhead has come and gone and all focus from this point is soley on IMC Aug 30. I leave for BC next week, but that is a long time from now. This week is my last hell week of excessive training volume. Steelhead was Saturday, had a recovery ride Monday, a brick yesterday with AO and 4.5 on the bike today. I've recovered pretty well from Steelhead (e.g. muscle soreness, etc), but I'm tired.

Steelhead? History now. Bittersweet. Swim was good, age group place not good but some of that was a timing mat issue (mats far from swim exit, so my time had wetsuit removal in it). Great beach start for me, starting in front I took 1 step and fell flat on my face! Ha! Got up laughing and stumbled into the water (as usual swimming way before many others). Had a relaxed swim, felt good about going 2x the distance at that pace or better. The bike was bad luck in terms of planning. I don't count on the wind becoming so strong so early in the morning. The last 16 miles of the bike was into a gusty headwind, and I didn't budget my energy appropriately. Would have had a mighty fine bike without the gusts.

The run is the issue between now and IMC. Like Austin Powers I have lost my mojo, and if I don't find it soon IMC is not going to be an epic performance. My run was disappointing, it just hasn't come back this season. Effort seems same, form decent, leg cadence same, but pace is bad. The good I can take from this is the last 5 k were my fastest, and I was able to keep eating on the run (important for the IM marathon). Given 6 weeks ago I couldn't run a step I guess we just takes what we gets, eh?

The other positive is my recovery has been pretty good. I don't know how much of that is due to my (over?)use of compression gear, but it does seem to help with recovery. It certainly helps you to look like a serious geek. And I wore compression sleeves on my calves during the race and maybe that helped too.

OK, my brain is fading. The big finish: rode out to the Port today via 2 of my favorite surreal places. First I went through Sheldon, the Rhubarb capital of Ontario ("you can hear the rhubarb grow") then through Fingal. Go ahead say it out loud. Fingal. Love it could do this all day.

FingalFingalFingalFingalFingalFingalFingalFingalFingalFingalFingalFingalFingalFingalFingalFingalFingal

Lance had to change 2 flats today, ha! Barbi: she did it, 2nd woman overall at Ultraman Canada.

gtg,
boB