17 September 2018 update - A Dreaded Injury
Along with some repeat donors, I have quite a few new donors since my last update so I thought I’d take a step back and explain things. Anyone who has so generously donated to my fundraising efforts for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation’s Team Challenge Iron Team, receives a weekly email update on my progress in training for Ironman Chattanooga and Ironman Arizona… just in case you’re interested. If you’re not, no biggie, you can just ignore this! This is my 2nd to last update before Ironman Chattanooga on September 30. I’ll continue with updates after that since I’ll be racing Ironman Arizona in November.
I am truly grateful to all of you who donated to my fundraising efforts. Thank you! I get choked up and tearful every time I see the name of who has donated. I just feel so much gratitude and appreciation to all of you. I am still in first place amongst the Ironman Chattanooga athletes with $9,430! I think it will take $10K to stay there so I’m hoping to reach that before I head to Tennessee (via Atlanta). Also last week I had a generous donation (a LOAN) of race wheels by an athlete I coached a couple of years back. These race wheels are made of light, aerodynamic carbon and can make quite a few minutes of difference, especially in a 116 mile ride. It is especially generous of him as he has a race of his own on the same day that I’m using them! Thank you Joe!
The week went pretty well with training as I start to cut back on the volume. On Saturday I got in an 83 mile ride followed by a 4 mile run. It’s always a little surprising to get done with a ride that’s shorter than what I’ve done lately and then think “is that all?” It’s a little ridiculous but after going over 100 miles week after week, I can tell the difference.
Sunday morning I swam a 2.4 mile ocean swim race in Oceanside. The waves picked up and it was a challenge to get out past the breakers and then again at the harbor entrance. I was doing pretty well until I got to the rough conditions at the harbor. I couldn’t find the buoys so I managed to swim 100’s of yards off course until the Harbor Police boat sounded a horn and pointed to my right. Oh well, sometimes stuff happens! By then my left shoulder and biceps were hurting some so I backed off. I still finished in 4th for my age group. I was also proud of how the 4 athletes I coach did with their swims.
I came home instead of going out to breakfast with them. I wanted to avoid a gut full of breakfast food just before doing my 2 hour long run. I dragged my feet preparing at home for the run, filling water bottles, getting nutrition out, and loading a little ice chest. Our freezer drawer frosted over and was stuck. In my attempt to dislodge and “fix it” I managed to slice my hand open on a sharp metal edge. Swearing ensued. Dr Linda looked at it and said we needed to go to urgent care, probably for stitches. In the car I was already formulating ‘work-arounds’ so I could continue training and do the race regardless of what the doc said. Linda was right, as usual, and I got 6 stitches. I’ll likely miss just 1 swim workout this week – I’ll be able to swim again on Friday. Riding and running aren’t compromised (I did the long run today, Monday) and I’m grateful for that!
One last thought: I am nearly 62 years old. Triathlon training is like a fountain of youth to me. Training and racing, being engaged in setting goals, moving, going outside to act like a kid and swim and bike and run is truly a gift. The benefits are many. I encourage everyone to get off the couch and start by doing what you can do and just enjoy what we humans are meant to do: move.
Next week will have my race goals and how you can follow me on race day, live.
Here are the lower (taper) numbers for last week:
Weekly totals: 18hr 13min (not counting 1hr 45min sauna time); 180 miles
Swim 3hr 48min – 14,004 yds (3 swims), longest: 5,054 yd
Bike 8hr 09min – 143 miles (3 rides), longest: 83 miles
Run 5hr 38min – 29.4 miles (3 runs + 2 brick runs), longest: 11 miles
Strength Training 2hr 35min
Weight – 153.5 lbs
Thanks for reading this far!
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