Enjoy and get inspired from our local Ironman, Phil McGain; a true picture of health.
A count down to an Ironman.
Three weeks out and the adrenalin is already building. I go to sleep at night thinking about my nutrition on the bike, the experts say this is one of the key areas, so I want to get it right. How many gels, where am I going to put them all (18)? I figure I’m on the bike for at least 6.5 hours, that’s 300 calories an hour I need to put into my body, 3 gels every 20 minutes. Ok, I’ll use powerbars because each of those holds 300 calories each. There must be aid stations which will carry most of this? So you see the questions keep flowing into the mind. This is the adventure, the challenge of it all. It becomes a science of survival.
“How am I going to run 26 miles after biking 112miles, in my training my longest run has been 16 miles and that was the day after a 7 hour bike ride, maybe I’ll make it, but how fast will I be able to run, how will I feel after mile 18 on the run? What will my finish time be, will I finish at night or in the day? I can run a stand alone Marathon in 4 hours, so I might be able to run the marathon in 4.45, or maybe not?
It’s the week after I just finished my hardest weekend of training. Last Saturday it was 117 miles on the bike, which took 7 hours. I started in Paia at 6am, headed to Kihie to meet up some friends who were doing a 3 hour road bike session. They always go faster than me so I managed to stay with them for 45 minutes, then my heart rate was too high so I dropped back into my HR zone, from Maalaea I headed back to town (Kahului) to kill some miles, then over to Wailea. It was starting to get hot around 9am, I could see the sweat pouring out of my arms and dripping off my nose while down on the aerobars. I had to keep up my fluid intake or I would pay the price later. From Wailea it was time to head over to the West side, I was only 3 hours into my ride, I had 4 hours to go, the legs were starting to get hot and a little tied. Up over the Pali, now that wasn’t too bad and down the other side on the long stretch to Lahaina. I went out for another hour then turned around (at Kapalua hill) and headed back to Paia. I quickly changed into my shoes and headed out for a 45 minute run. I actually felt pretty good on the run, which always surprises me because at times on the bike it gets so hard. So a long day, 8 hour workout. Thanks goodness that is done.
On Sunday morning I was up early again and headed out on the road from my house in Haiku to get in a 3 hour run. Take it easy I always tell myself for the first hour, then I get into a steady pace and try to keep it that way til I get home. I got in 16 miles and managed to stay strong most of the way. Got home and got straight into an ice bath to soak the legs, had a huge breakfast and then picked up Madi (my daughter) for the day.
Monday is no exercise day, so it’s a good day to catch up rest, sleep and some extra work. Also got a massage in the afternoon, a short walk on the beach before sunset and a jump in the ocean. Now that’s a good day for the body.
Tuesday is swim day and I tried out my new wetsuit because that is what I’m swimming in over in Germany. I got in a 1.5 hour swim, did 4200 yards, a good session and felt good. Also a little windsurfing today which was nice. Late afternoon when the sun was low I got in a run workout. 20 minutes warm up, then 3 x 12 minute at faster than race pace, for me that’s about 8min/mile pace. I felt great, breathing was easy, which was encouraging after the weekend of long workouts, then a 15 minute cool down at easy pace.
Wednesday it was back on the bike for a 70 minute turbo workout, ie 20 min. warm up, then 5 x 5 minutes at fast paced, Heart rate zone 3, which is around 135 to 145. 20 min. cool down. Then on with the shoes for a 35 minute transition run at easy pace.
Thursday morning now, just got back from a early morning swim masters session, got in 3500 metres, a good solid workout. Time to eat and work, windsurf later and get in an hour run.
