128.4

Yesterday, I swam 2.4 miles, rode for 112 miles (over 5200 ft of climbing), and much to my surprise ended up running/shuffling/walking/encouraging a teammate for 14 miles.  


I will write a proper race report, but for now a few things:


The swim was not easy.  I did it.  I finished.  I didn't struggle.  But, I was reminded that I have neglected proper pool time for the past 9 months because it is the smallest part of the day and something that wasn't a priority to me (over biking and running).  


My transition was awful.  Since this wasn't my "A" race, I wasn't too concerned.  But, I had a lot of issues with all the dirt that now turned somewhat muddy from all the wet people running around (you'd think by now this dirty business wouldn't bother me so much).  So much time lost here.  So many lessons learned.  Again, I will jot them all down when I have more time.


The bike was a roller coaster.  I had an awesome first loop and came in under 4 hours.  The second loop was not as easy -- headwinds, severe foot pain, etc.  I missed the bike cutoff by 5 minutes.  I was devastated.  The child in me exclaimed it wasn't fair.  My swim wave was 21 minutes later than the start.  If I had been in the wave most of my teammates were in, I would have made the cutoff.  If the police hadn't left, I wouldn't have had to wait at red lights and stop at stop signs.  If the volunteer wasn't talking on her phone, she would have pointed me left instead of right.  If only I took one less bathroom break.  Or, if I would have just sat my ass down in the dirt in T1 (as Nick was yelling to me "Sit down!") instead of struggling trying to keep my balance and wash my feet and put shoes on.  So many "ifs".  Coach Mike reminded me that the women get screwed every year because of the wave bullshit.  He said I was where I needed to be.  This was training for me.  I knew he was right.  I still finished.  I still got a finisher's medal.  The only thing I don't have is a finish time next to my name on a website somewhere.  It eventually became an easy pill to swallow.  


During my pity party I wasn't sure if I was going to run (I was only signed up for the Aquabike so I was technically done for the day).  However, my goal was to run the first loop (8.7 miles) to get a feel for what it felt like after sitting on a bike for 8 hours.  Then I talked myself into going for 6 miles.  And, then I wasn't sure I was going to go at all.  But I got myself together and went out.  I ended up completing 14 miles.  A lot of it was walking with Dana who was having a tough day.  I learned a lot from this experience as well that I will write about.


I completed ~92% of an Ironman distance.  And, I raised over $6500 for LLS. There's nothing I can do, but feel good about what I accomplished yesterday. And, besides some wetsuit hickeys and sore muscles, I am recovering physically pretty well, too.

Purple Power

I love the color purple -- deep purple/eggplant to be exact.  I even drove a purple Honda for 10 years (it was officially called black currant pearl). Unfortunately, there isn't much purple out there when it comes to exercise-wear, so pink is what I end up wearing most of the time.  


Since I hope to be hanging out in my aerobars quite a bit this weekend, I painted my nails purple.  And, my toes, too.  I even put some purple in my hair (love it!).  


Best of all?  TNT's color is purple.  And our team colors are purple and green (mostly green since it is brighter and easier to see).  I will be pretty color-coordinated this weekend.  Because it's the little things that will make me smile.

Mostly Packed

Last night was dedicated to packing.  I think it took me two hours to pack for less than a 24 hour period.  On the bright side, when I packed for my 3-night work trip, it only took me 10 minutes.  With the exception of a few extra nutritional items that are at Nick's house, all my bags are packed and ready to go (cue Peter, Paul, and Mary) when I get home on Thursday night.  *sigh*

Getting Ready

Less than one week to go!  I just returned from a trip to Target to stock up on a few things I need for my Special Needs bags (ok, so it was really yummy salt and sugar items, and pain reliever aids just in case I need them).  Now I'm staring at the piles of bags in my living room and willing myself to get up and start organizing all my gear.  

Yesterday, we swam the Vineman swim course again (I really hate that drive, but I feel fortunate to be familiar enough with the course, as that is generally not a luxury for races of this distance).  We just did one loop of the swim and then spent a few hours going over logistics, some ideas for transition, and getting silly team awards (I won the Sweet Pea award since I rode a bike on the trails of Shadow Cliffs in a pea costume a few months ago).  We also have a silly spirit cape that we pass around and whoever gets it, has to decorate it with something.  People have done some pretty funny things to the cape, but Grace had the best yesterday by putting a honey badger on it.  One of these days I will write a blog about the honey badger.

Anyway, the point of this blog entry is that I am getting excited.  I can't believe I am admitting that.  Last night I busted out my Cricut and started making signs for next weekend (if only my triathlon skills were as good as my sign-making skills, then I might not have to worry about cutoff times).  Today's workout was the Triple Brick for the IMC people (ours was just a short run).  So I went to the water stop to show support for my teammates that were having their 9 hour workout and hung out there for a few hours and made more signs that we are going to place all up Chalk Hill next weekend.  I did a short bike ride, a short run, and then headed to Target.  And, I learned that doing something as simple as buying some snack-size Pringles and peanut butter pretzels got me amped up for next Saturday.  I know I will be uncomfortable.  And, most likely in pain in various parts of the course.  But if my mind is in the same spot next weekend as it is in now, then I hope I will be smiling for most of it.

Vision Board: Check

A few days before I registered for IMAZ, I knew that I would need to create a vision board as one of the tools to help me get there.  I've been training for 8 months and I still hadn't completed it yet.  I had already spent hours looking for the right stuff, tearing and cutting things that caught my eye, and had stacks of magazines on my coffee table that were waiting to be reviewed.  But, just like with many other items in the house, those magazines just sat there patiently waiting for my attention.  However, yesterday was July 20.  What is the significance of that (besides being one of my best friend's birthday)?  IMAZ is officially only 4 months away!  

Get stronger

Love your ass

Quick cadence

Enjoy the ride

The night owl in me resurfaced and I stayed up very late finishing a project that was long overdue.  Yay!

Find your magic

Faster than you think

Committed

The impossible gets closer every day

What is a vision board?  Supposedly it helps with the Law of Attraction.  Some may find that babble-business a load of crap.  Others swear by it.  Do I believe that just by putting a bunch of words and pictures on a board that I can do anything or be anything I want?  No.  But, I do believe that it serves as a reminder because the visual representation of what I desire brings things to the forefront of my mind.  

Beat the clock

You got it

Smile

Unforgettable

I made a vision board several years ago over some personal goals.  When I look at it today, I would say about 75% of the board has since come true.  Was it magic?  No.  It was just a reminder of the things I wanted to work on, achieve, and do.  And, when something is staring at you in the face all the time, it puts you in motion.  

Outrun your limitations

Make a statement

Confident

Find your willpower

My honoree, Marilyn, is actually the person that introduced me to vision boards.  She was an artist.  Hers were beautiful.  After her funeral, I noticed she had made a new one regarding her diagnosis.  It was powerful and emotional.  And, it illustrated, once again, what a special person she was.

Inspire

Fight, Love, Live (one of my mantras)

Because you deserve it (another mantra)

I a"m" Sun Devil

The Countdown has Begun

I have a feeling I might be writing quite a bit over the next few days as my mind is all over the place...just like this entry.


First off, I've been to the chiro twice this week.  I'm pretty messed up, which I could have guessed, and probably why I procrastinated in going.  Fortunately, my achy hip flexor is not actually my hip flexor.  It's the tendon that connects to the pelvic bone.  So I don't really have any muscle issues per se that are problematic.  I've got a plan to fix that.  And, everything else uncovered in my visit were already things I could have predicted (from all laptops and traveling and bike riding) -- tight neck and tight back.  The x-rays were also enlightening and illustrated how crooked I am in my hips and that my spine curves about 10-15 degrees further than it should.  Again, I'm sure this has been there for years based on poor posture, non-ergonomic working environments, heavy backpacks and suitcases, etc.


Secondly, I did my first barefoot shoe run the other night.  It was a spin workout and then only a 10 minute run.  Surprisingly, it actually felt really good to run in them.  I'm going to try it again this weekend with a more substantial distance.


Vineman is only 9 days away (single digits!).  I had a talk with the lovely Nicole Gruen today and she asked if I was scared or nervous or excited.  I'm not scared. I'm a little excited.  I'm sure I will have lots of nervous energy that day.  But right now I'm mainly nervous about getting my act together.  I still need to do my race plan.  And, I need to start packing.  That sounds ridiculous that I need to pack now.  But, I have two trainings this weekend; on Monday, I hop on a plane to LA and fly back Thursday night; and, then on Friday morning I have to drive up to Santa Rosa for check-in, athlete's meeting, and an inspiration dinner.  So, yes, I need to pack now.  But, really, I need to get my race and nutrition plan together.  It's all in my head.  I just have to write it down.

 

Kind of a Big Deal

I'm struggling a little bit with the idea that my family most likely will not be coming out to Vineman.  Perhaps I downplayed the importance of next weekend.  Or maybe I didn't communicate very well.  Maybe they don't think spectating is fun (I find it quite enjoyable despite being a long day, but I understand others might wonder what you do all day -- note: it's wine country).  And, while I am only officially participating in the Full Aquabike (and then unofficially going for a run), it's still at least 123 miles (87% of a full Ironman).  That's no walk in the park.  Of course, Nick, the coaches, and the team will be there to cheer me on (and I know I will have LOTS of support in Arizona from friends, family, and the team), but I would be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed that my family won't be there next Saturday.

Taper Time

This past week was our first week of tapering.  It was a busy travel week so I was thankful for the recovery time and reduced training requirements.  There was some huge Microsoft convention in Los Angeles that booked up everything and I think I wasted 2-3 hours between Sunday and Monday trying to find a rental car and hotel room.  This also meant I had to check in/out of hotels as I could not get a single stay for 3 nights (I'd like to say I learned my lesson about procrastinating with travel arrangements, but I highly doubt it).  Monday I could barely move thanks to Sunday's run and why I have an appointment to finally see a chiropractor (tomorrow cannot come soon enough).  Tuesday we worked 7:30am to 9:30pm (not just that I chose to work late, but that we literally had meetings in Outlook scheduled all the way until 9:15pm).  Wednesday, I managed to get our run and core workout in.  And, Thursday, I flew to Salt Lake City because my amazing cousin, Matt, was having a special event on Friday about a story he wrote in Ethiopia that is getting published in a few weeks.  And, I got to spend some time with my best friend, who also lives in SLC.  I traded Friday's workout for Saturday and had to miss Saturday's OW swim since that wasn't exactly conducive while traveling.  But, knowing how important these short workouts are for the next two weeks, I flew home on Saturday night so that I could get an OW swim and bike ride in on Sunday.

We had a lot of laughs on Sunday about how "short" the workout was -- 1 hour swim and 20 mile bike ride -- and how absolutely absurd it feels to even talk that way.  The swim was choppy and I didn't wear a wetsuit, which just forced me to have to finish without stopping.  

Joking that we said we would swim in the lane lines if we finished in under an hour.
(which as you can see is not happening).

Just a small group of us today

Because Phil forgot his Garmin, he mostly rode with me so I could be his distance/timekeeper.  Since I'm usually riding by myself, it was a nice treat.  And, after getting every red light on the way back to town, we couldn't help but start singing Kanye's and Rihanna's "All of the Lights."  Note: the video supposedly causes epileptic seizures.  Who knew of such a thing?

Surrendering to the Chiro

There is good pain and there is bad pain and lately my left hip flexor has been telling me it is in bad pain.  It has a habit of yelling at me for about four days every week.  The pain goes away by Thursday and then the hip flexor starts yelling again after a long training day.  The fact that it is only on my left side and because it does not slowly subside as each day progresses, probably means it is time for me to give in and finally see a chiropractor.  I have never been to one before.  I'm not against chiropractors, but I guess I just wasn't sure if I needed one.  Secondly, I have issues giving up control and I don't know how to relax, in order to let a chiropractor do his/her job.  Third, I'm both lazy and overwhelmed at the thought of adding something else to the schedule -- having to find someone, make appointments, drive to/from the sessions, etc.  Between working, traveling, training, physical therapy for my feet (which I actually talked to about the hip and they gave me some exercises, but it doesn't seem to be working), the monthly massage, plus general life stuff, it's just another thing to mix in.  But, I know firsthand that resistance equals persistence.  It's time for me to surrender.  

The Last Hurrah (for now)

This weekend was our last big workout weekend before Vineman tapering begins.  On Saturday, we rode the Silverado Trail in Napa.  We had plans down in Santa Clara that afternoon so I debated if we should even drive all the way there for the ride or if we should ride locally.  The Silverado Trail is the only 55 mile route in the area that is comparable to Arizona (and there is only one stop sign to boot).  Therefore, I unwillingly got up at 5am to make the trek to Napa and I'm really glad I did.  Last year, before I ever even considered an IM, it took me 4:05 to complete the same route.  This weekend, it took me 3:31.  And, I'm confident I could have completed another loop in a similar timeframe (those of us training for Vineman only rode the course once while the IM Canada teammates rode it twice).  My bike time goal for Arizona is 7:30.  This weekend proved to me that my goal is realistic and achievable. Plus, I still have 20 weeks to continue to improve on the bike!  

Who can't possibly smile while riding by
Darioush, Mumm, Rutherford, Rombauer, etc.?

But it's really easy to smile with a sign like this,
which I made for my Coeur d'Alene teammates

However, my more immediate focus is Vineman, which is only 19 days away!  Unfortunately, my bike time will be cutting it close because a)all the rollers and some climbing; and b) the swim goes in waves, yet the cutoff is the same.  So the boys get a whole 25 extra minutes than the girls, which is completely bass ackwards considering they are faster.  Anyway, my goal is to just get through the first loop before the cutoff.  After that, it is a public road so even if they shut down the course, I will finish out my ride.  


On Sunday, we swam and ran the Vineman courses.  It was a real pain in the butt to drive all the way to the Russian River and Windsor, but I am really glad we did (as a sidenote, I was on the Tour de Bay Area this weekend driving from Mountain View to Dublin to San Francisco to Dublin to Napa to Santa Clara to Dublin to Guerneville and back to Mountain View)!  I hadn't swam in a river yet so it was good to swim against the current and with the current.  I also wanted to test how it felt to swim in my wetsuit in such warm water.  I had been debating if I should get a sleeveless, but was worried about making such a big change less than three weeks before the event.  Luckily, wearing the full wetsuit was not so bad.  After I my heart rate warmed up, I was definitely cozy, but it was tolerable.  Status quo it is!

The water was definitely warm!

From there we drove to Windsor High, which is where the pretty run course through vineyards begins.  The Vineman team ran 18 miles and the IM Canada team ran 12 miles.  Since I am only doing Aquabike for Vineman, I don't have any run requirements.  According to the IMAZ calendar, I only needed to run for 60 minutes yesterday.  I compromised between the two and I completed 9 miles and I was happy with that.  No matter how fast or slow I am running, it is always a struggle.  My heart rate could be at 134 or it could be at 167 and I'm still struggling (just that I am also out of breath and struggling).  As I have mentioned before, the run has just not clicked for me.  But, I spent the first 5 miles focusing on my form with some new ideas from our run coach.  

Trying to catch up to Dana

And, apparently it worked because I am in ridiculous pain today (places where I have not been sore after run workouts before).  I also spent some time with Helen learning how to walk (That girl can walk a 12 minute mile)!  So while a lot of people are too proud to want to learn how to walk, it is inevitable (unless you're a professional), and I figure I might as well learn how to do it right.

In Memory of Marilyn

Today is the first anniversary of Marilyn's passing, so today's post is a tribute to her, my honoree in this journey.

I first met Marilyn in June of 2007.  It was my second or third day of my first consulting job and she was my client, and she practically waltzed into the room.  She was full of personality and I had already learned we were going to be working very closely together for the next year and a half.  I quickly made a mental note that I hoped I could be as "young" as her when I was 62 years old.  

Marilyn was full of sparkle, and glitter, and color.  She was artistic.  She was wise.  She loved jazz and to dance.  She always had cosmos ready to make when I came over.  She had a koi pond and a green thumb.  And, best of all, she had a big claw foot bathtub in her backyard!  She would literally take bubble baths in her backyard so she could enjoy the beauty of her plants and flowers.  And, while her backyard was fairly concealed from the neighbors, she had no qualms about just being out there in the open air. :)

She called herself the Jewish Mother, always making sure everyone was taken care of.  Her husband passed away from cancer when she was in her 20s and she raised two little boys as a single mother.  From her grief, she put herself through school at San Jose State as an adult, where she also befriended a group of young women.  She was brave.    

She quickly took me under her wing.  She saw that I was the only female on the IT team with twelve men, most of them engineers/developers -- cramped in a conference room ten hours a day, four days a week.  Since she worked remotely, she would often invite me to go work at her house to get me out of the room.  She taught me so much professionally and personally.  She became my confidante when my 10 year relationship ended.   She introduced me to some of the teachings of The Secret like vision boards and gratitude journals (which I do think help, if you are consistent).  She taught me never to settle for "ok."  And, if there was one thing I could take away from my relationship with her, it was her reminding me that I deserved someone who got the wind knocked out of him, if he ever imagined his life without me.  

We also talked a lot about our struggles with weight and our bodies.  One time she said to me, "Well, I just decided to accept it.  If I ever get sick, I'll be glad I have this extra cushion."  The world works in mysterious ways.  She had a second home in Florida and would spend a few months there out of the year.  She told me that she started swimming and riding her bike around the neighborhood and the weight was falling off.  When she came back from Florida, the weight continued to fall off and that is when she went to the doctor and learned she had a rare form of leukemia (CMML).  

After she was diagnosed, I would get together with her for lunch every couple of months when she wasn't undergoing treatment or in Florida.  On my last visit I brought her curry because a former co-worker of ours had sent an article about how curry had healing benefits.  She said she would try anything.  She looked great and liked to make fun of her new "bird legs."  She was tired and spent most of the visit lying down, but her spirits were good.  I never expected to be at her funeral three weeks later.  

What I've learned about the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is that the monies raised really are going toward funding research that is discovering new medications to help save lives.  And, maybe, just maybe, my efforts at fundraising and raising awareness of LLS will help another 30-something trying to find her way in the world, not lose a very wonderful mentor and friend that was helping clear the path.  

Dec 23, 1942 - July 8, 2010

Swim Start Chaos

This post is inspired by Sarah, who completed Ironman Coeur d'Alene last weekend!  Her statement pretty much sums up what my teammates said about their swims last weekend, too! 

"I was punched, groped, dunked, crawled over, swam under, and I even ended up with someone else's toes in my mouth. "

I assume more people would be taking up triathlons if they weren't afraid of swimming.  Most people can handle a bike and run/walk without a major training effort.  But they are not comfortable swimming or have fears about the open water swim.  I'm fortunate that I swam for a couple years in high school and that I spent my summers boating around the Columbia River so I'm not afraid of murky water or being unable to see the bottom.

However, one of the things that I never gave any thought to prior to my first event was the chaos of a swim start.  Whether you have a mass beach start, deep water start, jump off the dock/boat start, or go in waves, it is always chaos.  The question is how much and for how long....

A beach start at IMC

Deep water start in AZ

Ribs get kicked.  Lots of feet get tickled.  Someone pushes you right as you breathe, resulting in a mouthful of water.  It's a full contact sport for some people!  I saw one guy in Canada riding his bike and later running the marathon with a sponge taped to his eye from getting kicked in the swim.  Nick was elbowed and his contact lens knocked out at Wildflower.  He literally put someone else's contact in his eye so he could finish the bike and run (ewwwww, but I guess if you can barely see you'll do anything).   Often times, it is so congested at the buoy turns, you just have to paddle your way through before you can go horizontal again.

A few months ago, I learned how to roll over people, in case of getting stuck in a pack and needing to get out.  But, when it was my turn for someone to roll over me, it was very uncomfortable and I couldn't help but slightly panic at the thought of drowning.  Right now, I'm feeling really fortunate that Vineman is such a small venue and that IMAZ is a very wide deep water start.  Because I'd gladly take someone else's toes in my mouth over getting dunked or rolled over!

Heat Training

My first triple brick is in the bank.  Although it's only 8 hours of training, it ends up being a 16 hour day.  


Saturday night - prepare nutrition and pack.  Packing is super easy when you don't have to bring all sorts of layers.  


5:15am - Wake up.  Got ready and made breakfast.  


6:00am - Load up Nick's car with bikes, bags, and cooler and drive to Yountville (Napa)


7:15am - arrive, pump tires, set up transition area, get nutrition ready, apply chamois cream and sunscreen, team meeting


8:00am - Begin ride.  I'm feeling kind of slow.  Maybe I just need to warm up?  What's wrong with me?  I just put new tires on so I know I don't have a flat.  What did I eat the past two days?  It can't be that different than normal.


9:05am - Turnaround.  I only made it 12 miles.  We were supposed to go 15 miles or 65 minutes.  Way more downhill on the way back so at least I have some speed. Back at the flats and I still can't go more than 12.4 mph.  I'm playing with the shifters trying to find the right gear to fix this.  Nothing changes.  My knees are killing me.  Why would they hurt this bad?  Hmmm


10:05am - Return.  And, why did it take me 60 minutes to get back?  It should have only taken 55 or less.  Coach Mike grabs my bike and says, "Jess, did you ride like this the whole way?  You've been riding your brake!"  *sigh*  No wonder why I couldn't go faster.  No wonder why my knees were killing me.  I was pushing way too damn hard because with all the mechanical issues and adjustments made last week, I didn't have it back to normal (mind you, it was ok when I started, but all the bumps in the road, made it jump around and get progressively worse).  


10:10 - Since my knees are killing me, I pop ibuprofen and do a fast walk.  I am sitting this run out.  I figure that if I am in pain, then I need to save myself the rest of the day.  


11:00 - Reapply sunscreen and head out for ride #2 - so much better now that I'm not riding on my brake.  Headwinds and the heat have arrived.  I'm finally hungry so I eat a PowerBar.  The hotter it is, the less you eat.


12:00 - Mile 13.  I could go for five more minutes, but it is heating up big time and I need water.  I get to the water stop about 4 miles later.  Tony puts ice cubes in the holes of my helmet so they melt through my head.  Glorious.


1:00 - Back at the park and change shoes.  Someone gives me a cold wet towel, which was amazing.  Time to run again.  My knees feel much better, but I'm not ready to run.  Fast walking with a little bit of shuffling.


2:00 - More sunscreen (I'm determined not to get burned even though I still did).  I'm feeling good on the flats, but that sun is starting to wear on me.  It's at least 92 degrees and it's a good 8 miles of total exposure.   I have overestimated my ability to handle the heat.  I figured I lived in Phoenix for 11 years, this would be no problem.  Plus, my feet are wrapped in tape to help with my plantar fasciitis, but they are on FIRE!  I tell myself I just need to go one more mile to get to the water stop and I can remove the tape there.  Jen has me put ice in my bra and Sandy says to stick it in my pants on my sciatic nerve and that will help my feet as well.  I need to wipe all the sunscreen running into my eyes and there are no dry towels, so Sandy is letting me wipe my eyes on the inside of her dress!  Somehow I missed two of my teammates within the past mile that were puking. :(  And, Tony tells me that Steve sat down in the chair and literally fell asleep for 15 minutes.  OK, maybe I don't feel so bad about thinking I would not be affected by the heat.  


2:45 - I don't want to leave, but I need to finish.  Only 15 more minutes before I need to turn around anyway.  Keep moving forward.


4:00 - I roll up to the park and it's carnage everywhere.  People are lying on the ground with towels over their heads or sitting and staring absentmindedly.  Nate takes my bike.  Les removes my helmet for me.  Maureen runs over with a wet towel that I put on my head and neck.  As I'm getting ready, Jasmine is literally wiping my arms and legs down with another wet towel.  At this point, I can't think straight, but I'm so incredibly grateful that all these people are there taking care of us.  


4:40 - Next water stop.  Another wet towel is given to me.  "I need salt."  Do you know how good Sour Cream & Onion Pringles are when all the salt has left your body?  "I need sugar."  I finally give in and drink the Coke.  No more than five minutes later, all is right in the world again.  It was either the sugar or the caffeine.  I finish out the run and actually feel good.  It was definitely a shuffle, but at least I was running. 


5:30 - Finish!  Helen and Jen brought in pizza for us afterwards.  I didn't think I was going to be able to eat.  I sat down for about five minutes and then realized I was starving.  


6:15 - Pack up and head home


7:30 - Unpack, wash bottles, stretch


8:15 - Ice bath


8:30 - Finally, a shower! 


9:00 - Eat again


Despite wishing I had more mileage on both the bike and run, I actually had a really good day.  And, if this day truly is harder than race day (again, I went and asked more veterans last night and they all agreed it was), then I'd say I'm mentally and physically ready for Vineman and mentally ready for Arizona (still have to work on "that running thing" to get their physically).

3X

Tomorrow is Triple Brick day up in Napa!  The Vineman group is riding 30 miles, running 50 minutes, riding 30 miles, running 50 minutes, riding 30 miles, and running 50 minutes.  We are starting at 8 and won't be ending until 6.  During long workouts we come back to our area and fuel up on yummy food that we brought with us and have stored in a cooler.  But,  tomorrow I am practicing my nutrition plan for race day so will be using only what will be available on the course or what I'm carrying on me in my pockets.  I don't want to say that I am super excited for tomorrow, but I do admit that I am looking forward to seeing how my body and mostly my mind are going to hold up.  


My veteran teammates claim this day is harder than race day because it is a "repeat" process rather than a "I'm done with X, now I can focus on Y" process.  For me, sit bone tenderness (butt pain) starts around mile 25 and stays with me the whole time.  If I stay on the bike, it is tolerable.  But, giving it a 50 minute rest and then getting back on the saddle really sucks.  To have to do it twice tomorrow will be interesting.  The other challenge of tomorrow is only the Vineman people are doing 3X, while the IM Canada people are doing 2X (their event is still two months away).  As a result, I will need to have the mental fortitude to keep pushing on, knowing some people are crossing the finish line (although this is extremely good practice for me since there will be PLENTY of people on their 2nd and 3rd loops of the run while I'm just starting my first loop come IMAZ day).  


Having titled this blog "3X," I'm reminded of my ASU boys, Chris and Nick, that refer to XXXL shirts as Triple Sexy.  I'll be thinking of them when I'm on my triple sexy loop.