Monday, March 24, 2008

Ironweek 14

This week had the makings for a great week. Instead, it was so-so. I swam. I biked. I ran. I guess that's all you can ask for, when you are OLD, like me (turning 44 today - crap!)

I capped the week off with the Clean Air Century on the Withlahoochie Trail. Picture an old rail-road line paved over with lots of wooded areas covering the path. Flattened for the train, the trail is cut and raised through the rolling hills of Central Florida. It passes through a couple of really small towns but for the most part, it goes 46 miles from top to bottom in the middle of nowhere. The hardest part of the ride were the 8 miles off the trail that went up and down the hills on normal roads...that was the Central Florida I was used to!

I showed up to the Clean Air with an un-charged Garmin. Of course, I took it off the cradle when I left the house, so how it was uncharged remains a mystery. 100 miles on Perceived Effort is kinda cool - but I still would have rather had the data. I did it in 5:54 - no records were set in the posting of this blog. My first SAG stop was at least 10 minutes - the bathrooms were set back off the trail in a park that we had to walk back to...I really really had to go! I stopped at two other SAGs just for water and cookies - mmmm....cookies.

I guess I went out pretty slow, and came back in even slower, but actually felt like I could run afterward if I had to - and that was a first for me on a century. I also did zero pack-riding; another first. For $25, I got a t-shirt, a medal, 3 aid-Stations (for 6 possible stops...) some food before we left, and some good chili, hot dogs, and drinks (no beer....oh well) at the finish line. It was worth traveling 50 miles one-way for this one!

So...I got a longish run of 10 miles in - and that was it for running. 2 swims for a whopping 4483 yards - but the water is becoming my friend again. Lots of bike this week - 174 miles - for a total training time of 12:52. Coming up I've got the Strawberry Century on Saturday, The B-Fit Birthday Challenge on Tuesday, and some training in-between. It will definitely be a good swim week (what with my 4-mile swim tomorrow...jeesh), and a good bike week (44 on Tuesday, 100 at the Strawberry, plus...) and I'll be sure to get in 20+ on the run. Only 13 weeks to go!

22 comments:

Di said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR BIIIIGGGGGUUUNN
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!!

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Unknown said...

Many happy returns, Bigun!!!

Mark said...

Happy birthday dude!!!! Oh, and great job in the century! Races without beers are bad :(

Green Eyed Lady (aka GEL) said...

Happy Birthday, Bigun!!

Spokane Al said...

Happy birthday guy. You seem fairly well perserved for someone your age.

It must be nice to knock out weekly outdoor century rides during this time of the year. I can only dream about doing that.

Brent Buckner said...

Good century ride.

Happy birthday!

Unknown said...

Happy Birthday, you old fart.

Sounds like a great century ride. I just love those indian names you all have for everything down that way, the names just roll right off the tongue.
My MIL lives by the Chatahoochie River and Nantahala Forest, just saying them makes me smile.

Have a great day, eat cake and ice cream, and no feeling sorry for yourself! You are another year wiser and your Kona qualifying times are getting more do-able every year! ;-)

Jenny Davidson said...

Yes, happy birthday! Good luck with that B-Fit Challenge--that swim is going to be EVIL--you must make sure to give us a really funny report on it! (Hmmm, I have made a mental note for myself that the 24-hour rule means that really it is permissible to split the swim into two chunks and do one the evening before and one in the morning--but possibly you are a purist and are going to do it as one long horrible stint in the pool...)

Cindy Jo said...

Wow - that is a lot of birthday spankings from Mrs. Bigun!

I'm digging your podcasts - I tried saving them for my drive to FL but couldn't wait. Don't let Tacboy water them down with family-friendly fare, though ;)

Supalinds said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BIGUN!!!!!

momo said...

happy birthday, bigun!!

Fe-lady said...

Decent century time! Even with all the "cookie" stops!

Happy Birthday too!

OLD?

I got 10 1/2 years on ya....and I don't consider MYSELF old....not yet!

Afternoon Tea With Oranges said...

Awe...Happy Birthday to YOU, Bigun!! If I had known I might have shown you some more midriff on my blog...or maybe even the old header just for your birthday....I'll know for next year, though!

Nice job on the century!

Mike said...

Happy birthday .... be interesting to hear how you get on with the 4 mile swim. I'll be 42 and going for the gold medal ... at least I only have to run 2 miles :)

Good Luck with the week's training!

S. Baboo said...

Happy birth Day!

That sounds like a really nice ride. At this rate you will kill me on the bike at IMCdA, I hope I can put together a strong run...we'll assume a draw on the swim.

Iron Krista, "The Dog Mom" said...

happy Birthday BIGUN!!!

And, you aren't old... the age is just a number. Ask my husband :-)

Anonymous said...

happy BD Bigun. Only 1 more year until you are part of a serious age group.

Tri-Dummy said...

Happy Birthday, Homey.

Green Eyed Lady (aka GEL) said...

Hey, have you checked your "real" mailbox lately? ;)

Bolder said...

happy b-day BIGUN!

great training week to kick off the 44th year of The Bigun!!

SingletrackJenny (formerly known as IronJenny) said...

Happy Birthday!!

Yeti said...

44 DAMN what do ya put in your water bottles?

Flowmax and Gatorade?

Kidden……You only got me by a couple years.

Happy Birthday Bigun you big stud!