Epic Week Summary

Training Gone Wild
Epic Week Training
My Brief Foray into feeling like a real Athlete (with a Capitol A)

Over the course of 13 days (almost 2 weeks) I embarked on my fantasy of living the life of a true triathlete. One that doesn’t have to “work” for a living. Well I didn’t quite get my fantasy because over the course of this time I worked 5 days. However thanks to one heck of a boss who lets me get away with my crazy… it’s sunny outside PLEASE may I leave early! Pleas and a partner who supports me in just about any endeavor I decide to undertake I was able to do it.

Statistics


Swim

• Time: 9.5 hr
• Distance: 15 mi

Bike

• Time: 40.25
• Distance: 585 mi
  

Run

• Time: 2.75 hr
• Distance: 15.25
  

Other

• Time: 7 hr
  
  
  59.50
  615.25
  
  Other Statistics
  Approximate Calories Burned: ~42,000
  Bottle of Perpetuem Drank: 32 (I would guess half of my caloric intake during this time period was Perpetuem)
  Number of Flats: 2 (both in 1 day within 5 miles of one another, I bailed on the ride)
  Most feet climbed in a day: 7000
  Steepest grade climbed 16% (at least that is what the sign said… read on)
  Feet of elevation climbed: ~20,000
  Level of Fatigue Felt: Mind numbing
  
  

Thank yous

I can’t even begin to thank Cate for letting me train for an ironman for the 3rd time! It is huge. It is a huge time investment, financial investment, and emotional investment. Did I say that it is huge. I have been planning these two weeks for months. I can’t tell you how many times she had to hear me say “I’m training that week… I can’t……”. It’s hard enough to hear that I am training for the day but for me to say I am taking 2 weeks to devote to training everything else must wait…. Well you try it with your partner and tell me how it goes.

So huge thank you to Cate. Who supports me, rescues me on hot days when I have a bad tire in the middle of “God’s Country” as she puts it, and had a stash of cold Diet Coke (in the bottle I might add) ready for me after each ride. And organized and prepped for two parties we were hosting that weekend with little assistance from me. Not to mention putting up with my “life in constant transition”, stinky workout clothes, fatigued and weary attitude. She is absolutely the best.

Also thank you to my boss who tolerates my crazy IM training schedule. Who seems to “get” that this is just as important to me as others who take time off for maternity/paternity leave.
Thank you to my chiropractor and massage therapist who put me back together and get me back out there to train even more. Especially since just 2 days prior to my embarking on this “training gone wild” I was literally unable to walk 50 feet without tears in my eyes from the pain I was having in my foot. Seriously 2 days prior to my Epic training I was walking with a cane because I could not bear weight on my foot. So thank you Dr. J and Miriam for putting me back together again.

And, I can’t forget my compadre, Zan. Who had planned these past two weeks to join me almost every day in this adventure but came down sick and watched from the sidelines as I stacked on the miles. I’m sure that between her frustration at her illness and asthma and my just downright fatigue and sheer lack of sugar in my blood stream we made quite the pair. Zan was there everyday checking in and encouraging me to enjoy myself when she was green with envy and down in the dumps trying to seek some inner peace over her situation.

Thanks for the memories
Life in general felt like one big transition area. i was always onto my next 'leg'. Either another workout or training related task (like bike fittings), washing clothes so I'd have something to wear or stuffing calories down my throat so I could get my sorry ass up the the stairs and into bed.

I don't know that I have ever felt so consistently tired. And I'm still feeling it almost 4 days post Epic week. (I did run 3 hours yesterday which was probably not the smartest thing to do.) I was grumpy and crabby and just fatigued. Sleep wasn't enough. food wasn't enough. It does make you realize how much your mind/will plays into an Ironman. My body was done but I had more workouts to do and no matter how hot or tired I was I was going to try to finish them. it's not all that dissimilar to the race. Your mind keeps you going when your body otherwise would have stopped.

There were some classic moments i won't forget:

• Riding in Vancouver and having a motorcycle cop pull next to me and "remind" me that the stop signs are for me too. (I was on my second loop of my 2 X 50 mile loops. I wasn't going to stop for any stop signs! I had a time to beat.)
• Riding in Forest Grove after swimming in hagg Lake thinking "I want a nice easy flat ride" I had it all mapped out. Then I turned up Blooming Farm road and encouter a big hill. About 1/4 way up theres a sign that reads Alpe de blooming Farm Road. 16% grade next 4 miles. Can i tell you how I just about fell off my bike when my jaw hit the ground. (I made it up and it wasn't 16%.... only a very small section was that steep but it was a lot longer than it appeared from the bottom.