Testing the Course

July 10th & 11th

7-10-10 - Run 15 miles - Headed down to Louisville to ride and run the course. Surprisingly, the run course was flatter than expected, but I am going to anticipate a hot run without much shade. After completing 14 miles of the course, we turned a corner and I saw where the finish was. I got overly excited and forgot about how hot and tired I was, picking up my pace. I can only anticipate what race day will be like when I turn that same corner after having swam 2.4, biked 112 and run 26.2. Oh my!
It was cool to see where the start for the swim will be, as well as the transitions. It sort of sets my mind at ease and yet freaks me out a bit as well. I have battle scars to prove the adventure as we wore camel packs to hydrate properly and mine left some nice, nasty blisters on my neck and back. Somehow, these battle scars don't hurt as badly since I earned them! HA!

It was a good day! Happy to have been on the course.

7-11-10 - Bike 85 Miles - Headed out for an 85 mile ride on the back section of the Ironman course (a.k.a. the HILLY PARTS). I had some indication what I was headed into because we drove some of it in order to park the vehicle. Very quickly into the ride we soon realized Louisville was going to be more than some rollers and instead would be a 4+ hour section of riding up or rolling down with very little flat in between. My initial though was that the course would be 60% flat/40% hills. Instead, my mind soon changed to a belief that the Louisville bike course would now be 70% hills/30% flat with little space for stretching the legs.

LOOP 1 - After riding loop one of the back section, we had peddled up and peddled down. There wasn't any space to stretch the legs. Noted: stretch the legs while going down - it will be the ONLY opportunity to do so.

OUT & BACK - The out and back section looked terrifying from the car and even on the bike, it was pretty scary screaming down on a bike for what felt like a mile. Because: what goes down, must go up and that is never a cyclists first choice - "up". Knowing the out and back section is only going to be happen once makes that tolerable and not so bad overall. NOTE: turning off 42 and onto the "out and back road" hydrate and eat something first.

LOOP 2 - The second loop, the prep was a bit different - stretch the legs & soft peddle down the hills just because there are so many, and so many back to back.

MAKING SENSE: What I am taking away from the Louisville weekend is that this race is no joke. I knew this before, hence the training, but when the heat is beating down on you and your legs are burning after climbing your 125th hill, you begin to realize what a magnificent feat this race really is and what an accomplishment to actually cross that line.

When I got out of the car this morning, I was terrified and ready to cry. Now, I am salty, sweaty, a little tired and wiser to the Louisville Ironman course. I now have a better idea what I am in for and how to prepare over the next few weeks.

P.S. Combos are totally going into my special needs bag - they are packed with sodium awesomeness!

FEELING: I don't feel great about the course. I have seen it, so I feel ok. I guess I'll just have to push it the next 5 weeks that I have remaining to train and hope that it is enough. That's all I can do at this point - prepare and pray, have fun, race smart and stay hydrated and eat.