Goals:Failure Success Excuses Disclaimers

In laying out my training plan for Ironman St George, I directed my training toward the accomplishment of some goals. I failed with some goals and succeeded in others. Here is how I did.

Swimming FAIL: Goal 1650 Yards in 23:59: April 20th I attempted this and only mustered up a 25:10. 25:10 is still a PR for me but not what I set out to do.
Excuse #1 I was tired. I swam 4000 epic meters each of the previous 2 days.
Excuse #2 I didn't shave my hairy face so the friction slowed me down.
Excuse #3 My swim cap split as I went to put it on so the no swim cap cost me many seconds per hundred.
Excuse #4 I don't have floppy ankles.
Excuse #5 I am a loser
On the bright side I have improved my long endurance. I have done a lot of continuous intense swims. It isn't great but I have worked it down to where I can hold a 1:45 per 100 meter for 3400 Meters with a pull buoy.

Bike 2 hour power Success: Goal: 2 hour average power of 345: February 11th I got 348. I got this one early, since then I have consistently had rides with good power.
Disclaimer: I am addicted to my trainer and don't know how to ride outside.

Bike 20 minute power FAIL: Goal: 20 minute average power of 400: My best effort was 389 on February 4th
Excuse #1 20 minutes all out is really hard
Excuse #2 Doing fast run workouts tears me up and makes it difficult for me to hit big numbers on efforts over threshold.
Excuse #3 The 389 that I got came as the best 20 minutes of an all out 30 minute effort. I could have done better had I just done 20 not the 30.
Excuse #4 This was a secondary goal to my running goals and my 2 hour power goal. My legs can only handle so much intensity and I had to cut something, so I cut out a lot of my real high power efforts.
I can't think of anymore bogus excuses, I just didn't get it.

Running Speed Success(mostly): Goal: 5x 1 mile repeats at 11 mph on the treadmill. April 20th I finally got this.
Disclaimer: I was supposed to jog a 1/4 mile between each mile. I did this jogging a 1/4 mile between each mile until after mile 4 I was wasted and I walked instead of jogged the last 1/4 mile before doing mile 5.

Running Endurance Success: Goal: 15 treadmill miles in 90 minutes. April 23 (with IM St George 14 days away)the last possible day I could attempt this I got it.
Disclaimer #1 It was on a treadmill and I just stuck it on 10 mph and held that.
Disclaimer #2 Near perfect conditions.I had the room temperature at 55 to start and it only raised 5 degrees.
Disclaimer #3 I had a system of 4 fans blowing on me. One of them a 650 watt blower used to blow up large inflatable slides.
Disclaimer #4 I stopped once (very briefly) to go poop.
This was my #1 goal, my highest priority. About 30 minutes into it I didn't feel great but the fans helped a lot to keep me from overheating and though it was very tough when I finished I was OK and not completely fried.

Weight: Goal Weigh 177 FAIL: I will probably get the scale to say 177 before May 7th but it will not be my true weight. It will be in the morning before I eat or drink and after my bowels have been completely emptied. I will probably have to spit in the toilet a few times to finally get it to say 177, but then I will be up over 180 after breakfast and a tall glass of water. I have lost some weight though.
Excuse #1 My body just does not want to get any smaller. I lost weight easily until I hit around the 190ish range and every pound lost after 190ish is a gazillion times harder than the weight lost before.
Excuse #2 It is a hard balance between fueling for performance and also cutting weight.
Excuse #3 I get hungry............and......I..eat.

St George Ironman 3 Weeks Away

I procrastinated doing the St. George course this year until the last minute. I dislike traveling and I like the consistency of doing my workouts in my basement. I finally collected all my courage and spent last Friday and Saturday biking and running on the course in St George. It was good and I came away with a few thoughts.

#1 I still don’t know how to ride a bike. This was my first outdoor riding since I raced in Kona last October. It is a lot different than the trainer. I fell off of my bike only once in the two days so that is encouraging. I will get in some more outdoor rides here in the next two weeks to better adjust to actually riding a bike as opposed to the unchanging resistance, no steering, no bumps, smooth consistency of my trainer.

#2 I like my Zipp Firecrest 808. Thank you Power Tri for your help in getting me this very fast/stable wheel. It is the perfect front wheel for the St George course.

#3 Watch out for Heath Thurston. I spent some time biking with Heath and he is looking strong. I think that he is due for a great race. He’ll be way ahead after the swim; He is strong enough to still be in contention after the bike; He did a really fast 50 mile ultra run a month ago so the marathon should be a piece of cake for him; All together Heath is in a good spot to have a great day.

#4 I hope to do well on May 7th. My bike has improved since last year. My run has improved more than my bike has. I am hoping for a breakthrough race.

St. George Ironman four weeks away

May seventh comes like a thug in the night

Will I be ready to throw down and fight

I hope that I can have a really great run

That I can handle the hills and the hot sun

Unlike before my three other Ironman Races

I have pushed the run at much higher paces

My bike has improved by around 20 watts

I realize that 20 is not really lots and lots

But I hope my drop in weight will help on the hills

I am still quite heavy, 20 pounds under two bills

My swim is better and my plan for icy sand hollow

Is a warmer wetsuit and to find fast feet to follow

I hope for a breakthrough race but we’ll see

Just what May seventh has in store for me

I obsess about results but they mean so little in the big view

It is a joy just to line up, give my all and through fire renew