OK, I haven’t posted (or written) anything here for over two weeks – ever since I got back from Snowmass. Who knows why? Maybe the ramping up in intensity as I approach Ironman Coeur d’Alene this weekend just took too much mental energy. Maybe all the secret little things I was doing in the final two weeks before the race, the last bricks on the pyramid’s peak, just took too much out of me. Or maybe (my favorite theory) I gradually get overtaken by the alternate personality inside me, the one who runs things during the race, and who probably resides in the right hemisphere of my brain, and therefore has little access to either the verbal or written communication protocols in my left hemisphere. Anyway, this guy starts running things more and more, which is great if you want to get things done without any interference from the ego, but worthless if you want to talk about them.
Whatever. These last two weeks shall remain a mystery, then, for now. Maybe when I get to the Kona taper, or even the Ironman Arizona rebound six weeks later, I’ll have more to say. But at this point, all I’ll say is I finished the altipower protocol yesterday, and am half way through phosphate loading. I have completed all of the fitness building training days, and am now just trouble shooting equipment (wet suit, bike, race kit), and doing a few turns on the actual race course at race speed, to build kinesthetic knowledge of what that is. I feel ready.
If you want to follow my race on the internet, here’s what you need to know. We start at 7 AM PDT on Sunday June 21. Go to www.ironman.com, and click on the button which leads to Ironman Coeur d’Alene (there may be one or two other races going on at the same time). Find the “Athlete Tracker”, and use my race number, 1953. (There’s another Truscott in the race, Hana Truscott – really! – a local from Coeur d’Alene.)
You can check in throughout the day, and see my times as I pass over the various timing mats.
What we’re looking for is this. In the swim, between 67 and 73 minutes, or 33 to 35 on the first loop, with an average time of 1:50 per 100 meters. Less than 1:50, I’m doing good, more than that, not so well. The water temp is good, but the water may be choppy from a south wind.
Transition times should be 5 minutes or less. Biking should average 19 mph. The first section should be faster, the next section slower, due to hills. Overall time for the 112 miles should be 5:52 +/- 7-8 minutes, or 2:52-6 for the first 56 miles, and 2:58-3:02 for the second.
The run should see averages of 9:15-30 minutes per mile (9 min, 15-30 sec), for a total time of 4:05-10.
I’d like my total time to be 11:30 +/- 15 minutes (that’s a finish between 6:15 and 6:45 PM). Anything outside of that range will surprise me. Weather should not be a real factor. Forecast is for more clouds than sun, a temp in the mid 60’s, and possibly a stray shower. Winds might come into play a bit on the bike, but nothing real strong. So no excuses there – could not ask for better weather for an Ironman if the forecast actually comes to pass.
If I get under 11:44:22, I’ll pass my first test for the year – to break the course record for my age group here at Coeur d’Alene. Notice I have said nothing about my PLACE – that depends more on other people’s results than my own, notwithstanding my race in Arizona last year, where I snagged my Kona qualification by 9 seconds.