Almost there

Tomorrow is the big day. Drove part of the windy hilly course today. There were many beautiful vistas on display that, despite my stress levels of today, will no doubt trump any tiredness that we may feel at the time.

Napoleon is very relaxed. This is his third Ironman! Constitution is in the middle with me bringing up a stressful rear. Napoleon cooked us a fantastic pre-race meal this evening. Just the job and will fuel us well for tomorrow. Now all that is left is for a short, but hopefully solid night's sleep in the noisy downtown that is Nice. This is not helped by the fact that France play Spain tonight in a very important football game. Here's hoping the French lose which should make for a quiet end to the night!

Tomorrow is due to be warm and sunny. Only 77degree F, but with the humidity the heat will be the main challenge of the day. We all know we can cover the distance. We have trained well and intelligently. The heat is the only factor that is somewhat unknown to myself and Constitution. Napoleon lives for it. Let's hope it does not get in anyone's way.

Here's looking forward to the finish line and what lies beyond it. It's been an amazing journey with one very jubilant party to finish it all off.

Good luck to us all!

They think it's all over. It is now!

Victory, Constitution and Napoleon all crossed the finish line at Ironman Nice yesterday.
Nothing we could have done, besides actually practicing on the course itself, could have prepared us properly for this feet.
The swim is one massive adult sand pit. Bodies everywhere, seemingly swinging punches and kicking out in all directions. A mass of sea spray and foam is all that awaits a potential Ironman upon the binging of the race. Not for the claustrophobic or those with a fear of drowning! The salt water did make a difference. Irritating the back of my neck, where the wetsuit joins the skin.
To Ironman Nice's detriment, what makes this swim so hard is that you can't see the seemingly enormous red buoys when you are in the water with even a small swell. This is then exaggerated when everyone finally spots the buoy and heads straight for it and causes a reenactment of the start at each turn. And even if you try to be smart and get out wide, you cause your own reenactment of the start. It's an exact reflection of how cows feel being herded!
Now, just as I was in the finishing stretch, already very tired from this underestimated swim, I had a coincidence with a jelly fish! I didn't even see it coming. I had thought it was the guy next to me who had scratched me in the face, but as the sting set in I realized that my worst fear for the swim had come true. Thank goodness for googles, as I would have had serious problems with eye sight had they not been there.
Not to be discouraged, although quitting then and there after that swim and that jelly fish was very tempting, I plugged on to the equally maniacal transition area. Threw on my bike gear and headed out for a brutal bike ride. Stinging face and all the chamois cream I could muster.

To say I was in a bad mood would have put it mildly. For the first 20miles all I could think of was whether someone would pee on my face to relieve the stinging. Ruling that put swiftly, I was immediately distracted as the hills began. I was just not ready for what lay ahead. Not rolling hills and wind like in Minnesota, just he longest climbs that I will ever do, ever! One section so steep it was described as 12%. Nothing could be as draining on body and mind as trawling along at 6miles an hour for almost 90 minutes, knowing that when you make it to the top, not only aren't you done, but you have over half the course left and at least two more climbs. That was the Col d'lecre.

Luckily, Napoleon caught me not too long after and gave me the boost I so dearly needed. He was a gent and stayed with me for what ended up being miles of fun downhill to ease off on the legs. It was a welcome respite. Although, as Constitution pointed out, the toll a long decent takes on your body is unexpected. Even though you are coasting, the fatigue on the upper body with the constant breaking and bending and the particular toll on the mind having to concentrate when already spent, is much more impacting than I had thought.

Finally, back out of the mountains, 7 hours and 9mins later the bike was done. How I was going to muster the strength to run a marathon was beyond me.

I knew I had to run slowly. Very slowly. The training kicked in at that point allowing me to keep the heart rate low and keep on plodding along. The first lap was really quite enjoyable. That was the last time that happened. The struggle began at the end of lap 2. There are four 10.2k loops for the marathon along the sea front and the last two were sheer pain and suffering. Nothing can describe the thought process going on just to push you around the course. Compounded by people falling like flies around you and medical sirens going off in all directions.

However, the final lap came and with everything in my locker I pushed to the finish. It was so relieving and welcome I can not put it in to words. I was an Ironman!

This journey has been unique in every way. I like to think I can predict a lot of things, but not one time to my expectations prepare me for any part of this. Training and racing. The people who kept us gunning for the finish were our wives, families and training partners. This was a journey that I will never forget and was a fantastic experience. Now, just like the hungover one always says, I AM NEVER DOING THAT AGAIN! :)

Good luck to us all!

Bikes assembled

Bikes are back in one piece! It was nervous for a while. Constitution's bike went AWOL with Air France, but was delivered just in time today. We spent the after/evening putting each part back on the bike, readying it for racing. Just a few tweaks left tomorrow after we take them out for a while and see what we missed.

Tomorrow my parents arrive and the whole support crew will be in place. Then just 48hours to race time.

Went to the expo today and received our race packets, with bib numbers and race instructions. Picked up a little Ironman merchandise and felt the nervous excitement sneak up a notch.

Went for a practice swim this AM and coincided (by at least 20yards) with my first few jelly fish. Far away and not threatening, but certainly a shock at first, but a good swim nonetheless and a lot clearer than Cedar Lake.

Tomorrow, off for a ride in this bloody humid environment. Worried about that, but unavoidable.

And now on to the celebration of my wife's birthday! A trooper and I am so lucky to have her with me on this journey!

Good luck to us all!

Bike back together

The bike is back together and hopefully we are in business. Will try it out tomorrow when Dereck's bike arrives. Also, registration starts tomorrow. I'll be there!

Good luck to us all!

We have landed

Made it!

We have landed. Went out for a quick jetlag run of twenty minutes along the humid host to our run on Sunday, Le Promenade des Anglais. It was a grounding run which really brought home the reality of this weekend.

Good luck to us all!

On our way!

And we're off! So, when this arduous journey began across the sweat laden peaks of the bike saddle, through the salt dried dunes of the chaffed chest, in to the jelly fish ridden wetsuit clad swim of the open water, I made the dubious decision to use my privileges that the airlines have befitted me with and travel on standby to Nice.

Having now augmented my travel plans a number of times, due to high seat demand on various routes, I now sit at gate E9 in Minneapolis Will Chamberlin World Airport, awaiting the news as to whether our first leg of three will be successful. This one is the hardest of the day, with the promise of a kind reservation agent in Sweden that the next two would be fine. However, this is standby travel we are talking about!

The bike was checked with success (and without charge!), thanks to my friend the gate agent (Chris, you are a life saver!). Now, the sincere hope is that we shall see it again in Newark, in order that me may walk across, in the unwelcoming humidity of Jersey, from Terminal A to Terminal B and have equal success with SAS. Odds are low, but I hear they are very nice :))))

In theory, 22 hours from now, we shall be in a hotel in Nice, Cote d'zur, WITH MY BIKE, and relaxing, taking in the Mediterranean Sea (it's a Sea, not an Ocean - said on a stern French Accent ;))

Good luck to us all!

Bike is packed!

The day hath arrived for "My Boy Blue" to be packed up and readied for travel. Below I have broken down the process in pictures. However, suffice it so say, that every piece that came off and was delicately packed by Chris the master mechanic, was a step closer to the start line. Now, with just a classy logo to be spray painted on the side of the case, we are only a few days away from heading out. Shame Lance won't be there!

 All that's left is a nice sprayed on logo!

The finished article ready to go.

Protecting the frame against itself as much as possible. 

Laying in to the box. Careful now

 Have to rubber band the brake levers to save on space.

Off comes the stem

 The Box itself, a little weathered admittedly.

A little spring cleaning!

Wheels off!

The packing begins

The reality has arrived (odd sensation in my bowels) that Ironman Nice is just around the corner. Time to begin the packing. This takes on a similar feel as to when preparation begins for a long ride. The key question is "what would I need in this situation?". The packing then proceeds to get out of control and once phase 1 is complete, phase 2 involves removing the ridiculous stuff, that you simply do not have the room for. So far, phase 1 is still in process.

Now, fortunately, in our group, we have Mr Organized. Constitution (aka Radcliff) sent out his packing list last week, we gave great pause for reflection. It was long. The good news is that it made my list easy. I simply picked items off of his list and added them to my anorexic one. Thus, completing my rather good looking packing list.

I'm sure my packing inventory will change a number of times before we actually get on the plane next Monday. However, the base has been set and I suspect mine will be the lightest pack of them all. Getting increasingly excited for the race, like the excitement a dog shows at the anticipation of the ball being thrown! Let's hope I don't drive my wife mad by race time.

Good luck to us all!

First/last group ride

Our final long group ride

The countdown has begun

T-minus.....

....18 days to race day. The tapering has finally begun. Crumpled lists are being drawn up for packing. Suitcases are being dusted off. Work is being finished, so vacation can be started.

I'm sure there will be some tinkering with equipment. Last minute additions and maybe even some flogging to death, or over analyzing on my part. Most importantly, I just can't wait to be out there and relaxing on the beach before the race. Excited to step in to the Med for the first time and go for a swim with the jelly fish.

The apartment where we are due to stay looks fantastic. The beach looks pebbly. The local markets seem enticing. And most importantly, the group should be great fun. All we need is the flights to be slightly less than full and off we go.

We have received our pre-race briefing packet. The Ironman races certainly have a lot more strict, head teacher type rules dotting the landscape. They are indeed a serious bunch. Naturally, the length of the event will be the biggest difference, but the way the event is conducted will also be starkly contrasting of any race I have done before. Transitions look different with all you clothing and goods in a bag instead of being laid out carefully by myself before the race. Hence, the transitions will be slower than I am used to. Quite frankly, what's a couple of extra minutes on top of 13, 14, or 15 hours anyway?!

As far as training goes, just a few more rides and runs and this will all come to a close. I expect there will be plenty of exercising going on after Ironman France, just not to the extent that we have been doing. Don't think I will hang up my riding and running spurs just yet, but I will be taking a well earned few weeks off. This experience certainly has been rewarding and challenging all at the same time and I can't wait get to the Finale.

Bring on Nice!

Good luck to us all!!

Morning juicing

Pears, apples, lemon and parsley. Yum

Last, Last long ride

Yesterday, a somewhat unseasonal, almost odd day. Wind light, but just enough to be a pain. Sun indecisive, peaking out periodically like it was spying on us. Air temp somewhat cool, but just a suggestion it would heat up at some point. This was the last last very long ride. Whereas last week was deemed the last long ride, subsequent discovery lead us to realize that the United Nations Ironman Team Training calculations fell one week too early. Thus we decided that we should repeat a week and begin to taper the training next week. Disappointment was apparent.

Never the defeatists, we set out on another century ride. A ride consisting of at least 100 miles. The bike course in Nice is hilly. Therefore, a hilly course was planned and it did not disappoint. Although we do not have the picturesque, long brutal climbs of Nice, we do have some "hills" of which we head out in hope of finding and climbing. They were there. We found them. It was the toughest mental ride of the training so far. To think that you were finished only to be told that a mistake was made and one more was needed was very discouraging. Thus, it took a great deal of effort to get back on the bike knowing there was another 100 waiting for you.

A positive for me personally, was to overcome the gnawing desire not to complete the transition run after the bike. I did manage to convince myself to complete it, even if it was only for 40mins. The first few steps are always the hardest, but after a mile I found a rhythm and Maggy (the dog) and I cruised along nicely, with a well deserved dip in the lake after.

The recovery was distinctly tougher, with a lot of fatigue involved. Very sluggish, but I felt it was down to dehydration more than any other nutrition. Who knows how Napoleon went out and pulled an 8 hour shift in the kitchen.

Anyway, it really is time to taper this time. Just a long run today with the Queens Jubilee celebrations tomorrow.

Good luck to us all!