Weekap, Base 2 Week 5

(Get it? It's a recap of the week)

This was my biggest training week to date, both in time and distance. I'm excited because I feel pretty good physically and I'm not completely stressed out. I'm even more excited because on Wednesday I'm heading to CALIFORNIA for a training weekend on the Wildflower course! Stella and I are hittin' the road! Two main purposes for the trip: to go on vacation and still be able to train (I figure any trips between now and Ironman are going to have to be training-related), and to get some hill experience (SOMEone thought it was a bright idea to sign up for a hilly Ironman when they live in an area where a 27-foot-high manmade hill is the highest point around).

During the week I had a pretty tough treadmill workout, two OW swims, ran 3 days in a row for the first time in a long time, an 85 mile ride (!), some pool swims, some spin workouts, and a long run. Whew!

One of those open water swims was the first of a series of three swim clinics that Coaches Kevin and Rick are putting on before the New Orleans 70.3 race. This one was the first time in wetsuits and the first time in cold water for a lot of the participants. It was only my second time, but I felt pretty comfortable. I was ready for the out of breath feeling since it happened the first time. They say that gets better as you get more used to the cold water. I hope they're right- that 2.4 mile swim in Idaho is seeming pretty long right about now!

Arriving at the lake bright and early:


Mitch, not so sure about this whole "lake" idea, trying to use his Phone A Friend to get him outta here:


Me laughing at Debby's comment that putting on a wetsuit is like "trying to put boudin (sausage) back in the casing":


Mitch trying to pretend he ain't scurred:


But we all knew how he really felt:


Coaches giving last minute instructions:


Boat support crew (who have both done CDA!):


We did it!!






Even Mitch!


Al got caught with his pants down,


...and Coach Rick still looks a little like a weatherman:


Too bad I'll have to miss the second swim clinic- did I mention it's because I'm going to California?!?- but I'll be there for the 3rd one when we swim the whole race course.

And finally, today was a much-appreciated day off!

Weekly totals-
Swim: 8740 yards
Bike: 100+ miles (86 with Stella plus 20-30 on the spin bikes)
Run: 28 miles
Total Time: 14:40