The Final Push

Ironman Texas is in 15 days. This weekend is my last chance to make sure everything is ironed out. Nutrition is the most important part of training this weekend. Saturday is a 2 hour 15 minute run and Sunday is a 95 mile ride with a 40 minute Ironman-race effort brick. The plan is to take in everything exactly like I have planned for Texas. On the ride that will consist of trying to consume 250 calories per hour in liquid and solid form. Solid foods don't sit on me well especially at a higher effort so most of my calories will come from Carbo-Pro/Gatorade mixture and either a gu pack or a few shot blocks every hour. Then the run will be trying to take in enough nutrition to keep me going but not too much that will make me sick. I plan to take in 100-150 cal per hour on the run. Most of this will come from Gatorade (Ironman Perform in the race) and a gu at mile 2, 6, 12, 16, 20 and another depending on how I feel towards the final miles. The other thing I will carry is salt pills. I will take those depending on sweat rate and weather conditions.

I could not be happier or feel more prepared from the training this year. I struggled with knee pain last year and that took a toll on my mental and physical strength. But this year I worked through it and have given 110% effort and dedication to the plan. This will be race number five of the year, the "A" race. All the other races have gone according to or better than planned. My confidence has grown in my abilities and I look forward to the challenge ahead on race day. The goal is to place top two in my age group and qualify for the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii.

I will post later next week with details about this weekend training session.

Oh and the other added fun I will be doing this weekend is competing in the Annual Mullet toss at the Panacea Blue Crab Festival. Charlie is a multiple winner of the competition normally out-throwing the field by more than 10-20 ft. Let's see if he can take the title again this year.
http://www.bluecrabfest.com/