Sunday, October 2nd 2011

Bike:  7:08 (193km)
transition:  about 20 minutes
Run:  2:07 (20km)

Comments:
Because they were filming, I was mentally much more focused on this ride than I have been recently.
It was obviously hot, but I was prepared.  I had a cooler with two bags of ice,  3 x 2 liters of water, 8 water bottles and my peeroton bars.

The ride was a simple 63km lap which I estimated to do 3 laps and then spend 30 minutes riding around, near my car.  7 hours is a long time, but if I am focused the time goes by quickly….so I tried to get into it.

My ride started great.  Instantly, I was averaging 36km/h and my legs felt great.  It was hot, but the wind and the residual wind from riding the bike made it seem not too hot.

Before the ride, we had organized that the film crew would spend the first hour or so filming my ride, and the come back near the end and film me finishing and then transition and the run….

Because of the company of people riding in a car next to me filming me, the first hour flew by.
Although I was hot, I felt great and enjoyed the ride…

I had frozen all my water bottles, and i noticed that within 10 minutes one of my water bottles was defrosted enough where I could drink from it.
I use Peeroton vitamin drink mix plus the peeroton carbohydrate powder.  This works great for me., esp. the carbohydrate powder.

The first 63km went by very fast, and I completed it under 2 hours — so easily the fastest bike pace I have done alone.  (I am terrible at cycling) but Mario’s training program in the mountains of Austria definitely paid off.

I took about 5 minutes to change my water bottles, refill the empty ones, and eat two peeroton bars.
The 2nd 63km lap went by uneventful, but I noticed the wind picked up.
Also, I should mention that between noon and 3pm the sun is nearly, unbearable.  It was sooo hot and my legs had red welts all over them.

I was very dehydrated the last 63km, and the wind had picked up considerably. 

One section where I had averaged 35km/h before, at one point on the exact same stetch of road  because of the strong head wind, I was going only 17km/h … the wind was a killer, esp on the long 20+km stretch of road.

Two water bottles over 63km in the desert is not enough fluids … and I was very dehydrated towards the end of the 2nd lap.
My 2nd stop for water lasted longer … probably around 15 minutes.  I drank 2 liters of water, two small bottles of perrier, a water bottle … too much, but I was so thirsty.

On long rides in Austria, Mario and I had a ritual which I really enjoyed — around the 120th km we would stop at a bakery for 10 minutes to drink a coke and eat a cinnamin roll.  So when I stopped at the 126th km, I thought of those times with Mario and  I sat on the trunk of my range rover and drank a lot of water, and ate 2 peeroton bars.  My legs had red welts all over them, so I reaplied sun cream all over my legs, arms, neck and face.  (i still got considerably sun brunt!)

I was very dehydrated.  I understood that 2 large water bottles over 63km in the desert is not enough.  (mario is going to be pissed when he hears my drinking plan)

The last 63km lap was tough.  It was very windy.  It was very hot.  And dehydration had started to take my energy.
My last lap was much slower than the other 3 laps and I ended finishing 193km in 7:08.  I am sure I would have broken 200km in 7 hours had I not stopped so long on the 2nd water break.

At 7:08, I arrived to my car and the camera team filmed my transition.  It will be interesting to see the before the ride and after the ride video!
I was very dehydrated.  I took 2 salt sticks and drank at least 2 liters of water mixed with peeroton.

I think I took about 10 minute rest and then 5-10 minutes to take my bike apart and put it in the car. 

By now it was 5pm and the sun was setting….and I started my run.
I ran a different road than I cycled.  Essentially, I ran away from where the sun was, thus had the sun directly in my back.
Although it was still hot, without the sun beating down one me …. it almost seemed cool.

The film team filmed the first 6km of the run, and then they left … by now the sun had set.
I had a good run.  My legs felt good, no knee pain at all.
I was surprised to see that I ran 20km in almost 2 hours.

The key to my challenge is going to be drinking a lot on the bike so i dont get dehydrated.  My run will surely be after the sun sets or is setting, thus heat will not be a problme on the run. 
great workout.
I have a day off on monday and then a “recovery” week — easier week of training.

I called Mario in Kona and asked him if we could add two hard days because I missed 11 hours of rides last week …. but he told me to stick to the plan.