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Ironman 70.3 Coeur d'Alene

Photo by James Richman
I crossed the finish line in Coeur d'Alene last Sunday completely overwhelmed with the knowledge I'd executed a race plan I initially felt excited, but slightly worried, about earlier last week. Even though the saddle sores I'd grown as a result of spending nearly eight hours on my bike the Saturday before riding the Chafe150 century ride had healed, my brain still felt numb. My uncertainty did not seem to discourage my coach, Derek, however. It appeared he'd planned this all along by the way he followed my progress all day and called out splits to me from different spots along the run course. My feet kept up with my churning legs, but I had no real conscious control over their movements. It just "happened."

Photo by James Richman
Overall, if I had the power to change anything about last Sunday's race, it would not involve any part of my swim, bike or run. Instead, I could have done without running into a drinking fountain and promptly landing on my butt after just having had my wetsuit peeled off by the helpful volunteers. I also would have started to get my feet out of my bike shoes well before the last corner to the dismount line. Lack of time resulted in a poorly timed, less than graceful, dismount. So much so that I almost landed on my butt there, too.

Nothing quite compares to racing in a local venue with tons of friends to cheer me along. How fortunate I am to have the privilege to race in a beautiful town. This race served primarily as a preparatory endeavor for Ironman Canada four weeks from now. After two days of recovery following last Sunday, I jumped right back into training, essentially starting over where I'd left off two weeks ago. Unlike bike rides prior to the Chafe150, I'm almost a little concerned about my mental state when I thought six hours on the bike felt short yesterday. Perhaps I feel that way only because we did not climb nearly what elevation gain Ironman Canada will present in four weeks, though we did cover the distance. Tired legs this morning felt every mile of my long run, though. Nothing about this morning's run felt short.

Photo by James Richman
With that, I hope to build a bit more strength and confidence over these next few weeks, all the while doing everything possible to stay healthy and free of injury. Yes, you guessed it: there will be NO short, fun races preceding this go-around with Ironman Canada. No time exists to recover from crashing my bike again.






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