The Build to Ironman Wisconsin -- Only 43 Days!!

Back to the training regimen! I really should have gone to church today, but I’m starting to freak out about the Ironman on September 9. My two rides in Colorado have convinced me that I’m not prepared to ride 112 miles and still have ANYTHING left for the run. I know I won’t be doing as much constant climbing in Madison as Steve and I did in Colorado, but still . . . I’m worried, particularly because of the paucity of my post-BSLT 70.3 training due to the knee problems.

So . . . today, I was resolved to do a long ride. I’d mapped out a 70-mile course from home. I figured I could get in a good 70 and then finish off my mowing chores for the day. I got up at 6:30 AM and was out of the house on my ride by 8:00 AM. I had decided to ride west down Crystal Falls Pkwy to Lakeline Blvd., and then take Lakeline to 183, cross under and turn onto another street and head back down (southish) parallel to 183 to avoid traffic on the feeder roads. I guess I got turned around. I wound up on RR 620 heading east toward Parmer Lane, which took me a good mile or 2 out of the way. So, I revised the plan and cut south down Parmer to Anderson Mill Road, and then made my way back west to 183. From there, I stayed on the access road until I got to Spicewood Springs Road and could take the short jog to Jolleyville Road, which has a bike lane. All in all, the unintended detour took me about 4 ½ miles out of the way.

Once on Jolleyville, I road down to The Arboretum and then around Arboretum Blvd. to Hwy 360. I took 360 south, past the suspension bridge, and down to MoPac Expwy. From there, I followed the "Dam Loop" path. I got on MoPac, and then right off again at Southwest Parkway. I took Southwest to Hwy 71, to RR 620 through Lakeway. That eventually hooked me up again with Anderson Mill Road, which I took all the way east to Parmer Lane, and then road Parmer north until I got to Crystal Falls Pkwy. From there, it was a 2-mile ride back home. All-in-all, I rode about 80 miles!

I had intended to do a short brick by running a couple of miles off the bike, but the extra miles and the two days of driving from Colorado had my legs just too tired. So, I bagged the brick and just showered and took a nap. At 3:00, I got up and finished edging the lawn. Lisa got home as I was working in the yard and so when I finished cutting the grass, we bagged up all the excess cut grass and called it an evening. We had PB&J for dinner with blue corn tortilla chips! I’m glad, because neither of us had the energy to whip up a hot meal! It was yummy, and certainly not too heavy!

Except for bagging the brick part of the work out, this was a pretty good day. The tri bike felt good to be on again, although my hard work at staying aero at BSLT 70.3 is pretty much gone now. I couldn’t stay aero very long at all in the last 30 miles of my ride. I just needed to sit up to get air and to feel comfortable. Hopefully I can get most of it back before Sept. 9.

I can't believe there are only 43 days until Moo!