Ironman Chatter

[chw57]

Apr 28, 2014 19:31:26 GMT -5 kams said:

Apr 28, 2014 19:23:56 GMT -5 joenali said:

I'm so excited about your race!!

Me tooooo!!! Me too me too me too! I feel like this has been so much more than training for a race, and I know the race itself will be a major celebration of all of that. Totally a life experience. 

I'm tearing up already, geeze.

Have you been tearing up at random times just thinking about the race? It's like being pregnant or something!

[clseale]

Apr 28, 2014 20:48:39 GMT -5 chw57 said:

Thank you so much for starting this! I'm starting to make lists of things for all my bags and feeling completely overwhelmed!

You're going to kick so much ass!! If you're comfortable giving any of us your information, please do. Any one of us will be so damn excited to track you, and update the board. 

[chw57]

Apr 28, 2014 20:51:33 GMT -5 clseale said:

Apr 28, 2014 20:48:39 GMT -5 chw57 said:

Thank you so much for starting this! I'm starting to make lists of things for all my bags and feeling completely overwhelmed!

You're going to kick so much ass!! If you're comfortable giving any of us your information, please do. Any one of us will be so damn excited to track you, and update the board. 

Check your messages

[kams]

Apr 28, 2014 20:50:07 GMT -5 chw57 said:

Apr 28, 2014 19:31:26 GMT -5 kams said:

Me tooooo!!! Me too me too me too! I feel like this has been so much more than training for a race, and I know the race itself will be a major celebration of all of that. Totally a life experience. 

I'm tearing up already, geeze.

Have you been tearing up at random times just thinking about the race? It's like being pregnant or something!

Yes, I do! The race day video on youtube has a song that plays during the finish line footage - it's called Sunbird. It is my most recently purchased on my phone, and so I hear it what seems like 2/3 times a day and it makes me weepy! I'm a mess. I cried on the treadmill this morning while I was practicing positive visualization, lol.

It is totally like being pregnant! And we know that the only way to get this thing out is to make our body do the seemingly impossible, but we've heard it's worth it! Ha!

[clseale]

Apr 28, 2014 20:05:16 GMT -5 kams said:

Apr 28, 2014 19:47:35 GMT -5 clseale said:

I have no advice, (obviously), but I am so damn excited for you & proud of you. I can't even start to wrap my head around the journey you will cap off in just a few short weeks. I have to work a friggin tennis tournament all damn day, but I will have my phone & I'll be obsessively tracking. <3 You're going to be amazing!!

I should send you $2 to pay for the Irontrac app . Thank you - I am nerdy pumped.

Good app? Does it make tracking easy? With two of you, I'm just going to get it. No time to waste! I need access to our irongirls! 

[labbie]

Apr 28, 2014 19:43:22 GMT -5 chitownbelle said:

You ironladies fucking rock.

This!!! I get so much inspiration from the amazing feats that take place on this board daily, and freaking Ironwomen to boot? I'm in awe.

eta: I clearly have no advice to offer, but just wanted to say that you guys GOT this!!! 

[thom]

The logistics and SO much stuff involved in this are just amazing. Obviously I have no suggestions, but I'm glad you're busy getting organized & pumped!!!

I already have visions of myself crying as you both finish just as I cried while watching Meb win Boston. Too much emotion over here right now.

Edit: will there be a live feed of the finish on the website? Otherwise I'll probably just get tears reading updates here.

So proud of all your work.

[zoidberg]

I have no advice, but squeeeee!

[Susie]

Apr 28, 2014 18:43:48 GMT -5 kams said:

Special Needs Bike: planning to pack 2 extra tubes, extra co2, a pair of socks (not planning to start the bike with socks), body glide powder for feet, chamois butter, sunscreen, chapstick, a small baggie of pringles potato chips as my special snack, replacement nutrition (all liquid). Missing anything? I've heard I should wrap frozen nutrition bottles in a cold, wet hand towel and foil to keep it cold for that long in that heat.

I have a garmin 310xt. Think it will last me all day? Or at least bike & run? Suppose I should have left it on for the remainder of the day after a long ride to see what kind of battery life it has (longest time on there is 7hrs).

Couple thoughts (from an only-H IM'er!):
- Have you considered a spare tire to go along with the tubes & CO2?  I once discovered a slash in my rear tire (tube still fine!) while racking my bike the night before a half iron aquabike... like 30 mins before they were closing transition.  !@#$#  It was a mad dash to a bike store in another town to buy a tire, get back, and put it on (the rear, of course) before they closed transition for the night.  Pretty sure they gave me a couple extra mins out of pity!  Anyway, they fold up relatively small, and if you need one, man you really need one. 
- My 210 only goes for about 7 hours and change, my 405 was the same ballpark.  I've tested that numerous times hiking/backpacking.  Unless the 310 has a radically different battery life, and you can verify that beforehand, I would rely on a bike computer on the bike and a regular watch for total race time, and I would save the Garmin for the run.

I am super excited for you!  I can't believe it's almost here.  We both did our 70.3s last year pretty close in time, it's so amazing to me that you are out there conquering the 140.6 already.

[sadlebred]

Best of luck, Kams!!

[skwcm80]

No advice here, but I am so excited for you kams and chw57. You ladies rock!

[adcobe]

No advice from me but I am very jealous of both of you and know you will do great!! Can't wait to read all about it!

[lb2006]

SO PUMPED FOR Y'ALL!!!!!!! )

[shauni27]

SWEET SASSY MOLASSY I AM SO EXCITED FOR YOU kams and chw57 !! I cannot believe all of your hard work will be paying off in just a few short weeks! Do you mind messaging me your bib information? I want to track the shit out of you and cry like weepy school girl as you cross the finish

[kams]

Apr 28, 2014 21:29:32 GMT -5 thom said:

The logistics and SO much stuff involved in this are just amazing. Obviously I have no suggestions, but I'm glad you're busy getting organized & pumped!!!

I already have visions of myself crying as you both finish just as I cried while watching Meb win Boston. Too much emotion over here right now.

Edit: will there be a live feed of the finish on the website? Otherwise I'll probably just get tears reading updates here.

So proud of all your work.

There is a live camera feed at the finish line I cry every time I watch random strangers cross - you can see their relief!

[gt7301b]

OMG, you guys are so awesome and are going to kick some major a$$!! I need a nap after just reading this post.

[joenali]

kams I put all of special needs bag and transition bag stuff in boxes. I had a list for each box. We drove so I just packed the boxes in the car. It seemed easier (not that I have anything to campare it too lol!). It was easy to transfer everything I needed into the bags the provide. I have a picture but I'm on my phone and the app isn't working.

[kams]

Apr 28, 2014 22:00:43 GMT -5 Susie said:

Apr 28, 2014 18:43:48 GMT -5 kams said:

Special Needs Bike: planning to pack 2 extra tubes, extra co2, a pair of socks (not planning to start the bike with socks), body glide powder for feet, chamois butter, sunscreen, chapstick, a small baggie of pringles potato chips as my special snack, replacement nutrition (all liquid). Missing anything? I've heard I should wrap frozen nutrition bottles in a cold, wet hand towel and foil to keep it cold for that long in that heat.

I have a garmin 310xt. Think it will last me all day? Or at least bike & run? Suppose I should have left it on for the remainder of the day after a long ride to see what kind of battery life it has (longest time on there is 7hrs).

Couple thoughts (from an only-H IM'er!):
- Have you considered a spare tire to go along with the tubes & CO2?  I once discovered a slash in my rear tire (tube still fine!) while racking my bike the night before a half iron aquabike... like 30 mins before they were closing transition.  !@#$#  It was a mad dash to a bike store in another town to buy a tire, get back, and put it on (the rear, of course) before they closed transition for the night.  Pretty sure they gave me a couple extra mins out of pity!  Anyway, they fold up relatively small, and if you need one, man you really need one. 
- My 210 only goes for about 7 hours and change, my 405 was the same ballpark.  I've tested that numerous times hiking/backpacking.  Unless the 310 has a radically different battery life, and you can verify that beforehand, I would rely on a bike computer on the bike and a regular watch for total race time, and I would save the Garmin for the run.

I am super excited for you!  I can't believe it's almost here.  We both did our 70.3s last year pretty close in time, it's so amazing to me that you are out there conquering the 140.6 already.

Gosh, I guess I've never thought about or heard of bringing a replacement tire into transition or on special needs - but you're right, when you need one, you need one! Dang!

Helpful battery life info, thanks!

I think the build up to 140.6 is really only a few months out from where you peak for 70.3. That 70.3 peak just becomes the base after the first few months. It has surprised me in that, while I anticipate the race to be more than twice as difficult (only because my body starts to feel the pain exponentially as the hours pass by), I wouldn't say that the training has necessarily been twice as hard. That may be a perspective skew, though? Not sure. It's been really fun and I know that you could be right here if it was good timing for you, too.

[kams]

Apr 29, 2014 8:17:25 GMT -5 joenali said:

kams I put all of special needs bag and transition bag stuff in boxes. I had a list for each box. We drove so I just packed the boxes in the car. It seemed easier (not that I have anything to campare it too lol!). It was easy to transfer everything I needed into the bags the provide. I have a picture but I'm on my phone and the app isn't working.

This is a great, great, great idea. I will do this for sure.

I'm trying to do as much as possible here to minimize stress and effort out there.

[shorewife]

I'm really excited for you both! I just signed up for my first 70.3 in the fall and I have a full IM on my brain for next year so I will be following both of you closely and really looking forward to hearing all about the experience. Best of luck and have fun!!

[joenali]

Apr 29, 2014 8:29:54 GMT -5 shorewife said:

I'm really excited for you both! I just signed up for my first 70.3 in the fall and I have a full IM on my brain for next year so I will be following both of you closely and really looking forward to hearing all about the experience. Best of luck and have fun!!

whistler 2015?

[chw57]

I agree that training for this hasn't been that much harder than for a 70.3. The only really big difference was once the Saturday long rides started taking about 6 hours, with an hour run afterwards...but that's just been the last few weekends!

[joenali]

Apr 29, 2014 8:34:54 GMT -5 chw57 said:

I agree that training for this hasn't been that much harder than for a 70.3. The only really big difference was once the Saturday long rides started taking about 6 hours, with an hour run afterwards...but that's just been the last few weekends!

it's not that hard, but time consuming and loooong!

[boston340]

I doubt I'll ever complete an Ironman but I'm GLUED to this thread - it's so inspiring.

[kams]

Apr 29, 2014 9:25:46 GMT -5 boston340 said:

I doubt I'll ever complete an Ironman but I'm GLUED to this thread - it's so inspiring.

Never say never!

[kams]

Ok, I have another question.

Caveat: I will do whatever it takes to get my nutrition right, but I'm just thinking out loud here.

Is it crazy to carry 4 bottles on my bike? I will have my aero bullet, two behind-the-saddle cages, and then I have had a cage on my frame, too, for training. So I could carry 4 regular concentration bottles, and switch them out at special needs for 8 total bottles, OR, I could carry 3, with some variation of a heavily concentrated bottle that I can combine the extra concentrated bottle and water at aid stations. I plan to grab water at very station to drink a bit and then spray myself down a bit.

[joenali]

Apr 29, 2014 9:58:52 GMT -5 kams said:

Ok, I have another question.

Caveat: I will do whatever it takes to get my nutrition right, but I'm just thinking out loud here.

Is it crazy to carry 4 bottles on my bike? I will have my aero bullet, two behind-the-saddle cages, and then I have had a cage on my frame, too, for training. So I could carry 4 regular concentration bottles, and switch them out at special needs for 8 total bottles, OR, I could carry 3, with some variation of a heavily concentrated bottle that I can combine the extra concentrated bottle and water at aid stations. I plan to grab water at very station to drink a bit and then spray myself down a bit.

I had two bottles with about 800 calories each on the bike, one full of water and one to carry my tire changing kit. Oh I was expecting two more bottles at special needs , but my special needs bag did not arrive where it should have So plan b was to stuff my face as much as possible and drink the disgusting drink on course. It worked though. But it was not that hot out, so I can't say whether it not you will need 4.

[joenali]

Here is the picture if my boxes!

[woowoo]

kams and chw57, can you please send me your info as well? I'll be following a coworker of mine that day, and would love to follow you both! Good luck!!!!!

[kams]

I sent my parents my bib# this morning. My dad e-mailed me back with this:

"I can recall that number! '***' was Grandpa's C-130 plane number when he flew his squadron down to the Antarctic (my note: they did research down there). I'm sure he'll be there watching with us!"

I know I'm super emotional right now, but this brought on some serious waterworks.