Chapter 48: Good Fueling = NOT Fainting

 

    

    Whew!  I can't believe that the last full week of my big training has come to an end.  Now it's onto my two taper weeks. As I continued to X out the daily schedule, it kept creeping closer and closer.  And now....I've topped that hill to the downhill of the two weeks leading to race day.  I couldn't have done this without the right plan, the right fueling (definitely am still not anywhere close to perfect on that), and having the trust in the schedule.  But here I am.  Can't wait to leave a week from tomorrow.  Then it will REALLY get real!

Weekly Stats:

  • Swim (3x)
    • 3.84 miles (6,750 yards
    • 2:12:30
  • Bike (2x)
    • 90.45 miles
    • 5:00:46
  • Run (3x)
    • 25.76 miles
    • 4:30:03
  • Yoga (6x)
    • 2:12:04
  • TOTALS
    • 14 Activities
    • 120.04 miles
    • 13:55:23
Training Notes:

    It was a great feeling to get my last longest swim, bike and run in this week.  Made for a long week with work, parent-teacher conferences, and personal commitments, but there definitely is a huge sense of accomplishment in hitting my marks week after week and then getting to this penultimate training week. 
    Wednesday I swam for 4,000 yards (2.27 miles).  I swam for 3,500 yards straight with a 250 yard warm up and cool down. I just tried to find a good pace and I ended with a 1:49 per 100 yards.  I'm happy with that. With the energy on race day, the salt water of the Gulf of America (still sounds weird saying that...), and most likely a wetsuit, I know I can probably do a little faster than that.  However, there are a lot of other factors with the current, wind, waves, etc.  So I can only swim the race I'm given. 

    Thursday I had a 3-hour run on the schedule.  In all my marathon training years, a 3-hour run was my long day.  On Saturday. With nothing else later that day.  And a rest day before and after.  But now?  Ironman says, "watch this!"  So 17 miles later on a weekday with long days coming up, I got it done.  I really felt at the end of the run that it was just not a good day.  But man, did I pick the route with the most hills?  The west side of Olathe is no joke!  I had a total of over 1,700' of ascent on my 17 miles, whereas in Florida there will be a grand total of...wait for it...254' of gain.  So only like 6.7 times the amount I'll run in a couple of weeks.  So after I saw that elevation, I revamped my opinion on my run.  I did well.  I truly am happy with my fitness right now and know that I'll be just fine on when I hit November.  
   
    Since I did a century ride on my bike last week in just under 6 hours, I talked with a friend who carries a pro card in the triathlon world and also works as a coach.  I felt that doing another 6 hour ride this week, having a lower week, then doing it again on the race course was overkill.  I'm so glad he agreed with me.  So I did "only" 4-1/2 hour on the bike this week.  Got fogged in pretty good but it was serene to just be riding in the clouds.  Just don't hit me from behind, please!  Round trip to Clinton Lake and back, with my obligatory stop at the Latty Stagecoach Stop & Schoolhouse for bottle fills.  Thanks, Jim and Meredith, for all the porch time, water, and pit stops.  Lifesavers.  Finished back at my driveway in 4:30:35, which is as close to perfect as I can going 83 total miles.  

    After the ride, Ironman Chad Koerner agreed to run my 60-minute run off the bike with me.  Even though he had just done the Garmin KC 10K run earlier in the day.  But once you're a recent Ironman, what's a 12 miler broken into two different runs?  Nothing!  Thanks, Chad, for running with me.  It was good to catch up and hear the advice on special needs bags, extra items, and portajohn trauma.  
    I wrapped up the week with 6 Yoga sessions, the most I've had in one week for the whole plan (both my Eagleman race and Florida).  I gave up my strength sessions many weeks ago and instead decided to focus on the Yoga.  It's been good to get stretched out every night and wake up refreshed and ready to go.  On to week 19!  Here we go...

Daily Life:

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31 (NLT)    

    Once again, Madi Hayes comes through with the inspiration on my topic for this week's blog.  She was continuing her "Running the Race" series, which she swears wasn't made for me.  But it was.  I truly believe that God inspired her to talk directly to me through these mini devotions as I go through these last 4 weeks leading up to Ironman.  So, thanks, Madi.  I appreciate you!
   

    Fueling in my races is vital.  I can remember going back to my first half marathon in 2008, my first full marathon in 2009 and even my first Half-Ironman in 2016 in Arizona.  I didn't fuel right.  Pretty much just water.  Gatorade at the aid stations, and maybe a gel every 45 minutes or so.  But I didn't really have a solid plan.  And I didn't practice anything before the race. And all three of those "firsts", I had major cramps in my quads. Each time I could say I needed to hydrate more, but it was way more than that, now that I know what I do now.  On my current plan for Ironman Florida, I have it down to exactly when I'll fuel, and how:
  • Gel right before the swim
  • PB&J in transition before getting on the bike
  • Every 5 miles, six squeezes of my Tailwind mix (carbs/electrolyte mix)
  • Water as needed on bike.  
  • Another PB&J at the halfway mark of the bike
  • Gel 2 miles from end of bike ride
  • Hand bottle of water during run
  • Walk every aid station taking in water (2x), Mortal Hydration 2x (electrolytes), and anything else I might want (chips, cola, banana)
  • One gel every 3-4 aid stations (approximately 30-40 minutes apart) 
    Simple, right?  I've practiced the bike and run fueling and so far, so good. But I have to do certain things to get the benefits from my fueling plan.  If I don't do it right, or don't do it enough, my body will rebel.  And I have to trust in the plan.  Not deviate from it.  The same goes for my Christian walk with the Lord. Isaiah talks about how I can renew my strength. I can run and not get tired, I can walk and not faint.  What hit me today was the fact that there is something I have to do first.  I have to HOPE in the Lord, and I have to TRUST in the Lord.  THEN my strength will be renewed.  Every time I take a gel, or my 6 squeezes of my Tailwind mixture, I can feel renewed energy.  Same goes for taking God into my life.  There are "fueling" plan that I have to follow.  Now I don't believe that God only loves me if I give Him something first, but He is all about relationship. The scripture in Isaiah gives the command to HOPE in the Lord.  The promise from God is then that my strength is renewed, I'll run and not get tired, and I will walk and not faint. And that's a great promise.  But here's some things I need to do to fuel my Christian walk/race:
  • Daily time with God
  • Fellowship with other believers
  • Trust ALL of my life to the Lord
  • Let God's Word guide my decisions and actions
  • Don't deviate and repeat as needed
    Even doing these things, life won't always be easy.  I'll get tired, beat down, and discouraged from time to time.  That's life.  But just like in my race, if I fill myself with the Lord, HE will strengthen me.  Now if only I can run and not get weary on my marathon at the end of my race.  That would just be great....Thank you, Lord, for giving me strength. For giving me this ability to complete this race, and for keeping me healthy and strong as I toe that start line at the water's edge.  

Final Thoughts:

    Twenty weeks ago, as I started this plan after a week "off" after 70.3 Eagleman, the months ahead seemed daunting.  A lot of weeks to get to the big distances, the long times, and the crazy numbers that loomed towards the end of the plan.  And now I'm here.  I still do have some training to do this week. I don't get 2 weeks off.  But now it's making sure I stay healthy, injury-free, and mentally strong.  One week until Julie and I head southeast.  Honestly, most of my anticipation right now is looking forward to time with my bride. Of course the race is the reason for our trip, but that's only one day out of nine that I get with her. Can. Not. Wait.  And then...I'll be an Ironman.  And THIS journey will have come to an end.  But there will be more.  Bring on the taper weeks.  The end of my plan is the black box after the yellow shaded one at the bottom.  The yellow box on Saturday says "140.6 Ironman Florida".  The black box on Sunday simply says "I AM AN IRONMAN!"  Booyah. 

    This week can't go fast enough.  For now, I have to just do the following:

Show Up, Keep Fit, Stay THE Course, Focus, 
& Keep Moving Forward

    Thanks as always for following along. Stay tuned to Facebook for information on tracking me on race day.  It's coming soon!  

CPC
Olathe, KS
10-19-25

  17,818 minutes until Ironman Florida 


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