We pick up where we left off in the last post with a description of the bike leg and the second transition.
Today's picture comes from Tempe, AZ prior to Ironman Arizona. My dad, brother, and kids round out this picture. Where did I get my height?
For those interested, I have a custom made Zinn cycle made by none other than 6'5" Lennard Zinn who specializes in bikes for tall people. One of the challenges of being many standard deviations from the mean height of men is that bike companies aren't too interested in building and selling bikes to 6'6" guys. There just aren't many of us. After too many trips to bike shops where I was told, I think we might have something we can make work, I bit the bullet and went with a custom bike. My bike is considered a road bike and it isn't made out of carbon, titanium or anything exotic, but it fits and that is most important.
Leaving Transition 1
Upon getting changed into my warm and toasty biking clothes, I will head out for the 112 mile bike ride. Relative to others, the bike is my weakest leg of the triathlon. My first attempt at biking for triathlons began in 2006. I've got a few years of training under my belt, but to excel in biking requires strength and lots of time on the pedals, two things I don't have an abundant supply of.
Here is my game plan for the bike.
Nutrition: Consume approx. 300 calories of Hammer Perpetuem every hour. I mix the Perpetuem powder with water in small plastic flasks. The mix has the consistency of a thick pancake batter and it has a sweet taste. I will have eight flasks with me and I will consume the contents of one flask per hour.
Hydration: I won't want to drink much in 30 degree temps, but that isn't a good idea. I'll try to drink 16 oz or so per hour. I will take a few electrolyte pills as well each hour, too.
Biking: My urban bike course in North Shelby County, AL requires me to share the road with cars, trucks, and the like. I'll also need to pay close attention to stop signs and traffic lights. In regular races, most of the time the course is closed to traffic and police man the intersections. This means the cyclist can keep up his speed and avoid starts and stops.
My pace will for the ride will be something akin to a Sunday drive. I've done enough long rides in the area to know that I will average 15 mph or so given the amount of hills, stop signs, and traffic lights I will need to negotiate. This will translate into 7 hours and 30 minutes of riding time. I will be stopping multiple times for restroom breaks, water refills, and perhaps a couple of shots of espresso at Starbucks. I'm saving the espresso as a treat when I cross the 100 mile mark. My total estimate time on the bike is around 8 hours.
A couple of interesting things happen every time I do a long ride. I tend to have periods where I don't feel good at all on the bike and want to be done with it. This happens at about 40 miles, 75 miles, and 100 miles. The rough patch lasts for twenty minutes or so and by the time I realize I'm not miserable any more, another 45 minutes has passed. A second phenomenon occurs when I am within the last 10 miles of a given long ride. I always get a second wind when I realize that I am actually going to finish the ride. It happens whether my long ride is three, five, or seven hours.
Transition 2: Bike to Run (or something resembling a run)
It will feel really good to get off the bike and get in the upright position. My transition area will be the pavilion at Veterans Park on Valleydale Rd. I will jettison the bike clothes and put on the running gear. High temps are expected in the low to mid 40's - perfect for running. I might or might not start out in shorts. I'll be wearing a long sleeve shirt under a wind shirt. I'll have a hat, running pants, and more layers available as the weather cools down. After grabbing some water and a gel or two, I'll be on my way. Estimated transition time: 10 minutes.
Tomorrow: The Last Leg
Blessings to you all,
Chris
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