Week 10

Hello everyone!

Wow....almost out of the double digit weeks.  Kind of scary as the Ominous date approaches.  Okay so I did the back course again, and it was not a horrible as the first time.  Still, I was exhausted and laughed at the thought of completing a marathon after only 30 miles of the expected 112.    I figure about 30 miles of the course is hills...
Rollers as the say in bikers terms.  That would mean a total of 60 of the 112.  Sure there is some slow rises in there, but not much flat land in the back course.  I tried to focus on not pushing myself but still keeping the 30 miles as a "Workout".   I am starting to be familiar with some of the hills, and if I do them enough I think I can get all of this shifting stuff down.  My work out calls for a four hour ride this week, so I plan on riding the back course twice if possible.   I really need to figure out how to ride these hills is a respectable manner and yet save lots for the marathon.  My average speed for a newbie was 13 mph....ranging from 5 mph to 35mph.   Some tight turns, so for my out of state friends reading this, I would highly recommend driving the back course before the big day.  Some loose gravel can be found on the turns, but I hope this will be broomed off on race day.   And one more thing for my out of state friends.  This is the coldest spring on record in the last 100yrs....On the USGS Water web site you can monitor Lake Coeur d Alene's water temps....could be a record cold water year for the CdA IM.

Last week my plan called for a 2.5 hour run.  I did my run on the course.  My daughter came with me on her bike.  The run only has one big hill and I don't expect it to cause too much problem unless it is really hot that day. as it is a longer hill than steep.   I tried to relax and pace myself.  I averaged about 9:30-10:00 pace, so I think I ran about 16 miles. 

Ah yes farm life.  Now I have a COYOTE problem!.  Down three chickens and one cat!  Have been keeping my dogs out at night so I can try to catch them no good poultry thieves!  Its hard as my lab loves to bark at everything that moves, so I am not getting much sleep these days.   Not sure how I am going to handle the 30-30 and the spotlight at the same time, but they haven't given me the chance to try.    We pick up 4 piglets to raise for the Fair next week, so I better figure it out soon.  They are too expensive to feed to the coyotes!

Tax refund is back....yea.... So now I need to start studying up on wetsuits.


Cheers mates!