Veronica's Race Preview, Coeur d' Alene, Idaho- May 26-29

 Ok- I'm going to try and write every detail . For the sake of anybody ever traveling to CDA on their own and to be specific about nutrition as I try to dial in. Food will be in green, workout details in blue- I tend to feel self conscious about how slow my workouts can be, so including them anyways because they are what they are. 


The night before I took my bike to Get a Grip  http://www.getagripcycles.com/ to get my bike all packed up. One of the perks of being a Chicago Tri Club member is that you get to rent their bike boxes for free. http://www.chicagotriclub.com/ (Thanks Henry for the tip!) The guys are always great there, they did a race check and realized I needed a new chain and cassette. $! That's ok. $50 to pack it up.  (I really need to learn to just do it myself, but I don't trust myself enough)The also realized that the CTC boxes have been used and abused to the limit, broken strap here, faulty wheel there, so they unpacked a brand new box for me :)
SATURDAY- MAY 26
Woke up around 4amish, had about 8oz of cocunt water Zico brand. Around 6amish had a Vegn Whole Food Energy Bar-Berry Flavor with Orange Juice on the first flight.At the Denver airport 9:30am I needed something more- medium (10oz) coffee from Einsteins with honey and one splenda, an egg white and turkey sausage sandwich on a whole wheat thin bagel, and a rice krispie squar (oops), gingerale on the second flight, no snacks
I left Chicago early Saturday morning, flew Southwest airlines. http://www.southwest.com/ They are the cheapest when it comes to carrying on a bike box onto the plane ($50)
I googled and called the first bike shop that came up on google- Bicycle Sales and Service- http://www.bicycleservice.com/. The man I spoke to on the phone was very helpful and suggested a few tri clubs to try to contact while I was out there. I took my bike to them to get assembled $60- (common theme is being giving young mechanics money to do something that I need to learn for myself)
When I arrived in Spokane, got my rental car and headed right for the bike shop. (Yay gps maps on the iphone!- Don't forget your car charger if you're renting a car. For race day, I'm going to take the $50 shuttle instead and use their taxi cab services to go to and from the locations, the hotel is only about 3miles from race start and expo.

I dropped it off and went to packet pick up for my 1/2 marathon stuff - even though I wasn't going to run it- I decided I would run 13 on my own here, but use Sunday as a training day. http://www.cdamarathon.com/ 
The event was small compared to even the smallest Chicago 5K event with about 4 tents in an outdoor mall. While there I discovered a bike shop that also sold triathlon equipment. 
They were more high end then the other shop and cheaper to assemble ($50)- oh well, next time. http://www.verticalearth.com/ I was able to pick up a warm cap for swimming.  Lunch was a large pulled chicken sandwich, with very little bbq sauce- the kind where they give you the chicken (chicken was pulled, so not fried which was good) and you add your own sauce, plus some kettle corn.

I drove down to the lake to check the scene out. I started conversation with the various triathletes who were out and about, one guy told me that he's not swimming in "this shit yet" and another older man was putting on a wetsuit. I'll find out how bad it really is. I grabbed some food and by this time my bike was ready to be picked up. They let me keep my car there so that was good because me rental jetta was way too small for both box and bike.

Ironman CDA swim start

Once I had my bike, I decided  to drive the course. The route in town is a series of turns, so tough to really go super fast but once you stretch out there are places to coast. The course is two loops- and the loops are essentially two out and backs. It's a very scenic course, and I'm glad I got to drive and preview it because come race day, I won't be paying attention to the scenery. There are no hills that are above 6% grade, but there are a few long ones. There's a long 1mile climb or so off of lake coeur d' alene drive and then on the 95S there is about a 2mile climb- which you essentially go over each climb 4times. The decents are fast and if you're not careful you can catch a nasty cross wind. 
I was surprised to see so many cyclists on the course because I was under the impression that it was too dangerous to ride on the highway with the traffic- but by the looks of it, the shoulders were wide enough. I did pull over and help a guy who need a valve extender to blow up his tire. I got the chance to chat a bit and he said the roads were ok to drive on, just stay on shoulder, watch out for idiots, and careful for flats.

Driving south on 95

Once I finished driving. I parked, changed and did a quick up and back by lake coeur d' alene drive- the wind was surprisingly challenging for only a quick spin I put my running shoes on and did an easy hour- also surprisingly slower with the wind and deceiving false flats/ gradual climb.
Must have erased bike on accident- it was about 30min- a little over 8miles, the run was 1:03:29 for 6.01 miles
By this time it was already getting a little late and wanted to make sure I got food and sleep and checked into the hotel.Guesthouse Inn-  http://www.guesthouseintl.com/hotels/coeurdalene
Dinner was Scholtkey's deli and then a stop at the Safeway- Chicken Noodle soup with a large cobb salad (only ate about 1/2 of it, with flatbread- no cheese on the salad) with Carrot Juice (stubborn chest cough won't go away so trying to boost immune system) Coconut water and rice pudding (oops) I took a lactaid with it, couldn't resist, rice pudding is a favorite- and i figured I could use the carbs.
Decent hotel and price, only about 3miles from city park, and it has a fridge and microwave. 


SUNDAY - MAY 27
 I woke up at 5:40, late, took my medicine and started getting ready. About 6:30 I ate- 100 calories of natural applesauce, mixed with 2 scoops of your protein, 1 banana- and starbucks instant vanilla coffee (60 calories)
I had sent a few messages to some different groups- TriSpokane club, a local swimming club, and Lake City Tri. Tawnya was the friendliest and most helpful- she invited me to join her meeting at starbucks at 7:00 so we can see the start of the Marathoners and so that she can give me some helpful tips. I found them on facebook and they were great. http://www.lakecitytri.org/ 
One other rider, Will joined. us We rode the first 1/2, of the first loop, and then on Lake Coeur d'Alene drive, on the way down, we took a right onto Yellow Stone Train where we did part of the olympic course, extra climbing but SUPER pretty and a very fun descent.

After about 22miles I met went back with them to the car, refueled and went back out on my own. Tawnya was nice enough to give me an extra CO2 cartridge, just in case, but luckily I didn't need it. She was beyond helpful, inviting me to a club bbq after (I didn't make it because I spent the day riding) and  pointing out lots of great tips and suggesting where to swim the next day.

On the ride yes, I went through 2, 400 calories gel/water bottles and then 4 just water bottles- I took in about 4 salt stick tablets and 1 PowerBar Performance Vanilla Crisp bar throughout, and 3/4 banana in between (1/4 when I finished) for the total ride- felt hungry and sluggish- not dehydrated 

It was a very comfortable riding day temperature wise. Temperatures were cool- I started with a jacket and gloves, peeled later to just sleeves and the wind vest. I very much underestimated the difficulty of the wind. Totally slowed me down- Out on the 95- going 18miles south it was into the wind- on flat, struggling to go 14mph, on the way back on the same flat- easy 22mph- maybe there were more false flats then I realized. But the course is basically through town, an out and back up to Higgins point up Lake Couer d Alene drive, through town, South on the 95 for about 18 miles, back north on the 95, through town and repeat. The town has no climbing, tiny rollers- Lake CDA drive has one good climb at about 6% for about 1 mile. The 95 has a few longer climbs, one at about 6% for about 2miles- tricky with the wind- and another one at about 5% for about 1mile- so you essentially go up those 4times- nothing higher than that, but they're long and they slow me down :/ The descents were fast, but you need to be careful because the roads aren't that awesome. I think my max speed was about 34.3 because I'm a chicken (My max ever is 41.5 down Mt. Lemmon)

121.33 total miles for 9:02:12 hours, average of 13.4mph average- 5250 calories. Feeling pretty bad about that- I should've been faster at this point in my training. This was including the climbs at the beginning, so tricky to see what I'll do at Ironman- it should be enough for the cutoff times, just need to be careful about getting a flat. 

No run or swim after- shower and on my way to Sandpoint to hang out with Julie.

I had 2 scoops of your protein Melissa's rice pudding for recovery. 

Dinner I went to a friends BBQ and had a burger, no cheese, with sweet potato salad, fruit, 1 beer and a little desert, oh and a small bag of lays potato chips :/

Bike Special Needs Area

MONDAY - MAY 28

This morning I gave myself plenty of time before swimming. I allowed myself to sleep in a bit. I was going to try and swim right at 7am, but slept till about 8am. I took my medicine at about 6:30am, went back to bed for a bit then at about 8:30am I had a hard boiled egg, no yolk, a waffle with light syrup and peanut butter, a banana, 1 50calorie cup with 1 scoop your protein, and starbucks instant vanilla coffee.

Sander's Beach entrance near CDA library

I ventured out to Sander's Beach- where Tawnya suggested, no boats, along the shore so you can stand, and a marker for a half way point- to the doc and back is 1.2- My goal was to try and get an hour + in. Right before the swim I had about 8oz of coconut water. 

54degree-ish water- brr

There were 3 other swimmers there putting on their suits, so that made me feel better, we were chatting it up a bit. The swim was terrible. I made it about 36 min with warm cap like Coach Kris said, but it felt like it was choking me, swim cap and with vaseline on the face like Melissa said. Hands and feet suffered, the booties may be worth trying- I think the temp was about 54? 55? It was also a bit choppy. Tawnya said to expect chop. Chop plus these temps then I'm in big trouble. Silly. I'm hoping it goes up at least 10 degrees in the next 4 weeks. I didn't panic but  it was very difficult to get going and get breathing going. I tried to relax, I turned around right where I thought was the turnaround, but my watch said 0.65miles for 36:58min. yikes- I'm back at square one. Like I had forgotten everything that I learned. I know it will be better on race day, I have no other choice. I'm excited for the 3mile open water swim because I won't have the option to turn around early, or get out because I'm uncomfortable.  

I had to drop off my bike to get packed up (again, something I pay a young bike mechanic to do when I need to learn myself- note to self, learn to use those damn CO2 cartridges, I always mess them up)

After I dropped the bike off, went back to the hotel to get myself together- the swim zapped my energy and left with me a headache. Took in some carrot juice and some apple sauce with a banana Melissa's protein, 

Took a shower and ended up taking a quick nap. Woke, up got myself together, changed to get ready for a run- got the bike and headed for Lake CDA drive to get ready to run. Took in some water and a bite of the Performance Protein Bar Vanilla Crisp (I think I found the source of the rumbly tummy, ast time I get those. I also took a swig of some diet coke for a boost) 

Start of my run- towards HigginS

Started a very slow run. Decided I was going to do 13.1 so that I could wear my 1/2 Marathon shirt- I have a thing about wearing race shirts for races I didn't complete. So, I did the 1/2 Marathon, just a little late :)

lake CDA drive, I will prob be running part of this in the dark

I went up the drive so that I could get that in, (which is part of the course) and then part of the course through town. It was a beautiful 70degrees with a nice wind (tough at some points, this race is just going to be windy, I need to deal with it) but good running weather. After about 9miles, I was only taking in water so stopped at the car- I only had those Vegn gels that Melissa said to ignore, but needed something so took it. and finished up the run. I knew it was going to much slower. When running back towards the car, the sun hit me so that I could see my shadow on the ground. When I noticed it slouching, I would throw my shoulders back and my hips forward and I was able to comfortable get back to an easy 9:40 pace (still slow for a 1/2 marathon, this run was just EXTRA slow) - tried to think of Chrissie when she talked about smashing yourself even on training days when I wanted to stop after an hour. 13.21 miles, 2:19:46, 10:34pace- SLOW!! After the run I intended to find some "clean recover food" but found myself at Jimmy John's instead. I had the roast beef / turkey sandwich with lettuce, tomato, mayo and avocado spread on their class french roll- no cheese, no chips or cookie I went back to the lake, where the swim start is, and walked into the lake up to my hips to give myself an "ice bath" I watched a little boy play in the water in a full wetsuit. Pretty funny, in a few weeks there will be 2500 adults ready to play in the water in wetsuits. I tried to envision the start of the race, the buoys, running out of the water to loop, taking in a gel, and running back in to do another loops- then envisioned where transition was going to be and tried to get it all in. (I was really trying to take my mind off of the cold water on my now numb feet)

I went back and treated myself to frozen yogurt (oops) I know I need to clean up again so won't be having the dairy again for a while. 

Recovery, travel day tomorrow, back at it on Wednesday. Three weeks.