23 days away

3 months to Kona is no longer 3 months, but just 23 days. Yesterday I destroyed my last big training ride, 114 miles in 5hrs 55min or 19.3mph which on tired legs with slowing and stopping means that I'm pretty fast. From now until Ironman my long rides turn into more of medium length rides at about 80 miles, then shorten linearly as the race approaches. I know, 80 miles is still a really long way to ride your bike, but you have to see it in my eyes. For the past few months whenever I was on a long ride and hit the 2 hour mark, I still had to ride another hour before I even got to start going back home. Now, at 2 hours (or less) I get to start heading back, and that's kind of a big deal. Another way to look at it is my long ride this Sunday (4.5hrs) will take 25% less time to complete than my ride yesterday (that's like getting off work 2 hours early) Just like a long day at work, the last 25% of the ride is the part that hurts the most; your legs are tired, the fatigue settles in, your motivation drops and you just get bored out there.

So the remainder of the training isn't easy just because my long rides are over. I'm still logging more time working out in a week than most active people workout in a month. The difference is that my run and bike workouts are shorter and involve less intensity; they'll damage my already damaged body to a much smaller extent which allows me to actually recover a bit (you remember, two negatives make a positive...-1-1=2....the round peg goes in the square hole...still don't get it...Fannie Mae + Lehman Brothers + Freddie Mac = bankrupt ....). So my body is used to being pummeled with a high level of physical stress and now that physical stress is no longer as intense so I recover a become a stronger, faster, better human athlete: Francis 2.0

The excitement is certainly building for Kona. I'm swimming as good as I was back in 2000, my bike is steady and slightly improved from the Arizona edition of Ironman, and my legs still work while running. Beyond the good fitness, a bunch of my family and friends are sacrificing their time and money to make the trip to Hawaii to support me (not much of a sacrifice if you ask me). What more could you ask for? Your beautiful and insanely intelligent girlfriend to join you? Yeah, I got that too. Luisa is hitting top form for the race as well and should give the women's 25-29 age group a run for their awards.

Tonight I have a little swim, tomorrow is a run and swim, then Saturday is a day off as my mom is coming to town to visit. This is the home stretch, I love the home stretch.