It's Over

WOW!! It's over! Over 2,300 started the swim Sunday morning. I thought the weather was perfect. Bright and sunny. I think the temperature bearly topped 90 in the afternoon. Here's how the race went down:
Swim split: 58:24- I started at my secret spot that Chuckie V showed me during the 2001 race. It was pretty much clear swimming. I was happy with my time considering I have been struggling at masters lately.
Bike split: 5:55- The first 30 miles goes by pretty fast. The climb up Richter Pass was longer than I remember. The climb up to Yellow lake was shorter. One thing I notice in these big races, when I get passed on the bike it is not by one or two people at a time, its by a freakin peloton. 20-30 guys grouped together. That happened 2 or 3 times and that really kinda ticked me off. My back tightened up a bit mid way thru so I backed off to prevent further suffering. All things considered I was happy with my ride.
Run Split: 4:13- 9:41/mile splits doesn't seem very speedy, but during the run I felt like I was moving fairly well. I passed far more people that caught me and my splits were even- 2:05 going out, 2:08 bringing it home.
Total Time: 11:14:36 , 320 place of 2,175 finishers
All in all it was a good long day training.

Ironman eve

Ellen and I had a nice dinner and I'm hanging out at the hotel room. I figure I'll wake up at 4 am, eat a little something warm up and stretch a bit and then head over to the start. I'm ready to go!

1983

In 1983 the winning time of the first IMC was 10:41 by Mike Wigstaff. That time would bearly crack the top 10 in the 45-49 age group today!

The Day Before

The transition area was just starting to take shape when I dropped off my bike and gear bags this morning. Tomorrow this place will be rockin'! The weather is starting to heat up a bit. Afternoon high is in the 90's.

Chillin at the Lake

Ellen and I hung out and had a BBQ at a small lake around 30 minutes from Penticton. The lake even had its own beaver cruising around. Way cool.
Swam and biked a bit today. Just relaxing getting ready for the big day.

Priorities

It's nice to see some people have their priorities straight.

Logo Fever

Anything you could possibly want is available here- with an Ironman logo.

Registration

I'm one of the many waiting to pick up my packet.

Welcome to Penticton

We flew into Vancouver yesterday and drove over to Penticton. The drive was way longer than I remember... maybe thats because last time Cook was driving 100mph. We pulled in around 10pm and I slept like a rock.

Packing it in

Spending the evening packing for tomorrow's trip up to Canada. I know I'm forgeting something. I guess I'll find out when I get there! I remember one time I forgot a key part of my bike and I had to have Hazard's Fed Ex it out to IM Florida. That was the same trip the airline's lost some of Cook's baggage. Nothing like adding a bit of stress!
AM: Master's IM day
PM: ride, mostly easy, 90 minutes
Off to Canada!!!!

Taper, Taper

My legs still feel a bit stiff so I'm trying to stretch a bit more. AM: Masters swim-3x300,3x200,3x100,4x100
PM: easy bike 60 minutes

1 Week to Go!

This was taken last March when I first started training for IMC. It snowed that day. Boy, that sure seems like long ago...
Today: moderate bike 4 hours. Then some strides to loosen up my legs.

8 days

Down in LA today managed a hour plus run this AM. Tomorrow, a moderate bike.

11 Days

AM: Masters- IM day
PM: cycle 1 hour

12 days to go

After a few rest days I'm back at it.
AM masters- 100, 200, 3x100, 200, 100, twice thru
PM: track- 2x800, 1 mile, that's it!

Mobile Blogging

Getting everything ready to do some mobile blogging at IMC.

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Taper Time!

Traditionally for me when ever I taper for a race I feel terrible until race day. Something to look forward to. At any rate, I'll probably workout most every day, decreasing volume as I get closer to race day.

Super Brick

My last big workout today and it was a doosey! 2 hour ride to Refugio, 1 hour run, 2 hour ride up Painted Cave, 1 hour run, 2 hour ride to Refugio, 1 hour run. All the transition time changing in and out of sweaty gear and refilling water bottles made it a long day. 2 weeks 'til Canada!

So Long, Farewell!

My friends Josh and Angela are off to Santa Cruz at the end of the month. We had a nice party at Hazard's to send them off. It will be sad to see them go. Josh is a top mechanic and he took great care of all my rides. Cook and Flood also made an appearance. They take great pride in shaving each others heads and dressing alike. Go figure.
AM: Masters swim. Kind of a complicated set. Some easy, some kick, some fast.
PM:80 minute ride
Tomorrow my super brick! Last hard workout!!!

The real thing

A patient brought these back from her trip from Peru. Its made from the extract of the leaves of the coca plant. The native indians chew on coca leaves for that extra boast and to battle fatigue. I'm going to save this baby for the last part of the marathon at IMC!
AM: Masters- main set-100,100,100,200,100,300,100,200,100,100
PM Track- 3x800,1mile, 2x800, 1 mile

Watch Out Madona Buder!

My Auntie Vi told me she just took up jogging. She's 85!
AM: Went for a short masters swim.
PM: Easy ride for 60 min.

Back in SB

Nothing like some shave ice while visiting the North Shore!
Back in SB today.
AM Masters- First workout in a week. Swam with the kids Andrew and Melanie. Main set: 4x150, 6x100, twice thru.
PM: Ride up old San Marcos. about an hour

Kamaka

While most people visit Hawaii to bask on a sunny beach and drink mai tai's, I dropped a visit to the historic Kamaka Ukulele factory in downtown Honolulu. Second only in nerdyness to maybe the accordian, the uke is none the less a great instrument. It connects me to my parent's past.
Friday workout: Ran for 1 hour

Saturday: Ran along the Honolulu Marathon course. Probably 20 miles.

Palmetto Bug

In Hawaii everything is better. I call this a big freaking roach. In Hawaii, they call them "palmetto bugs".

Punchbowl

Yesterday was my mom's memorial service which was held at Punchbowl in Honolulu. I laid her ashes next to my father's who passed away 6 years ago. That was pretty sad.
AM: Ran around Diamond Head 2 times. 1:45

In the Pink

Here I am staying at the Pink Lady on Waikiki Beach. The Royal Hawaiian is a grand old hotel, ironically built the same month and year of the birth of my mom. Went for a run this evening. Ran for an hour, worked up a good sweat in the humidity. I'm thinking all this heat training should pay off in Canada.

Refer Madness

In case you are wondering what the Wanger keeps in his refer: watermelon, unidentified leftovers, 2 cartons of soy milk, bottle of water and 2 tubs of yogurt.
Swam a bit this morning. This evening I'm packing and heading off to Hawaii for my mom's memorial.