Final Weeks Of Ironman France Training

This coming week will wrap up the hard training period for IM France. It really came fast and I look forward to the trip. It is also costing me a boat-load of money, but this is my (and the family's) first trip to Europe and who knows when that will ever happen again. It is going to be very exciting and a trip that I think we will reminisce about it for several years! I also look forward to the challenge of racing in the alps. It will be interesting to see how I match up against an international field of athletes, with only 7 Kona slots last year in my AG. It is going to take a great race to get me to Hawaii in October. Anyway, I have been training hard and once again, I am fit. I measured in at about 6% body fat. My weight is still around 150 - although after all the eating and drinking yesterday at John's cookout - we'll see if those numbers still hold up. I also took the day off yesterday - see, there is still hope! It was due and planned, because I have not taken a day since the marathon recovery in April - almost a full month! The numbers last week are good with plenty of bike miles. I could feel it in my legs toward the end of the week. I am running real well, so I think I will maintain focus on bike miles again this week. I do need to get a long run in though, boy I don't think I've had an LSD in weeks now.

Last week's numbers:

M: B-10, R-10, S-3K (Kim's killer workout, with timed water treading, Ughh!)

Tu: B-28, R-10 (8x3min on/off @ 10K pace moderate/hard)

W: B-53, R-5

Th: B-54, R-8

F: B-44, S-2500 (open water, fast Walden loop with Calvin)

Sa: B-36, R-5, S-1K

Su: B-40, R-5

Totals:

Swim: 6500yds

Bike: 275mi

Run: 43mi

A very good bike week. This is probably going to be my largest bike week. Does not compare to IM Lake Placid training with several 300+mi and one 350mi week, but I don't seem to be having the issues that I had last year. A June race is impossible for that kind of mileage seeing how the snow has only been gone for 8 weeks. I still have some tightness in my lower back, but I am doing some yoga and stretches, which has made it feel a lot better - almost gone.

One more hard week! Off for my run!

-Kyle

Wow! What a week - The Kancamagus Ride

Wow! What a fantastic day pal John and I had in the White Mountains! I did not take this picture (no camera), but we had a spectacular day with temps around 70 deg. and clear blue skies. The views of the mountains were absolutely great. This ride ranks on top of my best rides ever - I spent a lot of time gazing at the scenary. There was no real agenda for me on this trip except to get as much climbing as possible in prep for Ironman France. I would get the same amount of climbing as in the Alps broken into two, on the out and back of the Kancamagus highway. We made short work of the first climb leaving from Linclon center - I think we made the top of the notch in 50 minutes. We also made short work of the entire Kancamagus and continued on West Side Road all the way up to Attitash. They had the road torn up for resurfacing, so we came back and stopped and had lunch in N. Conway. This was something I had never done before and it was great! What was the name of that Deli? Great food and it gave the feeling of the whole bike touring thing. It also gave me a recharge as I have had no shortage of training or any rest heading into this ride. John on fresh legs cranked back up the to the notch - I was really feeling the climb. No switch backs or breaks on the return climb, just straight climbing to the top. It is also more total altitude on the return climb, making it the most difficult climb I have ever done - mission accomplished! I am gaining more confidence for tackling the Alps! The one negative; I was hoping for more technical decent. The switch-backs really slow down the bike, so I could let it just fly, but I'm told I can't do that on the decent on the IMF course.

Ride Stats:
101mi, 4871' ascent, 4890' decent, max alt. 2855, avg. speed 18.5mph
30 Minute transition run 4+ miles (around 7 min pace)

I also ran the Stow 5K on Sunday in support of my friend Kendra who puts this on ever year. Numbers:
18:22, 5th overall, 1st master, pace 5:55 - not bad for all endurance training the last 5 weeks

Last week's numbers:

M: Swim -3K yds, Bike-20, Run-10
Tu: Bike-28, Run-8 (6x800 @ 6:00 pace hard)
W: Bike-101, Run-4+
Th: Swim-3K yds, Run-12
F: Swim-3K yds, Bike-32
Sat: Bike-12 (easy), Run-10
Su: Bike-16, Run-9 (5K race)

Totals:
Swim: 9K yards
Bike: 200 miles
Run: 53 miles

Some slight soreness in the lower back - only bothers me when I sit at my desk or in the car. I will continue to do extensions until it is gone (also minimize time at desk and in car). Yeah, yeah, I know - too much running. I will focus on BIKE miles this week, as there is no plan for a long ride after 3 weeks in a row (80, 101 and 101). All quality workouts though, all the way around, so I have no complaints about the training. I still need to get cloer to 250-300 miles with only a few weeks to go! Ughh!

Exactly one month until Ironman France!

-Kyle

All Out Training and Prep-Race

Yup, once again, this blog has been left for dead. There's only so much time in a day. I have been off training all out in solitary mode once again. I missed last week's post and didn't record the numbers. but I had a good ride up Mt. Wachusett and around central Mass for 80+ miles with no shortage of climbing. I also ran the Westford 10K on Sunday in 39min flat.

Yesterday I did the season opener in Hopkinton. Great Race. It was good to do all out fast stuff after nearly 5 weeks (other than the marathon and 10K) of doing absolutely no speed work. The one thing I would have done different was to take 5 seconds to put socks on after the (cold!!!)swim. I could not feel my feet during the run and it definitely impeded me. Fun race though, a definite for next year (RD - please move race until after mother's day).

Race results:

14th Overall 169 KYLE BOWERS BOXBOROUGH MA
Total: 1:01:39 7th EOPENM
Swim 1/4mi: 39th 9:02
T1: 1:09
Bike 11.8mi: 11th 33:04
T2:0:48
Run 3.1mi: 15th 17:38

Here's last week's numbers:

M: S-3200yds, Bike-20mi, Run-11mi
T: Bike-28mi, Run-7mi
W: Bike-101mi (3x25mi TT Oak Hill loop with 6mi recovery loop), Run-1mi transition
Th: S-1mi (Walden Pond), Run-14mi
F: S-2800, Spin-1/2 hour, Run-6mi
Sa: 14mi Tri course ride (rest day)
Sunday Race: 1/4mi, 11.8mi, 3.1 mi

Total: Swim-8300yd, Bike-184mi, Run-44mi

I am happy with the numbers. The body feels good, no issues. I gave myself rest after the killer ride workout on Wednesday - nothing short of being tortured. Total of 5:38 on the bike. My three loops avg: 20, 19.5 and 19+. I will have bigger miles this week now that the race is out of the way. Wednesday I will be riding with John up the Kancamagus Highway for some deadly climbs. This will be my first time riding the K and I hear it is a brutal climb. I will post some numbers on altitude next week. This is the only place in NE where I know there are switchbacks.

Cheers!

-Kyle