The TriMuskokan & Prepping for Ironman 70.3 Muskoka
Tapering is hard. I find it very difficult to just sit down and watch TV or read a book instead of running, cycling, swimming, playing ultimate frisbee or strength training in the gym, like I normally do each day.
I know tapering is a very necessary and important part of preparation for any big race, especially the longer courses, like what I’m about to embark upon - Ironman 70.3 Muskoka (2km swim, 90km bike, 21.1km run).
If you’re wondering what Ironman 70.3 means, it is the actual mileage one travels in the race (1.2 miles, 56 miles, 13.1 miles = 70.3 miles). It is also known as the half-iron, as it is half the distance of a full Ironman (2.4, 112, 42.2 = 140.6). So that will clear up any confusion you may have when you see Ironman 70.3 and Ironman 140.6 - that is if you ever cared, or thought its all a crazy distance anyway.
But back to my point, I know I need to taper so that my muscles can recover, I can catch up on my rest, and I’ll be primed and ready to go on race morning. So since I’m not swimming and cycling this morning I thought I may as well catch up on my blog. This way I still feel I’m being productive while staying true to my taper plan.
Sunday, July 8 is the big day, one of my A races for the year. Pretty much everything I’ve done in the last few months has been leading up to this event. The swim starts in Fairy Lake and takes us upstream into the Muskoka River, where we transition to the bike so that we can cycle through the beautiful and very hilly Muskokan countryside, and finally we run through quaint downtown Huntsville for the half marathon leg of the race.
My last big training brick was in Huntsville when I raced the TriMuskokan short course championships on June 24, and managed a top ten finish in my age group (http://trimuskoka.com/). There was significant overlap on all the swim/bike/run courses so it was an excellent chance to get some practical training in.
The unique section on this course is the upriver swim, so I was glad to get some course recon in a race setting. I learned that the key to this particular swim is to stick to the side and stay out of the middle of the river where the current is strongest.
As for the bike, you just need to learn to love hills and pace yourself accordingly (I know, easier said than done right!). I did lots of hill training last year when I was prepping for Ironman Mont Tremblant, and trained on these exact hills. So it was good to get a couple more rides on the hilly terrain to refresh my muscle memory. My trainer at home can not replicate the same elements that you’ll find on these hills in real life. I must admit, I’m jealous of the locals who get to ride these roads regularly, while I'm stuck in the mess that is downtown Toronto.
Of course, the run will be hilly too, but I always feel good about my run, I did lots of hill training this spring prepping for the High Park run off and the Toronto marathon where I had strong finishes.
Honestly the factor I’m most concerned about is the heat. Southern Ontario has been gripped in a heat wave of +32C (even higher humidity in the low 40C's) for the last 10 days. And I will be the first to admit, I struggle in the heat. I’m an east coaster after all, and Newfies are not acclimated for this type of oppressive heat. I’m absolutely desperate for mother nature to give me a break this weekend!!! On the bright side, it’s been nice for the open water swim training at what is normally a rather chilly Cherry Beach, but its been hellish during the runs. Pure. hell. Here’s hoping the weather breaks before I do!
I decided to make one change to my race kit since coming back from the TriMuskokan race weekend. I invested in a more aerodynamic cycling helmet. Price has been a sticking point with these for me, however, I’ve rationalized that since I’m putting in so much effort in my training and suffering on the hills, that anything I can do to make this easier on myself is a reasonable purchase, especially since most serious triathletes are already using these. Further considering my bike is probably the weakest of the 3 disciplines I feel its a justifiable decision. I opted for the Giro Synthe, one of the more economically priced models at $299.99 plus tax (I can honestly say that Canadian Tire has become a distant memory for me!). I took it for a test ride yesterday and honestly, I felt faster in my aero position and my head even felt lighter. I averaged 1km/hr faster just pedalling around Sunnybrook Park.
It took me 3h35m to do the 90km on the IM Muskoka bike course the last time I did it with my old helmet, so lets see what I do on the bike this Sunday. Any guesses for my time? Feel free to comment below.
So now, I'm just trying not to overeat in the last few days of my taper (at least until my carb load begins on Saturday morning - all the bagels, peanut butter, bananas and pasta I desire), get enough rest, try my best to avoid the temptation of summer drinking (at least until the post-race celebrations) and re-check my gear until I head north again this weekend. Send me lots of good vibes - both for speed and cooler weather.
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