Week 16

Week of May 8 - May 14

First week of tapering off, slowing down.
Monday - run 41:26.36, 6.1 mph (9'48" mile), 4.228 miles @ 153 bpm
Tuesday - run 51:01.54, 5.8 mph (10'11" mile), 5.0 miles @ 150 bpm
Wednesday - run 45:33.49, 6.2 mph (9'32" mile), 4.778 miles @ 156 bpm
Thursday - bike to work, 23.77 miles in 1:16:25 @ 145 bpm (GPS ran out of battery)
run 38:11.04 @ 6.0 mph (9'55" mile), 3.845 mils @ 147
bike home, 23.72 miles @ 15.6 mph @ 136 bpm
Friday - day off
Saturday - leasure bike ride with Nancy, 2.5 hours, 15 miles
Sunday - bike 3:18:34, 55.22 miles @ 16.6 mph @ 141 bpm. This time I drank 3 x 24 oz bottles, ate 2 power bars, 2 gels and a handful of nuts. Felt pretty fresh after the ride.


Things learned this week:
Went to a doctor on Wednesday to check me out before the race. My resting heart beat is about 54 now, they clocked my blood pressure at 90/52. Steadily declining, hmmm. How low is too low? Other than that, I came back with an 'Incomplete right bundle branch block' on my EKG. Aparently this is not a problem by itself, but it could mask other problems if there are any. Googled an article at American running association on it. Have an appointment for a cardio clinic where they'll fit me with some kind of a monitor I'll wear for 30 days. That is after I come back from Brazil. The receptionist didn't know what a triathlon is. Funny. After I explained, she said no, you can't wear it in water. OK.

Yup, it was the battery in the HR belt. Radio Shack batteries do suck. Put a Duracell 2032 in it, it works OK again.

Saw a bike in the bike shop I started salivating over. Carbon frame Lapierre. Hmmm, if I do well in Brazil ...

Speaking of bikes, I put a last finishing touch on the bike - an Orca whale squeeky toy. I need a horn for those times when I'll be passing other people. Or attract attention to me when I need someone to call an ambulance. More likely.

Eating a lot of nuts, coconut oil, hemp protein, shreaded coconut and other fatty foods. I never thought I'll worry about loosing too much weight. I clocked the real scale in the doctor's office at 179 lbs, wearing my clothes. Not too bad. That puts me at about 176 real weight. Just about where I wanted to be for the race.

New stuff:
Put new set of tires on the bike, Continental Force (23 mm) in the back, and Attack (22 mm) up front. They seem to be running softer than my regular Conti 4season. I like them, although the front is a bitch to put on.

Put a new chain on the bike, cleaned it up, I think it's in good running condition.

Learned that it will cost us at least an extra $100 to travel with the bike on the same plane. Crap. Each way. Hmmm, how do I pack a bike into 62 linear inches? There is something to think about.

Booked a place to stay at in Florianopolis, about $25 per night for both of us. Sounds like a nice and friendly place, read some good reviews about it on the web. Got email from the innkeepers offering to pick us up at the airport. How nice. Pousada Marujo

Did a lot of web reading on Brazil. I am pretty glad we're not going to Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paulo. I like low key.