Kona 2014: Day Two

Day Two: Path Race Day

Taper training for the day: 8.5 miles of running, 21 miles of riding

My day started by waking up at four feeling like it was eight.  Awesome.  I had an hour and a half to myself to unpack the bike and get things in working order.  All was good and the bike was feeling rock solid. 

I upgraded to the new P3 after Ironman Texas this year and have had two successful races on it this season including a PR of a 4:42 112 mile split at Ironman Boulder this past August.  It's a great bike to be on right now.  For this race I will be using a P3 with 808 firecrest wheels and a quark power meter.

After Aiden and my dad woke up, we took a walk down to the pool to make sure that the slide was still there.

Yep Aiden... Still there.

Every year we have been here, we have participated in the Path 5k/10k race.  I opted to do the 10k again this year.  I started the race with a goal of a 36+ minute 10k and was on very good track through two miles.  I was running low 5:30's but cramped after about 2.3.  Took it easy and cruised the rest - No need to do any damage here.  There is a big race coming on Saturday anyways.

Dad did the 5k and Aiden did the Kids run.  Dad was 5th in his AG and I am proud of that :)

Aidens smile after the kids run was pretty amazing too.  I am really proud of him.

This is that smile right after his run

We waited around for a little bit before heading back to the Sheraton.

Back to the Sheraton for the BEST BREAKFAST IN THE WORLD!  SERIOUSLY, NO JOKE. ALL CAPS NEEDED HERE.

Finished breakfast then walked over to the pool to watch some Bronco football.  I was able to watch the whole thing with a nice crew of about 10 Broncos fans.  No, there was no booze in this one.  I was going to go for a ride later.

Aiden played in the pool for hours.  He went down the slide 20 plus times.

I got in a nice 21 mile ride before we went to get dinner at Sam Choys.  We had a great dinner and then I put the dude to bed around 8:15.  I fell asleep around 8:45.

Monday will give us another low key day before registration and before s* gets real.

Kona 2014: Day One

It's early Octotber and that means it's time to get over to Hawaii again.  This will be my third time in Kona to race in the Ironman World Championships and I will be doing what I did last year - A daily journal of my experiences and fun spent while prepping for and enjoying the biggest freak show in endurance sport.

I am going to this race with zero expectations and with a goal to keep my sub 10hr IM finish streak intact and enjoy an awesome family trip to the big island.

This will be my fourth Ironman distance race this year.  I went in with some big goals and have had a blast along the way.  But, I am tired.  Really tired.  Mind/body/soul tired.  I want to get through this one and really just enjoy it.  It is such an honor and blessing to be and to race among the best in the world at this distance.

Don't get me wrong.  Racing these crazy things is what I love.  Even though I am tired, I am really really excited.

Day One:  Travel Day

I woke up nice and early Saturday morning to go over and get a 6+ mile treadmill run in before the long flight.  I did a fartlek run with some really fast stuff.  Like some work at sub 5 minute mile pace. Stupid.

I got home and loaded up the car with a bag and my kid.  My parents were on a different flight, thus it was just Aiden and Daddy for the long trek of the day.  Beth will be joining us on Wednesday.

I really needed this day to re-connect with my boy.  He has spent so much one on one time with Mommy.  Things were good and I was happy that he was doing his job of being awesome.

We got to the "oar port" (as Aiden says) and almost missed the flight.  I like cutting things close.

Anyways, we made it.  Got on and ready for the 6.5 hour flight to Honolulu.

It was a long flight and I wasn't driving.  Vodka and Diet Coke it is.

I can't say enough about how proud I am of Aiden on that flight.  We watched movies on the iPad, colored, talked.  It was cool.

Sorry - this open mouth selfie is all we know how to do.

I promised the kid an airplane if he was awesome.  He got an airplane in Honolulu.

Grabbed a beer and watched an hour of the SF Giants playoff game while waiting for our flight to the Big Island.

We made it.  Dude was tired and so was I.

Aiden fell asleep for about 2 minutes in the car - a catnap that got him through dinner.  Another selfie was taken in order to keep him up.

This is a view from where our room is at the Sheraton this year.

Had dinner at the hotel.  Awesome restaurant and bar.  Had a few beers, good fish, and was ready for bed.

I wish he went to bed this easy every night.

Weekly Training Log: Week of July 14th: Three weeks out, vacation, and a dip in milage - Start the taper

In Training:  I went on vacation out to the Adirondacks and wanted to keep overall milage as high as I could while also trying to have a little fun on vacation.  For the first time in a long time, I did all runs exclusively outside.  The runs were hilly and hard.  Most were done in my Hokas.
The bikes were all done on the trainer with trainerroad as my workout guide.  I did two workouts involving 5 x 10 minutes @ or close to threshold.  I forget how hard these damn workouts are.


In Life: Vacation time.  It's been three years since I was in the ADK's with my family and I am realizing that I need to make this a yearly thing.  It is such a wonderful place to be with everyone as you can probably tell from the pics below.
Short post here as I am catching up on weekly logs before IM Boulder.


Swim: 5.2k meters
Bike: 175ish miles/462 TSS (all on trainer)
Run: 38.5 miles (All outside, hilly, hilly terrain)

My brother in law, Kyle.  We had a fb poll of what hot sauce is better.

My new niece Meadow Rayne Carson

This is where I spent some good sit time.  Dad and Beth talking about something.

Beth with Meadow

I did most of my bike workouts up here.  Great view of the 7th lake on our boathouse deck.

Beth, Katie (my cousin), and My sister Erin

Turn your computer sideways for a great sunset pic.

My niece Autumn and my son.

Yep

Me and Mike - Mike's my uncle and a former football player in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills.

Weekly Training Log: Week of July 7th: Highest Volume Before Boulder/Louisville Double.

In Training:  I am playing a little catchup after vacation this past week so its a little late.  I don't remember all the details here.  Oops.

My intentions for this week were to do my last push in overall volume while trying to keep the intensity up.  My groin continued to ache a little from the crash a few weeks back but was better, I had a good long run and long ride, and I was consistant all through the week.

What else could I ask for.  It was a good, focused week of training.



In Life:  Two weeks back and I already forgot most of the details.  That's a little bad.

The most important thing that did happen this week was that we gained a new family member.  Meadow Rayne Carson was born and my sister, brother in law, and whole family flew out to meet her and take her home.  I was able to meet this sweet litte girl on my vacation and Ill write about that in the next entry.  All I can say is that there is nothing sweeter than a week or two old newborn.  She's a sweet one!


Swim: 5.2k meters
Bike: 227.9 miles/622 TSS
Run: 50.7 miles (hips/groin still banged up from crash, but recovering)

The Carson Family meeting Meadow

Cool one dude.  Nice new sunglasses

Beth took Aiden to the "beach" for the day on Tuesday.  Boulder Res.

Aiden left early for the Adirondacks with my parents on Wednesday

First long run since my crash - Although not terribly fast, it was a confidence booster for sure