Sunday, July 22, 2007

Iron Weekend

I swam everybody out of the pool this afternoon.

Those of you who know me and my swimming might find that statement odd. But rest assured, there has been no jump in performance and I'm not on performance enhancing drugs (although it would be nice to be suspected at least once in a while).

I swam everybody out of the pool only in the sense that the length of my workout and my ponderous pace ensured that everyone who was there when I arrived had long since gone by the time that I finished.

You see, this is peak ironman training, and this was an Iron Weekend--a weekend where one approximates distances of an Ironman race over a multi-day period.

Right now, it is 90+ degrees outside and a million percent Houston humidity, but I am inside shivering and wearing a sweatshirt after a prodigious ice bath concocted with 40 pounds of ice. (So much is required because the tap in the master bath runs 80+ degrees because of the sun on the side of the house this time of year.)

Other odd behaviors this weekend included consuming an entire box of mac and cheese last night (along with four hot dogs mixed in) and still feeling hungry, consuming more "Boost" in two mornings than a rest home full of geriatrics, and falling asleep -- in a sub 50 degree ice bath.

So, uhm, yeah . . . Mrs. Greyhound is still out of town.

These strange behaviors were prompted by stranger still activities such as 101 miles on the bike in humidity that would drown a tropical fish, 18 miles running this morning through Houston air that smelled like a fish kill, and 4000 yards straight swimming.

I'm not iron ready yet . . . but I can see it from here.



Whiskey? Chocolates? You better believe it.

15 comments:

Bill said...

Whiskey? Chocolate?

I am so there! :D

Hell of a weekend there. Hopefully you recover quick and get back out to enjoy the million percent humidity.

21stCenturyMom said...

You sound Iron ready to me. Close, anyhow.

And what the hell is chocolate whiskey? Never heard of it.

Bigun said...

Good WORK! I'm watching IMLive right now, and look foward to a couple of months from now when I get to watch IMMOO and see you cross.

Brent Buckner said...

Boost. Bleah. I have moved on to reduced fat chocolate milk.

Great weekend!

Steve Stenzel said...

Nice training!! You're there!

Jane said...

You sound ready - esp since working out now in Houston is like breathing through a wet sponge.
Mmmm, whiskey. I'm not a hugh chocolate fan though. Do you eat them together, kinda of like a dessert wine?

Unknown said...

One of the best things about heavy training days or weekends is getting to eat like a pig without feeling any guilt!

Sounds like you really made a deposit in the IM bank!

the Dread Pirate Rackham said...

dude - if you can survive Houston you can survive IMMOoooo.

Moo, y'all!

Andra Sue said...

That's some hardcore shiznit, right there! You should be proud, and I'm totally impressed. Also, I feel you on the outlasting everyone else in the pool thing...I've been doing it for weeks now. Not all that fun. The countdown marches on! :-)

TRI TO BE FUNNY said...

You have become one with your body (and your bike!!) You are so Iron Ready. Anyone that can eat 4 hot dogs and Mac and Cheese is most certainly Iron Ready!

tri-mama said...

Way to lay it down and get it done!

Pharmie said...

I hear you on swimming everyone out of the pool. It seems I do it on a regular basis! Yep, you'll be iron before you know it!

TriBoomer a.k.a. Brian said...

Dawg,

You are soooo on the right track. Good job in putting up the big volume. A few more weeks of that kind of training and you WILL BE READY.

Stay tuned...

a.maria said...

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand THAT would be why, when everyone asks, i happily announce that NOPE! i don't plan to train for ironman for a VERY. LONG. TIME!!!

well done you. well done.

TriShannon said...

Ugh... humidity.

Glad I'm not the only one whos stomach turns into a bottomless pit. Got to love Iron training!