Meaning, if you are me.
For those of you unfamiliar with the cut off times for Ironman , let me fill you in:
Total time allowance: 17 hours - mass start at 7 am then you must cross the finish line by midnight. Meaning: even if I make all the other cut offs, at 12: 00:01 little Miss RBR turns into a pumpkin... I mean, a very sad non-finisher
Swim Cut off: 2 hours 20 minutes from start- 9:20 am.
Meaning: little Miss slower-than-slug-snot RBR can not hide in the back and wait for all the real athletes to swim away first. She must duke it out with everybody else. Super.
Bike Cut offs:
First cut off - must be done with the first 56 mile loop by 1:30 pm (6.5 hours after start/4 hours 10 min after swim cut off)
Second cut off - must be done with full 112 miles by 5:30 pm (10.5 hours after start/8 hours 10 min after swim cut off)
There are TWO! I just learned this about a month ago. Again, super.
Run Cut offs: There are two. This, I knew about.
First Cut off - must be done with the first 13.1 miles by 9 pm (13 hours after start/3.5 hours after bike cut off)
Second cut off - midnight (17 hours after start/6.5 hours after bike cut off)
Now for a bit of "Go me!" news:
Today on my bike ride I was riding on the bike trail (meaning FLAT. See, Iron Snoopy, I DO ride on flat courses!)
Elevation profile for the bike trail route from a previous ride. I don't use Garmin on rides without climb anymore.and I was trying to push and practice staying my in my aerobars, when I turned around I hit a nasty headwind, but I kept pushing. Then I noticed a cyclist on my back wheel. I didn't slow down, but I moved over assuming he wanted to pass since he looked WAY more hardcore than me, but he didn't pass.
He was drafting!
ME!
Holy shit!
That NEVER happens to me. Usually the local cyclists blow by me like I am a dumpy, little cyclist statue and often don't even bother saying "hi" or "left" or acknowledging I exist at all.
I kept pushing, but I assumed he would get frustrated and pass, but he just hung on all the way back to the trail turn off.
When I got home I found that I averaged 16 mph on the bike trail (You have to dodge walkers, double wide strollers [old post on my thoughts on the double wide strollers], geese, and there are four stop lights you can hit (I only hit one today though), and 8 stop signs (I only stopped at 4. Oops! Bad girl).
That is FLYING for me!
Like I said, a Go me! moment.
He was drafting!
ME!
Holy shit!
That NEVER happens to me. Usually the local cyclists blow by me like I am a dumpy, little cyclist statue and often don't even bother saying "hi" or "left" or acknowledging I exist at all.
I kept pushing, but I assumed he would get frustrated and pass, but he just hung on all the way back to the trail turn off.
When I got home I found that I averaged 16 mph on the bike trail (You have to dodge walkers, double wide strollers [old post on my thoughts on the double wide strollers], geese, and there are four stop lights you can hit (I only hit one today though), and 8 stop signs (I only stopped at 4. Oops! Bad girl).
That is FLYING for me!
Like I said, a Go me! moment.
30 comments:
Go RBR Go!!! I so wish I could be in Idaho to support you!! I'd be that obnoxious cheerleader that you'd want to shoot!
I know you've had a rough time training and such! Keep your head high and keep working hard! Your perseverance and stubborness(please don't take that the wrong way) will push you forward!!!!
YOU CAN DO IT!
All I can say is...Run B Run! You can do this! You have worked hard!
Congrats on getting drafted! I can't wait for the day that happens to me....in a few years! lol!
You have so much experience now racing and doing long distance!
You will draw on that, and on your incredible strength, to get through. I'm sure of it. Hell you may even have fun. Enjoy the HELL out of that course it is GORGEOUS and God willing it won't be too hot.
I'm not surprised someone hung in your draft. Give yourself more credit for being the STUD you are. I know what you did here on the Rage bike course remember! So does everyone else cause it's on your blog.
:-)
You will do great.
As far as the cutoffs, I have them memorized. Besides just finishing, they are a huge obstacle for me. I have a tri-calculaltor for speeds and times so I have done it a million times already;
i'd still complain about that hill personally. great ride! see you are even impressive in person - homeboy was drafting off you.
those cutoffs are intimidating but you always persevere. you are gonna rock it!
16 mph and somebody drafting off of you - WOOT!! Be aware of those cutoff times for sure - but don't let them ruin your enjoyment. You're going to be GREAT!
Wow, that is a lot of cut-offs.
Well done on your ride! I would be extremelly happy with that average too.
How is that flat?! tee hee.
Nice job in being drafted! And great ride. W00t!
Just go to the IM and do your thing. Be proud when you get there. You deserve to toe that start line, er, tread it, like everyone else there. Then do your best and it will all come together.
You can do it!
bah, blow it off and come to kentucky for a marathon. NO! just kidding.
you are going to be totally prepared. your body turns iron long before the actual race. so with 5 weeks left, you're already pretty steel. embrace it! love it!
it's good to be aware of the cutoff times, i guess, but don't let that drag you down. you're going to go out there and run your race and do the best that you can.
I don't think I've ever averaged 16mph on my bike.
Me thinks you might becoming A BIG FAT LIAR about being slow on the bike.
Keep pluggin' away. Ironman won't be easy, but you know what you are up against and you are stubborn enough to push through. I mean that in a good way. :-)
You are more ready then you think you are!
Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after another. ~Walter Elliott, The Spiritual Life
Break up that Ironman and concentrate on one event/moment/section at a time. Consider each cut-off one more short race.
I think you are going to surprise yourself out there!!
You are my Superwoman. Seriously. I am putting this on my calendar and cheering you on from wherever the heck I am in 5 weeks!!! Kick. ASS.
Listen, do not even THINK about those cutoffs. They do not apply to you-you are way faster than that my friend. Don't even think in those terms...IMCDA is a blast. Think fun!! and beautiful! And the run down Mainstreet at the end (I think it is called) is priceless..
Yay YOU! I know you're scared but I think you will be just fine. Quit worrying so much or you're going to make yourself throw up.
You ARE stronger than you think, RBR. Your coach has put you through hell the last few weeks from what I can tell and I have no doubt that with a good taper, you will be rested and and ready shine on race day at IMCDA. No worries about those stinkin cut-offs!
Don't worry at all about those cutoffs.
You are strong enough to make it. 80 year old people make the cutoff.
You are a super runner with lots of experience and now look at you on the bike!
And the good thing about the hills? Lots of downhill too!
I say bring it! Lets rock this baby!
No worries RBR you are totally going to make the cut offs!!
just keep moving forward and you will all of a sudden be in front of the infamous Formualic!!
rockon`
Wow...someone drafted off you? What was that like?
You know I think you're a rock star! 16mph on a trail? with hills? YIKES!
I've got such a long way to go where biking is concerned, that's for sure.
TOTALL GO YOU!!! Way to go! And you can TOTALLY make those cutoffs. GIve yourself more credit than that. You're amazing and will be great! Shoot - I'm in awe for you just even thinking about attempting it. I'm soooo not worthy.
I'd be with Southbay Girl shaking the cow bell obnoxiously until you couldn't take any more.
Sounds like a great ride and very cool that you were drafted!
You will do it! You have worked for it!
So 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride and 26.2 mile run to cap it off? I can't swim much, but that sounds doable if they let you do backstroke. And if the bike part is not too hilly. And if it's not too hot. Sheesh that's a lot though!
The cutoffs are motivating, aren't they. The adrenaline will give you an extra turbo boost!
The good news is that if you make the bike cutoff, you'll be okay for the marathon - practice running when you're tired, like at the end of the day or in bricks. Practice doing the 1 minutes run/1 minute walk technique to speed you up if you're worn down. Most people can pull off a 6-hour marathon using that.
Drafting! That's awesome. Well for you at least, you definitely reminded me of biomechanics which I should be studying for at the moment.
All I have to say is I believe in you. You are going to rock this thing! And you will not be a pumpkin, I won't have it!
You are going to rock this!
On the swim, just start on the outside away from the type-As, easy peasy. The bike mph is below 14 so you know you can hold 14 avg, therefore you are golden (esp. if you were under the swim cut off). The first run cut-off is a 16 min/mile pace - you can walk that pace. The second run cut-off a litte harder but still only a hair under a 15 min/mile pace. Totally do-able, especially since you just did Big Sur! : )
You may have to limit your photo-taking, though, to conserve time. Can you appoint a substitute photographer?
You know, you better watch out. You do a LOT of talking about how other people are much faster than you-- you will require new material soon, as clearly this is becoming a thing of the past...
Good luck at the IM!!
You are so ready, more than you know. Find me that weekend. I will be up there! Oooh- Ineed to make a pink sign that says "Run Bitch, run!"
You will do awesome! Great job on your bike ride. I have never (and will never) been drafted!
by the way, since you seem to love torture on the bike... you should do this ride next year:
http://assaultonmtmitchell.org/
102 miles, 8100' climb. no biggie, right? ;)
Hey - I came across your blog awhiel back when you had your 1/2 iron man triathlon race report. I enjoyed your report and have checked in on you numerous times since. I'm hoping to get a 1/2 ironman in at the end of the season. Thanks for bloggin!
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