Citius, Altius, Fortius

hunnymonster

Max HR was 148 (apart from the first 10 minutes when I always spike). Ave was 145. Normal marathon would be about 170-175.

We're still in Dover. Weather not looking good until the weekend and it is so frustrating for Mr HM. I thought it would be great, off work and loads of time to train but because of the strain on himself and having to entertain the support swimmer (grrgh! - a real pain) I'm only getting out for short bits and pieces. Can't wait to get home which is not like me at all, I usually want to move to every place I go on holidays!

hunnymonster

we're finally home. HE DID IT!!! I'm so proud of him. Full report
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055378277
I'll update my own training when I download it. Didn't do as much as I would have liked but not going to stress about it. Feel a bit off at the moment but nothing serious.

ike

Fantastic report well done to Mr Hunnymonster, incredible achivement

btw don't underestimate your own involvement in the background!

Abhainn

Hollywood will be knocking on your door after that account.
Fantastic.

Odysseus

Excellent that's an amazing achivement, fair play to pair of you.

MCOS

I've just spent an hour of work dossing and reading your log... damn impressive to read!

RHR 38, 23hr training weeks, doing Olympic Tris for the fun of it...

Oh and my favourite bit so far is where your "very easy week..." included a full marathon :eek:

Great stuff! Best of luck with your IM

hunnymonster

thanks MCOS,
I've been very lazy about this for the last month. To be perfectly honest, the stress of the channel (I cannot emphasis how much it hurt to watch him suffer) combined with the circus that happens when you get engaged, took a lot out of me. I don't travel particularly well either. As a result, I ditched a couple of long rides at a crucial point and then kind of gave up caring. I had been targeting something like 10:30 but now I'll be more than happy with 11:15 in November.

hunnymonster

just a quick update. 9 days to go and I'm wheezing and coughing up all kinds of blood and gunk!

MCOS

Hang on in there HM, you have built tonnes of endurance and you are one fit girl! So mind yourself and enjoy this one, there will be plenty of other opportunities to hurt yourself

hunnymonster

Ironman Florida 10:48. Will do a proper report tomorrow.

MCOS

Savage time, cant wait to read your report! Well done HM, take it easy now and enjoy the Florida sun:)

christeb

Wow that's impressive! I was tracking Kim Visby (colleague) when I was online yesterday, very exciting stuff!

Looking forward to reading the report...

--amadeus--

Looney!

Well done, stunning time as always.

Abhainn

Well done girl. Excellent result seeing as you didn't think you would compete earlier in the week.

Woddle

Fantastic, can't wait, well done

ike

Feckin Brilliant!! - Great time welldone , fair ple!

SUNGOD

congratulations absolutely savage time!! looking forward to report

Odysseus

Excellent stuff HM. Enjoy the rest of your time over there.

Krusty_Clown

Fantastic time! Congratulations!

hunnymonster

ironman florida race report
Training;
I love running, not so much swimming and cycling but I don't think running 100 miles a week is particularly healthy so I do triathlons. However, all sport is just for fun for me so training is always a bit hit an miss. This I was in and out of hospital with various things until the summer so I had an 18 week training plan to take me from nothing to IM. The first half went completely to plan but then at the start of September I was support crew on a channel crossing. The report from that trip is in the swimming forum. I think it was the first time (apart from uni finals) that I have ever experienced stress and the result was I did very little training in the final 8 weeks before IM, just when the big training should have kicked in but I've done this before so I was happy enough to give the race a lash.

race week.
Before race week I managed to get some sort of chest infection. I have weak lungs so this is something I am prone to. I wasn't sure if I would do the race at all but the trip was paid for so we decided to come to Florida and make the call nearer race day. We got into Orlando airport on Tuesday evening. I made the fatal error of letting Mr HM choose the restaurant so ended up with some mild food poisoning from Hooters. I think we stopped at every redneck gas station from Orlando to Panama city beach (7 hours) for me to throw up! At least my breathing was pretty good now. On Wednesday I was also limping on my left leg for absolutely no aparent reason, some shin pain. On thursday I put the bike together and went for a test spin, felt ok. I also swam one loop of the swim course. Only mild panic which is as good as it gets for me in open water. The water is beautiful. 72 F and clear with minimal bumpiness. Friday was a chill day, time to check in my bike and gear bags and eat! There was a problem with my rear wheel on my bike wobbling but I managed to borrow a replacement. I'd no idea how it would feel during the race but I thought it was better than using my own. (if you're not keeping track that's the 5th potential excuse for when it all goes wrong, lungs, limp, food poisoning, training and wheel!)

Race Day
Got up at 4:30am. It's just not human to get up at that time of day. More food and then down to transition to check on everything. The americans love their bling. I have a pretty good road bike but I'm sure it was the poor cousin of every other bike there. The amount of compression gear was also unreal and there were just too many people "living the dream"! for my irish cynical self! 6:30 and down to the beach. The pros headed off at 6:45 and we got going at 7:00. As usual with 2500 people in the water it was a fist fight. I got punched in the mouth at one stage hard enough to make a tooth loose! More annoyingly, it was impossible to find a free spot to swim. I got out in 1:19, only 2 minutes faster than last year, despite being a much better swimmer than I was last year. T1 was a mess. The americans are prudes so you have to go into a tent to change. It was tiny so there was a pile up, then the bikes had all been moved which added to the confusing. Eventually I got out of there and onto the road. Florida is a flat course but what you gain on the lack of climbing, you lose with the strong winds. The wind was stronger than last year but came at kinder spots on the course, the first 10 miles were against us and another 10 miles in the middle. Some cross winds at other points but nothing the endless disk wheels couldn't cope with. I did get a rather perverse satisfaction in passing all the bikes that cost 3 times as much as mine, not to mention the people with aerohelmets pointing to the sun? Into T2 after 5:33, again a couple of minutes faster than last year but not significant. Missing the crucial long bikes in September probably didn't help. T2 was less congested than T1 so I was out on the run pretty smoothly. The run course is 2 loops out and back, starting at the beach, going through the residential areas and turning around in a state park (complete with beware of alligator signs!) I was about 2 miles into the run course when Bella Comerford (1st pro woman) was about 11 miles into her marathon. My goal was not to get lapped by her. I knew my running was ok because I had done a marathon in September and come 3rd at a very comfy pace. Because of the sarcoid, I decided to run between the aid stations and walk through them to ensure I was never going too hard (see I can be sensible). This worked really well for the first 10 miles but then my tummy started playing up seriously. I had taken some difene on the bike for my lungs and I don't think it's particularly stomach friendly. Stopped for a chat with mr HM and some immodium at the half marathon point and then headed off for the final part of the day. There were 5000 volunteers involved in ironman florida and pretty much all of them were on the run course by the second lap. They were amazing, yelling and screaming and giving it loads. I really enjoy this part of the day, cruising along, knowing you're going to make it. I came in off the run in 3:47 which I'm pretty happy with. Last year was 4:10 without the tummy bug and lung problems. Total time 10:48:06 for 9th place

day after:
Tummy still queasy and I'm pretty stiff but no damage done. Breathing is very laboured however. Mr HM went off with some of his readneck friends but when he got home and listened to my chest (got to love having medical training in the family!) he reckons I'm wheezing rather than rattling. I'll give it another day or so before trying to find a doctor here. Mind you the amount of OTC drugs you can buy here is astounding, maybe we'll just find something in walmart!


Reflections
I'm pretty happy with the time on the day but know I can go a lot faster. The main things that would make a difference is to not have so much other stuff (channel, engagement etc) going on to distract me in the lead up and to lose some weight. When I looked at the women who finished in front of me , they are all modelesque in physiques, I'm significantly rounder than that. Some of you already know the story of my weight. In 2000 I weighted 24.8 kgs and my neck could not support the weight of my head properly. At that stage I had been suffering from anorexia nervosa for 10 years to varying degrees. I managed to get over that and started running a few years later. Because of the history, I always tried to not to think about food and eat what I wanted. I use the convenient excuse that it would be easy to lapse back into the anorexic behaviour but the reality is that I no longer have a problem with eating food, and just enjoy what I eat using sport as an excuse. I need to drop about 10 kgs to be what the books tell me is an ideal racing weight.

Now, I'm off back down to the beach to enjoy the sunshine. I hope all is well in the COld and wet back at home :-)

gerard65

Great stuff. I really admire your guts and drive. After everything thats gone wrong you picked yourself up and got on with it. you had every excuse to pull out and did'nt. What you did'nt mention was that you were the first Irish women home;).

CORRECTION: the first Irish person home

MCOS

hunnymonster wrote: »

I need to drop about 10 kgs to be what the books tell me is an ideal racing weight.

Your weight is NOT an issue if you are coming 9th 9th in an IM. You kick most guys asses. You are a star! Nice report and a huge well done. Next time, enough excuses... just do it;)

Abhainn

Hunnymonster just to say tremendous result again.

To put your results in prespective:
That time in 2007 for W35-39 would have qualified you for 2008 Kona.
The womens competition in that age group seems stronger this year than last. This year <10:30 was needed.

Well done again.

shels4ever

super, really well done.

cfitz

Well done hunnymonster. In reference to your preference of running - what's the problem with 100 mile weeks? Loads of people do more and seem fairly healthy.

MCOS wrote: »

Your weight is NOT an issue if you are coming 9th 9th in an IM. You kick most guys asses.

I know it's nice to be positive and all, but just coz she performed well doesn't mean there's not room for improvement.

Munster_Gal

OMG!!!!!!! Girl you're a legend!!!!!
Well done! Suddenly my intent to train for a 10k run seems stupid!!!!
Fair play Girl!

--amadeus--

I have said it before and I'll say it again - you are a physical freak.

And I am jealous!!

On the other debate a lot of us tend to be very driven, very focussed and very self critical. I don't see any harm in cheerleading and pointing out how well someone has performed. And to be fair it was a hell of a performance and does deserve celebration.

But cfitz is right, we can all improve. I have a feeling HM is probably plotting exactly how to knock minutes off even as we speak...!

Bambaata

wow fantastic result HM. Congrats! Hope you're feeling better?

hunnymonster

feeling much better now. Off for xrays later though to be safe. We got home yesterday after spending some time in Orlando.

DAVE_K

Hey HM - did the shark issue in Florida bother you at all for the swim??

hunnymonster

Not a lot to report over the last couple of weeks. I've been doing a couple of hours, all gentle stuff with lots of swimming and some running. I went for 10 km with Mr HM for the first time yesterday. Despite both being runners. He has had several injuries which have meant not much running for him over last two years and it's only in the last 2 years, I've been fast enough to keep up with him. It was a very strange feeling to have him there. strange but fun. I'm fully recovered from the ironman now but it will be a bit of an itch to keep things ticking over gently for the next couple of weeks. Going to start MdS training 1st December.

hunnymonster

I'm taking today off! the advantage of my "lazy" month is that I can do with with absolutely no guilt at all. I'm not feeling great and running a bit of a fever so better a day off now than a week further down the line.

Odysseus

hunnymonster wrote: »

I'm taking today off! the advantage of my "lazy" month is that I can do with with absolutely no guilt at all. I'm not feeling great and running a bit of a fever so better a day off now than a week further down the line.

Hope your feeling better HM. Enjoy your "lazy month" the 1st of December will come around quick enough.

hunnymonster

So after a month flaffing around, I finally started back this week
For the weekdays I did 10-12 km runs with 1 speed session on Wednesday, 1 hill session thursday I was also swimming (M,W,F) and weights (Tue and Thur).
Saturday 30 km, swim
Sunday 25 km - Didn't intend to go so far today but left the car in town on Friday and it seemed the easiest way to retrieve it.

MCOS

I take it that was a 30km run followed by a swim and not a 30km swim?! Seems like a silly question but I wouldn't put it past you!

hunnymonster

doh, yes 30 km run. I'll be really worrid if there are swimming stages in the desert! Global warming gone mad.

Peckham

hunnymonster wrote: »

Sunday 25 km - Didn't intend to go so far today but left the car in town on Friday and it seemed the easiest way to retrieve it.

There's the difference between a runner and the rest of the population. Others would be checking out bus timetables, ordering taxis, ringing mates for a lift into town etc.

hunnymonster

lol, .


Monday
am - swim 100,200,300,400,500,500,400,300,200,200 with last 100 of eact fast
pm 30 min run (just enough to loosen legs in order to do a proper stretch)

Odysseus

Welcome back HM, best of luck with the training.

hunnymonster

Tue:
40 min hills, 11 km off road
weights

DAVE_K

how long is it taking you to do these

swim 100,200,300,400,500,500,400,300,200,200 with last 100 of eact fast

what sort of rest are you taking in between??


Good luck with the training - looks like you're back in the saddle!

hunnymonster

no rest but taking the 50 after the hard 100 very easy. Last time I did that set I took 5 sec per 100m but This time I was trying to simulate the kind of start/stop you get in a race when you need to get around (over) people. not sure if that makes sense?

DAVE_K

No that makes senses.......so basically 3000m with intervals...thats good going!

hunnymonster

Mr HM is sick at the moment so neither of us have had much sleep in the last few days. I went straight to work yesterday morning without training so in the evening I did my speed run (8x800m) and then an hour in the pool doing drills with a friend. I think I need to up the tempo of the 800's (do them on the treddie btw) as the current speed is starting to feel a bit comfy.

hunnymonster

yesterday: 90 min hill run
today am swim - 2 km of drills. I was knackered by the end.
pm- 50 min run, 40 min weights

hunnymonster

Thought I should resurrect this blog seeing as I'm posting in the 1000 mile challenege anyway. The last month and a half was pretty uneventful. Plenty of run and swim miles logged and christmas in the Boston snow


14 miles on the treddie this morning.... soul destroying but warm :-)

Mr HM (who recently registered on boards as zuppylurk) and I are thinking of doing the moonlight challenege in Kent on the 7th
http://www.50milechallenge.co.uk/moonlight.htm

MCOS

hunnymonster wrote: »

14 miles on the treddie this morning.... soul destroying but warm :-)
Nutter!

Mr HM (who recently registered on boards as zuppylurk) and I are thinking of doing the moonlight challenege in Kent on the 7th Very Romantic
http://www.50milechallenge.co.uk/moonlight.htm

hunnymonster

lol, romance is not a man in tights wearing a head torch!

We're flying into Gatwick on the afternoon of the race and back again lunchtime on Sunday. Spare seats in the car for anyone if they fancy doing the race? The laps platform means you can do as much or as little as you want and the organiser Mike Inkster sounds like a fun guy.

hunnymonster

Just a 40 min turbo last night and then a quick swim. I had a lie in this morning after a late-ish (for me at least) night.

hunnymonster

Friday : 11 miles run - stayed dry, hurray, short swim.
Saturday: 20 miles will full backpack. slowed quite a bit towards the end, could have been lack of food or the backpack
Sunday: 15 miles, knees were definitely feeling the effects of 46 miles in 3 days.