Week minus 1: Tapering

The tapering finally arrived. It is quite a weird feeling. After much higher training hours over previous weeks, despite knowing that the tapering is good for me, it is hard not to feel like I'm being lazy. The week consisted of a couple of 2km swims, a 45km ride, a short interval run and an easy 90min run (where it was quite hard to keep a slow pace - the running has definitely come along nicely). And at the end of the week there was a little treat, a 45min sports massage.

For the final weekend, I had planned a combo session on Saturday morning, including a 60min sea swim and then just a 2hr ride on the Sunday. But the weather gods were definitely against me. Saturday was an absolutely right off as a tropical depression battered the top of the North Island. While thankful that this weather didn't hit next weekend (or one of the big training weekends), it has also crept in bad 'what if' thoughts about the weather for the big day. This is certainly not the sort of weather map you want to be looking at a week before the Ironman!

So on Saturday morning, for the first time I pulled out the indoor trainer for the bike and did 45kms in the garage. It was only for 75min (as opposed to 2hrs), but it is pretty tough on the indoor training as you are constantly pedaling without the momentum you get from a normal ride. Plus, without any wind, it gets pretty hot and sweaty. I then had a lazy Saturday and just watched the last ODI between the Black Caps and England on the TV (thumbs up for free-to-air Prime - who needs Sky).

Sunday I was hopeful for some improvement in the weather so that I could get out for my sea swim. Waking up in the morning, it was certainly calmer and wasn't raining, but driving out along the eastern bays, it still looked pretty choppy out there. And though the water was less than appealing, I didn't want to head into the pool and decided to brave it. It started off OK - despite having to dodge a fair bit of seaweed - but the longer I was out there, the bigger the swell got and I was rolling around quite a bit amongst the white caps. Move than once I thought Rich was right - "nutter"! I managed 50 minutes in the end, but after all that I wasn't going to be jumping on the bike - especially with the road looking really greasy, it just wasn't worth the risk of crashing coming around a tight corner. So it was back to the garage for another sweaty 60min ride on the indoor trainer.

In the end, this forced lay-off will probably do me even more good, so I am not too worried about it all. This week's 'training' is all very light, just gentle reminders to the body of what it will be doing on Saturday. A couple of 1km swims, a short run, a short ride, a tune-up for the bike and a much needed haircut. Nutritionally, there is a focus on protein at the start of the week to help muscle repair and then on carbohydrates later in the week for some carbo loading. As well as heaps of water and heavily salting my meals to help hydration.

We drive down to Taupo on Thursday morning to register. Friday morning there is a compulsory briefing and hopefully some information about how the transitions and support stations will work. And then I will go for a 500m swim in the lake (and work out what the 'sighters' for the buoys are), a 30min bike and a 10min jog. All that will be left to do then is to have an early dinner (so that nature can take its course before the race the next morning) and a quiet night. Hopefully I'll sleep OK, though the night before isn't as important as getting sleep the two nights or so before that. And I will always be able to console myself if I sleep poorly by looking at all other competitors on the start line who would have also had a sleepless night.

Start time is 7am, so it will be an early start for me, probably before 5am to have some breakfast and getting down to the start line so I have plenty of time to get myself organised - though there isn't much to do as the bike and everything for the transitions has to be dropped off the night before. I have race number 408, and you can follow how I am going on race day at http://www.ironmanlive.com/. So, the big question is - what are my expectations?

At the moment, my stretch goal is to go under 12 hours. I've got a history of achieving my stretch goals, but considering my preparation my pick is that I probably wont be able to do it this time, but we will see.

• For the swim, I am thinking my goal time would be 1hr10mins, though I am thinking I am more likely to be around 1hr15min - depending of course I much distance I add to the 3.8km with my wayward swimming.
• I certainly wont be rushing through T1, especially as some machiavellian organiser has put in a 400m run from the lake to the transition tents. I'll be making sure I dry myself well so that I don't get too cold at the start of the ride (something I am quite worried about) and getting comfortable in my bike gears. There are helpers in the transition tents for all this - they even put sun cream on for you. So I'll be happy to take 10 minutes or so in there.
• My goal time for the bike is 6hrs, so an average speed of 30kph. This will depend on what the climbs are like and how strong any wind is. But I also have to be careful that I don't push too hard that it hurts me later. So I would be happy if the bike time extends out to 6hr15min, but in the right conditions I do think a sub-6hr ride is possible for me.
• T2 will be pretty slow for me as well, as I'll be having a full change of clothing, again making sure I am comfortable before I head out. So this might take me anywhere between 5-10 minutes.
• Then comes the run, and this is the big unknown. My running feels good, so in the back of my mind I think there is a potential to run a sub-4hr marathon. However, this could just as easily by 5hrs+. If I want to make my sub-12hrs goal, then I will probably have to do it in around 4hr15min, so we will just have to see. I will try to focus on keeping on running and enjoying it - if that is possible.

Whatever that final time, I will be happy that I have completed it and I'll be looking forward to having a few beers with everyone who is come to Taupo to support me - all from the comfort of a chair!

I'll post another update on Wednesday before heading down, and if I can piggy-back off someones wireless I'll let you know how I'm feeling the night before. Until then, my fingers will be well and truly crossed following the weather forecasts during the week.

P.S. Just got back from an easy 45min evening run under a calm blue sky and alongside a harbour as flat as a pancake - grrrrrrrrrr!