TRIPLE BRICK

Since I uploaded my last post we swam at Lovers Point followed by a 20 mile run. We did the Vineman half Ironman and the Aqua Challenge at lake Del Valle, nothing you haven't heard about before so I saw little point in bothering you with all that. However on Sunday we had one of the notorious Ironteam workouts that you hear about as an outsider and ask about before you join. The Triple Brick is one of the last big tests in the training season. It consists of three brick's, back to back. A brick is a bike ride followed by a run. If you say Bike and Run really fast and add the word "Ick" at the end, you have brick. Each bike segment was 2 hours long followed by a 50 minute run, and they gave you 10 minutes to transition between the two which made for a 9 hour day. The picture above is the home base which was located at the corner of Edgewood and Canada roads. Each bike and run was different but they all started and ended right here.

This is me at the start, it was overcast and cool but that did not last long...
Some of my teammates are in taper, their event is this Sunday. Therefore, while we languished on this tortuous day, they got to dick around. Bastards....
Two hours later it was back to home base for a quick bite and a 50 minute run in Edgewood Park. Coach Wasserman and Captain Christy Barney are making sure that I am eating. Nutrition is of the utmost importance in workouts like these. Without it you will fail.
Renee is putting on a nutritional clinic...
While others take it a bit less seriously.
I found that as the day grew warmer, it was much better to be on the bike than running. However, the bike requires a lot more nutrition. I ate about 1200 calories in E-gels, Shot Blocks, Carbo Pro, and the PBJ at home base. I would end up burning 8,000 calories before the day was over.
Clearly it was the bike that proved most challenging to me. I found that I started getting serious pains in the bones of my feet from the shoes. It would be so bizarre, I'd be in hell for an hour, hop off the bike and get into my running shoes and all was right with the world. In this picture I am absolutely irate about my feet and the fact that Dan was taking my picture, but at the same time I was elated that I didn't have to ride anymore. And as only Dan can, he made me laugh when I was really pissed off, and when I needed it most.
This is me finishing. Sunburnt, legs fried, sore shoulders and arms, and a bloated belly full of sports drink, I am as happy as I have been after anything that wasn't a PR in a marathon. At the time I felt like this was one of the hardest things I have ever done, and 24 hours later I still feel that way.

The day before, 5 of us bound for Louisville did a 2 mile open water, non-wetsuit swim and it went really well. If there was any doubt in my mind about any of us being ready for Ironman, it was erased this weekend.