I asked Jean if she minded if I put a beer in the fridge and she said “of course not”. I took her reply to mean “of course she didn’t mind”, so the picture is attached. Had she known it was a really big beer, she probably would say she meant “of course you can’t”, but now it’s too late. It’s a Kölsch and it has to cold condition for three weeks or so. I unscrewed the bulb so the light wouldn’t alter the flavor. The recipe is my son, Matt’s, so we’ll see if he has any chance of being a “Brewmeister”.

Saturday was long bike day, the first of our 6 hour rides on the training schedule. Larry and I went out at 7 AM and did 2:20 or so while the rest of the group fed their caffeine habits. We met up with them at 9:20, and did the rest (6:13:25 total but who’s counting). After following the ride with a 30 minute run and the last of our graduation open houses, the couch cushions called my name and it would have been rude of me to ignore them.

Our group has discussed all aspects of training several times, sometimes on our long runs, sometimes at Saturday morning coffee. Everyone has their own program that works for them and I’ve used Multi Sports for the past few years (Roch Frey, Paul Huddle, Paula Newby-Frasier, Heather Fuhr among other superstars). I signed up for their on-line training program when I did my “Return To the Scene Of The Bike Wreck” training for Ironman Wisconsin 2004 and they (Paul) babysat me through the practice ride. Of course I printed off all the information back then and, since I’m too cheap to sign up again, I use the same program (yes, I did go back and change the dates to 2006 on every sheet).

It’s a great program and helps with all aspects of training including nutrition. I know what should be done and our discussions have all agreed on the importance, but I’ve gotten into race conditions and my brain seems to take a siesta. I finish the bike without drinking enough and without eating enough calories to refuel the muscles, and I wonder why I bonk at 85 miles on the bike and I’m dehydrated to the point of leg cramping.

On Saturday’s ride I figured out how many calories I needed based on my body weight and how much fluid I needed to keep myself hydrated and actually did what I planned to do. I finished the bike feeling great except for a really sore butt (there was a good chance they would have to surgically remove the seat from “the Great Divide” but that didn’t happen) and felt good on the transition run. My hopes are that this isn’t just a flash in the pan, and I’ll go back to my old ways of FTF (failure to focus). I asked for a volunteer to look and see if my butt was bruised, but no takers.

Ironman Coeur d’Alene is today and we wish our Grand Rapids friends (Libby Jennings, Ruth Bareman, George Pravda, Bruce Babcock, Tom Henson, Don Litzsey,  and others I don’t know) a good race. To some of us “good race” means winning…to others of us a good race is doing your best given the conditions that day…to still others of us it means just having fun. Whatever the motivation we hope our friends enjoy the experience.

The Half Ironman race at Morgantown, West Virginia is also today and Jean, Gary Ivinskas and John Hopkins are doing that one. I talked to Jean last night and she gave me a rundown of the course. It sounds hilly and difficult but we wish them the same “good race”. I’m kind of glad I’m not there because watching Jean in a race drives me crazy. First of all, I feel like I should be out there too and that makes me a little depressed. The biggest thing is that I feel powerless and can’t help her do anything. I always worry about bike wrecks and injuries until she crosses the line, so I’m better off here in Michigan.

Today’s run was an 80 to 100 minute heart rate 1 or 2 run and I ran it with Bill and Paul. We chit-chatted all the way around. I did 10 miles and they did 10.5 or so. I felt surprisingly good after the century ride yesterday. We’ll see if we can keep it going ’til September 10th at Madison.

Sayonara. Nap time.

Just (Looking For Grandpa Walker’s Sore Butt Cushion) Jack