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The rest of this season

Earlier this year I wondered if maybe it would be better to do a late season Ironman and have all summer to train. Right now, I’m thinking that July is just right – I never really took a break after running the marathon last November, but my Ironman training didn’t kick into high gear until January, really. So that meant almost seven months of hard-core training. It also means that I can now enjoy the rest of the summer and fall before starting back up again in January or so. I like getting to enjoy the summer!

That being said, I won’t be sitting around on my rear for the rest of the summer. In anticipation of the post-race let-down that I had feared, I put together a fairly busy post-Ironman schedule. I think it incorporates the right amount of recovery time, but provides some aggressive goals so I don’t get lazy.

The first stop is the Mighty Hamptons Triathlon in Sag Harbor, New York on Sunday, September 16. Elizabeth and I both did this race last year and we’re both doing it again this year. It’s a fun race in a beautiful spot. The swim in Noyac Bay is clean and last year it was very smooth. The bike course is nice, flat (or mildly rolling) and easy to follow. And the run is also flat, cruising along the water and into some neighborhoods. Last year we had absolutely beautiful weather. Mark, Susan and Seth all came out to watch and had a great time.

Stop number two is the San Diego Triathlon Challenge in San Diego (La Jolla Cove) on Sunday, October 28. This half-ironman is CAF’s signature triathlon. It’s a pretty challenging course with some serious climbs on both the bike and run courses. I’m really excited about this race for a couple reasons: first, after raising over $12,000 for CAF this year, I want to see challenged athletes compete and be there on the sidelines to cheer them on. Second, San Diego is still “home” to me in many ways and it’s a fun excuse to get home for the weekend. Third, hopefully Loren will come down from LA and depending on where Aaron is, maybe he’ll come in for the weekend, too. It will be great to see them and they’ve never seen me race. I’m not heading to San Diego to “race” like I do in other races – I’m going out there to experience the challenge and support the challenged athletes. If I can also get in a good workout myself, all the better!

My 2008 season officially ends on Sunday, November 17 with the second biggest athletic challenge (behind the Ironman, of course) I’ve ever attempted – the JFK 50 Mile Ultramarathon. Assaf did this race last fall and it sounded like he had a great time. I’ve also met a few people here and there who have raced the JFK 50 and they all give it great reviews. In my totally twisted mind, this seems like the logical next step after the Ironman and a great way to wrap up 2007. I have a fantastic base right now which gives me a good starting point from which to train for the 50. Also, even if I were to take three weeks off from running after the Ironman, I’d still have something like 14 weeks to prepare for the JFK. Having the other two races on my schedule will force me to cross-train and allow me to get extra cardio sessions in, without the pounding of running. I know that I won’t be able to skimp on the running at all , but hopefully the swimming and cycling will help to save my joints. That plan generally worked well for me while I was training for New York last year. Doing this race should also set me up for an awesome 2008!

Of course, that’s just 2007. I already have a couple races on the calendar for 2008 – the Boston Marathon on Monday, April 21, 2008 and Ironman USA on Sunday, July 20, 2008. I’m going to try not to think too much about those races for now…

Tomorrow morning we leave for yet another vacation! This time we’re headed to Alaska for a cruise with the whole family. It will be a nice way to finish off my recovery time – I’m hoping to do some running and possibly some swimming, but I won’t be spending any time on the bike. I imagine I’ll be eating a fair amount too! I’m not sure how often I’ll be posting, but I’ll update when I can.

Bike – August 1
Time: 40 minutes
Average heart rate: 117
Indoor ride

Run – August 2
Distance: 3.5 miles
Time: 30 minutes
Average heart rate: 147
Course: West Village, West Side Highway
Conditions: Hot, sunny