Two Week Taper

Two weeks from an Ironman means it is time to taper. Taper means a percent reduction in total volume of of training time. Hence rides with this time on the clock are over for now.

Yes, Mom I really pedaled that bike for 6 hours and 25 minutes. Don't worry, I haven't lost my mind and no I wasn't alone. I hope next Sunday the speed on the odometer says something better than 0 mph. However I didn't want to crash my bike trying to take a picture of the speedometer with actual numbers on it.

Given that tapering isn't just sitting around eating bon bons. Tim and I went for a run this morning. Tim decided to be the enforcer of my planned work out. He decided we would run my marathon race pace. The strangest thing happened. We were running side by side and my Garmin said 8:15 pace. Tim's Garmin said 8:40 pace. Tim commented we were off pace. I said we were 5 seconds too fast. Anyway, I told Tim the true reason for this discrepancy was that I must be faster than him. The watch doesn't lie now does it. Eventually our watches equaled in pace. I really had to work hard to keep Tim from getting ahead of me. I believe he uttered the words "everytime I attempt to go up tempo you herd me like a dog and box me out into the cars like a sheep". Herd me like a dog....like sheep. Hysterical, I am surprised I am not still lying on the pavement laughing. Later, he accused me of surging a minute/mile below pace when he had to slow to answer a page.

What can I say folks? I drop boys anyway and anytime I can. Even if I have to lie, cheat, and perform underhanded tasks. Even if it's my husband. Someday I hope to be able to perform such tasks with graciousness, but I lack the genetics and talent to do so at this point.

After the run Tim asked if I would go to the bike swap at the San Diego Velodrome. I had never been to the velodrome and thought it might be cool. Hey it's taper week! We didn't get there until afternoon so a lot of the vendors were packing up. It was a very strange combination of expensive goods mixed in with things that probably should have been given away at Goodwill 20 years ago. You can buy anything at the bike swap meet. In fact I'm guessing you might even be able to buy a pair of Lance Armstrong's used shorts there. Now if there are still salty sweat rings on the shorts they are more valuable. We came across a guy selling a bunch of castoff Rock Racing gear and some (we hope) unworn speed suits. He even had a shirt my size. I turned it down on the grounds that I am fairly certain it was his ex-girlfriend's. Not that there is anything wrong with selling your ex's good on E-bay. San Diego is just too small of a community. Anyway, we couldn't pass on an opportunity for a Speedsuit for Tim . I know you are all thinking "Hello Fiesta Island Time Trial Series." I think since I have invested in this suit for Tim he should have to wear it to the 101 Olympics (aka Saturday morning on the Pacific Coast Highway).

Umm Timmy Baby. I am not sure how to tell you this but you need to shave your legs with that suit.

After that it was off to the UCSD pool for a bit to work stroke. Tim caught me doing something wrong with my stroke. One might ask why the coach didn't identify that? Probably because the coach doesn't swim backwards underwater below me observing my stroke. Tim can hold his breath for an abnormal amount of time which is very helpful in the critiquing of my stroke. I hope though I didn't aspirate any of the pool water while laughing during this time.