The bike is packed up. Today I did my last over distance ride and tomorrow provided I manage an 8 mile run and 55 mile ride I’ll have hit my targets on my final push week. Things have gone well. Take todays ride – 200k with the first 4h45 “depletion” – no calories just water. I then fueled up on carbs and hit the final 2.5 hrs. That final section had a normalised power of 238 watts and in the final 45 minutes I managed a CP10 of 354 Watts. I felt pretty good which was encouraging as I’ve really not been too certain how my biking was going.

This means I’ve managed to execute the 10 week plan I had. It was relatively simple – 5 weeks of 30 hours  then 5 weeks of 40hrs. Each week including long bike, long run, 4hrs gym and 20k swimming. Once in the 40hr weeks some over distance riding. I’ve more or less done it all giving me one of the most consistent builds I’ve had in a long long while. Despite that it’s difficult to judge how I’ll go but I’m quietly confident.

Last year the big feeling heading to Kona and being out there was of privilege and luck. I’d qualified pre injury but I really wasn’t in the shape that “deserved” to be there. I wanted to soak it up as there was a big chance that would be the last time I’d race. At the time there was no evidence that I’d get my running back. This year … I just qualified getting the final slot at my final opportunity to qualify. I just scraped in by holding it together on the run at Lanza. It means I feel immensely proud to have got to Kona. Probably the proudest I’ve felt of any of my trips. This has definitely helped me prepare, it’s kept me focussed.

The pictures above show my Kona sequence:

9:50 — 10:00 –10:31 –11:28

My best time is still in my second ever Ironman racing on a touring bike ! If that sequence continues that would mean 13 hours this year !!

Leads me to my goals for the race. In order of difficulty:

1. Break the sequence above – ie not be slower than last year
2. PB the course – ie under 9:50
3. Sub 9:30 – swim: 55, bike:5:05, run: 3:20 + transitions. Dream race

The main one is number 2. I’d be very pleased indeed to manage that. The final one is what I’ve felt I could do if I have a great day but I must admit that right now I just don’t know how my running is going. I’ve intentionally been just running on feel and not really testing myself as I don’t want to put too much pressure on and allow my foot to get really strong. That said, my preparation has been a lot better than for Lanzarote so I feel I should be able to run under 3:30.