So I’ll be racing the Florida Disney Half Ironman again this weekend. You can read my review of the race from last year by clicking HERE.
I remember that it was really hot, so you can tell how thrilled I was when I checked the weather this weekend in Orlando. Race day is supposed to be a blood boiling 97 degrees. This is like the hottest day of the entire year so far in Florida.
My bad weather luck continues to haunt me. If it’s not a hurricane, it’s the Devil's day a Disney.
Oh well, I better just be prepared to be hot…very hot.
The only reason I’m doing the race is that last year was a total train wreck as I managed to break my collar bone a mere 6 weeks before the race crashing my dirt bike.
This meant that I was race ready…that is if you consider race ready six weeks of the following workouts:
Half-hour on the elliptical machine gently shuffling my feet
Half-hour on the stationary bike with my arm in a sweaty sling
5 minutes on the tread mill walking up hill
Half-hour stating at the pool wishing I could swim
Needless to say the race was a bit of let down as by mile 30 on the bike I was completely spent. I just recall a 13-mile forced death march while my legs seized like the jaws of an angry alligator mercilessly taunted by the Aussie croc hunter.
Good on ya Mate!
My finishing time was well beyond what my wife, and friend, and you would consider a reasonable time to wait in the heat at the finish line. I believe there was even some talk of calling the police and paramedics to go form a search party to look for big Clydesdale with a bum right arm.
You should have seen me on the swim. I did my own special blend of one-armed freestyle and doggy paddle. The biggest benefit of this stroke being that you drink a lot of lake water, and thus get well hydrated for the bike.
So I had to go back this year to see what I could actually do with a bit of training, and a bit of luck.
So much for the luck….at least weather luck.
I’ll file a full race report on my return Monday. I’m really trying to look on the bright side of this. Last year the big boys got to start last in the wave start. This insured that we were running during the hottest and most sun-blazing part of the day.
I’m sure will be starting last again this weekend so at least I’ll be able to cook myself an egg or two on the road on the run.
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This week we are featuring some pretty great stuff. Check out Cynthia's report from her recent LA Double Century Ride by clicking HERE.
