August in a Nutshell

August Totals:

Swim - 31,600 yards, 9 hours and 23 minutes

Bike - 487 miles, 29 hours and 42 minutes

Run - 180 miles, 27 hours and 4 minutes

Total - 66 hours and 9 minutes

August was a big month! It included a week or so of taper, and 3 gigantic weeks. Gotta love 105 mile bike rides and 6 mile run bricks on saturday followed by 18-19 miles runs the next day. Anyway, I definitely feel prepared for the distance that is swiftly approaching - I've ridden over 100 miles of the course twice and know it better than I know riding in Barrington. Come race day I'll know every turn and hill.

Taper has been fantastic - it came at the perfect time. I was really ready to be done with the huge weekends and even the long weekday workouts. Its also left me time to make my lists for the race. I have a HUGE excel speadsheet of all of the things I could possibly need on raceday. Its a long day and lots can happen. Plus you never know what the weather will bring, especially in the midwest. Earlier this week it was upper 80s and tonight its supposed to get down to 50!

I also have a bit of taper madness setting in (i.e. I have plenty of time to really mull over my anxieties about the race). This week I have AGONIZED over what tires to use on my bike for race day - worried about getting a flat, having problems changing a new tire, using tires that are too puncture resistant that they actually slow me down...They say you are never supposed to use anything new on race day and I am really cutting it close. But, tonight, I FINALLY chose the tires and put them on my bike - much easier than I expected it to be and even better, I got more practice changing tires, so I feel even more confident should I get a flat on race day. I tried them out and I'm really happy with my decision. Cross your fingers no flats on race day!

EIGHT DAYS....OH MY GOSH IT'S ALMOST HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!