Phil McGain writes from Germany one week before the IRONMAN this Sunday!
“I’m here in Germany, 6 more days left.
The past week has been a time to control the training. They say the “taper period” is one of the most important aspects for the preparation to race day.
After my last long ride last Monday, Tuesday was a complete rest day, except for a massage in the afternoon.
Wednesday was back in the pool for a wetsuit swim, continuous for 3600metres, or about 2.2 miles, which took about an hour and a half. Doesn’t seem much when you say I have to swim up and back in the 50 meter pool 36 times, well once you start going times passes fairly quickly, the first half hour flys by, but the middle half hour is the slowest, then the last hour hour ticks away until it’s time to get out.
Fuel up after the swim, get in a little windsurfing, then get on the bike for an hour and half ride to Maalaea to Kihie and back to Paia, then on with the shoes and get in a 45 minute run. Now that felt good, I guess it’s the rest day I had on Tuesday.
Thursday was swim masters at the crack of dawn, then back to work for most of the day. In the afternoon I got on the bike for an hour ride with an hour run right after. Still feeling good.
Friday was my long run day, except this week it was only an hour. So on the bike again for the warm up one hour ride, then an hour run. Too easy! This short stuff is getting boring.
Saturday morning another swim masters session in Pukalani, although I cut it short and only swam for 45 minutes this week. Now a 2 hour ride and I’ll be done until I get to Frankfurt. Saturday afternoon was packing and on the flight Saturday night, heading to LA, then Dallas and onto Frankfurt.
The organizer of the event had a shuttle pick me up and I checked into my hotel at 8.30am on Monday morning in the center of Frankfurt, a few minutes away from the Ironman Expo and the official race finish area.
I’m here, in my hotel, got an Internet connection no problem. Today is a day off to rest and do a short walk around the area to get my bearings. Tomorrow morning is my first workout in the lake Langener Waldsee, 12 km’s from Frankfurt town center.”
