Thanks for your comments. Sara I read yours before the race (while I was congested and not sleeping).
It reminded me to use a Netipot with saline that we had travelled with. It cleared me up just enough to get some sleep.
Sunday I got up a little early and steamed up the shower which helped clear my head.
My friend then told me that if this was a hot day that would have been a really bad idea because I would sweat more.
As fate would have it -- heat would not be a problem. I probably would skip this in retrospect since the swim is first...
I took some naproxen to help keep sinus swelling down all day. And I figured it couldn't hurt for the race anyway.
Saline nasal spray would have helped, but I couldn't get it in time.
The race...Well I guess I know why it was called the Windman.
Los Banos is like wind tunnel. The temperature never got about the low 50's, and there was wind advisory and a storm rolling in.
The wind was a steady 15-30 with even larger gusts. Occasional drops of rain but thankfully I beat the downpour.
The swim went well and helped clear my head, but the bike ride in the wind was hard - regardless of the cold. I just stayed zone 2 all the way and monitored my calories - about 250-300.
It took over 4 hours. The wind held me to 9-12mph heading South. I might as well have been climbing a hill. By the middle I felt like a little kid with a runny nose and windburn.
I kept reminding myself everyone was dealing with the same weather. Only the cold was my extra special bonus today.
I also had bike difficulty - my cadence sensor got knocked over a little bit when I had to glide through some water leaving the reservoir. This is an interesting course. You actually have to take your shoes out of the clips and hoist up your feet and hold the wheel steady and cruise through about 8-10 inches of water for about 50 feet getting out and back in to the reservoir area. Anyway, my cadence sensor stopped working after that and I noticed climbing the first hill after transition. But instead of stopping and checking it I kept going. Rookie move - it turned out my cadence sensor was shifted and brushing against the left crank for the next 50 some odd miles. I figured that out during the post-race bike inspection at home. Better than a flat tire though ;-)
The bike course was desolate, mostly farms and farm animals and an occasional guy with stopwatch that I would yell my number to as I passed. If the weather was better and I was at full health I would have really liked that.
But on loop #1 at 10 mph into the wind I was wondering what the heck I was doing with a runny nose soaking wet looking at farm animals all alone in the central valley.
But when I got to the return leg of loop 1 with the wind at my back and slight downhill grade I got up to about 23 and I realized I would be able to do this.
By loop 3 I entertained myself by assuming the cows were laughing at me, wondering if I was lost.
As I made the turn to head back the three miles to the reservoir after the loops, I was worried that breathing to hard would irritate my chest so I was very conscious of staying in a low gear and keeping my breathing easy.
I almost tricked myself into quitting. But I remembered my friend and coach had asked me what I would do when I came back from the bike spent. I responded with my best inspirational stuff -- I thought about what I wrote.
When I got back to T2 my wife and children were there ;-) and that recharged me. I took a slower transition, had a gel and guzzled about 8 oz of water.
And I set out on the slow zone 3, 13.1 trail run through the hills in the wind.
I ran with my windbreaker -- which was also a rookie move - I can't believe I did that. I tied it to my waste within a mile.
The run consisted of 2 short loops and 2 long loops. So I finally got to see some of the competitors that I had not seen since the swim.
I had two friends in the race. I got see them both while we were doing the run loops; that helped alot.
I ran slower than normal with water in my hand which I sipped to keep my throat moist.
All the Oly's and sprinters were gone. There were my friends and our families waiting and cheering when I finished. Only two other bikes remained.
And on the way drive out we saw the last bike still coming in!
There were 20 people who signed up for this half course. I don't know how many competed or finished.
So I solidly fall in the camp of yes you can go 70.3 with a head cold.
I concentrated on going steady, not quitting, not letting my mind trick me into quitting because I was too sick. I reminded myself pushing too hard would have made me feel worse.
I finished in 6:56 -- about an hour slower than I hoped but I finished. And I was happy with my 34 minute swim.
My cold is probably not much worse today than it would be otherwise either. The kids are better of-course.
And I was able to cover car clean up and kiddie bedtime last night while mom inhaled peppermint infused steam.
I cleaned the kitchen got to work on time today.
I sat down at my desk and had a cup of theraflu and went about my day....
Thanks,
Josh
