On the 13th wk, I won 13th Overall (and 1st in age group)

13th week in: 153.5 hrs and 1,280 miles of training so far (165 miles this week). 21 Weeks of training left. This week has honestly been the best week so far. Great pool swims, incredible track workouts and age group half marathon win, and a crazy bike ride (for me anyway).

Swim: Swam nearly 4 miles this week. It’s getting easier and better. I finished the week of swimming with a 1 mile swim, short course, in just under 32mins. This was the best swim so far this year.

Bike: I went out Wednesday for and out and back to Ashland City with the expectations of averaging somewhere around 17-18mph (a typical base/endurance pace for me). I ended up Knocking out a near 32 mile ride at 21+mph and kept my HR in the 150s. CRAZY! On Thursday, I showed up for the group ride at Trace Bikes and headed out for the 25 miler. However, due the track workout earlier in the day and knowing I had to race the weekend, another guy and I broke off and finished the 18 mile route. Felt a little guilty/bad, but boy did it every pay off during the weekend. On Sunday, after having raced a half marathon no more than 20 hour prior, I did an 85 mile ride in KY (what was supposed to be a base/endurance ride) and averaged 20.8mph. Two loops: first loop was 20.4mph and second was 21.2mph (a negative split time… HOW?). Cadence was 88, HR was exactly 150, and I had 3,200 feet of climbing and two 12 mile stretches of incredible headwind. So, the cadence and HR both suggest a base building endurance ride yet the speed and wind indicate a challenging ride. Has my endurance paced increased? I’m pretty sure it’s because I’m on my TTX and not the road bike, but would it make that much of a difference or am I really getting stronger? Anyway, the people in Livermore, KY looked at me like I was from another planet when I stopped in at a gas station for nutrition. I guess I was on a funny looking bike, wearing a crazy aero helmet, and in full spandex (probably not something they see every day). Ended up downing 7 bottles of Gatorade, 1 payday, and two Cliff Bars.

Run: On Tuesday, Brett and I met up for a tempo – 8 miles with 4 @ 6:36. Thursday was 200s on the track with Johnny at 28-29 seconds. Saturday, race day, was truly a remarkable day. I went to the Oak Barrel Half Marathon with Mark and had no intensions on “racing”. In fact, I had not tapered, carb loaded, and knew I had at least a 4 hour bike ride the following day. Plus, the week leading up was crammed full of hard workouts. Anyway, the race started and ended in the rain. It even included periods of terrible crosswinds and rain slamming you in the face. When they said “GO”, I started at what felt like an easy pace. Within seconds, I was running in the top 5-6 places. Then, about 2 mins in, I decided I was going to race. I ran the first mile in a sub 6:30 pace. I continued to follow a couple hundred yards behind the top 4 runners and was leading the second group of runners until we reached THE hill around mile 4.5. This hill was incredible. It would have sucked on a bike. I lost two minutes, and a few places, on this switchback climb. I just dug deep and kept on climbing. It felt as if rain was trying to wash me back down the mountain. Once I got to the top, all the endurance training proved to pay off as I quickly recovered and took back off. Except for the first mile and the hill, I kept a 6:48-6:52 pace. I had never been so glad to see a finish line in my life. The mile leading up to it was miserable and wet. As I wondered why I was doing this, I could hear a guy’s feet slapping the wet pavement just feet behind me, so my body’s first reaction was to dig as deep as I could to not let him pass me. As the finish shoot came into view, I heard someone yell “GO Jonathan”. I didn’t know them, so it had to be the guy behind me. I wasn’t going to let a guy with the same name beat me. I knew I was in at least the top 20. So, I somehow took off like a rocket (legs were screaming with pain). I crossed the line in 1:32:13. The other Jonathan crossed in 1:32:17. I found out later that day that I won 1st place in my age group and 13th overall. The other Jonathan happened to be in my age group and got second place by 4 seconds. FOUR SECONDS. I pushed my body into a level of pain I hadn’t ever found to end up winning my age group by only 4 seconds. I’m glad it was only 4 seconds; it makes it that much better. Racing like this will only make Ironman more manageable. Mark came in 3rd in our age group with a 1:42:04. Even though this wasn’t a PR race (1:29:15 in Tom King just three weeks ago), it was the best race I’ve ever ran. 1:32 was so much stronger than 1:29 at Tom King.

Gosh this week was awesome. Like I said, great swims, great race, and great bike. I don’t know where I got the power and energy for such a rewarding week. I think the intense attention to nutrition, stretching, sleep, and listening to my body is starting to finally payoff. I have to thank Kiki for putting up with all of this. I love you!