Friday, June 06, 2008

Alabama Day 2: Course Recon


Well... it's still hot and humid, but it's not so bad... as long as you are inside with the curtains drawn and the A/C blasting...

Today was spent checking out the course. My initial plan was to just ride the the bike course and then go for a swim in the lake. After talking with Cody last night and reading Dan Hugo's description of the run course I decided I needed to know what all the talk was about.

Brian, Me, and Cody ready to do work.


After a good sleep we were up and on it. We head on the bike course first. It was just after nine and already in the 90's. The first section of the bike course is fast and fun with a bunch of tight twisty single track. Then you hit the only significant climb. It's about 3 miles and it's where the "work" will be done and one of the only places where it will be easy to pass. Then it's on to "Blood Rock" and the descent. After scoping out the technical rock garden known as the "Blood Rock" and some words of wisdom from Coach Cody I gave it a go. I am stoked to say I cleaned the first time and was pretty stoked. Then we just cruised the rest of the course and drank a lot.

get it.


Blood Rock!



Bike course:



After the ride we ate and drank some more and then set out for a loop on the run the course. The first couple of miles are on the same trails as the bike course and are fast... and then it's gets tough... I mean brutal. There numerous (I stopped counting at 7) power climbs that last anywhere from 1-3 minutes and are just grinders. The last 3.5 miles of run course is filled with these climbs and fast, technical descents. It's going to be tough one! At first I didn't really want to run the whole course but after seeing the climbs and course I am very glad I got out there.

one of the many steep power climbs.

run course:


After the run we were all pretty tired and jumping in the lake felt awesome... even though water was in the upper 80's... yeah.. super warm. We swam a lap and called it a day.

ready to for a dip!

swim course.


The afternoon was spent eating at a pretty good mexi-joint right next to the hotel, napping, and watching the NCAA Baseball Super Regionals (i love college baseball). Then we headed to pick up Trevor and hit the Whole Foods once again for dinner.

Whole foods dinner: sweet potato fries and chicken salad.


Tomorrow will be all about recovery and getting ready to race. Can't wait!

5 comments:

beth said...

looks like fun...wish i was there! 80+ degrees is my kind of water!

the sheer amount of man-dex in this post is overwhelming.

i will not even comment on the picture of you by the lake (but i sure hope someone else does!)

GZ said...

All I can say is ..."WHO WEARS SHORT SHORTS?"

Although that color selection ... WTF is that?!!

More video please. I want the pre-race predictions smack down hype chatter with long reviews of which mustache types gives the greatest edge.

Jim Vance said...

The picture by the water shows me you're fitting in well down there with much of the white-trash locals! All you need now is a photo of you with a wife-beater on!

Good luck dude...Turn it over early on the run course, thru the flat sections, then mentally be tough thru the hills. That's the key to the run course.

runninggunner said...

Sounds like you are pretty prepared. Have a great race.

Now it's time to "Do Work"

TRI-ROB said...

Were those banjos I heard in the background?
"You sure got a purty mouth"
Kill it bro!