Quicksilver Almaden

Long hike on Sunday at Quicksilver Almaden.

Leigh

Run with Paolo but felt tired out of the last night dinner. Total of 7.47 mi in 1:04 h at 8:39 pace.

Meridian

Run to meridian with Paolo. 8.88 mi in 1:13 h at 8:18 pace.

Carmel by the Sea

Day trip to Carmel by the Sea with Maria Paula. We visited the beautiful Carmel Mission, a nice stroll downtown, and a stop at Monterey.

Los Gatos Trail

Long run with Paolo and Raimondo for a 8.8 mi and 6 mi. Total of 14.76 mi in 2:05 h at 8:31 pace.

Meridian

Usual run to Meridian. Total of 8.74 mi in 1:10h at 8:06 pace.

Meridian

No Pool today, it was closed, so I went back and had a run with Paolo. Usual run to Meridian. Total of 8.58 mi in 1:11 h at 8:18 pace.

Monterey

We had a nice day in Monterey, Pacific Grove and Castroville.

Los Gatos Creek

Two rounds to LG creek. First with Paolo and at 7AM with Raimondo. Pleasure run of 12 miles. Total of 11.90 mi in 1:44 h at 8:49 pace.

Meridian

Another run to Meridian. Total of 8.79 mi in 1:12h at 8:16 pace.

Meridian

Nice run with Paolo. I missed the pool this morning so switched to the run. Total of 8.72 mi in 1:10h at 8:03 pace.

Meridian

Back to the run with Paolo. Total of 8.18 mi at 8:18 pace.

Ironman St. George 2011 Race

Ironman St.George 2011 Volunteers

Race Graphs

Here the graphs of the race.

Ironman St. George

Saturday, May 7, Cristina and I conquered the second Ironman! Here the little story. Last October, after some medical things, I decided to sign up for another Ironman. I knew the challenge, but this time there were some new factors: only 30 weeks of training, not exactly knowing the health strength at that time and then, discovered after I signed, St George was the most difficult Ironman course on the circuit. The training went well. Every single day or at least 6 days a week, wake up at 4:10AM for the swim, or waking up the dog Paolo for the 5AM-10 mi run. Then the long weekends with other hours on the bike, sometimes with the club, sometimes alone. Sunday nice runs with Raimondo for the usual futuristics discussions. At the end a total of ~360 hours in 30 weeks.

Apart for the some small pain during training, I felt OK running with a training marathon in 4h, good swimming where I think I got little better, but not enough cycling. I did some long rides, but not too many miles. We had also the Ecuador vacation in the two pick weeks of training. Anyway, I felt enough fit for the race and that what really count.

After all the preparation, we left on Wednesday, stopped at Mojave and arrived in St. George, UT on Thursday. We had the registrations, a stroll in the city, the banquet and dinner. Nice day, but the weather was stabilizing at the hot side on the 90+F in the afternoon.

The next day, we dropped the bike at the Sand Hollow Lake, the T1 location, and went for a tour of the cycling route to get a feeling of the course. It is known that the St George is a very difficult course, 6000+ elevation gain, and two rounds of a significant uphill finishing in a 'Stelvio like' switch back at 13-17%. We did not see the running course, but everybody said it is that the people remember. There is no flat. Either up or down. Nice dinner at the Painted Pony restaurant to finish the second day in glory.

We woke up at 4AM, took the bus to the reservoir. Usual procedure pre-race, everything was very well organized, the sun was coming up lightening the beautiful lake. At 7AM, the 1700 people were there ready for the 2.4 mi swim. Boom, the start. Usual chaos of the washing machine. Arms, legs all over. I did swim well, I enjoyed the time, I could not get too much drafting but the buoys were getting fast one after another. I finished in 1:11h.

Changed at T1 in 6 mins, and ready for the 112 mi biking. The morning was still fresh, there were some rolling climbs. The course really starts downtown with two 44 mi loops. So we arrived there fast. The scenery was beautiful. Somebody said, better to enjoy that because you don't go too fast to miss it. I was not very fast in the uphills, I saw people passing me. Climbing what I would have trained more. I suffered a bit on the second one, the temperature went up to 92F. I drunk gallons of water/sport drinks, had some sport gel and two bars, but I was not feeling too strong. I finished the biking course in 6:40h.

The marathon with that heat with the hills ahead was not something I was so happy to do. So I started. The first 3 miles were gradually uphill with the next mile very uphill. Then, a nice round at the Red Hills Park, then down to the turnaround at mile 6. All the reverse to go back to the start, and go for a second lap. It was brutal. Quickly, I kept trying a fast walking on the uphills, I was not going faster running anyway, and then a run downhill trying not to lose too much time. At the half marathon, I thought only at the next uphills to mile 20, after that it was history. Last 6 miles I ran to the end, tired, but it was downhill, so I enjoyed finally the finish chute. People screaming, the voice of the race loudly reading the finisher names and the usual YOUUUAREANNNIRONMAN, and I ran like crazy on the finish line enjoying every second of it.

Swim: Pos: 513 Time: 1:11:07 3:41 T1: 6:15
Bike: Pos: 771 Time: 6:40:29 16.8 T2: 8:26
Run: Pos: 514 Time: 4:49:37
Total: Pos: 541 Time: 12:55:54

IRONWIFE CRISTINA

Finally at the hotel room.. I want to THANK Cristina for all the support on the race and during the hundreds of early morning I woke her up. Without her support I wouldn't be able to fulfill my dreams... KISSES. Mario....

PRIMOOOOOOO

IronMario getting the massage after the race
BRAVOOOOOO YOU ARE AN IRONMAN :-DD

LAST HALF UP HILL

Viva IronMario!!! Keep going, keep smiling, we LOVE you :-))))

PIONEER PARK FIRST LOOP

IronMario approaching the Pioneer Park for the first loop (yes, there are two :-%)
Great shape, looking good Mario!!!!

SWIM START

Mario at the swim start!!!!
YOU ARE AN IRONMAN (well, nobody says it but: I AM AN IRONWIFE, oh yeah ;-D )

BIKE OUT

Guys, IronMario goes lightspeeeeeeeed.....he is here, just you know, you cannot really see an Ironman at the lightspeed...

Go Mario, 120 Bike miles to go.  Keep smiling, "rejoice, I say, rejoice!!!"

BUSES

4.30 am IronMario takes the bus to Sand Hollow Reservoir for a "just to warm out" swim.
Keep smiling Mario!!!!! Looks great!!!

SAND HOLLOW RESERVOIR

"IronMario" leaves his bike and his clothes at the relay area.  Then, he inquiries about the water temperature with a fellow Ironman....but look! NBC channel 5 news competes with the Ironwife (dang#$%==>)

THE BLESSING

Here the Ironman receive the "necessary" anointment before the race at St. George by Father Oscar

Mario PRIMO!!!! Oh yeah... ;-DD 

SWEET DREAMS OF GLORY

How cute is the little Ironman sleeping tight with his sweet bike.....zzzz

And one more day to go ;-)

SAINT GEORGE

Here "the" Ironmen has checked in, he has been welcomed by the happy front desk people and depicted by the faithful Ironwife.
Go Mario!!!!

LAS VEGAS

And after three hours drive Las Vegas is on the view.  Notably, there will be a San Genaro Festa on Sunday....how can we miss it?

Stay tuned :-D

MOJAVE DESERT

Here we are leaving the Mojave Desert at 7 am toward St. George.
The cheap motel was clean, the indian owner Arun was nice and the morning espresso EXCELLENT!!!!

Stay tuned :-DDD

Swimming at Deanza Pool

Here at 4:50am.