Chris and Chris....I can arrange a double marathon route for you guys on Monday if the 220K of riding feels too easy!

You guys are totally insane.

I could have ridden a bike yesterday, but was really, REALLY glad that I didn't.

At least the weather stopped sucking. Eventually.
Back home, it got nice late yesterday, and is lovely out today.

I think I'm going to go try to put my bike back together now. I got it mostly cleaned off yesterday...

---

float , hammer , and jog

Well today certainly made up for Friday's misery at Epicman. I have to confess that I returned to Ottawa via the 180 km Classic route rather than the 220 km Challenge route that I took yesterday, but I did it all solo. Blessed with sunny, perfect conditions (I had forgotten what those were), an early start and an awesome tailwind, I was on my back deck drinking a bottle of Ithaca Flower Power beer by noon today. What a great ride! Thanks very much for the Epicman beer exchange Mike.

Until next year's Epicman... It couldn't be any worse, right?

Planning on putting it on ebay Mr. "I'm not even training for anything"?

You're not done 'til the gorilla's done!! Now get your ass back in the game bitch!!!!

Yeah, the gorilla's definitely not done! The gorilla is training for Epicman XVI...same bat time, same bat channel for 2014. I think we got the format nailed:

• NO rain version = Whiteface on Thu PM, Full Epicman 3/180/21.1K on Fri
• Rain Version = 24K run + 3K swim Thu PM, Epicboy 3/180/7 on Friday (including Whiteface if there is no rain on Friday)

I am not sure which one is worse. I really don't know. Both are painful.

Hopefully someone can take care of the weather next year. My quads and taint are in pain just thinking about Rolldown and Chris Belair's exploits. By the way, on the car drive over, Rolldown and I were wondering what type of stage training could be pulled off by riding from Ottawa to LP, climbing whiteface, doing Epicman, riding home. The ride each way is 250K!

i am not even looking at my bike tomorrow, let alone riding it...800km for the week..happy with that, 220k on both rlct days and a sunburn on my arms and hands to top it off...who would of thought after all the rain that we got to start this very long weekend...as much "fun" as running the +100K home would have been...decide to drive home...maybe next year......next challenge, tremblant 70.3.

So, since you were the only one who attempted Whiteface this year - how'd ya do? Break an hour?

Coming down musta sucked royal.
I've done that 2x in the rain, and that's why there wasn't a 3rd.

Props on completing the entire Stupidity Challenge. And then going to plaid, by riding long for another 2 days.

---

float , hammer , and jog

Those guys remind me of this classic from the slowtwitch archives:

http://www.slowtwitch.com/...skidmarks/epic3.html

I'm tempted to sorta give this a whirl (to a lesser, more human, degree) heading into Tupper Lake. Yes...now I'm openly goading ML into getting his head out of his ass. Maybe he can end his beefcaked skid at 1? Probably not ;)

At any rate, I remember reading that back in 2004 when I was getting ready from IMLP (my only crappy attempt at a full ironman). If I hadn't just come off of 2.5 weeks of feeling like hell, I think I would have joined you for the thursday swim and short run friday. Of course, that's easy to say now. I was telling Kevin Lanahan today that I thought I felt better friday then I did after whiteface the last 2 years...but in reality, I didn't. Speaking for myself, my worst swim (and bike) days are usually the day after my long run...so feeling relatively crappy on friday shouldn't have surprised me. I know that 13.5 miles isn't a hugely long run...but it still took a lot out of me. I honestly think swimming first would be the better call though (less of a hassle in getting ready).

I told you the first time I did epicman in 2004, me and 2 other guys rode from clifton park to lake placid (140-45 miles). The last climb up from Keene was awful. One of the guys (Joe Skufca...who used to be on ST) rode back to Clifton park the day after...though I'm relatively certain none of us did the 13 mile full epicman. I don't really remember the details. I know that Shanley met us up there with our stuff. I'm kind of doubtful that we even ran 1 step in LP after all that. One of the things I do remember vividly is stopping in schroon lake for lunch (with a chocolate shake) on the ride to LP and standing in the lake for a while. Ironically, I ran into the other guy (Brian Olmstead) last year at IMLP...and Joe will be on our Ragnar Relay team this fall that finishes in LP.

Maybe I'll try something similar next year and have Shanley meet me up there. She could do the LP half marathon on sunday if it's the same weekend. We'll see. Gotta keep the crazy train rolling.

Hey, just checking in with the usual crew. Are you guys recovered from AmZof already. My legs are still pulverized from Texan concrete, but hoping they can bounce back by next week in LP.

Keith is a gimp these days, a pudgy, rotund gimp - so he has nothing to recover from (except shoulder surgery later this year).

I'm feeling pretty good. "Only" did CWD, so the recovery not as bad as for GCG F1.

Not sure who else but me is attending E.Dot 2015 from the lower 48.
I'll be there that Thurs afternoon around 3-ish, 'ready' for the MLSC (assuming the weather gods don't shit on us. Again.), and then my first swim since mid Sept on Fri at 6am.

I'm not just the President of Total Aversion - I'm also a client.

---

float , hammer , and jog

For once, I cannot argue with ML's assessment. I'm scheduled for shoulder surgery in late august for a torn labrum (so I''ll have a matching set), and I'm having fairly significant issues with my ankles in general...which makes me not want to run. I feel like a hobbled old man every damn day now. I'll find out the deal on that pretty quickly as well.

If I were in decent shape, I would join in for the ride...but I'm not.

What's this about being Old? Wait till you got to H20Fun's age (I can't say wait till you get to my age because he will 1 up me, so may as well just go right to that).

Speaking of H2ofunboy - You'll be using PC's for the MLSC Whiteface Prologue, won't you?

Gotta have that extra 30% of wattage.
/pink.

---

float , hammer , and jog

Remember, they on help you run a 1:20 half marathon at age 58. Since I am self boycotting from longer runs for a month, I don't need the cranks for Epicman. Let's just say I have largely used up my quota of longer runs between IM South Africa, IM Texas, Wildflower and running the Ottawa half marathon with my son today. At this point, I feel like burning every pair of running shoes I own just to make sure I don't do anything stupid. On a plus side, I just ordered a Cannondale "Peter Sagan edition"Supersix. I am going to be in Europe in June and hope to take it up Alpe d'Huez and Galibier, at least that is my hope and maybe I get it in time for Whiteface.

What's a L run? I don't think think I've run more than an hour at a clip since Boston last year.
EpicBoy is plenty for me.

If you get the new C-dale in time for E.dot, are you using that for Fri too? Or bringing both bikes?
I think the latter is against the spirit of the event - run whatcha brung.

---

float , hammer , and jog

I hope to join you guys in this year Epicman... Also, I will give my very best to honour Chris G memory at the top of Whiteface, by going (sub 60) sandbagging is not allowed. So that will be my target, not having a great training year so far, but no excuse I will try! If I employed going up and missing the sub 60, Chris will be proud of my effort.

We all are managing our little injuries, but make no excuses for the sub 60, either you try or fall off your bike trying!!!

See you guys down there at the tennis court yard, ready to suffer for 59:59...

The Chris G FTP test is ready to crush us!

Alex, getting an early start on the sandbagging, eh?

The only way you don't break an hour going up Whitefsce, is if you're riding a full-suspension downhill MTB.
And even then, I wouldn't be surprised if you still went < :60.

I don't think I've yet to ride over 2 hours this year.
At this rate, the MLSC will be my longest ride... Until the next morning.

What, me worry?
It's just like riding a bike.

---

float , hammer , and jog

Can't make it this year, work commitment. Just starting to feel somewhat recovered from AmZof LC although an easy paced 2hr/1hr brick session yesterday left me exhausted.

I just read ML's question about my decent from Whiteface back in 2013. It sucked, going up there was one of the dumbest things I've ever done. I spent 1hr at convenience store in Wilmington defrosting my hands, basically holding boiling coffee pot in my bare hands. Hope it snows a little less up there this year.

I still can't believe you went up there that day.
I've been there/done that 2x in similar conditions, and somehow managed to survive both.
Didn't want to give Darwin a "3rd time is the charm" shot at it.

Great work at AmZof this year!
That's a righteous time and result - couldn't imagine that in May.
Wish I'd put 2 and 2 together and realized who you were.
I blame the beer. ;-)

---

float , hammer , and jog

First time playing - any issues with using a road bike since my tribike is still being decontaminated from mud at IMTX? Not sure it will be back by next week.

We generally ride as a group, and drafting is not only allowed, it's encouraged! You should be fine.

---

float , hammer , and jog

So, who all is coming out to play next week?

Would like to get a handle on that, as there is a chance our Fearless Leader (Dev) may have a scheduling conflict for some or all of the E.dot festivities.

Also - I haven't booked a room yet.
Usually go with Art Devlin's, since it's clean and not too spendy.
But - the brand new Hampton Inn is RIGHT THERE on Mirror Lake Drive, also conveniently located directly next door to the LP Brewery.
So, for a few shekels more, that could be pretty sweet.

I'll need to depart late Friday afternoon.
(Which I've done about half the times I've done E.dot. I prefer to stay over Fri nite and leave Sat am, but that's not an option this year due to family obligations.)

Pipe up if yer IN, and whether you'll be considering the Whiteface Prologue on Thurs afternoon, or "just" E.dot on Fri.

---

float , hammer , and jog

The thing in most jeopardy is the Whiteface climb on Thu PM. Fri should be manageable, I'd just arrive late on Thu PM. Will confirm in the next few days.

In and looking forward to it. Should get there Thursday afternoon. I need to leave Friday afternoon as well, so may edit the run accordingly.

I'm definitely "only" doing EpicBoy 6m run, down to red barn on River Road and back to the tennis courts.
That's plenty for me.

And cuts recovery down quite a bit, compared to doing 13m off the bike.

---

float , hammer , and jog