Monday: 4 mile run, sub 10 min pace, in the rain/wind/cold. Perfect crappy conditions and I mean perfect. Good run though, physically and mentally. Good test of my new shoes…my feet felt good and the shoes didn’t get heavy.
Tuesday: Nothing: Traveled for work.
Wednesday: Nothing: Traveled for work.
Thursday: 5 mile run, sub 10 min pace. Another test of the water shoes…lots of standing water due to the recent rains. Evening: Masters Swimming (first time back in the pool in a month), 2100 yards.
Friday: Traveled in the morning (personal reasons: visiting the alma mater). Afternoon: 37 mile bike ride (details below). Evening: 3(ish) mile run (details below).
37 mile bike ride: Originally it was supposed to be a 45 mile ride but I ended up cutting it short for a few reasons: 1) rain out of liquids and 2) my lady parts were screaming at me. What I did get in was good though.
Weather Conditions: 70, sunny and FREAKIN’ windy!
Highlights:
1) The first 7 miles were into a headwind which sucked.
2) The next 11 miles were boring (which was good).
3) Around mile 18 I ended getting chased by two dogs for 1/3 mile. One was a German Shepherd and one was a beefed up Chihuahua. It was not good, they didn’t look like they were just looking for a hello!
4) Ran out of water around mile 20, but still had Infinit left.
5) The Infinit seemed to work really well on this trial run. I’ll be sure use it a few more times before making a final call.
6) Britney picked me up with about 9 miles left with water.
3(ish) mile run: I had my usual recovery routine (ice cream) mixed with some M&Ms and hung out before heading out for a short 3 mile run with Britney. Well, things didn’t seem to mesh well so it was a crappy run, the GI system was not cooperating. But from the bike and run I have learned a few key things:
1) I’ll be using bike shorts during the bike portion of the half irons, or buy a new seat which ever comes first. If I wear the shorts, I’ll just switch into running shorts in T2.
2) Rookie mistake: 2 bottles of fluid is not enough for a 45 mile bike ride.
3) Ice cream is a good recovery food…but only as a recovery…not as a snack in between workouts.
4) Missing just a little spot on your shoulders with sun block sucks…If my arms were just 2 inches longer all of my shoulder blades would have been covered.
5) Sherpa duties extend way past the race, and I still maintain I have the best Sherpa around.
On tap for this weekend: Work, bike ride, run, bridal shower, bike ride.
Have a good one and good luck to those racing!!
Nice job on your week - sounds tough but you conquered it!!! One option with the shorts for racing would be to pull bike shorts on over tri shorts for the bike, then pull them back off for the run. I did this for all my IM training rides and for the IM bike and it was super comfy!
ReplyDeleteSounds like an awesome (tough and busy) week! Headwinds are super tough to deal with - as you know!
ReplyDeleteSherpas are the best. I referred to my mother as my sherpa (using the term after reading your blog about Britney being your sherpa) and now she refers to herself proudly as my sherpa. Too funny.
Yes, windy conditions are difficult - way to go, though! I'm sorry about the saddle discomfort - I know how awful that feels. For what it's worth - I ride the ISM Adamo saddle and LOVE LOVE LOVE it. I got it at the end of 2007 and have been a fan ever since. There is NO soft tissue contact...just the sits bones. Something to consider...but there are some other good saddles out there as well. It's really hard to focus on riding, when you're squirming around cursing your seat!
ReplyDeleteNice job with the running - yea!!
I wish my hands were two inches longer as well. I have a nice double ring on my back from missing the shoulder blades as well...
ReplyDeleteGood job on your workouts! :)
ReplyDeleteUghh...I hate wind! I had a long ride into the wind this weekend too and it sucked!
And, yeah, I think I would have had some GI issues too if I ate icecream and then tried to run! :)
FWIW, I have the Terry Butterfly Tri Saddle and I love it! I almost always wear my tri shorts when I go on rides and I never have any problems. In fact, I actually have more problems when I wear my bike shorts.
beefed up Chihuahua, eh??? *shaking head*
ReplyDeleteSome bike shops have a saddle program, you put a deposit down, and they let you try out a saddle for a week, then next week another saddle and so on, till you find a saddle you fell in love with.
I *hate* when dogs chase me when I'm riding a bike!
ReplyDeleteOf course, I have often surprised myself as to how fast I can sprint and think I have gotten perhaps my best speed workouts when that has happened ;-)
Good job squeezing in the workouts during your travel. FWIW, I use a really soft Schwinn bike seat that totally clashes with my tri bike look but I can sit on it forever so who cares.