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July 15, 2006
Another Hot One
It's hot here. Our air conditioner just can't keep up! Our old AC is not doing a good job of making this old house cool. Poor Roxy can't do much but lie around and pant! I know it's hot everywhere though and so now I'm going to stop complaining... :)
Today the training schedule called for a 2:35 (2:20 bike, 15 minute run) brick. I gotta admit, I wasn't really looking forward to having to do this after work when I knew it was going to be very hot and humid and I knew I was going to be tired. But it all worked out well. I left work a little early, came home and took an hour nap, then got on the road around 4 pm.
Things didn't start off too well though. First of all, I broke off part of the valve on my back tire while trying to pump it. Me, not knowing anything about bikes, started to panic. I thought instantly that I was going to get a flat. Turns out it was fine (not without some worry and random checking of the back tire while riding though) but O and I (okay, mostly O) are still going to change that tube tomorrow so nothing bad happens in the future. Bikes drive me crazy. Very finicky and always threatening mechanical difficulties!
So I start off my ride and I'm already hot and bothered by the valve issue and then I just felt like a ton of bricks. I felt so heavy on my bike and the course I choose to do is pretty hilly and, well let's just say I wasn't thinking too positively. But after about 30 minutes things started to come around. I felt better. I stopped worrying about getting a flat. I was hydrating well with my new Aerodrink Bottle. I was through the area that involved heavy traffic and on some nice, country roads. And when the big hills did come I didn't feel superb but I got up them just fine.
I've done this route before and it took me 2:20 exactly - perfect for what I needed today! But when I got home I had rode the full 40 miles (40.05 to be exact) but had only riden for 2:15:22. This was exciting at first because it means I've improved some but then I realized I'd have to run for 20 minutes to do my full 2:35 brick. Doh!
I wasn't expecting much on the run. I really just wanted to get through it. But after I got over my "bike legs" I actually felt pretty good! I'm sure I wasn't running that fast but I felt strong and my heart rate wasn't going crazy. I was encouraged. But I was also very glad to be done. I drank a 20 oz Gatorade faster than I ever have as soon as I could grab it out of the refrigerator. That of course made both my head and my stomach hurt but it tasted soooooo good. :)
And thus finishes what I'm considering my biggest training week since I started all this triathlon business. I did more running and swimming than usual this week with about the same amount of cycling, mostly all in very hot weather. I'm blessed to still be healthy and feeling pretty good (albeit a little tired). Triathletes seem to measure training in "hours/week" and this week netted me a little over 11 hours total. I know that is laughable compared to Ironman training that involves upwards of 20-25 hours/week (yes, it's like a part-time job!) but I'm working my way up! :)
Summary for the week:
Sunday - off
Monday - 3500 meter swim w/4x200, 2x400, 1x800 and core/feet exercises
Tuesday - 3000 meter swim (off stroke stuff) in am, 15 mile crit (26 miles total riding) in pm and 2x25 pushups, 2x100 crunchers
Wednesday - 45 minute run w/6x20 second striders and core/feet exercises
Thursday - 3000 meter swim w/20x100 in am, 18 mile ride in pm and 2x25 pushups, 2x100 crunchers
Friday - hilly 55 minute run and core/feet exercises
Saturday - 40 mile ride/20 min run brick, body weight circuitx2
Totals: 84 miles bike, 15.5 miles running (watch out Deena!), 9500 meters swimming
Posted by beth at July 15, 2006 8:26 PM