Big training block (Part 1)

The way I get my workout schedule from my coach is through Training Peaks. It's a great tool. As an athlete, I see my schedule for the week. I enter the completion time and post activity comments to keep my coach in the loop. After last week's recovery week, the next training block is getting tougher. This weekend's long ride was 80 miles and long run was 17 miles. The following week we are going to the tri camp in Blowing Rock, NC. The following weekend is a century ride. My first one ever!

I was dreading the 80/17 workout, more so on the bike than the run. Biking is always a challenge for me because I'm not fast but I work hard at it. I did get better each year and especially this year since I started taking Will's Ultimate cycling class in Jan-March. We rode at Silk Sheets. There were quite a few people that joined us. Susan, Kevin and I were the only ones that rode 80. The rest were 50-60 miles. Ellen was so kind to SAG for us. I would say the first 40 miles were fine. I would like to stop less often but since we were in the group, we regroup 3 times in the first 40. That's a mistake for me. I don't like stopping that many times. I should have gone by myself. The second 40 were painful. The wind picked up. At times, I was scared to be on aero but the wind was gusty. Mentally it was so hard to talk myself into riding faster and picking up the cadence. I was so glad when it was finally over. It took almost 5 hours to ride 80. After I got home, I poured the excess fluid from my aero bottle. It turned out, after I counted, I only took 180 calories per hour. Way too low. I put my comment in Training Peaks. I looked at my notes from 2 weekends ago when I rode 70 and I felt much better and faster. It was 230 calories per hour. No wonder why the day went badly. Lesson learned. Mary caught on that too. She emailed me and asked to get the calorie intake to at least 200. I couldn't agree more.

First SAG stop

At Mile 60

I went home, took a shower and ate. I have not been taking an ice bath after a ride. I think rolling, stretching and drinking a lot fluid after a long ride help me more than ice bath. I was following IM 70.3 Honu. I was rooting for Linsey Corbin, an American pro, and she won. I didn't nap after the ride, I felt tired at 6PM. I decided to go to bed at 6.30PM. I didn't feel like eating dinner because I was still full from lunch.

I got up a couple of times and went back to sleep. I was finally up at 5.45AM. I went to Riverside Park around 7AM. The plan was to run the 8.5 mile loop twice. That way I could refill halfway. I turned on my Garmin and the battery was low. Crap! I thought I would have enough power from yesterday's ride. It was weird to run without a watch. I had no idea what my pace or HR were. I ran based on how I felt. My legs were fine. I just felt scared about how I would feel 10 miles from now. It was easy to talk myself down. Running by yourself for 17 miles. I started a little pity party, then I kicked myself in the butt. Stop it. You're healthy and can run. Today would be another great run. After 3 flat miles, I started running on Eves Rd which was hilly. It was up, up and up. Martins Landing was hilly too and the downhill part wasn't a pleasant downhill. It was the one that you had to keep your torso up and brake using your hamstring so you won't fall forward. The first loop was good. The second loop was hard on hills, which was expected. I walked a couple of minutes on the steepest hills. I wouldn't run this loop twice ever again. It hurt. The last few miles I found a second wind and picked up my pace.... or I think I picked up my pace.... The greatest moment was I saw my car. That's my finish line!