With week three down, I can say that i’m not in quite as much pain as I was last week at this time. I’m certainly thrilled that tomorrow is a recovery day, but I’m still far away from the first recovery week, just halfway there (week 7). Here’s a quick weekly wrap-up:
Monday – OFF
Tuesday – 21 mile bike (trainer)
Wednesday – 2200m swim drills, 5 mile run
Thursday – 25 mile bike (trainer)
Friday – 2200m swim (distance), 4.75 mile run
Saturday – 29 mile bike
Sunday – 1700m swim (recover), 7.5 mile run
Totals: 538 minutes, (6100m swim, 75 mile bike, 17.25 mile run)
It actually looks more painful than it was … so something must be working to help get me through.
So I looked back on Wednesdays post and it was amazing how pumped up I was to get outside and do a semi-long ride on Thursday evening, but it didn’t happen that way. I got home from work, got on the bike and headed out the door when I started to hear thunder and the sky was almost black… on top of that there was also a pretty stiff 25-30 MPH wind that was blowing me all over the place on that light bike (I recalled the previous Saturday when I was almost blown off the bike by the wind). Something just didn’t feel right about this ride .. i’m just not sure what it was, but my inner senses told me to turn around and just ride on the trainer today. Yep, 70+ degrees outside, and I was inside on the trainer… go figure.
Regardless, I finished Thursdays ride on the trainer, and Friday’s swim was fantastic, I did the 1.2 mile continuous swim, so I know I can do the distance (just need to keep practicing). I’m happy that the bike is getting easier and much more comfortable (my butt doesn’t kill me anymore). I had a real good ride on Saturday despite the cold. My course was kind of different in that I actually rode into Allentown instead of into the country. I have to figure out how long it takes me to ride to work so I can plan my bike commutes properly. The only highlight from the ride was an almost “crash” on the way home. I was coming up on a traffic light where there was a curb on the right side and traffic stopped on the left of me. As I rode towards the light, I realized that one of the cars was over towards the curb a little further than I was comfortable with, I kind of felt like I was going to be eating side-view mirror.. I slowed down (but didn’t unclip) and pulled my body to the right to avoid the mirror and lost my balance, but I regained it by pushing off the guys car (basically I slammed it with my hand, no damage I hope).
I caught my breath and got to the traffic light and turned off the road to get into a parking lot to get myself together. I was hoping the dude wasn’t going to pull over to either yell at me or something, but thankfully he didn’t. I thought to myself that this wipe-out would have really sucked, I probably wouldn’t scratched the guys car, not to mention my bike (and myself). I will need to ride home on a different road when I start commuting … I now have a fear of that spot, bad memory.
Anyway, I got home and despite the fact it was a real hilly course and I did it against the wind, I felt pretty good.
The time-change last night really messed me up though, I lost that hour of sleep and haven’t felt right all day. I got the pool at 7am, and it was still dark for a Sunday, it didn’t feel right. The strange part is that the other swimmers I usually see this early on a Sunday weren’t there. Seems like they didn’t get up .. (or didn’t set their clock ahead). I actually didn’t have to share a lane for the first time in quite awhile, it was nice to stretch out and have the lane to myself.
So looking to more positives of the time-change, I now have more time now to ride the bike after work, I don’t have to rush home to get outside. This along with the fact that the temperatures are going to be in the 60’s this week means “evening rides every night!” Nice! The only down side is riding until 7pm, then getting up to swim at 4:30 the next morning and then running until 7pm the next evening after, then repeat 3 times … it feels like it never stops.
The other highlight this week will be the arrival of my second batch of gear for the upcoming season.. namely the Garmin 910XT, I can’t wait. I’ve read so much in the forums about the swim features, and the ANT+ technology for both my bike and running (whatever that is), it should help me train harder based on what i’ve read. I also have my new visor, tri-shorts, a new shirt and some other stuff coming, just in time. This past week I got my new sunglasses, my mini-bag for my bike supplies, my between-my-bars water bottle cage and my first supply of Accel-gel’s for the season.
Well, enough of this for now, i’m behind in my weekly food prep and training plan .. I have to catch up with DC rainmakers blog too (I love this guys blog) and get some stuff ready for work.