Just an Average SKIRT

Back to training on Monday - up at 5am, to work by 6am and quit around 1:30 to head out on the bike. I prepared everything on Sunday; water bottles, nutrition, clothes. Preparation is key - without it I could have easily lost an hour getting myself out the door yesterday and an hour was something I did not have the luxury to lose.

First ride outside - ahhhh, felt so good and thoughts of June 22nd danced in my head. Headed west on Lookout from 75th and was hit with the wind. 9 miles an hour downhill, pedaling my little heart out. Headed north of 63rd with wild gusts and one extra scary moment involving me and an SUV that was passing me way too close, way too fast just as the wind almost took me down (sound familiar anyone?).

Instead of getting pissed at the wind, world and jackass in the SUV I thought - ’stay positive and maybe the wind will subside’. Headed east on Nelson to 75th, the wind started to die down and remained manageable to enjoyable for the rest of the ride. With 5 miles left the sun finally peaked out of the clouds and I felt the heat of the sun. I’ve missed that warmth and I’m ready for more. Ride took 2hrs 50min (wind slowed me compounded by the fact that I’m just not that fast).

Got home just in time for my 10-minute run, the first in over 5 weeks. I was elated - sun, skirt, shuffle (which is all I could really do in order to keep my heart rate down). No pain in the foot, a little pressure but no pain. Giddie Up!

Into the car and off to BCSM for power max class with the HEPsters. Hard class…as I was just saying to BJ I think I rode harder at that class than I ever have on my own. I think being in the group setting, being on the trainer and being able to see all your stats on the screen makes me push it. It was a difficult class but really just mental for me. Heart rate as high as 188 - my Z5 is anything over 184 so yes, I was pushing it. I had the strength and life in my legs so it was just the mental piece of pushing through and making the workout my bee-atch! Craig said I killed it, felt like I did but it was good to hear that from my coach. In order to make my bike goal of 6.5 hours (which is my very aggressive goal) I need to get my power to weight over 3. Right now, it’s hovering just below.

Monday set the precedent for the next two weeks - train hard, push it and stay positive.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 25th, 2008 at 6:23 am and is filed under Triathlon. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.