Weekend Update

My training this weekend went very well. Saturday I woke up at 4:30 am to get ready for a 56 mile bike ride. Everyone met at my house at 5:30am and we were on the road around 5:45am to head to Cambridge, MD. We were going to ride the bike portion of the Eagleman Half Ironman Triathlon. We started biking around 7:45 am with a nice easy pace. My training plan called for a 4 hour ride so if we averaged 15 miles per hour that would have us cover 60 miles in 4 hours.

All week there had been a threat of rain on Saturday but I didn't give myself the option of cancelling this ride. Even if I only rode 20 miles I was going to ride part of the course. I didn't want to spend another day riding my trainer indoors. But lucky for us the weather was almost perfect - low 60's with some cloud cover.

The course is pancake flat. It is at sea level so there is not one hill, not even an incline. I didn't know if I would like this but I loved it. The course itself was great although not very scenic. All you see is swamp/marshland. Although at the beginning of the ride I did see a bald eagle. I have never seen a bald eagle in Maryland before.

For the most part the ride was uneventful. We stayed together as a group and just motored on. At times I was biking 22 miles per hour with very little effort and then the wind would pick up. I would be really working and look down to find I was only going 13 miles per hour. That can really mess with your head!

We finished the ride in 3 1/2 hours. I was pleasantly surprised. This ride felt effortless compared to some other long rides I have done. After the ride we ran for about 20 minutes just to let our legs get used to the feeling right after the bike. This is called a brick workout. My legs felt really good. I could have kept running so that was a good sign.

Within minutes of getting back to the car the skies opened up and it was a torrential downpour with thunder and lightening. I felt as if I had just won the lottery! We got in our workout and the weather cooperated. I was so excited with my performance and the weather conditions!

Sunday I woke up and took Izzy for a walk. Again, I was surprised at how good I felt. I really wasn't too tired and my legs felt good. I look forward to these walks because it helps my legs get warmed up. Plus Izzy is pretty funny to watch on these walks. I got back from the walk, loaded up my bike and gear and was off to a hill climbing clinic. It was put on by the tri club I belong to. The Olympic Distance race I am doing is challenging (see article here and here) and biking is my weakest event. The clinic was great but I realized just how tired my legs were. After the clinic I met up with my friend Michele and Adam and we ran the Columbia Triathlon run course. Again, this course is very hilly. My legs felt good but my body was tired. I took a gel half way through and that helped immensely. Even now I am proud of myself that I didn't walk up any of the hills. It was tempting but once you walk up a hill it is easier to walk the next time.

All in all it was a great weekend of training. I can only hope the actual races goes this well.