Week in Review 3/18 - 3/24

Sunday- Oh, if only I had my camera with me to show the incredible force the clouds I encountered contained!  Well, actually I was able to miss out on the height of the force, arriving home from my ride literally minutes ahead of the storm full of thunder, lightening and hail! 

I needed to get some mileage in and had a couple different options for distance if the weather permitted, and rode home from church.  At the beginning of the ride it was beautiful... no problems at all!  I thought the weather was ok (I could feel it get colder), but when I turned from heading east to going south, I saw the huge, dark clouds that had been behind me (west)!  Suddenly my plans for going farther were dashed and I went with the shortest route home.  I had visions of getting struck by lightening, or having to find shelter under a tree from hail or a downpour...I thought that maybe if I were just a few miles from home I could endure nature's fury and just GET home.  The temperature dropped fast.  My hands were a shade of purple about 7 miles from home.  Soon I felt a light, yet pelting feeling dropping from the sky.  On my arms were what looked like snow flakes.  I pedaled my little heart out, praying the whole way: "Please Lord, let me get home safe...Please Lord, let me get home safe..."  Prayer answered!  I made it safe!
Total Ride: 23.65 miles...but one heck of an experience!

Monday-

• Run:  A very fun, different kind of interval was on the half-marathon schedule I've been following.  Pat wasn't able to come, so I was on my own.  Instead of being on the track the entire time, I opted to do the first two intervals on the road, and wind up close enough to the track to finish with the 800's.
• Warm-up: 1.25 miles
  Interval #1: 1 mile (7:01); 1/4 mile rest
  Interval #2: 2 miles (13:54 /6:57 average mile); 1/2 mile rest
  Interval #3: 2 x 800m (3:11; 3:08) w/400m rest
  Cool-Down: 1.25 miles
• Swim: I decided it was time for a miles time trial.  I swam the mile in 29:51; a little slower than I thought, but at least now I have a point of reference from here on out. 

Tuesday-
Again, I wish I had my camera with me to capture the amazing view I had on my ride!  Such beauty in the foothills that are so close!  A while ago Pat introduced me to Watts Valley Road; a road that is straight down the street from where I live, making it both a convenient and challenging ride without having to drive to it.  I feel so incredibly blessed to have the opportunity to soak in such beautiful surroundings and have a couple of kid-free hours to ride in!  It felt like a worship service out there; my mind was full of scripture and songs of praise. 
Total Ride: 32 miles; Average for first 16 miles- 16.3mph; Average for second 16 miles- 19.7mph.  Yeah, it was fun and downhill a lot on the way back!

Wednesday-

• Run- Easy and short today, 4 miles @ 7:50 pace.  A friend invited me over for some coffee and chat time, so I ran the 2 miles to her house after dropping off the preschooler, and then ran back afterwards.  It was nice to have some time with my friend- something that definitely has not happened much with all the training!
• Swim- A very fun evening seeing people and a very fun interval workout!
  warm-up 150m
  12 x 75m build (25 easy, 25 med 25 fast)
  2 x 500m (75 easy, 25 fast, 50 easy, 50 fast, 25 easy, 75 fast, 50 easy, 50 fast, 75 easy, 25 fast)
  2 x 150m- First 150 build each 50; Second 150 was at 80% the entire time
  100m Cool Down=   2450m Total

Thursday-
People are more important than training.  When it's possible to combine both, that is spectacular!  After I dropped off my preschooler I rode to my friend's house and then ran with her.  She's working on getting back into running and had an interval training run on the schedule to do; and you KNOW they are more fun to do with a running buddy!  So we did 2 miles warm-up, 2 miles @ 7:30 average pace, 2 miles cool down (mostly walking so we could talk better).  We visited for a while longer and then, whoa!  I had to go!  I was going to be late to pick up the kids!  I sped my way back to the school just in time.
Totals:
Ride- 18 miles
Run- 4 (w/2 more walking...that counts, right?  I didn't think so either, that's why I am putting them in parenthesis!)

Friday- 13 mile run with Pat in the very early morning.  We have convinced ourselves that our pace will be better with a little sunshine, competition and later in the morning.  It works, so don't burst my bubble. :)  We also learned that if there is choice between who gets the Gu with caffeine in it, it probably shouldn't be me.  I get super chatty and run a little bit faster than a Pat without caffeine can handle that early in the day.

Saturday- 
This morning was a beautiful ride to "Doyle's" with the tri team.  I had heard about it, and am so glad to know yet another route of amazing scenery to roll by.  My plan was to ride to the point we were meeting; it was a mere 7 miles away and would be an excellent bonus to the morning.  Well, one thing after another made me too late to leave on time to do that, so I ended up driving.  I really thought I would get in a ride later with Pat or someone, so I wasn't worried about it. 

It was a GREAT ride!  I didn't notice the slight uphill grade of the road, so at one point I turned around and asked Matt, riding behind me, if it looked like my back tire was low or flat.  Hahaha...nope.  The road was a great mix of rolling hills and sweeping landscape views.  At one point, on the left side was a magnificent green hill spotted with cattle; the right side viewed sharp hills full of bushes and small trees, green as can be.  To the bottom was a rushing creek, the water making a familiar crash over rocks.  The sky was a bright blue, the air crisp, cool and clean.  It was a great morning for a ride through God's beauty!  I kept thinking to myself, "What a blessing to be able to be right here, right now, able bodied to do what I'm doing!"

I took the rest of the day off.  How can you top that? 

The week's totals:
Swim: 4250m
Bike: 100 miles
Run: 28.54 miles
Feeling great, a little tired late in the day, but free from injuries and illness (Thank you, Jesus!)!