Week in Review 3/31 - 4/7

Saturday (3/31)- An excellent bike/run brick with the TNT group.  Matt B. and I did a total of 29 miles, going over the Millerton bike course a couple of times.  In between there was a 2.3 mile run; the first mile was full of slow, hilly, rough terrain.  The last mile was very quick on the road.  I felt very strong and my confidence built up a bit!  I didn't do more miles afterwards because I had a four and a half drive to do that afternoon with my kids.  I didn't want to be sleepy and driving!  Eek!

I honestly doubted even writing a review on about Wednesday.  However, the end of the week made up for the lack earlier in the week, so here I am.  This week was also filled with lessons learned.  So many, in fact, that I will probably include them from now on as a bonus to the review. My main reason is so that I will only need to make these particular mistakes once! :)

Sunday- Day off.  I got to take the kids up north to visit my parents, and it was nice and relaxing!  We did go for a stroll in the evening, which ended up being about 2 miles. 

Monday- I got to do my track workout at the high school I went to.  There wasn't an all-weather track there when I was in high school, but it was still nice to be in the old 'hood!  I'm not sure exactly how old the track is now, but it hasn't been kept up well.  The first lane was full of spots where asphalt showed.  The grass was unruly, the fence around the school was rusty.  It made me a little sad; especially when the baseball field right next to it was lush and beautifully kept. 
4 x 1000m @ 4:05 average for all four.  It was slow, I know.  But I did it.

Tuesday- I came prepared; I had looked online to check times in the local pool.  I was going to go to my mom's gym and do a swim/bike workout (there wasn't enough room to bring my bike this time).  But my mom tempted me with wine and popcorn. 
*Lesson learned: Got to give up drinking alcohol.  I really haven't had much since signing up for the Ironman in November.  But it doesn't do any good for me while I am trying to train so hard.  In all honesty, I will miss it.  A glass of wine, or a homemade cocktail really hits the spot sometimes.

Wednesday- 5 mile run near my parents house.  About 8 minute mile pace.  See lesson learned above.

Thursday- Came back home on Wednesday; I was looking forward to this swim/bike brick night all week.  It was going to test what I've been working on with swimming for the past four months.  I felt like I had been getting stronger, and was ready to "suit up" (put the wetsuit on) and do some strokes in the lake!  I met up with Pat and we went to the boat ramp.  We looked over the water and decided we were so brave to even be giving swimming in the lake a shot, so we kept our goals short.  Notice I did not add "sweet".

Just a note:  It was VERY windy there!  We decided we would go to the first buoy and back and then decide what else we were going to do.  The water was cold, which I was ready for.  I could see the swells from the wind, so I knew which side I was going to have to breath on.  Off we went:  and then I thought I was going to drown.  I could not get in a rhythm; my wetsuit felt like it was strangling me around my neck; I lost any sort of form I had learned.  It was awful, terrible!  I would stop every now and then, so I could get a few good breaths.  Pat and I stayed close so we could make sure the other wouldn't drown.  When we got to the buoy, I really wanted a floatie, or arm wings, or floatation device of any sort!  I really slowed Pat down; he kept having to stop and make sure I was still breathing and trying to swim.  When we got to the shore, it felt as though we had gone a half mile or more.  Nope- 8 minutes by Pat's watch.  Good grief!  With all the stopping I did, that was probably only 200m!  He went all the way to the buoy again.  I went halfway and came back.  I kept a lookout for his yellow cap.

We rode the bike course for the triathlon that will be on April 21st.  I am really getting this thing down, since I've been doing so much of it lately!  We didn't push our pace very much; we have a lot of distance to cover in the next couple of days!
*Lesson learned: Never give up, never surrender!  Keep things in perspective. 

Friday- 14 mile run @ 8:03 average mile pace!  Felt good until the last couple of miles.  It might possibly have to do with the fact that I ran from 11:30am to after 1pm and have another lesson learned.
*Lesson learned: Wear sunblock.  That is a long time to be out in the sun, demanding so much of all the systems I am equipped with.

Saturday-   I replaced the cleats on my cycling shoes, and was ready to try them out!
53 mile ride with Pat.  It would have been farther, but we had to turn around with about 12 miles to get home in the light of day in.  It was a race against the setting sun, and we won!  It was a great ride! 


Such a beautiful time to ride in the foothills!



My bike "Silver" weighed down with drinks and munchies for the long ride!

The only bummer was that my Garmin Forerunner 305 watch died along the way.  It got too much moisture in it on the rainy ride on March 17th.  Ken tried to fix it but broke off a piece inside right before he epoxied it back together.  It won't charge or connect to the computer anymore.  I knew this was going to be the last time I was going to be able to use it.  Kind of a bummer!  That thing was really, really handy for interval workouts and keeping track of speed and distance on runs and rides.  I will have to manage with my own little cheap digital watch I bought on clearance a few years ago.  I might upgrade it to a Timex with lap memory capability, but there are more important things to have to buy right now: a toilet, a new ice maker in our freezer, a windshield for our van...oh wait, I mean: my bike needs a tune-up and new tires!