Time Off

So for the next few weeks I will be doing the most difficult part of my training program.  Taking time off.  I'm not sure I can totally do it.  It may be I am just doing things a little bit slower and not as much!! It seems impossible for me to take 2-6 weeks off and do nothing.

But here's to trying...

Running

I did a 10 mile run today.  Actually it amazes me that I can write that.  It wasn't all that long ago that such a run would have been incomprehensible.  A fantasy.  Yet I banged it out today in about 1:17.  Not fast but not butt dragging either.  I must confess the last two mile were misery and I had to walk a few times.  The weather here is now wonderful and the running is great.  I have not done a big run in awhile,  limiting myself to about 7-8 miles.  That will begin to change with me eventually cranking out 15 mile runs once a week and two more runs in the 6-8 mile range but with fast tempos.

I had a great bike ride on Saturday, pedling 52 miles in 2:38.  Traffice slowed me down some and I climbed about 2300 feet of elevation.  I should be hitting 70-75 rides in a few weeks with regularity.

i enjoy the training.  It just is something hard to describe...it feels like a real weird day when I don't get a really great workout in.  Must be obsessed or something...

Sweltering

Goodness it has been hot in Texas lately.  Yesterday I wanted to do a 60 mile training ride in the afternoon but the temps were above 90 and the air was so thick with humidity it seemed to create its own form of drag.  I was strong on the bike but at my 13 mile mark I could feel the water pouring out of me and turned back for the house.  By the time 26 miles had been ridden, I hopped on the scale and had lost 6 pounds.  Unbelievable.  Next week promises to be classic Texas fall weather with temps in the 70's and no clouds or rain.  Can't wait.

My knee hurts.  It is clearly the inside ligament strap that crosses over from the inside of my left knee to the front of my leg below the knee cap.  I don't know the medical description of this part of my body but I think it is just strain from the running I've been doing lately as most runs are about 8 miles.  I am pleased with my running progress and will take it easy for a day or so.  An injury right now would put me way behind schedule.

My nutrition stinks. I wish I could do better but I lack real discipline in eating the right foods.  Lately I'm not eating enough and when I do its all mediocre or bad food.  I must change this.

Today is the gym and weights.  Tomorrow swimming and Saturday the big long ride I missed yesterday.

Flat Tires

Anybody who rides a bike for any length of time will have a flat tire.  This is just simply no fun.  But learning to change a flat quickly and easily is a developed skill and vital for races.  I was riding yesterday and had flat on my race wheels pictured here which use tubular tires.  These are different than the classic clincher tires that most people are familiar with.  The tubular tire has the tube integrated within the structure of the tire and both tire and tube are changed as a single unit.  That unit is literally glued to the wheel.  Prior to riding and at least 24 hours before using the tire, the glue is applied to your tire and allowed to dry forming a very sticky base.  Taking the tire off the wheel and reapplying a spare takes a little finesse and some strength.  You have to stretch the tire over the rim and some upper body strength is necessary.  Tubular tires are typically much more durable and not prone to flat, certainly compared to clinchers.  I can attest to this as I've ridden on these race tires since May, have maybe 1000 miles on them and have had two flats. 

Riding yesterday I was terrified by the traffic.  It was late in the afternoon and my route was crowded and slow with commuters.  It would seem to be easier to ride when traffic is at a virtual standstill versus having cars whizzing by at 60 mph, but it is not.  The roads I ride have big wide shoulders and cars were constantly darting onto that shoulder to make turns directly in front of me or to zoom past everyone to the next intersection.  Additionally, cars would make the right turn onto the shoulder directly in front of me.  All of this made my jumpy and nervous.  This one route has a fair amount of hills where I am either doing 10-12 mph up or 40 mph down,  plus on and off ramps.  This all added up to slower times and not a fun experience.  It will be late morning or mid day rides for me from now on.

Running Improvement

I have run twice this week, so far, and biked once.  Swimming is out because the pool I use, Barton Springs, is  closed because of the Austin City Limits music festival.  Both of my runs have been good ones and the bike was ok; pretty fast but cut short because of weather. I wanted to go more than 40 miles, in fact 50 miles was the goal, but a torrential rainstorm hit us as I was dashing back home for cover.  I ended up riding about 25.

My running is improving.  My base conditioning is the highest its ever been at this time of year and I've not yet started my base training.  I am pleased with that.  Yesterday I ran 7 miles in about 55 minutes.  That is not a fast time but I was pleased as there was nothing substantially difficult about the run. I am focusing on always keeping form and a high cadence which for me is tough to do.  A one leg turnover of about 90 strides a minutes is the goal and that's hard for me to maintain. I will either lose focus or fatigue shows up and the cadence falls off.  What I am looking to do is keep cadence but shorten the stride when fatigue is building or my aerobic capacity is hurting.  I've found that when I do that I can maintain pace.

I took a very brief rest at mile 5 for some water and then finished home.  It was hot, close to 90 degrees which always just sucks the energy right out of me, but I managed to do just fine.  All of it without my ipod either...what a bummer.  Maybe I should run all the time without one?  Well my hearing might improve, or at least not deteriorate any further!