I had my first major brick workout and it went well. I swam 1.25 miles at the YMCA and then did a 1 hour ride and then a 1 hour run outside from the Y. It was a very nice day but chilly. I am very glad I brought some extra clothes as I wasn't sure how I would feel after the swim. I ended up wearing a thin winter hat under my helmet, long-sleeve performance shirt, jacket and biking shorts. My legs were cold at first but warmed up and I dressed perfectly. I also didn't realize that I forgot my sunglasses until about 2 miles in when my eyes watered up from the cold, but I decided to just press on as I hate to turn around. The ride was a hilly 16 miles and I was feeling it a bit towards the end of the ride. The run went surprising well as I felt my background as a runner kind of took over and I focused on staying relaxed and smooth (even on the hilly run course through Anderson).
This week was a hard training week. My body kind of shutdown last night and I slept for 10 hours - which was awesome! I did a double workout (1.5 mile swim and hour bike) yesterday which made today's workout that much harder. I am taking Sunday off and will log a 3 hour ride on Monday to start next week. I now see why the training calls for 3 days of swimming per week going forward as it is trying to prepare my body to act like swimming 2.4 miles is nothing. Now I just really need to work on my biking so that riding 112 miles doesn't feel that bad. From all that I have read about different Ironman bike courses it sounds like Couer d'Alene is one of the tougher and more technical ones. That won't make it any easier. As for the running, that is my strongest part of this and I feel I will be fine, extremely challenging but fine. Although I will say that it did take my legs about 3 miles today to get rid of the tired and the somewhat weird biking sensation. And that was only after a one hour ride.
Can you imagine what it will feel like after 1.5 hours of swimming and 6 hours of riding?
I wanted to put in terms/distances that anyone can relate to - so here goes. Let's say we start at Coney Island. I hop in the Ohio River and Swim upstream to Old Five Mile Road. I exit the water and hop on my bike and proceed to ride to my house in Anderson to say hello to my Wife and Son and grab some Powerbars, Gatorade and Water. Maybe even make a bathroom stop. I then head out to Eight Mile Road to Beechmont to Salem to Kellogg and follow that to Downtown Cincinnati which is about 17 miles. As I come into Cincinnati I look for the on ramp to 71 North and proceed to Columbus. 95 miles later I have completed the 112 total and arrive in Columbus, Ohio. It's that simple. And by the time my training is complete that is suppose to feel like nothing or close to it. Riiiiiiight.
Oh, and then I hop into the Columbus Marathon and and run 26.2 miles all over the suburbs of Columbus. Oh, and I need to complete all of it in 17 hours or it doesn't count.
Bring it on.
Hey, i gotta tell you, i am tired just reading this post! But...you are going to rock this!!! :O)
Michelle
Posted by: Michelle | April 01, 2008 at 05:42 PM