We must be getting really close because I'm starting to get real sappy all of a sudden. Better warn Joe- the next few weeks are going to be an emotional roller coaster!
Kathy- 2 hours on the trainer with intervals, UGH! Your just crazy!!
Bob- so sorry to hear about the tummy virus. Just focus on getting yourself healthy. We've only got a few more weeks- now is the time to start making sure we stay injury and illness free!
Kate- Snickers to the rescue!!! Love it. And I love that I know where you ride, 'cause I can sometimes imagine being out there with you when I'm on these long strait windy roads all alone.
Linda- Thank you soooooooo much for your FB post this morning. I was near meltdown when I saw all the responses you got and I feel a bit better now. Here's the scoop on my morning.
I have to get this 3 hour ride done NLT 9:30am or I'm in serious risky trouble (beach traffic- it's turnover day- so lots of tourons coming/going makes for a very unfriendly environment for cyclists). I slept a little later than planned and was really tired when I woke up but got myself out the door just at sunrise without grabbing any coffee (mistake). My legs were dead and tired, even the compression shorts were not helping, but I tried to suck it up and keep going. About 20 min into the ride my legs felt a little bit better (no longer sore, but still no "spring" to them), but I my focus just wasn't there. Cars were entering/exiting the road and my reaction time just wasn't what it should be. Hmmmmmm. Not a good state to be in on turnover day.
At a turn-a-round point (about 30 min out) I start to think that if I wasn't riding Fiona (who I'd never lay down in the sand) I could so easily just put down the bike and take a nap on the beach listening to the ocean. Suddenly I see a Oreo sized rock in the road but easily and quickly swerve to go around it when...... the rock lurches forward and lands under my wheel. CRUNCH Crap, that was a ghost crab I'm welling up from hitting the poor thing and when I turn around I can see it all squished on the road. I'm so upset that I just can't ride any further (typing this now has my heart in my throat again). The universe was telling me to go home, and so I after just 1 hour of riding I returned home, crawled under a blanket on the couch, and went back to sleep.
Anyway, Linda, seeing all the responses to your FB post made me feel much less of a looser today- so thank you for that! I need to get my head together. Four more weeks. We can do this, right?
Marianne: That's a great story! Talk about really, really good karma...it came back to you in this life!
Linda: Way to totally ROCK that ride! So so happy for you! Such a confidence booster being able to nail a workout like that.
Bob: Hope you are feeling better soon!
Nemo: You poor thing! Ghost crab, huh? They are the same color as sand and concrete (hence the name)--of course you didn't see until the last minute! If it's any consolation, crustaceans and fish don't feel pain. Seriously, I read that in one of my fish books. Don't feel too bad. It's not bad karma if you didn't mean to do it.
Did someone post a Chrissy Wellington quote about how some workouts are stars while others are rocks, but that they were all stones with which we built our fitness? Well, I've tried to keep that in mind this weekend. Halfway through both rides I was LIGHTS OUT. So I did the OODA loop each time. Calories? seems fine. Hydration? looks good. Pains? Niggles? not really. Just legs that didn't want to turn another pedal stroke and my mind saying: Please, please, I beg of you...Ride home and lie on the couch! I know I'll hear this again on race day around mile 18 (and not sooner if I execute correctly ) so I pulled out piece of guilt, plea-bargaining, berating, cajoling I could. So no stars for this weekend's ride, but now my rock pile is 2 stones bigger.
All I can say about today is that I added to my rock pile too. Same story as many of you--legs just did not want to turn over. Everything muscle fiber in my legs and lungs was saying, nooooo. Since I went into it knowing I felt tired, my plan was to chunk up the 85% and do at least 8 x10 (2-3'). HAHAHAHAHAHA! I did 2. After that I just couldn't care. I would do a couple minutes at a time, use every hill to practice staying steady, but that was all I had. It was uggggggly--until the last hour. I think I was a little low on food, even though I had planned it all out. Got back on track with the eating and then had a late rally. I think it was more of the "horse smelling the barn" mental thing b/c the watts and the speed were no where better than the rest of the ride. It's done--amen and hallelujah! 3:00:01--think I was obsessing about not going over????
Now the run felt great. Did MP and HMP without trying. Ran on the path near my house, and when I saw Keith and Cali coming the other way at 29', I called that sucker. We had planned to meet up so it was a perfect ending.
I have to say...this weekend--capped by this day and how I feel right now--is THE reason why I think this is my last Ironman. Never say never, but for me, doing this 3x is likely enough. The IM day is SO worth it, but these rides are what erode me body, spirit--and especially mentally. Happy to be back into it for sure, but also feeling my personal limits.
If you need me in the next hour, I will be face down snoozing with Cali. Like pulling the plug on tomorrow and taking the day off. Got plenty to do the rest of the week--to say the least. Edit--feeling MUCH better now--might do EZ tomorrow, just to keep the bod moving. We'll see....
I hear everyone on the tired legs, building the mental six packs we'll need on race day, and just getting it done.
Saturday- drove up to the Boyle's place. Really wanted to work on hills for climbing/ killing myself, but also try to ride steady the rest of the time. We headed out and Dave was GONE! I stayed in my box and rode near Leigh when I could. When we hit the out and back for intervals it was about 25 minutes of FTP in one direction, 7 minutes recovery, and 30 minutes back (start and end were different ). Then lots of rollers to finish out the loop. Refuel at the house and we decided to hit a harder and hillier loop. It took the same amount of time but had fewer miles. When Leigh told me there was one hill that made her want to cry, I knew it was going to kick my a$$! It is unbelievable to be looking far off into the distance and see the top of a hill, and know that the only way back is dragging yourself over that thing. Especially when the biggest hill came about 2/3's of the way through the loop. We made 96 miles in 5.5 hours. Way over on time, but really made me feel good about IMWI.
Once home I made a quick presto change-o and we went to see "The Expendables". I enjoyed it, some funny moments. Just a way to pass the time. I stretched and foam rolled like it was my job before bed. Probably too much.
Sunday- Headed out on my usual Sunday route. Moments into the ride, my right knee is sore. I can tell it is soft tissue and not the joint. From the site of the pain, I am pretty certain I was a bit too aggressive with the foam roller at the knee. It didn't really slow me down, but I felt it the entire time. I worked to stay even after the first hour, but I was barely at .8
The BRick felt fine, no pain around the knee. Had to work to slow myself down through the whole run.
Way to go everyone on ride-----LP....u r rocking these! I skipped out and did a local sprint tri. Great weather, race, food and moojo! Also 1st in AG---not bad for this ole girl : 
Like Kit said---week 4 coming up...we can do this team....onward to the end!!!
Way to go everyone on ride-----LP....u r rocking these! I skipped out and did a local sprint tri. Great weather, race, food and moojo! Also 1st in AG---not bad for this ole girl :
Like Kit said---week 4 coming up...we can do this team....onward to the end!!!
Hey Kathy--CONGRATS! Old girl my a$$!!! I lurve our age group. Train like we do, and you win almost every sprint. It's a hoot! You were smart to do that today. I realized too late this morning that my all-time favorite sprint at the RI shore was today. I wnted to go so bad, but I never would have made the start. I was so tired yesterday, it I forgot all about it. It would have been just the ticket to change things up and have some fun. That was a good choice for today!
Comments
We must be getting really close because I'm starting to get real sappy all of a sudden. Better warn Joe- the next few weeks are going to be an emotional roller coaster!
Kathy- 2 hours on the trainer with intervals, UGH! Your just crazy!!
Bob- so sorry to hear about the tummy virus. Just focus on getting yourself healthy. We've only got a few more weeks- now is the time to start making sure we stay injury and illness free!
Kate- Snickers to the rescue!!! Love it. And I love that I know where you ride, 'cause I can sometimes imagine being out there with you when I'm on these long strait windy roads all alone.
Linda- Thank you soooooooo much for your FB post this morning. I was near meltdown when I saw all the responses you got and I feel a bit better now. Here's the scoop on my morning.
I have to get this 3 hour ride done NLT 9:30am or I'm in serious risky trouble (beach traffic- it's turnover day- so lots of tourons coming/going makes for a very unfriendly environment for cyclists). I slept a little later than planned and was really tired when I woke up but got myself out the door just at sunrise without grabbing any coffee (mistake). My legs were dead and tired, even the compression shorts were not helping, but I tried to suck it up and keep going. About 20 min into the ride my legs felt a little bit better (no longer sore, but still no "spring" to them), but I my focus just wasn't there. Cars were entering/exiting the road and my reaction time just wasn't what it should be. Hmmmmmm. Not a good state to be in on turnover day.
At a turn-a-round point (about 30 min out) I start to think that if I wasn't riding Fiona (who I'd never lay down in the sand) I could so easily just put down the bike and take a nap on the beach listening to the ocean. Suddenly I see a Oreo sized rock in the road but easily and quickly swerve to go around it when...... the rock lurches forward and lands under my wheel. CRUNCH
Crap, that was a ghost crab 
I'm welling up from hitting the poor thing and when I turn around I can see it all squished on the road. I'm so upset that I just can't ride any further (typing this now has my heart in my throat again). The universe was telling me to go home, and so I after just 1 hour of riding I returned home, crawled under a blanket on the couch, and went back to sleep.
Anyway, Linda, seeing all the responses to your FB post made me feel much less of a looser today- so thank you for that! I need to get my head together. Four more weeks. We can do this, right?
Linda: Way to totally ROCK that ride! So so happy for you! Such a confidence booster being able to nail a workout like that.
Bob: Hope you are feeling better soon!
Nemo: You poor thing! Ghost crab, huh? They are the same color as sand and concrete (hence the name)--of course you didn't see until the last minute! If it's any consolation, crustaceans and fish don't feel pain. Seriously, I read that in one of my fish books. Don't feel too bad. It's not bad karma if you didn't mean to do it.
Did someone post a Chrissy Wellington quote about how some workouts are stars while others are rocks, but that they were all stones with which we built our fitness? Well, I've tried to keep that in mind this weekend. Halfway through both rides I was LIGHTS OUT. So I did the OODA loop each time. Calories? seems fine. Hydration? looks good. Pains? Niggles? not really. Just legs that didn't want to turn another pedal stroke and my mind saying: Please, please, I beg of you...Ride home and lie on the couch! I know I'll hear this again on race day around mile 18 (and not sooner if I execute correctly
4 weeks to go, Team! We can DO this!!
All I can say about today is that I added to my rock pile too. Same story as many of you--legs just did not want to turn over. Everything muscle fiber in my legs and lungs was saying, nooooo. Since I went into it knowing I felt tired, my plan was to chunk up the 85% and do at least 8 x10 (2-3'). HAHAHAHAHAHA! I did 2. After that I just couldn't care. I would do a couple minutes at a time, use every hill to practice staying steady, but that was all I had. It was uggggggly--until the last hour. I think I was a little low on food, even though I had planned it all out. Got back on track with the eating and then had a late rally. I think it was more of the "horse smelling the barn" mental thing b/c the watts and the speed were no where better than the rest of the ride.
It's done--amen and hallelujah! 3:00:01--think I was obsessing about not going over???? 
Now the run felt great. Did MP and HMP without trying. Ran on the path near my house, and when I saw Keith and Cali coming the other way at 29', I called that sucker. We had planned to meet up so it was a perfect ending.
I have to say...this weekend--capped by this day and how I feel right now--is THE reason why I think this is my last Ironman. Never say never, but for me, doing this 3x is likely enough. The IM day is SO worth it, but these rides are what erode me body, spirit--and especially mentally. Happy to be back into it for sure, but also feeling my personal limits.
If you need me in the next hour, I will be face down snoozing with Cali.
Like pulling the plug on tomorrow and taking the day off. Got plenty to do the rest of the week--to say the least. Edit--feeling MUCH better now--might do EZ tomorrow, just to keep the bod moving. We'll see....
I hear everyone on the tired legs, building the mental six packs we'll need on race day, and just getting it done.
Saturday- drove up to the Boyle's place. Really wanted to work on hills for climbing/ killing myself, but also try to ride steady the rest of the time. We headed out and Dave was GONE! I stayed in my box and rode near Leigh when I could. When we hit the out and back for intervals it was about 25 minutes of FTP in one direction, 7 minutes recovery, and 30 minutes back (start and end were different ). Then lots of rollers to finish out the loop. Refuel at the house and we decided to hit a harder and hillier loop. It took the same amount of time but had fewer miles. When Leigh told me there was one hill that made her want to cry, I knew it was going to kick my a$$! It is unbelievable to be looking far off into the distance and see the top of a hill, and know that the only way back is dragging yourself over that thing. Especially when the biggest hill came about 2/3's of the way through the loop. We made 96 miles in 5.5 hours. Way over on time, but really made me feel good about IMWI.
Once home I made a quick presto change-o and we went to see "The Expendables". I enjoyed it, some funny moments. Just a way to pass the time. I stretched and foam rolled like it was my job before bed. Probably too much.
Sunday- Headed out on my usual Sunday route. Moments into the ride, my right knee is sore. I can tell it is soft tissue and not the joint. From the site of the pain, I am pretty certain I was a bit too aggressive with the foam roller at the knee. It didn't really slow me down, but I felt it the entire time. I worked to stay even after the first hour, but I was barely at .8
The BRick felt fine, no pain around the knee. Had to work to slow myself down through the whole run.
We are so close. And no more 4.5 hour rides!!!
Way to go everyone on ride-----LP....u r rocking these! I skipped out and did a local sprint tri. Great weather, race, food and moojo! Also 1st in AG---not bad for this ole girl : 
Like Kit said---week 4 coming up...we can do this team....onward to the end!!!
Hey Kathy--CONGRATS! Old girl my a$$!!! I lurve our age group. Train like we do, and you win almost every sprint. It's a hoot! You were smart to do that today. I realized too late this morning that my all-time favorite sprint at the RI shore was today. I wnted to go so bad, but I never would have made the start. I was so tired yesterday, it I forgot all about it. It would have been just the ticket to change things up and have some fun. That was a good choice for today!