Post ToC Recovery and Training
I'd like to see how everyone handled their recovery and transitioned back to training for whatever races they have planned. We've already seen that Dan kept it rolling quite well with his Big Mac Attack Ride and Rich made some new friends in Denver.
For me, I didn't do anyting until Wed when my wife finally kicked me out of the house and said I better get back at it. 
I ran a heavy legged 6.4 miles and did the same thing on Thurs for only 5 miles. Friday was off but spent time getting my TT bike ready for a century on Sat. First time on the TT bike since last September. 
Whoops. Rode over to the bike shop just in time to roll out. Plan was to ride it aggressively. 5 min in, plan was out the window. Flat. 2 CO2 catridges didn't fill the new tube, walked back to the shop, they couldn't find the object, but was able to hold air. Ended up riding solo for 90' with zero mojo. I so missed my fellow ToC campers. I needed a KOM sign like you wouldn't believe. Good news is I was home much earlier than expected and had a nice day with the fam.
Sunday, I ran 12 miles which is a huge milestone for me. Right before ToC, my slow road to running recovery got me up to 10 miles, but after ToC, it felt like I was starting all over again.
Did a quick 4 miler last night and am ready to actually follow the training plan this week. My Wed ride will be my local 11.4 mile TT. This will allow me to estimate my FTP on my TT bike so I can get my numbers for the remainder of training leading up to IMLP.
My mojo to continue on with IM training was very, very low this weekend. I've actually wondered if I should just bag it. I think it was a combo of fatigue from ToC, wondering if my run would be ok, and adjusting to the TT bike after months of it collecting dust. Mojo is coming back, my run is better, and I'm sure I'll adjust to my TT bike.
How's everyone else adjusting?
Dave
Comments
I'd say I'm fairing about the same as you. Most of all, miss my TOC buddies!!! Here's what my post TOC week looked like:
Sunday: Nothing (unless you consider a walk on the beach training)
Monday: Nothing (lots of intentions to swim & go to yoga, but jet lag just killed all hope)
Tuesday: 40 minutes of slow pathetic dead legged running
Wednesday: Nothing- again, lots of intentions to swim, but......
Thursday: Planned to do a "long run" but had to shut it down after 70 min of feeling puffy and sluggish. Thursday night I finally got a massage- AAAAAAAAH that was great (in the painful but good kinda way)
Friday: I'll swim right? yeah, right!
Saturday: Race Rehearsal for a Half IM. Surprisingly this felt pretty good- even the run.
Sunday: I finally swam!! Ocean swim, can't beat it
Monday: 70 min run, slow & hot, but not bad
Tuesday: Brick. Could NOT (seriously, no way in hell, not happening, even with Rich pointing a gun to my head) hit any of the intervals. I was lucky to get a ABP ride out of it.
I've got Eagleman HIM coming up in 2 weeks so technically I'm in taper mode. Which is probably a good thing! Hopefully my legs will bounce back and I'll have a little Mojo return to get excited about IMWI training. Right now the thought of a 2x20 makes me ill. Where's the KOM sign???
Tues: another Garmin-free, I'm-Prefontaine run with my old dog
Wed: I'm gonna jump on the trainer and put out Cancellara type watts. I jump on the trainer and put out barely enough watts to light a night light. Complete power outtage. I'm talking couldn't hold 90% FTP for more than 3 minutes.
Thurs: Yet another Garmin-free, watch-out-Robert-Cheriyot-I'll-show-you-what's-up run with old dog
Friday: A 90 min mtb ride---no PM, of course. But I feel great. Climbing all in the middle chain ring.
Sat: 2 hour group ride with lots of stops (3 flats---none of them mine, but apparently I was the only one in the group who knew how to change one). IF=0.68 so, of course, I feel like freaking Dave Zabriskie. The delusions continue.
Sun: 70 min trail run with Nathalie. Reality finally sets in. Her Vdot is way higher than my old dog's. Legs are dead, lead, my dreams of speed mislead.
Mon: 90 easy spin with friends...IF=0.67 then my first OWS
Today...I had plans of "returning to form". Ha! I get home from work and promptly pass out on the couch. It's apparently a recovery day. Ha!
Tomorrow I shall try those intervals again on the trainer. Expectations have been adjusted downward.
This week: 2 mile open water swim/race on Sunday with no verve, run 1 hour Monday felt good, short run today, run long tomorrow, easy bike Thursday, HIM in CT on Sunday. DO NOT want to travel again, but looking forward to the work.
Dave, glad to hear your run is coming around. June is run month. Your bike seems to be okay.
Nemo, good luck at Eagleman. Hope it's not stinkin' hot that day.
Kit, Keep bouncing back. I swear that the cold turkey on the camaraderie and the laughs is not good for the legs.
Chris, major props for doing a half this weekend. I'd probably keel over!
Last week for me was pretty mellow. Totally off Monday + swim Tuesday. Wed and Thursday were short and easy runs and Friday was an hour or so run with some tempo work. Rode 2.5-3 both days this weekend and ran long on Monday. It's hit or miss. My legs just burn on rides but I can still hammer and not be a total slouch even if the PRE is through the roof.
Have an Oly on Sat and a long ride Sunday. Hoping to be back to the full schedule next week.
Miss you guys!
I mentioned to someone earlier this week, swimming is a GREAT way to get your legs back, as is a massage. As for knowing you're back, it's more about being able to finish the latter half of your long workouts -- not setting a new vDOT or FTP value.
Patrick
I thought since I had strong weekend I had recovered fast and was back on track to go at it. Boy was I wrong come Monday morning I felt like I had been hit by a truck, took the day off, and tried to go at it Tuesday with 1 mile intervals but struggled through them and cut the hour run short too just 40 minutes. But e 30/30's on Wednesday were refreshing And new but the brick run after I struggled again. Then to the hot humid 2 hour run this morning and 17+ miles, which I hit all paces except the final couple miles at mp. But legs feel really toasted from the run.
I think I am slowly feeling another boost coming in bike and run all I'm sure from our huge week at ToC. Really wish I were back in Cali riding some monster hills.
All my friends asked me how ToC was, and I told them the truth - hard as heck and totally worth it. And then they asked me if it made me miss Cali more, and my response was - of course - ABSOFREAKINLUTELY! Gotta find a way to get back out there.
Did nothing but easy runs the week after ToC. Not by design, but because the legs felt like concrete. Missed my bike delivery on Friday and didn't get it back until two days ago. Did a short ride yesterday and the legs still felt very tired.
P