Does the fact that I finished an 81 mile bike ride make up for the fact that I skipped one swim session and one 90 minute bike session mid-week? I hope so!
Exhaustion set in this week, big time. On Friday night Nick and I went to a nice low key dinner at a friend’s house and I was yawning at 8pm. Someone commented, “Hey aren’t you still 20 – something? Why are you yawning on a Friday night?”
I’m sure long distance triathletes have more in common with 6 year olds than with people our own age. On the weekends in the summer, we run all around town, ride our bike with friends and go swimming…sometimes in places no one else would really want to swim, such as the river…gross! We also get cranky if not fed at regular intervals. We get up before “Saturday Morning Cartoons” and sometimes… have been know to fall asleep before it even gets dark. Did you know that some… (not me…I still think that is gross!!) even pee their pants on the bike because they just don’t want to get off the bike (to save time)?
However, when I got up this morning, it certainly was not to watch cartoons. After worrying about the weather, and about getting lost I packed up my bike and off I went to join the team for a nice long 80 miler. I wound up doing most of the second half on my own, but it was great mental toughness training. Luckily it barely rained until the run. Then, it just poured and poured on us. I kept getting a call around mile four and finally answered it. Turns out Nick heard there was a TORNADO warning where we were running! No wonder it was coming down hard. Four of us were together and the adrenaline really kicked in as we finished our fifth mile like we were being chased. I made it home safe and sound.
Almost every Sat brick from this point on will be a milestone for me. Next week I cycle 25 miles and run….EIGHTEEN miles! I can not wait.