rest ... now back to the grind

Bike - 92 miles, 6:03, Ave Sp. 15.3mph, hilly - round trip Cross Plains to Spring Green plus detour
Run - 2.3 miles, 19:54 - transition run

Back to the grind today. I started the day at 7 am from Festge Park in Cross Plains. It was cold with patches of dense fog at first, but became warm, sunny, and humid after a few hours despite the forecast for rain and clouds. I planned to go 80 miles today but took a wrong turn that ended up adding 12 miles. In 6 hours out there I only saw 2 other cyclists total. I guess this wasn't a very popular route or something. It was on parts of the Horribly Hilly ride course and had a good mix of hills and flat stretches. I enjoyed my compact crank even more today than the other day. My transition run was actually no big deal today, which I think had something to do with having easier gears for the hills. I have never felt as good on a post-bike run as I did today.

Today's Nutrition:
Pre-ride - 1 bagel with peanut butter and jelly, 1 piece banana bread
During-ride -
1 bottle plain water
1 bottle water with Nuun electrolyte tablet
1 bottle mix: 1 1/2 scoops Sustained Energy, 4 scoops endurolytes, 1 packet banana hammer gel
1 bottle gatorade (1 1/2 scoops)
1 bottle Heed (1 scoop)
2 clif bars
handful of pretzels

-Comments on nutrition: I felt hungry and thirsty at times during the ride. I could have had more solid food. Heed tastes like chewed up pills - this is not a good drink for me to use to encourage drinking. My stomach felt good during the run. I had a light headache at times during the ride and lingering into the evening after the ride. I think I would have been prepared for a cool ride, but it got hotter than I was expecting. Next time - one water bottle per hour + solid food?

[Saturday 7/20/06]
REST Day

I can't remember the last time I took an entire Saturday off of training. I felt like such an iconoclast today because I knew that all the other Ironman people were out there slaving away on their mega bike-run bricks in the heat. Meanwhile, I was leisurely browsing the farmers market, taking myself out to breakfast, sipping tea at a coffeeshop, taking a nap, and relaxing in the hot tub at the gym. This day was as mentally rejuvenating as it was physically rejuvenating.

This week is going to be a long hard week, followed by a taper week and a half-Ironman race. Keeping focused through all this is going to take everything I have. I have been at it for 7 months solid and the end is just within sight. Ironman is exactly 7 weeks from tomorrow.

[Friday 7/21/06]
REST Day

I was planning to go to Boulder, CO today for a week to train and work on a freelance web project. That is not going to happen. I am just too tired. It has been so hot that I haven't slept well and am getting to a state of overtraining that my body can't recover from. I need rest and recovery and all my energy needs to go into my upcoming hard week of workouts. I am going to stay home instead to get myself in a better state of being. I am cranky, indecisive, sleepy, worn-out, and pretty much useless for anything but sitting.

I took some extra time today (between naps) to clean and organize my house. Things had gone on far too long. Step 1 to feeling like my life is under control.

[Thursday 7/20/06]
Run - 6 miles, 50:32 - on lakeshore path (flat), hot conditions
Swim - 2000m, 45:14 - main set: 12 x 100 @ 1:45-1:53 on 2 min

Ok, so now I know I haven't lost all my running speed. After my recent race runs, I have started to wonder. I just need to make sure I do some runs where I force myself to push the pace and not let up. I got the new Red Hot Chili Peppers CD Stadium Arcadium and this kept me moving along today. There are some great songs on there.