Countdown to B2B: 4 weeks (Week of September 24)

Just like last week was a “kind of” stepback week, this week was “kind of” the first peak week. A little schedule flopping to make things work with life, never hurt anyone, right?! It still ended up being a pretty big week, but without the big ride at the end, it wasn’t as much volume as I picture a “true” peak week. Trying to squeeze in everything before the weekend definitely took its toll and I was MORE than ready for a rest day on Sunday. The higher mileage (maybe too big of a jump?) also had an affect and my right hip was a little angry after Saturday’s 15-miler.

Monday – Master’s Swim: 3100 yds + 7 mile tempo w/4 miles @ 7:30: It was COLD at 6 a.m. on Monday (air temp about 54*, but the water was perfect). Monday is long distance day at Master’s, so we did a mile straight swimming (~22 min) plus a 1/2 mile straight at the end.

I never run after work. Like, never. But the only way to fit it all in this week without back-to-back hard running workouts was to do the tempo after work Monday. My legs were a little heavy and my stomach was iffy (thank goodness for a port-a-potty on the route), but it was a decent run. It was: 1 mile easy, 2 miles at tempo (7:21, 7:25), 1 mile easy, 2 more miles at tempo (7:21, 7:20) and 1 cool down mile.

Tuesday – Brick: 20.4 miles, ~1:13 (16.6 mph) + 2.41 mile run (8:19 min/mile): Another cold morning for a ride. My car read 49* when I pulled up to Char’s house. I bundled up and we headed out for a nice rolling ride, followed by 20 min. of running. I promised myself I could go as slow as I wanted, but an easy effort turned out to be a pretty decent pace.

Wednesday – 8.41 miles Speed work: 3x2000m + 31.4 mile ride, ~1:52 (16.8 mph): I ran to the track for a 2-mile warm-up (why have I been driving to the track all summer?!) and started the repeats as soon as I got there. I didn’t really know what pace to use for this distance, but I fell into a 6:50 pace after the first few laps of the first 2000 (1.25 miles) so I decided to keep it there and see how things went. I felt strong and kept reminding myself each repeat that it was supposed to be hard. 8:33, 8:31, 8:31.

After being outside for a work-related community service project all day, the last thing I wanted to do was get on my bike in the afternoon. The whole group was heading to happy hour at 4:00, while I was reluctantly preparing to spend the next 1:45 in the saddle. (insert sad face here) I met Jenni at the Y and we actually had a pretty decent, very rolling ride on a new-to-us route.

Final Product of the Day’s work!

Thursday – Brick: 20.9 mile ride, ~1:17 (16.3 mph) + 2.46 mile run (8:07 min/mile): I was solo on this ride for the first time in a while. I was not looking forward to it, but other than being a little chilly, it wasn’t bad, just a little slow. When I finished, the last thing I wanted to do was run for 20 min. but I went out on an out-and-back route and focused on getting to 10 min. and I knew the back half would be much better. 

Friday – Master’s Swim: 3150 yds. + 20.2 mile bike, ~1:17 (15.8 mph): Middle distance day at Master’s. Lots of 100′s, alternating hard/easy. Tough workout but it went by quickly.

Rode on the trail by myself after swimming because there just aren’t many good options to ride from my house. It is slow to get to the trail and there is quite a bit of stopping and starting at intersections, but I had a good 26 min tempo in the middle where I held a strong average. Overall my legs just felt dead and I felt tired.

Saturday – 15 mile run (8:16 min/mile): I am always excited to run somewhere different, especially if that place is flat and cool. I have done a few long runs from my in-laws’ house in Morton, IL, so I took off with a pretty general idea of a route in my head. I really, really enjoyed the run and it felt great running for 2+ hours for the first time since January.

Sunday - OFF: MUCH needed rest day

• Swim = 6250 yds
  
• Bike = 93 miles
• Run = 35.4 miles (eeek…BIG week!)
• Time = 12 hrs. 25 min.