RUN: 11.5 miles in 1:48
BIKE: 15 miles in :48
RUN: 6.5 miles in 1:00
Total of 15 bike miles, 18 run miles in 3.6hrs or 3hr 36 mins
Let me start by saying that this was the best run-bike-run set I’ve done to date. I didn’t fizzle at the end, I wasn’t hurting, and I didn’t just die later in the day. I’ve had a runner’s high going now for hours. But I can tell it’s coming to an end...
I was up at 3:45am after only 6 hours of sleep. (For all my worrying on nutrition and training hours, you’d think I’d worry about sleep as well). The plan was to run the 45 mins alone, then the rest of the first block with the group. Breakfast was a powerbar, banana, a few dates, and a bottle of Nuun water. When I arrived at the park, it was still dark so I took some lights with me. I figured that way the cars could aim for me better. I managed only 2 miles out before having to turn to go back. Those 2 miles hurt—my quads were tight, my hips inflexible—and I felt like I was moving along at a good clip though. Time and distance say otherwise.
Once back to the parking lot, I had a gel (Clif strawberry is good!) and some Nuun water during the brief break. Then we took off and I stayed with the slower paced group. This time I was more warmed up and actually feeling pretty good. I stopped a few times at fountains for water, knowing I needed to focus on this. I also stopped for a bio-break, something I don’t normally do in this run but I took it as a good sign that I was hydrating. I ran with LC for most of the loop and went with her until my 1:45 time was up. Then I rounded up to get 11.5 miles in 1:48.
I hopped on the bike dripping wet, it almost looked like I’d pee’d my pants, with a gel, a banana, and the aerobottle with cytomax. I started off with the banana, which I dropped halfway through eating! Nuts! I rode out of the park and up Midland, and unlike last week I pushed the pace to keep my HR up. I didn’t want this to be a rest break in the middle of the run. I had the gel at 30 mins, and got 70% of the way through the cytomax.
Back to the run. This time with the fuelbelt with 3 cytomax and 1 water. Again, I was soggy, I’m going to keep LC’s suggestion of changing clothes between the bike and run in mind. Just bring both pairs of club tri shorts. Anyway, this time around my 4th toe on the left foot immediately bothered me. After Tuesday’s run, it had a blistered callous where it rubs the 3rd toe. Nothing new, but right now it was bothersome. Adjusting the sock didn’t help, so off to the bathroom, then off to the trails this time running the loop backwards.
I started off feeling great, and recognizing another problem I have—I start off too fast and have nothing left at the end. So I dialed it back when I found the pace high, even though I just kept speeding up again. Another goal was to drink a mouthful of cytomax every 10 mins. I realized partway through that at that rate I wouldn’t empty the bottles, but it’s a start to see how the tummy feels with that rate of fluid intake. Even though the sun was out and the humidity high, I was feeling good. In fact, just feeling good made me feel all the better! I had the gel around 35 mins in and kept up with the cytomax.
This part of the run was nice, I didn’t look at the GPS. No pace, distance, or time, just run and let the mind wander. I have a feeling that a wandering mind and autopilot legs will be helpful in IMWI. That “just run” feeling where the miles slip away. My miles were just slipping away today, I didn’t even start looking until 50+ minutes in, the point at which I hit the flats and started for home. Still feeling peppy and energetic, I watched the pace and let it climb whenever I could do it. Still no pain or discomfort, just an easy run. I reached 6 miles at 55 mins and started a cool down, an even easier pace to start winding down. Since I’d “banked” 3 minutes in the previous run, I decided to stop at 6.5 regardless of time. As it turns out, I finished right at 59.5 minutes at the VC.
I immediately went indoors for the cool air and finished off the rest of the cytomax. There was only part of 1 bottle left and only .5 of the water. Not bad, and no sloshing in the tummy! I refilled the bottles with cold water and quickly took them in. This does upset the tummy, it doesn’t like all that water so fast, but my body needed it regardless of what the stomach thought about it. In the VC I chatted with another runner/walked. This kept me from stretching, I only got in a few standing leg stretches. Once home, I still didn’t stretch. But I did keep drinking water and had a small meal. I was feeling good, and I could tell the difference from previous weeks. What was the difference? Well, different days give different results, but I’d like to bet on the extra water in the morning. Not like it’s a bad idea, so I should do that on a regular basis.
Note on the rest of the day--actually stayed awake! No naps, no pain, no soreness. But I have that "breakable" feeling I get after long runs.
No comments:
Post a Comment