Race Week

Well with Memorial Day behind us, it is now time for race week. Nothing too rigorous scheduled for me this week with my race on Sunday down in New Brighton MN. I know 2 other people doing this race with me so that should be fun.

I put locklaces on my shoes today and gave those a try on my run. Much easier to get into and I don't have to tie them. Seems like it will work out well.

The family is all heading down with me this weekend to the race. We will be heading down on Saturday and staying in a hotel. So it should be fun.

Biking with my Daughter

So my daughter was the one that got me into swimming 2.5 years ago as I would take her to the pool on weekends for some extra swimming and swim with her. Now it seems I am getting her into biking. She is using my wife's old bike and has been riding it around the neighborhood and she started taking it to school.

My wife and I both remember riding our bikes all over our towns when we were her age so we are encouraging this new activity. I think she likes the freedom it gives her too.

So today she wanted to go out for a bike ride, and I asked if I could come with. I suggested that we go across the highway and ride a different road than she normally does. So we did a 5 mile ride today (she led, I drafted 😂). 

In case you were wondering, neither of us like running. 

Is Bike/Run/Golf a Sport?

Change of scenery today, rode up and back on scenic 61 which is part of my A race Superiorman bike route. Road was really nice and view good too. I wished I had my gopro or somthing installed on my bike. There were wisps of fog that lingered from the lake and crossed the road in places. It was beautiful.

The route was mostly flat with small hills, only one required going to my small gear. So I really pushed it today. Rode out for 45 minutes then turned around. Legs definitely feeling it especially after running yesterday but turned out good. Good overall power and speed over 20mph!

Then I did a 10 minute run. I feel so ridiculous. I feel like I am just shuffling my feet as my legs try to get used to running after biking. But I stuck with my run/walk timing and finished my run.

By this time I was pretty hungry. Though I had eaten a bagel with peanut butter before the ride, I was ready for some more food. So I headed to the golf course. I took a shower and then ordered up a breakfast sandwich. Bacon, egg and cheese on a couple of thick slices of toast. OMG that tasted so amazing!

Then it was time to play some golf. I had long since missed my friends playing so I just went out and played alone. I like to do this during slow times as it gives me a chance to practice. I play two balls, and practice chipping and putting on the various greens.

So nearly 7 miles of walking on our hilly course for my 18 holes and my unique Bike/Run/Golf triathlon was over. I need a nap.

Active Cross Training

So with my weekend basically off from training, and with no other plans, we decided to head to Green Bay to visit my parents for the weekend. We flew over on Saturday, visited, had some cocktails and steaks and a great time relaxing.

Sunday my training plan called for "active cross training." I am still not exactly sure what that means. I don't really do anything other than what is on my training plan except golf. So my dad and I did go play golf in the morning, but we rode a cart so it really wasn't much exercise.

However, I decided that I wanted to take my daughter down to a creek that I used to go to as a kid. So we drove over there, and it has changed a lot since I was a kid. There is now a nice big paved multi-use path available. We followed the dirt trail along the creek for an out and back of around 2 miles.

It was nice to have that little bit of daddy/daughter time. She is 11 going on 18 and I know my time with her is going to be limited as she gets older.

Wind Chill? Seriously?

So today I had to put my bike back on the trainer. On Tuesday we had record highs, today, it is 38 degrees and 30 with the wind chill. Oh well, we take the good with the bad up here in northern Minnesota.

It's been 9 days in a row of hard workouts, so I am looking forward to the day off tomorrow.

Terrible Run

That sucked.

My training plan called for a 45 minute run today. I did it this evening before dinner. I did the same route as last week because I enjoyed it. I used 2:45/0:45 for my intervals today. So more running more often.

But it went terrible. Everything felt "heavy". Even my arms felt heavy. It took everything I had mentally to just finish today. No energy or something.

In the end, it was all of 2 minutes longer for me to finish this run than last week, and I toughed it out. I read about the "mental" aspect of the sport and maybe this is one of those times.

My coach asked me if it was warm out and the answer was yes. It was over 80 degrees here for the first time since last summer. It cooled off quite a bit as the run went on, but maybe those first miles in the heat just took their toll on me. I am definitely not used to running in the heat.

Another Brick

So yesterday I did another long ride followed by a run. Training plan called for a 1:30 "easy" bike ride and a 10 minute run. I scoped out a ride that was a couple of miles longer than the last time I rode to try and avoid a long stretch of vibration inducing road. I traded that in for a 1 mile stretch of absolutely terrible roads. Had to ride the brakes on the downhills because it was so bad.

I had fresh legs, and I felt really good when I started so I pushed the power today. Another 5w of normalized power higher on this ride than last week. Lots of hills, and the new route added some seriously steep ones too.

The last 7 miles or so my legs were just jelly and it was a struggle into the wind on those last rollers. But I set some PR's, some segment PR's too.

I tried to push it on the up hills, and then relax on the power a bit on the down hills to allow my legs to recover some.

Not sure if I am following directions for an "easy bike" but when I feel good I just go for it.

Then there was the run. That was tough. Legs and calves didn't want to do anything. It definitely takes a bit for my body to get used to running after biking.

I went out for 5 minutes and then turned around and came back. I hit 10:00 at exactly 1 mile at the end of my driveway.

It was a beautiful day, and a great way to spend a couple of hours on a Sunday morning.

Golf/Swim Duathlon?

So I had a work engagement in the middle of the week which prevented me from going swimming on Thursday morning. So my training plan called for swimming on Saturday. I don't think I have ever swam on a Saturday other than a swim meet.

So as I usually do, I played golf on Saturday morning. I find the nice long walk a compliment to my more intense triathlon training. So after 18 holes of golf, I headed down to the Y for a swim. It was open swim, and when I arrived there were two kids in the shallow end of the pool, but the 3 lanes reserved for lap swimming were empty.

So I went about my workout. Soon after, the kids left, and it was just me and the lifeguard. I breezed through my workout and headed home.

It is going to be interesting how I can fit in my weekend training with my desire to golf with friends.

Water

So I did an afternoon run today of almost 5 miles. It was a route I had done before, but I added the 1/4 mile of my culdesac to the trip. I ran it in almost the same time as without the extra distance so I am getting a bit faster it seems.

The weather is getting a little warmer now and I am finding that I am wanting water when I run. I may need to find a way to carry some water with me.