This was the longest weekend of workouts I have completed to date. The further I get into this Silverman specific training (3 weeks in as of today) the more pleased I am that every workout Coach writes is measured in terms of time and not miles.
Yesterday was a bike ride. The plan said ride 2:30 so I rode for 2:30.
Last weekend I rode for 2:30 (when the plan called for 2:15 – I went a few minutes over), and got xx miles. Yesterday at 2:30 I was three miles short of xx. Let's just say if I had to crank out another three miles after yesterday's hilly, WINDY, hot, traffic infested, sucky ride I would have probably exploded all over the pavement with anger and frustration. But 2:30 is 2:30 no matter what day of the week it is, no matter how many miles get ridden, no matter how tired, angry, happy, sad, motivated, or unmotivated I am that day.
I think it was the wind that made yesterday suck the most. When you are tired to begin with, hitting a wall of wind, having cars with trailers pass you every other second while pedaling in your easiest gear on a false flat and feeling like you are biking through quicksand . . . . well it saps your energy. It drains you. And in my case, it makes you angry. I found myself yelling profanities every time a car or truck towing a damn trailer passed me. Izaac would ride back and forth between me and Kelly. He did this because I was so slow, I was lagging behind. I convinced myself at least 100 times that I suck and why am I doing this. I should quit. I am not cut out for this.
Then Kelly got a flat. Upon reaching her I stopped to offer moral support while she changed the tire. Took twenty minutes, give or take and I was glad for the break. But after starting again I was even angrier. I felt no better, no more rested, than I did before stopping. Still pedaling through quicksand. With an hour to go. I was not sure how I would make it. Izaac had doubled back to see where we were and he rode with Kelly to the cars so she could pump her tire. I kept going. Had I stopped at the cars I would have quit. And despite the mean voices telling me that I sucked, there was no way I was quitting. Not this year. I forced myself to keep going. We ended up riding the last thirty minutes together, each of us pretty tired by this point. We opted for the "easiest" route out there, though there really is no easy route out at Lake Mead. Especially not yesterday. The hills are relentless and if you are tired, hot and angry they are even worse. Thank goodness for training partners. For me, they are helping to keep me honest, keep me working as hard as I need to!!
Today I had a 1:40 zone 1 run and a 30 minute recovery ride. It was overcast and windy for the run and I got rained on. BONUS, and I mean that in a good way. These storms we have been having make being outside so much more bearable. I was not angry today. J
My nutrition for the run is spot on. I've been doing sweat tests, and my combo of water, Gatorade Endurance, Thermolytes and gel has been working nicely. I should have sweat tested the bike workout yesterday but was not motivated to get it together and write everything down in the early morning. Yesterday for the first time I had a Cliff Bar on the bike. This was my first attempt at solids while riding. It worked out well. I liked the flavor of the bar (apricot) and I cut it into small squares so it was easy to eat. There will be plenty more long rides to sweat test to make sure that my nutrition is dialed. That is the one thing that went well yesterday. I nailed my nutrition plan exactly as I had laid it out. That is going to be SO crucial for Silverman. More important than speed. More important that my ego. Nutrition, nutrition, nutrition!! I want to have a decent – NO I want to have a great run!!! Only way to do that is to nail the nutrition on the bike.
Finally I forced myself to get on the bike this afternoon for thirty minutes while watching What Not To Wear. I feel good now.
All in all it has been a great week for my workouts. Everything completed, some things nailed, others survived. But I did all of it. And next week is a recovery week!! YAY I'M READY!
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