Top of the Key

Recap:
Friday morning included a tempo run of 8 miles - 11 total.  2 shy of what I did 2 weeks ago.  This time I ran with water, strapped on the camelbak.  Ran well despite the hard workout from Thursday.  Swam 1000 yards to stretch it out in the afternoon.  Then a well needed massage.  My legs were in dire need of some work, Jess fixed up my IT bands which have grown a lump somehow.  Ice, heat, Ice is what the doctor (Jess) recommended.

Saturday: 4400 swim, 100 bike, 6 run
Monster day for me.  Swim was a solo mission at the NBRC to get in 4400 yards.  Usually swim with Craig, but didn’t work out this Saturday.  I biked up to the center, swam, and then biked home.  I guess I worked my legs more than I thought, because as I started the bike, it was not an easy feeling.  The plan was to head up Lefthand, through Ward, Peak to Peak, back down St. Vrain, Lyons and then out to Hygene.  I have never fully biked up over Ward, i’ve stopped at Lickskillet Road numerous times.  But that last stretch is pretty steep to say the least.  Jeff told me there was a water spicket just below the town of Ward which you can refuel at, and make the final push to Peak to Peak.  He actually did this ride the other day and did 2 laps, including riding south on 36 which is the toughest stretch of that road.  I kept thinking when I was on Peak to Peak…there’s no way I could do another lap…how the hell did he do that, and how did he do it so fast.

Legs were shot about half way up to Ward.  I was pushing it just to keep moving.  And then top of Peak to Peak, struggled some more.  Finally, tried to stay in the zone on the way down St. Vrain, and the burn in the legs was pretty hot.  Getting to Lyons was just one little goal.  I still had 40 miles to put in.  Hit the Hygene store for the usual ‘kick’, but that didn’t seem to work.  So I tried one last thing at another store, GoFast…I think that did it.  Picked me up a little, just enough to make it home with 100 miles.  A few breakdowns during the ride, but got through them.  I don’t have any clue how the hell I finished that ride.  Then I started to think about the run.  Tim had 8 on the plan, and at race pace if I felt good.  Feel good?  Yeah, not today, I feel awful…legs feel awful…stomach is not so good.  Head is slowly drifting away.

Saw Jess for a few minutes downstairs while I got ready for the run, and she said this run would be all mental…ALL MENTAL.  How true is that.  I thought to myself I would just go out and do 6, if that much.  And see how I felt.  I had little hope for a good run.  Out the door from the bike within 5 min., quick transition.  And bear in mind this would be the 3rd day straight of hard running.  2 of which were off hard bikes.  I started out trying to creep up to z3, and just went at it. First mile, 7:30!…Wow, wait a minute.  I rarely can run this first mile in under 8, it’s hilly, and usually at the start of a run where i’m not in the groove.  At that point, i just said to myself, “Keep going until the wheels come off”.  No holding back, just run your pace, and then if you cramp, get dizzy, puke, whatever, you stop.  That ended up never happening.  I ran the whole run under 8min pace and the last mile was actually feeling really good.  But I know I was in the zone.  Didn’t really take in what was around me, just focused on the moment.  Somehow got it done.  Got home, and crashed hard…mentally, Jess was there for me, thank god.  And my big Berner, Lhasa was really concerned.  She came right upstairs and stayed with me while I as sprawled on the living room floor.  THAT WAS AN IRONMAN EFFORT, AND THAT’S HOW IT’S GOING TO FEEL.  I now have some small insight into what it’s going to take to run my pace at ironman.

Flight or Fight.  That’s was today was.  From my swim, to the bike, to the run.  I had many chances for flight, but each time I stepped up and fought my way back in.  I could have bagged that bike at mile 60, and a few more times after that.  But didn’t.  And same with the run.  I could have stopped and just said no way…I’m not doing this.  But my brain switched to fighting through it.

Sunday:
Biked for about 3 hours or so.  A few miles out to the Res where Jess was running the Backroads 1/2, a few more miles trying to catch up to Jess to see her along the way, and then back home.  Got in my 45 for the day, which puts my weekly total on the bike at 276 miles.  Creeping up to the 300.  Gearing up for another hard week.  Just received my plans.  Time to get back at it.

Jess had a great race today.  I’m so pumped she beat her goal time.  She looked strong, mentally focused and really hitting her stride in prep for the Cape Cod Marathon in October.