I suppose I should end my recovery session and start my RD exam studying but I'm envious of my chihuahua who makes it nearly impossible to get anything done.
He's just too cute, I can't help but love on him all day long.
This morning Karel and I parted on the road as he did the Open Road ride in town and I made my way to the beach for the Lodge ride. Looking forward to putting my new bike fit to the test, I figured that TriMarni would enjoy one of our favorite group rides.
After 20 miles, I met up with the group and the pace was fast. The lead group of around 15 guys was holding a crazy fast pace and I never grabbed a wheel to hang on. My group of around 25 guys (and one other female) tried our hardest to chase them down and with the lead guys in sight, of course we would get the red light. Bummer. I really wanted to push on this ride so I took a short cut in order to try to catch the lead group. I picked up my speed to all-out when I saw them coming because I knew I only had one chance to get on a wheel. I managed to get on and I just held on for dear life. The guys were riding crazy fast and my quads were working on overtime. I managed to stay on for a few miles but got dropped as the pace got to be ridiculously fast (I need to look at my power tap file to see how fast they were going and how hard, wattage-wise, I was pushing). I figured I was gaining a lot by doing intervals with the fast guys so I made a quick turn and time-trialed it again as I saw them coming toward me. I managed to get on a wheel (thanks to a helpful push from my friend Sean C.) and stayed on for several more miles. After an hour of what felt like VO2 intervals, I made a left turn and said good-bye (and thanks) to the guys. After 60 miles, I arrived at home and couldn't wait to tell Karel about the difference in my new fit. I felt AWESOME!
After grabbing my fuel belt, visor, hammer gel and radio, I headed out to what would end up being my longest run in over 4 months..not to mention my longest run off the bike in as far as I can remember. These transition runs ("run like a kid" as I like to call them, no gadgets, just running for time while focusing on form) are really helping out my base and I actually crave the run off the bike. I no longer do "solo" runs and it is now a habit for my body to run off the bike. This has taken several weeks to get to where I am right now, but I can tell you that my athletes are doing the same and are really seeing/feeling results.
I arrived home after a smooth 1-hour transition run and cooled-off with a shower and my 110% play harder ice, compression shorts. I think I am a bit of an anomaly because the heat doesn't significantly affect me in the summer. I try to use that in my favor by picking "hot" races. As for my athletes, who do struggle in the heat, I recommend for them to gradually acclimate to the heat by improving performance early in the morning or late in the evening and then when performance gains are reached, then moving workouts to later in the morning (on the weekends) when the time is appropriate (individual basis) to get acclimated to the heat. Because form and nutrition are often affected by the heat, it is important that you don't sacrifice every workout in the summer by trying to do all your workouts when it is extremely hot.
I wanted to share a fantastic website with my fabulous blog readers. OneTri.com has all your Triathlon gear, clothing, bikes, wheels, wetsuits, and other tri equipment...more than you could ever imagine. What I like about this website is that it has a lot of products that I use on an every day basis so it eliminates the need to pay for shipping from several different websites.
OneTri.com
Triathlon Store
Some of my favorite products on the site, which I use as part of my tri-training, include:
1) Accessories - http://www.onetri.com/accessories-c-32.html
2) 2xu and Zoot compression - http://www.onetri.com/compression-c-62.html
3) Swim goggles - http://www.onetri.com/swim-goggles-c-17_37.html
4) Everything bike related - http://www.onetri.com/bike-c-12.html
5) Fuel belts - http://www.onetri.com/hydration-packs-c-15_34.html (I don't leave my house without one when I am running)
6) Hammer Nutrition - http://www.onetri.com/nutrition-energy-drinks-c-26_28.html
What's great is that they have a great guarantee on purchases: We offer the best value on the planet, period. If you can find a lower advertised price (including shipping and handling charges) at another online or retail store on any product listed on our website, we'll beat it. Already bought from us? Just let us know and we'll refund you 110% of the difference.
You can also sign up for One Tri promotions & discounts by joining the email list and you can view videos so you know what you are purchasing.
If you are considering a great pair of bike shorts, I recommend Louis Garneau as they have the most comfortable clothing that I have ever worn. I have been wearing
the LG compression shorts for ALL of my runs in the past 2 years (I have not worn running shorts in over 2 years for a run).
Karel has a lot of LG clothing and I promise, they are worth the price! I know a lot of females complain about down-there issues and the padding is super comfortable for when you are riding. I suggest taking a look at them and trying them out.
Enjoy..happy shopping!!