Making Up For Lost Time

After feeling guilty about barely training at all this week, I more than made up for it today.

Early this morning we had another brick workout (run/bike/run). My shins had been hurting just a little from my 4 mile run on Thursday, but they seemed in good enough condition today. We started out with a quick 1 mile run, and then hopped on our bikes for the long haul.

I was shooting for 18 miles today. We were biking the Sammamish River Trail and 'Hollywood Hill.' For some reason that word "hill" didn't register in my mind until I actually saw the monster. It was about 7 miles into our ride and I asked the person next to me "Are we biking up that?!?". Once that was confirmed, I started to feel a little panicky. Actually, I think my exact reaction was "No f*#$-ing way!!"

I didn't even make it a full minute up that hill before my lungs felt like they were going to burst. Our biking coach Lance came back to help me and give me some pointers. He was so nice about it! He rode with me the entire way, letting me stop a few times to catch my breath. That stupid MOUNTAIN was at least 2 miles up. He kept telling me that it would have been a lot easier if I had clip pedals (small pedals that you buy special shoes for to clip in and out of - you basically become a PART of the bike). With clip pedals I would have been able to pull up on my pedals, not just push down. My quads were incredibly fatigued afterwards and I definitely had to lean back and rely on my glutes a big part of the way.

BUT! I made it! And then I continued to bike - for 11 more miles. I mistook the directions and ended up biking 22 miles total. Whoops... Then I ran another mile. THIS time I could definitely feel the infamous sensation of switching from the bike to the run. My legs were all noodle-y and my balance was completely off. At least my chest and back didn't feel as tight afterwards like my last ride.

I followed up my 3 hour ordeal with a heaping plate of biscuits and gravy - a just reward, to be sure.

Now for sleep.