Aug 11 2009
Accomplishment?
I’m trying to really focus on some training. Eat right. Workout consistently. Cross train. You know the drill, right? So, yesterday was time for my regular Mon/Wed tri training routine. I swim at lunch time. Then, go for a ride and run after work. The swim ended up being an intervals session. 600 yards total. Warm-up and cool down of 100 yards each with 8×50 on 45 sec in between with 15 sec rest. Not awesome, but I was feeling it – lack of good oatmeal breakfast hitting me? Anyway, then the afterwork ride was also an interval session 3x 6 minutes at just under threshold with 6 minute recovery. Just for good measure at the end of the workout I decided to ride up 1 of my fav climbs – River Mountain Road. It’s about 1 mile end-to-end (flat at both ends though) with an average gradient of 7% - call it 3/4 mile of actual climbing. Now, I remember clearly the first time I even made it up to the top; and, more clearly how miserably I failed in attempts to climb it before that initial success. This is a routine climb for everyone around here and something that many of us do on hill repeat days.
For some reason yesterday I decided to climb it in my big ring (50), or at least to try to climb it. I decided early on that I would just bail out rather than down shift and mark the spot where I stopped. I was completely surprised as I kept going and going, until I finally thought, “Hey! I’m gonna make this!” I definitely alternated between wanting to puke and thinking I might have a heart attack. And, I actually PASSED one guy that I consider a pretty good cyclist and athlete! I don’t know if it was the endorphins or what, but I immediately felt super strong and powerful for having done that climb. I was feeling very tired after those workouts and am in recovery mode today, but I’m stoked for the next session also.
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