On the Road Again

Today marked my first ride on the open road of the year and of the new season ... and it sucked.

I had a 4 hour ride and 45 minute run on the schedule and the temps indicated that it would be a good day for an outdoor ride. I purposely started later than usual because the morning temps were cool in the 40s, but the forecast had them climbing to 70 by Noon.

I went into the ride with low expectations. I knew I would not have the power that I had in late August leading up to Cedar Point and I didn't want to be disappointed. I also knew to expect some wind. Both expectations were met. I felt pretty flat for much of the ride and the wind, oh the wind. There were points that I just didn't want to keep pedaling, but I suffered through the wind.

My body ached during the ride, probably from gripping the aero bars so hard in the windy sections- and it still aches now. I was wiped after the 4 hours but ended up with a decent run, probably because I was just happy to be off my damn bike. I was thankful that I downloaded a new audio book for this brick because I really needed the distraction today.

My boys have been sick with coughs and fever all weekend and I have started coughing tonight. In retrospect, I have been a bit sluggish and sleepier than usual this weekend. I rarely experience aches on the bike, so I think my body was telling me something.

So, the bad news is that my ride sucked. The good news is that "skunk is off the porch" and it should only get better from here (or at least I am going to keep telling myself this so that I will keep getting on my bike!).

One thing is for certain, the next time I am stuck on the trainer I will not complain!

Too Hot to Handle

The joys of traveling and training ...

Woke up in chilly Ft. Smith, Arkansas this morning on business and decided not to tempt fate by running outside in the dark in an unfamiliar area, especially when ice was a possibility.

I opted instead for the hotel "gym", a room just large enough for two old school treadmills, an elliptical, a bench with free weights and a recumbent bike. There was not room for much of anything else, including walking around room. My hotel room itself was definitely larger than this cubicle of a hotel gym. Sadly, this hotel actually had better facilities than the hotel I stayed at last week ...

There was an old school big box TV mounted on the wall on a news station, but no volume, so I ran with tunes and decided to make the best of it. What I didn't bargain for was the heat. There was no fan in the room and the heat must have been on high because I was drenched within a mile and my heart rate was screaming. It wasn't as hot a Bikram yoga session, but you are also not running during yoga, so I will call it a tie.

I was spent after 5 miles and had to take 15 minutes to cool down before getting in the shower. It was definitely not my finest run, but it is in the books and I stayed the course despite wanting to quit at the halfway point. Score 1 for winning the mental challenge. Can I count that as heat training for IMTX?