Giant Week

My first week of being unemployed lead to an enormous volume of training. The smoke finally cleared and I got over my cough, and ended up with a lot of good workouts. I'd call it a "bike focused" week because I rode that 50 mile loop twice and did very little running. I passed on the 5k, which is fine. I was not mentally or physically prepared to put forth that kind of effort.

Here's how the rest of the week went:

Thursday afternoon: bike
25.1 miles/1:33:17/16.1 MPH
Check out that average speed! A personal best. And truly "personal" because I did this ride, all on the roads, alone. That's a first!

Thursday later that afternoon: run
4.0 miles/35:59/9:00 pace

Friday am: swim
2500 yards/1:01:57
Special 4th of July Master's swim. Got invited to a bbq held by one of the coaches and spent the evening eating, drinking, and talking about swimming. Fun, mellow party, and very fun to see the coaches drunk.

Saturday: hangover/rest/shopping

Sunday mid-day: bike
50.0 miles/3:42:25/13.4 MPH
Redwood Road Loop again with Zach. Our speed wasn't much faster than Tuesday but I felt a million times better on the climbs. The second half got really really HOT, like over 100, so we couldn't push as hard on the way home. I stupidly didn't follow my nutrition plan (was going to practice race-day snacks) so I was pretty tired at the end. Got home, had a smoothie, cooled off a bit then headed out for a brick run:

Sunday afternoon: run
3.0 miles/27:49/9:17 average pace
It was u-g-l-y. I did what I could though, which was jog pathetically while dumping water on my head and stopping in the shade every 1/2 mile. I got a bad side cramp and felt kinda woozy. It had to be upper 90's if not 100+. It was probably unnecessary to put myself through that but I was disappointed in my low running miles for the week. Plus, my race will probably be a comparable sufferfest, so it was good mental training.

TOTALS for the week
17 miles Run, 140.7 miles bike, 7900 yards swim

TOTAL training time: 15 hours 50 minutes

Training is the new working. Also, stressing out about what I'm going to do with my life is the new relaxing with a beer after work. But still, awesome.

This coming week will be less volume and more of a "run focused" week. I'm doing that half-marathon on Sunday and I'll try to get in three runs before then. Also, the temperature is going to skyrocket and the air quality will be back to sucking, so I can't do as much outside. Last but not least, my in-laws from San Diego are coming into town today and staying till Thursday. It's all good though, I could use a little cut-back week. Then I've got about two more weeks of real training and then a taper. It's getting close! :) Have a great Monday, people!