TCB

A big week in the books! I felt great throughout the week and especially this weekend. Hit all my workouts and even squeezed in an extra easy swim. The highlight was this Metric Century ride I did by myself out in Washington County. Long ride at a super strong pace and a big confidence booster. I got lots of great running miles in too, and some serious yardage in the pool. The weather had been cooler which helps, and having supportive athletic spouse and friends helps even more. Loving it! Here's the recap:

Monday: ST
Weights at the gym with Zach. Took it easy since I haven't lifted in a few weeks.

Tuesday: Run
7.0 miles/1:01:37/8:48 average pace
Forest Park

Tuesday: Swim
2150 yards/1:00
Masters

Wednesday: Bike
1:00
Spin class with Alisa

Wednesday: Run
3.25 miles/30:00/9:14 average pace
Brick run after spin. Ran up to Deana's apartment which is about a mile from the gym then we ran a loop through Northwest and finished at my apt, then she ran home. It worked well, we might have to make this a regular thing!

Wednesday: Swim
2800 yards/1:10
Masters + 10 minutes bonus swim. Zach couldn't make it because of a last-minute logistics meeting for Hood to Coast, so I went solo. I stayed 10 extra minutes after class and got in a few hundred extra yards. Felt great!

Thursday: Bike
28.9 miles/1:52:30/15.4 MPH
River Road loop with Zach

Thursday: Swim
2350 yards/1:00
Masters

Friday: Run
9.0 miles/1:17:07/8:34 average pace
Forest Park. A little drizzly. Warmed up after at Lucky Lab Brewing Co with Amy, Alisa, Sarah and other friends. Zach had headed out earlier in the day for the big relay so I was flying solo for the time being.

Saturday: Bike
64.2 miles/3:54:37/16.4 MPH
Metric Century. Awesome! Since Zach was out running Hood to Coast I had to come up with some way to do my long ride solo, so when I saw a flyer at my pool for this ride I signed up. Here's my mini "race report"

This was my first organized bike event. I've ridden with casual cycling clubs down in CA, but this was the first "race" I've done. It was interesting and very fun. First of all, I was surprised that there was no official starting time or line or numbers or anything. I checked in and she told me "Just head out whenever!" Um ok? I got a ride sheet and was told the course would be marked by green signs (which it totally was). I got my bike and gear ready and waited until I saw some people that I could start out with. About 6:55 am a bunch of people headed out so I joined them.

Turns out it was a bunch of pretty hard core guys (and one girl), and I rode really hard trying to keep up. I was in the pack for a while which was nice. We were really cruising. There is was a confusing section a few miles in which I happened to know, since we ride out on that stretch of road pretty often, so I took the lead. Ya, I lead the group of hard core guys for about 3-4 miles. Yikes! After someone took the lead position they picked up the pace and I totally got dropped. Ugh! It was a poorly timed incline and I just couldn't even hang. I spent the next few miles riding my ass off trying to catch up, but couldn't. This whole first stretch went by in a blur and suddenly we were at the first resting/fueling stop. I checked my bike computer and I had covered 18 miles in exactly one hour. :O After using the porto, I caught up with the woman from that first pack and she said it was hard for her to keep up too. We decided to try to stick together.

We started back off and got into a nice pack of people at a less grueling pace, but still riding strong. About mile 25 we got onto the Banks Vernonia trail, which I run often, and we rode up the gradual incline for several miles. We were going slower but the incline was work. At the "top" where I normally turn around on my runs, we hung a right back onto the roads and proceeded to climb up a big hill for about a mile. Whew! There was another aid station at the top and I rested for about 10 minutes again and ate my powerbar. I chatted with the lady some more, she was fun. These aid stations were awesome, and really nice volunteers and a bike mechanic at each.

The rest of the ride was uneventful- it was mostly downhill and I felt great. I rode with the other woman the whole way back and let her draft off me for the final 20 miles or so. I told her about how in triathlons you can't draft, so I don't mind pulling. I was riding really strong and feeling good. She kept saying really encouraging things to me about how strong I was and how fast I ride and how she wanted to be just like me, haha! It was great. We exchanged contact info and might try to get together for a ride sometime. We got back to the athletic complex where it started and I put my bike away and headed out on my brick run. When I got back 30 minutes later she was waiting for me with her family (they did the 10 mile fun-ride). How nice, right?? I met a lot of really friendly people and had a great time. I'm psyched about my speed and how good I felt. I wasn't even sore after and had a great brick run.

Saturday: Run
3.50 miles/30:00/8:35 average pace
Brick run around the sports complex/neighborhood after the ride. It started raining a bit as I finished up. Nice timing!

Saturday: Swim
1000 yards/30:00
Gym pool bonus swim with Alisa. Followed by a nice steam.

(Sidebar story: Zach got home Saturday afternoon and was so excited to tell me all about Hood to Coast, he had a blast! But unfortunately we had kitty drama- the little guy was sick and was going to the bathroom all over, gross I know ((belieeeeeeve me, I know)) so we had to take him to the emergency vet and spent hours taking care of him and cleaning up and everything. We were both exhausted and starving, especially him, but couldn't rest or eat or anything for hours. He ended up giving me his race recap in the waiting room at the vet rather than over beers in the hot tub, which he had been looking forward to! Oh well, such is life! Kitty is doing better now, on medicine and living in the bathroom for a couple days.)

Sunday: Run
11.25 miles/1:40:06/8:54 average pace
Springwater Trail + Southeast Portland. Slept in and got a late start. I ran about 6 miles along the river than cut through town to meet the girls in SE for brunch. Finished there with just under 9 miles, which was a couple miles short of what I'd planned. So after a big breakfast and a bloody mary I decided it was a fine idea to just run home! A little over 2 miles and a bit of walking and I made it. Not too bad actually. At least it was mostly downhill and nice and cool out.

Totals for the week:
Swim: 3:40 (8300 yards)
Bike: 6:45 (93.1 miles + 1 spin class)
Run: 5:00 (34 miles)
total: 15:25
(+ 1 strength training session)

My biggest week so far, by a LOT!

Some pictures from the Tualatin Hills Parks and Rec Metric Century ride.

First stopping point was at the St. Francis Catholic Church in the town of Roy

Rest stop (or what runners would call "aid station")
Resting and refueling 18 (hard) miles into the ride

My bike takes a break too

The skies actually looked really beautiful in person, here it just looks gray

Top of the climb/turn-around aid station at mile 32

One last photo from the weekend. Zach will have a bunch of photos from his Hood to Coast adventure on his blog soon, but here's a good one- he's about to begin his 5 mile 1:00 am leg through the Coast Range.

Awesome. We are seriously doing this next year. My excessive enthusiasm has lead me to be nominated for team captain (right ladies? Was that a formal nomination?) and I'm so freaking into it. It's a logistical dream for a Virgo like me and I can't wait. And why yes, as a Virgo I do have a birthday coming up. Hee hee. Thanks for reading yall! Keep it real.