Week 7: Recap 20 Mile Run/Swim Class/37 Mile Bike

This one is brief because I'm so behind!!

Let me start off this blog with an apology to my friend Erine, who's training motives I questioned on Saturday night. You see, we were out with a few Gazelles eating Mexican food, drinking margaritas and following that up with Gelato (can you say gluttony??) and he was asking our opinion on whether or not we thought it was a good training tactic to run 6-7 miles the night before a long run. My initial reaction was "Are you crazy??" Isn't the goal of a long run to feel rested and energized, much like you want to feel on race day?? Why would you stress your body the night before a 22 mile run with a 7 mile run?

The bottom line: there is no right or wrong for anyone. What works for him may not work for me. That's why hundreds of authors get rich for offering different advice on the same topics! So, Erine, run like the wind baby!!!!!!!! How dare I question a strategy that is paying huge dividends in your results.

Besides, as it was pointed out to me, my strategies are just as taxing. I never thought of it that way because of the "cross-training" aspect, but I definitely felt it this weekend!!

Saturday--20 Mile RUN

The only acceptable reason for running 20 miles on Saturday was because "we needed the mileage." Even though I LOVE running, that couldn't be the sole purpose for getting out of bed on Saturday. Even people who love to run would've stayed in bed. Not only did I have to be at Barton Springs by 5:10am for the commute up north, only to run BACK to Barton Springs, but at 4:30am, it was 82 degrees with over 80% humidity. The conditions were horrid, which is just a colossal slap in the face since we had just come off three mornings of cool running weather. This was also the Chicago Marathoners last long-run day before they begin their taper. While I was doing 20 miles, they were doing 23 miles. ughhh...The course was essentially the bulk of last year's Marathon course. We started at 183 and Spicewood Springs and we've our way down Jollyville to Braker to 183 to the Shoal Creek hoods to Hyde Park to Campus to Downtown and back to Barton Springs.

While I had a really good run, it was very tough for several who were getting dehydrated and sick. Unfortunately, the first couple of water stops were 4 miles apart. Normally, this would work fine, but I think people were feeling the effects of the early lack of hydration and it was hard to catch up as the run progressed. I ran the bulk of today's run in the dark with Thon, Amy and a new Gazelle named Kelly. Amy, Kelly and I were feeling strong and clocked a decent 2:54 for 20 miles for an average pace of 8:35 or so.

Sunday Morning
T3 Swim Class--2550 yards

Sunday Afternoon
Shawn and I headed to Johnson City for a 37-Mile bike ride in the Hill Country. My legs were pretty fried from the 20 mile run, but we did it and finished strong. The headwinds were pretty rough at the beginning, but the 2nd Half was much more kind to us. Unfortunately, it also irritated "Barney." Luckily, we were finished in 2 hrs 31 Min.