Thursday, May 19, 2016

Run/Bike/Run

This morning started with a phone call with one of my athletes. Sometimes communication via text and email is just not enough! I do enjoy catching up on the phone sometimes. :)

I've started incorporating some running drills along with the hip/glute strength stuff I'm doing at the park during my morning dog walks. Side skipping, skipping, butt kicks, high knees, grapevine, bounding, jumprope, single leg jumprope... That kind of thing. I've only just started with that stuff this week and am not positive it helps but I have an inkling it might (at least a little) so I'm giving it a real consistent go and we'll see. I think if I were to only choose 1 of those it would be jumprope. My single leg jumprope actually feels a lot better than it used to so that might be a good sign. Pop pop pop!

Ran 7 miles after that and made a point to keep my HR <150 (avg 147). My 7 mile loop is a fairly hilly one and the sun was blazing so there were several hills where I had to walk (gasp!) to keep my HR in the 140's. Truth be told I hate walking on runs but I think at times it's actually a good thing to do if you need to make sure the intensity of the session remains as low as was intended. Runs that are hot and hilly aren't by nature 'easy' so sometimes have to go out of your way to ensure 'easy'. A HR leash and short walk breaks work well for that.

That run was followed by another athlete phone call... Then catching up on emails and texts with other athletes...

Then it was off on my bike for some hill reps. And it was #newhelmetday! A little plastic piece on my Smith Overtake helmet snapped a few weeks ago. Smith warrantied it and my new one came today! :) I appreciate companies that stand behind their products. Plus, that helmet is the bomb. Really lightweight and fits perfectly.

It's been a while since I've been to Wiahole Valley Rd for 8x4min hill reps- it's the hill I went to pretty much every week in 2013. I think I've been there twice so far this year. Since last time though they repaved the whole road- what a nice surprise! I got rained on some while I was riding (seriously it couldn't have done that earlier when I was running??) but no big deal. Really my biggest issue with riding in the rain these days is that I think it is bad for my bike (read: I suck at cleaning my bike). Anyway, that ride went pretty well- I built from 228-245w and HR got up to 169, so it was a solid effort.

Got home and off the bike ran the same 7 mile route I did in the morning. I gave myself a longer leash for that one (+5 beats; avg 150) to account for the likely dehydration and heat of the afternoon. There were big puffy clouds all over the sky but the stupid sun would not go behind one of them no matter how hard I wished... For the first 4 miles I felt a lot better than I did this morning, and was running ~30"/mile faster. Last 3 miles I was still moving along 30"/mile faster than this morning but it was way less comfortable. It was at this point when I was really cursing the sun!

My afternoon work (email responses + texts) was done while plastered to my bed (nice of my boss to allow this). I currently feel like my body is just radiating heat, as is common after a long hot training day like this. Pretty satisfied with it though and as I told one of my athletes today, I love Ironman training!

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