Starting next weekend, each week the ride will be longer than I've ever done before. Adding about 45 minutes of saddle time each weekend will be a challenge for sure, especially as we work in some more rolling hills. Starting the week after that the walk/run will be longer than I've ever done before. 5 weeks from now I'll culminate the distance training with a 23 mile walk and a 100 mile ride. Then it the last two weeks of heavy training will involve longer bricks so that volume will be maintained and I can get accustomed to longer walk/runs off the bike.
Getting Stronger
We had hoped to do a 60 mile ride Saturday, but after Rach's Dr. Appt on Friday she just wasn't up for it. Instead we did some harder riding for 30 miles followed by a 10 mile "cooldown" ride. No including the starts and stops that come with riding the Minuteman, we were able to average the 15 MPH race pace I'm looking to do.
My original plan for my run/walk race pace was better than 4 MPH. But then I started thinking about it and realized after 112 miles, I probably will be strictly walking for the majority of the marathon, so I decided I should train for that. So I grabbed my Hydrapak and out I went for an 8 mile walk on Sunday evening. I wasn't quite able to maintain a 4 MPH pace, but I was under a 16 minute/mile pace and for my first walk of that distance in a long time I was very happy.
Getting Noticed (sorta)
Last week, the folks running @Rev3Tri's twitter announced another pro being added to the Cedar Point field. I jokingly shot off a tweet to them saying that I had committed months ago, where was my formal announcement? Kind enough to play along, they sent the following tweet:
Getting Stuff
As anyone who reads the blog will know, I like contests and prizes. I don't just enter any contest, only those that I actually want to win. Matthew over at Enjoy The Ride recently held a contest for a lightly used aero handlebar/aerobars set. He emailed me yesterday to let me know that I'd won! On our budget, we can use all the free upgrade hand me downs we can get. In this case, they will likely wind up on Rachelle's bike as I'm still a ways away from being in the shape I need to be to ride in an aero position on my road bike.
Be careful not to short change your run training with too much walking.
ReplyDeleteThrow in some short and easy run intervals to help mix things up. The extra strength from picking up the pace once and a while could do wonders for both the bike and the run. Just do it carefully so you don't get injured. Avoiding injury is priority numero uno. Without that, you don't make it to the start line.
Jamie,
ReplyDeleteThat's a really good point. I've been running only on my short runs as I train for smaller runs like the 5k Rach and I are doing this weekend, but not in my more recent longer efforts. Even if I don't have the legs to run at all during the race, preparing to do it should help me build up strength overall.