Weekend Update

A, here. We have been busy, even with the switch from Ironman Training to half Ironman training.

Friday started out with pie and cheesecake baking. Saturday was my company's Summer picnic (just in the nick of time, hello Fall) and there was going to be a bake-off. Staggering the time things needed the oven meant that we were wrapped up in oven/baking activities all night. Then off to bed with thoughts of the early morning ride we had to tackle before getting to eat BBQ.

The bike took E and I over to the mouth of Lefthand Canyon where we started a 16 mile TT up to the hamlet of Ward. We each rode at our own ability levels up the canyon, then regrouped before taking the Peak-to-Peak highway over to highway 7 and descending down into Lyons. Then we rolled along highway 36 down to Jay Road and spun home. We got an early start (see above RE: picnic) and the roads were barren of riders for the first 2+ hours, but then we began to notice many big packs and groups..... with the summer cycling races tapering off, it looks like the big team rides are back.

Interestingly, the last time I did this ride, two months ago, (with coach J because E was getting over being sick) I left the house within 1 minute of when I did this time, covered the same distance, mileage wise (slightly different return route), and was within 1 minute of the total ride time. I still need to look at more data, but it should be a good picture of what I can do on Luci as apposed to the Green Dean Racing Machine (i.e., I rode a different bike) as well as how my legs and heart are doing after more training and racing an Ironman. I already know my average watts were lower for the TT, but I am fearing that my speed was, too.

Once home we changed into run clothes for a quick jog then tidied ourselves up, downed some chocolate milk, and headed for the picnic.

The picnic was fun and low key. The turnout was small, but that meant lots of yummy pork was left for us even though we got there almost an hour after the food service started. My Berry Swirl pie was deemed tops for taste (out of 4) while E's cheesecake didn't place (it was taste or looks.... I think the cheesecake was a winner in both). All in all, it was a good way to visit and recover after a harder morning of training, which was tops on my list for the day's activities since the last time I did this ride I had a miserable long run the next day.

Bake-off Judges and awardee's (last year there was cash involved.....)

Saturday night we kept the mellow theme going and had a nice fire out back on our deck in between bouts of wind. It was good to just chat with each other while watching the flames and just enjoy being (a very nice bottle of red wine nearby helped set the mood, too).

Sunday I was up early for church, then came home to rally the troops (or E, in this case) and head back out for our 2:20 run. This is a standard long run for us (5x20 min at race pace with short rest between) and is one of my favorites. We usually try and run about the same "course" for it to get a measure of our fitness, but that meant using the same roads as the Boulder Marathon, which was being held that very morning. So we revamped and hit Teller Farm trails from the Heatherwood side, with some add-ons (hit the turnaround in the middle of the 2nd interval, ~53 min into the run, so knew we'd be short). The result was something hillier and a tad slower than "normal," but also an excellent change of pace. The hills were more than what I remembered or expected, they were hard, but they were a good, good challenge. And it was a beautiful day to be outside running, and the trails and vistas they offered were worth every sweaty step and labored breath (I actually had a horsewoman tell me that she had heard me coming LONG before I said "on your left." It would have made my college CC coach happy, as it was one of this goals to have all of his athletes huffing and puffing along!). At the end, I knew my legs were going to be sore for a bit and started planning my ice bath before even getting to the car.

Somehow, the ice bath never happened. We got through more chores (and baking of another pie to fill the extra shell I had made Friday before freezing it) to do, as well as a recovery spin on the bike and a trip to Mtn. Sun for dinner yet to get to. And then the day was done, gone the sun, from the hills, from the trees, from the sky. Another good weekend full of really great training (first one like that since Ironman) in the books!

-A