This morning, up at 5:30am and off to Easton for our Epic ride. That's right, up at 5:30am on a Sunday, just like last weekend - actually it was earlier last Sunday. I felt pretty good after yesterday's run, my legs were not that sore and I felt somewhat rested, only waking up a couple of times from Baby T. The weather was perfect, cold at the start but warmed up to about 65 degrees with a slight headwind for some of the ride.
Well, let's just get right to the point, the ride was great up until about, say mile 58 and then my body just started to shut down. The legs were find but the insides was not right. My stomach was fine but something wasn't working. It was a pure struggle after mile 58 that it got so bad around mile 63 I actually turned around to talk to a sagger. I was ready to head back but I got a gu and endurolyte from him (I was just taking anything to get my body back). I was thankful he was there but I told him I wasn't doing to well and he said that if today's not your day then head back - or something like that. That certainly didn't help motivate me. So I left him and kept heading out, struggling like I have never struggled before. I got to about mile 68 and ran into Kim Larson, another sagger. I pulled over and she asked what's going on. I told her it just wasn't my day. Kim - in her New Jersey way just set me straight - "Look", she says, "I went through the same shit you are feeling right now for 8.5 hours in Placid, you just need to deal with it". Now that's what I needed to hear, then she suggested I draft off Matt Wolfe, who is like a windshield riding behind, and then there was Matt pulling up. (Now keep in mind drafting is not legal in triathlons and I frown upon it in workouts but I had not choice if I had any chance of completing this ride) So, I drafted off of Matt, using less effort and also to get my mind off of feeling like crap. After about 15 miles, I was able to ride next to Matt for the rest of the way back and finished doing 108 miles. THANK YOU MATT AND KIM!!!!!! The course was two loops of 54 each, I was not going back out to get the last 12 in for 120. If I made it through this ride, I'll fight through IMF!
It's amazing, going from feeling like you can't go anymore and biking another 45 miles or so. It's mind over matter when it gets to this and a good reminder for during ironman. Anything can happen - you just need to be prepared for this - today was a good mental day.
In retrospect, I made a rookie mistake yesterday. I was so pleased with my 20 mile run that afterwards I treated myself to some Arby's - yum!! and then for dinner i had shrimp fried rice. Note to self - don't eat Arby's and shrimp fried rice after a 20-mile run knowing that there is a long bike ride the next day. I never replenished the carbs I burned on the run yesterday. THAT A HUGE MISTAKE!!
Good thing though is the Epic weekend is over. Now recovery week this week and then taper. Ironman is upon us and just a few weeks away!
Totals for week:
Swim: 2.3M
Bike: 120M
Run: 25M
Totals: 147M, 13:47 hours
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