50 mile bike ride

Original title. I know.

I just finished my first 50 mile bike ride.

This is what I figured out

 

Terrain:

• I think I live in the hilliest city in the world
• The race course is also hilly, so I just need to embrace this, be thankful, and quit bitching about it
• I had to dismount twice (within the same few miles) for a monster of a hill that had a few spots to catch my breath on, but ultimately I just couldn't make it up the whole thing.
• Most hills look worse than they really are
• I rode two long streches of road twice each because they had nice shoulders, but mentally it was challenging. Next time I just want to do an out and back, or a loop.

Nutrition:

• I made a major mistake of bringing a ton of protein, but barely any carbs
• Next time I’m going to try pieces of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in the first half. I don’t think my body will like taking in nothing but perpetuem and gels for five to six hours straight. I need sustenance. Just need to figure out what it should be. Any other suggestions for this? please please pretty please.

Misc:

• The typical sore spots (vaj-jay-jay, neck) didn’t start getting sore until around mile 40 which means the threshold for uncomfortableness is rising. yay.
• I really really need people to ride with. That was lonely.
• The onset of a bonk on the bike is FAR more dangerous than while running
• Intersections on a hill can suck it
• Why do some people not give you any room even when there is no oncoming traffic?

Stats:

• 49.37 miles/4:03
• average moving pace was only 12.2 but I wasn’t focusing on time.Simply on getting it done. Hopefully this will come down as I get stronger.
• 2501 ft in elevation gain 
• This is according to Garmin and sometimes I really wonder about the accuracy. Today, I believe it.
• 140 av bpm

 

It’s all about the bike

This is the first week (of 18) on my 70.3 training plan. Truth be told, I could complete the swim and run portions today without any problems. Obviously I’m not in the optimal shape but I could complete it comfortably without any extra training.

The bike. Not so much. This is a totally new activity in my repertoire. Actually, I’ve been scared shitless about the bike. Until today. Today I had the ride of my life. What an awesome ride on my sweet ass Orbea. Seriously. It could not have been any better. I was so nervous about the first ride out on the streets, but everything was glorious.

I have had major hang-ups about the bike because when I lived on the East Coast where drivers not only don’t appreciate cyclist, but they actually carried a serious HATRED. As in one girl who trained with the tri group I joined actually got a bottle thrown at her by a driver. WTF?! I only rode a few times and every time I literally feared for my life. I dropped cycling like a bad habit and took up mountain biking. Much better.

Now here I am again, committed to complete a Half-Iron only now I have all these metal blocks about how awful road riding is. I'm so glad to report those mental blocks have been significantly reduced. I met up with one of the wives from the convention (from my husbands work) I went to a few weeks ago. She and a few of her girlfriends ride every Wednesday and I knew it was now or never. I was so freaking nervous.

We rode for ~25 miles (I forgot to start my Garmin and missed out on the first few miles). It was HILLY. Actually, I don’t know – Is 1,270 ft of elevation gain hilly? Maybe it’s not. I have nothing to compare it to. I just know my quads were cashed toward the end. I admit I even had to walk it up one hill toward the end, but I don’t feel to bad about it since I was the only one with a compact and seriously ran out of gears. Could. not .push. it. any. more. We took it nice and easy on the flats.

My hope is that over time, I’ll be able to spend more time in each gear. That will happen right? Is that the natural progression of improving on a bike? Now I totally understand the difference between a compact and a triple.

I’m posting my Garmin link for all to see:

Untitled by klbarrett at Garmin Connect – Details

My calories burned is almost equal to elevation gained. I wonder if that’s correct.

Cheers and good luck to all those running Boston!

I'm back - Fist Pump

Holy crap. That's all I have to say about the last 4 weeks of my life. Moving on..... Workout-wise. I've been running, but not much else .Unless you include eating as a workout, in which case I'm in the best shape of my life! No swimming and I've only ridden my beauty (bike) once. What's that all about?! She's sitting in my living room on the trainer begging me to ride her....that's what she said....and I just ignore her. No more! Truth is, I haven't swam in weeks because I haven't shaved my legs. Yes, Seriously. No man and a cold ass bathroom makes for a very hairy woman. I'm going to Costco today to pick up a space heater until we redo the bathroom with radiant heating in those floors. I mean seriously, who designs a bathroom with the tiniest heater vent in the most obscure location that doesn't produce any heat throughout the space? A man who doesn't have to worry about getting goose bumps on their legs right before running a razor over it - that's who.

This is what my workout schedule has been looking like over the last few weeks:

Monday - nada

Tuesday - hills (my nemesis)

Wednesday - nada

Thursday - 'long' hills (my arch nemesis)

Friday - nada

Saturday - 8 - 10 miles on trails

Sunday - nada

So, obviously I have lots of room for more workouts.

Last nights workout -

4 x hills exactly 400 meters long

1st - 2:22/9:21 ave pace/172 bpm

2nd - 2:25/9:38/180

3rd - 2:30/9:55/181

4th - 2:32/10:12/181

not negative splits like they should have been, but I'm carrying about 10 extra pounds in the gut so shut it!

Here's to a happy healthy new year!

Fist pump.

Good News

First, the awesomely awesome GREAT news: My hubby gets home in less than a week!! I can hardly contain myself! Second, the other good news - I had a great 20 miler. It was supposed to be 18 miles and to tell you the truth I was kinda nervous about it (but in a good way). I was not looking forward to dealing with all the hills since we were staying local for this one. Turns out I wasn't really phased by it. I think we can put that little hang up to bed now! Pre-run: 1 hour before long run began - toasted english muffin w/peanut butter on one side, banana. During run: I took two salt tablets at start. I got lucky and had someone to run with for the first 6 miles, then just as she was turning back I met up with another girlfriend who only wanted to run six also. It was nice to have someone to run with for the first 12 miles for sure. I got a little lazy on keeping track of my gel intake. I never forgot obviously, but I think once or twice I kind of threw of the diligent schedule of every 45 minutes. It was all good though! I took my salt tablets on the hour every hour. I think these are crucial to my successful long runs. Once I was by myself I just worked it out. Dialed in my downloaded book on the ipod and got it done. My coach said if toward the end I was feeling good to add a couple of miles. I easily could have stopped at 18, but I as I was closing in I just kept thinking, "It's only two more miles - no big deal," & more importantly "I will thank myself for doing this come race day!" So I did it. I also finished off those last two miles as fast as I started this long run. HUGE success for me! 20 miles/3:33:41/10:40 pace/3,239 elevation gain Post-run: I stretched out for a while as I took in a bottle of Ultima and about 10 oz. of Endurox. Also did my ice bath, donned my recovery socks, ate my favorite post long run meal (Newman's Own Thin Crust Peperoni Pizza) and now a few hours later - laying with my feet up drinking my reward while catching up on the Track and Feild World Chapionships. I'm putting that 20 miler in bank and cashing it in on marathon day!