Yesterday, I thought I was going to die while riding my bike. And before you get your knickers in a twist - I was NOT outside, was NOT doing anything stupid, and was completely following Jen's instructions - indoors on the trainer.Yes, it was one of those kind of workouts.
And while I was riding, pushing watts that I haven't seen in, well, eons, and my quads were SCREAMING for a break, and my lungs were burning with the effort (but they could keep up - so that's awesome), and sweat pooled on the pad under my bike....I decided that on nearly ANY DAY, I would prefer a 5-hour zone 2 ride, vs 5 minutes of max effort pain.
Raise your hand if you're with me.
Bottom line - which trust me, my bottom was hurting enough for everyone - you train your body for the specific type of race you're aiming for. And that's not to say, when one races Ironman, one can't be fast. I just can't recollect 5 minutes of max effort pain. On the trainer. Alone with my thoughts. Suffering.
Eight weeks I've been training - eight weeks since restarting the daily workout regiment, and I'm finally beginning to feel like myself again. And that's a GREAT thing.
But let me tell you - the short, hard stuff...it hurts. Even more the second time (because at that point you KNOW what you're in for, and that no matter what you do - the pain of pushing high cadence + high power = massive discomfort), and third, and fourth...and you get the point. Cross-eyed and delirious, I could have sworn that I heard Nathaniel arrive home from his flight - which would have really been something, given the fact that he was in a meeting at the same moment as my workout.
It was somewhere during my second set of 5-4-3-2 at a specifically prescribed interval, that I decided 5 hours at zone 2 sounded better. Not exactly feasible given the fact that my longest ride to date (since IM Hawaii) has been 3.25 hours. But better.
And yet...I hung on. I knew that letting up, shifting to an easier gear would NOT help me awaken my fast-twitch fibers, would not be conducive to achieving my 2010 Season Goals...and that at this point, embracing the pain, accepting the fact that THIS WILL HURT, and putting my head down and dealing with it - was the best course of action.
So I did.
And I have full confidence that you can too.
My reward? Potato Thursday with some awesome friends... The Gunfighter Gals, we call ourselves, just because. But that's another story all together.
And what, pray tell - do we do for Potato Thursday? Well... we bake a lot of GIANT potatoes (see image at the top), top 'em with anything and everything, and enjoy. Yes, there were great times and lots of booze - but that's part of the bargain with these friends. And if it means I suffer on my bike for 75 minutes before Potato Thursday - well all the better.
My training schedule hasn't come out for next week, and is it okay to admit that I'm already a little nervous? But more importantly, I'm EXCITED, I'm READY, and I'm LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. And that, my friends, is no small potatoes.
13 comments:
*raises hand*
I'm learning quite well this year that the short stuff hurts a whole lot more. Thankfully, the tradeoff is it consumes less of my life than IM training. But yes, it hurts. I had a bike workout earlier this week - only 50 minutes, how can that possibly hurt so much? But it did. And that's when I cried uncle to Liz and got a rest day granted.
Looking forward to seeing you soon!
At the moment I don't really know the difference. I even have to kick my butt to go to the pool today, it's not the 50m pool I like, because that is closed on the weekends.Argh. (The swimming times are crap already and then they close it down just because its summer.) At the moment there is just one 25m pool (indoor, outdoor pools aren't for sport swimming in Leipzig) open, those are the times that I really hate Leipzig.
But well done anyway. Should be interesting what Jennifer has in store next week for you.
Have a great weekend.
I'm right with you re: being nervous of the training plan. And yeah, the short stuff hurts a lot more.
OH yes! I think each has their pain. THE short stuff is way harder and it is harder to "get up for it" daily - but the long stuff is mentally draining and a time suck....that is why it is nice to mix it up each year with the races!
AND, ha..apart from my dream last night that I emailed you about, your next 2 weeks are done in TP! :) enjoy....yippeee!
AND potatoe party - interesting and fun. Not a baked potatoe fan, but I am sure w/ enough chocolate over it, I could become one.
*my hand is raised too*
Nothing like looking forward to a potato to get through those intervals! ha! Okay, the time with friends would be more of an incentive! Nice work! tn
mmmm, baked potatoes!!
raises hand as well :)
way to hang in there marit - in just a few weeks all this ridiculous difficult trainer work will pay off. yay vineman!
mmmm potatoes with cheese, bacon, scallions and sour cream!
Potato Thursday sounds fun. By the way, I am going to subject you to some British Army WAGs (wives and girlfriends) time during your first weekend here :))))
I just want to say that I love the idea of Potato Thursday. I might add that to my own training regimen, to go along with Cheez-It Wednesday. :-)
Oh I'm with you - the hard stuff, while short, it just as challenging as the long stuff!! GREAT job Marit!! And Potato Thursdays? Now that's an idea I could get into!! :)
Yeah for hard training & potato parties :)
I started on COPD Herbal treatment from Ultimate Life Clinic, the treatment worked incredibly for my lungs condition. I used the herbal treatment for almost 4 months, it reversed my COPD. My severe shortness of breath, dry cough, chest tightness gradually disappeared. Reach Ultimate Life Clinic via their website at www.ultimatelifeclinic.com . I can breath much better and It feels comfortable!
Post a Comment