Best Week Ever

A Last Night of Summer Southernly Commute (Pic: Wyatt Earp)

Typically I'm not one for advertising my training specifically, mainly because it's kind of boring and probably only a small handful of people care, if that. But I'm so stoked on this past week that I wanted to write some thoughts as I wait for my next class (Forest and Tree Pests!); today is my first last day of classes yaaayy! I've recently come to the conclusion that my excitement for academics ebbs and flows like my propensity for extended high-mileage training: frequently and intensely. I'm a vocally emotional person when it comes to my feelings, and its no secret to my training buds that I'm a bit sick of all this running business. Naturally of course. Three 100 mile weeks is perhaps more mentally taxing than physically taxing. My stoke for Gstone is definitely still there, but I just needed a little less running in my life this past week; triathlon training week was the perfect elixir. Week before classes, all my friends back in the Burg, just training, napping, eating well, and a bit of drinking in there, all adds to the best week ever. I intentionally stepped back my mileage but added loads of cross training. How it went down:

M 8-19: am) 9.65 mi trail run (1:37) [1000']. I usually take Mondays off or very low mileage, but the tri team was hitting pandapas and I couldn't resist. Felt quite crappy from the past weekends 30/20 B2B.

T 8-20: am) biked to and from old farm trailhead (:28) [6mi]
             7.7 mi (1:26) [1750'] with BOTH roomies! The three of us haven't ran together in at least a year.
             pm) 8.25 mi road (1:03) [825']

W 8-21: am) OPEN WATER SWIMMING! (:42) [1.6mi]
              pm) core (:16)
              then) 13.75 mi in the dark and thunderstorm (2:12) [2040']


R 8-22: am) ANNUAL MOUNTAIN LAKE RUN! 13.5 mi (1:57:35) [2550']
             noon) bike (1:42) [27 mi]
             then) 3 mi rd w Crowley (:27) [150'] practicing our Gstone "I'm dying" and Crowley's pacing

Split :55 to the top of mtn lake, four mins slower than last year but that's cool cause I'm in peak training and the opposite of fresh as I was last year. Barely any recovery inbtwn that hard effort and the bike ride. The miles at the end were just bonus.

F 8-23: am) 9 mi trail (1:37) [1650']
            then) core (:15)

S 8-24: am) BURKES GARDEN CENTURY BIKE RIDE 103.5 mi (4:57)
            after) 2.6 mi run to river/soak/run back (:22)

AWESOME day. Beautiful weather for my first century. Priory longest bike was 60 mi before Patriot Half Ironman two years ago. The way out had a peloton of about 60 people--reaallly neat and a bit sketchy. Last 40 miles on the pain train pace line with VT tri dudes. Absolutely crushing it. So fun. Way better than a typical long run would have been. Mentally very refreshing.

S 8-25: am) 13.3mi trail (2:10) [2075'] felt pretty crappy from yesterday

Run: 81 mi (12:53)
Vert: 12,060'
Bike: 136 mi (7:03)
Swim: 1.6 mi (:42)
Core: (:31)
Total: 21 hours. First time over 20 since high school swimming. Bingo.

Excited to take a full rest day today, Monday. Haven't done that in 20 days. My body def needs it as my peroneal tendon and shin on my left leg flared up a tad. This week will be easy as Iron Mtn 50 mi is on Saturday which should be a fun time. I'll be mentally ready there and will hopefully have a good day and a good effort without going 100%.

Get some.

Reminiscent of some high school days six years ago? (Pic: JCapp)

Roomies! Crowley freaking out (Pic: JCapp)

Should have closed my legs... (Pic: JCapp)

Some rad tri folks (Pic: JCapp)