The Outlook is Chilly

The fact that I still haven’t taken the bike out of my trunk from Aug. 12 GCT, not a problem. I won’t be fantastic on the cycling segment (again), but I have all winter to kick butt next year. The fact that my inner left calf is still bothering me: no big deal. I’m on track with my half marathon training while giving it rest, ice and perhaps some healing.

Now, the fact that weather.com says Saturday’s high will be 57 degrees, that’s a big, cold deal! It sounds like a lovely day for running and cycling… but that whole swimming thing might be a freezing issue for this total-baby-in-the-cold-water! Can you see me inching my way in at the group start? Eek, eek, eek! At least someone would probably push me in just to get me out of the way.

I might just have to give in and go for the wetsuit. Ugh, I hate wetsuits. Just the thought of being shocked by the cold is making me shiver right now. I’m trying to convince myself that the GCT start was cold, but I’m still giving myself a reminder to bring my swimming parka on Saturday.

I’ll definitely have to get in for a warm-up and then wrap up until the start. Otherwise you’ll read in the Beacon about how a girl having a panic attack from the chill took down half the women’s triathlon with her. Brrrr.

But I suppose mugginess for the cycling/running legs trumps a few shivers at the start. This weekend, in fact, was strange with mugginess: it was pretty much room temperature here all weekend long, but with that stick humidity that fills the air and makes you feel like you’re covered with a layer of yick.

I managed to get caught up on my half marathon training on Saturday and Sunday (and I finally get to rest today!) in between drizzle and major showers—10K on Saturday and 4 miles on Sunday.

While I wasn’t lucky enough for my training schedule to coincide with a local 10K race this weekend, I measured the distance on the Nike Plus Web site and tried to run with the fury of race pace on Saturday. My legs have been a little tired—I went to pilates in the morning and pretty much ran race pace on Friday!—so I was pleased with my 53:00 or 8:31/mile solo “race.”

What I discovered between my Friday track run and Saturday’s road 10K was how much knowing my position/distance helps me run faster and maintain my pace. Duh, right? Well, I generally know what mile marker I’m approaching when I run in familiar hoods, but having a handle on each 1/6 of a mile gave me a constant gauge on my pace and any changes. Then again, the flat track and perfect conditions probably helped me as well ;-)

By Sunday I was talking myself into running—I haven’t really run three days in a row for more than 2+ miles in several months. Or, you know, ever. And I had mismarked on my training plan that Sunday called for 12 miles. Let’s just say that this body wasn’t running 12 miles for anything on Sunday and I was incredibly relieved to see that the actual training plan called for four miles. FOUR MILES! I can do that!

So, after morning yoga and the disappointing Browns game, I hit the road for four miles before night and/or rain fell. My calf was tight and my legs were still a little unhappy, but my pace felt steady and strong through the 34:40 four-miler (8:40/mile).

Today is all about resting this calf and getting over Saturday’s forecast. And rearranging my training schedule, again, to fit in some rest before this race.