T5 - All Lit Up Again - Swim/Bike (trainer)

Gainesville

Today, I attempted my first early morning workout since what was, quite possibly, the worst workout I've ever had. That workout was pretty emblematic of the entrie last training cycle actually, and it was essentially the same workout as today. So the comparison was interesting. Last time, I went early because, well, I wasn't sleeping. My girlfriend at the time was on a roadtrip with her ex-boyfriend ("he's really skinny and almost completely bald. Really you have nothing to worry about."), and despite the fact that I couldn't do anything about it, it didn't help me sleep at night. And it didn't help my workout either. Not only did I have a very mediocre swim, but when I tried to go out on the bike I was so distracted practicing the arguments I was going to have with her, I swore I had a flat tire I was going so slow. Of course, I did not have a flat. I was just biking like shit, and the cold wind didn't help either.

Moral of the story: If you are the kind of person like me, who gets stressed out about women, do not attempt a feat like an Ironman unless you are A) In a rock-solid relationship (married, engaged, long-term girlfriend, etc.) or B) blissfully single. I am opting for the latter this time around. Seriously, sex is fine, but nothing past that until I cross the finish line in Panama City.

That being said, today's workout was the polar opposite of that one. Really, the best one I've had in a long time. The warmer weather didn't hurt, nor did the ephedra for breakfast. Honestly, though, I don't know how some triathletes do this every day, getting up at 6 AM to workout. Like it was cool as a sort of novelty today, but for chrissakes, my body just doesn't react as well if I'm sweating before noon. Or does it?

Swim:
wu: 400 continuous.
main: 8 x 100 EBEH (each 100 = 25Easy, 25Build, 25Easy, 25 Hard)

2 Lipodrene on empty stomach, then a gel before start

Well, not being one who ever gets up before 11, I forgot that, much like traffic, the gym has a morning rush hour. At GHFC, this is apparently between 6:30 and 8:00 AM. I got there and all 6 lanes had two swimmers. Given my abhorring of circle swimming, I opted to wait until half a lane opened up. 10 mintues, nothing is open, and finally this Patricia-Heaton-at-60-look-alike asks me if I'd like to jump in and Circle swim. Well, I had to be in Miami by 3 and still had a whole workout to go, so, for the second day in a row, I circle swam.

I will say, the circle swimming gets me swimming a lot faster, only because I want to get the fuck out as soon as possible. So maybe this is a good idea, who knows? At any rate, I did the 400 meter warmup faster than I usually do a regular workout, and did the 8 EBEH with little problems. Didn't hurt I had my own lane by the third set either. I love EBEH, because you never swim more than 100 yards at once, and you never have to do more than 25 of them fast. I like swimming, but I don't do sprints.

Bike: 45 minutes on trainer

1 additional Lipodrene, Cliff Bar to settle stomach

The workout today called for 45 minutes of continuous spinning, so I thought what better time to break out the trainer for the first time this cycle than now? Last cycle, I did the trainer a little more than I should have, mostly because it was cold last cycle and I"m not a fan of biking when it's below 75 degrees. The trainer, though, is like a fucking sweatbox on a morning like this when you can feel the air beating you down. It's all the exertion of a bike ride without the cooling breeze. I was Meltzering everywhere within 10 minutes.

I also allowed myself to use the iPod for the first time this cycle. 45 minutes on the trainer with no music is actually a technique they occasionally use at Guantanamo Bay to get information, so I figured this was an acceptable music use. The new headphones are hands down the best speakers I've ever owned (sad, I know) and the music deifinitely helped. I do love my Paramore, and any time I hear "Lit Up" I work about twice as hard.

After the 15 minute warmup in the small ring, I switched over to the big ring and slowed for a minute. Then I said to myself, "You know what? They don't call it the trainer so you can fucking dog it for half an hour. Fucking push it!" And so I did, putting it in the next-to-highest gear for the duration of the workout. And I felt great. Yeah, the 75 mg of ephedra probably didn't hurt, but it was good to feel like I crushed a workout for the first time in a long time.

Maybe it's the drugs, maybe it's the music, or maybe it's not having any girls to worry about, but if I can keep going with workouts like the one I had today, I guarantee a much better result than what happened in Orlando.