T85 - A Disturbing Trend - Bike, Run

Gainesville

New training day, new attitiude. Every non-pool session I'd had this week had been terrible. So today I went out with the mentality that this workout needed to be crushed. I had done this before, and with good results. To make it better, the sun was out, it was hot but not brutal, and I was well-rested. All the makings of a good training day. Which is why today's workout was a little disconcerting.

Bike - 90 Minutes

2 Lipodrene
Bike started out feeling good, cruising fast down Waldo to Hawthorne at my usual cilp of 22-24. But once I hit the trail, something was wrong. I tried to drop into aero at the first straighaway, but still couldn't because of my right forearm. Like I'd manage to do it for a minute or so, but the muscle strain of keeping my weight off my right arm made me tired faster than I wanted to be. So I had to stay upright for the whole ride. The ride down was not impressive, nigbridge in 27, and the Pfifer Woods turnaround, which is where I'd turn on a bad 90 minute ride, I made in 43. Made it to the 30 minute turnaround at 32. So bascially, I was running a couple minutes slower than usual, but faster than a bad ride.

This would have actually been a pretty acceptable ride 6 months ago. Like the times I made it places was about what I was doing then. But I haven't improved this much, and worked this hard, to average 17.5 for a 45-minute bike out. I turned around with this mentailty, and managed to get back to my usual form for most of the trail before getting to the hammock.

I even did the hammock at my usual new speed, which isn't great but it was not a regression. I was averaging about 18.2 at this point, which, while not great, was at least enough to say "ok, that wasn't AWFUL." But when I got to the final incline, I realized I'd pushed it. Like going what had been my normal speed was pushing it, and I had nothing left. I couldn't get much past 16 on the final incline, couldn't get into aero, and even heading back up Waldo couldn't get over 18, even when I pushed it.

I have no idea why, my legs just weren't responding like they had been. I was well rested. My diet had been a bit off, but not awful. I am out of gels (and, more importantly, out of money to buy more until Friday) and had to have some Sharkeez at the turnaround, but does 120 calories really make THAT much difference? Once I realized I wasn't going to average 18, I just kinda dogged it down 2nd Ave until I got home. Ended up averaging 17.8. Again, might have been ok the last cycle, or even the one before. But not today. I was pissed, and wondered how to get out of this funk.

Run - 45 Minutes

1 Lipodrene
I didn't brick these in the hopes of being able to go strong into both. That and the training card didn't call for it, so I felt no need to do it. Anyway, I decided I needed to do whatever it took to have at least one good workout in the short sessions this week, so I took along the iPod. Which did a nice job up to about the 1.5 mile mark. I had a good stride going and gould feel myself pushing myself along. I hit the turnaound by the law school, and already I was feeling a little sluggish.

After the short climb back up to University, I was chopping steps. Just did not want to move fast like I had been. And it was a 45 MINUTE FUCKING RUN! I get like this sometimes an hour and a half into a 2 hour run on a hot day. But a 45 miunte run?! At night?! WTF?! I managed to get back to stride, but I pretty much just lumbered the rest of the way home. I had to stop for the light on 13th, and I felt so tired when I stopped I briefly considered walking home. I didn't, obviously, but still this was another disappointing effort.

I wouldn't characterize either workout today as bad. But definitely sub-par. I've been resting well, although my schedule of having to get up early twice a week may be fucking things up. Also, living off of pizza and chop chop all week may not be helping. Or maybe my body is using more energy than I thought to recover from the crash. I don't know. I IMed Trevor last night and he told me to take a couple of recovery days and get some good rest. This is my plan for the weekend, as I aim to be done with Week 6 with 6 weeks to go. My next two workouts are both super long, and need to be effective training. This trend cannot continue.