T108 - Saying Goodbye to Some Old Friends - Bike, Run

Gainesville

Today was my last training day in Gainesville. I left for Panama City at about 5, and won't be back until the Ironman is over. Kinda weird to look at my room and all the shit in there, and all the kids in my classes and everything, and think that the next time I see any of it, this will all be over. A long time coming, you know? But anyway, for my last bike ride, I thought I'd go visit the Hawthorne Trail since I'd done it probably 100 times by now.

Bike: warm up 10 minutes, 30minues cruise at race pace, cool down.

3 Sudafed
2 Lipodrnee
All semester, I had intended to work in some training during my 3 hour break on Wednesday. Hadn't happened once. Usually that was nap or sex time, often both. But today, I actually managed to get in an entrie trianing day between my morning and afternoon classes on Wednesday. On my next to last day of training.

Anyway, the "warm up" here was essentially a nice cruise down Waldo to the trailhead. and then I hit Hawthorne going only slightly slower than my usual good pace. about 20.5-21 all the way down to the first hill. I notcied, though, that there was a bit of a wind on Hawthorne today, not something you get in the summer. Yet another reason I hate winter training, the fucking cold wind. I made it just past the bottom of the hill in the hammock, turned aorund, and went back up the hill. Becasue I typically need that 20-25 minutes to warm up, I went back up the hill much faster than usual, and I was even able to maintain about 18 up the final incline. Not something I do even on good rides.

I ended up averaging about 17.5 for the ride, but this was more because I rode the hilly seciton of Hawthorne only, and my average speed usually goes up a mile or 2 in the flats that comprise the rest of the course. And really, this was not the most crucial training ride of the cycle. I felt good about how it went, and it kept my body loose. And that's all one can ask.

Run: warm up 5 minutes, 15 minutes cruise at slightly faster than race pace,
cool down

I got home, had a sandwich, answered some email, then hit the Treadmill at Jefferson. Again, my last time on the treadmill I'd used most often. Because I'd brought the iPod, I did a nice little warmup at 5.5 (which is a hopeful race pace, really) and then did 8.0 the final 15 minutes. It wasn't even as hard as I'd thought it would be. I sweated like crazy, but made it through without even feeling overly winded. Hmmmm, maybe I COULD have pushed the run a little more. But it's a bit late to start thinking that.

So after, I went to class, got home, packed up and headed up to PCB. Total focus, and that is exactly what I need.