Of Mice and Marathons

AM/Lunch: 4 hours 26'. 77.3 Miles @ 17.4 MPH. 200W. HR 124. 

I decided to do the Coffee Ride this morning, something I have wanted to do for several years but just haven't made it for one reason or another. I showed up just before 9, circled the parking lot, saw no one, so I struck out on my own headed to the roads on the Thursday Night Dirt route and east of there, which I haven't been on this year. Last year I ventured about as far east as I have been. Weather was around 60 or so, but felt cooler around 8:15 or so, but warmed up. Fueling was solid with 2 big bottles and a regular one and two heavy gels of 50-60 grams of carbs each. Enjoyed the ride throughout. 

Just shy of 20 hours of total training time this week, probably my highest since last sumer. I have modifed my training schedule slightly so I am off the bike on Tuesdays to try to fit a bit more running in as I have 8 weeks to Beach to Beacon and I think I need a slightly mileage bump. Not a lot, but I need to be solidly 50-55 miles most weeks and hopefully 60 or above for a few weeks. I am hoping higher mileage couple with some faster workouts will help me make some fitness gains. Bike stuff is coming along okay, but I will have a better sense with my first race of the season next weekend. 

AM: 8 miles, averaged 9:20. HR 124. 

PM: 5.4 miles, averaged 9:11. HR 121.

Off. 

I figured I would just take a day off, but I ended up feeling worse than if I had done something. 

PM: 2 hours 10'. 38.8 miles @ 18.0 MPH. 200W. HR 131. 

3 x 10' Criss Cross Tempo/VO2

Got out somewhat late. Long first day of summer with the boys. I am not really ready for this. Legs felt awful, and I am glad the criss of the criss cross was only tempo and not sweet spot or tempo. Legs just felt horrible. I was hoping for better after a complete rest day, but I know better than to make that mistake. 

PM: 1 hour 19'. 23.3 miles @ 17.6 MPH. 203W. HR 128.

Legs felt like junk still. Mentally kind of off. Not terrible, just off my rhythm. Not getting much running in this week, but I am looking forward to my first bike race of the season (finally). Went after a segment, but didn't go all out. I missed considerably. Weather has been quite nice lately. 

PM: 1 hour 4'. 19.2 miles @ 17.8 MPH. 205W. HR 133. 

Openers

Just did 3 x 2-3' at or just above threshold. These actually felt pretty good and my legs feel okay. A little nervous for tomorrow, but excited too. Just a lot of stuff to keep in order with a bike race. 

AM: 2 hours+ total w/ 34-mile Gravel Race

Cow Pie Classic Short Haul 

13' up/20' down

33.3 miles in 1:35:24 (21.0 MPH). 247W. HR 166.

I had a pretty decent race. About the pace I wanted and stuck with the lead group until the farm where things got chaotic and people were going down and/or crashing and I had to slow to avoid it. 

Overall, I felt pretty good as I stayed with the lead group for as long as I could. Fitness was there to hold on, just skills lacking a bit and I should have been tactically better, knowing where the farm was so I could position myself better. I didn't have my mileage on, which hurt me a bit. Maybe could have been more aggressive at the farm, but I thought the sketchier sections were earlier (they are a bit later in the farm). Still, this probably kept me from crashing or missing a turn. I did much better handling in the woods section of the farm I think. After that I tried to chase down whoever I could but didn't have too big of a group to work with, just random stragglers here and there. Felt pretty strong at the end. 

Fueling was decent and I did manage to get some drink in while in the pack and I think I felt more comfortable in a pretty big group, even bumping elbows and bars a little bit (not intentionally), which is progress too. I feel excited to get out and do more races. I forget I haven't done a bike race since November and a gravel race since this race last year. Need to do a bit more racing. Not every weekend and maybe not every month, but about 6-8 bike races a year and 3-4 running races a year would be good. I now have two total races down for the year with more planned. I am still trying to decide about a target running race for fall. A half seems the mostly likely to be able to recover and get in my bike racing.