Jackie D - Week 29

Week 29 - starting Monday 2 April 2007

Scheduled hours: 13hrs 30mins
Actual hours: don’t know yet - but hopefully on track

I am writing this early this week as I am off with the kids to visit my mum and dad in UK for Spring break. Mary has kindly scheduled me a recovery week and it looks incredibly easy. She assures me that is all I need to do - but more on that next week.

An extra bike workout crept into my schedule this week and it is amazing how much more busy that makes it feel. I was in my routine of 2 swims, 2 strength, 3 bikes, 3 runs and it was almost habit and it now feels weird to try and fit an extra bike in - that’ll teach me to do an extra workout last week! I am sure it is just a question of getting used to it and it will all become routine again in a few weeks time.

Had to keep an eye on the weather this week. From our sunny mild temperatures in 50s, freezing temperatures and snow predicted from mid week onwards, so, I decided to do my long bike on Tuesday while the weather held (couldn’t quite face it on Monday after the previous hard Sunday). I planned an out and back route towards Honoeye Lake which took me into new territory. It was beautiful! I certainly found some real, rolling hills and with some of the fenced cow pastures as well it reminded me very much of the part of England that I come from. I tried some different brand gels on this ride - Power gels as that is what they will be supplying on the Ironman course this year. So far so good, the flavours I have tried all seem to be a little runnier and sweeter than the gu but that makes them a little easier to eat. The sachets are a little bigger which I did notice when stuffing them into my fuel belt for my long run later in the week. Anyway, back to the bike - a few weeks ago at our Ironman meeting, Mary was explaining the bike course and as she went along she explained good places to take in nutrition. Well of course I was listening but really was wondering why that was important as you’d just take in nutrition as you needed it, right? Well the ride this week showed me how important planning will be. Up and down those rollers I just couldn’t find a break long enough to stuff a gel down. In the end I used a downhill to eat and then didn’t have the help up the other side.
Only about an hour in I decided I desperately needed the bathroom but of course as soon as I started looking for a discreet tree/ bush with no houses etc, houses pop up everywhere. In the end I just had to hop of the bike and hope no cars came along (they didn’t but I hope the farmer wasn’t looking out his window!).

I am getting much better at clipping into my new pedals now - only takes a brief glance downwards. Clipping out is still dodgy- well the clipping out bit is OK but for some reason when I stop I am starting to lean the wrong way and - well so far so lucky.

I was waiting to go out on my bike one morning this week whilst waiting with my son to get on the school bus. He is so sweet and asks how long I am going for and how does that compare with what I will have to do at the Ironman. I know he has it mentally checked off like I do (cos he verbalises it) - swim OK she can do that, bike - nearly half way there in miles, run - getting there. He is going to be my number one fan and takes more interest than my hubby who has an annoying habit when I come in from a workout of saying “Did you go fast?”

I ummed and aahed about when to do my long run this week. After several conversations with my training schedule (which is conveniently at eye level stuck to the fridge) I decided to do it on the day assigned which was Thursday. Originally I was thinking of keeping it for Sunday to justify some of the English chocolate which I am bound to gorge on, not to mention the chocolate cake my mum is making. However, whilst conversing, darling hubby comes up and tells me I will be too jet lagged on Sunday and to just get on and do it!

So I did! And it was cold and snowy and did I mention cold. I chose a flat route (for a nice change) along the canal towpath which is mostly a nice soft surface and took the dog (she’s fit!). Back to thermal wear and hat today. I took 3 gels and could barely open the third one as my hands were numb with cold (yes I did have gloves on but clearly not thick enough). A heartstopping moment on my run was when I looked down at my watch and saw that it wasn’t ticking away the seconds! I had forgotten to press the button again after a doggy break stop and I had no idea how long I had run for. Eek! Luckily I was doing an out and back route and so I chose a turnaround point and timed myself on the way back and doubled it. So, I did 2hr 40 instead of 2hr 30 but that was OK and not a bad guess.

I still have a few more workouts to complete yet this week (Thursday now) but so far so good.

15 WEEKS TO GO