Richter Kid is still going! Week 3 was a good one! I put more into the swim since week 2 was down in yardage. 10,500 quality yards this week, unless Frank texts that he's up for an afternoon swim today and lets me tag along.....
The rest of the training went well too, and I could feel the stress of increased volume and intensity both in the week's workouts. Sooooo........
Friday I took a break! A break from training. A break from
nutrition. A break from this “train-for-Kona-nothing-else-matters-lifestyle.” I had been trying to insert a free night for a while, but Thursday night the plan was hatched.....
I was gung-ho Thursday just thinking about the Thursday
Night World Championships, but the moment I took the first pedal stroke out of
my driveway that night I thought, “Uh-oh. I got Jell-O in m'legs.” It had been a hard
week of training already and I wasn't recovered from Wednesday's tough track workout. I told myself that I had done plenty of Thursday rides on tired legs that went great (there was once a fun ride I did after eating a whole kielbasa sausage) and just pedaled on. But when the heat got turned
up at the "usual spot" on the course and several of the guys started ratcheting up the pace, my legs twitched as if to say, “See, this is what we were
telling you back at the house?!” I’m aware I’m not near as cool as Jens Voight,
and I wish I could tell you I answered with, “Shut up, legs!!!!” But it was
more of a sheepish reply along the lines of, “Errrr, umm, legs? Can we just
pretend to be strong enough at least that the boys don't drop us?” My ego would have never
been able to take getting dropped, but I was committed at this point to riding
with the guys at the pointy end of the course. I did alright, but I was
exhausted the whole time and every turn at the front felt like a tremendous effort. I had already given myself permission to skip the run afterwards, but I strapped on the
Asics anyway and took the first steps. I knew for sure I would crumble and take
the short cut home. It was okay to quit. Really, it was. But when I came to
the shortcut that I fully intended to take the legs stayed on course. “Hey legs, where are we
going? It's okay, let's stop!” "Shut up, head! We is up for this!" I got it done and then even hit the mat for some core strength
after.
But all through that run an idea was hatching that perhaps –
if I could do it without beating myself up too bad – Friday I could close the
book of Training Rules According to Richter Kid and not only take a full day off
but also lift the wine embargo. Angie and I had a nice stay at home date, listening to cheesy music, drinking wine (beer for her), letting loose and grilling some nice big steaks. It felt fantastic!
A little Friday night fun never hurt anyone!
Hmm. I paid the price for that frivolity on Saturday's ride. Kinda had a little headache. 70 miles in I didn't have much gumption going for me. The last 20 were a blur. The legs felt fine, but my head didn't have it. I told myself I could bag the run when I got home. Yeah, save it for Sunday's run (I tried to justify it). By the time I got home I was pretty well cooked. I collapsed on the garage floor. There was no way I was running. My head was splitting. But once I got in the cool A/C of the house I guess I felt better enough to half mumble to Angie that I would try to run but didn't expect much. My training plan called for 6 miles. I hoped for 3.
I'm having a good time......
I got 4. And it was fantastic! I don't know what happened but I came around and felt like I could have run forever. It's amazing how the body and mind can bounce back if you just give it a chance!
Sunday's 14 mile run went well too. Perhaps I'm getting used to this humidity a bit.
Frank just texted. Swim at 2:30! Yesssssssssss...........!
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