Tri-training trifoiled?

This week was the first of two tough training weeks - for me - queen of Sprint Tri's forever. I've been looking forward this week for a while now. Strange how I now look forward to torturing my body like most folks look forward to Fridays. Anyway, I planned a trifecta of sorts starting on Tuesday through Wednesday looking something like this: Tues - AM: 45 minute run at zone 3, PM, 60 minute swim zone 4, Wednesday AM: 45 minute bike, Zone 4. The entire week has me getting up early for something, ie 45 minute zone 2 bike Monday am, then the Tues/Weds trifecta, then a 45 min zone 2 run Thursday am, and due to life getting in the way, a 90 minute zone 2 run Friday am. I decided on Monday that instead of doing the am run on Tuesday, I'd do it in the afternoon on the Ocotillo Nature trail here in Carlsbad. I decided to do this after getting some encouraging words from my new hero Pirate and having a little bit of La Luz envy. So the Ocotillo Trail is kind of a super, mini La Luz - 230' elevation change in 0.9 miles, and we're talking max elevation of 3440'... okay so its nothing even close to La Luz, but it is a hard, short run. I did bottom to top in about 15 minutes, mostly in zone 3, some zone 4. I then went back down to a section of switch backs and went up and down two or three times and then back down to finish the 45 minutes. It was torturous and my legs where definitely protesting, and I was basking in the pain. I initially planned to do this at lunch time, but ended up doing it at 4:30 and it was overcast and cool, so not too much of a heat workout, but I'll take it.

Next was my attempt at an hour of swimming. I was psyched. I had a bunch of 25 yard sprints, some build 100 sets, some build kicking sets - it was going to be tough. I raced home, dropped off the boys, said hi to Jeff put my suit on and raced to the pool, only to arrive at an empty parking lot. What the.... so after a temper tantrum during my drive back home, I spent the evening cleaning my kitchen. So.Not.Inspiring.

I did get up and perform my Suffer O Rama Spinerval for 45 minutes, but I could not get to Zone 4. I felt like I was going to die, but didn't get even close to the dieing heart zone.

So my dilemma is - do I do the planned swim tonight (Thursday - assuming they're open) which is an easy 30 minute recovery type swim, or do the missed killer hour swim? Also since it is taking me two days to write the post, my very early Friday am 90 minute run, can now be done in the pm - yeah! Leaving me with a rest day on Saturday, and a two hour zone 2 ride on Sunday - if Jeff gets back in town before dark - please get back at least two hours before dark.



I have to say, that although my running has not gotten quicker lately as my focus has been not on speed and distance, but heart rate and time... it has been ah... do I dare say it... sort of, but not really, well okay a little more enjoyable... This morning for example, I started my 45 minutes at 5:15 - dawn is just beginning so there is a twinge of light, but there were rainclouds in the east over the Pecos River and a lightening show. The first half of the run I had my back to the East, so I missed the lightening show, but as I turned around it was closer to 6 and more light out, except the storm had moved more northwesterly. The clouds were rolling, and black, and the lightening was still far enough away not to worry about. The breeze was cool and refreshing and the smell of rain was permeating the air. It was beautiful. I made it to my car in time though as it started sprinkling just as I opened the door, which very shortly turned into a full fledged rain. My pace was slow, my heart rate was right on target(when my HR monitor decided to cooperate) and I felt good despite the torture I've put my legs through so far this week. Even my run up Octillo trail was enjoyed, a little.