8/14/10

Hard week

The training and racing has been pretty intense this week, along with the high temps we've been dealing with. It just finished raining here and seemed to cool things down a bit but it's still pretty muggy out there. Next week is looking like it's going to be much cooler which is good for me when it comes to running on the road and doing bike run bricks. The shaded trail runs are nice when it's warmer though. Anyway after the GCT on Sunday we did a short easy recovery bike ride on Monday and stretched things out. Tuesday was the first Northeast Running Club sponsored cross country race held at Penitentiary Glen in Kirtland Hills. This race draws all the High School CC teams along with anyone else that wants to run a hard, fast and hilly 5k course. For the first week there were 187 runners that showed up and raced with some VERY FAST young CC runners, guys and girls alike. I lined up somewhere mid pack not wanting to jamb up the youngsters during the first mile and ended up loosing time and quite possibly a placing or two....no big deal I will just move toward the front next week. I crossed the first mile at 5:55 and that was with a couple hills in there too. I felt good throughout the race and ended up winning the 40-49 age group with a 19:55 and finished 24th overall and there were actually 12 in my age group. This is a hard but fun course with some good climbs and one long finishing hill that totally kicks your butt. There are two more races this month, both on Tuesday nights starting at 6:30, with a one mile cool down run after the race.

Wednesday was a long pyramid interval workout in the pool and Thursday was the Leroy TT. It was very hot and humid Thursday night and hard to get a good deep breath. I hit it hard on the way out into a slight headwind and was keeping the speed around 25-26 mph. As I turned the corner on Kniffen the wind was at my back and I was able to keep 25 mph to the start of the hill. My speed dropped to about 22 there and that was about as good as it was going to get. My heart rate was spiked and my legs were on fire and I couldn't get anymore out of them what so ever. Once I started the last steep climb to the turnaround I dropped it to the little ring and spun up rather than hammering up, my legs were spent. I hit the turn and started back down into a headwind but was able to keep 30 mph for the most of the down section until it flattened out and my speed dropped to around 26. Back around the corner and the flat back to the finish I was totally red lined and feeling very dizzy by Indian Point Rd. and came across the finish at 32 mph. I spun it out very slowly on the cooldown and was feeling dizzy all the way back to the parking lot, so I'm assuming I used everything that I had in my body that there was to use. After Carrie came in she and I did a 3.2 mile brick run and by the time we finished we were both totally spent from the night.

Friday Scott and I did a hillier 30 miler on the road bikes but rode pretty easy, it was a good ride.
Today Lynn and I rode our bikes to the track and I did a pyramid interval workout. The temps were about 90 degrees today but the track had to be at least 100. The last three intervals were insane and I couldn't wait for them to be over.
Tomorrow is another swim and bike and that completes a big week of fast training and racing.

Next week will be similar then the week after will be an easy week with Presque Isle on Saturday the 28th.

Good luck to all that are racing the Milk Race tomorrow!

Out.

No comments: