Big training weekend!

This weekend I changed things up a little. I typically run and swim on Saturdays and bike and run on Sunday. But this weekend we decided to go to New Hampshire on Saturday, so I did my ride and run before we left (awesome hubby does not complain about a late start and a morning filled with all the neighborhood kids - somehow all the kids end up at our house playing together or separately, searching for snacks and living countless plastic cups all over the house. Love 'em all, though).

I had a great ride on Saturday: 60 miles @ 18.2, HR 141, and 5 miles run with no Garmin (bc I want to keep the pace easy). I believe my ride was successful - I never felt tired, my HR did not spike, my legs did not hurt - partly because of mega caffeine intake: 32 ounces of coke zero, 2 caffeinated gels, plus one huge mug of coffee before leaving the house. Caffeine is awesome, how did I not know that? The run started out great. My legs did not have any of the usual lead-type feeling. However, it was super hot and I felt hungry and tired. Still, probably one of the easiest off the bike runs.

Today I did a hilly 14 miler with lots of race pace miles. Even in New Hampshire and running by the ocean, it was super hot. I forgot to take my E21 pills with me and ended up eating some salt packets that I grabbed at a cafe along the way. My legs felt tired from yesterday, and it was harder to hold a normally moderate effort pace, but things never got too bad or difficult. Happy with that! I realize, however, that if the temps are going to be this high on race day, I am going to have to be smart and run slower. Next, it was a swim, which got cut short to 1.25 miles (instead of 1.75) since I had to get home. I swam in a salt water indoor pool and absolutely loved it. Plus, no sneezing and no stuffy nose for me this afternoon! Oh, and how could I forget the icebath I took with Petru in the ocean, and the pleasure he took in splashing me with the ice cold salty water!

Tomorrow I am changing my plan and will do one of those multiple bricks I read about on some of the super fast triathletes' blogs. I am going to ride 15 miles, then run 3K @ HMP, then put my bike on the trainer and bike for 30 min with some alactates, than run 2K @ 10k pace, then bike 30 min with alactates, then run 1K @ 5K pace, bike 30 min with alactates, and then run easy 4-5 miles. This should be about 2+h biking and 10 mile run. I am excited to see how I am going to do. There could be a lot of suffering, as we are supposed to have 80+ degrees tomorrow. I'll bring my E21 pills, and lots of caffeine and enthusiasm!