Rocky Mountain Spring...

-
The first full weekend of Spring. A full slate of fun rides and such just waiting for some sunny weather,- a group ride I kept skipping, a long... But I was watching the forecast the entire week and was mentally preparing. If the weather man was right, I wouldn't want to be riding outside! And sure enough, the snow was blowing, the wind howling and it was cold enough to freeze a yeti when I woke up Saturday. Time to stare at some bricks at CTS! I'd talked to Coach Adam earlier in the week, so had my bad weather workout ready to go. I just needed to get my mind around riding inside for three hours.... And with it being at the end of a training block, I was secretly hoping my legs would rebel and I would have an excuse to stop riding sooner.

No such luck. I got there early to claim a spot and set up the course on the computrainer. Since my workout was a little crazy with lots of things to think about, I needed something simple - and something that I would be able to get the power numbers I needed. Got settled for the long haul - water bottles, some food and my music and my cheat sheet. Yeah, I needed a cheat sheet for this workout! After Cam turned the radio on at CTS, I ditched my headphones - that music was enough. Time to go internal and focus myself on what I was supposed to do. Ride hard, ride smart and get it done. On the first set of intervals, I could feel the fatigue in my legs. But the numbers were good, so I kept going. Each separate block of intervals, I was prepared to bounce off that wall. I never did. I kept hitting my numbers and kept cranking out the workout. There were plenty of other people riding, but it was just me, my bike and the workout. Mental training for those longer races. I did manage to get my full three hours done - inside. Not sure how I managed, since the easy hour recovery rides inside just kill me mentally! And the workout ending wall was just around the corner - I hit it pretty hard when I home. The couch was calling my name and I didn't resist...

With continued wind and cold on Sunday, I had no desire to go running. I was tired, cranky and wanted to go back to sleep the minute I woke up! So Nick and I decided to drive up Old Stage and go snowshoeing. Still a good workout, but protected from the wind. And a lot more fun then a boring road run on iced over roads. Nick's idea of snow showing is not the groomed ski resort trails. It's make your own fun, through trees, the deepest snow he can find and generally exploring. It's a blast because we get to see some things we'd never see if we stayed on the trail. And with the snow, there's really no worry about getting lost! Just follow our tracks back to the car! It was perfect way to wind down the week and start my recovery right.
Nick breaking trail ahead of me

Enjoying the view and the solitude...


Trying to decide the best way up the slopes

Coming down - steeper then it looks!



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A long way on foot - Sheep Mountain Endurance Run

-
Image
Fifty miles is a long way - regardless of how you travel. As I was training and preparing for Sheep Mountain Endurance Run, I knew that it would be a long day - I knew that there would be ups and downs, that the plan would have to be fluid and goals adjusted mid-race. That is the nature of endurance sports and the people who achieve are the ones who can go with the flow and find the ability to turn things around if they do go south. Obviously, for my first 50, I was hoping for nothing but smooth sailing - with no dark spots, no demons and smiling the whole way. A girl can always hope, right? Runners assembled for the start Photo - Human Potential Running The sun was just starting to brighten the clouds as we walked to the starting line with nearly 100 other runners. The race director went through a few things, noting that there had already been some DNS's due to the elevation and to be smart. Smart... Most people would say smart would mean not doing something like a 50 mile ...
the full story...

Mortality

-
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention to arrive safely in a pretty and well preserved body; but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming 'Wow! What a ride!'” - Hunter S. Thompson It seems such a trite quote, but true at the same time. Life is about the journey - the adventures along the way, the failures and successes. A life well lived is a person with stories to tell, taking the chances along the way that will provide fulfillment. You don't realize how close we are teatering to the edge until something happens that affirms our mortality.  In eleven years of practicing physical therapy in a nursing home setting, I've had my share of experiences with death. Never close though - far enough removed to be touched by the passing but not affected. Sometimes it's expected and everyone says "it's for the best. They are happier now." Other times, it's not and we are all shocked...
the full story...

Regaining my mojo

-
Image
I'll be honest. The two months between the middle of July and middle of September just about crushed me. Tired all the time, unable to muster more then a slug pace for most rides, and shuffling my way through my runs. It was the worst two month I've had - made worse by my continuing to try to push through the fatigue. So after Vapor I made sure that I would listen to my body and not pressure myself into training until I felt ready. No matter how long it would take, I would take the recovery I needed. Two weeks of minimal activity - short swims that were mostly just paddling around, very short runs where I didn't look at my watch at all and the easiest of rides imaginable. After those two weeks, I was still tired, but feeling better. Getting more like myself again, with a little more energy. That meant I needed at least another week of easy recovery! It was not the time to succumb to FOMO and start up with the big rides and hard runs again. So I behaved even more, knowing ev...
the full story...

Friends with the Monsters..

-
And the voices inside of my head.  As Saturday approaches, the voices - the demons - have begun talking to me. Sometimes a whisper, sometimes a scream. 54 miles. It's the distance from Colorado Springs to Lake Pueblo State Park. Or the top of Wilkerson Pass... A long bloody way to cover on two wheels, let along two feet! Yet that is my goal. Traverse the trails and roads west and east of Fairplay, covering more then the distance of two marathons. Theoretically, it should be nothing. After all, I've run back to back marathons many times - once getting both under 3:10. Fifty two miles, in just shy of 24 hours at a pace much faster then I'm planning. But in this ventures, I had time to recover between races and took the recovery seriously. Here, nothing but continuous forward movement. One step in front of the other, no breaks between efforts and the the clock doesn't stop ticking.  As Saturday approaches, those voices are getting louder. Ever doubting, ever questioning - ...
the full story...