Fall Training Update - weeks 2 & 3

Last I posted, I told you all about my fall plan and the fact that I've decided to add cycling into the training regime this time around.

The cycling has been going really well!

I quickly went from a 25k personal cycling distance record to a 45k record in the next week when I joined Irina and her husband and a bunch of other people for a group cycle from Burlington to Stoney Creek and back again.

Spot the mum bike. Photo from Irina

Sam's to my right and Emma is gazing into the distance. That's also Patty's bike in the front (we battled down for best mum bike around!). Patty was the first to turn back after about 12k as she was just learning how to bike and after that I was the slowest, but it didn't matter, Sam, Emma, Irina, Zindine and Kimberly all stayed back with me while I puffed away trying to maintain 20 km/h on the old mum bike. It took my 2hr20min to get through the 45k, but it was a great ride and I can't wait to join the big group again.

I also managed to fit in a real brick with 12k on the bike and 1.5k run right after. WOW. Do the legs ever move off of the bike. My fears about running in the diaper shorts were unfounded, but they DO heat up the ass some!

This past Saturday, I got skinny tires or slicks put onto the bike. I promptly set out to bike 50k on Sunday morning at 0630. WOW! What a difference those tires make. Plus, I finally put my chain and the big ring and plowed away. My top speed (downhill obvs) was 59.9km/h! I can't believe it! I even clocked along at 30km/h on my own power (but um, with a backwind!). In the end, I finished the long solo ride in 2h19m so you can see the improvement the gear has given me.

Boom! Bike Record!

On the running front, things haven't been as good. I've hit my runs with 24k this past Saturday (alone and with at 0530 start), but I haven't felt strong. I've talked myself out of tempo runs and feel like I can't even maintain a sub 6:00/km pace anymore (which isn't good considering I'm the 3hr continuous pacer at the MidSummer Night's Run in August). I've decided to force my mind through the blahs though and just HIT the tempo or try my hardest to do so. I have a lot of time before the Oakville Half Marathon which is now 100% my "A" race as I got the good news today that I will be the 1hr55m continuous pacer at the Niagara Falls Half Marathon in the fall. Let's hope I have another great pacer experience when running by the falls!

Happy with my longest solo run done before many are awake on a Saturday!

So, week one saw me hit 83km in total. Week 2: 100.35km. Week 3: 109.11km.

And sleep. Lots of sleep!

This is a cutback week for cycling and next week is a full on off week as we are on vacation camping. I'm sure I'll still cycle and run while we are away, but the distances will be short and the workouts easy.