Six Weeks?!

Well, time flies when you train for an Ironman, switch jobs, and are basically as busy as a one-legged cocktail waitress (or insert your metaphor of choice here). The fact that it is August just blows my mind. Then again you’d think I would know since I basically feel that every weekend I go home, train in a large furnace for three days, and get a heat stroke. Holy buckets it has been hot in Colorado. Yesterday I had to ride around 2:00 in the afternoon and it was ridiculous. There was a nice hot wind blowing, my water bottles were practically boiling, and it was just disgusting. I seriously don’t think I stopped sweating for three days. I keep feeling like crap on my brick runs, getting into the car after, realizing it is 96 degrees, and feeling pretty okay about feeling terrible.

The only thing you can do when it is a million degrees and you have to ride for five and a half hours is CLIMB!!! Luckily climbing is my favorite thing to do on my bicycle, following closely by descending. I was waxing poetic to myself yesterday about how much I love to ride and then I almost got hit by a car, so that was dramatic. I hate cars sometimes. And people. And everything. That is mostly when I need a Snickers bar, but this was really scary, it was right where another cyclist was killed about a month ago so needless to say it REALLY freaked me out.

Anyway, back on topic, long ride. So I had never ridden to Estes Park before and I decided Saturday was the day to check it out. I only had a 5:30 ride so I figured it couldn’t be too bad if it sucked. I went up Highway 7 which is one of my favorite climbs and descents, through a cute little town called Allenspark, and down to Estes Park. Then I came back on Highway 36, because at that point I was over 50 miles and had climbed a bunch. It was a really fun loop and I would do it again. Of course somehow by the time I got back to the flats, it was a million degrees and I was under on time, so I did a few flat loops to end up with 5:30 and 95 miles. I’ll take it. I rode by myself (my brother was camping and Katie has retired from training like an insane person), but I met a few people and rode with them a few times. Beth wrote recently that she doesn’t think about much on her bike. I had a lot of solo training time this weekend, and I don’t think I thought about much, or if I did, I forgot everything. Nothing of note I guess! Lots of times I just get really annoying songs stuck in my head and try to get them out and find other ones that I do like.

Sunday was a fun day of training also. I started running at 7:30 and holy buckets was it hot already. As much as I hated waking up at 5:00 am last weekend, it was nice to run in relative cool for a while. I did a fun big out and back with a loop in the middle starting in South Boulder at my favorite trailhead, running up Marshall Mesa, and across 93 to this trail that I guess eventually goes up a canyon. It was really nice and there were a number of professional runners out including my all-time running hero, Colleen de Reuck. She passed me like I was standing still and said hi, she is so nice. I would guess I ran around 17 miles but I’m not really sure.

After the run and a great brunch with Katie I had to ride in the furnace. I didn't really feel like climbing, but it was too hot to do anything else. So I headed to Jamestown!

I also swam a decent amount this weekend although I thought I had the plague or something on Friday so I took to my bed at 4:00 pm. I finished the week about 6000 short of where I was supposed to be. Oh well, swimming is stupid. I can’t believe I have two more really intense weeks and then my taper for IM MOO starts. You know, in the words of Joan Benoit Samuelson, a famous Bowdoin grad and endurance athlete, this isn’t so bad!