the rage week 9 recap.

this week was all set to be great and challenging at the same time. back to regular training and no jet lag? hell yes! it started out being just that, but good. then the end of the week happened that totally shook my confidence and beat me up in the mental and physical sense. luckily i was able to end with an awesome run and some fantastic support from family and friends that made me remember i can do this. no matter how much it hurts or how long it takes.

sunday~rest.
rest

i was in definite need of a full rest day from work, school, and training. richard actually had to work so i got the apartment to myself to catch up on army wives and project runway allstars (ps the FINALLY picked the right person to win!). these sunday rest days are the best.

monday~600m am swim. 4-5 mile pm run.
600m = 25:00 minutes/67:03pace
4.72 miles = 44:05 minutes/9:20 min/mile

after the lake saturday i was for sure glad to be back in the pool! i felt good, just a little sluggish to start. plus i was super frustrated that my earplugs wouldnt stay in. apparently i have funky ears haha.
with a 2 week break from my runner group i was sooo glad to get back to the boys and our normal route. the hill just about killed me as always, i swear 1 day it will get better. we even had a few new faces! oh and my bff (not!) the wind was there as always.

tuesday~12 mile bike.
13.75 miles = 1:01:24 minutes/13.4 mph pace

it was my first day back on the bike and i was definitely a little nervous, but it felt right. the hills were tough but nothing i couldnt push through! for sure time to get my bike legs back which means a return to body pump this week.

wednesday~2000m swim. 10 mile bike. brick.
2000m swim = 1:10:00 minutes/56:19 pace
10.12 mile bike = 44:21 minutes/13.7 mph pace

time to add another brick day. with the race getting super close i had to up the trainings for the next 2 weeks to really make sure i was ready. that meant a big swim 1st. i hit 2000 meters!!! holy crap. yes i was tired, and a little sore. but i felt good. the pool was freezing and busy but i broke it down in 500m sets and stayed in the zone!
i finally was ballsy enough to try out my new tri shorts and man did they make a difference. my butt bones were a little sore from the ride on tuesday, but the padding in the shorts helped big time. it was supposed to be really windy later in the day so i thought i could beat it in the morning. man i was wrong. the wind is terribly mean! it may not have been as long of a ride but i paid for it with wind resistance.

this sure was how i felt!
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thursday~600m swim. body pump.
600m swim = 20:00 minutes/53:38 pace
6am body pump class

i was certainly a little sluggish, the extra hard trainings caught up with me in the pool. i felt really slow but my pace was actually pretty good considering. i did have time for some extra meters, but just wasnt feeling it to be honest.
we had a sub instructor which turned out to be a guy! there isnt that many guys that attend the class on a regular basis let alone teach it. he was alright, and not going in 3 weeks for sure caught up with me! i took the hardest nap before work i might have ever had.

friday~20 mile bike.
13.4 miles = 1:32:54 minutes/8.7 mph pace

i had so many high hopes for this ride and that it would build for this week coming up. it started great, much less wind and only a little chilly. i tried out a new route to be safer and see different things. then i hit mile 8 riding on the main road and a truck was coming down the hill on a side street. i didnt think he saw me and was going to blow through the stop sign! i tried to brake and swerve which really just meant i freaked and fell off smacking the street hard. my waterbottle flew into the street and the bike and i were in different places. i picked myself up as the truck turned and drove off and sat on the sidewalk for a few minutes collecting myself. after some water and checking out the bumps/bruises/scrapes i decided i was ok and could totally finish the ride. i got back on the bike and realized the chain had slipped off the gears. remembering what i learned the other night i was able to get it onto the smallest wheel thinking i could use the gears on the handlebar to bring it to the right one.
apparently not. i started to ride and the gears but did nothing and i knew i could climb any hill or even finish the ride. luckily i had my phone so i could map the quickest way home. i walk/rode it most of the way till about 2 miles away when i was on silverado ranch which is super flat. i was tired of walking it and just wanted to get home so i hoped on for the last 2. about a 1/2 mile in i hear someones screeching brakes right behind as if they had to slam on them to not hit me. i was able to pull off into a side street where i promptly started bawling and continued all the way home. once i got there i collected myself to go upstairs and checked out my face in the bathroom since i couldnt see it on the road. that was all it took to completely loose it again as i sat on the couch near richard, bawling telling him everything that happened. i told him how this is the hardest thing i have ever done and what the hell am i doing thinking i can finish this. he just hugged and kissed me and let me cry as much as i needed to while getting really pissed at the cars (im telling you, a strong support team is huge!). afterward he headed off to the gym and i cleaned myself for work. the whole thing was a huge confidence shaker :/.

cars are terribly mean.

saturday~4-6 mile run.
5.2 miles = 46:52 minutes/9:00 min/mile

after wallowing in my failed bike ride for the night and icing my knee a lot i was determined to get up saturday to run. i would not let that stupid car win and the bike defeat me. my knee hurt quite a bit at the start and i figured this would be a slow paced run, i just wanted to finish. after about 2 miles i started to feel good and just let my legs go. getting back i looked down at my time and totally couldnt believe what that watch said! a 9:00 minute mile pace with a beat up knee and shaken confidence?! thats right. bring. it. on.

the aftermath.

total for the week=3,200m swam+37.27mi biked+9.92mi ran

this week, whew. it was friggin rough and tested a whole new set of limits. it also showed how strong i can be and the amazing support i have from the people around me. i have 1 more tough week, then taper, then race. im even starting to think about race day which is a whole new set of butterflies! if i made it through this week and finished that strong, i can make it through 1 more hard week and then race day!

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12 days to the rage triathlon!!!