Three months of long, slow endurance training can wear one down over time as it's quite monotonous. This week, however, is speed week, and comes with it's own set of problems, namely the urge to puke after a hard interval.
On Monday I ran hard, 3x8 minutes as hard as I could sustain. This meant a heartrate hovering in the high 170s, a place I haven't been since I can't remember when. I was pretty sure I was going to fall over after each interval.
It took my legs three days to recover to the point where I didn't feel pain when I walked, pain like when I used to lift heavy weights in the gym. I forgot that the simple act of running could do this to my body.
Today was my bike speed session, 3x8 again. I'd spent the last few days tinkering with my new Dual, getting the aerobar angles right, dropping the cockpit down an inch and adjusting the seat. The result is a bike that feels fast, and more importantly, comfortable. Awkward on the handlebars, being at a 78 degree angle (compared to my road bike), but natural in the aerobars, where it counts.
I did one hard interval and was ready to puke after. My legs were burning, my lungs were burning (it was starting to snow, so it was cold) and I thought my calf was going to cramp. The second interval was more up hill, and I couldn't seem to get the same power output (HR) as the first interval. By the end of the third I was ready to call it a day.
The shitty thing about biking hard is that you cover a lot of ground and it's hard not to run out of room on a stretch. Finding room meant 20 minutes of riding, which meant 20 minutes of riding back home.
Suffice it to say, I was pooped.
Race day is just over a week away now. I'm going to try cutting all caffeine intake next week and do this race au naturel. I can't wait!
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