quality time with my Kuota

Some people name their bikes...and their cars...and other vehicles. My family does this but I've never really gotten into it. But I've done such major bonding with my Kuota over the past two days (and ever since IM training began, really) that we certainly know one another on a first name basis!
Friday bonding: computrainer ride of the Coeur D'Alene Ironman course - 4 hours 25 minutes non-stop* on the bike. (*except for when I dropped my chain and had to hop off to fix it...that's some skill right there, folks - dropping a chain while on a trainer?!) I did this to get some feedback about my pedal stroke as well as to get a little idea about the CDA course. Naturally, riding on a computrainer is different from riding on the road; but still, you get a feel for the hills...and there are plenty. Some are typical central Texas-like hills (rollers) and others are a tad steeper. It's nothing T3ers can't handle! But I was no speed demon in spite of all of our long rides on the hills here in Austin. Mo told me to focus on my pedal stroke (I need to make it more of an oval and less of a peanut - that's the image when you see the computer graphic...evidently I have really good pull-up in the back but need to work on my push down/pushing my foot forward in the front) & cadence (aiming for 90-92...mine averaged around 86-87) and not to worry too much about other stuff. I was mindful of my speed but was pushing as hard and fast as I could (this is a tad relative given that I'd raced Galveston the week before and had not had a ton of rest or recovery). And I was mindful that Natalie finished about 9 miles ahead of me and Cindy about 4 miles ahead of me! I have to admit, I had a moment of "oh, no...I'm really not going to be able to make the bike cutoff" as I watched my mph stay in a rather pitiful range. I haven't had that thought in a while. But something about doing the CDA course on the computrainer made me think that I was really in trouble. Nonetheless, I completed the whole loop (56 miles of what we will do in CDA). And I was glad to get off my bike!
Spent a looooong time stretching and then wandered back to the coaches' office area to find Mo for my "debriefing". He immediately asked how it was, how I felt, etc... And then we started going over my stats, pictures of my pedal stroke, etc... But I had to interrupt him before he even talked for a full minute. I realized I wasn't taking anything in because there was a sinking feeling in my stomach (maybe b/c I was hungry, too! I'd gone directly from Barton Springs to the PTC and didn't get to have a great breakfast...but I did all of my nutrition tricks on the bike!). I just had to ask, "Mo, am I going to be able to make the bike cut-off? I mean, given what you've seen today, should I be even more worried than I am? Like, reconsider the race worried?" He quickly replied, "Oh, no...I'm not worried about that. You'll be fine." And then he talked me through the difference between computrainer rides and riding outside and we looked at my Galveston times and even tried to remember my Longhorn times. I was relieved...and could only then take in all of the information that the computrainer has to offer!
Bottom line - well worth the time and money but be prepared to have your legs feel like jelly the next day if you ride! It's not only that it is tougher but on a computrainer, but you are pedaling all the time. No riding the downhills. No standing up out of the saddle when you stop at a stop sign. Nope...there you are and you just have to keep pedaling. Oh, and it drives some people crazy to be on the trainer for that long...not me so much. In this way (mentally), I was built for endurance sports! I just settle in and go...and go...and go...and go...
...and keep going into the next day...
Saturday bonding: 50 miles from 360 out to Parmer and then back. Our CDA group actually did 75 miles but on account of my Friday riding on the computrainer, Mo & Chrissie both advised me to do 40 miles, sort of easy. Since I was riding with Amy I agreed to do 50 miles, sort of easy. There was nothing easy about riding on the wheels of Amy today. My legs were toast. And she was on fire! I was so happy for her...but killing myself to keep up. I did pretty well until the way back and then I just settled into my own little place (and pace) and kept chugging along just behind Nancy and Amy. In my brain, I was right with them. But sort of like my experience on the track on Wednesday trying to keep up with Blythe, no matter how much I willed them, my legs simply wouldn't turn over faster or push harder. Oh, well, my average was decent and I completed the miles. I always feel like I'm cheating myself a little when I just ride/run "junk miles" but in this looooong training schedule of ours, I need to go easy on myself a little and know that some workouts are just going to be like that. I still give it all I have but if completion is the end result then that's okay!
Some take-aways from the rides:
- I'm so glad for some of my buddies who "needed"/were hoping for good, solid rides today b/c they are coming back from injuries or being sick or just having a string of bad rides...so, hooray for Laura, Amy, Jess, Logan, Erin, and others...
- 360/Parmer is much friendlier without the crazy wind that we had this winter!!
- any ride that we return from safely is a blessing...saw one bad accident right after it had happened (prayers for the cyclist and his family) and then a teammate fell and broke her arm...prayers for full and speedy recoveries for both cyclists!
- I'm planning a day off next week...I have 16 miles to run on Sunday and then on Monday I'll go to yoga and my massage and that's it. My body is tired and hasn't really recovered from Galveston (I think mostly b/c I'm tired!). So, I'm taking Monday off except for yoga. Yeah, I can tell this is a good move already! And I'm not going to feel guilty about it! (Right?! Right!!)