Where does it all go? All that juicy fitness I busted my butt from November to May to build? One Ironman race. One easy recovery week of about 5-6 hours of training. And suddenly I don’t even feel like an athlete anymore.
Shameful.
Depressing.
Reality.
So after my week “off”, I’ve gotten back to work. The first week? OK, I could laugh it off as easy as the next guy; extraordinary case of squat-ass (now an honest to goodness medical condition, thanks to Kevin Burns….I knew you were on my side!), Z1 paces that were off the charts (and not the right end of the chart), Z1 wattage that couldn’t fuel a pen light……sure, it’s easy to laugh. …..for the first week.
Now into the second week, and I am starting to feel like the joke is on me. Though there are signs of hope.
Last week, I went out for a 35’ ZR run. ZR is really easy. “Stupid easy” as my coach calls it. My max HR for ZR is sometimes achieved just standing up from the couch, so you get my drift on how slow ZR is on most days. Anyway, last week, I said to DaveyG, “Hey, I am doing an easy run. Wanna come?”
DaveyG and I don’t often get to train together, so with me just coming back from an Ironman and DaveyG getting his legs back under him after a couple months of not being able to train, it was a perfect opportunity for both of us to suck together.
We set out, and before I knew it, “Sorry, babe. I have to slow down. Too fast.” So we slowed down. 30 seconds later, “Sorry…..still to fast.”
This continued for the first 20’ of the run. I kept looking at my HR. “Crap, too fast”. Slow down. “Crap, too fast.” Slow down.
I actually started feeling bad for Dave. Could we run ANY slower? I kept apologizing for how slow I had to run. DaveyG, as always, so supportive. “You have to start somewhere. This really isn’t that slow,” he said, as a woman in a business suit and 3 inch heals walked buy us, while talking on her cell phone. And sipping a non-fat, no whip, soy latte.
This week, DaveyG came with me again. Same drill. 35 minute run. Zone R. About 12 minutes in, we actually PASSED someone! (and exchanged a celebratory fist bump). In all, 4 people passed during our ZR run last night! 4!!!! AND, we averaged 1:03 per MILE faster than a week ago, at the same HR.
So no; don’t think I’ll be busting out a sub 4:00 mile any time soon, but hey, it’s progress and we all gotta start (back) somewhere!
Some new toys added to my stock this week!
Brand new, GORGEOUS Kestrel 4000. (kiss, kiss). LOVE this bike. Feels great, handles better, fits best ever. And let’s face it…..it’s hot!
Then, because my life isn’t filled with enough torture, Coach Jesse “suggested” these: Power Cranks. Imagine the hours of torture, the 4-letter expletives, the paralyzed hip flexor muscles. I had my first ride on them just this morning….you know….to see how long I could make it. Didn’t bother putting bike shorts on. Didn’t figure I’d be riding that long. Yep. 5 minutes, 22 seconds. I know. I’m a rock star.
So yeah, the weeks of post-Ironman aren’t the most satisfying, the most confidence instilling, the most impressive displays of athleticism. Still, when DaveyG sits down to a steak dinner, and I get to look over at this face…..I know, there’s no place like home and it’s good to be back home and into the swing of things.
