Heat training

Training, training, and more training. After looking over my workout log from the last few weeks, I am beginning to understand how one can be so tired. And with the summer in full swing, we now are becoming creative in our workouts.

For example, last Sunday consisted of a 6 hour ride and 50 minute run. Out the door by 5:30 am puts me off the bike at roughly noon.... and then I have to... run? Yikes. The temps have been well over 110 degrees and with no shade to speak of in the desert, this makes for an interesting feat. Somewhere along the way, we decided we'd run from our house over to the track, a mile away. I would wear a 3 liter hydration pack which we could tie to the fence and then just refill our hand held water bottles as needed. Between the water that we consumed and the water that we continuously poured over our heads, we damn near used all 3 liters. But, I didn't feel as though I were being left for dead as I usually do during my mid-day runs on the canal. Don't get me wrong, the track was deserted. But my SkirtChaser was no more than 200 meters away from me should I lose consciousness.

With only 3 big weeks of training left in our season, we are trying to plan an escape from the desert for our longer bike workouts. I'm fully intending to take advantage of the cool temperatures for my long run this week in California, but I will be tackling my long ride on Monday back at home since I am sans bicycle. Then it's on to recovery week (aka short ride!), then one more long weekend of training, a race weekend in Flagstaff, and then (!).... TAPER! I am so loving this 12 week program. It'll be over before I know it!

I am not a fan of the heat, and not a fan of the desert (I will never understand when someone comments about the beauty... it's brown. Period. Dirty, rocky, brown.) But knowing that this too shall pass... I think I can survive a few weeks more.