Pooped

Pooped, as in I'm exhausted and needing sleep immediately.  Not pooped as in, well, you know. Thanks to the sporadic Southern California rains today, I completed my three-hour brick indoors at our office complex gym.  I cycled solo for 30 minutes on a spin bike and then joined Shannon's 5 p.m. spin class for the next hour.  I wore the wrong clothes, a long sleeve technical shirt meant for winter outdoor training, causing me to sweat even more than usual.  Then, I spent the next 1.5 hours on the treadmill running slower than normal. My workout called for heart-rate zones 2-3 only, so I opted to increase the incline to 2% and run a little slower instead of a higher pace.  By the end of the three hours, you could wring out my bike shorts and the second shirt I had changed into. I needed two towels to lay out on the stretching mat so as not to soak it.

I wish I could say it was a great workout.  But I can't.  It was one of those days you simply just get through.  Did I get any better?  Probably not.  Did I gain some crucial insight that will help me on race day?  Not really, other than further confirming my marathon time will likely be anywhere from 4:20-5 hours.  Nothing to write home about, that's for sure. This off-season and next year I really want to focus on improving my run mechanics.

I'm halfway through my big training peak week.  I'm taking it one day at a time right now, but am starting to feel the strain just a bit.  And getting up tomorrow at 5:30 a.m. isn't going to help for 3,000-plus yards in the pool.

So with that, I'm bidding you goodnight.  At least I have a massage tomorrow night with David from LA Body Mechanics to look forward to.  And one day closer to getting through the week.  Sometimes that's all the motivation I need.

29 days and counting.