Recovery Week

GoldenGate and San Francisco Triathlon clubs training together on the Sandladder.

Isn't it great that we have achieved a fitness level where we can do hard intense workouts and be able to continue through our day like nothing happened..." I was thinking this right before I had to go back up the hill from Union Square where I inadvertently blurted out in public, "MY LEGS ARE KILLING ME", complete with fist waving. I talk to myself all the time and once in awhile I'll forget that it's a private mental conversation. Definitely not in the condition I was last week where I recovered quickly from Wildflower, did Quicksilver and still had enough to hang with friends. I knew it though, my body told me so during the week. Did my workouts but cut my long run in half. I was thinking it would be a good and safe plan to back off this week on the mileage before finishing up the last bits of training and the Diablo 50k in preparation for Bighorn. So instead of a 6hr run I went about 3. I crossed the bridge and did 2 hill repeats of Hawk Hill. Everyone was out, many events going on and people and animals everywhere. Amazing day. Now my legs are shot. Perfect, I should sleep on the plane tonight. Catching a redeye for Orlando, FL for my sister's graduation.

The image above is from our Tuesday night track workout but instead of track we were at the beach training on the "Sandladder". The next big triathlon event is the "Escape from Alcatraz" triathlon. I ain't doing it but some members were itching to get some practice on the Sandladder before the big day on June 2. I never do this race but I'm always a volunteer. Anyway our rival club joined us which was really nice. We always bump into each other at track but never really say hello, now we can. Met their coaches, talked to some of their members. I ran the 6-miles to the workout but hung back to take pictures instead. I was going to torture my legs by hauling a backpack full of sand up and down the ladder. It was 4-6 repeats, alternating between having a pack and without. No thanks, I'll just be here spectating. Boy it was a blustery, cold afternoon too.

The other workouts went fine too but definitely my body was telling me to back off a bit. I'm not strong enough to run two races at 100% on back to back weekend and not suffer some type of slowdown, soreness or fatigue. I know there are athletes out there that can but it ain't me. Too bad I leave tonight, tomorrow would have been a good day for a swim and a short run. Last night I had the most fun time swimming all year. Ariane was the only one to show up for my club posted swim, again! So the two of us headed out. The wind was very strong and was blowing sideways across Aquatic Park. It created for some very choppy water. We swam to the opening with the wind driving behind our backs but when we got there it was craziness. Ran into Scotty, Amelia and Kirsten at the buoy, they had come from the opposite direction. All five of us swam back and this is where it really got fun. We had to cut across the park vertically to make it back to shore and the wind and water was moving horizontally, the chop was broadsiding us all the way down. Pure fun. Ariane and I went back out just to enjoy the ride all over again, much saltwater was drunk yesterday:)

So now I'm just getting ready to go. Sore everywhere but sa'll good. I'll be back before the next weekend is up.