Back At It

I spent the rest of Sunday and all day Monday limping around and feeling the toll that the Horsetooth Half Marathon extracted from my body. A couple of trips down the stairs brought me to the realization that the biggest strain on my legs had been running down hills. However, that is not to say that running up them didn’t also create some soreness.

While I was not worried, there was a nagging question in the back of my mind about whether or not I’d be ready to resume training this week. Just after 5:00 Tuesday evening, I got to find out.

The ride out from my neighborhood to the E-470 bike path and west from there is something of a staple for me. While I’m not crazy about riding on paths, I’m less crazy about worrying about cars during the afternoon rush hour. I might as well be invisible for all the care the average driver shows the average road cyclist.

During the week before the half marathon, I took it easier with just a couple of swims and one bike ride. Though my season is triathlon-focused, I still think there is a lot of value in being well rested before any big event. Now that it is behind me, more of my focus is going into being ready for HITS in July. That’s not to say I won’t ease up a few days before the races that are happening between now and then, but I’m still planning on pushing myself to be ready to spend something like six and a half hours on the course.

And the results of my Tuesday afternoon ride? Pretty good, actually. Despite feeling a little sore and tired, I managed to maintain a 17.5 mph moving speed and attack hills without feeling like my quads were going to explode. Even better, I felt okay after the ride with no signs that I pulled something or exhausted myself. That leaves me feeling ready for more work as the week goes on including intervals on the run and the bike, two swims and another 40 mile ride on Sunday. Oh yeah, and a couple of strength work outs thrown in just for good measure!