I have been training and racing triathlon for eight, going on nine years, so by now you would think I have a handle on what to do, but even as a seasoned age-grouper I make mistakes. This entry is about how life got in the way of my training this past weekend and the mistakes I made as a result.
I had a very busy week and I knew that my weekend was not going to let up. My oldest son had a soccer game Friday night and then Saturday morning my youngest son had a game as well. I planned to do a "brick" workout on Saturday. A "brick" training session is essential in a triathlon training program because it simulates what will happen on race day. It is a work-out where you bike first then immediately run . In triathlon the order is always swim, bike, run.; "Bricks" sound easy ,but they are not because when you cycle you are mostly using your quadriceps.Those muscles get used to that action for a length of time and then suddenly you ask a different set of muscles do a totally different motion when you go to run. The blood flow is different when you cycle than when you run ,so the first mile is miserable or can be until your body adjusts. An important trick that I learned early on in triathlon is to get up on your toes for the first quarter mile of the run;this helps transfer the blood flowing from your quadriceps down to the lower parts of your legs that you need for running. When you go from the bike to run your legs have a heavy feeling, they actually feel like dead weight or "bricks."
I have done many of these work-outs and that was not the problem. I made some crucial mistakes during training on Saturday. My first mistake was that I stayed up too late on Friday and had a few glasses of red wine. I did not eat enough dinner. Our busy life kept us running around until late in the evening and instead of eating some light pasta for dinner we dined on greasy,take out pizza. My second mistake was on Saturday morning; I awoke thirsty because of the wine I drank on Friday night and I didn't take in enough water for the work-out I was about to do on Saturday morning. Next, my breakfast was not right either, I normally eat a banana for the natural electrolytes and a half a bagel for the carbohydrates, some water or Gatorade and half a cup of coffee. The coffee might not be a good idea for everyone but I always drink coffee and I've never had a problem with it. I skimped on my breakfast because I was in a hurry to get out the door. I was trying to time my ride so I'd end up at the soccer field where my youngest son Nick had a game that morning. Then the plan was that I would finish my ride and immediately run to complete my "brick."
I started out for my forty mile ride and everything was going towards the plan. I ended thirty miles at the soccer field and watched my son's game.I stiffened up a bit as I stood watching the game, but that was the least of my worries and I was glad to see my son. I ate a protein bar during the game which I normally would not do until I was finished with the entire workout; mistake-don't change your routines if you are successful with them. Then I started to feel thirsty and ran out of water as I was watching the game; another mistake, don't wait until you are thirsty to drink. The goal is to continually sip water while you are training or racing so you never feel thirsty. Thankfully, there was a drinking fountain at the field so I was able to refill my water bottle before I finished my ride. I successfully finished my ride and changed into running clothes and I was off for my run.
I run over at a nearby college so I can leave my vehicle, where I stock water and gels and chews for fuel. I hate carrying a lot of water, so it usually works well if I use my truck for a station to stop at in between miles. I can usually make a five mile loop before I stop at my truck to get a drink of water and maybe a gel to continue the last five mile loop. I needed to do ten miles Saturday so I figured my usual routine would work; only it did not because I forgot my bottle of water that I usually carry for the first loop. Instead of going back to get my water bottle I decided to go ahead and try to run without my water; not a good idea. I was thirsty one mile into my run. I know the rule,which is to drink some water at each mile, especially when you are doing distance, but I was on a time crunch as my family expected me home by a certain time, so I kept running. Luckily I found the recreation center open and was able to sneak in and get a drink. I ended up cutting my first loop short so I could go back and get my water,but by then I already started to get stomach cramps from being dehydrated. The cramps finally subsided,but not until I was well into the ten mile run.
I managed to get my "brick" done on Saturday and I am proud to say that I covered fifty miles; forty on my bike and ten miles running, but it was not pretty. Learn from my mistakes, stick to routines that work and don't skimp on nutrition and hydration. Even though I know better I still made some bad mistakes. The good news is that I got through my training and it reiterated what I already know. I would rather make these mistakes during training sessions than during my event. I realized the importance of eating right, hydrating, and sleeping to get optimal results especially when training so you can feel that much better the big day.
Tri- on Friends,
Happy training,
Kelly
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