Long and Less Long Runs: 3-12 to 3-18

[Bluetree]

Well, one last hard workout before my first USAT race of the year next week...

I did the full 3mi/12mi/3mi duathlon trial yesterday. I took the first run slowly so I wouldn't expend too much. It was cool and drizzly.. pefect for a run, but it was also so early in the a.m. that my legs were tight-tight-tight. I finally got to loosen them up a bit, and managed an 11/min mile pace. I wish I had my iPod.

My transition went easily (so much faster than from a swim) and got onto my bike. I had measured out a flat 12-mile course with minimal traffic and started spinning to get the blood flowing to my biking muscles. After a mile or so, I got to some wide open spaces, dropped down into my aerobars and managed a comfortable 18mph, with a HR of about 160. The last 5 miles or so, my back started tightening up (from Run #1) so I had to get back on my hoods. I lost about .5-1.0 mph but my back felt better. Plus, the wind started picking up and I did the last couple of miles in a stiff headwind. Not sure why, but my feet felt like they were starting to fall asleep. Weird. I spun for the lats 1/4 mile or so to flush out the legs. My bike time was 43 minutes, which included a couple of lengthy stops at a major intersection. I wasn't displeased.

Transition 2 was uneventful. I got back into my running shoes and took off again. AARRRGGGGGHHH! My hammys and glutes were screaming at me. Now, I've done bricks for the last couple of weeks and at no time did I feel this bad. I was hurting bad for about a mile. I did the shuffle-step and tried to keep my cadence up. I got my HR to about 168 and managed to keep it there for the 3 miles. Sooooooo many times I wanted to stop, but I just kept going, keeping up the mantra in my head, "You are a triathlete. You are a triathlete..."

Finished the run in one piece, looked at my watch and was HORRIFIED. I did the final 3-mile run in 44 minutes!!! I was torn between being satisfied with my effort and being completely mortified by how slow I was. I went home, ate a recovery meal and almost immediately fell asleep like a narcoleptic. Legs are kinda tight this morning but nothing major. Still can't believe I went THAT slow...

(EDIT: Wondering if I got my T2 time right, I only glanced at my watch when I started Run#2. Darn, shoulda looked closer)