I sho' am SMART

How to:

--kick your own arse

--look like a total tool

--make your neighbors think you are nuts

So I got this interesting workout from Coach Emily. She said it was supposed to be "fun." It was! But I looked pretty silly.

Tuesday's workout went like this: the plan was to ride at an easy pace to warm up for 20 minutes, and then run for 10. Then, I was to hammer at about 170-180 watts on a "course" for 10 minutes and run hard for 5. Then I'd do that all over again. Finally, I'd cool down easy on the bike for 20 minutes. Now, the only way I could really think to do this avoiding stop lights and traffic was to do a loop around my block. It's a bigger block and has two sidestreets so I could at least alternate. My own little velodrome, I guess.

So I got all decked out in my IMW outfit and took off. I've been feeling really strong on the bike lately, but it's been a while since I dropped the hammer on the run. My 20 minute warmup was done before I knew it, and then I ran at just under 9s for my run warmup. I stood in my driveway and thought, "Okay...here goes."

ZOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM! I took off. It was pretty fun! I don't usually ride this hard so I was enjoying it. I had to slow a bit to take the corners but I figured this would be some good handling practice for me. I was eyeing my PowerTap and seeing numbers in the 200s and high 100s, so I knew I was pushing enough. It was really tough, and I started to see a few of the same people several times. I wondered if they noticed me as I flew by their house for the 5th or 6th time.

Then it was time for run number one. I tried to just go at a controlled-fast pace and negative split it. I ran on the same little "course" I made and got a strange look from a little old lady weeding her garden. Finished that little run with a pace of 7:42.

Um...okay. Now I have to do it again.

I know it's dumb, because no one was even noticing me except the little old lady--and only because I made eye contact and saw her quizzical look. But I just felt kinda silly zooming around the block 80 times, you know?

Did it again, and felt really good! For run #2, I was tired as hell, but determined to make it faster. I negative split that one, too, and finished with a pace of 7:28. Now for a lot of people out there that's a nice little stroll but for me that's about my 5K pace, so I was pretty pumped. Did my cooldown, and relaxed the rest of the day.

Fast forward to the Wednesday. I've been feeling really rotten about my eating the week after Steelhead, so I've tried to tone it down and eat better this week. The day after this tough workout, I had egg beaters and soy protein boca sausage for breakfast, and then a grilled chicken salad for lunch.

Then I took Bug for a 5o minute fartlek run in a moderately humid and warm day.

Notice something?

NO. CARBOHYDRATES. AT. ALL.

What was I thinking?

Have you ever BONKED on a 5 mile run? Cuz I have. It was crazy!

I don't think I've really ever hit the wall--even during marathons--but I felt weak and shaking within the first 15 minutes. "What the heck is going on?!!?" I thought. Then, I really thought about it.

DOH.

I'm in trouble.

I was laboring to hold a ridiculously slow pace. I did have a water bottle with me, but nothing else. Bug sat quietly in his stroller. I tried my first pickup.

Nothing.

I. had. nothinginthetank.

So I decided to scrap the fartlek part of this run, and just sludge through. Ugh. With about 2 miles to go, I stole some of Bug's Cheerios--CHEERIOS!--and chased them with some water. That's how desperate I was. I almost called Matt, but I decided I could get home on my own. Got to my house in a little under 48 minutes, but that's run time only. I didn't factor in the times I had to stop to steal my son's FREAKING CHEERIOS.

Oops.

So, the moral of the story is, the day after you kick your own butt, HAVE SOME CARBS before you do it again. I know, I know. You can just call me CAPTAIN OBVIOUS.

Or she who hits the wall on a five mile run.

Or she who rides around the same block 87 times.

:)

The things we do, huh?