Crash

No, I didn't fall off my bike (although it certainly would not be the first time!). I had a long brick scheduled for yesterday. 3:30 bike, :50 run, :30 swim. I headed out on the bike about 8:45am. The weather has been unseasonably cool for the last 2 weeks so I was expecting the same and did not check the forecast. I rode to Benbrook, through the park, down the trail to the zero mile and was at 2:00 / 39 miles and decided that was a good place to turn around and head back home. I was on top of my nutrition, doing my usual routine of perpetuem every 20 minutes, but did not realize how badly I was losing electrolytes. I felt great! Near mile 50 I crashed. My legs cramped up and I was trudging along at 12-13 mph with 30 miles left to go to get home. I was riding along trying to decide what to do. I knew that I could make it to the gas station at mile 60 and could probably make it home once I stopped and refueled, but was it worth it? At mile 55 I called Pete. He was just leaving work and met me at the gas station. I ate and drank all the way home and decided to try to still get my run in. It was 98 degrees, a lot hotter than I had expected the day to be, but I have run in the heat a lot this summer. Pete and I headed out and I knew 2 miles into the run that I had pushed my body to the point of no return for the day. I walked/jogged for 4 miles and called it a day.

I had a hard time not being disappointed. I kept thinking "what if this was race day? I would not be able to finish!"

Pete said it is good for this to happen every once in a while. It keeps you from being too sure about yourself. It is a very valuable lesson. I have been blessed to only experience this during my training and not in a race.

Today is a new day and I will go out there and tackle my next workout and keep moving forward...