OK, that's not exactly how the Steve Miller band sings it, but I was belting out my own lyrics while cycling today over the I-90 bridge westbound. I was on about mile 46 of today's brick ride and thought I saw a shadow or an airplane above my right shoulder. I looked up and there was a big 'ol bald eagle cruising along side me as I was descending down onto the bridge deck. It was pretty cool to get a boost from watching it flying next to me for a couple seconds before it headed south.
And I must say, the rest of the brick was pretty good, too, today, and I felt strong and had fun out there. (Note: I didn't say I was fast, I said I felt strong...I looked at the stats and I know the difference, but hey, it's nice to feel good). The weather was good, I was happily over dressed and warm (as usual, I had on more stuff than any/all of the other cyclists out and about), and I'm thinking I was also pretty well fueled from an excellent dinner date last night. This week, my life does NOT suck. Anyway, back on topic. I had a 55 mile ride/40 minute run and am a little tired of the same routes I've been doing, so I resurrected an old one I haven't ridden in a couple of years. I rode over the short side of Mercer Island, through Factoria, down Newport way, around Lake Sammamish, and back. It's a nice route with a few good hills; I especially like the slow steady climb coming back up Newport from Issaquah. I'm still riding the second of 2 bikes I've had to borrow during my unfinished bike crisis, but this one fits me pretty well and gets it done. The current ride, however, is a bit heavy and I am REALLY missing and craving my aerobars. But today I decided that maybe riding this bike (that, sidebar I'm very thankful my pal, Heather, loaned me as it's saving my bacon) could turn out to be the cycling equivalent of swimming with a drag suit. When my new carbon fiber (aka money pit) steed is up and running, maybe I'll have dormant speed in my legs that will unleash. Yeah, I'm going with that idea. Cause let's just say...cycling remains my weakest link.
Anyway, I enjoyed the ride today, and figured out a bike route to get me exactly 55 miles...did a quick transition, and got out for my run back down by Lake Washington. The first 10 minutes or so felt like, uh, a brick, but not too bad. Then I settled in pretty well and held a 9:22 pace which doesn't suck, especially since I ended on the short hill up to my house. I did about 2 minutes of extra credit (hey, it's something) and got in 4.5 miles.
The rest of this fine day will be spent getting a recovery massage, going for burgers with my Iron friends, Christie & Theresa (who did a 60 mile/12 mile brick today, how glad was I not to be them today, but will strive to eat at least as much as they do) and starting a dog sitting gig with Bugsy the cute curmudgeon pug.
5 weeks till race day and this coming week is a recovery week...works for me. I got in 13 hours of training this week, whoop!
Brick:
55 mile bike
3:49
Avg HR: 128 Max HR: 156
Avg pace: 14.4
4.5 mile run
42:08
Avg HR: 146 Max HR: 162
Avg Pace 9:22
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