Feb 23-24. Hell

So, where is my energy, my determination, my stamina, my strength? After a week loaded with stress, a return to anaerobic training, leaving an aerobic base of more than 3 months, my body said "no more" yesterday and today. Situations like this have been very disappointing for me since I was a kid and I was passed and left behind walking on the mountain.

Going after a 150k ride yesterday, I completed 104 at a great pace, lots of hills completing 2600 m ttl ascent, well that's it... The sacrifice began, and soon it became suffering. Left behind, my mind starts the fight... But then that feeling in the middle of a hill, that when you know a cramp is on its way, one more pedaling, there it is again... "It must go away" you think, and try to stretch the leg in the pedaling cycle.... Well it didn't. Big cramp in the left quad, gotta stop... Big cramp on the right quad... This is it. There's no pint in trying to continue. I can get hurt. I can't keep on my feet, my legs are not holding my weight. The cramps are still there... Sitting on the bike frame, I get in the car... I called it a day.

I don't usually do this, I never get in the car, I never stop.

Long run today.. I was supposed to run 3 hrs... I did not want to look at the watch... Decent pace... so thinking i would be well over 2 hrs, i did...1:37!!!! My mind betrays me.... the energy is going away... 2:00.... This is it. No more.

Dehydration during the ride? Was I too focused speeding that I forgot to hydrate correctly? Not enough food I know that. Too much during the week?

I need to fix this. This is not good.

Feb 9-10 2013, long run & ride

Back to the mountain for 3:00 hrs, felt much better, not quite perfect, but better than then previous times. It is funny how some people jut can't handle someone behind them, trying to go faster, racing you when all you are doing is following your heartbeat. The majority end up behind almost dead, and their faces tell much more negative stuff when you are already going back and they are still suffering the way up. Why they can't just train and forget about the others?

The ride was... Tough? I had 2.5 hrs sleep, got up really tired but I did go for it. It was a 142.7 km ride, all the time extra aware of everything and extra cautious, considering I did not rest the night before. It is not a smart decision, riding like that. During the ride I would think we were somewhere we had been some time before, and never sure about where we were.

Recovery week.

Feb 4, 2013. Long Run

There's nothing better than a long run in the mountain. Started warming up, at an easy pace and soon I got so deep in my mind the time went by like the wind. My steps, my rythm, my breathing, the wind, nature, the effort in my body.... I reached the 6ish mile and went on for 20 more minutes. Took some pictures at that point, then headed back. Nice pace, nice view, a little too much people. We need to learn how to handle this if we run at a national park that turns into a gigantic bar during a day off work. Soon I took a look at the time and I was over the goal by 10 minutes. 2:40, and some 2 miles ahead to go... So, in knowledge of what I must do, now that I'm still adding up miles towards an everyday closer peak, I stopped and went on walking to the car. The total was 15.43 miles.

Nothing better than a run within ourselves. Deep within... Run within.

020212, ride

120k, tough ride... Something is wrong with my energy. Either I need to focus on my nutrition during the week and ride, or I just need to regain fitness and strength. I almost passed out on the bike, at the end of a hill I used to "master".

Dura rodada de 120k, algo anda mal con mi energía. O necesito enfocarme más con mi nutrición durante la semana y en la rodada, o necesito retomar condición y fuerza. Casi me desmayo en la bici, al final de una subida que solía "dominar".

Jan 31, 13

I have been training hard, today was particularly hard to get off the bed, I am sore, been swimming so much, I believe correcting my swim, and that always means sore muscles. The bike and run are fine. My polar had a low battery in the heart rate band... So... The conclusion is it had been pampering me, and I was training a little less hard. These days are not easy, I am so tired at night that it is hard for me to get asleep, and I'm not getting enough rest.

He estado entrenando duro, hoy me costo mucho trabajo levantarme, estoy adolorido, he estado nadando mucho, corrigiendo según yo, y eso siempre significa músculos adoloridos. La bici y la carrera van bien. Mi polar tenía la batería baja en la banda, me estuvo consintiendo. Estos días no son fáciles, estoy tan cansado en la noche que me es difícil quedarme dormido y no estoy descansando bien.