Mooseman 70.3 – 13 days
Wow, race day is less than 2 weeks away. I had a 5 hour brick workout yesterday. 4:15 bike and 45 min run. I felt totally prepared for this, especially since I did just about the same workout last weekend.
My bike was loaded up with 3 bottles of Gatorade and I was stocked up with Clif Shots and ShotBloks. I took off and was feeling great!
About 2 hours into the bike I was getting hot. I pulled off at a 7-11 to grab a cold bottle of water. I was trying to pay carful attention to the amount of calories I was taking in. Coach Jen gave me very specific instructions to take in 300 calories an hour and I was doing pretty good.
This was a hill workout, so I rode through Palatine & Barrington, there is a stretch down Quentin Rd that is FULL of hills, it was a little painful, same with Barrington… So if you’re looking for hills in the suburbs there ya go!
I was busting my ass up dan down these “mountains”, I felt like I was drinking a ton, I guess I was wrong. Around the 3 hour mark I was heading home to try and beat the rain. The sun was still beating down as I rode down Northwest Highway. I started top feel like crap. I only had half a bottle of Gatorade left and at least an hour more to ride, so I had to make another stop.
I grabbed a bottle of water and Gatorade, I poured some of the water on my head… Ahhhh that felt good. I had a few swigs of both and then got back at it.
The cold drinks helped, I was feeling a little better, I rode hard to get home because I saw lightning in the distance. After 4 hours and 15 minutes, I rode almost 62 miles, I got home, watched the storm blow over and then I went out for my 45 min run.
The run was fine, but I failed to rehydrate enough. About half way through I felt shitty again… I pushed through the rest of the workout, and called it a day. I was overheated.
I sat in an ice bath for a while and felt so much better. After the ice and before the shower I had to pee, it was then I realized how dehydrated I was. After I got cleaned up I emailed Jen to give her my update. She suggested I try salt tabs for some added sodium. Though drinking the water felt good, it wasn’t helping any. What Jen said is to put the salt tab in some water. I’m going to try this this week.
Overall I think I had a really successful “key Week” of training. With Mooseman so close the only thing I REALLY want to do it get some time in open water. That is a MAJOR goal of min this week!
Phil Castello 