Training Update

Oh hello, friends!  I've been pretty quiet, but I've been putting in (some) work at least to prep for my next big race (one of two "A" races of the season), which is rapidly approaching next Saturday!!  I'm a bit nervous for this one and I had a bit of an "uh oh" moment this week when I realized that I have no clue what my race plan is for next week.  The last time I completed an Olympic distance race was September 2014.  Last year at Nationals, I was just coming off my stress fracture, so I didn't run, which meant I didn't have to worry about nutrition or pacing the bike.  Soooo I'm a bit stressed out at the moment.  The summer seems to have flown by and I just can't actually believe that it is already time for Nationals.  You'll find me scrambling to get my act together this weekend so I am ready to race.

Finishing a hot, humid run in the hammock...

 On to the update: 

Swim: I've been in the pool only a few times since Tremblant, with an open water swim thrown in for good measure.  For some reason, it has just been especially hard to motivate myself to swim this season.  In general, I'd say that I'm lacking motivation this year, but it has been nice to have a more relaxed approach to training.  It means that I can't focus on results, because I frankly haven't put in the work.  But I think that I'm okay with that right now.

Rainy ride in the country

Trans Canada Trail!

Bike: I've missed a few long rides lately, so will be playing catch up the next few weeks as Timberman approaches (geez, time is flying!!). I did have a lovely 60k ride recently from Almonte to Ottawa. It was about 50% dirt / crushed gravel road, which was quite an experience and it poured for about 45 minutes at the start of my ride, but it was so peaceful to be out in the country and it was so cool to ride on the Trans Canada Trail.  Last weekend, Jenn and I completed a very wet swim-bike brick at race intensity (it would have been a mini-tri, but a crazy storm rolled in as we finished our bike ride, preventing us from doing the run).  It was good to push a little bit!

Long runs in the heat of the day

Run:  It has been hot and humid lately.  Like we are living in the jungle or something.  I've been trying to mentally prepare myself for the possibility of crazy heat at Timberman (especially after watching friends race at Tremblant in the 30+/super humid weather) by going out for my runs at ridiculously hot points in the day. I started to carry water with me again after one run where I was so thirsty that I stopped at every single water fountain I could find.  Time to log some more miles!