This week was a recovery week.
Man did I need it. I did not realize how much we have done, until Saturday when our recovery ride was 3 Amalfi Hill Loops with 1 mile running sprints in between each set. WHAT?!!? this is what we do on an easy week, Lordy, what is in store this week for a build week!
To fill you in, a recovery week is not necessarily zero workouts, it is just less distance, but more intense - or intervals. this way we will help our bodies recover from the mileage we put on it the couple of weeks before, while building up our endurance.
So Tuesday night at swim practice, we had we timed sets. Since I missed the time drill while at NYTF, the coaches put me in 2 min intervals which means, I should be able to swim 100 yards in 2min. If i finish 100 Yards in 1.45, then i have 15 seconds to rest, if i finish in 2:02, i have to do another 100 yards with no break. make sense? so basically after warm up swims, 600 yards of timed intervals... we have 100 yards of easy swim then BOOM 10 x 100 Yards at your Interval - GO! WOW.. I swam my little heart out.. and the first 300 yards was at 1:42/1:45... the final 700 yards i was a 1:50!! WAHOOOO!! i couldn't believe it. i was exhausted, but loved it!! --- Cut to Friday Homework swims - we had the same drill sets and I was dying!! i think the fact that on Tuesday, we swam 25 yards at a time, so i had the wall to push off of, which helped me with the time. On Friday, the length of the pool was 50 METERS which made it slightly harder, which i appreciated, because i can see my true time. Overall i was roughly 2:10. going the 50 yards i felt i was faster than on the return 50 yards. that very well could have all been in my head, but either way, i didn't too bad and still managed to finish 2400 yards in 1hr. I was happy!!
Oh!! We got our Team Swim Parkas! I love it and it is sooooo warm!
Wednesday and Thursday was our bike and run with teammates at Ocean and San Vicente. and I love it. Lately, it has just been two or three of us, so we get a little extra quality time with Coach Riz which is extremely beneficial. Both my running and cycling have improved.
Now.. cut to the weekend. Remember those Amalfi loops I was telling you about. well.. I forgot to tell you that after the loop, the coaches threw in the San V Challenge. What is that?? Well, basically, San Vicente has a slight incline from west to east. So the challenge is on the street number you bike at the mph.. so from 10th Street - 11th Street you bike 10mph, 11th-12th 11mph, 12th-13th 13mph, etc etc etc... sounds easy right... think again.. it is quite challenging, hence the name challenge in the title. :-) for slower riders such as myself, it is a struggle to get to those miles (i had to drop out at mile 14)... where the fast riders struggle to drop down to 10mph/11mph. it is very interesting.
So, after the Amalfi Loop and San V Challenge, you then had to hop off your bike and sprint a mile as fast as you can, come back to your bike and do it 2 more times... ... oh, and did i mention during one of your loops, the coaches would take the air out of your bike tires so you were forced to change your tire! SOOOOOOOOOO MEAN.. but so smart! You NEVER know when you will get a flat, so you need to always be prepared to fix one. My first loop was pretty good. my legs were getting into it, i made it 14th street on the challenge and my mile run i did in 10:32! which is awesome for me, especially hopping off a bike. wahoo.. i was in the zone!
I was up on my second Amalfi loop, at the top of "Chain Break Hill," when my right hip/butt starts "grinding." It was a pain I have never felt before... Uh Oh.. i think - so i try to bike it out, then I see Coach Javier and tell him what's up. I hop off my bike and immediately start doing a few stretches he suggests but unfortunately, it is not hitting the right spot, so I continue on the loop, struggling and finally make it back down to San V and think, i can do the challenge, right? NOPE! I was wrong. I made it to 4th street and had to turn around. it was awful. I used a roller, slightly crying and continued to stretch it out, not knowing what really is going on. I then took my ice pack out of my "recovery drink bag" and put it down my pants, LOL. (Those bike shorts are so tight, it was nice and snug!!) So for the rest of the day, i was on ibuprofen and ice. 20min on 30min off. and trying to massage it... i put so much pressure on it, i actually gave myself a bruise.
- Kelie & Bucket at Ocean and San Vicente. Photo Credit: Kelie Anderson
- View of Pacific Ocean at San Vicente. Photo Credit: Kelie Anderson
Sunday we did an Open Water swim at Tower 26. Again the ocean was in the low 60s. it was so nice. We managed to get in a few loops, which felt so great. I swear, the ocean is my happy place. :-) after the swim we did a gorgeous run along the coast. it was just over 5 miles. and I actually enjoyed it!! (shhhhhh... don't tell anyone) :-) my hip/butt bothered me a little, but not enough to slow me down as i did the 5mi in 57min! BOOM! But by the end of the day and yesterday my hip/butt was sore. as it turns out, the coaches and my friend who is a sports med doc, all seem to think that i strained my Piriformis. (i had to look it up. The piriformis (from Latin piriformis = "pear shaped") is a muscle in the gluteal region of the lower limb. It is one of the six muscles in the lateral rotator group)... basically, I strained it and inflamed it, which it was probably pushing on my sciatic, ergo pain. ... so.. i now have to be very mindful of it. i am over the icing phase and now onto heat and stretches. i should be fine, but if it continues, i will have to get it checked out. YOGA, here is come!! :-)
- Tower 26 - photo Credit: Kelie Anderson
- View from our run.
Tonight is the pool and the start our 3rd build session. I am nervous and excited to see what is in store. I
know that we are headed to Zuma this weekend for a ride. The rolling hills of PCH are awesome, but I have a feeling we may be doing some canyons. Yikes!! Say a little prayer my Piriformis can "pirform!" :-)
Stay tuned and thanks again for all your support!
Rachel
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