25.8 mph and 1:14/100y!

After Giro di Coppi and a 17 hour week, I was due for a recovery week. As usual though, full of time trials.

I had a crappy 15 minute TT (should've been 30 minutes) on Tuesday. Lack of nutrition and tired legs from GdC left me depleted. I averaged 24 mph for 14 minutes, and suddenly lost my legs and couldn't speed up on flats. This told me that I was done. I met back with Michelle for a spin and CHICK-FIL-A. Their new spicy chicken sandwich has good taste. Not much hotness, but a spicy taste. Good.

I had a pathetic track workout Wednesday, same problems as on Tuesday. 2k cutdown that was a little too fast, and 2x800 at 2:24 and 2:26... maybe a little fast, but it didn't feel bad. Overall I felt dehydrated and didn't want to push it. I had my mind set on the Crystal City 5k, but this workout gave me doubts. Funk dat.

Thursday I felt awesome. I had recovered from GdC finally and ate well during the day. This set me up for a 6-minute all-out TT. My previous best was 25.4 mph. This time around, I churned the pedals to a personal best 25.8 mph for 6-minutes! On a rolling course too! I love watching my strength increase on the bike. It's really motivating. The hard work is paying off each month.

I swam a tough 3050 yards with Dirk at the CUBU masters workout that evening, including 10x100 at 1:14/100!! That too is at or close to personal best.

Had simpler recovery workouts on Friday and Saturday (including a 2400m open water swim with Dirk at Sandy Point) and decided not to race at the 5k. It was brutally hot, I wasn't tapered enough and knew I wouldn't set a PR, the reason for initially running in it. Turns out that besides one guy who ran a 14:03 (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), only half of the amount of people who ran sub-16 in 2009 achieved that time this year.

Sunday, rode with Dirk in 90+ degree weather. It was very tough... ranks among the most atrocious (in Dirk's words) rides we've each had. Hey, it builds character... I guess.

Looking forward to really cranking up the effort and miles in anticipation of Nation's and Philly Distance. The intense training starts this coming week. I accept the challenge, as always!