Monday, July 12, 2010

Rough Weekend, Part II

We made it to Kelly’s house and popped in for a quick bathroom break.  I wanted to break off on my own and ride home but the girls convinced me to keep riding with them.  As we set off from Kelly’s house Ally wobbled and wound up falling, landing sharply on her elbow.  We were concerned something was broken, but Ally wanted to keep riding.  I would have rather called the ride right there…but we forged on.

As soon as we were back on the highway, right away, I got dropped again.  I was ready to turn my attitude around though, so I got comfortable with being in the back.  I figured I’d just ride along and perhaps make a turn later to take me back to Cochrane then back home.  I did want to get my entire 5 hour ride done. 

As I kept riding I realized that my legs were getting shaky and I was seeing spots.  Classic bonk.  I pulled over and started having a bit of a picnic, having some Infinit, some Fig Newtons and a bike to Honey Stinger bar.  Ally and Kelly saw I had stopped, gave me a call and I rode up to meet them.  I don’t know what happened but I just started crying. 

Apparently, bonk = tears.  According to my coach.

Ally was hurting so we turned back around.  The good news for Ally is that nothing is broken, whew!

But wow, this ride was one heck of a roller coaster of emotions.  I wound up heading home, having lunch with the Boyfriend, and we went for a nice ride nearby.  It was easy and it was fun, just what I needed to fall back in love with my bike.

So, lessons learned?

  • My ride is my ride.  I need to worry about my speed only, and not worry about keeping up with my riding buddies.  Not if it is going to affect me so negatively.
  • Um, welcome to Ironman training…an emotional roller coaster!
  • Calories matter, but so do the type of calories.  I needed to have some protein earlier on in the ride.

Anyhow, time to move on and looking forward to a better week of training this week!

As for my hip?  I saw my ART practitioner today and it isn’t my IT band.  It is just off to the side of my IT band.  It will be fixable…hopefully with my session today and one on Wednesday I’ll be good for my long run this week….let’s keep our fingers crossed!  Walking and riding don’t cause a problem luckily. but hopefully things will be good for running!

8 comments:

Keith said...

Glad to hear it's not IT Band. And that you got through your ride. Funny how the learning experience keep on coming. Oddly enough, riding and running doesn't hurt (at least not often) but plain old walking is much more likely to do me in.

Lily on the Road said...

Wow, that was quite a weekend!

Glad you're hip will be "fixable" and yes, your training now will cause tears, mood swings you didn't see coming and sometimes a wee bit of doubt. But you have such a great attitude, you are going to ROCK this IRON!!!

Julie said...

That is what is so great about Iron distance training/racing....it is hard. Damn hard. It involves so much more than just doing the workouts.

I've come face to face with my fears again and again. It's so odd how these fears manifest themselves too....

Before I started training for longer distance tris -- I gave lip service to the idea that "You learn something new every day, blah, blah, blah." But, deep inside, I thought I pretty much had myself figured out.

I couldn't believe how wrong I was! Hahahahahaha!!! Iron distance training has really opened my eyes to my own assumptions and hence self-imposed limitations.

I love the fact that when I am blubbering on the side of the road and feeling like having a full-on pity party trip, I have only myself to blame; myself to knock the sense back into me. I have been forced to look at my emotional responses objectively instead of deriving comfort from patting myself on the hand, and copping out with some lame excuse. This has been a powerful lesson for me.

Iron-distance training has been (and continues to be for me!) an avenue to greater self-awareness and betterment.

You are so much stronger mentally and physically than last year -- I can tell just by reading your blog posts. The training that is the hardest and makes you feel the $hittiest are the greatest gifts you give yourself. These are the days that store up inside you as true strength and will get you through Ironman. :) :) :) :)

Deb said...

Fewf...thank god it's not the IT Band! They freak me out...i've only had one bad spell of that and never want to feel that pain again! You're doing awesome, i'm excited for you at IMC!!

Marlene said...

Oh no! Sounds like a rough morning out there. I'm glad your friends were there to look out for you and hey, you learned some lessons along the way and that is what really counts!

I hope that hip is feeling great for the long run!

J said...

Sounds like a tough ride, but I am sure next time will be better! You are doing great!

TNTcoach Ken said...

There's no crying in baseball!!!! Oh, wrong movie.... Lessons learned in training are valuable, so remember them.

Lindsay said...

i think i might have a similar 'issue' when i bonk. i haven't yet on the bike... but last sunday when i was riding i felt like i was about to cry!

anyway... glad you made it ok. running out of energy is not good and obviously we know bad things could happen! now to find the balance so you aren't pigging out...