Bike 115.5 on Saturday & Run 21.5 on Sunday

I have been quiet for awhile on the bogging front. There has been nothing terribly interesting to report, maybe part of that is because I am training again. Yes, I am actually doing structured training to prepare for Ironman WI in the fall. The past 4 weeks have hurt. After my season ending prematurely last year I am more grateful than ever to be able to do all 3 sports. The long rides and runs hurt but in the best way possible.

Yesterday I was lucky to have a long ride on my schedule with no structure, since I am still just in the base building phase (speed comes in another few weeks). Long rides are times when I like to get out and explore. I have plenty of time to get lost and then find my way home. Yesterday I realized I might have pushed the envelope when I found myself out past Pumkintown on roads that looked familiar from a ride I did that started in Brevard...I had to stop and ask someone to look at a map. When I told them I needed to get back to Tryon (which was not even on the same page on the map I was looking at) they kindly suggested getting on Hwy 11! Normally I would not even consider this but I needed to get home. Amazingly enough there is even a bike lane for the first 15 miles (which was rideable)- which I admit was very nice to ride in...especially aero. So I got a little TT (time trial) for about 20 mile before seeing a road that I knew would take me back towards Saluda. Unfortunately that road had a killer hill right at mile 90 of my ride. Rolling into Saluda at 100 miles I had to stop for a Coke and some ice for my finger where I had been stung by something nasty that I tried to get out of my top. Coke has never tasted so good. It made the rest of the ride home much more manageable. Of interest for some of you who ride and train might be what I ate during this epic ride. Listed in no particular order:
1 big bag of Haribo Gummy Bears
1/2 bag of donuts
2 packages of Fig Newtons
1/2 Orange Smoothy Powerbar (new flavor - tastes great)
1/2 bag of Baked Lay's
1 small bag of Gold Fish
Coke
5 Bottles of Gatorade & Carbo Pro Mix (about 260 cal per bottle)
2 bottles of Water + extra water every time I stopped

Today was run day. After getting home yesterday I took two Benadryl tablets to alleviate some of the pain of the sting in my finger. I got stung on the end of my finger and by the evening it had swelled so much that I could not even bend it. 2 Benadryl after 115 mile ride had me knocked out within moments. I was comatose until 6:10 this morning. I woke up and I felt fine! So that meant that the game was on. I had to go get this 20 mile run done before it got late and I got lazy. I was out by 7 and on the trails. My legs felt ok, but not a lot of spunk. I decided to just get busy thinking about how beautiful it was, how nice all the little birds sounded and kept my eyes peeled for other wildlife. I saw lots of deer, some of which I got very close to. I saw a turkey with all her little babies - whatever you call them. Of course a few people out on horses but that was about it today. After letting my mind wander I started feeling pretty good, after a sip of Coke and some ibuprofen at mile 12 I felt great...bring it on! The last 2 miles I actually ran hard, oh yes, all this training is starting to pay off.

You know what I did then? I came home and thought, I need to push a little more...how about I surprise my best buddy Colette and sign up for the race she is doing at the end of the month. I dropped the cash and have the registration in my hand. See the trouble you can get into after a good week of training!