I need a mental reset

This wasn’t the kind of week I had hoped for this far out from race day.

The first race rehearsal last Saturday didn’t go well. The good news is that most first race rehearsals go poorly. I had stacked the odds by never having ridden the route before, and that hurt. Within 2 miles I had to take a detour, ended up getting lost and then going the wrong direction. I fell so far behind I was afraid I was going to be late for the Brewers game that evening so I cut some distance off by skipping a loop. I only got in 90 some miles.
The train wreck began when I attempted the run. For some reason I only took one little water bottle with me for a six mile run in 92 degree heat. That was dumb. I ended up losing a ton (8lbs) of weight, and having the shivers from dehyrdation after the run. Lesson learned for next time – run nutrition is just as important as bike. It’ll be easier on race day with food/water every mile of the run, but still would like to nail the next rehearsal so my hyperactive mind doesn’t latch onto that worry.

This Saturday was a great weather day. I ended up doing the Madison Open Water Swim. I competed in the 2.4mile wetsit division. I was very disappointed in my sighting. If I wasn’t sick right now, I’d draw a nice diagram of how I participated (maybe later I’ll stick it in here). I’ve been a legit 1:10-1:17 swimmer over this distance in Pewaukee Lake, so my 1:23 was disappointing. Part of it was my oncoming cold (that’s foreshadowing….)

I quick scurried out to my old pad on Hidden Cave Road, parked the car and got on the bike. I never seemed to get in the groove. I had also forgotten my power meter so I didn’t have that to guide me, just my Garmin. Anyway, I was sweating bullets even though it never got much above 70. I covered the 50 miles in 3 hours which is slow for me. At that point I just called it a day. My throat was sore and I just had no omph, and with Sean being sick I had a feeling I was coming down with his cold. I spent some time with Barb and Kevin our Madison neighbors (thanks for the chips and drinks), and then went home.

Fast forward to Sunday – full blown head cold. Great, last bike bike workout and I can barely breathe. I agonized over weather I should just suck it up and do the workout or not risk making this thing stick around for longer and take it easy. By 1pm, the decision had been made for me – I felt so tired I had to lay down. I woke up at 5, still feeling like crap.

The logical part of me knows Saturday’s bike wasn’t my healthy effort and I’ll be better on race day, but the worry part of my brain is now freaking out non-stop that I’ll have trouble pulling 7 hours on the bike, that I missed an important bike workout, etc. I think I might just try to get a 2 1/2 hour ride in tomorrow if I’m feeling better just to shut my brain up, and then start preparing for the last race rehearsal week. I might even head up to the course to do it – just to try to benchmark how long two loops should take on with all the aero gear loaded up and ready to go.