Training Overview #6 - Week of July 15 thru 21, 2019

If you have not followed these posts you may wonder why I am riding so much – isn’t this the
Bluegrass RUNNER!  Well the reason is three fold.  First is that I have some issue with my right foot that while I can run a marathon it gets fairly sore afterwards and I am trying to mitigate that.  I am working to limit my long runs in number and length and use the long rides as the endurance training I would have in the past normally done running.  I did find when I was back in So. Cal when I did a 17 miler it went fairly well considering I had not run much farther than 12 miles .  My hope is this will keep me healthy for my planned R2R2R this coming October and then my run at Boston next year.

The second reason for riding more is that I am also hoping to get into the Dirty Kanza 200 next year and want to be ready and well prepared for that as well as some other bike rides and races along the way.   Cycling is a sport I have done for some time, actually back in the day I was probably a better rider than runner, but usually go back to running as cycling just takes so much time and truthfully it is harder to find races/ride locally as it is to find running races.

Lastly, bottom line is if what we do is to be enjoyable, and I think it is, do what is enjoyable and riding and running is just that.  I have been asked if I focused on one or the other would I be better at the sport I focused on.  My analytic side is to say yes but truth is with some foot issues I think this is the best way to enjoy what I do and to also be the best I can be at both sports.

Weeks Overview:
Sometimes you just have to change your plans.  While I am one that likes to at least have a plan for the week ahead and have often worked to not let anything get in the way of it this week I had to make changes.

The plan this week was to run about 35+ miles easy and ride a couple times with one being a Century.  The problem was when I got to my 9 miler on Wednesday I was cruising easy for 6 miles when my hamstring cramped and I had to walk a little.  I was able to finish going very easy with a number of stops to walk.  Once I got done I decided not to run the rest of the week to avoid hurting my hamstring.  I took a couple days off then rode 106 miles on Saturday and while my hamstring felt tight early on it did not hurt and was fine later on.

My feeling is the hamstring issue may have come from being a little depleted electrolyte wise.  What with the previous week’s ride and running races then running three times this week when it was very humid and warm it just all added up to being depleted.  While I think I stayed hydrated enough I did not get in enough electrolytes – or as much as I needed.  This was much like the hamstring issue I got in the last mile of the Derby Marathon and for that I did not carry my drink but took in water and may have gotten somewhat depleted.

For the 106 miler this week the temperature started at 73 and by the end it was 93+ with a heat index of around 102+.  To minimize cramping I made sure to drink plenty and not just water but my SFuels drink which has electrolytes – it seemed to work as had no cramping issues on the ride.  I normally like to take S!Caps but did not realize till too late but had run out but it al worked out well.

The 100+ miler  this week was my last long ride till the Bourbon & Bluegrass Century in Owensboro Aug 3rd and then the 61+ mile Kentucky Gravel Championships Aug 10th.  With only a week between the Century and the KGC’s I will need to make sure to get plenty of rest.

Relive 'Long Hot Humid Ride'

Diet Notes:
Nothing really to speak of eating wise this week as just working to keep carbs low and doing OK at it with some days better than others.  What I can share is that once you get fat adapted while good to keep carbs low the body, well at least mine, seems to be able to adjust and still seek to use fat as fuel.  Based on my fuel intake on this past weeks long ride it is fairly clear that unlike my fueling of the past which was to eat gels every 30 minutes I am far less tied to such things.  For the ride I worked to see what I needed to do to keep my energy consistent and it seemed to work, even in the heat.  The key to long rides is to not get depleted so the century Aug 3rd and KGC on Aug 10th is to further work to  figure out fueling for races.

Pre-Ride:

• Modified Bullet  Proof Coffee  (MBPC) – Coffee, Butter, Coconut Oil, Collagen, Raw Egg, Heavy Cream and Chocolate Primal Fuel
• Half a 27oz bottle of water with 2 scoops SFuels  Training Formula

Ride Fueling;

• 4 – 27oz Bottles of water with 2 scoops each of SFuels Training Formula
• 1 – 27oz Bottles  of  SFuels Race Formula
• Nibbled on about ¾ of a UCAN Coffee bar from mile 25 to Mile 65
• Had one Vespa at 46 miles 
• Was going to try a Honey Stinger Waffle, got as a sample at a race, but only had half  as dropped the other half
• 1 Maurten Gel at 80 miles

Overview of Weeks Runs and Rides:

• Monday: Run –  5 miles
• Tuesday: Morning Ride –  34.4 Miles 
• Tuesday : Afternoon Run – 6.2 Miles 
• Wednesday: Run –  9.1 Miles 
• Thursday:  Rest Day due to hamstring
• Friday:  Rest Day due to hamstring
• Saturday: Ride –   106.2 Miles 

Totals:

• Running Miles –  20.2
• Riding Miles – 140.5
• Total Time –  10:48

Conclusions:
For this coming week I am working at a running camp so will probably run more, depending on my hamstring, and ride less due to time constraints.  What I hear is the heat we have been experiencing this past week is to be lower this week - which I am hoping will help.   Just need to be diligent to do my stretching and staying properly hydrated and keeping the electrolytes intake up.


Last Week's Overview #5