Here we go again. It’s time for the race taper but, before I got too lax, I did a 10 mile race yesterday. Yep, I raced 10 miles exactly one week before the Duathlon National Championship. Genius move or worst idea ever? Only time will tell.
The one thing I know for certain is from this point out I will repeat the hard training, taper, race cycle at least two more times. Possibly three. Who am I kidding? I have no idea how many races I may do by 2020!
WEEK OF APRIL 1, 2019
RUNNING
Since this was a taper week I had very little running leading up to the race on Sunday. My coach was looking for a race that was a little further out but, snowboarding got in the way. Oh well. We decided that if I didn’t try to crush this race, it would be perfect leading up to race day.
I did have one extremely hard effort at the indoor track which actually left my throat sore because I was gasping for air. Good times.
Tuesday: VO2 Max run | warm up, 10 X (30 seconds FAST, 30 seconds easy) | 3.77 miles total, with two reps under 6:00 min! | 30:10
Friday: pre-race run 30 minutes with 4 x 15″ building speed
CYCLING
I’m getting ready to ship my bike to South Carolina which always comes with a lot of anxiety. I wrap and protect it as best I can but you just never know how careful people will be with your cargo!
Step one: hope my bike arrives on time to the hotel in South Carolina
Step two: opening the bag and having it all be in one piece, or at least the pieces I left it in!
For the first time I’m using a company called Bike Flights. For about $100 they are picking it up at my house (I’ll have it bagged and ready), shipping it to the hotel and then shipping it back. Trust me, if this works out, it will be the easiest, most inexpensive transport I have ever had!
Thursday: High Z2 2 x 40 endurance ride | 2:00:24 | 34.4 miles
SWIMMING + STRENGTH
One fairly tame strength day and two swims this week can only mean I’m in taper mode!
Monday: recovery swim | 1,350 yards
Wednesday: strength with Antwan | 1 hour
Friday: swim after run | 1,800 yards
THINGS I LOVE
Being so close to race day! I’m really looking forward to racing my first duathlon since the World Championship in 2014! Since then I have focused on triathlon but let me tell you how great it is not to have to worry about the swim!
Duathlon Nationals will be so different this time around and I’m doing my best to not set my expectations too high and just enjoy the ride.
THINGS I DON’T LOVE AS MUCH
My babies are turning 10. How is it possible?
You really can’t blink because you will miss it. I’m so thankful I’ve been able to mostly stay home with them and be there for so many moments I would have otherwise missed. Sure, there were days I begged to go to work or just be out of the house (I may have actually run out of the house or into my closet) but I wouldn’t change a thing.
Ten is a very cool age and I love the conversations I get to have with them and how they are testing their independence. And vocabulary…ahem.
They are at the point where they still love me the most, sleep with stuffed animals and cry out their frustrations but are also fiercely independent, would rather hang out with friends and speak in lingo I can’t understand. #whysomuchGUCCItalk?
TELEVISION
Sadly my time with Grace + Frankie came to an end. How is it possible I watched five seasons of a show almost exclusively while riding the trainer?
My husband and I started watching Hanna, an Amazon Prime original series and so far, it’s amazing. I love that Hanna is a serious badass and can fight like Bruce Lee, think like RBG and yet has no idea what social media is. You see, Hanna was stolen from what looks like a militant Russian secret facility in the middle of nowhere, by her parents. She was then raised in the woods and taught tracking, combat, marksmanship and four different languages.
The mystery is who is she really and who can she trust? It’s definitely worth the watch. And the music is pretty great too.
READING
It seems like the whole world was reading the memoir of the Mormon survivalist turned Cambridge scholar and I was somewhat disinterested. If you haven’t heard of it, Educated is the true story of Tara Westover and her six siblings, growing up on a mountain in the middle of Idaho with parents who rejected anything man created — school, doctors, non-Mormons — you get the idea.
As horrifying as it is (and trust me, the injuries these kids suffer and survive without medical treatment is horrifying) to read, it’s absolutely worth it. Tara’s writing alone is astoundingly eloquent which is in direct contrast to the painful story she’s telling. If you liked The Glass Castle, you will like this but it may take the first 100 pages to get into.
RANDOM INSTA OF THE WEEK
I love this so much…
I hope all the doors open to you this week and, if they don’t that you can open them back up all by yourself.
Hopefully I will write my 10 mile race recap before leaving for South Carolina. In the meantime you can catch me in taper mode…
Do you taper for races? Love it or hate it?
Do you remember your 10th birthday? Sadly, I don’t.
Well you know how I feel about Educated. I wanted to try it again this week but I’ve gone to bed super early every night with a sinus headache. Maybe this week? I’m so excited for your race. You are going to rock it!
My sinuses are acting up too – along with the entire U.S. I think!? Hope you are feeling better and maybe try to listen to Educated while you’re in the car or on the run. Sometimes a change like that will help 🙂
The race was awesome!! Recap coming tomorrow!
That Bike Flights service sounds super cool. I have a few friends that run triathlons so I am curious to hear your thoughts on that! I know they would love to use a service like that.
So excited for you to smash your race!
Thanks so much! And if Bike Flights does a stellar job, I will be promoting them all over the place!
Remember the birthday that Mom and Dad we’re away and you had a scavenger hunt! Then off to Springfield for the day…
Of course!!! And it’s so funny you mention that because I’m doing that exact thing with the boys’ gifts this year. I love it!! And, every time I drive by that parking structure in Springfield off 91, I always think of you 🙂
Love you
I just loved Educated but read it with my mouth hanging open half the time. Did you know her family has denied everything she says? And that her family owns an essential oils company? It’s all so fascinating.
I would hope that a company named Bike Flights would get your bike to SC safely! LOL
Mouth wide open for sure! Insanity. At times I would get SO angry but when you grow up like that, I can’t fathom what it took for her to break free. And yes, I know about the denial and essential oils. The whole thing is absolutely insane. The way she had to kind of cover herself in the book too by writing “this is my memory of it…” like, of course it is, it’s YOUR memoir! Families. Ugh.
Thanks Wendy!
Good luck with the bike shipment. I am so excited to hear about your duathlon. Have a feeling you are going to crush it! I keep seeing ads for Hanna but not sure if it’s my kind of show. Thanks for linking up for the weekly run down. Have a great week!
Thanks so much! Everything is crossed for a smooth flight for my bike 🙂
And I would give Hanna a try. You will either love it or hate it from the start.
It took me a while to get into Educated too but I ended up really liking it. I mean, what a story to tell. And 10! Seriously, it’s hard to believe how quickly everyone is growing up. Enjoy your race. You are going to rock it!
Just an incredible story but yes, I think because of who she is, it was hard for her to make it overly interesting at the start.
And yeah – 10. How did this happen? How are we getting this old Christine?
Have a great time at the duathlon… the bike flights sounds interesting… will keep it in mind if they get your bike there and back undamaged and in time. Loved educated… on to Just Mercy which is good … and congrats on your age group win
I will definitely let you (and everyone else) know about Bike Flights and how it all goes. It’s a genius idea for a company and I wish I thought of it because it fills such a huge need.
Anyway, thanks for the book recommendation and the congrats 🙂 Loved your comment on Insta – LOL!
That book sounds good yet terrifying all at the same time. I’ll have to look into it! Also, yay for taper and getting ready for your Duathalon. Fingers crossed bike gets there okay. I’m sure you’re going to crush it!
Thank you so much! And you nailed the description of the book 🙂
My daughter turns this week and I keep thinking, “How did we get here?!” It really feels like she was born the other day! Happy Birthday to your handsome boys! And best of luck for the race!
Thank you so much. Time just flies after the kids turn 5 I think…before that, not so much – LOL!
Cheers to race week! I’m excited for you and can totally relate to the stress relief involved with not having a swim leg. Fingers and toes crossed your bike makes the trip just fine. Sadly I don’t remember my 10th birthday either. Most of it is a blur that goes way too fast.
I love that you can relate to my swim-free race and not remembering your 10th birthday. How soon before we start forgetting race details? LOL! Thanks so much Marcia!
I’ve had some of my best races after a hard workout and/or after a race! So hopefully that bodes well for you!! Also, my boy just turned 14…14!!! Like how old does that make me?! Ha! And I enjoy the taper. I’m usually tired by the time it hits anyway. Haha
Thanks for sharing that – it makes me feel better! The race went really well so hopefully that’s an indicator of what’s to come 🙂 And 14? OMG I just can’t. Make it stop!
Ummm…I LOVE taper (and am one very few who actually embrace it in a huger-than-huge bear hug when it arrives). I am so out of the loop on du/tri stuff, I didn’t know (realize?) you could ship your bike ((duh)). And, I agree…these kids grow up way too fast. How is it that my youngest is 19? The middle one is legal drinking age? And the oldest just left this morning on a cruise with her boyfriend? I feel too young to be this damn old LOL As always, thanks for linking!!
I honestly don’t mind the taper that much. It also depends on the race – the longer it is, the more I’m ready to taper!! And I cannot fathom my kids driving or drinking. God help me!! And you are WAY too young for all of that – LOL 🙂
Enjoy taper week! I actually don’t mind it because it usually comes at a busy and much needed time. I’ve been looking for a new shoe/movie to start so that sounds perfect.
I wish I could enjoy it more but my kids are on break, my husband is away and I have to pack all of us for my duathlon in SC!! I’m really trying to enjoy it though 🙂 Thanks Hollie!
ahhhhhh taper week!!! I can’t say I’m surprised you did a 10 mile race because I live with a man who runs marathons to train for marathons. runners, athletes, sometimes do crazy things 🙂 really excited for you. hope the bike does make it all in one piece!
I do taper but I usually spend that week(s) freaking out, having gentle runs and eating lots of carbs.
the book sounds interesting! also I’m on season 4 G&F; I had to take a little break.
LOL – yep, we’re not known for our sanity! Thanks so much and bike was off in the FedEx truck this morning so I kissed it good-bye!
I was so sad to finish G&F! I hope you love the last season. Thanks again for your words and support 🙂
You’re right, our babies grow up so fast! My sons are 31 and 29 and it truly seems like just yesterday that they were 10 and 8 year old goofballs. It’s a great age for little boys!
That bike transport service sounds great and much less stressful since they’re all about bikes. There’s a company for everything, isn’t there?
It’s crazy! I mean, you know its going to happen but you’re still blown away when it actually does, right? I cannot imagine my boys being in their 20s and 30s but I couldn’t imagine 10 at one point either!
The BikeFlight company was ok…as you probably have read by now, my bike incurred some damage which was not entirely their fault but I would probably not use them again. *sigh*