Rest Week...Thank GOD!

My last rest week was a week early thanks to my canoeing vacation. (Not only that, I spent said rest week paddling HARD - 128 miles in 4.5 days in a fully loaded camping canoe.) After that and then four build weeks, I NEED a rest.

However, the FINAL icing on the "take me out 'cause I'm DONE" cake was the weather this weekend. I had my long bike and long run before I got my rest and I intended to go out strong. Unfortunately MOTHER NATURE intended to beat me the hell up. (Yes, I'm taking the weather personally now.)

I watched all week as the forecast for the weekend just got worse and worse. Saturday morning we were under a high wind warning with gale-force gusts expected. I decided the earlier I got out there the better and stuck to the IMLP run loop - not as tough training as doing the Tinman route but a hell of a lot safer and would allow me to bail out if necessary.

The first loop (each is about 12 miles) was okay - I was still getting my bike legs under me. It was windy, cloudy, and cold but nothing I couldn't handle. (Aside from not being able to feel my feet.) I started my second loop, hoping to get into my groove, and was feeling good when shortly after the turnaround to head back to the start, it began to HAIL. For REAL. Stinging your face hail. I was really hoping it would pass through, but when it showed no signs of stopping six miles later when I got close to home, I gave up and headed indoors for the rest of my ride. I was NOT pleased. Grrr.

The next day, it was eight miles on my feet of more of the same. I can run in worse weather than I can bike in, so I stayed outdoors, but once again it was in the 30s with hail and even worse wind than the day before.

So yeah, not feeling guilty about the sub-six hour training week I have. (And anyway, it goes right back up to more volume than ever next week.)