Saturday, December 27, 2014

Training - The Trifecta

With Junior up and down again all night, with a pretty consistent 102-103 degree fever, we postponed plans for any travel today. I was on duty for most of the night, starting at 11 or so. The Missus took over at about 5:30 AM, and I slept fitfully for the next 5 or so hours. By then she'd called the doctor (this is Day Three of this fever) and we needed to get going by 11 or 11:15.

The visit went well. Last time we went, for his 2 1/2 year old visit, he pointed at the jar of tongue depressors.

"Sticks for the mouth."

I looked at him a bit slack jawed. I don't think they used one on him since March, about 6 months prior.

At any rate this time the doctor used the "Stick for the mouth" as well as a swab thing to take a culture. He didn't like that as much. After a couple minute wait the doctor came back in with the good news - no strep.

We headed home and it was so warm that Junior didn't need a blanket and in fact we didn't need our coats in the car. The Missus looked in the mirror at me (I was sitting next to Junior in the back).

"You want to ride today?"

I thought about it.

"I don't have any gear left, I wore all the stuff in the last two days."
"I washed it all."
"Oh."

We got home and the Missus tried to get things such that I could get out at 2 PM. It took just a touch longer so it was 10-15 minutes later that I finally headed out.

Based on yesterday's kit load out I decided to play it safe and do the same. LS base layer, the Roubaix material long sleeve skinsuit with Roubaix type shorts, the wind vest (no pockets on the skinsuit so no place for my phone), my Canari gloves, regular shoes, and Sidekick booties.

It felt better today. My legs didn't feel quite as cool and my upper body felt just about right.

Me, on the other hand, I felt a bit tired.

I'd been up until about 5:30, catching a break here and there, looking after Junior. He was running a pretty consistent 103 degree fever, and although we gave him Tylenol early in the evening, I kept putting off the next dose until suddenly the Missus came downstairs.

On the bike I felt a bit tired, a bit unmotivated. I told the Missus I'd do a lap but that it would take at least an hour. Yesterday's ride took 1:01 and I figured this one would be a 1:15 or something like that.

I did my usual JRA pace, just trying to keep going. I definitely felt a bit tired and not very motivated. On the other hand I felt a bit more at home out on the road, standing on the pedals.

On the little "tell" hill I went pretty hard as I had the right of way and there were a bunch of cars waiting at the intersection. When I looked down I saw 24.8 mph.

Heh.

I took it easy on a lot of other sections.

I missed the green light at the 10/202 and 315 intersection. I wanted to do a jump so I actually turned around, backtracked a bit, and turned around when things were clear.

My jump wasn't great and I eased off earlier than yesterday.

I also blew a bit early on the last half mile hill. According to Strava I did the hill in 2:50. Yesterday it was 2:48, the day before it was 2:53. All in the same range, but I felt the best doing the 2:53 - I was actually going well all the way to the top.

I got to the house and took some pictures with the phone before going in.

The bike after the ride.
I haven't touched the bottle since I put it in the cage before the ride on Christmas Day.

Legs after the ride. Any "orange" is the Atomic Balm heat rub.

The business end of the bike. Blinkies, saddle bag, mini pump.

Ends up that my peak was 50 watts higher than yesterday's jump. I did sit up pretty quickly, doing about 750w for 10 seconds instead of the 800 yesterday.

I also did the whole loop 0.1 mph faster than yesterday. Each day I went 0.1 mph faster. 16.5 on Christmas, 16.6 yesterday, and 16.7 today. Even though I felt a pretty decent amount of fatigue I rode faster. I think it has to do with me getting used to throwing the bike around again, something I can't do on the trainer.

Junior rallied for 15 or 20 minutes in the early evening but it was a false alarm. He went back to a 104 fever so he's gotten his Tylenol and is laying on the bed behind me. Hopefully tonight I'll be able to sleep a regular amount.

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