Well, after "stepping up my game" last week, i took a big, huge step backward this past week.  I got really overwhelmed at work and therefore missed three days of working out.  Surprisingly, however, i didn't feel like crap on my workout on Friday, so I thought that was a good sign for the weekend.  On Saturday that good sign was validated when I had a really good run for the 10-miler.  I held rocksteady 10-minute miles which, while slow, is my training pace, and the course was pretty hilly.  I also finished strong the last three miles where i held just over 8 minute miles.  Despite the hills I felt pretty good during those as well.  So I was feeling awesome on Saturday. 

 Sunday kind of sucked because i had to wake up early and it was REALLY cold when I left for my ride.  But I went out on the ride with the intention of doing 70 miles.  You'll note that I say "intention," more to come on that later.  So I began and felt like crap due to the immediate presence of a hill, I was in Charlottesville after all.  So after slogging around about 45 minutes of nothing but hills I was feeling pretty much like crap.  That continued for about another 45 minutes when I was finally able to warm up, both temperature-wise and muscularly.  The rest of the ride went alright, though I first became concerned when my first loop took me only 1:37.  There's no way I did 33 miles in 1:37, no way.  So the second loop I went on a couple planned detours and added about 45 minutes to it, after adding about 4 miles to the loop by riding to the starting point from my brother's house.  Between these two additions, and despite the fast time, I was feeling pretty confident that I had put in at least 60 miles.  So I called it a day and headed home.  I was stoked, i was feeling really good, I nailed my hydration and fueling, and i was riding the tri-bike and even got in the aeros for much of the ride.  Overall I was excited thinking that I had done my ride, and done it well.  Then the crash came when I mapped it out on the computer and realized that I really only put in approximately 58 miles, hence the estimation.  I'm so bummed.  There's always next week I suppose. 

This weekend I really stepped up my game I think. It was a mixed blessing, I feel good about getting in some serious mileage, but I also came away pretty humbled. I put in 55 on the bike and 10 on the run. Not exactly the height of training, but it was my first really serious weekend of training during this cycle, so I'm feeling pretty good about it. I came back today and my run felt pretty awesome. I didn't feel fast, but the run did feel really easy. My only concern is that my left kneecap is a little sore. i think that's weird, anybody ever heard of that?

Otherwise, I'm on track and ready to keep going.  Oh, and, update to last entry: my spring break was largely a bust in regards to my working out, and everything else in general.  Bummer eh?

So, I didn't get much of a chance to catch up on sleep or rest this weekend, and as a result I have been really worn out this week.  As a result of that, I have been slacking on my workouts.  I am really disappointed in that latter fact.  I had been working really hard, but this week has been tough.  I am attempting to rationalize it by saying it's a recovery week, which I think is reasonable, I do think the time has rolled around for one, but it's the reason I've been missing the workouts that has me worried.  I've been lazy. 

Now, this will be addressed next week, since it's Spring Break I'll have tons of time to workout and make up for this week's laziness.  I guess the pudding of proof will be next week.  In other news, I'm feeling pretty good, and very much looking forward to vacation!  Springtime here I come.

This week welcomed a mixed bag of accomplishments, setbacks, and surprises.  I'll start with the surprise: I stepped on a scale last week on a lark and, well, let's just say I was shocked by the results.  According to the scale at Audrey Moore Rec Center, I weigh approximately 179 pounds.  179 POUNDS!!  For many, that is not that big a deal.  For me, however, it is a pretty big deal.  It represents the second highest poundage I've ever reached.  It is beaten only by the time I spent in Scotland eating nothing but fried foods (and I mean they'll fry anything; pizza, milky way bars, haggis, hamburgers, you name it), and drinking copious amounts of beer.  Now that's saying something.  Yikes is what it's saying to me right now.

 In other news, I'm a little disappointed with myself this week.  I missed my first assigned workout in a month, and I had to cut my longest ride (supposedly of 2:45), down to just over an hour.  Egad, I had been doing so well.  But, I have to get back on the horse, which will be hard considering I feel like I'm going to fall asleep right now in my chair.  Not to rush the close of this great entry, but I'm off to try and get motivated to get in a run.