It happened.

A couple weeks ago I was staring a big training weekend in the face and it was looking as though I would be doing it alone. But a local marathon, an unexpected masters workout and some met-while-riding company on the bike saved me from the lonely fate.

This weekend I was not so lucky. Solo, for the most part, happened. I started the weekend off with a quick morning run before heading to masters. Much to my good fortune, the second workout, which was IM last I swam it (I don't do IM), was free on Saturday, so the 2hr swim went by much faster getting to swim with friends the whole time.

After the swim it was time for some breakfast/pre run #2 fueling. When I hit the road back home from Santa Monica, I planned on running pretty much right when I got back. But things came up, and I didn't end up starting my run until about 1:45. Hottest part of the day. I chalked it up to good training as I will be running at that time come Ironman Lake Placid. At the turn around 1:30 into the run, I was regretting it big time. The plan called for 45min of tempo to end the run. I had a steadfast fear of that section. For about 42min, I thought it might kill me. I ended my run at my grandma's house because my cousin was in town & I was hoping I could see him, but I missed him. What I didn't miss was quite possibly the most refreshing shower I have ever taken. And when I say "shower" (Maggs you will love this), I mean me sitting in a lawn chair and my uncle spraying me down with a garden hose. It was glorious.

That run, brought me to a new mileage PR. I have never run farther in a single day than the 26.2mi of a marathon, but with both runs, I ticked off just a bit over 28mi on Saturday. My fatigue and fear of Sunday's ride prevented me from being too happy about it. After an incredible dinner, I slept like a rock until the alarm sounded for the Sunday ride.

Charisa and Kevin are pretty much my only friends training for an Ironman right now, and as I wasn't down in SD this weekend, I knew I wasn't going to find anyone to tackle this ride with me. Surprisingly, my legs didn't feel as bad as I feared they would and the first climb went by quickly. This was the view I got at the start of the second climb:

From the famous Latigo Canyon Road

About 10mins after I took this shot a motorcyclist passed me going up the windy road. About 30mins later an ambulance and a paramedic truck passed me and stopped just around the next bend. Turns out the motorcyclist tried to pass some cars and lost it, sending him over the guardrail and down the cliff/hill. I stopped and saw he was hung up in some bushes was still alive. That makes it 2 motorcycle crashes I have come upon in as many weeks. At least this guy lived and I didn't have to see another dead body like last week.

After the descent, and a fluid refill there was another climb bookended by some coastal riding. This was from the start of the last real climb of the day.

From the summit of the last climb, which is actually the back side of the second climb:

7hrs & 45mins, 131mi and ~11,000ft of climbing, BANKED! And all I had to show for it was some dirty legs.

This week is the last big week in this 4 week block. Then its recover/taper time for Boise 70.3. The plan scared me when I first saw it, and I have been looking at this week with dread for a while now. It seems even more daunting as I get into it today. I just hope I come out the other side in one piece.