Over the Slump

I was determined to break out of the rut I've been in and figured today's training would be a good start. I had 1.5 hours on the bike and a 10-mile run on the schedule, plus I had some work obligations and a bike fitting. I started almost immediately after waking up. I even drank my coffee while doing my warm up and first few minutes of the ride since I was on the trainer. My coach recommended breaking the bike workout up to make it less mentally draining so I did the first 45 minutes and then took a breakfast break.

As soon as I sufficiently digested I headed out for my 10-miler in some of the most beautiful weather we've had in over a week. Every moment of this run was pure joy. I ran along the river on the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, back through my neighborhood and then off to Prospect Park. The first half was in my aerobic range and the second half at marathon pace, which is slightly slower. However, I felt incredible in the second half and ended up much faster than planned. It felt comfortable so I went with it.

I had a quick work meeting and hopped back on the bike for the final 45 minutes. My legs were a little tired, but it felt good to keep them moving after the long run. I ended up being much less stiff as a result. I finished just in time to get into the city for my bike re-fit.

I'd been advised that I looked a bit stretched out in the front so I took it in for a quick look. The fitter didn't seem to agree 100% but she noted that my aero bars were too long for my forearms and might be keeping me from resting on the elbow pads properly. She recommended cutting them down a bit so my hands would be closer to the shifters. She also put on a shorter stem. I had a hard time telling the difference, I'll have to wait until I take it out for a long ride. This will be the last maintenance visit to my bike shop since it's closing next week for good. It was a really high-end, specialized store that fell victim to the economy. I could have bought my bike anywhere but chose to buy it from them because they had the best service in the city. I will really miss it.

Biking
Distance - 14.43
Time - 50:00

Running
Distance - 10 miles
Time - 1:24:50

Biking
Distance - 15.38 miles
Time - 55:00