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Last night was a busy athletic night - for me for a change. For the last few months athletics have been more about others, either my team or Erin, and my return to fitness has been slow coming. The ice may be cracking, if last night is any evidence.

I left work, the sun shone bright, and I considered what next. My original plan for the day was to lift, run early, run with the group, then go back to the club and spin. That would give me more miles, but it would spread the workout over several hours. Hmmm.

Once again I considered the weather. I didn't see my breath while outside. I checked my weather app, and it said 47 degrees. Wind was light, and there was no bite to it. Daylight was the main issue. Could I sneak in 20 miles? If so, it would be worth giving up 3 miles of running - the qualitative difference between spinning and actual road riding is significant, I think, enough to be roughly equivalent overall workouts. And let's face it; any time you can get out on the road in December is time well spent indeed. 

It would be the ride!

It was cold enough to put on the boots and thicker gloves. One long-sleeve IronBill issue tight-tight shirt, NorthFace knockoff jacket, long tights over biking shorts, and it was time to roll. I wondered if passing on the head gear would be a mistake, but the temperature was borderline. 

The ride went quickly. I'm not trying to push on the bike - for cryin' out loud, it's December after all - I just wanted to keep the legs turning over. The slight southeast wind only barely affected my pace. The wind was so slight that if I had any fitness at all I wouldn't have noticed it. 

Daylight was waning enough I felt riding home on the highway was the better option. It gets dark shortly after 5 now, and I would be pushing that number by the time I got back to Bedford. While I had purposely avoided riding aero on the way to Mitchell, on the way back I folded over and got smooth. The speed immediately shot up, and I carried the highway leg 23-25 mph average. I'll take that this early!

Climbing sure isn't fun. There aren't many hills on this course, but I felt them all. Not in the "omigosh-I'm-dying" sort of way, more like "I can't believe how slow I'm going" way. That's the difference between indoor and outdoor riding to me - quad strength. My overall turnover actually improves after riding inside, but my quad strength declines. I will have to lift to compensate if I'm forced indoors too much this winter.

I passed Bartlett on the way back home. That meant the run was close to starting. I hoped to be able to sneak in a couple of miles before the group started, but alas, a little home confusion thwarted that plan. I was getting hungry too, and since I planned to go to the lift right after the run, it was time to grab some fuel. 

The options were slim - our grocery stock is low right now. Salvation came in the form of a teriyaki-flavored beef jerky stick. I grabbed it, ripped it open, then headed out the door, slow jog and fast chewing. It had the desired effect, both on my stomach and the faces of the group when I ran up eating it. 

We did our five with little incident. My hands were a bit cold at first (I'd grabbed the jerky instead of gloves), but they warmed soon enough. The run concluded, it was time to lift. 

I've pulled this triple before, and I was sure glad I'd hit the jerky. A workout of over 2 hours is no small thing for me right now, and putting the strength training on the end of it makes it a real challenge. See, as a weightlifter you get used to hitting certain numbers, but on weight and reps. Additionally, any serious lifter I ever met is pretty Type A about those numbers. Consistency makes great lifters, but it can also get them hurt. Trying to do the regular routine when physically depleted is an easy way to get cramps or a serious muscle pull. Never mind you might not hit your numbers... you might hurt yourself enough to miss workouts or workout elements for the next few sessions. The struggle is to push as hard as possible without pushing over the line. Take it to the point you can feel the cramps almost coming on, letting up right at the line.

The jerky gave me just enough energy to get the job done. It's not like I'm trying to get really big, that would be very much counter to being a good triathlete, though I don't mind a little size if it helps me feel better and helps my swimming. I'll have to be careful about body weight during competition season. I expect I'll have to settle for an additional 5-10 lbs. over what I would usually see. It will make the run slower, but it might make the swim/bike faster. The trade off might be worth it.

Today: run with Galloway and Strunk, Parkview 3:50?