Other than getting caught up on my blog reading this weekend, I have discovered that being a sloth is not without its downside. Why? Because I got back on the bike today with friend/masseuse Stephanie and headed out for a 55-60 mile ride.(Sweet Baboo went out by himself to do 100 miles of hills and NO I'M NOT KIDDING, I SWEAR TO GAWD, ONE HUNDRED MILES OF HILLS and I'm sure he would have invited me along but he probably knows I would have answered with something like, "uh, no thanks, I can just beat on my own legs with a mallet".) But anyway.
SO I headed out on this little ride thinking, this is no big deal, I am IRON MISTY after all, and, well Holy. Hell, my quads seemed to have completely atrophied to nothing.
Hills left me panting. The wind pushed me backwards, but ONLY me, as Steph pedaled easily ahead of me, and I think she was even singing a little song or something, so easy were the climbs on this little jaunt.
I've discovered that even if you are trained up for an Ironman, one with lots of hills, no less, well, APPARENTLY if you ignore your bike (except for an occasional insult and hateful look every time you walk by) for three or four weeks, you LOSE some of your CONDITIONING.
DID YOU READ WHAT I WROTE? It all goes away! CRAP! CRAAAAAPPPP!
Doing a long course should be like getting a college degree. You've gone that far, and now it's permanent. There should be a rule that you can't lose your conditioning once you're finished a long course triathlon. All in favor, say aye.
I even had to stop once or twice, not just because my legs have lost their conditioning and ability to head up even moderate hills and go against the wind, but perhaps more importantly, my ass has lost its conditioning and the requisite ability to stay comfortably on a saddle for 3-4 hours without feeling chaffed and bruised.
That's some bullshit, son.
So Now I have to, I guess, ride the bike more. CRAP. And, just when I was starting to have a grudging tolerance for the bike, I hate it again. HATE. IT.
So now, I have to build my legs and butt back up for my final tri of the season: SOMA half iron on October 28th. CRAP. And, I have precious time left to do it.
Why can't we just swim and run?
CRAP.
Thank you for letting me have this little tantrum.
...
Aye.
ReplyDeleteThat is all.
You have now proven what I have thought to be true..to borrow a line from you..CRAP. Now I need to ride my bike too.
ReplyDeleteAYE!! I haven't been on my bike in a month. Now I'm afraid. Very afraid.
ReplyDeleteUm, I heart my bike......
ReplyDeleteWhy can't we just bike and eat cookies??
ooh, that's bad.
ReplyDeleteDoes it take long to condition your behind to the saddle?
BTW your husband is a machine - but then he said he was going to turn into one...were you consulted?
BTW plus size here is 16 and above, which is about an 18 in US sizes. But then the biggest triathlon series in Melbourne isn't running an athena division even though they have clydesdales. grrrrrrrrrrr
Aye!
ReplyDeleteThe good news is your conditioning returns quite a bit faster than it took to get it in the first place. You'll be rockin' the hills in no time and then you will do SOMA which Pirate has assured me is flat.
ps - you find the best pictures to illustrate your posts.
geekgirl, thanks for visiting my blog. I've been reading yours since IMKY. You finished just a bit after my cousin (dan monahan, not that one) did.
ReplyDeleteand yes, I once did a 5 mile run on the canal and followed it with a double at the heart attack grill.
you'll do great in tempe, I'll be there to watch.
pat monahan (no not that one)
Wait!
ReplyDeleteDoes that mean riding a bike actually *isn't* just like riding a bike????
Was it all lies, just lies???!!!!
Sigh.
Dammit.
Oh no, guess I need to get that bike off the trainer and back on the road.
ReplyDelete"Why can't we just swim and run?"
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on that. That's my dream event. No bike. No thinking about the bike. Just swim and run.
"Why can't we just swim and run?"
ReplyDeleteStroke and stride events!
I second 21stCenturyMom; it comes back relatively quickly.
I'd gladly serve as your designated biker if you swim and run for me :-)
ReplyDeleteshoot -i'm in BIG trouble then. don't tell anyone, but i haven't been on my bike since cda. AAAAH, i just outted myself. i swear, i'm riding tomorrow!!! i have been running, though, so that kinda counts, right?
ReplyDeleteI stumbled onto your blog shortly before your IMKY and I am so inspired by you! I just completed my first triathlon yesterday (sprint) and after that I am even more in awe of you than I was before! Keep going.
ReplyDeletePeace.
It's all about the butt!
ReplyDeleteYou are in good company on the horrors of bike riding post-Ironman (sans Sweet Baboo).
ReplyDeleteOur group of 4, all of who did IM Lou, went out for an "easy" 45-mile ride last weekend.
It became apparent to me at like mile 12 that it was ridiculous, but I'm not one to listen to reason immediately.
Anyhooo, it was a very bad ride, with 4 very tired and cranky riders and lots of silence peppered with angry glares at each other and an occasional "piss off".
We have not ridden together since.
You would have no idea riding with us that we completed an IM 3 weeks earlier.
Anyway, nice job. Just wanted to let you know a posse o' riders up near Chicago is in the same boat you are. :)
Hang on, you're in good company for post-Iron bike woes. The good news it that it comes back fast, and a good deal of it will have stuck around. I bet in a week or two you'll be amazed at how much power you have. Best in your October half-Iron!
ReplyDelete