The BRick!

Yesterday was my first Group Brick. A 1 Mile Run followed by a 1 hour Ride in the park followed by another 3 mile run. Only I biked to practice - 5 miles each way. So my day, which began at 6:30 am, was a bike-run-bike-run-bike! The bike was fine- but those Harlem Hills still get me. I slow down so much trying to get over them, I know I'm losing time. I also didn't pay enough attention to my cadence as I should while I cycled through the park. The park was a zoo - there was some 5k run, CRCA bike races and hundreds of tourists who cross the road in packs and don't pay attention where they are going. I spent too much time dodging in and out of the obstacle course. But it was a good ride and while I had a pretty quick transition onto my bike I kept a good time and was one of the first back to run. When I returned to the transition area and put my sneakers on and started to run, I thought my legs were going to collapse beneath me. The lower half of my body felt like jelly. I started to laugh at his crazy feeling i was experiencing but I just kept going. Everyone in the group had funny smiles on their faces and we cheered each other on. Three out and backs. 1 Down, 2 to go. 2 down, 1 to go- I pushed myself to finish and my legs started to regain feeling by the end. My overall time was good and though I was cursing myself, questioning why I ever got into this, I was happy when I finished or that I could finish!

I expected to be sore today but I actually feel great and am about to go for an hour run before brunch. I'm starting to get nervous about the tri- I can't believe I'm actually doing this but the more I train the more I realize it's a mental game. With the three different legs of the race, I can count down- after the swim I'll be 1/3 finished with the race! When I run I'll only have a few miles to go. I can do this. I hope I can do this! I will do this!