Getting dropped

Today's lesson:  I can't just take 2 weeks easy on the bike then expect to keep up with the fast guys on a hilly sufferfest of a ride (not that I can keep up with them anyways, lol).........that also happens to be on a hellaciously hot morning.  By the time I was back at the local bike shop it was 92.3F with a heat index of 102F.  Ewwww.

So how'd it go? I had no legs for the hills and kept getting dropped again.  And again.  And again....Actually I spent most of today's ride cycling by myself.  Couldn't keep the big boys in sight and while there were a couple of people slower than me, one ended up cramping and heading back home less than an hour into the ride and I wanted to get today over with so didn't hang back with the other.  Oh and I was the only girl in the group :-(.  By the time I made it to Beebe I decided that I didn't want to take a long break so just paused long enough to get some fluids in me, confirm the route, and let them know that I was heading on out.  Couldn't eat because the heat was making me nauseated, the Hammer Nutrition Perpetuem was a huge lifesave in keeping in enough calories in me to keep going. 

Ended up with 53.40 miles in 3:25:22 and it proved to me that I can survive riding a little bit of distance solo.  Bit of other news.......the new shoes & insoles aren't helping much with the foot issues.  The outside of both my feet start cramping up & developing hots spots whenever I ride longer than 15-20 miles.  Back to the drawing board & researching even more.  It's not the pedals, I had spd-sls before the speedplay lightactions and had the same issues, sigh......  Any suggestions very much welcomed please!!!!!!!!

On the up side, I did receive a kickass compliment from somebody who I very much admire today.  There's a guy that rides with the later Saturday morning group who is paralyzed from the waist down.  He's done marathons & participated in various triathlons and is just strong mentally & physically.  Well, he was questioning James about my cycling & running and was commenting about my willingness to go train with the guys who are faster & so much better than I am and he called me tough!  That is a HUGE compliment :-))).

Other news--this week was a day behind again and I've been suffering with a bit of an eye infection that's been making driving absolutely fucking miserable.  Part of it is the vent system on these International Prostars.  Even when you close the vent it still blows directly into your face around the sides, grrr.  I was past due on my eye exam anyway so had my eyes checked, new glasses ordered, and a trial pair of new contacts on the way.  $375 poorer so far, the contacts will add at least another $200 to that (they have to be custom made, ooh couture eyewear, lol).

Workouts
Monday:  Brick workout (hey I actually did one!!!!!!!!)
13.8 miles cycling in 50:31--slow because of traffic, mowers, etc.
3.02 miles in 26:47.  Immediately racked the bike, switched shoes and took off.

Tuesday:  Rest

Wednesday: 6.03 miles in 57:25. Nice run in Mt. Vernon, TX.  Well except for the cobwebs I ran into, lol.  Had a deer cross my path twice then 2 ducks fussed at me for interrupting their walk. So cute :-)

Thursday:  5.05 miles in 47:15.  Supposed to have been a speed workout with 2x1600s at an 8:05 pace.  Didn't hit the mark because of gi issues that forced me to stop at a warehouse and ask them if they had a restroom that I could use. Ugh.....So just compromised & did what I could.  Time includes several walk breaks.

Friday:  Rest day, sorta. Spent the day in N. Little Rock getting my DOT physical for work done and the aforementioned eye exam stuff.  Passed the physical with flying colors. Sugar was good, blood pressure excellent, doctor checked my breathing & had me do one situp.  That was it.

Saturday:  Well y'all already know how today went.........

Tomorrow I have 12 miles on the schedule so it's looking like an 0330 alarm because it's supposed to be another 100F+ day. Blech........