Today's ONE workout

Ok, so it was a brick, which you could say is two workouts. One of my pet peeves is people who use the term "brick" for any 2 workouts done back-to-back. It's only supposed to be used for when it's bike and then run! Up until a few months ago, when my boss lady got pissed off for me disappearing for 3 hours straight in the middle of the day, I was doing all my workouts back-to-back on weekdays. Monday: swim, run. Tuesday: bike, run (I still do this on Tuesdays in season). Wednesday: swim, run. Thursday: run, swim. Friday: swim, run. Unless it's bike/run, IT AIN'T A BRICK. But feel free to use the term liberally not around me. Now I have to split my doubles up. It sucks. 2 trips to the gym, 2 costume changes, 2 showers. You know the drill! But in a way, it's been a good thing to split things up for a couple of reasons: I'm not dragging ass in the second workout and I think it kicks up my metabolism even a little bit more. When I first started splitting, I was like OMG I am so fucking hungry! But I've adjusted, and I don't think I'm eating too much more; I'm just timing it differently.

I putzed around this morning, so I started kind of late.

10:15 Brick: Bike 2 hours, run 30'. The bike ride had HIM and steady intervals in it. My Power Meter crapped out about 1 hour in, meaning I had to do the second hour by feel and heart rate only. Ughhhh....I HATE biking by heart rate. It's so iffy. But when I compared my calories burned this week from the same ride last week, they were about equivalent, meaning I probably dialed in the correct wattage ranges anyway.

I tried my super secret Infinit concoction today for the first time. I have to say it was nice not eating any gel, and just drinking. The powder contains all the carbs, salt and caffeine that I've specified. I felt great drinking it, polishing off a 20-oz. bottle each hour. Near the end of the ride, I felt like I maybe could have used more calories, but then as soon as I started to run, I realized I was right on, because my stomach immediately told me NOT MANY MORE CALORIES, OK? I can't believe it's taken me this long to switch over to 100% liquid nutrition, but I know I'll be glad I did. No more carrying salt tablets, bottles of pop or gels. Just one bottle full of concentrated Infinit, that I can supplement with water!

The last few weeks when I did the brick workout my legs didn't really feel bad at all--this week, my legs didn't feel bad, they just didn't feel right. Maybe this was because I made a point to spend more time in the aerobars today that had me using different muscles? Whatever, sometimes a brick run just doesn't feel good. Normally, I have no problems doing bricks, and I don't do them that often, really. I think the only reason my coach has me doing one this early in the training season is that 1) I did that silly HIM 2 (only 2!) weeks ago and 2) I need to run 5x per week, and what the fuck, may as well make one a brick run.

One of the things I really like about my coach is that he's not that big on brick workouts. Keep in mind he only trains people doing 1/2 or full IM distance (for now, anyway). His theory is that if you are running frequently (meaning 5-6x per week), then you are used to running, and it doesn't matter so much that you bike first. Since training with him for 2 years now, I can say that he is absolutely right. The more you are used to running frequently, the less of a big deal a brick is. This is not to say they don't sometimes suck (take today, for example); but there is nothing special about "running on tired legs" like some coaches think you need to do all the time! I NEVER do monster bricks--the most I will run off a bike ride is 40'. That's enough to make your legs go wtf why are we running, and yet keep going so you settle into "normal" running.

Sometimes my coach will have me ride in the AM and purposely NOT do a brick, but run later in the day. Why? Because this can simulate how it's going to feel to be running late in an IM marathon. You don't WANT to go out and do that run later, but you DO IT. Trust me, if you rode like 4+ hours in the morning, getting out again later to run sucks, but it has a purpose.

There is a recovery cost to an actual brick, which is why I don't think it's a good idea to do more than one per week if you are running 5-6 days.

All in all, I am happy I don't have to do too many bricks, but mostly I'm happy I'm done for the day! I have to go mess with some rose bushes, and then it's lay down for a bit.