Training through a heat wave....

It's August...in Atlanta...and it's HOT!  It's so hot you could cook an egg on the brick outside my house...no, no, I take that back...it's SO HOT you could cook an egg on my forehead after I do a brick!  For those of you who don't know triathlon lingo, a brick is a back-to-back training session in at least 2 of the 3 sports.  It gets it's name from how your legs feel when you get off the bike and start to run...heavy like bricks. 

As if training for this sport wasn't challenging enough, trying to do it in this weather adds another degree of difficulty.  There's a lot more to think about considering hydration and proper fueling when you sweat buckets like I do in this heat!  With a race looming around the corner, I am trying to get outside as much as possible to train so that I can at least attempt to acclimate to this weather before participating in my biggest race ever!

 Well, I'm no Chuck Norris, but here's somethin to work towards!

Last week was my first full week of swim, bike AND RUN training sessions since the stress fracture.  I'm happy to report... so far, so good!  Starting up running again wasn't as horrible as I was predicting, but I am taking it slow and being very aware of running form and how my body is feeling.   As usual, my lower back and hip get a little messed up whenever I run, but I am just making sure to visit the chiropractor once or twice a week so things get put back in place :) 

My training buddy and I were given a little tip that the olympic distance race course starts with a big hill and then is followed by rolling hills.  Hearing this and realizing I had only been riding on low resistance and flats while recovering my foot, made me instantly plan a ride out at Stone Mountain.  So last Saturday we hit the mountain loop 5 times (almost 25 miles).  Some of the climbs on this route are really fun and easy, while others are gradual inclines that seem to take a while to climb while burning your legs even in the easiest of gears.  After the third loop, I was drenched in sweat and starting to feel some chills, so I stopped to take a little 5 minute breather.  I hydrated, ate a honey gel packet and started to feel much better within minutes.  At times like those it is so easy to let negative thoughts creep in and start to think of calling it a day and heading home.  But I got back on that bike and did 2 more loops!  Woohoo!  

Thursday training buddy and I are planning a brick at Stone Mountain.  Let's see what the forecast is looking like:

Yup, just as I suspected...