I love this end of the game, the countdown to race day. Two weeks out and the sessions have got fun, and hard. But that’s the stuff I like, sounds a bit mad but I really enjoy the challenging sessions. The ones that push you physically and mentally, the ones where you think “I think my lungs are going to pop and my quads might actually just explode”.
Two sessions this week have done just that, and I can’t get enough, more please!! I think also it’s the change up from all the long endurance work, hitting VO2 sessions and hill sprints keeps you very honest and in the hurt box which is highly rewarding (after they are finished of course). Having had heart surgery last year, there haven’t been many times when I have deliberately pushed my heart rate to its highest end. Although I know I’m not going into cardiac arrest, nervous eyes watched my HR monitor to see the numbers climb and as it got into the 190’s, as I pushed out of the seat for the 90 second hill sprint, I wondered if the old ticker might just actually give up! I have another surgery planned for June, another attempt to re-wire the dodgy circuits inside the cardiac walls. I am forever pleased I can still get out, train like this and remain competitive.
This mornings stretching session was a well deserved recovery session, I have found being more on the bike than other disciplines lately that my thoracic spine is taking a hammering. Especially so as I sit at a computer all day too, so lot’s of stretches that involved upper body rotation and some release of the tight pec muscles to ease off the anterior rotation of my arms. Making sure the small session have just as much importance as the epic ones like above, are a pinnacle to success (maintenance and recovery to allow for adaptation).
A couple of good long rides scheduled for this weekend, time in the saddle and hopefully no rain!
Ali is writing about her experience preparing for the K2M join her with her weekly article about her training and experience.
All her articles can be found here:
https://www.coachray.nz/category/client-stories/alis-adventure/