Reality Check

(from Jenn)

Well, we got up a little late, so we didn't do our Fit Test Tuesday run or other exercises.  (We plan to do them tomorrow now.)  But I did go to my time trial for the first time of the year tonight, which will be another good way to gauge how I'm doing over the next few months.

Five pounds down from a week ago, I was feeling pretty good as I put my jersey on, and I started wondering how I'd do.  I didn't expect a PR or anything (my current PR is 28:14 for the 10.25-mile course); I just wanted to be under 30:00.

I rode the course backwards as a warm-up, and I was feeling a little sluggish.  I didn't push too hard, just kind of took it easy, and it took me about 32 minutes.  I figured that I should be able to take a couple minutes off that time when I was actually going all out.

I was feeling really nervous as they called out the starting order, especially because I was number 14; I expected to be maybe 6 or 7 (they have you start according to your time, slowest riders first).  I was dreading getting passed by a bunch of people...  And, sure enough, it wasn't long before the first rider passed me.  And then another.  And another...  I usually keep track of how many people pass me versus how many I pass, and I hope the two numbers are pretty even.  To me, it seems like a good measure that I started where I should have in the line-up if I pass the same number of riders as pass me.  Today, I think I passed 2 or 3, but I lost count of how many passed me.  So I knew I wasn't doing very well.

I glanced at my watch as I crossed the finish line, and it was over 31:00.  31:27 to be exact, after they read off the times.  Seriously?!?  More than 3 minutes slower than I'd been last year?  I know I'm heavier than I should be, but I'm no heavier than I was last year.  And I know I haven't ridden that much lately, but I haven't been completely lazy either.  And how could it be right that I only took 30 seconds or so off my warm-up even though I was pushing myself as hard as I could?  Wow, that was BAAAAAD...

I tried to figure out what had happened, but I still don't really understand it.  Have I really lost that much fitness since the Ironman?  Or could it possibly have something to do with not eating carbs?  Either way, it was an eye opener: I have a LOT of work to do!  But hey, at least it can only get better from here, right? :-)