Chasing Down 90

So, this week has been a little brighter. Lots of changes happening that's for sure. New job! for starters. Back to the 9 to 5 routine I guess. One bonus was getting through the best part of winter and being able to do my training in the middle of the day and mostly when the day is at its warmest. Of course we have the August winds to contend with yet and so I'm really looking forward to stepping out into gale force winds at 5am. Not! But it has to be done.

Coach has put in a huge week on the program and I have been working through it all steadily and trying not to think too far ahead. Just one session at a time. I find if I do start thinking about what's coming I can scare myself out of action. Better not to engage the brain Sammi and JFDI. hey! And that was the approach I took this afternoon when I got home from a quick shopping spree and pulled on the bike nicks. JFDI and don't over think it. The set: 90kms maintain good form, finish strong.

I headed out into a beautiful blue day and a light breeze, though lifting. Tried to distract myself with other thoughts than what was happening with the legs and ticked over the first 20kms without too much concern. I know where the halfway point is.....right where you have the option: turn right and you continue on your way and get ever so closer to the 90 or turn left and take the easy way home and only get 55. hmmmmm Don't over think it! turn right! and so I did. Turning right takes you up the cat 4 climb. I was tired from the 40kms I did in the set the day before and so I did have to stand on the pegs rather than sit and spin over the hill but I made it up the climb without losing form and getting to puffed.

After the cat 4 there are some nice meaty rolling hills before a long flat section and then you guessed it....another option. Turn right will get another 10kms turn left will take you home with maybe 65. Hmmm TURN RIGHT!!! and so I did. Up another couple of hills and through some stunning country side. Checking the odi I find I am still chasing another 20kms. Nuts! One more time. Turn right takes me home with 70, turn left for an out and back will give me the 90. Oh crap! Left we go.

I am so lucky to have countryside like this to train in.

With the wind at my back I cruised through the beautiful countryside and in the time trial position made some good gains on the average speed for the day. At the turn - around point I braced myself, yep, the breeze had lifted and was now a nice head wind buffeting the legs just when the cookies were just about all eaten. I pushed on. Along a long straight, up a short nasty hill and down a long descent that can see you hit 60kmph. And yep, one more glance at the odometer and to my dismay I was still down 1 louzey kilometre.

Now some folk might think what's one kilometre? But us folk who work hard at this thing called triathlon know its 1km that you will never get back. It adds up over time until suddenly you're 20kms down and way down on your fitness and not ready for racing. It also is the mental game. More importantly! its the ability to push yourself and tick the box when everything on the body and in the mind is screaming STOP!!!! for crying out loud!

So, one more time, go straight gets one more km, turn left takes these tired legs home with 89. GO STRAIGHT SAMMI!!!!!! and so I did. I punched on into the headwind and by this stage I was starting to groan. My husband laughs at me when I do this but he can tell when I have reached my limit and have completely emptied the tank when I start to groan intermittently. The noise just comes out by itself. And there aint no stopping it. It's definitely not a sexy moan like Sam Stojur, it's more the death bell of an old walrus.... but hey, that's me! Finally, the 90 ticks over and I hear the Garmin on my wrist trill out the illusive last kilometer and I know all I got to do now is get home. With about 100m to go I head into a round-a-bout. I have right of way....you know where this is going hey! Yep, there's a little black car on my left heading at me. I'm already on the round-a-bout with nothing coming from the right so I'm good and yep, this little black car continues to hurtle through the round-a-bout without stopping. I slam on the brakes (luckily my head/body was still working as I was so tired) 'P' Provisional Plate young driver. She didn't even look my way. I reckon I was a metre off her open window when I screamed "HEY" right at her. She looked shocked as she saw me and then continued on her way while I directed some subtle hand signals at her tail lights.

Just get me home............ And I rolled in with my 90 under my belt. Done!