Summer Structure

When I first got back on the bike, and most recently started running, I didn’t think I would be able to do anything substantial this summer – mostly because even a little bit made me so exhausted I paid for it the next day. And because I am Megan, I bitched and moaned about it for a while, then just accepted it.

But since signing up for the Madison-Chicago relay race, and re-emerging myself back into the training, I have toyed with the possibilities of racing this summer. I have revisited some websites, planned out the timelines, and hemmed and hawed about the reality of me actually being able to pull some races off.

Then, in the last two weeks, as the grapefruit has decreased, the back pain has disappeared, and my energy has slowly made its way back (though not fully yet), I decided to make racing a reality this summer. I confided in a fellow blogger about this because this would be my “A” race, one which he has also talked about doing - and he supported it. So here is what I have decided to do.

The “A” Race
I will race the Spirit of Racine ½ Iron on July 20. I mapped out my own training program (sans coach), and it gives me plenty of time to work myself back into shape.

The “Most Likely” Race
I will race the Pleasant Prairie (Wisconsin) Olympic distance race in August. Now, unlike Racine, I have not signed up for this yet.

The “Maybe” Race
Danskin Sprint (Wisconsin) in July. This is a maybe race mostly because I have done it the last few years, I like the course, and it’s always around my birthday, so it’s like my little present to myself. But this year, it lands the weekend before Spirit of Racine, so I don’t know how I feel about two race in back-to-bike weekends.

Obviously I am keeping it in the area, mostly because IM put me in a quite a hole – and it’s a short list, considering all the possibilities. The last two are so close to home that I wouldn’t need a hotel for those – I could just ride up that morning. I might also throw some running endeavors in there – like this weekend, I have two possible races planned out (one for Thursday, and one Sunday).

I feel much better with structure. I have missed the training, the expectation of what the week will bring, the reason for sitting my ass on the seat for hours on end. I missed it in a way that I can’t explain.

So this isn't about the races themselves - it's about having something to look forward to. When my eyes opened this morning, my first thought was about the workout I had planned this past week.

A nice, little Sunday morning brick.

Yeah, I did.

It was short – 90 minutes – but it was a brick.

And if I was being honest, it was actually the third that I have done in recent weeks.

And it felt great.

Good to be back in the saddle.