BRICK!

I did my first brick work-out of the season tonight and, man, was it tough!

For the uninitiated, a "brick" is a back-to-back work-out with two disciplines, usually cycling and running.  After wondering about the term's origins in the car ride over and googling to no avail once I got home, I think I've concluded it's because they are both HARD.

Here is the (run-focused) brick work-out I did earlier:

- Warm-up 8 minutes running
- 1 mile time trial  running
- 2 X 2.75mi time trial biking
- 1 mile time trial running
- Cool down

Seeing it in writing makes it looks so easy, but I promise it was a challenge.  Those mile time trial runs are killer on their own!  Usually triathletes talk about how weird your legs feel when you start to run after finishing the bike.  Tonight I got to feel the extreme burn in my quads trying to bike after a pushed-run.  The goal was to have the two 1-mile runs be consistent despite the bike in between them.  I ran the first mile in 8:28 and the second in 8:38!  I was sooooo proud of myself (a) because I didn't think I'd be able to run at all once I finished the bike and (b) because I was pleased with my 1-mile pace, brick or no brick.  I averaged 16.4 mph on the bike leg, which I guess is alright considering the state of my legs.  I didn't time the two laps separately, but I am pretty sure the second loop was much slower. 

Without a doubt this was the hardest work-out I've done this year.  But, I was able to do it, which means I've been consistent in my training up to this point.  As I type, 33 days until my race!  A few more brick work-outs, aerobic runs, and long bike rides and I should be good to go.  I'm not 100% sure if I'll get a chance to practice open water swimming before race day, but I feel comfortable enough in open water that it doesn't worry me. 

I am moving apartments sometime in May, but I haven't picked a weekend yet.  I'm thinking of moving the weekend of  May 22nd since that will be my taper weekend and I won't have to worry about trying to squeeze in much training.  But.... the series finale of LOST is that Sunday and I would hate for my cable not to be hooked-up in time for that.  Decisions, decisions.