After eating a big rack of Ribs from Burlington's Ribfest for dinner yesterday, I got up in the middle of the night to take a pee and all I could smell was ribs. It was the same type of sensation you get after you eat asparagus, except it smelt like barbecue sauce and pork fat.
I'm amazed at how fast the body can heal. When I got back from my long run yesterday I couldn't even bend, let alone stretch. I was so stiff and my knee joints hurt. I was also in a semi-bonk state and had to lie down and have a little nap just to get back to functioning. This morning I felt 100% better.
The first thing I did when I woke up was stretch and it hurt, a lot. I thought my "butt cheek" injury from Matty O's "peoples elbow" was gone, but it wasn't. The biking and running this weekend tightened it back up and by not being able to bend or stretch after yesterday's run, knotted it up again.
I could tell I was "treading" dangerous waters by stretching pre-exercise without a warm up. Doing that is the best way to "throw your back out" and I came close. I was relieved that I got some of my flexibility back. After yesterday's training, I had the flexibility of "Herman Munster".
Today was a scheduled bike and weight training session. I wasn't sure if I had any muscle strength to do either. My first stop was the YMCA to do weights. It was one tough workout. I had "zero" energy. Between sets, I shuffled from one piece of equipment to another, sometimes with my eyes closed. If I had to compete in a 90 year old race with people shuffling with "walkers", I would have easily came in dead last. I was "toast".
It was actually comforting to know my muscles are "drained". I thought I was getting slower and I felt like I was out of shape. Which is ridiculous thinking. I know I can't be out of shape, there's no way I can be, I have to many consistent monthly miles on the board. Today I realized, I just got nothing left in my legs, Mark Allen Online training has exhausted them.
The downside of having exhausted legs is no strength or speed when biking and running. It causes you to second guess yourself and abilities. It bothers me when I can't ride with my heart rate over 120 bpm and average at least a 30 kph on the bike. It feels like all my past results were "merely a dream".
The good news is I'm now able to straighten my arms and lift them over my head without pain. The effects of Fridays weight training is subsiding. I still pushed heavy weight today and it's amazing how fast my muscle firmness has bounced back. I don't feel softness anymore.
When I got home, I had a dilemma, "to ride or not to ride, that is the question?" I decided to postpone it for two reasons. First, I didn't need a second workout with "garbage miles", I did that one on Saturday and proved I'm mentally strong. The second reason was I "mentally" feeling burnt out. If I've learnt anything, it's don't train if you're feeling "legitimately" burnt out.
The upside was today's ride was only of medium importance on the schedule. It's more of a "take it easy" ride and not critical to race day performance. My plan is to go out tomorrow and give it a go and "pray" that I have some leg strength. I don't think I can bear another sub 30 kph average on the bike.
Some good news is I weighed in at 186.2 lbs today. Which means since Friday I've dropped close to 3 lbs. I'm not sure if it will reflect tomorrow, I had a few beers with the Grants last night and no aerobic training. I didn't go overboard on the beer and didn't even get a buzz. Although it was bad enough that I started "snacking" on anything that I could find that wasn't "alive or nailed down" before I went to bed.
Weights - 45 minutes
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4 comments:
I thought you actually managed to get chunks of rib meat out of your unit.
Disappointment.
Interesting on the lifting note and regaining your toned arms. I haven't lifted at all this entire spring/summer. This is something that I am going to change this winter and next season. I am curious what the gains will be?
Maybe the people's elbow will turn into a 14 day minimum recovery period?! Haha, alright now I feel a smidge bad about the ongoing recovery efforts on your end. To be honest though, you have a story now... so when they put you on TV during Kona, you can tell them that you trained through the battle royal and a direct people's elbow followed up by the trademark frog splash. I think you will get some sympathy at that point. People would be shocked that you are even walking to be honest.
For an old man your body recovers pretty fast. Good luck on the ride today.
Oh yeah, making up for some lost time. "flicked the bic" quite a bit this morning. Haha good thing I didn't post that on yesterday's post after your video hahaha.
Those ribs look good!
Sounds like you are on a ROLL! Working out hard enough to ut you out for a couple of days without the beer factor playing into it! You will be back to your insane machine condition in no time!
Thanks for the maniacal workouts and inspiration!
I can't actually get past the title of this post to comment..
ewwww I know it happens but still, ribs? ewwwww
M, peeing rib meat out of my unit, that's a gross thought, plus it would probably get all over the bathroom, I don't sit down on the toilet to take a pee like you. haha.
On the lifting, it will be interesting, I know for me, it helped a ton. I can't imagine what it will do for you, I'm shocked at the gains you're getting and you just started. BTW, you must have really being flicking you're bic, I couldn't believe the amount of lighter fluid generated. haha.
J, of course they look good to the guy who's primed and ready to do an Ironman in less than a week. haha. I beat I know one of the foods you'll be eating the week after the race. haha. Thanks for the props and back at you. You're an inspiration. Kick a$$ in WI and have fun.
A, hahaha, it is a "gross one" isn't it. I'm glad you're just grossed out at the tittle and not wanting more like Matty O, if it was his way, I should have peed rib chuncks and posted video. haha
B
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