I HIT IT.  I HIT the training Wall this weekend.  I hit that point where it took everything I had in me to get my workout done…and it was not a pretty sight. 

The past 6 weeks have been a mad push of building both my run and bike with a few races thrown in the mix.  I have had back to back big weekends followed by plenty of training during the week.  And as a result I HIT IT! 

I hit that point where I knew without a doubt that I had nothing left in the tank for any more workouts!  I hit that point where I needed a week of doing whatever and recovery.  I physically hit that point where I had nothing left in my legs!  After 2.5 years of training for triathlons I finally hit the spot where my body needed the rest! 

I had a mental wall I hit last February and took one week off….but this time my mind is in the game, but I body is screaming differently.  I didn’t even know I was cooked until I attempted to ride the Copper Triangle on Saturday with some friends. 

There were six of us who headed out for a SAG supported ride.  The day was perfect; the weather perfect; the company perfect! 

Ready to Ride Copper Triangle

We set off to ride up Vail Pass.  I started off like I would normally on a long ride,  riding a nice easy speed, letting everything warm up.  Nothing felt different…just the typical thick feeling in my legs.  I didn’t think much of it…just the slow steady warm up…..

As we began to ride through Minturn I started to get a clue that something was not right.  I was still feeling like I had lead for legs and by now I would have usually been warmed up.  I mean…there is barely an incline through Minturn and I was feeling as if I was climbing Mt Evans or something!  Needless to say my ability to ride got worse from there! 

Top of Tennesse Pass....

Tennesse Pass felt like Mt Everst!  I’m not kidding!  It was an all out struggle to get up the Pass.  I had nothing in my legs.  I wanted to stop so many times and then would not.  I would keep going…some how.  I am not sure how I acutally pulled this ride off.  Even on the flats I could barely ride!  I was telling my riding mates that I was “toast”!  Well finally I became “burnt toast” and took my turn SAGging for the last 2 miles of Freemont Pass on back to the parking lot.  I barely had anything left in my legs for walking! 

This was a really interesting experience for me.  I have never been to the point of being “done”.  Like having nothing left and knowing it’s time to take a recovery week.  I’ve had difficult workouts, but my body always comes around.  That didn’t happen this time.  There was no point in the ride when I “warmed up”.  I was done and there was nothing left!  I know this ride will make me stronger, both physically and mentally.  I made it through the day, I kept going and didn’t give up…and now with a week of recovery fun/workouts my body will have a chance to replenish and get doubly strong! 

I’m grateful I got to join the ride and I’m grateful I made it as far as I did!  And now I’m grateful for a week of sleeping in and eating dinner at a reasonable hour!  Ahhhh….

Ahhhhhhhh.......