I’ve been in this training mode for biking and triathlons about eight and a half years. In all that time I’ve learned what works for me and what doesn’t. I can usually quote something a triathlon guru has said about training and I thought it would be second nature for me to put that knowledge into practice. Not so!!

Over this last year, as you all know, I’ve battled a couple of injuries/illnesses that have reduced my running to three miles at a crack and made my bike riding pretty much non-existent in 2007. This year the running is starting to come around, but my progress has been slowed due to a hamstring injury and a pesky sore knee. With no riding in 2007, I’ve been working my way back with some trainer rides this past winter and some short rides (25 miles or less) this spring. Since I didn’t winter in Florida as I have in the previous five years, I have no long ride bike base to start with.

So, yesterday, the wind was blowing at a steady 15-20 miles an hour with gusts of around 35, and I decided to ride with Brian, Diane and Bill. Apparently I thought it would be too easy with tight fitting clothes, so I wore my Trilander wind breaker which turned out to be a wind “catcher”. I missed the light at the M-37/M-43 intersection so I was behind from the start. I would start to catch up and the wind would start blowing. My jacket ballooned behind me and it was like a jet (or a Piper Cub) putting on air brakes. By the time we turned back to the east and had a healthy following wind, my legs were spent and I had hit the wall.

I kept up (sort of) until midway between Middleville and Hastings when my quads gave out and it was all I could do to finish the ride. I’ve told dozens of people dozens of times to increase your mileage, whether it’s biking or running, in small increments or you’ll run into trouble. Do you think I would do that myself? NO!! I went from a long bike of 25 miles to a long bike of 46.3 miles after not riding at all for 10 days. What’s wrong with me? That’s a rhetorical question, so please don’t send me your list.

After my leg burn-out on the bike, I ran this morning, expecting to go eight plus miles. I thought I would do the “around-the-block” seven plus miles and then cap it off with a run around the downtown. With all those hills on Cook, Quimby and Broadway, I thought better of that idea and did a 5.4 mile flat run around town. My legs weren’t sore, but they were completely fatigued. I wonder why that happened. With the Muncie Endurathon Half Ironman eight weeks away, I’m wondering if I’ll be anywhere close to ready. With the weather in Michigan this spring, the water is still too cold to swim in and, with my reaction to chlorine, I haven’t swam since early last fall.

Maybe I’m more athletically suited for chess or backgammon.

Just (Way Out Of Race Condition) Jack