Well I believe that I am finally back to full strength!  I just finished the longest trainer ride of my life - 4.5 hours!  I estimate that to be right around 80 miles.  I  use a fluid hydraulic trainer, and it is extremely hard!!  First of all, the resistance is much more than on the open road.  A leisurely pace for me on the road is about 18mph, however, on the trainer it’s about 13mph.  Further, there is no momentum.  I have to peddle constantly or else the bike comes to a stop.  Outside you can at least take a break and let your momentum carry you for awhile…not so on the trainer.  But then again, there is no wind or hills on the trainer, so maybe it all evens out in the end.  

Because of the disparity between trainer rides and actual outdoor rides, I am probably most concerned with how I will perform during the bike portion of the Ironman.  I have no real way of knowing if the effort I am putting in on the trainer will equal what I need to finish the 112 miles of the Ironman bike portion.  My goal speed for the Ironman is 18mph, and the longest ride I intend to make on my trainer is 6 hours.  I just hope that my estimations are accurate enough to get me to the finish line!

In other news school starts again next week!  It feels kinda weird, because I am only taking one class this semester - Infectious Diseases.  I don’t really need the class, mostly because I graduated last semester, but I figured it would be a good idea to keep my study habits active and my mind focused.  Also, I just picked up a bunch of goodies to help me in my training!  I usually buy Gu’s and sports drinks individually, but I figured it would be better to save a little cash and buy in bulk!  I got to use a little bit of this stuff today during my long ride!

Here are my Block 4 - Week 3 Totals:

Swim - 7,100 meters

Bike - 135 miles

Run - 27 miles

Happy training Everyone!  Triathlon season is coming faster than we think!