Taking the easy way out

After Thursday's swim debacle I was ready for the brick on Saturday morning: 80' ride, 10' run. Unfortunately I wasn't ready for the weather. It was really cold. Not as cold as the week before, but wind chills we still in the low 20s/high teens. I was feeling pretty good going into it dress-wise with 3 layers of long sleeve shirts (one tech shirt, 1 insulated long sleeve jersey, and an insulated windbreaker), two pairs of gloves plus my cycling gloves, two pairs of socks, and long tights. For whatever reason this wasn't enough. We dabbled around in the parking lot getting ready and my fingers started getting numb. Then heading out on the trail my cleat got caught in the pedal and I fell flat on my back (Nice moves!!). About 15 minutes in I really couldn't feel my fingers and actually missed a shift because there was no tactile feedback to tell me how much pressure I was putting on the levers. We stopped and I stripped off my gloves to reveal fingers a startling shade of blue. Tried warming them up but that just felt like some pounding away on each finger with a little ball peen hammer. I actually started feeling nauseous. That was it; long rides aren't worth frostbite. I headed back to the car and the trainer at home. Even when I got back I sat on the couch fully dressed for 15 minutes trying to warm up; I think my core temperature had taken a hit. I got the ride in and then ventured back out for the 10' run, by which time it had warmed up considerably. I'll have to plan better for the next ride. I know one thing; the gloves I have suck. They're the same ones that failed me on the Jolly Fat Man Run. Wind resistant indeed!! Bah.

Saturday was our engagement party at the Brickskeller. A big night at the Brick made for a lazy Sunday on the couch. No swim, no 55' run. It didn't feel good at all to miss a long run (where I really need the help), but it was really the first day of training I've totally missed. And, hey, it segued perfectly into this week which is a patented EZ Week:

Monday: 30' bike
Tuesday: Swim (I don't think we even did 1500 yards) + 30' run
Wednesday: 20' bike
Thursday: Swim (going to try to do the Level 3 workout) + 15' run
Friday: OFF
Saturday: 25' EZ run
Sunday: EZ swim + 40' bike