Finished with a fist pump!

I was nervous about today, had seen it on the schedule for the last 5 weeks... my first brick on this training cycle. While I started my journey and have gotten to this point because of running, and have completed small 2 triathlons, running has been my biggest struggle of the three since my return! Running alone has been fine, no pain or discomfort but during my tris, and any other brick I've attempted, by shins burn like crazy. Close-to-tears pain. Even-walking-hurts discomfort.


This training plan has had me doing some endurance and base building rides and runs alone, today was the day to put it together...my first brick --  and I had a plan.  Wanted to ride on my bike... and the run portion on a treadmill. While I've proven that I was tough enough to walk in the cold, dark, night to get to the pool, I didn't want a repeat, in pain. 


My gym is literally down a set of stairs, and across the street from home, so I did my ride on my bike, quickly changed out of my bike shorts, into a pair of capri pants, running shoes on, jacket, grabbed my ipod, and ran to the gym. Gah! Stopped in my tracks just before getting on the escalator though, because two of my old neighbors were sitting down chatting. Had they not seen me, I probably would have just proceeded up to the gym, but too late, they saw me. They're very chatty, but it has been a while since I've seen then, and they've been great to me and Terron in some not so good times.  So as the minutes went by, I knew that a true brick was kinda fading away, but... t'is the season.


Once we wrapped up our conversation, I headed into the gym, and went into the cycling studio. Another 10 minutes on the spin bike to get my legs back to that motion, then finally onto the treadmill for a one hour run.


I RAN! I did it! No walk breaks, no need to! NO PAIN! Many times I caught myself smiling... just because, and finally when the treadmill switched to the cool-down mode after 60 minutes, I knew I had done it! As much as I wanted to jump and scream for joy, there were other people around, so I opted for a quiet little fist pump :D


Yes, maybe that 15 minute (or so) break was enough for my legs to cool-down and no longer feel the "effects" of the brick, but I did go back and spin for a bit.  Yes, being on a treadmill is different than being outdoors too, but a run is still a run. Baby steps. Progress is progress.  This did A LOT for my confidence today... which I really needed.


Btw, thanks for the positive feedback on the Inspiration Showcase series... I cannot WAIT to post the next one, later this week! I got an email yesterday to follow up on a story I found last year... and was in tears.


I'll apologize now for missing some of your posts, my browser messed up all my RSS feeds last night, so I'll try to catch up as much as I can!! Grrr.


Hope you've all had a fantastic weekend, despite a snowy northeast... only a few more sleeps until vacation time and Christmas!!!

93.4k to go before I reach 2500k for the year.... think I can?!