Lake Placid Training Weekend

I got back from Idaho on Tuesday night and headed to Lake Placid on Friday. After working two busy days, unpacking, and repacking, away I go again. There was a group of us heading up there with the intention of training. Dan, Mark, and Vasso were getting ready for IMLP in 3 weeks so their training was very purposeful. We got up there at a good time so we checked in and made our way to mirror lake for a swim. This lake is awesome to swim in so I was looking forward to it. The IM course was not set up but buoys were running from one end of the lake to the other. I ended up swimming around the buoys 2x which is longer than the IM course so I'm estimating I swam about 3 miles straight. My longest swim ever. My shoulders were tight but I felt good.

After some lunch and rest, I headed out for a run. My legs were sluggish and tired but I managed a 50 min. run. We met up with the rest of the gang and headed for a nice dinner. Tomorrow was a big day.

We headed out together at a very reasonable pace on the IM bike course. I had some reservations about this course because it has kicked my butt everytime I have ridden on it. This time was different. I guess I am in much better shape this year than I have been in the past. The first loop was good until finished the out/back section and stopping to refuel 40 or so miles into the ride. After starting up 86 for the final part of the loop, my legs felt awful like they filled with lactic acid but I was that tired and I had fuel so I had energy. My experience told me that this would pass so I just had to be patient. I made it to the top of the highest climb, now riding alone, I went back down the "bears" and picked up Vasso because she didn't know where to turn so I got to climb back up them again but I was feeling good at this point so I didn't mind.

After some technical difficulties with my rear brake, we stopped in High Peaks, fixed that, then off for the second loop. The rain started to fall lightly which was nice but a little slick. Long story short, finished the second loop in the rain and a bit wet but a great feeling of accomplishment and a great day of training. After a nice soak in the lake to cool the tired legs, we headed back to the hotel for a shower, a little shopping, then off to dinner with the group.

At dinner, I somehow either convinced myself or was convinced by Mark and Dan that it would be a good idea to climb Whiteface in the morning. After our usual stop at the bagel place, we headed backward on the IM course (86, I think) towards Whiteface. This is an 8 mile climb (3 miles up to the gatehouse, then another 5 to the top). We made it the 3 miles with Mark powering up ahead and Dan and I suffering from yesterday's ride and just suffering from this 3 mile ascent. After making it up to the guard house, we couldn't go any further because you have to pass the guardhouse before they start manning it because cyclists are not encouraged to make this climb. We didn't make it in time. Even if we did make it in time, I had made up my mind that I wasn't going anyway. My legs were too fried and I still wanted to run long after the ride. We made it back and I headed out on my run. It was uneventful and I didn't feel so hot. My legs just didn't want to work very well. I cut it a little short but all in all still had a great few days of training.