Hello, windshield....

Sometimes you are the windshield, sometimes you are the bug. Yesterday was decidedly a "bug" sorta day.

After coming off my highest volume weekend of training to date, I admittedly overdid Monday a little with a 2500m swim at noon and the Mike McIvor-designed "hilly" stage 12 of the Peak winter racing series (aka 25.4k of indoor racing hell....gasp!). This did not prepare me well for what Tuesday had in store.

At 4:45am, my alarm rudely reminded me that this was the first day of my swim sessions at UBC with the Pacific Dolphins. Gone was the warmth and comfort of my tri-swim class at the downtown YWCA, replaced with the brash reality of a gruelling workout in the outdoor long-course pool at UBC. Let's just put it this way....I got my a** handed to me in the slowest lane!

The combination of an early morning start and a cumulative 3 days effect of pretty heavy workouts left me completely exhausted all day, yet I meekly managed to lace up my trainers for the 45 minute steady state run prescribed by my schedule. Gone was the spring in my step from the weekend, replaced with lead-filled legs and utter fatigue. My glacial pace of 5:20 on the first km felt like the 40k marker of a marathon....oh how quickly your body can remind you exactly who is boss. It was an absolutely gorgeous evening - sun setting over English Bay, calm water at Kits beach - but I wasn't revelling in the scenery. Every step was a push. I willed myself to run 3k, then 4, then 5, so absolutely relieved when I reached my turnaround point.

Eating humble pie seems to be a good thing once in a while...keeps me focused and reminds me that I have limits. I'd rather realize that now than on race day.

So no windshield today. All bug. But tomorrow will be better!