Malibu Brick: 60 mile bike : 4.5 mile run

Well definitely the intensity and duration has increased with my Ironman training.  Last Saturday I had a nice 60 mile bike: 4.5 mile run along the Malibu PCH coastline.  A few Category 5 hills thrown in for good measure.  The Pepperdine University hill was a beast.  Then when I try to coast, mentors and coaches were there to push me on, "ATTACK.  ATTACK."  After 3 strenous hours on the bike, it was time for the run.  Run up another steep hill and then run back.  Great...

My reward was the compliments I received from my coaches for being the only one on the team to complete the entire 60 mile : 4.5 mile brick workout.  I definitely felt good about a job well done.

The next day I was in L.A. Chinatown for the Firecracker 5K and 10K.  Yep, I ran both.  The weekend before I ran the Redondo Beach Superbowl 5K and 10K.  I almost PR at Redondo Beach which was basically a flat course.  The Firecracker was a different beast...Uphill to Dodger Stadium for the 5K and Up Elysian Park over and above Dodger Stadium for the 10K.  Running downhill was exciting, but a strain on the knees and the quads.  I ran well for the 5K, but fatigued a bit during the 10K.  I blame it on the previous day's strenous Brick workout.

I ran into Ironteammate Louis at the race.  And Ironteammate Holly baked me a couple nice Valentine's cakes for her fundraising.  Finally a nice Dim Sum meal made the day complete.