Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Out of sorts!

Really I need to be more realistic about post-travel recovery! I had one of those mornings - got up at 7:15 with intention of taking bike on bus to ride on 9W for 3hr, but felt both utterly fatigued and also worried about thunderstorms - figured I'd run instead and ride inside later on at Chelsea Piers - instead I went back to bed!

Felt a little better when I got up again a couple hours later, but still very much out of sorts - itchy (cat dander always hits me hard on apartment reentry), greasy (high humidity), overheated (New York summer weather is not lovely).

(I didn't go to masters swim yesterday, by the way - it was clear that I was just utterly knackered and would be better off having a quiet evening at home.)

Anyway, I rode my bike down to the gym (I'm not logging it, on these crowded summer days you basically have to coast most of the way), got started on what was notionally to be a 3hr ride, but bailed on it shortly after the one-hour mark. I'm not sure that HR monitor strap is working properly (I'm headed out shortly to get batteries for both Suunto and Garmin - the latter is definitely out of juice), that may have been a factor too, but I think it was mostly fatigue that wouldn't let me hold heartrates in the intended zone. First hour, I did 3 x 12min Z2/3 (alternating 3 minutes standing and seated - HR solidly z3 while standing but dropping to high z2 while seated), 3min recovery; then I talked myself into staying on longer by dint of switching to basic zone 2 ride, but as soon as I decided that, I could hardly even hold HR at the bottom of Z2. Got off around 1:10 and went for a short swim instead - that is always more soothing to me, though it doesn't make me less itchy.

I wish it wasn't so hot! I have 2 window-unit air conditioners in my apartment, and I almost always sleep with the one in the bedroom on during the summer, but I tend to avoid using the one in my home office - it makes the cat so crazy when that door is closed. Need to contemplate possibility of cat doors - and in the somewhat unlikely event that I am ever seeking an apartment on the open market, I am definitely putting a premium on central air!

The swim was a good idea. Though I then defeated its purpose by getting very hot and sweaty again on ride home! Warmup: 200 free, 200 pull, 200 kick. 100 IM drill, 100 IM. 4 x 50 fly-back on 1:20. 2 x 100 free on 2:10.

Anyway:

1:10 spin (3 x 12min z2/3 intervals)
(:50 very easy though warm outdoor riding)
1200 yards swim

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