California Living (Week 13)

So this week was a fun one, because it meant getting out of town (and avoiding some Colorado snow), for some training in California.  A couple months ago I was in San Diego for a work trip and got an offer for a $300 weekend hotel stay (on the condition I go to their time share presentation), and I said why the heck not?! Fast forward a couple months, and my good friend Robby and I were off to San Diego on Thursday for some fun, bike riding, food, beer, and sun!

Before we headed out had a few days of training in Colorado:

Monday: 1 hour swim

Tuesday: 1:20 bike

Wend: 1 hour swim

Thursday morning we left bright and early for California!  I used my new bike bag for the first time (well, first time to actually travel). It's super easy, just pull off the wheels, deflate them, put the bike on the metal frame, and go!

 When we got to CA though, I discovered that my rear derailer wasn't shifting.  Turns out a plastic piece had broke that held the cable tight.  OF COURSE its a proprietary Cervelo piece, but luckily for me, there was a shop about 10 miles down the road that sells cervelo bikes and had the part in stock.  It meant a 10 mile bike ride with my bike as a fixie, which wasn't the most fun, but I wasn't left with much of a choice.  We didn't get a ton of riding in on Thursday as a result, just about 22 miles, but at least it was something.  I also got in a quick 3.5 mile run.


On Friday, I had to go to the dumb time share presentation.  Don't worry, I didn't buy one.  but as a result we didn't get out until about 11am.  We road up the coast to Dana Point, a 77 or so mile ride, that gave us some PRETTY views, and took us through a Marine base (camp pendelton)

The top of Dana Point.  The road up here was STEEP!

Not far from our hotel.  You can't really see it but Carlsbad also has pretty flower fields!

On a marine base, instead of a mini-mart it's a marine mart!

There is nothing like the ocean!

This guy was hanging out on the pier in Oceanside

Bikes and the sea.  A perfect day.

Oh, and beer.  Beer is good.

On Saturday, we got out of the condo a little earlier and did an 83 mile loop out to Romana.  I was super impressed with cycling in Carlsbad.  There are bike lanes EVERYWHERE.  At one point, the road we were supposed to go on was closed, and we were able to basically just use any road (other than the highway), because everything had bike lanes.  Super awesome.  The highlight of the trip on Saturday was probably some of the views from the top of the canyons and riding through some of wine country.  And we *might* have stopped for a little pizza and wine around mile 55.  My body wasn't a big fan of that.  I was supposed to add a brick run to the end of this ride, but honestly, I was popped, it was late, and I wanted some more food and beer!

Views from the ride.

Pizza and wine in the middle of the ride :)

This sign was on the wall at the winery.  So true.

Riding through some wetlands towards the end of the ride.

Views from the winery.


On Sunday, I got up "early" (like 6:30am) and headed out to the beach to get some running in.  I had a 90 minute run to do, and ran towards Oceanside.  After I was done, I put my legs in the freezing cold ocean water (recovery right?) and enjoyed a few minutes at the beach.  Then it was time to shower, pack up, and head to San Diego.  After a quick lunch stop and a drive around Cornado island, we headed to the airport to head back home.

Carlsbad had a great path that was just next to the ocean, so you could enjoy ocean running without having to kill your calves in the sand.

Perfection.

 Sunday marked the last day of April, so here are my April totals! Much more swimming and biking this month, and a little bit less running.  I'm sure May will be even higher!!

Monday was a rest day. Yea! Feels like I haven't had any of those in awhile.  This week brings St. George 70.3 on Saturday.  Coach isn't having me "Rest" for it.  But she did give me a few days of "easier" workouts, so that I don't want to kill myself the "entire" time (her words, not mine)

Monday; off

Tuesday: 90 min cycle

Wend: 45 min run, 50 min swim

Thur: Off (and travel to St. George)

Fri: 10 min run, 20 min bike, and a quick dip in the lake to test out the temp for the swim (it's gonna be cold!),

Sat: RACE

Sun: 1-1.5 hour bike to just "shake things out"

The next two weeks are also going to be interesting, as I have two work trips.  And then I'm moving after that too! Yikes!

If you want to follow me live at St. George, go to ironman.com on saturday, click on St. George 70.3, and I'm bib number 730!