It has been in the 90′s in Nashville for weeks now, and summer just officially started last week.  My summer workouts typically take place inside in the aerobics or cycling studios, but this summer triathlon training has required me to be out in the heat.  And I’m not a fan of intense heat.  So we’ve been getting up much earlier than any school teacher on summer vacation would choose to be up, just to workout before the heat of the day becomes unbearable.

On Saturday morning we had the longest brick workout yet.  Slipping into the pool at 6:00am, I barely noticed the difference between the air temperature and the 86 degree water.  We got in a 35 minute swim, and then we were off to the truck to get the bikes.

The truck was packed with everything we needed for this three hour event.

Brick workouts don’t actually start in the morning.  They start the evening before with the process of packing the truck with everything we’ll need for a successful workout.  Here’s a sample of the preparation:

1.  Bathing suits, towels, and goggles laid out.  Road IDs and watches ready to be strapped on in the truck on the way.

2.  Bikes on the back of the truck.  (On our new bike rack!!!  Woo hoo!)

3.  Biking shorts, cycling shirts, gloves, cycling shoes, socks, sunglasses, and GU gels ready.  The socks and GUs placed in the cycling shoes and the gloves and sunglasses in the bike helmets.

4.  Running shoes, laces untied for quick transition.

5.  Four water bottles and two Myoplex recovery drinks in the fridge and ready for tomorrow.

As we transitioned between the pool and the bike ride an elderly gentleman walked by our truck as we were pulling equipment out.  “In my day, I just hopped on my bike if I wanted to go for a ride.”  Ha!  No fancy shoes, bike helmets, GPS watches, or cycling shirts with pockets for your GU gels?  How did you ever survive?

Our ride was LONG, just over 26 miles in 107 minutes, but it was so much fun.  I’m really starting to love roadbiking now that I have the gearing down and my balance and control have improved.  But for the last 30 minutes or so of the ride, I was already dreading the run ahead.  I knew it would be miserable. It always is.

It was only an 18 minute run, but I had never run that long after a swim and bike.  Even those shorter runs were miserable in a brick, so I was nervous. 

Was it miserable? YES!  Incredibly miserable.  And oh it was hot, so so so hot.  But I did it!  I swam just under race distance, biked more than race distance, and all I have to add now is 4 more miles to the run that I did today.  The chasm between what I know I can do and the goal ahead just got a little bit smaller.

It took a whole lot of preparation, determination, and buckets of sweat, but I did it!  I was proud of myself, but I was even happier that it was over!  I did a little victory dance in the parking lot.

Maybe, just maybe I’m going to survive training in the heat this summer.  And maybe I’ll even survive the triathlon in August!