JoJo's Miami Blog by sjlinley

• Hills, hills and more hills

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  Aug1220092:41 p.m.

  To catch you up from last week, I managed to get to the gym Friday night for some weight training.  Saturday morning I ran 3.1 miles as the first official run of marathon training for the MIAMI ING MARATHON - but I'm actually running the Marathon of the Palm Beaches first, so I had to do more miles.  So, after the 3.1 at 10 minute pace, Brittany and I went back out for another 3.1 at a more leisurely 11 minute pace.  Then we devoured an odd breakfast of a toasted everything bagel with this bizarre egg flan concoction topped with cheddar and mushrooms.  Given the level of our hunger, we finished the whole thing, but won't be ordering it again.

  After a quick shower, nap, and some frantic packing, we hit the road and drove up to Clermont, Florida which is just northwest of Orlando.  It boasts the only hills in Florida and has become a biking mecca for those of us within driving distance.  We met up with a big group of Hammerhead Triathletes from Miami, all staying at the same hotel, and had a nice carb loading dinner at Carrabas, with wine!!

  Sunday morning came the moment of truth - could I really ride up Sugarloaf without grinding to a halt and falling off my bike??  The ride started with some rolling hills, followed by some rolling bigger hills - the kind you get a great slingshot off the downhill and pray you'll get at least halfway up the next uphill before you have to really work to get to the top.  Just when I was starting to think this wasn't too bad, but we've been at it almost an hour so I should eat something, I was warned that Sugarloaf is a mile ahead.  So I downed a gu, swigged water, prayed and pedaled on.  We turned left at the bottom of a hill, and there looming ahead was not a hill - it was a MOUNTAIN!  OK, so it was a short mountain - about 1.2 miles to be exact - but it's really steep.  And there's no downhill to build up some speed.  So off I went, lowest gear, pedaling like mad until the legs were barely turning the pedals, the arms were trying to force the bike forward, the heart was leaping out of my chest, and the awful wheezing sound was coming from my lungs because they couldn't take in enough oxygen.  It was hell.  I stayed far to the right in case I fell over - yes, I was going that slowly.  Eventually, I made it to the top, and managed to get up enough speed to be able to unclip my foot without immediately falling over.  So I stopped and just hung over the handlebars, gasping for air.  When it was all over, and we were cruising along comfortably again, I noticed we were passing a field we'd already seen.  That's when I realized - we're heading back to Sugarloaf!!!  NO!!!  I refused, then realized I had no idea how to get back to the hotel, so I fell in line, and on the second pass I just pushed my bike up - no sense in killing myself! 

  By the end of the day, we did only 36.5 miles, but with all the hills it felt like 66!  My cadence was slow - basically because it's really slow going uphill, and it's zero going downhill!  Also, my HR was low a lot - the downhill, and way to high for chunks of time - the uphills.  It was definitely a great training ride.

  Last night I went with a friend for a long walk and ran up the bridge on Key Biscayne a few times - and I really ran, not just jogging.  I figured that my heart and lungs need the workout if I'm going to ride those hills again any time soon.

  So that's it for my efforts.  Off to check on how everyone else is doing.  Later...

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  • hever 'Gosh that sounds hell but you made it and something to be proud of. Im slowly getting chris used to the bike and hoping that i can get into get some swmming lessons so i can enter a triathlon. PS: Ive been told that if I can get a sub 1:44 half marathon I can automatically qualify for the New York marathon - my next goal :-)' added 13th Aug 2009

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