Brick (almost); Advice

I don't know whether I succeeded today. I did the 45-minute ride (actually 49:31) on my bike that I decided to name Alexander. Not sure how I decided on that name, but it was one of the first I thought of that doesn't remind me of anyone. In fact, I can't think of anyone I know by that name.

Readers, meet Alexander (sporting the Harpeth jersey). Alexander, meet my readers.

Now you're all introduced. I had the Garmin set on the course from the last time I'd done it, and this time I beat myself by 52 feet; it probably would have been slightly more had I remembered to turn RIGHT to go through Bancroft to Del Rio. That was about 7 seconds. Faster, if just a little.

• 16.20 miles
• 19.6 average, 32.0 max
• 160 average HR, 185 max
• 965 calories

Because I had it set on virtual partner, I couldn't figure out how to switch it to running and find a good run course. Either that or the last time I did this loop was too long ago and the history has been deleted. So I managed to go about 0.5 miles; I'll call it a transition run. It turned out OK, anyway, since I was absolutely starving.

Here's what the brick looked like the last times I did it:

• 6-10-09: Total time: 49:38. Mileage: 16.1. Average speed: 19.5. Average HR: 161. Burned 996 calories. After the ride, I did a quick 0:47 transition to switch shoes and put up my bike, and then I hit the road for the run—30 minutes. I went Moores to Franklin to Mallory Station to GG Patton and made it to the corner of GG Patton and Moores (3.85 mi) in 30:34. I hit the corner of Franklin and Mallory Sta in 15:54. Average pace: 7:56. Average HR: 184. Burned 462 calories. Total distance for the brick: 20.08 mi. Total time: 1:22:21. Average HR: 169. Total calories: 1,472.
• 5-20-09: I did the 18-mile route (today's was 16 miles) in 54:30 for an average of 19.7 mph. The previous two times I did the route it was 17.71 and it was in 55:48 (5-13) and the week before was 56:56. I made it 40 seconds farther this week than the previous week since I hit that week's finish line at 29:20.

Then I did a fun workout, which I might have to repeat tomorrow. I just don't know.

• Standing extreme ham: 3 minutes
• Body-weight squat: 10-10-10 EDI. This felt nearly impossible after the 3-min ham. I thought I was really weak. I used a bar for reference, which helped during the 10-second hold intervals.
• Altitude drop wall squat: 12 reps
• Standing extreme ham: 3 minutes
• Glute ham to arm's length: 10-10-10 EDI. This felt nearly impossible after the 3-min ham. I thought I was really weak and felt like I was using my arms a lot.
• Altitude drop wall squat: 12 reps
• Preacher curl (seated with light bar [used 20-lb]): 3 minutes
• Bench press (bar only): 10-10-10 EDI. This felt nearly impossible after the 3-minute curl. I thought I was really weak. I had to pretend Will was holding the bar for the hold interval.
• Altitude drop curl with light bar: 12 reps. I actually think I'm getting the altitude drop thing.
• Preacher curl (seated with light bar [used 15-lb]): 3 minutes
• Scapular pull up: 10-10-10 EDI. This felt nearly impossible after the 3-minute curl. I thought I was really weak. I used 75 lb assistance for the first 15 and 106 for the last 15. This was SO HARD.
• Altitude drop curl with light bar: 12 reps.

I might have to ask Will if the one exercise right after the ISO should have been as hard as it was. I also don't know what I was supposed to do about resting, so after each set of 3 I took about 3 minutes for a drink and little rest. This took a little over half an hour.

I talked to Will. I told him I felt like I was working to failure but it felt like I shouldn't have hit that point in only 30 reps. He said that anything after a 3-min ISO will be pretty hard, but you still have to make all the right things happen. When I said I did all the reps even though they probably weren't all right, he said that next time, just stop if you can't make the reps properly. But before quitting, try to turn on your glutes as hard as possible (which you should be doing). So you have to send an even stronger signal from your brain to your muscles. "If you really can't do the reps though just stop. I'm more interested in you doing them as violently as possible."