Mock Two Recap...sort of.

So Bex and I had scheduled Mock Two for this past Saturday. It didn't go exactly as planned, but it was a good work out nonetheless.

As a reminder, Mock Two consists of the following distances, in this order:

• Swim 1/2 mile
• Bike 16 miles
• Run 4 miles

Saturday morning I woke up energized and ready around 8:30. As I let the dogs out it was a GORGEOUS day. Not a cloud in the sky, and it was already about 70 degrees. I got one of those feeling in my stomach like I do on real race days. So excited, ready to down an Emergen-C and hit the open road...or water, in this case.

So Bex arrived at my house around 10:45 and we were all ready to load up our bikes to go to the gym, until.....we got news that there was a SWIM MEET at the Aquatic Center that morning. Bum City. So no swim for us (insert pouty only-child face here).

We made a decision to do the bike, then run 5 miles instead of 4, in some effort to sort-of 'make-up' for our lack of swimming. Even though running 1 mile does not compare to swimming 1/2 mile, but you just gotta do what you gotta do.

We hit the road ready to go, helmet on head, iPod synced up, tank top on....sooooooo great to finally be able to exercise outside in just a tank top and shorts!

I felt great on the bike. On our 16-mile route (it actually turned out being more like 16.5 but whatev...), we basically go South for 8.25 miles, and turn around and go back North for 8.25. In the crazy flat-ness of the Delta, we usually experience 9-10 mile per hour North-bound winds. This means that if you are riding South...you guessed it....you are riding into the wind. So the first half of the bike felt a little like I was pulling the cast of the Biggest Loser on a tractor behind me, but I was focused and pressed on. At one point I looked down and was going 10 miles per hours. This is embarrasingly slow.

Everyone pleeeeeeease pray for favorable winds for my tri on May 23. No way can I make it 25 miles biking into the wind!

The second half of the bike was a breeze becaues the wind was behind me, kind of like a nice little encouraging push from God. At my fastest I was going 22 miles per hour on the bike and it felt great. The sun was high in the sky by now, and I could feel the tan coming!

I finished the 16.7 mile bike in 66 minutes which is 5 minuts faster than my last time so I was thrilled. This is a four-minute-mile pace, which will be my goal for race day.

Now on to the run.

Between the bike and the run I ate a GU and had some Gatorade. I didn't get hungry during the run, but about half way through I was wishing there was a hydration station or something because I was sooooooo thirsty. Might want to consider some sort of hydration pack or belt for race day.After biking that far, when you take off to run, your legs feel so weird. The only way I can think to discribe it is, it's similar to jumping on a trampoline, then getting on the ground and jumping up and down. Does that makes sense? It's like your legs are jell-o, and your body weighs one thousand pounds. It definitely takes some getting used to. By the end of the first mile, I was feeling more myself.

The gorgeous weather continued, and I finished the five miles in about 50 minutes. This is a fast pace for me, especially after the bike ride. So I was really proud of myself! I finished our little 'duathon' in under two hours. Good workout, I tell you what!

By the end I felt great and accomplished. And I was rockin' a sweet racer-back tan like the *real* girlie athletes. Gabby-Reece style. My body looks just like hers, too, bytheway.Because we were unable to do our full 'mock two,' Bex and I have rescheduled it for April 19th. This is a Monday, but I have the day off work and there will be no swim meet on a Monday.

Other than biking and running, my weekend was full of eating and drinking and soaking up some sun. On Sunday afternoon I even donned a swim suit and caught some rays in the back yard for a couple hours...'you might be a redneck if you lay out in your back yard in a Cabela's camping chair.'

Don't judge...those chairs are really comfy.