During big training blocks I rarely see Brent unless he is laying on the carpet asking for water, a recovery drink or I’m trying to force him into the shower. Recently he has been inviting me to join him on some of his light recovery training. In my head I think wow he must think i’m getting fast so of course I decide to tag along during some of his “active recovery workouts” and here is what unfolded on two such occasions.
Recovery Ride: One day last weekend after one of Brent’s long runs he asked me to join him on his recovery ride. I thought to myself, well i’m getting good on the bike I can definitely handle a recovery ride. So after watching a stage of the Tour we suited up in matching K-Swiss cycling gear and off we went.
To get to the trail from our house we have to go through 4 quick stop lights followed by a steep down hill to a sharp corner and across a bridge onto the trail. It sounds technical because it is. So we leave from the underground, Brent in the lead, the first two lights he waves me through i’m 10 ft behind, and make it through the lights easily. Next light he waves me through however i’m already 20ft behind and there is a car coming, I try to blast through the intersection, the car has to slam on it’s brakes but I survive. I look up and Brent is doing the “don’t go hand symbol”. I yell up ahead “yah thanks for that”.
Next the descend past Radio Shack headquarters (where we always look for Lance twittering and cheer him on), Brent flies down while I ride my brakes, he heckles and tells me it takes me to longer to go down the hill than up it. He’s already across the bridge while i’m still trying to get down the hill. He slows up by about 1 Watt, just enough time to look back and make sure i’m on the trail and off he’s gone.
For the next 3 minutes i’m trying to hold his wheel and somehow manage to be within talking distance, which doesn’t last long. Next two corners i’m off the back too far to even yell at him. I see Brent look back twice and then he’s long gone. Now i’m in time trial mode on the trail trying to catch him. It feels like i’m playing Mario Cart on N64 where you see your opponent on the top right hand corner of the screen. However, the gap keeps getting bigger and soon he’s out of sight. I ride for at least another 40 minutes by myself with no Brent in site getting more bitter and shattered as the minutes roll by.
Finally my phone rings and I stop and check it, it’s Brent, I knew it. He says “You should just turn around now so we can ride together a bit on the way home”. So I do as I'm told and turn around and start hammering the way home. Well I get all the way back up the Radio Shack hill and through two lights before Brent appears. So much for that recovery ride. Later that day Brent uploads his data and says I think I pushed negative Watts on our ride. If only had that PowerTap. And so much for a recovery ride, I’m spent the rest of the afternoon.
Recovery Run:Once again in our matching K-Swiss Keahou’s we set off for a recovery run. We take a different route to the trail, which is all downhill (which while running I can handle) and I manage to stick with Brent to the trail!
Now we’ve ran about 15 minutes together (i’m impressed) the conversation is going well for Brent but I can no longer speak cause i’m too winded. Brent keeps asking if it’s too fast I try to cover it up by saying no and nothing else. Another 10 minutes roll by and I’m starting to fall behind and about to pop just as we get to a looped trail. Brilliantly I tell Brent to take the looped trail while I stay on the straightaway and we will meet up shortly. I slow down to catch my breath while still trying to keep a decent pace. Of course Brent beats me to the main trail though I was on it all the time. He looks back gives the wave and keeps going ahead of me. Silently, I turn around and head home. I”m home when he gets home and he says “you were shattered weren’t you?” So much for a recovery run!
You know you’re living with a triathlete when:
-There is no point of joining them on a recovery ride as it will leave you feeling like you are a character in Mario Cart while time trialing the whole time and shattered by the end of it.
-If they are going for a run, no matter what the pace, ride your bike beside them never go run for run.
