Run, Run, Run...

...run, run, run, bend down, untie my car key from my shoe, open my car door, slide inside, close the door...the next instant the sky lets loose with TONS of HUGE rain drops!
Talk about perfect timing on my run this afternoon! It was bright and sunny when I woke up from my mid-day nap at 12:30. I stuck my hand out the window to get an idea of the temperature, got dressed, and drove down to the MVT trail for a 70 minute run workout. It was warm and sunny for the first 35 minutes as I headed north. Even when I turned around, the skies didn't seem very threatening. It was when I got within 2 or 3 miles from finishing that I realized that the sun was completely gone and had been replaced with very dark and menacing clouds that rolled off the mountain peaks.
I have learned that if the storm is coming off the mountains...HURRY UP! Because even though it is now June and officially SUMMER...there is still a unusual amount of snow still on Pikes Peak (and the other peaks in the area) so anything that drops out of the sky is going to be fierce and very COLD! (Recall my bike ride adventure in the hail earlier this week:).
Backing up a few hours in the day...before my mid-day nap I completed morning swim practice (which was actually my fourth of five brick workouts this week). It was another swim-bike session where we bring our bikes on the pool deck and ride the trainers hard for a few minutes to simulate race-day effort. Since my next race is in Vancouver, Canada and the water is going to be very cold...I took my wetsuit to the pool for the first brick. I haven't been in a wetsuit since the race in New Zealand 2 months ago so today was a reminder that sometimes swimming involves additional equipment (and it can be VERY hot if the water is not cold)!
After warming up for 45 minutes...our brick workout was: 2 x (500m swim, 10 min bike). Only the first one was in a wetsuit (you try putting those things on WET!) and we did the swims in 'draft packs'. In my situation the term 'draft pack' means: "line up behind Sara and let her pull you for the whole swim":)! No complaints from me, this session was supposed to be 'race simulation'. I just couldn't believe how HOT I was after swimming hard in a warm pool, in a wetsuit, and then biking hard with no wind! I went through an entire water bottle during the 10 minute bike ride...not drinking, just pouring it all over my head to get some relief.
So I've looked at my training schedule for next week and after I finish tomorrow's workout (brick number 5!) it's all downhill to the race on Sunday. First, Monday is a day off...and I've got a massage scheduled. Tuesday is a bit of everything to loosen up after the massive day of slacking. Wednesday and Thursday are short but have some efforts at race speed to make sure everything is working and feeling fresh. I travel to Vancouver on Thursday afternoon. Friday and Saturday will be typical pre-race days...seeing the race course, going to the meetings, relaxing, stretching, etc.