Speed Limit

Yesterday I finally decided to find a training plan and start following it.  Here's the plan I selected: http://www.trifuel.com/triathlon-training/Half-Ironman-Training.php#.UbxSR_lQFj5. I had a little anxiety when I realized it was a 20 week plan.  After all, I only have 13 weeks until the SavageMan!  But then I explored the plan in greater detail and took a look at week 7.  For Friday (yesterday) it said swim 45 minutes and run 40 minutes.  No problem, yesterday I had already swam 50 minutes and ran 60 minutes.  When it came to running, I was more than okay.  I'd been running and my usual run was 50 minutes, which was more than the plan was recommending.  Swimming I wasn't too far off from the recommended length of times either.  Biking presents my biggest opportunity for growth.  I've been going to 45 minute spinning classes twice a week.  At least I'm doing something but it sure doesn't make up for extended lengths of time in the saddle that the plan recommends.

So this morning I got my road bike out of storage.  Much to my surprise, it still had race numbers on it from the Rev3 Half Full Triathlon...which was back in October.  It was time to dust off the cobwebs and get out for a ride.  I began my ride from Dixon Observation Park where you can watch the planes come in to land at BWI.  I began on the BWI trail and then hopped on the Baltimore & Annapolis Trail, which as the name implies connects Baltimore and Annapolis.  My ride today totaled 32 miles.

The weather this morning was perfect for a ride.  Partly cloudy skies accompanied by a light breeze.  I was cruising along on the trail and feeling strong when I got stopped by a park ranger and asked to slow down.  Really?  Granted the posted speed limit on the trail is 15 mph but I didn't know anyone actually enforced it.  And I do not consider myself fast at anything-not running, not biking, and especially not swimming.  Maybe I should hold on to this moment.  That way when I'm climbing hills on my bike at a snails pace during the SavageMan, I can think back to today's bike ride when I was "speeding."  Hopefully a midst the exhaustion of race day, this memory will give me a laugh.