Let me introduce Clover, I can't explain why I haven't before now. My only explanation is this. She thinks she is a debutante. Most young ladies of that world are introduced to society at a cotillion, making an entrance in full dress regalia down stairs of marble. It is an event riff with all the pomp and circumstance that befits their closed society.
Consider this post Clover's Ball. Right now she is alternately laying in my lap while I write and biting my chin when she feels the need. Her breath stinks. I can guarantee it. The picture above is her, after eating a hole in a paper grocery sack, and popping out of that hole. She has added a lot of joy to our humble abode, despite the lost sleep and smelly poo.
She is named after the horse in George Orwell's Animal Farm. Clover, the horse, is the engine that keep the farm running under a violent and irreverent totalitarian dictatorship. Clover, the cat, has none of those responsibilities. She lives not in the harsh world of totalitarian society, but more like a benevolent oligarchy, where she has nearly equal say in the daily household operations as Dacia or I. Such is the life of a cat.
It is true. Help has arrived in the form of a 50lbs of maltodextrin. Thanks the Honeyville Grain Company for shipping it to me for the low low price of $5.95. A couple weeks ago I wrote about my fueling woes during a specifically long day of training. After some discussion with my coach, Scott, about the most appropriate fueling strategy, we decided to start with some basic maltodextrin mixes.
All fifty pounds fit nicely in two five gallon buckets, plus one auxiliary container. I was concerned fifty pounds would be more than I could store, but that wasn't the case. As I have no experience with this, I don't know how long it is going to take to go through this much product, but I do know I have what feels like a lot.
This past Saturday I had good training day.
Swim: 2700 Yards in 56:51
Bike: 67.87 Miles in 4:07:59
Run: 3.18 Miles in 25:38
Although I did not feel the strongest I could have on the bike. I think I may have learned more about myself and training than I have in a very, very long time. I learned that you have got to be diligent in consuming your calories, oh those sweet calories, when on a ride of that length. By the time I pulled up to the front door I could barely hold myself up. I was out of gas. I tank was empty and I was a mess. I know I didn't fuel appropriately before setting out and certainly didn't attempt to keep my calorie intake high while I was out either. After getting myself filled up on pasta and juice, doing a couple errands, and resting up, my legs felt springy and alive.
My run later made my day. I was frustrated my bike ride and needed a something to validate the work I had done that day. It is sometimes amazing how a short run can really make the day.
In light of all this new information, Scott, my coach, and I are beginning to dial in my nutrition strategies for both racing and training. This is always been a challenge for me and I am looking forward to seeing continued results. Starting this week I am going to start implementing all the new strategies Scott and I have worked on. I look forward to continued success, thus far Scott has not lead me astray. I have seen only improvements.
