This is the final weekend of a big training block for me.  The workouts have taken a lot out of me this past week, and today it showed.  Today’s photo shows me collapsed onto my aero bars, after a three and half hour session.

Not only was my workout long today, but it was also hard.  I had four intervals at VO2 max intensity, and the workout finished with four intervals of fifteen minutes each.  These goal for these fifteen minutes, was to achieve the best average power that I could.

I really struggled to get through the workout.  My legs are just so fatigued right now.  There were many points on today’s ride, where I just stopped peddling.  I was physically drained, but mentally I was struggling even more.  

In each of these stops, I seriously thought about just getting off my bike and quitting the workout.  Somehow, I managed to not do that, and found a way to keep going. 

I think it was pure stubbornness, that kept me going.  I had a three and a half hour ride planned and I was going to ride for three and a half hours.  Even if I was pushing no power at all, I still wanted to do the time.

During rides like these, it is very easy to start thinking that you have lost all of your fitness.  I know that is not true.  Cumulative fatigue hides a lot of deep fitness.  I just need a down week to recover.  A down week will allow me to soak up the fitness that I have earned, during this big training block.