Brick (wall)????

Triathletes are either the most mindful people on earth or the craziest...not sure which!!!

Brick, simple enough word right? Even when modified - bricklayer, brick and mortar, brickwork, brick fireplace- it sounds simplistic enough. However, BRICK is a word I've come to dislike, especially after tonight. I'm going to start referring to 'brick training' as 'brick walling' because that's what it feels like after riding your bike full blast and then running a gazillion miles!

So, I tried (no pun intended) brick training for a few months in 2006 because I wanted to do a sprint tri in Texarkana, AR. And, last year when I was so sick I tried to pick up swimming because it's a low impact sport. But, such as my life has been for the last 14 years, school and work got in the way of fun and I had to postpone my desire to participate in triathlons. However, the opportunity for brick training resurfaced when someone (that would be my loving Cuzin Chris) sent an email last week to our group declaring Monday and Wednesday nights as the official 'some of us are training for the KC 1/2 Ironman and need to get on the training schtick'.

Let's see...
I'm not doing KC or training for anything else (which is status quo for me considering I did the LR 1/2 marathon a month ago with zero training) and I have a dissertation due in less than 2 weeks (good diversion tactic, right?),
but
I need to shed a few pounds from said dissertation writing and I need to capitalize on as much 'cuz time' as possible since we are moving,
so
...why not?

I'm pretty sure those are someone's famous last words. I show up Monday night and it's rather chilly, but Cuz and I knock out a ride/run (we have similar paces which is nice). Tonight I show up and it's much warmer but Cuz elects to "rest his legs". Fair enough...he is racing this weekend and I kinda sorta talked him into doing the TXARK tri with me years ago and then I bailed so I probably had it coming.

BIG NOTE TO SELF, don't even attempt bricks with people like ODWonn (tri guru of the world) and/or JCon (Mr. I win bike races and run sub-zero minute miles without trying) and/or any other peeps around here that post phenom tri times! I did that tonight in Cuz's absence and it was not pretty...brick wall baby, brick wall! Oh, did I mention it was not pretty?

I guess there is one good benefit of these bricks (I can only think of one this very moment as my legs are demanding to know what in the world I was thinking). I want to do an adventure race before we move and this is excellent prep for the biking and running required as part of that event. Not sure they will help with the paddling or orienteering, but I've got plenty of time to perfect those skillz!

Hmmmm....crazy or mindful. My mind fully thinks that this type of training is crazy! I may just stick to old skool ridin'!

Happy (painless) training to you all~
SK