First brick of the season - done and done!

I've heard many theories about why brick workouts are called, well, brick workouts. One explanation is that they are the foundation of triathlon training; you build your fitness little by little, like laying bricks to create the foundation of a house. I dunno. That seems kinda boring. I doubt that's why they're called bricks.

My favorite explanation is this: when you Bike and Run your legs feel like ICK. :)

I've done a few swim/run bricks so far, but last night was my first true brick workout -- a short bike ride followed by a short run. The bike ride was, again, great. I can't believe how much stronger I feel on my bike this year compared to the past two summers. I'm faster on the hills, I'm able to stay in my big ring, and I feel much more confident. After my short ride (17.5 miles, including the little loop I did as a warmup while waiting for my friend J to arrive), I changed shoes and ran the same short loop. I felt great. Never out of breath, never sore, just what felt like an easy run. My pace could have been faster (I think I ran at an 8:24 pace), but overall it was a good, solid workout. Best of all, it gave me confidence about the upcoming season. There's way more work to be done, but my starting point is pretty good this time around. Just in time for me to graduate to a new age group this year!