Gran Fondo: A Sweaty Day

When I sweat up a storm during my solo trainer sessions I don't think much of it because there's no one with whom I can compare sweat status. That changed Sunday. I realized how much of a faucet I am. Though it's hard to really tell, this pic (post-3hr ride) shows me sopping wet:
Backing up....

Gran Fondo weekend. I got into SD Saturday afternoon and hit up Rimel's with Tatiana and Matt. It was my first time at Rimel's and damnnnn it was sooooo good. Basically what I consider a perfect dinner - grilled fish & tons of veggies on a big bed of brown rice. Mmm.

Early to bed, and by 5-something-am on Sunday Tati and I were headed to downtown for GF packet pickup with Starbucks, Clif Bar, banana along the way. The weather looked sketchy, but it wasn't raining. Hope!

Then it changed....

Long story short: That was the most expensive goodie bag+bike jersey I've ever gotten ($100). It started raining ~30 min before GF started, and didn't look like it was going to clear up at all. The ride truly sounded like a blast--especially going across the Coronado Bridge--but not with freezing temps, winds, slick roads packed with all types of cyclists... you get the point.

Tati and I were over it. In fact, I actually start melting in the rain, so it's not a good idea for me to be exposed in it for long...
Tati just gets crazy in that weather so I had to get her out of there asap...We heard rumors that about ~50% of the riders decided not to start due to the weather. That made me feel better for not being "a wuss." Talk of HTFU was floating around, but whatever. I chose health. Ryan and Toby did it (think the shorter course?); I'll be curious what they have to say.

I saw these on twitter later on:

@larsfinanger It rained 100% of the 100-mile ride! Crossing the Coronado Bridge was sweet and it was fun to finish the last 50-miles with Mari Holden.

@PaulHuddle - http://twitpic.com/17cvlo @rochfrey & @heatherfuhr stay dry for another 30-seconds before the Gran Fondo San Diego. Amazing how many nut jobs rode in 50-degrees & pouring rain.

As for us OCD workout-fiends, the next thing I know we were back in North County with fellow GF-bailer Kristin Mayer for a trainer party in her garage. By 11 a.m., the three of us had put in 3 hours of riding. Success after all! (I brought my trainer down in anticipation of a rain-out, good call!) It was good company, good girl talk and good music the whole time; I probably wouldn't have survived that alone given all the trainer sessions that have been forced upon my life lately, so thanks ladies!

The setup:

So back to the sweat thing... Tati or Krisitn barely sweat at all; meanwhile, within 15 min of riding I was drenched! Literally sweating buckets. I had to change sports bras every hour, and I went through three big towels. The other two had little "droplets" of sweat. Wtf?!

Last but not least... regarding my "100 vs. 53" post: Had I done GF, I was going to do the 53-miler. It's already been 2 big build training weeks and next week will be even bigger, so I didn't see the need to put in an unnecessary amount of riding when I could do a t-run instead.

So, you may ask, did I do a t-run right after the trainer sess? No! Ha! I was too wet (sweaty) & cold, and was craving a real meal that didn't come in a package. But I did run later in the afternoon... it was slow, but I got through it and did some other gym stuff too for over an hour. That coming off master's swim & 90-min run on Saturday... Yea, I put in my 15 hours this week.

Bye-bye storm!