It's about two weeks out from my first duathlon, and I finally did a brick work out today. I need to get used to the feeling of biking after running, and running after biking. Pacing myself in duathlon is crucial, and I don't want to start the first run too fast. My race plan is to have a steady pace for both run #1 and #2. Since this was my first brick, I was interested to see how my legs would feel running straight off the bike.
Since it's still winter-like outside, I started with a 30 minute bike on the trainer. I went at a steady effort that was comfortable, but hard enough that I was dripping with sweat by the end. I had set up my run gear next to my bike, so after I hopped off, I switched shoes, put on my cap and sunglasses, and a long-sleeved thermal jersey (it was about 30 degrees this morning). I was too lazy to put on the gloves. My trainer is set up in the basement, so I ran up stairs and headed out the door. T1 was about 1:30, though I need to practice transitions that mimic what I will actually be doing. I'll try to get some practice in the next two weeks.
My legs were feeling great, and since they were warmed up from the bike, I set off at a 7:13 pace for the first mile. That's really fast for me! I couldn't believe that I was running that fast even though my perceived effort was on the low side. Second mile was 7:23 and the last bit was at 7:00 for a total of 2.35 miles. I am pleasantly surprised that my legs were ready to run after biking. Seriously, if biking before a run makes me go faster, I should warm up on a bike before my running races!
After my workout, I made a green protein smoothie with a packet of Vega protein powder. I bought a few single-serving packs to try them out. It's pretty pricey, but if it tastes good, I might buy a tub. I used to drink Spiru-tein, which is a lot cheaper, but I wanted to try different protein powders.
I blended up half a frozen banana, raspberries, and spinach with almond milk and a bit of water. Then I added the Vega and some ice cubes. Not the prettiest smoothie, but it tasted pretty good :)
Vega Sport has 26g of plant-based protein, mainly from peas, brown rice, and alfalfa. My smoothie had a slightly gritty texture, which is to be expected from a vegan protein powder. It's also sweetened with stevia, and I could definitely tell by that aftertaste. I'm not too fond of stevia-sweetened things, and I'm not sure if I like it. I have two more packs of Vega, so I'll see if I like those better.
Do you drink protein shakes? What's your favorite brand?
