RAW 2026 Training: Week Three
Sudden fatigue hurt my progress.
This week, I only rode 20.1 miles. Sudden mind and body fatigue hit me on Tuesday, throwing off the rest of the week.
A Decent Start
The week started out well. It was Mother’s Day weekend so I skipped my long ride. My wife wanted to hike, so we took the kids to Blue Mound State Park for a several mile loop (not captured in Strava). It was a chilly but sunny day so the temperature was perfect. I carried my 2.5 year old on my back using this Osprey child carrier backpack:
I highly recommend this carrier and the Osprey brand. They are expensive but high quality and built to last. It has lots of built-in storage for water and snacks and is so comfortable, both kids have fallen asleep during hikes.
Charlie is around 30 pounds now so he provided a solid “rucking” experience! I did have some shoulder and back soreness after the hike but I’m proud to say I carried him effortlessly up some long hilly terrain.
Early in my parenting journey, I learned that investing in the right gear is so important: bringing your kids along for your exercise is the move! There’s so many benefits: sharing a love of nature with your kids, mental health reset for Mom and Dad, and building strength while bonding as a family.
The Struggle is the Point
Sunday turned into Monday quickly. A 5:30am Monday Men workout hit me hard. We often do an exercise that I’ve come to love and hate: a backward hill run while holding a weighted sandbag (around 35 lbs). It is brutally difficult for me but I’m slowly improving. Once we get to the top of the hill, we raise up our arms to carry the sandbag above our heads.
The morning dew often makes the hill quite slippery, so I’m no stranger to falling while going up the hill. This time, however, I fell while going down the hill - thankfully not dropping the sandbag on my head! I landed on my back which did not feel good but I recovered quickly. Later that day I felt incredibly sore in my neck and back - three cheers for ibuprofen and naproxen!
Shortly after falling, I mumbled to Patrick, who leads the group, “sorry! I’m struggling today.” He brought everyone together and reminded us that’s the point: we are there to struggle! We are choosing to get up early to work on our health and fitness together. By the time most folks wake, we’ve completed a killer workout. Exactly what I needed to hear.
Bonking of the Body and Mind
I woke up Tuesday morning feeling a bit crummy and congested. I didn’t think too much of it at first and was able to do two challenging hill rides on my Peloton instead of going out on the road bike:
I felt so much better after those rides. However, Wednesday morning I woke up feeling like a freight truck had hit me. Intense body fatigue that, in a way, felt like bonking:
Bonking, or "hitting the wall," is a state of extreme fatigue and sudden energy loss in endurance sports caused by the depletion of glycogen stores in the liver and muscles. It typically causes a dramatic drop in performance, lightheadedness, and mental confusion, often requiring immediate, high-carbohydrate fuel to resolve.
On top of that fatigue, runny nose and congestion. Ugh. The rest of the week was tough: I couldn’t seem to shake the mental and physical effects. I tried to get more sleep but unfortunately Charlie woke up here and there almost every night.
Where did this come from? My guess is the previous two weeks catching up to me. While I’ve been successful waking up earlier (between 5 and 5:30am), I’ve struggled to get to bed earlier due to a classic parenting phenomenon: revenge bedtime procrastination.
This behavior happens when caregivers sacrifice sleep for peace and quiet, often engaging in "me time" despite feeling exhausted.
For as far back as I can remember (late 2025?) the kids have been increasingly difficult to get to bed. Often we don’t get them down until 8:30 or 9pm, which doesn’t leave us with much downtime. With the training schedule I’m attempting, that means I should really go to bed soon after the kids do. I love my downtime though, so in reality I’ve been going to bed at my normal time (10-10:30pm). That’s clearly not a recipe for success!
One Last Push
I felt absolutely dreadful waking up on Friday. After a 20 minute lunch break nap and some caffeine, I managed to rally by the end of the day to get in a quick Peloton ride:
it wasn’t much, of course, but it felt good to just do something.
Week Three Complete
It was a rough week. I exercised as much as I could and rested as much as I could - that’s all I can ask for. Looking forward to focusing on better sleep and more rides this coming week. Tomorrow (Sunday) I’m going to attempt a 50 mile ride, despite still feeling a bit under the weather.