Steelhead 70.3 = T-Minus 50 Days...

 Training for the Steelhead 70.3 in Benton Harbor, Michigan on July 31st. has been on track and coming along as planned.
As of this writing, there's just 47 days until d-day.
When discussing what my goals are for this event with my tri coach, I expressed to him my wish to better last year's Augusta 70.3 total time. He looked things over and his estimate is to work on the run time by better managing the bike leg.
So that we are doing.
Yesterday's bike ride, a total of 53.6 mile ride, in the sweltering heat, was a measure of where I am today and where I need to go in the next 47 days.
The ride started off pretty much like any other ride.  I had my route planned (in my head) and I estimated it would be around 40-42 miles. I had always been pretty accurate on this.
Through the majority of the ride, my concentration was to practice my aero position, allowing my legs to use the correct muscles.  This I thought I did pretty good because, as my spin instructor always says: "make sure you feel your quads burn"!  and that they did.
I was pretty happy as well that my speed was higher and the ride was more constant than it had been.  Around mile 40 I noticed that my average speed was 17.5mph, this is about 1.5mph faster than my normal speed.  Sweet!
My concentration was such that at this same point I ran across three friends that were riding, I recognized one of them, didn't recognized the other two... sorry guys!
I made a quick stop to get a cold sports drink.  The weather had become a factor.  Filled my bottle with ice and some of the drink and left for the last leg of the ride.
And then my quad began to cramp.  I adjusted my pedaling some and this seemed to help some.  I noticed as well that the muscles inside both my upper legs were cramping as well... this had never happened!
I finished the ride, stretched my muscles and the cramping was history.  I am going under the assumption that I was short on electrolyte replacements.  Will adjust for next week's ride.
This week's plan calls for more of the same, but still kicking in it up a bit.  We shall kick!