Bike Handling

So I'm reading, mostly thru my closed eyelids (I know, I know, it's BADDD...), this part of The Triathlete's Training Bible where Joe's talking about bike handling skills....when all of a sudden, my eyes flew open at the section on balance that I found unbelievable:

Place your water bottle on the pavement while riding slowly. Then turn around and come back to pick it up. To make these moves you will need to stop pedaling and keep your foot low on the side you lean to while ensuring that the front wheel stays straight with the frame. Go slow at first, and as you get the hang of it gradually go faster. Use a tall bottle.

HOLY CRAP!! I think this means that I will never be an accomplished bike handler!! OY. Then there's this little feat:

Lay an empty, plastic water bottle on its side on the pavement. Ride at it fast several times attempting to jump the bottle without touching it. Try it in both the upright and crouched positions.

So I think when I finally get around to practicing drills like this, it will be on some very thick and soft GRASS because I will surely be a$$ over teakettle at least a dozen times before I can swing this. It just doesn't seem possible to me!!! Although I suspect it's quite possible and I'm being overly dramatic. But still...

Anyhoo.... went for my standard lake run last evening. It started off great - I felt much better than I did on Monday...but after the first mile things started falling apart. Not sure why. Maybe I'm still a little tired from my ride? Seems like I should be over that. I managed to keep it together and made it around but it didn't feel great...but it wasn't awful either. Splits looked like this:

EZ Warmup to start: 8:19, avg. HR 128
Mile 1 - 11:12, avg. HR 147 (~74%)
Mile 2 - 11:31, avg. HR 151 (75%)
Mile 3 - 12:03, avg. HR 154...still don't know why this mile is always such a killer for me
Mile 4 - 12:25, avg. HR 154...still feeling kind of bad
Mile 5 - 11:35, avg. HR 152...finally found the true mile 5 marker
To home: 5:55, avg. HR 159 (~87%)

Total time: 1:13:03 (only about a minute off my PR time...not too bad for feeling pretty bad)
Avg HR: 149 (~75%)
Max HR: 166 (~94%)...just wanted to see what it felt like today...and stretch out my legs...my knees feel all tight...

Not really sore this morning and swimming felt fine too - although I was a little lunchie (you know, OUT to lunchie?) with the sendoffs today...I kept missing them and then didn't hear what the drills were and on and on. I felt kind of bad for my lanemates who definitely noticed!! My brain was still curled up with the big woofie.

And speaking of big woofies, tomorrow is Scout's annual haircut day!! It's all coming off so she won't be such a hot, matted, stinky dog all summer. I'll post pictures... it's very funny to see how skinny she is when she's shaved because she looks like such an airbus with her fur. And her tail is totally unweighted without hair so she actually gets more WPMs (wags per minute) with a naked tail. It always takes a little getting used to for us but it makes her jump for joy. NAKED TIME!!! What kid/dog doesn't love naked time? Here's the BEFORE picture:
























OK, back to work... train hard!!