I swam 3000 yd tonight, and sure enough looking at my email (see below) I did the EXACT same workout last year on April 23. It's fun to compare but truthfully probably not productive if it just makes me worried that I'm not hitting last year's paces! It looks like last year I followed the swim with a failed run so hopefully the run – which this year I'll do tomorrow morning – goes better!!
Overall 3000 SCY in 1:00:41, includes all rest intervals. Avg efficiency 37 and 10 strokes per length.
Well it is a RARE morning that sees me running before work but this week is nuts schedule-wise so I knocked out 48' with the roosters. I feel a little bad about not doing the full 60' but I CRANKED the intervals and it was a good hard run.
Overall 6.85 miles in 48:02, 7:00 pace. Current training VDOT 52 (z4 – 6:38, z3 – 6:45, z2 – 7:02)
I was very sore yesterday from racing the half marathon, so I swam mainly a drill set. It had a lot of one-arm stuff in it, so the Garmin file looks a little nutty and has a silly distance: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/301866297
5 x 100 warmup as alt free/one-arm (1:35/2:01/1:39/210/1:38) 10 x 50 as alt mod-hard and one arm with board (15" RI) main ones at 1:30-1:32, one arms much slower 3 x (150 fewest strokes possible, then 300 pull): most lengths 8 right arms on the 150s with all at 1:37 pace, 300s all at 1:32-1:33 pace. 200 one-arm with board (switch at 50s)
Total = 2750
If you haven't done the one-arm-with-board drill, it's very interesting. It's NOT about body position; it's about catch and pull. Your body position will be somewhat screwed up. Put the palm of your left hand near the center of a kick board, and otherwise swim "normally" using only your right arm. (Or reverse) Focus on getting arm in the water in the right place, which you are more or less forced to, i.e., no crossover. Also, you're more or less forced to start a deep catch right away. The "harder" version of the same general drill is the Tarzan swim, in which you swim without a board, but do the whole thing with your head out of the water looking straight ahead. That one obviously throws your body in a "bad position", but it really forces you to get your hands in straight ahead and go deep and straight. These help me make my "regular" stroke feel great for the laps immediately after. Tarzan is physically tougher, kind of like swimming fly is just tougher than free (but not quite as extreme.)
Today is Tues...I'm going to do an easy bike (swim doesn't work with today's work calendar)... trying to sacrifice a little for these few days of recovery to get back to "real" training ASAP.
Haha, at least today I beat my paces for the same workout done this week last year! And last year I didn't even wake up at 5:30am and do a hard run like I did today!
Overall 2800 SCY in 50:58 (1:39/100yd excl rest intervals). Avg efficiency 38 and 10 strokes per length.
Wednesday: still not going to have a terrific run or ride today, so I'm jumbling things a bit and put my longer swim today. It was a good feeling effort, but slow. I'm sure that still has something to do with the race.
The theme of the day was moderate work with some power/strength at the ends of things.
All reps with short rest (around 10 s)...a touch longer between sets. 8 x 100 warmup, 1:38 ± 1 sec 4 x 200 warmup, 1:39 ± 1 sec 8 x 100 as 75 moderate/25 fly generally 1:43 20 x 50 pull mod-hard 5 sec rest 1:29-1:32 pace - here was a place where the fatigue showed badly. 300: 200 easy, 100 hard 1:41 300: Alt 50s easy/hard 1:42 300 alt 25s easy/hard 1:43
Had originally planned to run long tomorrow, but I think I'm going to bike moderately tomorrow and run long Friday. Probably have to get in my third swim on Thu as well.
Race Rehearsal #2 for St George, which is in 10 days now. Also, my RR #1 was rolled into the Tucson EN camp, so I've got nothing really to compare. Final note: I signed up last week for a "tune-up" race this Saturday, the Mt Rainier Duathlon, choice between short (1.6 mi/14.5 mi/3.8 mi) or long (5.1/29/3.8). The bike (1 or 2 loops) has a big ol' hill in the middle, about 700 vertical feet @ 8-10%. I've done this several times in the past, it's a little local thing, a good warm-up for the season. So I signed up for the long as I usually do, and found out this week that it's the USAT National Long Course Championships. This threw me for a loop, because I (obviously) wasn't planning on *racing* it all out - something like takes me at least three months of clearing head space for mental prep for a big deal like that. So I toyed with shifting to the short, which probably makes a bit more sense taper-wise for my early season A race, next week. And during today's RR, I had talked myself into that plan. But, on further review, I decided to stick with my original plan, to use it as a bike tune-up and as the long run for the week (plan says 60', with some MP and some HMP in it). If I end up 5th out of 5 in my AG, so be it, you can't win 'em all, just ask LeBron James.
Anyway, the RR data:
Set-up: no aero helmet, no disk cover. Weather clear, little wind, started out @ 1030 @ 48F, up to 66 by the end. About as flat a course as I can find around here, 1450' gain in 55.4 miles (via barometer, not GPS)
Nutrition: On bike, two bottles of custom Infinit, 240cal each, 500 mg Sodium each, along with 2 shot blocks. Run, I carried 32 oz of Infinit, same amount of cal and NaCl, plus a shot blok.
Bike: 55.4 mi in 2:50, @ an IF of 0.752/TSS of 150. I was aiming for .77, the WU and a downhill section reduced the total. I was working hard the whole way, and felt appropriately thrashed at the end.
Run: Out and back, down (especially the first mile) on the way out, up on the way back. Mile times/HR/cadence: 8:50/120/90, 8:40/126/91, 8:18/130/93, 8:15/132/92 (I had to stop for a gravel truck turning in front of me), 7:53/138/93, 7:47/144/93. Totals, 6 mi in 49:38
Assessment: I could not have worked the bike harder, so I'm satisfied with the result. St George is hillier, but they are long highway grades, which I do OK on, and the last 10 miles are 2-3% downhill, making for a forgiving close if I've overcooked the first 45 mi. My target is 3 hours, with 2:52 as a stretch goal. Extrapolating from today's run, I think I could do the course by basically doubling my effort, meaning I do the first two miles on race day like the first mile of the RR, etc. That would give me a 1:48:45, and that makes a good stretch goal, with my target an even 1:50. 35 minute swim = 5:25 plus transitions. Sigh ... 20 min slower than 5 years ago.
I intend to race like I usually do, without a pace watch or HR monitor. And I expect to need more fluid than I used to day, as race day will be hotter. In addition to the two bike bottles, I'll just rely on whatever the aid stations have. I'm feeling like I can do this race.
@ Al, nice work! And btw, there will be a pool going on how you end up in your AG at the Long Course NATIONAL FREAKIN' CHAMPIONSHIPS!! NO PRESSURE MAN!!!! (just kidding of course...we won't even check the results...promise...)
I got some redemption tonight from last week's failed 110% ride. Thank goodness…it's a real impact on confidence to fail a workout like that and I was worried about completing it tonight.
In any case I got it done and hit my targets, if only barely. The fourth interval was a real challenge and I started out hard thinking I could make it an impressive "closer", only to see a major power fade towards the end.
I didn't have any expectations for the brick run and in fact decided to change the routing from normal just to change things up a little. My paces clocked in pretty nicely with a low HR. I think it had a lot to do with it being pretty cool outside.
Bike – overall 60', NP 229, IF 0.903. Full warmup of 10' easy/z1 then 3x3'(1')@z3. Then the main set:
Al - great work. I'll be very interested to hear what you think of that race as a HIM.
I was feeling better today, but I'm still laying off the hard stuff. It drives me nuts, but I know I"m better off relaxing a bit extra and then getting back to the hard stuff when I'm really read.
Swam noonish (http://connect.garmin.com/activity/303227685) 400 WU at 1:40 Set of 6 x 300 as different "games" = 4 x 75 as one arm/other arm/swim = 300 as stopping 4 times to do 5 press outs then go back to swim = 300 pull straight @ 1:34 = 4 x 75, build each one, very short rest. = 300 as descend each hundred = 4 x 100 sprinting 25 of each one (1:32-1:24) = 500 pull as 75 mod/25 hard then leave your watch running for another hour and a half. :-) 3100 total
Bike was outside...first decent day in ages...though I discovered there was a 20 mph wind in the direction that I generally ride "out" Just did a 1 hour "ABP" type ride http://connect.garmin.com/activity/303301255 IF of 0.82 was fine considering a bit of warmup.
I rode with my new (to me) FC 808. The wind was almost straight north. I ride out north/west/north and then reversed course. the wind was about 20 mph, as judged by the fact that when riding 28 mph going north, I could just barely feel the wind in my face. Obviously you don't really feel anything from the wheel going with or directly against the wind.
But what REALLY impressed me was the riding when i was going almost directly crossing the wind. I swear I couldn't tell the difference between riding this wheel and riding a normal training wheel. AMAZING. The next test will come when there is a lot of gusting, but I am very, very impresed with this wheel.
@ Al - you sound like you are in great shape. I'm confident that you will do well in both the Long Course Championship & SG HIM because you are a RACER!! Good luck and have fun.
@ Matt ... good job. It always amazes me to see how fast you start your runs. No WU. It is just BOOM and you go. It sure looks like you are getting into race shape too.
After my double brick last Sunday, I wasn't sure how this week would go. I swam Monday am per the plan but I felt sluggish and the clock said I was slow. Still got in 2000m. On Monday pm, I ran but wasn't expecting much. I did 6 miles including 3 x 1 mile repeats at 7:04, 7:12, and 7:10 pace with 1/2 jog in between. I felt better than I expected as my Z4 target pace is 7:22. But I could feel the fatigue coming on.
I planned to take Tuesday as a rest day (I traveled to Toronto for work) and I sure needed it. Nothing was sore but I just was "Blah" all day. I decided to take Wednesday as a second rest day (traveling back to Chicago). I think the last time I took 2 days off was after IMWI last year. Well, it paid off. I woke up this morning feeling much better. I went to swim this am and the lap pool was closed due to a chemical screw up. So I just swam ez for 45 mins in the 18 meter "leisure pool" and just worked on my form. Didn't count the laps or note lap times... practiced sighting and breathing on my left side as I normally breath to my right. Tonight I did the long run, and it was perfect running weather...50*F, no wind, sunny. Ran 12 miles in 1:40. After 4 warm up miles at avg 9:00 pace, I did 1 x 2 mi @ 7:33 pace. Then ran 2 mi @ 8:50 pace but this included up & down 4 steep hills from the bluffs down to the Lake Michigan beaches. Then ran 3 x 1 miles @ 7:27, 7:22 and 7:30 pace. Finished it off with a cool down mi @ 9:15 pace. Overall, a good quality run. My heel was fine and my HR was low the entire run, only getting above 140 bpm on the last 2 mile repeats. I'm really glad I took those 2 days rest.
But what REALLY impressed me was the riding when i was going almost directly crossing the wind. I swear I couldn't tell the difference between riding this wheel and riding a normal training wheel. AMAZING. The next test will come when there is a lot of gusting, but I am very, very impresed with this wheel.
Ah, shit, looks like I gotta go wheel shopping. I've been putitng this one off for a long time but I know I can't avoid it!!!
As Bruce mentioned the running weather was great in Chicago today...a bit colder than I expected but the wind was from the west so the N/S headwind dynamic on the local lakefront path was not so bad this evening. Per my going-in gameplan I truncated this run from 120' down to 90'.
I was pretty worried about the z3 intervals. My z3/HMP based on my half marathon is 6:34 which honestly is just ridiculous to me. So I dropped my VDOT by a point for training purposes and that gives me a more reasonable – but still really hard – 6:45 target. And for these long runs even the z2/MP target seems imposing at 6:51 (7:02 if I drop the VDOT a point). In any case I went out and settled into some good paces and ended up hitting the race VDOT targets. Not bad. I still wonder if I ran it too hard, but according to my VDOT I did not, and my HR was in check (but it was cold) and my cadence stayed high right up until the end. I'll see what my legs have to say about this run tomorrow…
My plan called for a 1900 m swim time trial today. I did this after work. Swam it in 36:09...I know, not very fast. But it was a PR for me for that distance (ok so it was the first time I ever did this distance in the pool as a TT, so it had to be a PR, right?). I probably saved too much energy, b/c after 2 mins rest I swam another 500m @ the same pace. Guess I'm building endurance.
Hope everyone is able to get outside to ride tomorrow. Be safe.
Big workout day today. I missed both my swim and run yesterday due to stuff at work, so I committed to doing the swim this afternoon when my kids were at swim lessons (same pool!). This is also good practice for the Triple T where you need to swim after a ton of biking and running and biking. It wasn't exactly a race rehearsal where I'd be getting off my bike and jumping into a cold lake, but it's as close as I'm going to get.
So the workouts were: - 145' on the trainer, standard EN Saturday ride (started 6am) - Brick run 30' - Take kids for activities then brunch - Swim 2000 yd, race rehearsal protocol (2:30pm)
The bike was pretty strong and I was feeling good. No workouts on Friday probably had something to do with that, plus a big dinner so I was fueled. I did the exact same workout as last weekend and my power numbers were up across the board. And I had no fade in the later intervals. Of course the workout was far from easy…hey, it was almost 2 and a half hours on the bloody trainer!
The brick run did not feel as smooth and strong as last week but it was a beautiful day and it was a good run nonetheless. My pace was pretty much where it usually is. Annoyingly I once again felt the onset of some cramps in my right quad at the exact same point as the last few weeks – about the 26-27' point of the run. But I'm not doing my race protocol of sodium for these workouts and I'm also running a LOT faster than race pace.
I was VERY apprehensive about the swim. I almost always cramp up in my legs when swimming only a few hours after a big running or biking workout. That said, I've done evening swim workouts after morning runs a few times this season with no problems. The workout was 200 W/U followed by a half-iron race rehearsal swim (2200yd). Alas the cramps got me after 1800 yards. I could feel them coming on at about 1500 yd and then I got stopped in my tracks a few hundred yards later. So not exactly a great confidence-builder for the TTT. I'll try to repeat this swim next week and hopefully have a better outcome…
Bike – overall 143', NP 226, IF 0.890. Full warmup of 10' easy/z1 then 3x3'(1')@z3. Then the main set:
Swim – overall 2050 SCY, avg pace 1:40/100. Avg efficiency 39, 10 strokes/length. Took 1:00 rest between W/U and MS.
Paces: Warmup 200 – 1:36 MS1: 1850 yd nonstop, took splits every 500: - 3x500+350: 1:39,1:40, 1:40, 1:43 (last length had the cramp which is why the pace was so slow)
Matt...Good work. That is a serious day of effort. Very strong ride with consistent power. Fast run and a fine swim even with the onset of cramps. I think you'll building to a good place for the TTT. You won't be riding or running at those paces, and you'll have the benefit of the wetsuit to help with buoyancy so you won't have to kick as hard either.
I drove out to Cary IL and rode ALOT of hills there. In total rode 60 miles in 3:30. My power data got all screwed up b/c I dropped a chain on one of the hills at mile 20 and the chain ripped the magnet off my Quarq (the guys at the Trek shop where I went after my ride said they'd never seen that before, but they got it fixed and I'm good to go for tomorrow). So I had to pace my ride by RPMs and HR. Anyway I did over 30 repeats up some seriously steep hills that required me to pedal at 50 rpms in my 28 gear to not spike my HR. I also practiced many fast descents and fast sweeping turns to get the feel of speed again after a winter on the spin bike. So while I don't have any good data, it was a good hard, useful ride. And it was a beautiful day to be riding in the country.
Then ran 4 miles right after hopping of the bike. My paces and HR for each were: 9:07 (128), 8:27(133), 8:16 (136), 7:27 (154). The first mile I had a slight tightness in my left shin but it was gone in mile 2. I then ran each mile faster than the previous and felt strong on the last one. I think I could have held that 7:27 pace for 2 more miles if needed. My heel was fine even though I expected it to be sore from Thursday's 12 miler. All in all, a good training day. Hope we have weather like today for the TTT.
@ Bruce -- nice work!! I'm ashamed to admit haven't been outside on my bike since last October!! I hear you on hoping the weather is similar...but I suspect it'll be hotter...
Tough ABP ride this morning but got it knocked out with the help of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. I started with a brutal 60' interval and actually extended to 65' so I'd be able to shorten the last one. So it was 65'(3'), 20'(2'), 15'. The room felt really warm although after the first interval I adjusted the fan to blow hot air out of the room as well as give some airflow…it made a huge difference and rather than taking 30" out of the bars every 7.5' as I was doing for the first 65' I was able to do virtually the whole 20' second interval in the aerobars. The data shows a massive drop in HR for that interval. The last 15' got brutal again for some reason…less to do with the temps and more to do with the legs being fried. Overall my power numbers were ~7-8 watts lower than last Sunday's ABP, and about that much lower than the z3 portion of yesterday's ride (which came after all the FTP work). Go figure.
Bike – overall 120', NP 207, IF 0.817. Warmup of 10' easy/z1 then 2x1'(1')@z4, then 1' easy. Then the main set:
Yes, Matt is a Monster. A freakin 60' interval. Who can do that? Matt can!!
I swam this morning. 400m warm up + drills. Then 5 x 200 m on the 4'. CD: 100 m EZ. Total 1500m in about 32'.
The pavement was still wet from overnight rain so I opted for 2 spin classes instead of riding outside with the Lifetime cycle club and risk a crash on slick pavement 3 weeks before the TTT. So I did WU: 15' with spin ups. Then 3 x 13' (2') @ 221w, 224w, 220w. Got off to fill my water bottle and put on a dry shirt. Then 3 x 12' (3') @ 212w, 216w, 215w. Finished with 1 x18' @ 219w. I was cooked. Did some foam rolling and stretching. Went home, ate and rested.
Only one small problem - the sun came out, it dried up and got warm. Even though I didn't plan it, I had to take advantage of the nice weather for an outside ride. So after 4 hours rest, I rode an out & back course. Out: 9.5 miles, 196 avg W, 19.1 avg mph, 90 avg rpms. Back: 10.7 miles (I added a little on the end), 222 avg watts, 20.7 avg mph, 92 avg rpms. Total ride: 20.2 miles, 209 avg watts, 19.9 mph, 91 avg rpms. Felt pretty darn good...better than expected. When I got back home I ran 1.2 miles at 8:36 pace. This gave me an even 23 miles of running for the week with 12 of that in my long run. All in all, a good way to finish the week. I think I'm getting the hang of this double sessions in one day stuff which replicates the double Oly on Saturday of the TTT.
I play a lot of mental games...sometime I'll plan for 45' but if I'm feeling ok at 40' I'll convince myself to go 60' to that the last interval will be 15' shorter. In this case the 5' add-on to the 60' was to avoid a 2x20'.
Poor training week last week. Took Monday off to get a rest day after the race rehearsal, then Tuesday's brick per plan but it felt really hard - harder than it should have been given the length of the intervals. Wednesday was supposed to be a run but bailed after less than 20 minutes, was too tired and had ZERO motivation. Took THursday and Friday off, did the brick on Saturday but made the bike a 2.5h ABP ride instead of doing intervals. 30' run afterwards, letting the legs determine the pace.
1 mile swim yesterday, felt good (and short)! But I clearly didn't do the work and my body is not recovering well at all the last few weeks. Time to realize this is all just for fun, I don't NEED to chase that PR every single time at every single event. That also helped make my goal for IM 70.3 SG very obvious - to go out and really enjoy a race like I've never done before! Last year at the full IMSG I got my ass kicked big time and wrestled through a long, long, hard day which I never got to enjoy. I'm too heavy for a fast race at IM 70.3 SG so for a long time wondered what a good result would be, and this week I saw the light: it is not about the time, but making up for that lack of fun from last year. So with that said, I'm really excited to race, but won't be staring at my garmin and my watts or pace the entire time... I'll check out the scenery much more.
I have not fallen off the face of the earth, though it might have seemed so.
Friday was my first substantive run back from the half-marathon the previous Sunday...roughly 7 miles at MP. Could still feel the race in the legs, but felt fine.
Saturday and Sunday were entirely schedule-throttled:
Saturday: Kids to swimming at 6:15 am. Pick up kid at 8:45 to get to soccer match that ran to noon (I coach). Second soccer match warmup starts at 2:00. Home at 5:00. Meet wife and other kid who was playing on other side of state at 7:30 pm for dinner. Bottom line: there was time for a 2 hour ride and that's it.
Sunday: Leave for more soccer at 6:45 am. Game ends at 9:45. Team has the temerity to win third game in a row so we advance to semifinals, which start warmups at noon. Damn kids win semifinals, finishing at 1:45. Finals warmup at 3:00. Game goes into overtime and then to kicks...and kids win. So celebration, etc gets us home at 6:30, completely exhausted.
Anticipating the possibility of this on Sunday, I packed my bike in the car while going to Des Moines in the morning and loaded up a potential possible-looking out-and back- route on my Garmin. I wore my bike clothes under my coaching clothes for the morning game, pawned my daughter off on to one of her friends' parents, and went for a two hour ride that had to circumnavigate the Drake Relays before getting to a somewhat more open and hilly road.(And yes, I coached the next two games wearing the now-yucky shorts all day.TMI, but I had to share.)
So Sat was 4 x 10' at FTP, 2 hours at 0.91 IF, so pretty good.
Sunday was just "ride as hard as you can manage in the middle of a reasonably big city, knowing you have to sit up most of the time because of traffic and half-marathon runners" so...somewhat irregular and didn't average quite as high. 2 hrs at 0.85 IF.
I really disliked having to compromise the workouts again this weekend, but it was for all the right reasons. Fortunately, things more or less clear up from here on out.
@Ben, you have a great attitude, could not agree more. The reason I have kept in the sport for the last 18 yrs is that I make it fun. It is not a job, and I certainly will not pay the bills by racing. Good luck in SG, with all that pressure off yourself you may be very surprised how well you do!
I was feeling pretty beat by last friday so cut that day's swim workout in half. Just wasn't feeling it and every time i pushed off the wall i felt like i was going to cramp up. Did the 4hr ride on saturday and i think i made real progress riding steady. Finished with a VI of 1.08 which i know is not great, but a big leap from 1.18. NP was 188 with a IF of .795.
Sunday i did a 3 hour ride with friends and that was a good mental recharge after the last several weeks of riding alone or on the trainer. It felt really good to be back riding in a group. 3hrs were over before i knew it. The weather was great so i added a 30min run later in the day.
Today i modified the swim workout down to 2100yds and eliminated the run. The plan will be to scale down volume and intensity throughout the week as i get ready to travel to St. George on thursday. First race of the season and i'm going back and forth between excited and nervous. I'm feeling really good with my fitness and feel like i'm ready to go. This is the first time i have traveled to a race so i'm hoping i don't forget anything really critical and for anything else, i figure i can just buy it in St. George. I look forward to meeting everyone!
@Matt - All i can say is Wow. A 30 min interval is about all i can manage. Starring 65min, where is the light at the end of the tunnel
@Bruce - Nice work - I put a run in yesterday because i felt good and it was pushing 80 in colorado. Can't let a day like that go to waste.
@Ben - I agree with the others. Sounds like a great perspective. The only pressure out there is what we put upon ourselves. The coaches have said this before, but all of this is just a game - a very expensive, all consuming game, but still a game. I'm sure you get it, so enough preaching! Rest up this week and i look forward to meeting you in st. george!
Comments
Overall 3000 SCY in 1:00:41, includes all rest intervals. Avg efficiency 37 and 10 strokes per length.
Paces:
Warmup 500(60) – 1:40
MS
6x150(30), 75 sprint / 75 easy – 1:34, 1:36, 1:36, 1:35, 1:35, 1:36
8x100(30) 50 sprint / 50 easy – 1:32, 1:32, 1:34, 1:33, 1:33, 1:34, 1:33, 1:34
8x50(15) 25 sprint / 25 easy – 1:31, 1:33, 1:31, 1:32, 1:32, 1:32, 1:32, 1:32
4x50(30) sprint – 1:30, 1:28, 1:28, 1:28
C/D 200 – 1:41
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/302017654
@matt: wow! you really nailed those paces!
Overall 6.85 miles in 48:02, 7:00 pace. Current training VDOT 52 (z4 – 6:38, z3 – 6:45, z2 – 7:02)
Warmup: 13'
- ~2' @ 7:17
- ~11' @7:45
2x 1.5 mile (~4') – 6:31, 6:20)
(2x ~4' recoveries 8:13, 7:29)
Remainder time: 8' @ 6:50
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/302123712
Will swim tonight I hope!
5 x 100 warmup as alt free/one-arm (1:35/2:01/1:39/210/1:38)
10 x 50 as alt mod-hard and one arm with board (15" RI) main ones at 1:30-1:32, one arms much slower
3 x (150 fewest strokes possible, then 300 pull): most lengths 8 right arms on the 150s with all at 1:37 pace, 300s all at 1:32-1:33 pace.
200 one-arm with board (switch at 50s)
Total = 2750
If you haven't done the one-arm-with-board drill, it's very interesting. It's NOT about body position; it's about catch and pull. Your body position will be somewhat screwed up. Put the palm of your left hand near the center of a kick board, and otherwise swim "normally" using only your right arm. (Or reverse) Focus on getting arm in the water in the right place, which you are more or less forced to, i.e., no crossover. Also, you're more or less forced to start a deep catch right away. The "harder" version of the same general drill is the Tarzan swim, in which you swim without a board, but do the whole thing with your head out of the water looking straight ahead. That one obviously throws your body in a "bad position", but it really forces you to get your hands in straight ahead and go deep and straight. These help me make my "regular" stroke feel great for the laps immediately after. Tarzan is physically tougher, kind of like swimming fly is just tougher than free (but not quite as extreme.)
Today is Tues...I'm going to do an easy bike (swim doesn't work with today's work calendar)... trying to sacrifice a little for these few days of recovery to get back to "real" training ASAP.
Overall 2800 SCY in 50:58 (1:39/100yd excl rest intervals). Avg efficiency 38 and 10 strokes per length.
Paces:
Warmup 200 – 1:38
MS
4x300(30) – 1:40, 1:39, 1:39, 1:38
2x400(30) – 1:39, 1:39
1x500 – 1:40
C/D 200 – 1:43
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/302432112
Today was an easy bike. nothing to write about except sore quads. :-)
The theme of the day was moderate work with some power/strength at the ends of things.
All reps with short rest (around 10 s)...a touch longer between sets.
8 x 100 warmup, 1:38 ± 1 sec
4 x 200 warmup, 1:39 ± 1 sec
8 x 100 as 75 moderate/25 fly generally 1:43
20 x 50 pull mod-hard 5 sec rest 1:29-1:32 pace - here was a place where the fatigue showed badly.
300: 200 easy, 100 hard 1:41
300: Alt 50s easy/hard 1:42
300 alt 25s easy/hard 1:43
Overall 4300 SCY
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/302763931
Had originally planned to run long tomorrow, but I think I'm going to bike moderately tomorrow and run long Friday. Probably have to get in my third swim on Thu as well.
Race Rehearsal #2 for St George, which is in 10 days now. Also, my RR #1 was rolled into the Tucson EN camp, so I've got nothing really to compare. Final note: I signed up last week for a "tune-up" race this Saturday, the Mt Rainier Duathlon, choice between short (1.6 mi/14.5 mi/3.8 mi) or long (5.1/29/3.8). The bike (1 or 2 loops) has a big ol' hill in the middle, about 700 vertical feet @ 8-10%. I've done this several times in the past, it's a little local thing, a good warm-up for the season. So I signed up for the long as I usually do, and found out this week that it's the USAT National Long Course Championships. This threw me for a loop, because I (obviously) wasn't planning on *racing* it all out - something like takes me at least three months of clearing head space for mental prep for a big deal like that. So I toyed with shifting to the short, which probably makes a bit more sense taper-wise for my early season A race, next week. And during today's RR, I had talked myself into that plan. But, on further review, I decided to stick with my original plan, to use it as a bike tune-up and as the long run for the week (plan says 60', with some MP and some HMP in it). If I end up 5th out of 5 in my AG, so be it, you can't win 'em all, just ask LeBron James.
Anyway, the RR data:
Set-up: no aero helmet, no disk cover. Weather clear, little wind, started out @ 1030 @ 48F, up to 66 by the end. About as flat a course as I can find around here, 1450' gain in 55.4 miles (via barometer, not GPS)
Nutrition: On bike, two bottles of custom Infinit, 240cal each, 500 mg Sodium each, along with 2 shot blocks. Run, I carried 32 oz of Infinit, same amount of cal and NaCl, plus a shot blok.
Bike: 55.4 mi in 2:50, @ an IF of 0.752/TSS of 150. I was aiming for .77, the WU and a downhill section reduced the total. I was working hard the whole way, and felt appropriately thrashed at the end.
Run: Out and back, down (especially the first mile) on the way out, up on the way back. Mile times/HR/cadence: 8:50/120/90, 8:40/126/91, 8:18/130/93, 8:15/132/92 (I had to stop for a gravel truck turning in front of me), 7:53/138/93, 7:47/144/93. Totals, 6 mi in 49:38
Assessment: I could not have worked the bike harder, so I'm satisfied with the result. St George is hillier, but they are long highway grades, which I do OK on, and the last 10 miles are 2-3% downhill, making for a forgiving close if I've overcooked the first 45 mi. My target is 3 hours, with 2:52 as a stretch goal. Extrapolating from today's run, I think I could do the course by basically doubling my effort, meaning I do the first two miles on race day like the first mile of the RR, etc. That would give me a 1:48:45, and that makes a good stretch goal, with my target an even 1:50. 35 minute swim = 5:25 plus transitions. Sigh ... 20 min slower than 5 years ago.
I intend to race like I usually do, without a pace watch or HR monitor. And I expect to need more fluid than I used to day, as race day will be hotter. In addition to the two bike bottles, I'll just rely on whatever the aid stations have. I'm feeling like I can do this race.
(just kidding of course...we won't even check the results...promise...)
In any case I got it done and hit my targets, if only barely. The fourth interval was a real challenge and I started out hard thinking I could make it an impressive "closer", only to see a major power fade towards the end.
I didn't have any expectations for the brick run and in fact decided to change the routing from normal just to change things up a little. My paces clocked in pretty nicely with a low HR. I think it had a lot to do with it being pretty cool outside.
Bike – overall 60', NP 229, IF 0.903. Full warmup of 10' easy/z1 then 3x3'(1')@z3. Then the main set:
5'(5') @110% – NP: 282 (IF 1.109), VI 1.00, HR 158/167, cad 93, recovery @ NP 171
5'(5') @110% – NP: 280 (IF 1.104), VI 1.00, HR 162/171, cad 93, recovery @ NP 169
5'(5') @110% – NP: 280 (IF 1.101), VI 1.00, HR 165/174, cad 93, recovery @ NP 166
5'(3') @110% – NP: 280 (IF 1.102), VI 1.00, HR 167/174, cad 92, recovery @ NP 183
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/302877474
Brick run – overall 4.47 miles in 30:02 (6:43 / mile). HR avg 164 / max 176. Avg cadence 90 spm.
Split........Time........Distance........Avg Pace
1........ 4:03.8........ 0.58........ 6:57
2........ 5:04.0 ........ 0.75 ........ 6:46
3........ 5:35.1 ........ 0.82 ........ 6:51
4........ 5:25.0 ........ 0.80 ........ 6:45
5........ 4:52.8 ........ 0.74 ........ 6:33
6........ 5:01.2 ........ 0.77 ........ 6:30
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/302877783
I was feeling better today, but I'm still laying off the hard stuff. It drives me nuts, but I know I"m better off relaxing a bit extra and then getting back to the hard stuff when I'm really read.
Swam noonish (http://connect.garmin.com/activity/303227685)
400 WU at 1:40
Set of 6 x 300 as different "games"
= 4 x 75 as one arm/other arm/swim
= 300 as stopping 4 times to do 5 press outs then go back to swim
= 300 pull straight @ 1:34
= 4 x 75, build each one, very short rest.
= 300 as descend each hundred
= 4 x 100 sprinting 25 of each one (1:32-1:24)
= 500 pull as 75 mod/25 hard
then leave your watch running for another hour and a half. :-)
3100 total
Bike was outside...first decent day in ages...though I discovered there was a 20 mph wind in the direction that I generally ride "out" Just did a 1 hour "ABP" type ride
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/303301255 IF of 0.82 was fine considering a bit of warmup.
I rode with my new (to me) FC 808. The wind was almost straight north. I ride out north/west/north and then reversed course. the wind was about 20 mph, as judged by the fact that when riding 28 mph going north, I could just barely feel the wind in my face. Obviously you don't really feel anything from the wheel going with or directly against the wind.
But what REALLY impressed me was the riding when i was going almost directly crossing the wind. I swear I couldn't tell the difference between riding this wheel and riding a normal training wheel. AMAZING. The next test will come when there is a lot of gusting, but I am very, very impresed with this wheel.
@ Al - you sound like you are in great shape. I'm confident that you will do well in both the Long Course Championship & SG HIM because you are a RACER!! Good luck and have fun.
@ Matt ... good job. It always amazes me to see how fast you start your runs. No WU. It is just BOOM and you go. It sure looks like you are getting into race shape too.
After my double brick last Sunday, I wasn't sure how this week would go. I swam Monday am per the plan but I felt sluggish and the clock said I was slow. Still got in 2000m. On Monday pm, I ran but wasn't expecting much. I did 6 miles including 3 x 1 mile repeats at 7:04, 7:12, and 7:10 pace with 1/2 jog in between. I felt better than I expected as my Z4 target pace is 7:22. But I could feel the fatigue coming on.
I planned to take Tuesday as a rest day (I traveled to Toronto for work) and I sure needed it. Nothing was sore but I just was "Blah" all day. I decided to take Wednesday as a second rest day (traveling back to Chicago). I think the last time I took 2 days off was after IMWI last year. Well, it paid off. I woke up this morning feeling much better. I went to swim this am and the lap pool was closed due to a chemical screw up. So I just swam ez for 45 mins in the 18 meter "leisure pool" and just worked on my form. Didn't count the laps or note lap times... practiced sighting and breathing on my left side as I normally breath to my right. Tonight I did the long run, and it was perfect running weather...50*F, no wind, sunny. Ran 12 miles in 1:40. After 4 warm up miles at avg 9:00 pace, I did 1 x 2 mi @ 7:33 pace. Then ran 2 mi @ 8:50 pace but this included up & down 4 steep hills from the bluffs down to the Lake Michigan beaches. Then ran 3 x 1 miles @ 7:27, 7:22 and 7:30 pace. Finished it off with a cool down mi @ 9:15 pace. Overall, a good quality run. My heel was fine and my HR was low the entire run, only getting above 140 bpm on the last 2 mile repeats. I'm really glad I took those 2 days rest.
I hope everyone has a good weekend.
I was pretty worried about the z3 intervals. My z3/HMP based on my half marathon is 6:34 which honestly is just ridiculous to me. So I dropped my VDOT by a point for training purposes and that gives me a more reasonable – but still really hard – 6:45 target. And for these long runs even the z2/MP target seems imposing at 6:51 (7:02 if I drop the VDOT a point). In any case I went out and settled into some good paces and ended up hitting the race VDOT targets. Not bad. I still wonder if I ran it too hard, but according to my VDOT I did not, and my HR was in check (but it was cold) and my cadence stayed high right up until the end. I'll see what my legs have to say about this run tomorrow…
Overall 13.34 miles in 1:31:04, 6:50 pace.
Warmup: 15' @6:59
2x 15'(5') @ z3/HMP – 6:29, 6:30
(2x 5' recoveries 7:26, 7:32)
15'(5') @ z2/MP – 6:47, recovery @7:26
Remainder time @z2
- 6' @6:45
- 10' @6:54
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/303323625
My plan called for a 1900 m swim time trial today. I did this after work. Swam it in 36:09...I know, not very fast. But it was a PR for me for that distance (ok so it was the first time I ever did this distance in the pool as a TT, so it had to be a PR, right?). I probably saved too much energy, b/c after 2 mins rest I swam another 500m @ the same pace. Guess I'm building endurance.
Hope everyone is able to get outside to ride tomorrow. Be safe.
So the workouts were:
- 145' on the trainer, standard EN Saturday ride (started 6am)
- Brick run 30'
- Take kids for activities then brunch
- Swim 2000 yd, race rehearsal protocol (2:30pm)
The bike was pretty strong and I was feeling good. No workouts on Friday probably had something to do with that, plus a big dinner so I was fueled. I did the exact same workout as last weekend and my power numbers were up across the board. And I had no fade in the later intervals. Of course the workout was far from easy…hey, it was almost 2 and a half hours on the bloody trainer!
The brick run did not feel as smooth and strong as last week but it was a beautiful day and it was a good run nonetheless. My pace was pretty much where it usually is. Annoyingly I once again felt the onset of some cramps in my right quad at the exact same point as the last few weeks – about the 26-27' point of the run. But I'm not doing my race protocol of sodium for these workouts and I'm also running a LOT faster than race pace.
I was VERY apprehensive about the swim. I almost always cramp up in my legs when swimming only a few hours after a big running or biking workout. That said, I've done evening swim workouts after morning runs a few times this season with no problems. The workout was 200 W/U followed by a half-iron race rehearsal swim (2200yd). Alas the cramps got me after 1800 yards. I could feel them coming on at about 1500 yd and then I got stopped in my tracks a few hundred yards later. So not exactly a great confidence-builder for the TTT. I'll try to repeat this swim next week and hopefully have a better outcome…
Bike – overall 143', NP 226, IF 0.890. Full warmup of 10' easy/z1 then 3x3'(1')@z3. Then the main set:
8'(3') @z4 – NP: 257 (IF 1.010), VI 1.00, HR 156/162, cad 91
10'(3') @z4 – NP: 258 (IF 1.014), VI 1.00, HR 160/165, cad 91
12'(3') @z4 – NP: 257 (IF 1.010), VI 1.00, HR 163/171, cad 91
12'(3') @z4 – NP: 256 (IF 1.007), VI 1.00, HR 165/170, cad 91
10'(3') @z4 – NP: 258 (IF 1.017), VI 1.00, HR 164/169, cad 91
-------------------------------------------
16'(3') @ z3 – NP: 220 (IF 0.865), VI 1.00, HR 151/154, cad 91
16'(3') @ z3 – NP: 221 (IF 0.870), VI 1.00, HR 149/154, cad 91
16' @ z3 – NP: 227 (IF 0.892), VI 1.00, HR 152/161, cad 92
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/303916112
Run – overall 4.42 miles in 30:01, avg pace 6:46, avg HR 165 / max 178
Split........Time........Distance........Avg Pace
1........3:41.0 ........ 0.50 ........ 7:19
2........ 3:27.7........ 0.51 ........ 6:50
3........ 3:31.4 ........ 0.52 ........ 6:47
4........ 4:55.8 ........ 0.73 ........ 6:45
5........ 4:57.7 ........ 0.74 ........ 6:40
6........ 3:26.7 ........ 0.53 ........ 6:30
7........ 3:10.5 ........ 0.48 ........ 6:35
8........ 2:50.0 ........ 0.42 ........ 6:43
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/303916316
Swim – overall 2050 SCY, avg pace 1:40/100. Avg efficiency 39, 10 strokes/length. Took 1:00 rest between W/U and MS.
Paces:
Warmup 200 – 1:36
MS1: 1850 yd nonstop, took splits every 500:
- 3x500+350: 1:39,1:40, 1:40, 1:43
(last length had the cramp which is why the pace was so slow)
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/304141622
Matt...Good work. That is a serious day of effort. Very strong ride with consistent power. Fast run and a fine swim even with the onset of cramps. I think you'll building to a good place for the TTT. You won't be riding or running at those paces, and you'll have the benefit of the wetsuit to help with buoyancy so you won't have to kick as hard either.
I drove out to Cary IL and rode ALOT of hills there. In total rode 60 miles in 3:30. My power data got all screwed up b/c I dropped a chain on one of the hills at mile 20 and the chain ripped the magnet off my Quarq (the guys at the Trek shop where I went after my ride said they'd never seen that before, but they got it fixed and I'm good to go for tomorrow). So I had to pace my ride by RPMs and HR. Anyway I did over 30 repeats up some seriously steep hills that required me to pedal at 50 rpms in my 28 gear to not spike my HR. I also practiced many fast descents and fast sweeping turns to get the feel of speed again after a winter on the spin bike. So while I don't have any good data, it was a good hard, useful ride. And it was a beautiful day to be riding in the country.
Then ran 4 miles right after hopping of the bike. My paces and HR for each were: 9:07 (128), 8:27(133), 8:16 (136), 7:27 (154). The first mile I had a slight tightness in my left shin but it was gone in mile 2. I then ran each mile faster than the previous and felt strong on the last one. I think I could have held that 7:27 pace for 2 more miles if needed. My heel was fine even though I expected it to be sore from Thursday's 12 miler. All in all, a good training day. Hope we have weather like today for the TTT.
Bike – overall 120', NP 207, IF 0.817. Warmup of 10' easy/z1 then 2x1'(1')@z4, then 1' easy. Then the main set:
65'(3') @ z3 – NP: 213 (IF 0.837), VI 1.00, HR 148/155, cad 90
20'(2') @ z3 – NP: 214 (IF 0.843), VI 1.00, HR 142/149, cad 90
15' @ z3 – NP: 216 (IF 0.8849), VI 1.00, HR 144/149, cad 90
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/304599830
Matt ... You're a Monster!
My weekend report, race report for the Nat'l LC Duathlon Champs, is >here<</p>
Yes, Matt is a Monster. A freakin 60' interval. Who can do that? Matt can!!
I swam this morning. 400m warm up + drills. Then 5 x 200 m on the 4'. CD: 100 m EZ. Total 1500m in about 32'.
The pavement was still wet from overnight rain so I opted for 2 spin classes instead of riding outside with the Lifetime cycle club and risk a crash on slick pavement 3 weeks before the TTT. So I did WU: 15' with spin ups. Then 3 x 13' (2') @ 221w, 224w, 220w. Got off to fill my water bottle and put on a dry shirt. Then 3 x 12' (3') @ 212w, 216w, 215w. Finished with 1 x18' @ 219w. I was cooked. Did some foam rolling and stretching. Went home, ate and rested.
Only one small problem - the sun came out, it dried up and got warm. Even though I didn't plan it, I had to take advantage of the nice weather for an outside ride. So after 4 hours rest, I rode an out & back course. Out: 9.5 miles, 196 avg W, 19.1 avg mph, 90 avg rpms. Back: 10.7 miles (I added a little on the end), 222 avg watts, 20.7 avg mph, 92 avg rpms. Total ride: 20.2 miles, 209 avg watts, 19.9 mph, 91 avg rpms. Felt pretty darn good...better than expected. When I got back home I ran 1.2 miles at 8:36 pace. This gave me an even 23 miles of running for the week with 12 of that in my long run. All in all, a good way to finish the week. I think I'm getting the hang of this double sessions in one day stuff which replicates the double Oly on Saturday of the TTT.
Actually those workouts are quite brutal.
I play a lot of mental games...sometime I'll plan for 45' but if I'm feeling ok at 40' I'll convince myself to go 60' to that the last interval will be 15' shorter. In this case the 5' add-on to the 60' was to avoid a 2x20'.
1 mile swim yesterday, felt good (and short)! But I clearly didn't do the work and my body is not recovering well at all the last few weeks. Time to realize this is all just for fun, I don't NEED to chase that PR every single time at every single event. That also helped make my goal for IM 70.3 SG very obvious - to go out and really enjoy a race like I've never done before! Last year at the full IMSG I got my ass kicked big time and wrestled through a long, long, hard day which I never got to enjoy. I'm too heavy for a fast race at IM 70.3 SG so for a long time wondered what a good result would be, and this week I saw the light: it is not about the time, but making up for that lack of fun from last year. So with that said, I'm really excited to race, but won't be staring at my garmin and my watts or pace the entire time... I'll check out the scenery much more.
Friday was my first substantive run back from the half-marathon the previous Sunday...roughly 7 miles at MP. Could still feel the race in the legs, but felt fine.
Saturday and Sunday were entirely schedule-throttled:
Saturday: Kids to swimming at 6:15 am. Pick up kid at 8:45 to get to soccer match that ran to noon (I coach). Second soccer match warmup starts at 2:00. Home at 5:00. Meet wife and other kid who was playing on other side of state at 7:30 pm for dinner. Bottom line: there was time for a 2 hour ride and that's it.
Sunday: Leave for more soccer at 6:45 am. Game ends at 9:45. Team has the temerity to win third game in a row so we advance to semifinals, which start warmups at noon. Damn kids win semifinals, finishing at 1:45. Finals warmup at 3:00. Game goes into overtime and then to kicks...and kids win. So celebration, etc gets us home at 6:30, completely exhausted.
Anticipating the possibility of this on Sunday, I packed my bike in the car while going to Des Moines in the morning and loaded up a potential possible-looking out-and back- route on my Garmin. I wore my bike clothes under my coaching clothes for the morning game, pawned my daughter off on to one of her friends' parents, and went for a two hour ride that had to circumnavigate the Drake Relays before getting to a somewhat more open and hilly road.(And yes, I coached the next two games wearing the now-yucky shorts all day.TMI, but I had to share.)
So Sat was 4 x 10' at FTP, 2 hours at 0.91 IF, so pretty good.
Sunday was just "ride as hard as you can manage in the middle of a reasonably big city, knowing you have to sit up most of the time because of traffic and half-marathon runners" so...somewhat irregular and didn't average quite as high. 2 hrs at 0.85 IF.
I really disliked having to compromise the workouts again this weekend, but it was for all the right reasons. Fortunately, things more or less clear up from here on out.
I was feeling pretty beat by last friday so cut that day's swim workout in half. Just wasn't feeling it and every time i pushed off the wall i felt like i was going to cramp up. Did the 4hr ride on saturday and i think i made real progress riding steady. Finished with a VI of 1.08 which i know is not great, but a big leap from 1.18. NP was 188 with a IF of .795.
Sunday i did a 3 hour ride with friends and that was a good mental recharge after the last several weeks of riding alone or on the trainer. It felt really good to be back riding in a group. 3hrs were over before i knew it. The weather was great so i added a 30min run later in the day.
Today i modified the swim workout down to 2100yds and eliminated the run. The plan will be to scale down volume and intensity throughout the week as i get ready to travel to St. George on thursday. First race of the season and i'm going back and forth between excited and nervous. I'm feeling really good with my fitness and feel like i'm ready to go. This is the first time i have traveled to a race so i'm hoping i don't forget anything really critical and for anything else, i figure i can just buy it in St. George. I look forward to meeting everyone!
@Matt - All i can say is Wow. A 30 min interval is about all i can manage. Starring 65min, where is the light at the end of the tunnel
@Bruce - Nice work - I put a run in yesterday because i felt good and it was pushing 80 in colorado. Can't let a day like that go to waste.
@Ben - I agree with the others. Sounds like a great perspective. The only pressure out there is what we put upon ourselves. The coaches have said this before, but all of this is just a game - a very expensive, all consuming game, but still a game. I'm sure you get it, so enough preaching! Rest up this week and i look forward to meeting you in st. george!