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Week of Dec 23 workout thread - CHRISTMAS WEEK!!

I bagged my usual Monday Night football ABP ride to get the Christmas shopping done and go out with my wife for pizza.

Today I did a nice Christmas Eve run with a buddy from my summer marathon training program, 11 miles @6:55 pace...easy on the way out then mostly MP on the return trip other than a mile and a half at TP thrown in near the end.

Then got the kids off to bed with visions of Santa in their heads, and a great Christmas Eve dinner with my folks and in-laws who are in town visiting from Canada.

I'll try to get on the bike tomorrow but the schedule will be tough. But need to earn the prime rib!!

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/419284713

Comments

  • Low key this week. Had a strange device failure the other night. But I swear I ran 3 x 1 mi at/under 6:30 (inside). Today just 5 miles as 1 mi WU and than MP --> HMP for the other four right before going to PT. THAT was a mistake. Their "massages" of my calves are pretty rough to begin with and boy, did they make me squirm today! So...let's see...today is Thursday....oh yeah. I ended up taking Christmas eve off and got in a decent one hour ABP type ride on Christmas. (IF 0.92 overall)

    http://connect.garmin.com/activity/419948564 Bike
    http://connect.garmin.com/activity/419948575 5 mi run

    Biking tomorrow, Run Saturday. We'll see about Sunday.

    I knew that mathematically I should start my Boston plan this week, but that wasn't really going to be in the cards... so I'm at least punching it out on paper to start ned week. I'm good to run 4x week now, and I'm assuming 5x/week will be ok in a couple more weeks. I'm taking a cue from Matt and EN and setting up a "standard week" with elements of the Pfitz and Hansons plans. And of course, it's not like I've been sitting on the couch.

    And, Matt, after talking with my swim coach/consultants, I am dropping the pool for the winter, consistent with your recommendation. Not thrilled, but a worthy experiment again now that last year that I got myself back into useful swim shape with lower volume. It's the wise choice, given I need to at least keep up the bike during all this.
  • I'm hitting a little crunch this week and next. I did a run interval session on Wednesday (Christmas), but d/t work on Saturday, I'll have to go back to back on the VO2 workout today, then the Saturday bike session tomorrow, and run in the dark before work. Then, Sunday, I have to drive to Salt Lake City to pick up our car which had some electrical damage needing repair my son drove over a wayward shovel coming down the pass into the Wasatch Front as he was driving from Colorado back home to Seattle.

    So, three days in the car, there and back: Sun: Long run, Monday rest day, and Tuesday late evening and FTP trainer session. It all sounds good, except I'm also trying to fit in two swims and two gym sessions each week. I think I'll be down to just one swim this week and next.

    In this second week of my OS, my swimming times are slower, my run intervals are slower, but my bike intervals are easier (lower HR for same power). Which is perfect, as cycling needs a bit more work this year than the other two, relative my my AG competitors.

  • Hopped on the bike for an hour today. http://connect.garmin.com/activity/420319644
    4 x 8'(2') between 231 and 234 W. I'd been working with 225 W FTP assumption. Could be maybe 230. On the other hand, I haven't been doing long intervals. We'll see next week.
  • First ride in 5 days and first workout after in 3 days since being unable to squeeze in any workouts over Christmas. Wanted to do a longer and lower-intensity effort ahead of the OS that will dial-up the intensity bigtime. Fired up a movie and thought I might be able to bang out 2 hours but only got in 90' before the kids got restless and needed some activities.

    Did a 10' warmup then 1'(1')@z4 to open up the legs, then a constant moderate effort for ~75', taking a split each 15' but not taking any recoveries. Aimed for a bit over 200 watts, i.e. the very low end of z3 based on estimated FTP of 240 watts. NP achieved in each segment: 204, 209, 213, 213, 214. Did the whole workout sitting up out of the aerobars -- really was just taking it easy and watching a movie. HR never got above the low 160's and was considerably lower for most of the workout.

    http://connect.garmin.com/activity/420363233
  • Good work guys.  Looks everyone is setting themselves up to hit the ground running for the OS (pun intended).

    I'm doing the 9 month IM Improvement plan so 5 runs this week.  This is my last semi-hard week, then I'm taking a full 7 days off running & cycling before the start of OS on Jan 6.  I'm feeling good (fingers crossed) but believe a self-imposed rest week is needed as I start a long 2014 season ending with IMAZ in Nov.  Over the course of the year, I've got planned two 10ks, 1 Aon Tower stair climb race, 2 HMs, 2 sprint tris, 1 Oly tri, 1 HIM, one 2.4 mile open water swim race and 2 IMs. Whew!! That looks like a lot, maybe I bit off too much. Will have to keep a close eye on fatigue.

    So here has been my week:

    Mon: Swim 2000m, run 3 miles @ 8:58 pace Z1 and 2% incline on mill. run felt very easy and HR was in 125-128 range.

    Tues am: ran 6 miles with 4 x 1/2 mile @ Z4 7:08 pace @ 2% incline, HR hit 163 on intervals.  then 30' weights session, then 90' spin class.  Not sure what the watts were but I worked hard and looked at the cute female butts. I was shot after this morning.  Went home and started Christmas Eve celebration.

    Wed: rest

    Thur: in am ran 3 miles @ Z1 8:58 pace @2% incline with 6 x 30" strides up to 7:08 pace. Swam: 1500 m.  In pm, did my Computrainer class and it was a bitch.  Warm up, then 3 x 15' @ 225w (.85 IF) with 3 x 1' @ 318w (1.2 IF) in each 15' set, all done at heavy load & 60 rpms to simulate climbing. 4' rest @ 130w between each set.  Finished with 4' @ 236NP @ 90 rpms.  Total workout:  75', NP 228, .86IF, 1.09 VI.  My legs were shaking at the end.

    Fri: Core strength class in am, then EZ 1500 m swim.  

    Sat Plan: 2 x 1 hour spin classes, 30' weights session

    Sun Plan: run 9 mile at Z1 8:58, then 1 hour spin class.  Then I rest for a week until OS. Will probably do some swimming & core stuff during the next week but no run or bike.

  • I have been the laziest piece this last week. image I honestly wanted/needed to take off a week to do nothing. So i am doing it.

  • Big steak last night and I was feeling heavy on my feet this morning for sure. But it is a BEAUTIFUL day in Chicago with temps in the 40's. The lakefront path was jammed with runners and I got in a good 11 miles at 7:10 avg pace with a running buddy of mine from the summer. http://connect.garmin.com/activity/420695529
  • For practical reasons, I ran this morning in the dark (about 2/3 before the sun came up) while the kids were swimming and while it was about 30 degrees. I was not entirely mentally ready to go, which didn't help...but the biggest obstacle was a very light/thin coat of ice that was almost everywhere from re-freeze of yesterday's melt off. If I had been able to go in the early afternoon, it would have been 40 degrees and sure footed. Oh well. I likened the run to lifting dumbbells instead of using a bench press "machine"...it was all about finding the steady footing with every landing and engaging all those little micro muscles. Anyway, I resolved to just suck it up and take a very easy pace...so that's what happened. 14 mi at crazy slow average pace of 8:17. I should have taken more nutrition too...If I had brought my key card, I could have gotten drinks every time I ran by the chemistry building...which would have been better. I was clearly partly dehydrated by the time I finished. A couple of dry Gu wasn't quite enough. Lesson learned.http://connect.garmin.com/activity/420855023

  • I am in week 3 of a 4 week Pre-OS that is very OS like. I am biking 4 x week (all indoors) for 100 miles +/- 15. I am running 4 x week for about 25 miles, and I am lifting 3 x per week for 45 mins per session using a free program I got off of Slowtwitch. No swimming due to my left shoulder but I hope to start back on Monday 10 Feb.

    I will be in the JOS for 10 weeks, so this 4 weeks is really adding to that. At least 2 bikes and 2 runs each week are hard. I will hold my longest bike during the OS to about 40 miles, but the longest run will be increasing throughout as I intend to finish the OS with a half-marathon. Enroute, I will race 2 x 5K, 2 x 10K, and 1 x 15K, plus one sprint duathlon of 5K-10mi-5K. These races will substitute for a scheduled hard run that week.
  • I'm going to be joining the 2014 JOS this year. I've been trying to get myself back into shape and I think I'm getting there. Doing the holiday running challenge has helped but I'm wondering if I'm going to be clinically dead by the time the testing days roll around.
  • Easy morning run - nice and short, just 30'. Ran pretty slowly although RPE and HR were pretty high relative to the pace. Due to all the Christmas week activities I'm about 4 miles short of my 30mi/week target, so I might hop on the treadmill tonight after my planned 90' ABP ride.
    http://connect.garmin.com/activity/421225681
  • Good work Matt.

    I ran 8 miles with the Evanston Running Club this am.  We ran around/thru Ft. Sheridan with a 20 mph north wind. Ran easy, steady at 8:05 pace and talked the entire way with guys I hadn't seen in months. I'm going to run with this group on Sunday am thru the OS since they are all very serious runners training for Boston.  The "Queen Bee" of this group is Nancy Rollins who recently set a 65-69 AG WORLD RECORD for the marathon @ 3:30xx.  She is the nicest lady and it is a honor to run with someone so talented and accomplished.

    Then I went to Lifetime Fitness and rode 60'.  After a 10' WU, I did 25 x 1'ON/1'OFF at 270W/140W @ 90 rpms.  The last 5 ON minutes nearly killed me.  Thought I was going to puke.  Good thing I had my favorite intervals songs on my iPhone blasting in my ear.

    Then did 15' on the stairmaster to start getting ready for the Aon Tower stair climb last week of Jan.  Then a long stretch.

    Now I'm taking a self-imposed week off running & cycling...just core work and a few easy swims. I'm feeling good and strong but know the rest will do me good now before 2014 starts.

  • Did another easy 90' z3 ride on the bike tonight. It was only my second ride of the week.
    Like Bruce, I plan to take it easy next week. I won't shut it down completey, but l'll plan on 1-2 rides 60' each and ~4 runs, very short and easy, prob 30' each unless some of my running group buddies are planning to do a long run in which case I might join.
    Getting ready for that OS to start!
    http://connect.garmin.com/activity/421574705
  • I am going to start my "OS" a week early because I'm doing Boston, and I want to start my organized build now...and give myself the freedom of having finished the bike OS workouts a week earlier, relative to the marathon. I realize I am going to have very compromised OS, but it's all a game, and I want to do Boston well.

    90 minute Z3 ride on Sunday: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/421447415

    Nothing special, but a good ride with a good "reverse split" at the end.

    Looks like my Garmin elevation thing is f*d up again. I've been very disappointed with how many 910 xt I have had to replace because the altimeter fails.
  • @William.... wow on your low 70's cadence ???? is that normal? Ya gotsta fit the OS into whatever you can... I'm already done 2 weeks of OS with only 10 weeks left.... Just got my 2nd garmin 910xt and if it goes again I'm not sure I will even bother ....

    Wrapped up week 2 OS with 8.5hrs total which was 30 min less than week 1 but I got more TSS so the intensity was there.... Got 2 swims, 3 runs , and 4 bikes.... making sure each wko was very high quality and most were under 1hr.....except 1 short recovery bike!
  • @Tim For better or worse, my indoor cadence is a lot lower than my outdoor cadence. I'm not sure why it was that extra low that particular day. But yes, 75-80 (maybe low 80s) is pretty typical for me inside. Seems to be the case even when I'm doing an indoor workout in the midst of a normal outdoor period of the year (although less exaggerated then). Since it takes care of itself when I go outdoors or make a conscious effort about it, I have never concerned myself too much about my relative inability to cycle at 95 rpm inside. It's probably not unrelated to the fact that I test higher power inside than outside, too.
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