Week of 7/5/10 - "Island of Misfit Toys" Training Thread
Hi All:
Sorry for not posting this thread recently. Went completely off the grid a few weeks back (no internet or tech at all for 7 days) and then spent two weeks on vacay in NY and DC.
Today was the "official" start of training for my Big Kanuna Half Iron race in Santa Cruz, CA on September 12th. I was on vacation so I missed the first two weeks of the 12 week Plan so I will have 10 weeks of training for the event. Prior to vacation I was able to swim a bunch and had a nice bump with my biking after being off for a few months. So those two are doing well. My run, however, is another story. I did run at least 5 miles every other day in NY and DC but it wasn't pretty. Not sure how you folks on the east coast handle it, but the humidity wreaked havoc on me mentally. Almost felt suffocated on a couple of days. I got the runs done, but had some walk breaks along the way.
Per week three of the 12 week Plan today was 1 hour run followed by 1 hour swim. I got both done back-to-back with the run first. The swim intervals weren't too bad and the run was OK. I was shelled when I was done. I have A LOT of fitness to build.
Who's next?
John
Comments
I was just about to start a thread for this week - but the Head Misfit beat me to it! Thanks John.
Solid weekend in the books for me.
Saturday - kayaking in Monterey Bay with the family, play on the beach, nice lunch and ice cream sundaes all around!
Sunday - 3 hours in the heat (ended up mid 80's). This was my 'recruit the glutes' workout. After WS, my upper glutes were pretty sore, and I realized that walking quickly up hills hits muscles that I have not trained very well. So that got fixed in a big way. After 10 min of warmup, I power walked up a 3-4 mile hill with 1000ft of climb, got to the top, turned and bolted back down, refilled the Camelbak, and did it again. In the second 1.5 hours I drained my 70oz Camelbak. Sweat. Sweet! The GPS showed 16.5miles, but I'm pretty sure it was more than that.
Monday - 3 hours again, but a little cooler. Today was run day, no walkies. Ran 25 minute loops up and down a technical hill. 5 minutes into loop 3 I got stung by a bee on my tricep and decided that it would be best to get back to civilization. I got back to the parking lot about 20 min later, but the sting, other than hurting like hell, wasn't getting too swollen. So I did a big circle to get me back to my loop (still staying close to the car just in case). But by then I was pretty sure my arm would be fine, so I pounded out another loop, and then retraced my big loop to get back to the car. GPS showed 15.5. I did a better job of hydrating today than yesterday.
Mike
postscript - I was finally able to get the data download to work. It showed 5800ft of climbing on Sat, and 4800 today.
Mike:
Well done. 32 miles with 10k+ of climbing over JUST 2 days and in some heat?. What? You becoming an ultrarunner or something?
Good work!
John
Quiet in here . . . .
Plan called for 60' swim today but I am doing fine there. So went and did my first track workout in 7 months this morning with some folks from local tri club. 6 x 800 with 2 mile warmup and 1 mile cool down. Felt good, I guess.
Later in the day I took the kids to the local water slide park and my legs were barking at me every time I climbed those stairs up to slide.
m
22 min warmup run with the dog, then to the hill - it's basically a long lead up to a freeway overpass - for some incline intervals. Up and down was taking me 3 min, then 30 seconds to the start line...for 30 min, water break, and another 15 min, then 10 min warmdown.
Ended up just shy of 10 miles, 1.5 hours. But my legs are wishing I didn't sprint uphill for 45 minutes
.
I'm pretty sure it'll be a cross training day tomorrow to let this sink in.
Mike
Hey Boys,
I've been meaning to post since I saw this but have been busy. The training is going well. I was out of town for the second half of June taking some Microsoft classes so I didn't ride at all. Came back last week and hammered a couple days ending up with a strained knee. All better now after resting Sunday and Monday.
I ran an a easy 4 on Tuesday morning and swam 4000 LCM at masters that night. Had a great group ride yesterday morning.
Entire workout (150 watts):
Duration: 1:20:11 (1:29:53)
Work: 722 kJ
TSS: 106.4 (intensity factor 0.892)
Norm Power: 214
VI: 1.43
Pw:HR: n/a
Pa:HR: n/a
Distance: 24.839 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 646 150 watts
Cadence: 30 201 81 rpm
Speed: 2.2 32.7 19.2 mph
Pace 1:50 26:49 3:08 min/mi
Crank Torque: 0 932 155 lb-in
Peak 10min (226 watts):
Duration: 10:00
Work: 136 kJ
TSS: 22.2 (intensity factor 1.153)
Norm Power: 277
VI: 1.22
Pw:HR: n/a
Pa:HR: n/a
Distance: 3.712 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 640 226 watts
Cadence: 48 156 85 rpm
Speed: 13.2 28.3 22.2 mph
Pace 2:07 4:33 2:42 min/mi
Crank Torque: 0 716 225 lb-in
Peak 20min (204 watts):
Duration: 20:00 (20:55)
Work: 245 kJ
TSS: 39 (intensity factor 1.081)
Norm Power: 259
VI: 1.27
Pw:HR: n/a
Pa:HR: n/a
Distance: 7.026 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 640 204 watts
Cadence: 30 159 84 rpm
Speed: 2.2 32.7 21.5 mph
Pace 1:50 26:49 2:47 min/mi
Crank Torque: 0 763 205 lb-in
Peak 30min (196 watts):
Duration: 30:00 (30:55)
Work: 353 kJ
TSS: 53.1 (intensity factor 1.031)
Norm Power: 247
VI: 1.26
Pw:HR: n/a
Pa:HR: n/a
Distance: 10.798 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 640 196 watts
Cadence: 30 159 84 rpm
Speed: 2.2 32.7 22.0 mph
Pace 1:50 26:49 2:44 min/mi
Crank Torque: 0 821 196 lb-in
Peak 60min (176 watts):
Duration: 1:00:00 (1:03:33)
Work: 635 kJ
TSS: 91.7 (intensity factor 0.957)
Norm Power: 230
VI: 1.3
Pw:HR: n/a
Pa:HR: n/a
Distance: 20.564 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 646 176 watts
Cadence: 30 201 84 rpm
Speed: 2.2 32.7 21.0 mph
Pace 1:50 26:49 2:51 min/mi
Crank Torque: 0 932 177 lb-in
Ran 2 miles off of that and felt strong. I swam about 2 miless in Lake Michigan last night. First time on open water since Steelhead last August. Felt good.
I'm about to head to the track with a friend of mine. Thinking about some 800 repeats. I race for the first time this season on the 17th! I am psyched. It's a sprint and the distances are 500m/42k/5k. Nice long bike leg which is perfect for me right now.
Mike - the volume you're putting up is impressive.
John - great to see you back at it! I saw your post about IM!!!
Just got back from the track. It' super humid here today. It was like swimming. So, 1 mile run to the track then 2x400 @ 5:55 pace then 1x800 @ 6:20 pace. Then I was done. I was planning on more but it was clear that I need to ease my way back into it. Had a good run back home.
Tomorrow will be an easy swim and that's it. Recovery day!
I might have been swimming as well this morning. Went out at 5:30 intending on at least 12. Went through the 2 fuel belt bottles faster than I ever have. Shortened the loop the best I could. Was 1:22 for 10.5 miles. Pretty much a death march. I think it was the near 100 percent humidity that was the killer.
Chris and Matt - I can't even imagine training in the level of humidity you guys are dealing with. In NY and DC the past couple of weeks it was 55% to 65% and I thought I was suffocating. Way to go.
Matt - Had the same knee issue last month from the bike. Think I was pushing too hard. Thought maybe my cleat had moved and thrown my alignment off or I was mashing too much at a low cadence. But did the same thing you did and a few days later I was fine. Glad you are better also.
Mike - Did my longest run since December this morning and now off to the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton in 2 hours with a bunch of kiddies. "Parental Brick" day 2 here we come.
As for me . . .
Today the Plan called for 100' run. That would have put me in the 11+ mile range. Since my longest run all year is 6 and I just started that distance 3 weeks ago I figured an almost 50% jump in mileage was pushing it. Don't need an overdistance issues like ITB, etc. So I simply went out for 9 miles at Z1/Z2. Wasn't even sure I could do that. But low and behold I was feeling good and even goosed it a bit the last mile. Overall a nice run with ~ 1,500 of climbing.
I just came down the stairs after my shower and I was s l o w. Legs are tired. Gonna be a long day at the fair.
Good work Mike. You are on fire!
I am sitting here looking at my day tomorrow from the Plan and saying, "holy crap, can I do this!?! 4.5 hours? Are you serious?" Then I see your note, Mike, and think I am a complete pussy!
I don't ever remember seeing this type of workout in last years Plan. Supposed to do it today but my wife had her last long brick today before her Oly next weekend. So I am tomorrow.
Crazy part is I have to really plan this session. Starting at 7:00 AM when the gym opens and I can get in the pool. Packing all my stuff, food, Endurolytes, use my car as transition in the parking lot, yada, yada, yada. Things are starting to get serious. Cross your fingers I don't bonk in the heat on the run.
* Swim 1 hour * Bike 2.5 hours * Run 1 hour
Endurance
WU: 400 yds/m
MS1:
100 (10 ) @ T-pace,
200 (20 ) @ T-pace,
300 (30 ) @ T-pace,
400 (60 ) @ T-pace,
rest 300 (20 ) @ T-pace minus 2 seconds
200 (20 ) @ T-pace minus 3 seconds
100 Sprint
Set Total: 1600
MS2: 8 x 50 (20 ), as odds Fast, evens Easy Set Total: 400
CD: Make workout last 1 hour.
Total: 2700yds/m
MS:
MS:
John - hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! This is pretty much a Race Rehearsal - so use it to nail your hydration down.
You'll do great!
Mike
Ya, funny you mention RR. I spent like 40+ minutes getting everything organized as everything is scattered or couldn't find it.
Been too long since I have done this stuff. Does Infinit have an expiration date? 
Put the Bento Box on the bike, laid out 300 calories an hour, 2 extra 24 oz. bottles of water in the X-lab seat cages, etc. Did everything for an RR short of putting my "Gears" on the stem.
Now that I am organized I am feeling more confident. This will actually be fun . . . . I think.
Will report back tomorrow.
You've got this, John!
Mike, what race are you training for and when is it? You're training is going extremely well!
I had another crazy ride with the Lake Harlem group (local roadies and some triathletes). Had a solid 2 mile run off the bike. Dipped under 7:00 on the second mile. Feeling ready to race next weekend.
Entire workout (137 watts):
Duration: 2:14:49 (2:27:42)
Work: 1107 kJ
TSS: 156.4 (intensity factor 0.834)
Norm Power: 200
VI: 1.46
Pw:HR: n/a
Pa:HR: n/a
Distance: 41.004 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 599 137 watts
Cadence: 30 173 80 rpm
Speed: 2.2 35.1 18.7 mph
Pace 1:43 26:49 3:12 min/mi
Crank Torque: 0 982 143 lb-in
Peak 10min (235 watts):
Duration: 10:00
Work: 141 kJ
TSS: 21.8 (intensity factor 1.144)
Norm Power: 275
VI: 1.17
Pw:HR: n/a
Pa:HR: n/a
Distance: 3.757 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 542 235 watts
Cadence: 41 144 83 rpm
Speed: 8.3 30.9 22.5 mph
Pace 1:56 7:12 2:40 min/mi
Crank Torque: 0 679 245 lb-in
Peak 20min (221 watts):
Duration: 20:00
Work: 265 kJ
TSS: 41.6 (intensity factor 1.117)
Norm Power: 268
VI: 1.22
Pw:HR: n/a
Pa:HR: n/a
Distance: 7.365 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 553 221 watts
Cadence: 31 159 83 rpm
Speed: 2.2 30.9 22.1 mph
Pace 1:56 26:49 2:43 min/mi
Crank Torque: 0 753 227 lb-in
Peak 30min (203 watts):
Duration: 30:00 (31:38)
Work: 366 kJ
TSS: 47.6 (intensity factor 0.976)
Norm Power: 234
VI: 1.15
Pw:HR: n/a
Pa:HR: n/a
Distance: 10.964 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 555 203 watts
Cadence: 31 166 84 rpm
Speed: 2.2 35.1 22.4 mph
Pace 1:43 26:49 2:41 min/mi
Crank Torque: 0 793 207 lb-in
Peak 60min (198 watts):
Duration: 1:00:00 (1:06:43)
Work: 712 kJ
TSS: 101.2 (intensity factor 1.006)
Norm Power: 241
VI: 1.22
Pw:HR: n/a
Pa:HR: n/a
Distance: 21.419 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 599 198 watts
Cadence: 31 166 84 rpm
Speed: 2.2 35.1 21.8 mph
Pace 1:43 26:49 2:45 min/mi
Crank Torque: 0 793 202 lb-in
Matt, I'm running the Headlands 50 next Saturday as a RR, then on Aug 7 is the big show, the Headlands 100. The "headlands" name comes from the Marin Headlands, the open area just North of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Mike
Good work guys! Matt, you are more than ready. What race are YOU doing?
I did my long ass brick this morning. Here are the highlights.
Swim - Did as written and felt GREAT! Nailed each interval between 1:30 and 1:35 per 100 yards. At one point I felt like I was actually "slipping" through the water. The last 8 x 50's were strong. Man I love to swim.
Bike - Went out too hard the first few minutes. Rookie mistake. Legs felt great and I was rolling. Plan called for .75ish IF but I plan on riding .8 at the event so I shot for that. Lotsa rollers and no really long climbs. I underestimated my route and it went long. I had to do some very slow admin miles through Pleasanton to get back in under 3 hours. Overall the bike was fine. I ate 300 claories per hour and drank A LOT! I need to bump up my FTP if I wanna do the 56 at the 70.3 in under 2:45. UGH!
The heat had started picking up about an hour into the ride and I could feel the radiant heat coming off the road towards the end.
Entire workout (169 watts):
Duration: 2:50:36
Work: 1821 kJ
TSS: 188.8 (intensity factor 0.815)
Norm Power: 191
VI: 1.08
Distance: 45.878 mi
Elevation Gain: 1761 ft
Elevation Loss: 1752 ft
Run - HOT! 90 degrees off the bike. I could tell immediately I drank too much too close to transition. I felt sloshy the first 20 minutes and then got side stitches. Settled in after 20 minutes and felt like a "10 Minute Superstar" and just rolled along. Then at 35 minutes my right hamstring locked up. That has NEVER happened before. I took 2 minutes and did some stretching and then started running again. I was fine the rest of the way. Just frigging tired! Ended up running 50 minutes.
Overall I am happy. Pretty much nailed the nutrition and drank a lot. Just have to remember to stop eating and drinking 30 minutes prior to transition so I don't feel sloshy off the bike.
Forgot to add that I ended this first week of training with 743 TSS. The most I have done in one week since before IM CdA last year.
Time for a nap!
Nice work, John! That's a solid day of training and some nice TSS. You are going to get your ass kicked in pillow fight tonight.
I am racing the Evergreen Lake Sprint tri next Saturday. It's a 500m/42k/5k. The plan is to hammer the bike like crazy. I don't really know what my FTP is so it may actually serve as a bit of a test. Then I'll see what I have left for the run. I'm feeling very strong right now and ready to race. My swim has been going very well also.
Mike, 50 for a RR is crazy! I mean that in the best possible way.
I had a great run today, by the way. 6 miles in 42 minutes. Steady negative split and my heart rate stayed pretty low until the last mile.
Keith, you can call them pit bull-ervals.
Glad you are getting some training in while on vacation. Good stuff.
Yes, post your data when you get home!
Enjoy!