Week of 3/28 Workouts Discussion

kmepham

I'm starting this thread to give us a space to post how we're doing with this week's workouts (week starting Monday 3/28).  Whatever plan you're on, whatever week of that plan, I just found during the November OS that our weekly bike/run threads were very helpful for encouragement, commiseration, and accountability.

kmepham

And I'll start...today was the first day of race prep for me, doing Beginner HIM weeks 1,3,5-12.  Started with 35min run on the treadmill (still too dark for early runs outside) including 2x.5m + 1x1m @9.5MPH, then off to the pool for the prescribed 2700yds.  Swim is my weak leg, and that's the most yardage I've ever done in my life.  It wasn't fast, and it wasn't pretty, but I survived (to do it all over again tomorrow).  I'm optimistic that I'll be a much better swimmer by the time race day rolls around.

Paul Scholz

@ Kevin tnx for starting this one. Today is week 8 of 12 for HIM intermediate and only had a 3400yd swim. Longest I have gone in almost a decade. Felt pretty good since this is only my second week in the water since September.

Nothing else on the schedule for so feels like a rest day.

jzilles

In my second week of transition before starting up the HIM plan next week in week 4 of 12. I swam today about 2,700 yards. Only my 3rd swim since September 2010. I'm about where I left off last year and don't regret NOT swimming at all during the Outseason!

Daniela

 

I’m doing parts of the Advande HIM Week 1 this week, half marathon race this weekend, then doing a full transition week next week, then weeks 2 and 5-12 getting ready for Kansas 70.3. 

 

So, I kind of did the Monday swim, however I read it wrong. MS1 has “Repeat 3 more times”, which I read as “Repeat 3 times”, so only did the set 3 times and not 4 times. But, I had added an easy 100 after the MS1 and an extra 100 to the CD, so I only missed out on 200 meters. 

 

The 300’s at T-pace plus 3 were much more relaxing then I expected them to be. Btw, if anyone wonders like I did, it’s ((T-pace + 3 seconds) * 3), not ((T-pace * 3) + 3 seconds). I asked this to RnP during the OS.

 

At the end of next month our pool is closing for repair until approximately May 27^th. I’m not a happy camper. The other pools that I can user are not very convenient, and I’m not looking forward to paying $3 three times per week for 5 weeks. Hopefully the other pools at least have a punch card or something, and I hope to get outside for some OW swimming which is free.

 

The rest of my week looks like:

Tuesday -> HIM Week 1 Wednesday brick (modified to be 60-75’ bike + 30’ run)

Wednesday -> HIM Week 1 Monday run

Thursday -> Transition Week 1 Tuesday Bike

Friday -> Transition Week 1 Friday Swim

Saturday -> shorts, easy 30min run

Sunday -> Run for the Roses Half Marathon

markg11cdn

Looks like a bunch of us are having fun with the swimming. I'm in week 2 of transition, gearing up to start intermediate 12 week HIM next week. Today was :

WU: 400 yds/m
3xMS1:
* 100 as 25 sprint, 75 easy (15 rest)
* 100, as 50 sprint, 50 easy (15 rest)
* 100, as 75 sprint, 25 easy (60 rest)
* 100 sprint, straight into an easy 50
MS2: 2 x 300 (20 ) @ T-pace plus 3 , counting strokes and focusing on form Set Total: 600yd
CD: 100 easy

I pushed myself really hard for the sprints in the MS1 sets. Used a PB for the 2x300 and hovered around the requested pace. 2450 yards which is a really long swim for me.

cheers - mark

William Jenks

Put me down for 2000 yd swim. 500 misc warmup, 3 x 500 fairly hard as pull, swim, pull 1 x 100 against the guy in the lane besides me. :-)

I could easily swim longer, but I'm trying to (a) take the transition phase seriously, and (b) focus on frequency in the pool right now. Got in 4 times last week, all for about 2000 yds and it feels a lot better. Today I did my first 8:00 (or very close) 500 on the straight swim, so that's a pretty big landmark for me.

Lost to the guy in the next lane, but he went 1:23. :-) I didn't catch my time, but I know it was under 1:30.

rob allen

@Kevin- Thanks for kicking this off. I was a bit lost without the Nov OS group.



I am on week 2 of the intermediate plan. Still trying to settle in to the new schedule and also juggle around a sprint this coming weekend.



Did everything as written today. 2700 in the pool after work. Swimming is my crux. To say I have no rhythm or finesse is an understatement. I didn't lose anything over the winter, but I didn't really have anything to lose. And hour run after the kids went to sleep with 2 x 1 mile in the middle @ 6:17, 6:22. Overall pace for the run came in at 7:17.



Looks like we get to do it all over tomorrow.

ironmtngrl

Today was my first day of really getting into the HIM training. I was thrilled to get a clean bill of health today from my doc who X-rayed my knee (mountain bike crash). I'm good to go! I went out and did the 1 hr bike with Vo2Max intervals, and then 30 minute brick. It is sooo nice to be outside again on the bike. I searched around and tried a couple different hills to see which was best for a 2.5 minute interval. I'm doing the 2.5 x 2.5 just like the OS instead of the 30x30s, at least as long as I can hack it. I am sooo rested it is unbelievable. It's much easier to hit the power numbers than when I was nearly dead at the end of the NOS. My knee hurts pretty bad f rom the V02 efforts, and then the running. I'm icing it and taking ibuprofen. Can't wait until I can get rid of the pain.

rob allen

Another 2800 in the pool today. Started out a little rough, but found a little groove in the second half. Had to share a lane with a walker. It is crazy how busy the pool has been lately. Ran 40 minutes at zone 2 after bed time. Came in around 7:24 pace.

Paul Scholz

yesterday's 80 minute FTP ride went very well, felt very strong (can't ride with power right now until I get my new bike at the end of this week), but just pushed like hell for the 8, 12, 15 FTP intervals.

did my 2800 in the pool this AM, using mostly the swim hack for drills right now. Am in wk 8 of intermediate HIM plan, so after next week, I am going to shift to propulsion.

About to take the dog out for the 45 strides run, only it's raining like a b+@tch right now.

Daniela

 

I changed my workout plan yesterday and just did the full bike without a run since I’ll be running on vacation and no biking. Dang that was hard! I took FTP to mean 95%-100%. I had hope to be a lot more consistent then I was, but with how I felt in the middle of the 20’, I was just happy I finished the full 20’. And, the last 10’ was higher than the 20’. Glad that’s done. I do wonder how the run would have felt after that. 

 

MS:

• 10' (4') @ FTP/z4-5. (Actual IF= 1.004)
• 15' (4') @ FTP/z4-5. (Actual IF= .996)
• 20' (4') @ FTP/z4-5. (Actual IF= .966)
• 10' (4') @ FTP/z4-5. (Actual IF= .968)
• Remainder of session at 75-80%  (10’ @ Actual IF= .797)

 

Today I did the Transition Week 2 run of 4x.5 @ z4. I somehow managed to pull off an amazing end of OS 5k test (or my Garmin is broken), so my run zones completely changed. I was a little worried about begin able to hold them, so I opted for the 4x.5 over the 3x1 that I was originally planning on doing. I did hit all targets, but not sure if I could have held it for a mile at a time. 

 

Time to start the taper/recovery/transition days!!

kmepham

@William, I wish I had your 8:00 500; I'm more like a 9:30, and will be quite happy if I can achieve 8:45 by June 5.

Did the 2900 in the pool yesterday, and the 40' run (on the treadmill coz it was dark). Today's bike workout was tough - why is my NOS Wk 14 tested FTP so tough to sustain now? I was aiming for at least 95% on the intervals but couldn't come close. Did the bike on the trainer (dark), but it sure was nice to do today's run outside in the new red Zoots - even if I did return home only to find myself locked out with the spare key nowhere to be found.
16' WU
8' @ 219 (IF 0.945)
12' @ 211 (IF 0.911)
16' @ 199 (IF 0.86)
8' @ 209 (IF 0.903)
Total bike 85', TSS 88.9
Run 25', TSS 34.1, IF 0.848

kmepham

Today's 90-minute long run is the longest I've ever run, and my legs sure feel used now even though I didn't hit the targets.
WU 30' @ 8:09/NGP7:51 (Z1 tgt 8:16)
4 x .5mile @ 6:43/NGP7:10, 6:57/NGP7:02, 7:11/NGP6:57, 7:29/NGP6:49 (Z4 tgt 6:38, oops, forgot this was supposed to be Z4)
24' @ 7:23/NGP7:22 (Z2 tgt 7:02), cadence 88, HR 160
Total 90', TSS 111.1 (IF 0.81)

Jon Bergmann

I'm still in transition week. I will start HIM next Monday. I plan to swim for the first time this Saturday since maybe August. Good news is swimming is my strong point so I am not worried. It will be good to get back in the pool.

@Kevin: nice work on the running.  I wish I had your running legs (my vdot is 46).  My swim is pretty fair:  I can do 500 yds in under 7:00 so I would be ahead of you on the swim and you would no doubt catch me on the run.

ironmtngrl

My stupid left knee is still hurting (mountain biking crash). I tried out running a bit but it was soon apparent that running would push me backwards in the healing process. So I went to the gym. I can go easyish on the bike, pushing harder with the right leg than the left. I did that for 45 min then 45 min on the elliptical. I loaded up "Iron Ambition" on my Kindle to not be bored while listening the the Age Grouper podcast on my iPod. Surprised I didn't electrocute myself with all the sweat + electronic devices. I feel OK that this will maintain my running/biking pretty well. Hope to be back to 100% by this weekend. We're doing a club time trial this Sunday and I would love to crush it.

kmepham

Sore legs today after yesterday's long run; apparently outdoor-running-muscles are different than treadmill-running muscles? So it was a relief to take the weight off the legs with today's pool swim. 2700yds @ average pace of 1:59/100yds. Slow, but I swim TI-style, minimizing effort, so the only way I'm going to go faster is to improve my form and my capacity to hold that form over longer distances.

ironmtngrl

I was able to get out for 2 hours on the bike yesterday and even push it moderately. It hurt a bit during/after, but I iced, elevated like crazy afterwards. Knee is getting better, just have to be patient. I'm anxious to try it out today and see if I can do this club time trial at noon today (Roadies vs. Tri geek club time trial) I really want to go and see where I stand in relation to the local riders now post NOS. Also - I weighed in below 120 today!! I've been trying to break that barrier all winter!

William Jenks

@Kevin-

The 8:00 500 is like anything else...only doable with rest and all. I did a couple hour real brick over the weekend, and I totally agree with you about those bike powers. If I remmber from last year, it got better after a couple of weeks; I am sure hoping so! :-)

Today was a 40/40 day weather-wise. 40 degrees and 40 mph winds (before gusts) in the open. Crazy!

I ran about 7 mi in my hour run overall in my hour. Workout had 2 x 1.5 mi at threshold, and I ran it as 1 x 3 mi and managed to get it done (on a 3 mi loop) despite the wind, so that felt really good. Jumped in the pool for another hour, and I'm starting to feel like that "normal triathlete" again. :-)

@Kevin - have you considered getting some lessons from a more conventional swim coach? I'm no swim stud, but I know enough to tell you that "normal" swimmers think that TI looks very strange and isn't particularly a fast way to swim. Conventional swimmers would say that it's probably a good way to learn to swim as an adult, but then you should move on to a more normal looking stroke. Maybe Jon will contribute to that thought (or tell me I'm full of it!). I got a couple lessons from the local university coach (who also works with TJ Tollakson) and the first thing he asked me was whether I had taken any TI lessons...and it wasn't approvingly. :-) But if it works for you, don't let me tell you otherwise!