The Countdown: 10 Weeks to CDA
Only made it 1800m at the pool this morning before water aerobics took over the pool. Note to self: get up another half hour earlier for the pool.
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Only made it 1800m at the pool this morning before water aerobics took over the pool. Note to self: get up another half hour earlier for the pool.
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After the swim I packed up the little one into the jogging stroller and did my 3 x 1mi @ TP. Wind is still out there so it wasn't the easiest pushing that parachute but Chelsea loved it. She was even trying to hand me back some pretzel sticks for nutrition. Splits were 7:28, 7:29, 7:13. Really would like to run these one week without the stroller but don't think that will happen.
As for working out, only a swim on the schedule today? Done and I don't know what to do with myself. Made a proper lunch with actual vegetables for me and my daughter. Even cleaned the kitchen. Was even tempted to run a bit but it was raining out.
DVR Alert: They are showing IM New Zealand on Universal Sports today. I think its on at 2pm west coast time.
Due to some scheduling strangeness, I'll be doing my Big Day on Thursday. Looking forward to it.
In other news I have become addicted to Trail Mix from Costco... the one with M&Ms in it. I'm eating crazy amounts of it.
And I think IM NZ is on @ 6PM EST. Not sure if it is different on the Left Coast or not.
art: i live off m&m's! can't afford the trail mix part.
here's a pic from this weekend's climbing century @ the top of a 4mile climb that ranged from 12%-22%...and it came at mile 80.
mtn rear derailleur and 11-32 cassette.
...actually, forget it, i don't know how to send a pic anymore with this new format of website/server whatever.
swim still developing. run on schedule. bike, we'll have to wait and see.
safe training to all!
GH
As to the bike and runs, the runs are going great long runs seem to be just right and the speed workouts fell good. The bike isn't too bad, been forced to do much of it on the trainer as I need to be available for kids, etc. or it is too dark, raining, etc.
Looking forward to the Big Day x2 last one went pretty good, so looking forward to another one.
@ All - I'm still plugging away and getting it done. No injuries (knock on wood). Here is a summary of the past few days:
Saturday - 4 hours on the spin bike (3 classes plus time between classes since it was raining and 40 degrees). This was an exercise in mental toughness as I about lost my mind that long riding inside. Then ran 3 miles at 7:30 pace.
Sunday - 3.5 hour ride with local cycling club. Sunny ,dry, but 38 degrees and strong wind. Brrr!! Work works as I was as fast as any of the roadies.
Monday - Swim 2300 yds then run 4.5 miles with 1x mile @ 6:48 pace and 1 x 1.5 miles @ 6:20 pace.
Tuesday - Raining this am so back to the spin class. Per Coach R, I'm adding an extra bike session per week (dropping one of the runs) so today I did 80' with 4 x 8' (2') Z4 , then the balance at Z3. Heading to pool to the do the swim work out tonight.
Stay health and get lots of sleep. 3xs on the M&Ms.
My left hip has been bugging me a bit while running. I think I strained it two weeks ago during my long run. Last week I tried doing the long run and had to cut it 10 minutes short, since the last half hour or so it was progressively feeling worse. My shorter runs I haven't had a problem with. I have been using the heating pad on it a lot, which seems to help. Hopefully it won't be an issue much longer.
did a 17:15:45 for 1000yrds. down 30seconds from last month. haven't been swimming much so i wanted to gain confidence before starting up with all the intervals. almost no kick and focused on the pull more. overall i am happy.
Allen: i'm not sure what the concensus is for breathing during the IM swim, but planning to breath every 3rd is too few i think? in a race i breath every other stroke on the same side, unless i have to breath on the other side for some reason. however, i don't know much about swimming norms.
GH
actually, down 44 seconds! yeah.
Regarding breathing during the race: I train 50-60% breathing every third stroke, and the other 40%, I split between breathing every other stroke on the left, and every other on the right. In the race, except for the first 1-2 minutes, it's all "every other stroke", either right or lefrt as the situation dictates. Coach Rich advises this as well, from waht he posts.
Allen - you should be *faster* breathing every other stroke than breathing every third. At the GH Y pool, at the same time you go, there is a swim instructor in one of the lanes (2nd one over from the pace clocks?) which is marked with a traffic cone, who will watch your stroke and offer advice.
I've had to juggle the schedule because I have the Grizzly Triathlon this weekend. So, despite being on a business trip in Helena, I moved the big day to today! Started off with a swim in a new gym in town. Headed back to the Holiday Inn and, with tv remote in hand, cranked out 3:50 on the trainer. IF was a little low at .62, but I'll take it for such a mind numbing ride. There is not enough TV or iPad to make that fun. After that, hit the treadmill for 6 miles even in 60 min.
I have destroyed my room no doubt. Still one thing left to do. Get some sleep!!!
Looks like @Gil and @Scott are killing the swim. What's the secret? I think I've gone from Over 2:00/100m to 1:50 or so. Improvement but not enough.
As for the rest of the training it is coming along just nicely. Weighed in this morning and I finally broke the 160 mark, which I have been struggling with for some time. I think I am starting to adapt to the tri-bike, and some of that lost power is starting to come back. I believe I need to shot a vid off to Todd for a fit analysis though. My right knee and elbow keep hitting.
I can't say that I am 100% ready for ToC, but I think that is probably more mental than anything. I am letting the fact that I am going out to ride with the big boys (have you seen Coach R's numbers) psych me out a bit. I have 3 solid weekends left though, including the Big Day and the RR#1, so should be good by time May 14th rolls around.
And what can I say about the running. This is the part that I enjoy the most. The legs are feeling really good on both the long runs and the speed work. I know that 2.4 miles of swimming and 112 miles on the bike are going to make a major difference, but I keep telling myself if you can make it to the run you are set.
Have a great day gang. Gotta get back to work for a little bit, and then head back to the pool. Hoping the consistency there is going to pay off.
On my end, still getting in my workouts, but per a discussion with WSM Leigh Boyle on coming out of rehab and still dealing with a few nagging issues, am taking a different approach than the standard EN plan. Really focusing on just building up my endurance to be able to finish and not really worry so much about speed at this point.
Thus - this past weekend, spent 2 hours on the trainer on Saturday followed by a brick run. On Sunday, did a 55 mile charity bike ride that had over 5000ft of climbing. Was busy with work on Monday, so last night did 50 minutes on the dreadmill and then swam 2000m. Overall, the swim and bike are coming along, but the run is where the injuries are making it a little tough....but we'll figure it out and get her done!!
@Scott - For the hip, make sure you check Leigh's ATA site - has some good stretches and ART stuff. Has helped me out.
All The Best Team....
Is anyone else feeling like they got run over by a bus? I love to ride, and the only thing I was thinking to myself today when I got on my bike was "I can't wait until this workout is over."
@ Shannon - Yep! I know the feelin. Some days I just don't want to do the workout. But I still go and once I get started my attitude comes around. Just keep plugging away. I've also got a crazy week next week - 4 days on the road, different hotel each night, not sure what I'm going to be able to do.
And the EN Kool Aid finally cracked me. Couldn't take all the healthy eating any longer, broke down and had a Big Mac and fries for lunch - man was that good!! But like Peter I broke 160 lbs this week, a weight I haven't seen since senior year of college. Ok- so the Big Mac was my reward.
Did the brick workout this am. Made it thru ok.
Stay healthy everyone.
good swim session today. managed 1:36/100yrds pace for 500yards and then fell to 1:46 consistently until the end of the session. still not doing sprints, since i am still getting comfortable with technique. also tried what felt like hunching my shoulders in the water and it seemed to keep my speed constant with less effort. that was cool.
run is later, speed work.
sending positive vibes out to the whole group!
gh
Spent some time working on the stroke itself and playing with some of the toys. I found that using the pullboy allowed me to swim much longer before I actually got tired. I felt like I could manage my breathing much better when I didn't have to fight sinking. So after the drill work, I would swim 100/yds with the pullboy and then 50/yds without it, rest 30 secs, repeat. I think I did this for almost 30 minutes. This is probably the farthest I have ever swam without major breaks.
So my question is am I hurting myself using the pullboy? Won't I get the same effect from the wetsuit? I am tempted to totally geek-out and start bringing the wetsuit to the pool. At least once so that I can see if I do get the same effect.
@Peter - Not a bad idea to get the wetsuit in the pool. If you haven't been in one much, a good way to get a feel for it. Just make sure to get the clorine out. On the pullbouy, while you can certainly use, it's clearly more work without one. I like to not use it and build up my endurance, knowing in the back of my head that the wetsuit will make it a little easier. Another benefit of not using the pullbouy is if you hit a race where you are not allowed to use a wetsuit - This happened at last years Eagleman 70.3 and lots of people were pretty concerned they couldn't go with the wetsuit. So maybe keep alternating and using it a little less each swim session...?
I got on the Tri bike today for the first time since the Chicago Tri last summer. While I didn't hammer it and was only on for 70 minutes, the hamstrings held up ok, so another step on the recovery road taken.
@ Peter - Pull buoy is better; I've been "swimming" with one for 30+ years, as I always hated to kick freestyle. Once I started doing tris (12 years ago), I realised practicing with a pull buoy was most like swimming in a wet suit. Coach Rich also spends the majority of his time in the pull with a p.b. Instead of a wet suit (which can make you VERY warm in a pool which is 81-84F), I use this Desoto Speed Tube to give the same effect.
Just remember, with a pull buoy, to concentrate a bit on longitudinal rotation; roll from side to side, resist the temptation to stay flat in the water. You legs will then naturally move up and down a bit in a two beat straight leg "kick", just what you should be doing in the race in your wet suit.
I am banking on CdA being wetsuit legal, and therefore being ready for that race. If not then I will do the best I can.
Will also echo Al's comments on making sure you roll with the buoy... it is easy to just swim flat which is a habit that won't serve you well on race day.
As a caveat, I have heard of people who claim that their stroke is "kick-based"... I so don't understand that concept that they might as well be from another planet. I suppose it is easier for them to kick than pull?!