Saturday, May 20, 2006

swim starts

Run - 8 miles, 1:12 - flat route, easy pace with 38 min/34 min negative half split

Strength workout - 3 x 8 minutes circuit style: agility ladder, med. ball throw, jump rope, deadlift ball swing, skaters, side lunge with resistance, forward sprint with resistance

Swim - 26 minutes, Lake Wingra - 1000m??

Today's swim was more of a race preparation than a real swim. The water was in the mid 60's and I am glad I have my new neoprene cap because the covering on my ears really helps me stay warm. It took about 5 minutes to get used to the water temperature and then I was fine. I swam some easy laps of a set course near the shore and practiced my sighting in order to swim straight. Then I swam some laps at a hard effort. Then I got out of the water and did a running start, sprinted one lap (probably about 150m), ran out of the water and sprinted about 100m on land while taking off my cap and unzipping my wetsuit. I got some funny looks from sunbathers and picnickers on shore as I sprinted in and out of the water, but I wasn't paying much attention. This was transition practice at its finest. I feel really good about my preparation today.

My biggest concern about my upcoming sprint triathlon (Lake Mills) is the swim start. I am worried about the point where I have just started my stroke and gotten into oxygen debt by going hard. It seems to happen about 50 meters in. In all sprint triathlons I have done, this has been an issue. I end up having to turn over onto my back to catch my breath for a moment before resuming my stroke. This wastes valuable time in the already short swim and gives the other swimmers a chance to get ahead of me. With some practice in running sprint starts, hopefully I can fine tune the effort I should give in the beginning of a race in order to not run out of air.


[5/19/06 Friday]
REST Day

As I was moving a chair on my porch today, I klumsily ran into a brick post and hit the side of my face. I didn't notice it at the time, but I must have really slammed into my eyeball because the white part is now bright red like blood on one side. It looks pretty gross but doesn't hurt at all and I can still see normally. My eyeball is the same color as the Ironman logo.

Thursday, May 18, 2006

walking 4 miles in bike shoes

Swim - 3000yd, 1:00 - main set: 2x200@2:59, 3:06, 3x100@1:29,1:28,1:28, 5x50@41,42,42,42,42 (hard effort)
Run - 8.5 miles, 1:13 - 1 mile warm up, 2 miles hard@14:23, 3 minute recovery walk, 1 mile hard (uphill)@9:15, 9 minute recovery jog, 1.5 miles moderate hard@13:05, 1.5 miles cool down

These were some intense workouts as both included some near all-out efforts. I had an hour nap in the middle of the day to try to get some recovery and I think that was key to making it through the run. My legs were pretty trashed to start. I am in week four of a four week training buildup instead of the typical three weeks because of the scheduling of the Mad City Half Marathon. This would normally be a rest week and my body is definitely ready for that.

My swim intervals gave me a good sense of where I am at. I am satisfied with the times for my 50yd repeats but slowed down noticeably on the longer distances. Similar situation with my run. I was all over the place in the intervals that I did, and I slowed down at the end. I was planning to do 2 three mile repeats at a hard pace, but my knee was starting to hurt and it just didn't seem smart to try to push my pace through that. I have some challenging goals in my mind for my two upcoming races and I think it will be pretty miraculous if I can pull it off.

[Wednesday 5/18/06]
Bike - 1:05, 14 miles - on Horribly Hilly course
Walk - 4 miles in bike shoes in the rain with flat tire

I had high hopes for getting in a good 30-35 hilly miles on the Horribly Hilly course today, but ended up having to cut it short thanks to a flat tire. I had a spare tube and CO2 cartridge on me and I know how to change flat tires, so it could have all worked out fine. After I got the tire on and inflated, I couldn't get the CO2 pump off and deflated the tire as the nozzle was pressed down. I only had one cartridge on me and no hand pump. I had no choice but to start walking. Soon it started raining and lightening. The weather was strange where it was sunny on one half of the sky and black rain clouds with thunder and lightening on the other half. It was scary to be out there. Four miles into my walk, a guy was getting home, saw me walking my bike and asked me if I needed help. We tried to pump up the tire but couldn't and we figured that it was probably punctured by gravel or something while I was walking. He gave me a ride four more miles back to my car, for which I was extremely grateful. I was already annoyed at having to waste the energy to walk four miles in bike shoes when it was not directly benefiting my training in any way. It was a disappointing day with wasted time and energy. I guess these things happen sometimes.

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

consistent 800s

Run - 5.8 mi, 1:05 - 2 mile warmup, 4 x 800 @ 3:20 w/ 3:30 rec (on treadmill), 4 x 400 @ 1:42, 1:46, 1:45, 1:43 w/ 2:30 recovery
Strength - 5 min w/ 15 sec on, 15 off : cable shoulder press, squats with weight, body rows, hanging leg raise
Swim - 4500yd, 1:25 - main set: 9 x 75 w/ every third Back, 15 x 125 w/ every fifth with sighting and 15 sec rec

Thanks to the treadmill I was able to push out consistent 800's at 3:20. My 400's on the track weren't quite as consistent.

It was a good swim. Doing 15 x 125 somehow made the long set go by quickly. It has been a few days since I have swam so my arms were feeling fresh.

Sunday, May 14, 2006

riding in the rain

[Sunday 5/14/06]

Bike - 3 hours - 1 hour spin class, 2 hours outside (27 miles, ave sp 13.4)

The weather was a bit cold and rainy today but turned out ok for a 2 hour ride. My bike and I were covered in dirt by the end. It was really pleasant riding with a friend who I don't ride with very often. Through all our chatting I hardly noticed the hills. I have said it before, but I continue to amaze myself that I can just keep churning out the long workouts day after day.