Run - 9.5 miles, 1:33 - arboretum +, hills
i miss my training buddy.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Monday, July 31, 2006
Spiderman bouncy ball phenomenon
Swim - 1.2 miles, 42:39 - Lake Monona
Whew! An easy day and I was done at 6:45am.
Earlier in the season, I came up with a way to be seen in the lake to avoid being run over by ski boats - large inflatable bouncy balls that kids sit on and bounce while holding on to the handle make great buoys. I got a bright yellow Spiderman ball at Toys R Us and attached one end to the handle of the ball and the other end to my waist with a long strap and my race belt. When I swim with it, it drags behind me with little extra effort and makes me visible in the water from at least a mile away. A few people saw me and asked me about it... that was a month or two ago. I guess the idea caught on because today there were a bunch of swimmers out there that I didn't know, two (!) of whom were swimming with Spiderman bouncy balls attached to themselves. It's funny what catches on sometimes.
Whew! An easy day and I was done at 6:45am.
Earlier in the season, I came up with a way to be seen in the lake to avoid being run over by ski boats - large inflatable bouncy balls that kids sit on and bounce while holding on to the handle make great buoys. I got a bright yellow Spiderman ball at Toys R Us and attached one end to the handle of the ball and the other end to my waist with a long strap and my race belt. When I swim with it, it drags behind me with little extra effort and makes me visible in the water from at least a mile away. A few people saw me and asked me about it... that was a month or two ago. I guess the idea caught on because today there were a bunch of swimmers out there that I didn't know, two (!) of whom were swimming with Spiderman bouncy balls attached to themselves. It's funny what catches on sometimes.
Sunday, July 30, 2006
long intense week
Bike - 78 miles, 5:11
Run - 2 miles, 18:11
I was on vacation from work this week, but have been working at home, and working out. This was a hard training week, with 19 hours total. That is the most hours I have ever trained in one week, and it was great to have the luxury of taking naps whenever I needed them, and of preparing the right recovery foods to try to fill myself up (a tough task!). I have been eating a box of blueberries a day, as well as at least a gallon of water. It is really hot out and I don't have air conditioning, so I guess this is all part of my heat acclimation.
I am tired with general fatigue, but have no muscle soreness. I am looking forward to recovery this week. Next Saturday I am doing the Steelhead 70.3 Half Ironman, so I'll see if all this volume pays off. I haven't done any specific race prep for it, and no speedwork because it just doesn't fit into Ironman training this close to the race. This is unusual for me and it makes me a little nervous, but I am sure I can gut it out and do pretty well no matter. I have to trust my training.
Training totals this week:
Swim - 14000m, 5:10
Bike - 132 miles, 8:40
Run - 33 miles, 5:11
--------------------------
Total: 19:01
[7/29/06 Saturday]
Swim - 3 mi (4800m), 1:53 - in Lake Monona
Run - 8 mi, 1:15
This is the longest I have ever swam before! My toes turned all white and shriveled :)
[7/28/06 Friday]
Bike - 32.6 miles, 2:05
Swim - 3500yd, 1:15 - main set as 7 x 300 on 6 min@5:20-5:40
[7/27/06 Thursday]
REST Day, Yoga class
[7/26/06 Wednesday]
Run - 17 miles, 2:40
I am still tired from that 90 mile ride on Sunday, so this really felt like an Ironman training run starting out on sore legs. I had bad moments, but then things would turn around and I would start feeling better. I am happy knowing that I could have done more.
Run - 2 miles, 18:11
I was on vacation from work this week, but have been working at home, and working out. This was a hard training week, with 19 hours total. That is the most hours I have ever trained in one week, and it was great to have the luxury of taking naps whenever I needed them, and of preparing the right recovery foods to try to fill myself up (a tough task!). I have been eating a box of blueberries a day, as well as at least a gallon of water. It is really hot out and I don't have air conditioning, so I guess this is all part of my heat acclimation.
I am tired with general fatigue, but have no muscle soreness. I am looking forward to recovery this week. Next Saturday I am doing the Steelhead 70.3 Half Ironman, so I'll see if all this volume pays off. I haven't done any specific race prep for it, and no speedwork because it just doesn't fit into Ironman training this close to the race. This is unusual for me and it makes me a little nervous, but I am sure I can gut it out and do pretty well no matter. I have to trust my training.
Training totals this week:
Swim - 14000m, 5:10
Bike - 132 miles, 8:40
Run - 33 miles, 5:11
--------------------------
Total: 19:01
[7/29/06 Saturday]
Swim - 3 mi (4800m), 1:53 - in Lake Monona
Run - 8 mi, 1:15
This is the longest I have ever swam before! My toes turned all white and shriveled :)
[7/28/06 Friday]
Bike - 32.6 miles, 2:05
Swim - 3500yd, 1:15 - main set as 7 x 300 on 6 min@5:20-5:40
[7/27/06 Thursday]
REST Day, Yoga class
[7/26/06 Wednesday]
Run - 17 miles, 2:40
I am still tired from that 90 mile ride on Sunday, so this really felt like an Ironman training run starting out on sore legs. I had bad moments, but then things would turn around and I would start feeling better. I am happy knowing that I could have done more.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
mental aspect of two loop courses
Swim - 2.4 miles, 1:22 - Lake Monona, choppy conditions
Bike - 21.3 miles, 1:24 - ave sp. 15.1, easy recovery ride
This makes two days in a row that I have gone swimming in the lake early in the morning. I usually have trouble doing that, so I am proud of myself. Today I did two laps of the standard 1.2 out-and-back which makes me doubly proud of myself. I was ready to stop after one, but didn't let myself bail. It felt like a long time in the water.
Each event of Ironman Wisconsin is two loops. So, once in each sport, three times that day, I will feel like being ready to stop but have to do double what I just did. As my workouts have gotten longer recently, I am feeling that the mental strength to keep going is going to be a key component of the race. Doing two loop courses in training will help me learn to face the beginning of that second loop without so much dread. The third quarter of any race is always the toughest for me because I still have a lot to go, but am already somewhat tired from the first half. Facing a second loop, as though I am at the beginning, is even tougher.
Bike - 21.3 miles, 1:24 - ave sp. 15.1, easy recovery ride
This makes two days in a row that I have gone swimming in the lake early in the morning. I usually have trouble doing that, so I am proud of myself. Today I did two laps of the standard 1.2 out-and-back which makes me doubly proud of myself. I was ready to stop after one, but didn't let myself bail. It felt like a long time in the water.
Each event of Ironman Wisconsin is two loops. So, once in each sport, three times that day, I will feel like being ready to stop but have to do double what I just did. As my workouts have gotten longer recently, I am feeling that the mental strength to keep going is going to be a key component of the race. Doing two loop courses in training will help me learn to face the beginning of that second loop without so much dread. The third quarter of any race is always the toughest for me because I still have a lot to go, but am already somewhat tired from the first half. Facing a second loop, as though I am at the beginning, is even tougher.
Monday, July 24, 2006
trick the waves
Swim - 1.2 miles, 39:36 - Lake Monona, choppy water
Run - 6.2 miles, 56:50 - Arboretum loop, hot
Is there some secret to swimming fast when you are going with the wind? I didn't go much faster going against the wind as going with it. I felt like I was getting pushed forward with each wave, then pulled backward. Is there some open water swim technique to "trick" the waves?
I did my run in the hottest part of the day to keep working on my heat acclimation. The hotter the better since Ironman somehow always tends to be on the hottest day of the year. I didn't let myself walk and I tried to focus on running strong for the whole time.
Run - 6.2 miles, 56:50 - Arboretum loop, hot
Is there some secret to swimming fast when you are going with the wind? I didn't go much faster going against the wind as going with it. I felt like I was getting pushed forward with each wave, then pulled backward. Is there some open water swim technique to "trick" the waves?
I did my run in the hottest part of the day to keep working on my heat acclimation. The hotter the better since Ironman somehow always tends to be on the hottest day of the year. I didn't let myself walk and I tried to focus on running strong for the whole time.
Sunday, July 23, 2006
rest ... now back to the grind
Bike - 92 miles, 6:03, Ave Sp. 15.3mph, hilly - round trip Cross Plains to Spring Green plus detour
Run - 2.3 miles, 19:54 - transition run
Back to the grind today. I started the day at 7 am from Festge Park in Cross Plains. It was cold with patches of dense fog at first, but became warm, sunny, and humid after a few hours despite the forecast for rain and clouds. I planned to go 80 miles today but took a wrong turn that ended up adding 12 miles. In 6 hours out there I only saw 2 other cyclists total. I guess this wasn't a very popular route or something. It was on parts of the Horribly Hilly ride course and had a good mix of hills and flat stretches. I enjoyed my compact crank even more today than the other day. My transition run was actually no big deal today, which I think had something to do with having easier gears for the hills. I have never felt as good on a post-bike run as I did today.
Today's Nutrition:
Pre-ride - 1 bagel with peanut butter and jelly, 1 piece banana bread
During-ride -
1 bottle plain water
1 bottle water with Nuun electrolyte tablet
1 bottle mix: 1 1/2 scoops Sustained Energy, 4 scoops endurolytes, 1 packet banana hammer gel
1 bottle gatorade (1 1/2 scoops)
1 bottle Heed (1 scoop)
2 clif bars
handful of pretzels
-Comments on nutrition: I felt hungry and thirsty at times during the ride. I could have had more solid food. Heed tastes like chewed up pills - this is not a good drink for me to use to encourage drinking. My stomach felt good during the run. I had a light headache at times during the ride and lingering into the evening after the ride. I think I would have been prepared for a cool ride, but it got hotter than I was expecting. Next time - one water bottle per hour + solid food?
[Saturday 7/20/06]
REST Day
I can't remember the last time I took an entire Saturday off of training. I felt like such an iconoclast today because I knew that all the other Ironman people were out there slaving away on their mega bike-run bricks in the heat. Meanwhile, I was leisurely browsing the farmers market, taking myself out to breakfast, sipping tea at a coffeeshop, taking a nap, and relaxing in the hot tub at the gym. This day was as mentally rejuvenating as it was physically rejuvenating.
This week is going to be a long hard week, followed by a taper week and a half-Ironman race. Keeping focused through all this is going to take everything I have. I have been at it for 7 months solid and the end is just within sight. Ironman is exactly 7 weeks from tomorrow.
[Friday 7/21/06]
REST Day
I was planning to go to Boulder, CO today for a week to train and work on a freelance web project. That is not going to happen. I am just too tired. It has been so hot that I haven't slept well and am getting to a state of overtraining that my body can't recover from. I need rest and recovery and all my energy needs to go into my upcoming hard week of workouts. I am going to stay home instead to get myself in a better state of being. I am cranky, indecisive, sleepy, worn-out, and pretty much useless for anything but sitting.
I took some extra time today (between naps) to clean and organize my house. Things had gone on far too long. Step 1 to feeling like my life is under control.
[Thursday 7/20/06]
Run - 6 miles, 50:32 - on lakeshore path (flat), hot conditions
Swim - 2000m, 45:14 - main set: 12 x 100 @ 1:45-1:53 on 2 min
Ok, so now I know I haven't lost all my running speed. After my recent race runs, I have started to wonder. I just need to make sure I do some runs where I force myself to push the pace and not let up. I got the new Red Hot Chili Peppers CD Stadium Arcadium and this kept me moving along today. There are some great songs on there.
Run - 2.3 miles, 19:54 - transition run
Back to the grind today. I started the day at 7 am from Festge Park in Cross Plains. It was cold with patches of dense fog at first, but became warm, sunny, and humid after a few hours despite the forecast for rain and clouds. I planned to go 80 miles today but took a wrong turn that ended up adding 12 miles. In 6 hours out there I only saw 2 other cyclists total. I guess this wasn't a very popular route or something. It was on parts of the Horribly Hilly ride course and had a good mix of hills and flat stretches. I enjoyed my compact crank even more today than the other day. My transition run was actually no big deal today, which I think had something to do with having easier gears for the hills. I have never felt as good on a post-bike run as I did today.
Today's Nutrition:
Pre-ride - 1 bagel with peanut butter and jelly, 1 piece banana bread
During-ride -
1 bottle plain water
1 bottle water with Nuun electrolyte tablet
1 bottle mix: 1 1/2 scoops Sustained Energy, 4 scoops endurolytes, 1 packet banana hammer gel
1 bottle gatorade (1 1/2 scoops)
1 bottle Heed (1 scoop)
2 clif bars
handful of pretzels
-Comments on nutrition: I felt hungry and thirsty at times during the ride. I could have had more solid food. Heed tastes like chewed up pills - this is not a good drink for me to use to encourage drinking. My stomach felt good during the run. I had a light headache at times during the ride and lingering into the evening after the ride. I think I would have been prepared for a cool ride, but it got hotter than I was expecting. Next time - one water bottle per hour + solid food?
[Saturday 7/20/06]
REST Day
I can't remember the last time I took an entire Saturday off of training. I felt like such an iconoclast today because I knew that all the other Ironman people were out there slaving away on their mega bike-run bricks in the heat. Meanwhile, I was leisurely browsing the farmers market, taking myself out to breakfast, sipping tea at a coffeeshop, taking a nap, and relaxing in the hot tub at the gym. This day was as mentally rejuvenating as it was physically rejuvenating.
This week is going to be a long hard week, followed by a taper week and a half-Ironman race. Keeping focused through all this is going to take everything I have. I have been at it for 7 months solid and the end is just within sight. Ironman is exactly 7 weeks from tomorrow.
[Friday 7/21/06]
REST Day
I was planning to go to Boulder, CO today for a week to train and work on a freelance web project. That is not going to happen. I am just too tired. It has been so hot that I haven't slept well and am getting to a state of overtraining that my body can't recover from. I need rest and recovery and all my energy needs to go into my upcoming hard week of workouts. I am going to stay home instead to get myself in a better state of being. I am cranky, indecisive, sleepy, worn-out, and pretty much useless for anything but sitting.
I took some extra time today (between naps) to clean and organize my house. Things had gone on far too long. Step 1 to feeling like my life is under control.
[Thursday 7/20/06]
Run - 6 miles, 50:32 - on lakeshore path (flat), hot conditions
Swim - 2000m, 45:14 - main set: 12 x 100 @ 1:45-1:53 on 2 min
Ok, so now I know I haven't lost all my running speed. After my recent race runs, I have started to wonder. I just need to make sure I do some runs where I force myself to push the pace and not let up. I got the new Red Hot Chili Peppers CD Stadium Arcadium and this kept me moving along today. There are some great songs on there.
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
day one with new compact crank
BRICK:
Swim - 4000m, 1:27 - main set: 4 x 950m @ 18:22, 18:53, 19:22, 19:57 w/ 2 min rest
Bike - 37 miles, 2:24 - average speed 15.4 mph, downtown Madison to Paoli plus a little extra
Man am I tired. Sleepy and exhausted. When is Ironman again?
Today for my swim I broke up the IM 2.4 miles into 4 segments (950m) and tried to swim them at my Ironman pace. That would have been about 18:45 each. I didn't quite make it, but given my level of exhaustion right now, this does not concern me. It is really a miracle I made it through at all.
I got out of the pool and got right on my bike to start my ride. It was my first day riding with my new compact crank (FSA carbon mega-exo compact) and I was surprised at how much easier it was. With the upgrade, I also took my crank arm from a 177.5mm length made for giants down to the more typical 172.5mm. I can already tell that my pedaling is smoother and it is easier to keep a high cadence. AND, I am loving my new granny gear for the hills!
In triathlon, you can buy speed. The next upgrade I am thinking about for my bike is HED 3 spoke race wheels.
Swim - 4000m, 1:27 - main set: 4 x 950m @ 18:22, 18:53, 19:22, 19:57 w/ 2 min rest
Bike - 37 miles, 2:24 - average speed 15.4 mph, downtown Madison to Paoli plus a little extra
Man am I tired. Sleepy and exhausted. When is Ironman again?
Today for my swim I broke up the IM 2.4 miles into 4 segments (950m) and tried to swim them at my Ironman pace. That would have been about 18:45 each. I didn't quite make it, but given my level of exhaustion right now, this does not concern me. It is really a miracle I made it through at all.
I got out of the pool and got right on my bike to start my ride. It was my first day riding with my new compact crank (FSA carbon mega-exo compact) and I was surprised at how much easier it was. With the upgrade, I also took my crank arm from a 177.5mm length made for giants down to the more typical 172.5mm. I can already tell that my pedaling is smoother and it is easier to keep a high cadence. AND, I am loving my new granny gear for the hills!
In triathlon, you can buy speed. The next upgrade I am thinking about for my bike is HED 3 spoke race wheels.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
GGVII Race Report
Run - 16.5 miles, 2:40
I rolled out of bed at 5am and was out the door to start this run at 5:20. It was actually kind of cool outside at the early hour. I went around Lake Monona (12 miles) and then took the Wingra bike path over to the Arboretum to get in the extra miles. My legs are still pretty well toasted from Sunday and I am feeling tired all over, but somehow I made it through this. I am getting more and more used to the feeling of pushing through a long workout when starting out tired. It was a nice morning and I listened to a classical music station. This was very unusual for me since I usually run to rock and metal - bands like Tool, POD, Linkin Park, Rage Against the Machine, Evanescence, and Seether. The classical was a nice touch to keep things calm today. Towards the end it hurt about the same to run or walk, so I figured I would be home faster if I just kept running. This whole description makes my run sound rather miserable, but I always enjoy the simple escape of my long runs no matter how tired I am.
[Monday 7/17/06]
REST Day
[Sunday 7/16/06]
GGVII Olympic Triathlon, Chicago - 2:39:09, temperature: 90 degrees
Swim - 0.9 miles - 27 min
Bike - 25 miles - 1:13
Run - 6.2 miles - 54 min
5th place female overall
2nd place female age group 25-29
What a race this was. It was fairly disorganized so the exact course layout was not clear until I was racing the course. The results got messed up and have not been made publically available. The swim in Lake Michigan took place in a harbor filled with yachts, and went out and back along the wall. There was no opportunity to get in the water beforehand for a warmup swim. The water was not as dirty here as I was expecting and I could see the bottom for much of the swim. My swim went well and according to my friends, I was about the sixth woman out of the water.
T1 involved a near half mile run from the water to the bikes, partially on a cement path and partially uphill on grass. It took me about 5 minutes to transition, including having a lot of trouble getting out of my wetsuit. The bike course was two loops out and back on Lakeshore Drive - four lane divided highway with gently rolling hills. The inner two lanes in each direction were closed for the race, which made a unique experience of biking on the highway. I had an amazing bike, having an average speed of 20.7 mph. It was exhilarating to pass so many people. My average speed for Pardeeville sprint triathlon was 20.9mph, so I only lost 0.2 mph going 10 additional miles.
The run was where it started to get hard. The heat was setting in for the day and there was no shade on the course. As expected, my legs were dead for the first two miles after going hard on the bike. I ate a Hammer Gel with water and then got stomach cramps which lasted at least through mile 3. Miles 4 and 5 were smoother but my heart rate felt a bit out of control so I took two 30 second walk breaks to try to help this. I poured many cups of water on my head to try to cool off... perhaps too many because the water saturated my clothes and ran down into my shoes such that I was squishing on each step. This kept me cool, but gave me blisters on my toes. I was alone for most of the run, which left me wondering if I was so far behind that everyone was already done, or if I was really that far ahead. The run was an out and back so when I started to see lots of women just starting out as I was at mile 4, I knew I was doing well and had to keep my legs moving to maintain my lead. I was passed by the winner of my age group around mile 3 and she said "nice job" as she passed me. When people do that I feel like they are psyching me out by meaning: "you had a good race, but I am passing you now and you are not going to be able to pass me again." On the other hand, I truly did a "nice job" so I don't doubt that it is a sincere comment. Since I am not sure how I feel about having this said to me, I usually only say it to people if they are passing me in the opposite direction, already significantly ahead.
As I came in to the finish line, the spectators were really supportive and cheering for me. I sprinted to the end and knew that I gave it all I had. For my next Olympic distance race, I will eat more on the bike so that my energy is more topped off to start the run. The one bottle of Gatorade was not quite enough.
All in all it was a very supportive and fun race. I enjoyed having my friends out there to watch me. The distance felt like a long sprint distance, but I think I am good at it. Compared to my sprint time, this just about doubled which means that I am able to sustain my maximum power over a significantly longer distance. This will definitely not be my last race of this length. I think I could go under 2:30 in a race with a normal T1, with some fine-tuning to my race nutrition, and in slightly cooler temperatures.
[Saturday 7/15/06]
Race warmups: 15 minute swim in Lake Michigan, 15 minute run with race pace pickups, 20 minute bike with race pace pickups
[Friday 7/14/06]
REST Day
I rolled out of bed at 5am and was out the door to start this run at 5:20. It was actually kind of cool outside at the early hour. I went around Lake Monona (12 miles) and then took the Wingra bike path over to the Arboretum to get in the extra miles. My legs are still pretty well toasted from Sunday and I am feeling tired all over, but somehow I made it through this. I am getting more and more used to the feeling of pushing through a long workout when starting out tired. It was a nice morning and I listened to a classical music station. This was very unusual for me since I usually run to rock and metal - bands like Tool, POD, Linkin Park, Rage Against the Machine, Evanescence, and Seether. The classical was a nice touch to keep things calm today. Towards the end it hurt about the same to run or walk, so I figured I would be home faster if I just kept running. This whole description makes my run sound rather miserable, but I always enjoy the simple escape of my long runs no matter how tired I am.
[Monday 7/17/06]
REST Day
[Sunday 7/16/06]
GGVII Olympic Triathlon, Chicago - 2:39:09, temperature: 90 degrees
Swim - 0.9 miles - 27 min
Bike - 25 miles - 1:13
Run - 6.2 miles - 54 min
5th place female overall
2nd place female age group 25-29
What a race this was. It was fairly disorganized so the exact course layout was not clear until I was racing the course. The results got messed up and have not been made publically available. The swim in Lake Michigan took place in a harbor filled with yachts, and went out and back along the wall. There was no opportunity to get in the water beforehand for a warmup swim. The water was not as dirty here as I was expecting and I could see the bottom for much of the swim. My swim went well and according to my friends, I was about the sixth woman out of the water.
T1 involved a near half mile run from the water to the bikes, partially on a cement path and partially uphill on grass. It took me about 5 minutes to transition, including having a lot of trouble getting out of my wetsuit. The bike course was two loops out and back on Lakeshore Drive - four lane divided highway with gently rolling hills. The inner two lanes in each direction were closed for the race, which made a unique experience of biking on the highway. I had an amazing bike, having an average speed of 20.7 mph. It was exhilarating to pass so many people. My average speed for Pardeeville sprint triathlon was 20.9mph, so I only lost 0.2 mph going 10 additional miles.
The run was where it started to get hard. The heat was setting in for the day and there was no shade on the course. As expected, my legs were dead for the first two miles after going hard on the bike. I ate a Hammer Gel with water and then got stomach cramps which lasted at least through mile 3. Miles 4 and 5 were smoother but my heart rate felt a bit out of control so I took two 30 second walk breaks to try to help this. I poured many cups of water on my head to try to cool off... perhaps too many because the water saturated my clothes and ran down into my shoes such that I was squishing on each step. This kept me cool, but gave me blisters on my toes. I was alone for most of the run, which left me wondering if I was so far behind that everyone was already done, or if I was really that far ahead. The run was an out and back so when I started to see lots of women just starting out as I was at mile 4, I knew I was doing well and had to keep my legs moving to maintain my lead. I was passed by the winner of my age group around mile 3 and she said "nice job" as she passed me. When people do that I feel like they are psyching me out by meaning: "you had a good race, but I am passing you now and you are not going to be able to pass me again." On the other hand, I truly did a "nice job" so I don't doubt that it is a sincere comment. Since I am not sure how I feel about having this said to me, I usually only say it to people if they are passing me in the opposite direction, already significantly ahead.
As I came in to the finish line, the spectators were really supportive and cheering for me. I sprinted to the end and knew that I gave it all I had. For my next Olympic distance race, I will eat more on the bike so that my energy is more topped off to start the run. The one bottle of Gatorade was not quite enough.
All in all it was a very supportive and fun race. I enjoyed having my friends out there to watch me. The distance felt like a long sprint distance, but I think I am good at it. Compared to my sprint time, this just about doubled which means that I am able to sustain my maximum power over a significantly longer distance. This will definitely not be my last race of this length. I think I could go under 2:30 in a race with a normal T1, with some fine-tuning to my race nutrition, and in slightly cooler temperatures.
[Saturday 7/15/06]
Race warmups: 15 minute swim in Lake Michigan, 15 minute run with race pace pickups, 20 minute bike with race pace pickups
[Friday 7/14/06]
REST Day
Friday, July 14, 2006
more pre-race recovery
[July 13, 2006 Thurs]
Run - 4.8 mi, 42:25 - fast paced run in hot conditions
Yoga
Sunday I am doing the GG VII Olympic distance triathlon in Chicago and it is going to be really hot. It will be the first Olympic distance race I have ever done so I am a little unsure of the pacing and nutrition. I thought I would get myself prepared for the heat by going out for a hard effort run in the heat of the day today. It was at least 85, maybe more. I tell myself that I am strong in the heat, and if I am good about my race nutrition I will be fine. It was a good run.
This week has been recovery and I am taking it extra easy because I have been feeling near overtrained lately. My legs feel better after my massage yesterday and I actually felt bounce in my step today. It feels strange to be doing so little these past few days, but I reassure myself that it will pay off by giving me some new enthusiasm to get through my last few weeks of hard Ironman training, and no, I am not losing all my fitness by only working out once a day.
[July 12, 2006 Wed]
Swim - 3500m, 1:15 - main set included 10 x 100 @ 1:38-1:46 on 2 min, 1000 continuous
Massage
[July 11, 2006 Tues]
Run - 6.6 mi, 56 min - speed workout with 5 x 800@ 3:30/3:20 w/ 400 walk recovery
Swim - 1800yd, around 40 min - long swim lesson with lots of repeats and drill work
[July 10, 2006 Mon]
REST Day
[July 9, 2006 Sun]
Run - 15 miles, 2:24 - to IM run course, one loop and back home
[July 8, 2006 Sat]
Bike - 70 miles, 4:33
Run - 2 mi, 17:08 - transition run off bike
I biked from my house to the Monona Terrace, went out to Verona, did one loop of the IM course, and biked back. Three bottles of Sustained Energy with endurolytes, a Clif Bar and some pretzels worked well for nutrition in fairly warm conditions. I did not get a headache later in the day, was not hungry when I got off the bike, and felt decent for the run.
[July 7, 2006 Fri]
REST Day
[July 6, 2006 Thurs]
Bike - 16 mi, 55 min
Run - 1 mi, 8:00 - transition run off bike
Yoga
[July 5, 2006 Wed]
Run - 6.6 miles, 58 min - hard middle 3.6 miles (30:20)
Run - 4.8 mi, 42:25 - fast paced run in hot conditions
Yoga
Sunday I am doing the GG VII Olympic distance triathlon in Chicago and it is going to be really hot. It will be the first Olympic distance race I have ever done so I am a little unsure of the pacing and nutrition. I thought I would get myself prepared for the heat by going out for a hard effort run in the heat of the day today. It was at least 85, maybe more. I tell myself that I am strong in the heat, and if I am good about my race nutrition I will be fine. It was a good run.
This week has been recovery and I am taking it extra easy because I have been feeling near overtrained lately. My legs feel better after my massage yesterday and I actually felt bounce in my step today. It feels strange to be doing so little these past few days, but I reassure myself that it will pay off by giving me some new enthusiasm to get through my last few weeks of hard Ironman training, and no, I am not losing all my fitness by only working out once a day.
[July 12, 2006 Wed]
Swim - 3500m, 1:15 - main set included 10 x 100 @ 1:38-1:46 on 2 min, 1000 continuous
Massage
[July 11, 2006 Tues]
Run - 6.6 mi, 56 min - speed workout with 5 x 800@ 3:30/3:20 w/ 400 walk recovery
Swim - 1800yd, around 40 min - long swim lesson with lots of repeats and drill work
[July 10, 2006 Mon]
REST Day
[July 9, 2006 Sun]
Run - 15 miles, 2:24 - to IM run course, one loop and back home
[July 8, 2006 Sat]
Bike - 70 miles, 4:33
Run - 2 mi, 17:08 - transition run off bike
I biked from my house to the Monona Terrace, went out to Verona, did one loop of the IM course, and biked back. Three bottles of Sustained Energy with endurolytes, a Clif Bar and some pretzels worked well for nutrition in fairly warm conditions. I did not get a headache later in the day, was not hungry when I got off the bike, and felt decent for the run.
[July 7, 2006 Fri]
REST Day
[July 6, 2006 Thurs]
Bike - 16 mi, 55 min
Run - 1 mi, 8:00 - transition run off bike
Yoga
[July 5, 2006 Wed]
Run - 6.6 miles, 58 min - hard middle 3.6 miles (30:20)
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
im course practice
Swim - 2.4 mi, 1:25 - Lake Monona
Bike - 14 mi, 56 min - easy aerobic ride
I did the swim on the Ironman course in front of the Monona Terrace, then got out of the water and ran up the spiral as though it were the race, got my bike which was parked up there, and biked back down the spiral to go on my ride. The transitions certainly are dramatic.
Bike - 14 mi, 56 min - easy aerobic ride
I did the swim on the Ironman course in front of the Monona Terrace, then got out of the water and ran up the spiral as though it were the race, got my bike which was parked up there, and biked back down the spiral to go on my ride. The transitions certainly are dramatic.
Monday, July 03, 2006
short and sweet
Run - 5 miles, 49 min - included some tempo work down to 8:30 pace
Strength workout, Abs
This was about as close to a rest day as it comes without actually taking a rest day. My workout for the day was complete by 8:30. I was in and out of the gym in an hour and a half. What would be normal for most people seems like a rare luxury to me at this point.
Strength workout, Abs
This was about as close to a rest day as it comes without actually taking a rest day. My workout for the day was complete by 8:30. I was in and out of the gym in an hour and a half. What would be normal for most people seems like a rare luxury to me at this point.
Sunday, July 02, 2006
pardeeville race report
Run - 9 miles, 1:32
Swim - 2500yd, 44 min - including 1 mile continuous @ 30:10
[7/1/06 Saturday]
Pardeeville Sprint Triathlon - .25 mile swim, 15 mile bike, 5K run - 1:16:23
Bike - 56 min, 15 miles - recovery ride
I love the Pardeeville triathlon. It is my favorite triathlon because it is a beautiful and fast bike course with rolling hills, the lake is nice, it is friendly to triathletes of all abilities, and it is close enough to Madison that I can always get friends to come out and see me.
I was totally on in all three sports today and had a great race. I set a sprint triathlon PR by 4 minutes over last year. 4 minutes! I was in a great state mentally, had fan support, was positive, excited, and confident to race, and had done all the key workouts to prep myself for the hard effort that a sprint distance race requires.
I took my usual caffienated gel packet 15 minutes before the start and was drinking a bottle of Gatorade in the 30 minutes prior to the start. I had a feeling it was going to be a good day when my warm up swim (one lap of the course) was 6:38, 22 seconds under my swim goal time of 7 minutes. My wave was last and I approached the start very calm and focused. As the gun went off, everyone started sprinting out and I held back until I got past the first buoy. I know I am a strong swimmer so there was no way that these women were all going to hold that pace for the entire swim. I let them pass me and get out of breath, and then I took off, passing all but one and I was second out of the water for my wave. I paid very close attention to staying right in line with the buoys and swimming absolutely the minimum distance required.
I grabbed the hand of a volunteer on shore who was helping pull people out of the water and took off sprinting to the transition area while peeling off the top of my wetsuit, my cap and goggles. I heard a few of my friends shouting my name but I was too focused to look up and see them. As I got to my space in the transition area, I was struggling to get my breathing under control. Taking off the rest of my wetsuit was not as smooth as it could have been, but it was not a disaster. I put on my helmet and raced out of there.
Swim split: 6:27
I hammered the entire bike ride. I mean, I really pushed. I gave it everything I had and didn't let it be comfortable for even a second. I passed lots of people and after a few miles passed the leader from my wave. I was racing first in my wave! As I got back to the park I did my well-practiced flying dismount where I take my feet out of my shoes (which are still on the bike) and swing my leg over the bike, then smoothly leaping off and running as I reach the dismount line, no seconds wasted. There were no other bikes back to transition from my wave! This was really something and I knew I was going to have to keep hammering on that run to stay in my top position.
Bike split: 43:30, 21 mph
Again, it was hard to get my breath under control as I began the run. Is this what they mean by "maximum oxygen uptake"? I felt like I was sucking in the maximum that I could but it was not quite enough. I maintained my lead until about 1 1/2 miles and then someone from my wave passed me. It was mentally tough because I didn't know if there was anyone else behind her. At Lake Mills I lost it on the run and gave up mentally when that happened. Today I was determined to give it my all no matter what. I did that and ended up with a decent run, though not as fast as I have gone in the past on fresh legs.
Run split: 23:35
It was a fun race and it makes me remember that when I am having a good day, I really know how to race these things. Last year I was 3rd. This year I was 2nd. Can I continue the upward spiral next year?
Thanks to my friends that came out to see me!
Final result - 1:16:23
2nd place, Female age group 25-29
11th place, Female overall
[6/30/06 Friday]
REST Day
I was feeling tired and sleepy at 5:30am when I was scheduled to get up and go jump in the lake for a 2.4 mile swim. I listened to my body over my training schedule and I decided to stay in bed. The day before a race, this couldn't hurt.
Swim - 2500yd, 44 min - including 1 mile continuous @ 30:10
[7/1/06 Saturday]
Pardeeville Sprint Triathlon - .25 mile swim, 15 mile bike, 5K run - 1:16:23
Bike - 56 min, 15 miles - recovery ride
I love the Pardeeville triathlon. It is my favorite triathlon because it is a beautiful and fast bike course with rolling hills, the lake is nice, it is friendly to triathletes of all abilities, and it is close enough to Madison that I can always get friends to come out and see me.
I was totally on in all three sports today and had a great race. I set a sprint triathlon PR by 4 minutes over last year. 4 minutes! I was in a great state mentally, had fan support, was positive, excited, and confident to race, and had done all the key workouts to prep myself for the hard effort that a sprint distance race requires.
I took my usual caffienated gel packet 15 minutes before the start and was drinking a bottle of Gatorade in the 30 minutes prior to the start. I had a feeling it was going to be a good day when my warm up swim (one lap of the course) was 6:38, 22 seconds under my swim goal time of 7 minutes. My wave was last and I approached the start very calm and focused. As the gun went off, everyone started sprinting out and I held back until I got past the first buoy. I know I am a strong swimmer so there was no way that these women were all going to hold that pace for the entire swim. I let them pass me and get out of breath, and then I took off, passing all but one and I was second out of the water for my wave. I paid very close attention to staying right in line with the buoys and swimming absolutely the minimum distance required.
I grabbed the hand of a volunteer on shore who was helping pull people out of the water and took off sprinting to the transition area while peeling off the top of my wetsuit, my cap and goggles. I heard a few of my friends shouting my name but I was too focused to look up and see them. As I got to my space in the transition area, I was struggling to get my breathing under control. Taking off the rest of my wetsuit was not as smooth as it could have been, but it was not a disaster. I put on my helmet and raced out of there.
Swim split: 6:27
I hammered the entire bike ride. I mean, I really pushed. I gave it everything I had and didn't let it be comfortable for even a second. I passed lots of people and after a few miles passed the leader from my wave. I was racing first in my wave! As I got back to the park I did my well-practiced flying dismount where I take my feet out of my shoes (which are still on the bike) and swing my leg over the bike, then smoothly leaping off and running as I reach the dismount line, no seconds wasted. There were no other bikes back to transition from my wave! This was really something and I knew I was going to have to keep hammering on that run to stay in my top position.
Bike split: 43:30, 21 mph
Again, it was hard to get my breath under control as I began the run. Is this what they mean by "maximum oxygen uptake"? I felt like I was sucking in the maximum that I could but it was not quite enough. I maintained my lead until about 1 1/2 miles and then someone from my wave passed me. It was mentally tough because I didn't know if there was anyone else behind her. At Lake Mills I lost it on the run and gave up mentally when that happened. Today I was determined to give it my all no matter what. I did that and ended up with a decent run, though not as fast as I have gone in the past on fresh legs.
Run split: 23:35
It was a fun race and it makes me remember that when I am having a good day, I really know how to race these things. Last year I was 3rd. This year I was 2nd. Can I continue the upward spiral next year?
Thanks to my friends that came out to see me!
Final result - 1:16:23
2nd place, Female age group 25-29
11th place, Female overall
[6/30/06 Friday]
REST Day
I was feeling tired and sleepy at 5:30am when I was scheduled to get up and go jump in the lake for a 2.4 mile swim. I listened to my body over my training schedule and I decided to stay in bed. The day before a race, this couldn't hurt.
Thursday, June 29, 2006
hamstring trouble
Bike - 1:11, 18.5 mi - speed workout with 6 x 5 min hard on 2 min recovery
Run - 5.5mi, 50 min - tempo run with a few hard intervals
Swim Lesson
I pushed hard on the bike and run intervals. My right hamstring is tight and sore, which was painful during my run today. It is ok if I go easy, but not at harder paces. This is a recurring problem that seems to happen every time my run mileage gets at or above 25 per week while at the same time my bike mileage gets at or near 100 per week. Yoga class hasn't fit into my schedule in the past few weeks and that usually helps somewhat. I am only moderately worried about it at this point.
[6/28/06 Wednesday]
Swim - 4000yd, 1:23 - main set: 7 x 200 @ 3:12-3:15 w/ 30 sec recovery, 7 x 100 @ 1:36 w/ 30 sec recovery, 10 x 50 @45 sec w/ 15 sec recovery
This was another of those swims from Triathlete magazine that attempt to bring someone to an Ironman PR. It was some good endurance speedwork and was mentally challenging to get through all the repeats in the pool without dying of boredom. The nice thing was that I would start to feel tired and wonder if I could make it through, and then the tiredness would fade a bit and more energy would surface.
Run - 5.5mi, 50 min - tempo run with a few hard intervals
Swim Lesson
I pushed hard on the bike and run intervals. My right hamstring is tight and sore, which was painful during my run today. It is ok if I go easy, but not at harder paces. This is a recurring problem that seems to happen every time my run mileage gets at or above 25 per week while at the same time my bike mileage gets at or near 100 per week. Yoga class hasn't fit into my schedule in the past few weeks and that usually helps somewhat. I am only moderately worried about it at this point.
[6/28/06 Wednesday]
Swim - 4000yd, 1:23 - main set: 7 x 200 @ 3:12-3:15 w/ 30 sec recovery, 7 x 100 @ 1:36 w/ 30 sec recovery, 10 x 50 @45 sec w/ 15 sec recovery
This was another of those swims from Triathlete magazine that attempt to bring someone to an Ironman PR. It was some good endurance speedwork and was mentally challenging to get through all the repeats in the pool without dying of boredom. The nice thing was that I would start to feel tired and wonder if I could make it through, and then the tiredness would fade a bit and more energy would surface.
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
foot cramps=short swim
Run - 6 mi, 56 min - 2 x 800@3:30, 4 x 400@1:32, 1:35, 1:36, 1:31, 2 miles tempo run down to 8 min pace
Swim - 1800yd, 32:30
My run speed still feels a little rusty but I was really happy with my 400 splits today. 1:31 is a 6:04 pace! I'm not a fast twitch kind of person, so I know that the fact that I could hold that pace for a short distance means that with some increased length speed intervals I will be able to sustain it for race distances.
My swim was a complete bust. I got a foot cramp during the first interval of my main set. I tried to swim easy through it and drink some water. I didn't want to let it ruin my swim. Then I got one in the other foot. I could hardly do my flip turns because there was nothing to push off with. I think foot cramps mean I am dehydrated or out of electrolyte balance or something. I swam with the pull buoy for a little more to make it an even mile, and then called it a day. It was kind of nice to have a short swim for a change. Tomorrow I will do the real swim workout.
Swim - 1800yd, 32:30
My run speed still feels a little rusty but I was really happy with my 400 splits today. 1:31 is a 6:04 pace! I'm not a fast twitch kind of person, so I know that the fact that I could hold that pace for a short distance means that with some increased length speed intervals I will be able to sustain it for race distances.
My swim was a complete bust. I got a foot cramp during the first interval of my main set. I tried to swim easy through it and drink some water. I didn't want to let it ruin my swim. Then I got one in the other foot. I could hardly do my flip turns because there was nothing to push off with. I think foot cramps mean I am dehydrated or out of electrolyte balance or something. I swam with the pull buoy for a little more to make it an even mile, and then called it a day. It was kind of nice to have a short swim for a change. Tomorrow I will do the real swim workout.
Monday, June 26, 2006
two loops
REST Day
It wasn't going to be, but my legs are shell-shocked after that ride yesterday.
[6/25/06 Sunday]
Bike - 85 mi, 5:30 - two loops of the Ironman Wisconsin course, plus a little
Run - 2 mi, 18:22 - easy transition run
This was the first time I have done two loops of the course in a row. I was feeling tired to start out, and wasn't sure if I would do both loops or call it a day after one. I knew I would be disappointed in myself if I stopped after one loop though, so I kept going. Getting back into Verona, seeing my car, and yet knowing that I was only half done was a mental challenge. That first hill out of Verona was the toughest mentally. I planned my nutrition strategy in hopes that I could complete the ride without getting a dehydration headache after the ride was over. That is fairly predictable with me for long rides. I think I don't take in enough calories and salt so my strategy today was to feel like I was taking in too much. I had three bottles of my Sustained Energy mixed drink with Endurolytes, two bottles of water, a Clif Bar, some granola, and salty pretzels. I began drinking and eating right away and tried to have something every five miles. This actually worked really well, and kept the headache away. I was hot to start the run but got some cold water and was fine. I didn't feel hungry at any point and even after I got home I didn't feel the urge to eat. I got a bit bloated, however, but I feel like at least I now have a handle on the dehydration problem.
[6/24/06 Saturday]
Run - 5 mi, 46 min - speed workout: 4 x 800 @ 3:30, 2 x 400 @ 1:37
Some neuromuscular conditioning in preparation for Pardeeville sprint triathlon. The first repeat was hard, but it got much easier as my legs remembered how to run this pace. I was on the treadmill at the gym at 5:30 am. This was going to be a rest day since I was going out of town to a family reunion, but I decided to get up and squeeze in some intervals.
[6/23/06 Friday]
Bike - 23 miles, 90 min - recovery ride, ave sp. 14.9
This was a beautiful ride on a beautiful sunny afternoon. I went out with a friend who is a new triathlete. It is a treat to go riding with someone who shares my enthusiasm for this stuff.
...hi amber! ...
It wasn't going to be, but my legs are shell-shocked after that ride yesterday.
[6/25/06 Sunday]
Bike - 85 mi, 5:30 - two loops of the Ironman Wisconsin course, plus a little
Run - 2 mi, 18:22 - easy transition run
This was the first time I have done two loops of the course in a row. I was feeling tired to start out, and wasn't sure if I would do both loops or call it a day after one. I knew I would be disappointed in myself if I stopped after one loop though, so I kept going. Getting back into Verona, seeing my car, and yet knowing that I was only half done was a mental challenge. That first hill out of Verona was the toughest mentally. I planned my nutrition strategy in hopes that I could complete the ride without getting a dehydration headache after the ride was over. That is fairly predictable with me for long rides. I think I don't take in enough calories and salt so my strategy today was to feel like I was taking in too much. I had three bottles of my Sustained Energy mixed drink with Endurolytes, two bottles of water, a Clif Bar, some granola, and salty pretzels. I began drinking and eating right away and tried to have something every five miles. This actually worked really well, and kept the headache away. I was hot to start the run but got some cold water and was fine. I didn't feel hungry at any point and even after I got home I didn't feel the urge to eat. I got a bit bloated, however, but I feel like at least I now have a handle on the dehydration problem.
[6/24/06 Saturday]
Run - 5 mi, 46 min - speed workout: 4 x 800 @ 3:30, 2 x 400 @ 1:37
Some neuromuscular conditioning in preparation for Pardeeville sprint triathlon. The first repeat was hard, but it got much easier as my legs remembered how to run this pace. I was on the treadmill at the gym at 5:30 am. This was going to be a rest day since I was going out of town to a family reunion, but I decided to get up and squeeze in some intervals.
[6/23/06 Friday]
Bike - 23 miles, 90 min - recovery ride, ave sp. 14.9
This was a beautiful ride on a beautiful sunny afternoon. I went out with a friend who is a new triathlete. It is a treat to go riding with someone who shares my enthusiasm for this stuff.
...hi amber! ...
Thursday, June 22, 2006
great run, great swim
Run - 14.5 miles, 2:07 - flat and rolling hills
Swim - 4000m, 1:15
Both workouts today were awesome! I stayed strong until the end on the run and had a fairly good pace considering the hills. I wasn't going super easy, but it felt comfortable the whole time. I ran from home to the Arboretum, did the 6.2 mile loop, and then ran back home. I tried a new gel - AccelGel Kiwi Strawberry and it kind of tasted like yogurt. It had protein in it and didn't taste like eating a spoonful of sugar which was a nice change. The only thing I didn't like about it was that the packets are filled with excess air, so they are bulkier than other gels to carry.
I had a great swim too. I am working on keeping my forearm and hand in alignment during the catch and pull phase of the stroke in order to generate more power. I am also trying to make sure that I am always rotating enough. Like on the run, I was going at a very manageable pace, pushing myself just a bit. This gives me confidence that I will be able to use my Ironman swim (3800m) as a warmup for the rest of the race and still be around my goal pace of 1:15.
Swim - 4000m, 1:15
Both workouts today were awesome! I stayed strong until the end on the run and had a fairly good pace considering the hills. I wasn't going super easy, but it felt comfortable the whole time. I ran from home to the Arboretum, did the 6.2 mile loop, and then ran back home. I tried a new gel - AccelGel Kiwi Strawberry and it kind of tasted like yogurt. It had protein in it and didn't taste like eating a spoonful of sugar which was a nice change. The only thing I didn't like about it was that the packets are filled with excess air, so they are bulkier than other gels to carry.
I had a great swim too. I am working on keeping my forearm and hand in alignment during the catch and pull phase of the stroke in order to generate more power. I am also trying to make sure that I am always rotating enough. Like on the run, I was going at a very manageable pace, pushing myself just a bit. This gives me confidence that I will be able to use my Ironman swim (3800m) as a warmup for the rest of the race and still be around my goal pace of 1:15.
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
two nap kind-of-day
Bike - 23 miles, 1:24, Ave Sp 16.5 - 2 x 15 minutes moderate hard w/ 5 min recovery
Things are going well in training this week. In the rest of life, they are not going very well, but in training they are going well. It was a beautiful summer evening to go on a bike ride and after my ride, I enjoyed a nice dinner of potatoes and steamed cauliflower on my porch. I took the day off of work today and was pretty sleepy so I took two luxurious two hour naps.
Things are going well in training this week. In the rest of life, they are not going very well, but in training they are going well. It was a beautiful summer evening to go on a bike ride and after my ride, I enjoyed a nice dinner of potatoes and steamed cauliflower on my porch. I took the day off of work today and was pretty sleepy so I took two luxurious two hour naps.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
longing for long rides
Bike - 19 miles, 1:10 - including 5 x 6 minutes hard w/ 2 min recovery
Run - 3.1 miles, 26:30 - transition run at moderate pace
Swim Lesson
My legs were plagued with lactic acid leftovers from the Horribly Hilly for this ride but I managed to push hard on the intervals nonetheless. Then, my legs felt dead and sluggish for the first part of the run but got moving faster after the first 12 minutes. I am determined to improve my brick workouts and not let the dead-legged run get to my head.
I am not sure when this happened, but my biking is the strongest right now and my running is the weakest. It was opposite last year. I have come to love riding my bike and getting out in the country away from people and traffic. I feel comfortable and strong on my bike. I look forward to my long rides the most. Hills don't bother me anymore because I know they don't get much harder than anything I have done on the Horribly Hilly ride or in Hawaii and I made it through those just fine. I am gaining confidence that I can manage just about any terrain.
Run - 3.1 miles, 26:30 - transition run at moderate pace
Swim Lesson
My legs were plagued with lactic acid leftovers from the Horribly Hilly for this ride but I managed to push hard on the intervals nonetheless. Then, my legs felt dead and sluggish for the first part of the run but got moving faster after the first 12 minutes. I am determined to improve my brick workouts and not let the dead-legged run get to my head.
I am not sure when this happened, but my biking is the strongest right now and my running is the weakest. It was opposite last year. I have come to love riding my bike and getting out in the country away from people and traffic. I feel comfortable and strong on my bike. I look forward to my long rides the most. Hills don't bother me anymore because I know they don't get much harder than anything I have done on the Horribly Hilly ride or in Hawaii and I made it through those just fine. I am gaining confidence that I can manage just about any terrain.
figuring out my training plan
[6/19/06 Monday]
Swim - 3500yd, 1:06 - main set: 5 x 200@3:12 w/ 30sec RI, 7 x 100@1:37 w/ 20 sec RI
Strength workout - assisted pull ups, assisted dips, body rows, cable pull, cable punch, swimmers, hanging leg raises (3 x 12), varied crunches (100)
Triathlete magazine has a "lab rabbit" section where they give an age-group triathlete a training plan and track his/her progress up until the goal race. This month's magazine begins a feature on a guy from Wisconsin named Dirk who is training for the WI Ironman. I met Dirk as I was watching the Verona Triterium triathlon on Sunday. I decided to try out a few things from his plan for an Ironman PR, so that's where today's swim workout came from. It was tough to keep up the pace for all the repeats, but it feels like something I should be doing on a regular basis. Recently my workouts have gotten less structured for some reason, and have lacked the speed focus to give me as much of a racing edge as I want. This should help me tune up.
My current focus has now shifted to increasing volume for Ironman while building in specific speed sets tailored to my sprint, Olympic, and half Ironman distance races coming up in the next six weeks. I am not going to do much tapering for the non-Ironman races because it takes too much time and gets me off track. I sat down with my training plan tonight and came up with a schedule for myself for the next four weeks. The core of it is based on an Ironman training plan but I was also sure to build in race-specific workouts based on what is recommended for the shorter distance races. I feel better about my training now that I have something laid out that is concrete.
I contacted the Horribly Hilly timing people and my results are now listed online.
Swim - 3500yd, 1:06 - main set: 5 x 200@3:12 w/ 30sec RI, 7 x 100@1:37 w/ 20 sec RI
Strength workout - assisted pull ups, assisted dips, body rows, cable pull, cable punch, swimmers, hanging leg raises (3 x 12), varied crunches (100)
Triathlete magazine has a "lab rabbit" section where they give an age-group triathlete a training plan and track his/her progress up until the goal race. This month's magazine begins a feature on a guy from Wisconsin named Dirk who is training for the WI Ironman. I met Dirk as I was watching the Verona Triterium triathlon on Sunday. I decided to try out a few things from his plan for an Ironman PR, so that's where today's swim workout came from. It was tough to keep up the pace for all the repeats, but it feels like something I should be doing on a regular basis. Recently my workouts have gotten less structured for some reason, and have lacked the speed focus to give me as much of a racing edge as I want. This should help me tune up.
My current focus has now shifted to increasing volume for Ironman while building in specific speed sets tailored to my sprint, Olympic, and half Ironman distance races coming up in the next six weeks. I am not going to do much tapering for the non-Ironman races because it takes too much time and gets me off track. I sat down with my training plan tonight and came up with a schedule for myself for the next four weeks. The core of it is based on an Ironman training plan but I was also sure to build in race-specific workouts based on what is recommended for the shorter distance races. I feel better about my training now that I have something laid out that is concrete.
I contacted the Horribly Hilly timing people and my results are now listed online.
Monday, June 19, 2006
HHH results
[6/18/06 Sunday]
Run - 60 min, 6 miles - treadmill/track recovery run
Swim - 2600yd, 50min - mostly drills and technique work
This was a recovery day after the Horribly Hilly ride yesterday. I was a little sore, but not too bad. My plan for today's run was to keep a 10 minute pace and get a sense of exactly what that feels like. Running periodically on the track or treadmill are good for learning how different paces feel. It is hard to know that precisely while outside. Lately I have been feeling out of touch with putting numbers on my exertion levels.
The results are up for the Horribly Hilly ride and sadly, something went wrong with my chip and my time did not get recorded. My watch said 4:51 and that puts me in as the 11th female finisher out of 78. I am really happy with that. All the hill practice I did made a difference.
Run - 60 min, 6 miles - treadmill/track recovery run
Swim - 2600yd, 50min - mostly drills and technique work
This was a recovery day after the Horribly Hilly ride yesterday. I was a little sore, but not too bad. My plan for today's run was to keep a 10 minute pace and get a sense of exactly what that feels like. Running periodically on the track or treadmill are good for learning how different paces feel. It is hard to know that precisely while outside. Lately I have been feeling out of touch with putting numbers on my exertion levels.
The results are up for the Horribly Hilly ride and sadly, something went wrong with my chip and my time did not get recorded. My watch said 4:51 and that puts me in as the 11th female finisher out of 78. I am really happy with that. All the hill practice I did made a difference.
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