Well this last week sucked! The pool was closed for three days, I was too sick for another couple days to have any good workouts, and too busy on the other days. Such is the strain of training during the holidays.
I was able to get in a decent swim today, 1200yrds and I felt good throughout then I jumped onto the treadmill for a quick two mile run. Other than that I got in a sixty minute run sort of... don't eat a fiber bar before your run otherwise you will be running to the toilet...
For the upcoming week I am redoing this weeks scheduled workouts, I'm not bothering to post this weeks workouts because they were not really anything to post about.
The positive from this week is my run right after my long swim felt great, it has been very hard on me in the past but today it went very well.
I'll post my workouts next Sunday.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Week 16, easy peasy...
Week 16 was an easy week with a bit more swimming than I was expecting and a longggg bike ride to finish it up today. I had three days of back to back swims, that got really monotonous and I was happy on the last day that there would be no more for the rest of the week. I also had three days of back to back running, that really got the legs tight by the last day and I as it was a recovery 30 minute easy run, I decided to go with a run/walk so my calves wouldn't have a chance to cramp up. Today I had planned for a 2hr cycling session on the trainer, I wasn't able to get the whole workout in but I did get almost the whole way, 1hr 45min was my total time, at a 17mph pace. That needs to increase to about 19mph before race day.
Below is this past weeks workouts.
Mon:
Swim- Speed Day
w.u. 1x200
main 4x100, 200, 200, 100
c.d. 3x75 focusing on form
Tue:
Bike
60 minutes, hills
Swim
30min recovery swim, so slow and easy taking breaks as needed.
Wed:
Swim
w.u. 200
main 1x1100
c.d. 4x25 back kick/stroke
Thurs:
Run
60 minutes (this kicked my ass for some reason)
Bike
30min recovery spin, very easy effort.
Fri:
Run
30 minute recover (I did a run/walk to rest my legs)
Sat:
Recovery/Rest day.
Sun:
Bike
2hr at a 65-85% effort (I was only able to get through 1hr 45min before my legs wore out)
Below is this past weeks workouts.
Mon:
Swim- Speed Day
w.u. 1x200
main 4x100, 200, 200, 100
c.d. 3x75 focusing on form
Tue:
Bike
60 minutes, hills
Swim
30min recovery swim, so slow and easy taking breaks as needed.
Wed:
Swim
w.u. 200
main 1x1100
c.d. 4x25 back kick/stroke
Thurs:
Run
60 minutes (this kicked my ass for some reason)
Bike
30min recovery spin, very easy effort.
Fri:
Run
30 minute recover (I did a run/walk to rest my legs)
Sat:
Recovery/Rest day.
Sun:
Bike
2hr at a 65-85% effort (I was only able to get through 1hr 45min before my legs wore out)
New Orleans Awaits...
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Endorphins, wonderful endorphins!
This week was great, I trained hard and made some great progress. For the last couple of years I have been slacking, I didn't compete or work out to my potential and as I grew slower I chalked it up to age and injury after injury. This was folly on my part and probably more of me justifying being lazy than being too old and broke down.
Since getting back to a hard training schedule as well as making every effort not to get myself injured again, I have had first a running then a swimming endorphine rush, my first one in years. I forgot about how great that rush feels, that rush helped me push through what Buddhists call the "Monkey Mind". If you have ever tried meditation you've probably experienced the monkey mind, that unsettled, uncontrollable, confused/indecisive mindset. I suffered that on two of my workouts this week both times a feeling of exhaustion and a desire to just quit but surprisingly my mind or body fought back with a rush of endorphins and a specter from my past yelling at me to pull it together.
I don't run or bike and listen to music anymore, cardio time is my meditation time for the most part, especially when I run outdoors. Even at the gym I try not to pay too much attention to the t.v.'s or the movie playing in the cardio theater. When I run outdoors I like to listen to the environment, play math games in my head, or just trying to have a clear mind. I've never understood why people like music so much while they run, I used to run with music but its so often such a distraction that it never benefited me. If you run with music, try a few runs without, talk to yourself, (as long as a stranger doesn't talk back in your head you're probably ok...) and see how your run goes.
Here are my workouts from this week:
Mon.
R 40min strides for the last ten min (strides are the increase in speed but not sprinting)
Tues.
B 60 min. hard pace 85% heart rate
Wed.
R 60min long run strides for the last 20 minutes ( I did 20 second strides followed by two minute normal pace)
Thurs.
S 700 yds (was meant to be a long day but the fatties at the gym had a class...) 1x100 warm up, 1x600 main set, no cool down except telling the instructor she was a stupid bitch. ( I was rather upset and shouldn't have said it, but really trying to put 5 guys into one lane? You know what, fuck her!)
Fri.
Rest Day
Sat.
S 1x1100 yrds race pace which for me right now was 2:20min per 100yds, that needs to get down to the 1:45min per 100yrds though.
B 45 min low effort immediately after the swim.
Sun.
B 90min
Since getting back to a hard training schedule as well as making every effort not to get myself injured again, I have had first a running then a swimming endorphine rush, my first one in years. I forgot about how great that rush feels, that rush helped me push through what Buddhists call the "Monkey Mind". If you have ever tried meditation you've probably experienced the monkey mind, that unsettled, uncontrollable, confused/indecisive mindset. I suffered that on two of my workouts this week both times a feeling of exhaustion and a desire to just quit but surprisingly my mind or body fought back with a rush of endorphins and a specter from my past yelling at me to pull it together.
I don't run or bike and listen to music anymore, cardio time is my meditation time for the most part, especially when I run outdoors. Even at the gym I try not to pay too much attention to the t.v.'s or the movie playing in the cardio theater. When I run outdoors I like to listen to the environment, play math games in my head, or just trying to have a clear mind. I've never understood why people like music so much while they run, I used to run with music but its so often such a distraction that it never benefited me. If you run with music, try a few runs without, talk to yourself, (as long as a stranger doesn't talk back in your head you're probably ok...) and see how your run goes.
Here are my workouts from this week:
Mon.
R 40min strides for the last ten min (strides are the increase in speed but not sprinting)
Tues.
B 60 min. hard pace 85% heart rate
Wed.
R 60min long run strides for the last 20 minutes ( I did 20 second strides followed by two minute normal pace)
Thurs.
S 700 yds (was meant to be a long day but the fatties at the gym had a class...) 1x100 warm up, 1x600 main set, no cool down except telling the instructor she was a stupid bitch. ( I was rather upset and shouldn't have said it, but really trying to put 5 guys into one lane? You know what, fuck her!)
Fri.
Rest Day
Sat.
S 1x1100 yrds race pace which for me right now was 2:20min per 100yds, that needs to get down to the 1:45min per 100yrds though.
B 45 min low effort immediately after the swim.
Sun.
B 90min
Sunday, November 27, 2011
A restful Thanksgiving weekend and another week of training.
Hope everyone had a great thanksgiving, I for one slept more hours each day than I can ever remember doing before, it was glorious. Training went as planned, it was a bit dialed down because of the holiday and my sleeping schedule, next week I will be hitting it hard and ramping it up. As you can probably guess I did not stay completely on schedule but came pretty close. Below is last weeks workouts.
Mon:
R: 40 min. Speed work
S: 2x25 warm up, 2x500 main, 2x25 cool down
Tues:
R: 30 min
B: 60 min
Wed:
S: 1x100 warm up, 9x100 main (worked on form), 2x25 back kick cool down
Thurs:
Fun Run 5-K, ran with Riley, Joe, and Ashley.
(Was planning on a second workout but decided to be lazy)
Fri:
B: 45min just under a 85% heart rate (basically just under a cardio rate)
R: 10 min slowly immediately after the bike
Sat:
Rest Day
Sun:
B: 60 min (set up my trainer at home and kept it at a moderate pace throughout)
Thats it for this week, as I said it was an easy week and full of rest. Next week will be filled with much harder runs where I will be trying to up my speed through stride training. Strides are short efforts (20seconds) but are not "run hard". Basically its accelerating slowly throughout than bursting with a sprint. Its like intervals without the stress on the joints.
Goals for this week are to dial in my swim form (this is going to be a weekly goal for some time I think), get a bit more rest so I hit the gym fresh each morning, and start creating my training music list.
Mon:
R: 40 min. Speed work
S: 2x25 warm up, 2x500 main, 2x25 cool down
Tues:
R: 30 min
B: 60 min
Wed:
S: 1x100 warm up, 9x100 main (worked on form), 2x25 back kick cool down
Thurs:
Fun Run 5-K, ran with Riley, Joe, and Ashley.
(Was planning on a second workout but decided to be lazy)
Fri:
B: 45min just under a 85% heart rate (basically just under a cardio rate)
R: 10 min slowly immediately after the bike
Sat:
Rest Day
Sun:
B: 60 min (set up my trainer at home and kept it at a moderate pace throughout)
Thats it for this week, as I said it was an easy week and full of rest. Next week will be filled with much harder runs where I will be trying to up my speed through stride training. Strides are short efforts (20seconds) but are not "run hard". Basically its accelerating slowly throughout than bursting with a sprint. Its like intervals without the stress on the joints.
Goals for this week are to dial in my swim form (this is going to be a weekly goal for some time I think), get a bit more rest so I hit the gym fresh each morning, and start creating my training music list.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Week 3 or 20 or 19...
This week was a mixed bag, I had a great run today. Six miles and at a slow pace but I felt great throughout, I wish I could say the same for swimming, all my swim workouts were hard and I felt exhausted after (and during) each of them. I need to work on my swim most of all. Cycling was okay, all inside so it was pretty boring, hoping to get a few warm day and get outside soon.
Here's last weeks training schedule:
Mon.
R: 40min, 10 min warm up, 30 min race pace
S: 4x100 warm up, paying attention to my stroke, 2x400 main, 2x50 cool down, back kick
Tue:
B: 60 Min low effort, keeping the heart rate in the 65% area.
Wed:
S: Speed-Work, 6x50 sprints, 1x200 race speed
Thurs:
R: 30 min fast pace
Fri:
B: 45 min harder effort, heart rate in the 85% area.
Sat:
R: 60 min long slow run.
B: 90 min long ride
Sunday- REST---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you look at the schedule from the last two weeks you'll notice its very similar, this is prep time to get the body acclimated and gives me time to find out what is working and what is not. So far I am getting a lot worked out in my swim but I need to focus on it more, especially my stroke mechanics.
Here's last weeks training schedule:
Mon.
R: 40min, 10 min warm up, 30 min race pace
S: 4x100 warm up, paying attention to my stroke, 2x400 main, 2x50 cool down, back kick
Tue:
B: 60 Min low effort, keeping the heart rate in the 65% area.
Wed:
S: Speed-Work, 6x50 sprints, 1x200 race speed
Thurs:
R: 30 min fast pace
Fri:
B: 45 min harder effort, heart rate in the 85% area.
Sat:
R: 60 min long slow run.
B: 90 min long ride
Sunday- REST---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you look at the schedule from the last two weeks you'll notice its very similar, this is prep time to get the body acclimated and gives me time to find out what is working and what is not. So far I am getting a lot worked out in my swim but I need to focus on it more, especially my stroke mechanics.
Twenty five ways you know you are a crazy triathlete.....
25 - One of your goals this year is to be faster at getting out of a wetsuit.
24 - You talk about a “hammer” and “brick”, but you’re not referring to construction.
23 - You spend 7 days going to 8 stores in 4 malls before buying a pair of running shoes but you take 1 afternoon to go to 1 car dealership and walk out with a new car 4 hours later.
22 - That charming "cologne" you wear to work is chlorine.
21 - You have more water bottles than glasses in your cupboard.
20 - You have enough pairs of old running shoes sitting in your closet to open your own shoe store.
19 - You immediately bow down before someone with the Ironman "m dot"tattoo.
18 - You have NO idea what to do with yourself on your off day. You mowed the lawn, cleaned the house, washed the car, and there's STILL 4 hours of daylight left! Aarrgghh!
17 - When you're always showing up to work in the morning with goggle imprints around your eyes.
16 - You have so many tan lines you look like a zebra (running socks, bathing suit, jersey, biking shorts, tri shorts, sunglasses, gloves, watch, etc).
15 - The first three items on your grocery list are Gatorade, power bars, and gels.
14 - You get funny looks when putting on Body Glide on your neck because people think it's deodorant.
13 - About half the shirts you own have at least a dozen logos on the back of them.
12 - You wait a couple of days to take your car in when the "check engine light goes on, but when your bike needs a tune up you take it right away.
11 - You refer to the front hall of your house as the “transition area”.
10 - The one "suit" you own has a QR on the chest.
09 - When you get home from a training session, the newspaper is just being delivered to your house.
08 - You consider work, regeneration time between training sessions.
07 - Your bicycle is in your living room.
06 - Your car smells like a locker room.
05. There’s a separate load of laundry every week that is just your workout clothes.
04 - When asked, how old you are you answer 35-39.
03 - Your first thought when you wake up is how high your rest HR is.
02 - Your spouse cried during Terms of Endearment; you cried during the television coverage of the Hawaii Ironman.
01 - Most of this list doesn’t seem like a joke to you.
25 - One of your goals this year is to be faster at getting out of a wetsuit.
24 - You talk about a “hammer” and “brick”, but you’re not referring to construction.
23 - You spend 7 days going to 8 stores in 4 malls before buying a pair of running shoes but you take 1 afternoon to go to 1 car dealership and walk out with a new car 4 hours later.
22 - That charming "cologne" you wear to work is chlorine.
21 - You have more water bottles than glasses in your cupboard.
20 - You have enough pairs of old running shoes sitting in your closet to open your own shoe store.
19 - You immediately bow down before someone with the Ironman "m dot"tattoo.
18 - You have NO idea what to do with yourself on your off day. You mowed the lawn, cleaned the house, washed the car, and there's STILL 4 hours of daylight left! Aarrgghh!
17 - When you're always showing up to work in the morning with goggle imprints around your eyes.
16 - You have so many tan lines you look like a zebra (running socks, bathing suit, jersey, biking shorts, tri shorts, sunglasses, gloves, watch, etc).
15 - The first three items on your grocery list are Gatorade, power bars, and gels.
14 - You get funny looks when putting on Body Glide on your neck because people think it's deodorant.
13 - About half the shirts you own have at least a dozen logos on the back of them.
12 - You wait a couple of days to take your car in when the "check engine light goes on, but when your bike needs a tune up you take it right away.
11 - You refer to the front hall of your house as the “transition area”.
10 - The one "suit" you own has a QR on the chest.
09 - When you get home from a training session, the newspaper is just being delivered to your house.
08 - You consider work, regeneration time between training sessions.
07 - Your bicycle is in your living room.
06 - Your car smells like a locker room.
05. There’s a separate load of laundry every week that is just your workout clothes.
04 - When asked, how old you are you answer 35-39.
03 - Your first thought when you wake up is how high your rest HR is.
02 - Your spouse cried during Terms of Endearment; you cried during the television coverage of the Hawaii Ironman.
01 - Most of this list doesn’t seem like a joke to you.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Swimming
Training went well this week, I am not posting my workouts that I did this week because I did the exact same schedule as last. When I decided to do this race I made sure to start training for it a few weeks before my training schedule began so I could acclimate to the demands of the schedule. This upcoming week will be new workouts so check the blog out next week for the new workouts.
One thing I would like to write about is my favorite swimming training book and program:
http://www.amazon.com/Total-Immersion-Revolutionary-Better-Faster/dp/068481885X and, http://www.totalimmersion.net/.
Total Immersion taught me how to swim triathlons years ago and I recently went back to it to review the material. This book is how training books need to be written. It is about one stroke, the only stroke you need in a race, the freestyle stroke. It is full of ways to make you a more efficient swimmer and it gave me my swimming form I have today, which while not perfect is pretty damned good especially for someone who never took swimming lessons. I highly recommend buying this book if you want to swim faster, farther, and easier.
Swimming has also helped with my joints and my running. I don't know exactly how it is helping but my legs have been feeling better than they have in a long time. Yesterday I did a brick workout (combining two workouts into one) I swam 800 meters and immediately jumped onto the treadmill for a 1.5 mile sprint. I normally have been wearing my compression socks but for this I had left them at home. My legs felt strong and my lungs felt great. My swim was not fantastic and I felt lethargic, once on the treadmill though I felt immediately better finishing at a 8 min a mile pace (which is pretty fast for me).
I'm thinking the swimming is increasing my circulation in my lower legs, allowing my joints to rest while working out, and is increasing my cardio abilities all at the same time.
I'm feeling better all around and my body is getting much more used to working out twice a day although I am sleeping much more as well. Next week will be updated for my workouts and I am rereading my favorite running book now, "Ultramarthon Man", I'll give a write up on it next week, highlighting my favorite part of the book, "the soiling of the Lexus"...
One thing I would like to write about is my favorite swimming training book and program:
http://www.amazon.com/Total-Immersion-Revolutionary-Better-Faster/dp/068481885X and, http://www.totalimmersion.net/.
Total Immersion taught me how to swim triathlons years ago and I recently went back to it to review the material. This book is how training books need to be written. It is about one stroke, the only stroke you need in a race, the freestyle stroke. It is full of ways to make you a more efficient swimmer and it gave me my swimming form I have today, which while not perfect is pretty damned good especially for someone who never took swimming lessons. I highly recommend buying this book if you want to swim faster, farther, and easier.
Swimming has also helped with my joints and my running. I don't know exactly how it is helping but my legs have been feeling better than they have in a long time. Yesterday I did a brick workout (combining two workouts into one) I swam 800 meters and immediately jumped onto the treadmill for a 1.5 mile sprint. I normally have been wearing my compression socks but for this I had left them at home. My legs felt strong and my lungs felt great. My swim was not fantastic and I felt lethargic, once on the treadmill though I felt immediately better finishing at a 8 min a mile pace (which is pretty fast for me).
I'm thinking the swimming is increasing my circulation in my lower legs, allowing my joints to rest while working out, and is increasing my cardio abilities all at the same time.
I'm feeling better all around and my body is getting much more used to working out twice a day although I am sleeping much more as well. Next week will be updated for my workouts and I am rereading my favorite running book now, "Ultramarthon Man", I'll give a write up on it next week, highlighting my favorite part of the book, "the soiling of the Lexus"...
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Week 1 Recap
Week one is down and out, I rediscovered my love of swimming, the runs went well and the cycling, well, the cycling was done at the gym as its already colder than a witches tit here in northern Utah.
Here is my Week 1 workout rundown:
Monday:
Run: 40 minutes easy pace
Swim:
Warm up 4x25 crawl
Main Set 2x200 crawl
Cool Down 4x25 crawl/back kick
Tuesday:
Run: 30 minutes easy pace
Bike: 60 minutes easy pace
Wednesday:
Swim
Warm up 4x25 every other a back kick
Main Set 3x200 Crawl
Cool Down 4x25 easy, every other a back kick
Thursday:
Run 60 minutes, long run, easy pace
Friday:
Swim-Speed Day
Warm up 4x25 crawl
Main Set 4x100 race pace crawl
Cool Down 4x25 each slower than the last
Bike:
30 minutes easy
Saturday:
Off day but went for an easy swim, 300 yrds
Sunday
Off Day, went river fishing, so easy walk and fly fishing.
All in all it went very well. I remembered how much I enjoyed swimming. The quiet time alone with nothing to worry about other than counting, breathing and the blue line really relaxed me and made the rest of my body recover from the runs much faster. On my long run I cramped up and had to walk for five minutes but was okay to continue at my normal pace after that. I need to find a good yoga class.
This weeks goals were, just get used to the sleep schedule and be ready to do it again next week. This was a little harder than I anticipated, I had a hard time getting to sleep and by the fourth day I was beat. This upcoming week will be more of the same, gettting used to the new routine and just getting the workouts done.
Here is my Week 1 workout rundown:
Monday:
Run: 40 minutes easy pace
Swim:
Warm up 4x25 crawl
Main Set 2x200 crawl
Cool Down 4x25 crawl/back kick
Tuesday:
Run: 30 minutes easy pace
Bike: 60 minutes easy pace
Wednesday:
Swim
Warm up 4x25 every other a back kick
Main Set 3x200 Crawl
Cool Down 4x25 easy, every other a back kick
Thursday:
Run 60 minutes, long run, easy pace
Friday:
Swim-Speed Day
Warm up 4x25 crawl
Main Set 4x100 race pace crawl
Cool Down 4x25 each slower than the last
Bike:
30 minutes easy
Saturday:
Off day but went for an easy swim, 300 yrds
Sunday
Off Day, went river fishing, so easy walk and fly fishing.
All in all it went very well. I remembered how much I enjoyed swimming. The quiet time alone with nothing to worry about other than counting, breathing and the blue line really relaxed me and made the rest of my body recover from the runs much faster. On my long run I cramped up and had to walk for five minutes but was okay to continue at my normal pace after that. I need to find a good yoga class.
This weeks goals were, just get used to the sleep schedule and be ready to do it again next week. This was a little harder than I anticipated, I had a hard time getting to sleep and by the fourth day I was beat. This upcoming week will be more of the same, gettting used to the new routine and just getting the workouts done.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
In the beginning...
The best place to start is the begnning but I'd rather begin with where I am hoping to end, at least in the more immediate sense of the word. Ochsner Ironman 70.3 in New Orleans and an "M dot" tattoo to celebrate finishing the race. While a full Ironman is another goal, it is for another time as well, perhaps in the future this blog will show my training for it, as it is, for now this blog will be my journal for my training.
http://ironmanneworleans.com/
Ochsner Ironman 70.3 New Orleans is a Long distance triathlon consisting of:
http://ironmanneworleans.com/
Course
Ochsner Ironman 70.3 New Orleans is a Long distance triathlon consisting of:
1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run.
Swim Course
Bike Course
(56 miles)
2011 Ironman 70.3 New Orleans Bike Course Map
(13.1 miles)
My past experiences in the sport of triathlon consists of many sprints and olympic distance races, this will be my first half iron distance race. I have ran half marathons, cycled centuries, and swam the full distance, but never all at once. It will be a trial and I am hoping a great bit of fun with the accompanying pain.
I will be updating this blog weekly, I will try to post each of my workouts and give a weekly summary of how everything went. Seeing how many of my past training schedules have met with issues (injuries, time, exhaustion, drinking,...) this blog should show how well a part time "athlete" (term very loosely applied) can go from start to finish in a little over 5 months.
2011 Ironman 70.3 New Orleans Bike Course Map
Run Course
(13.1 miles)
My past experiences in the sport of triathlon consists of many sprints and olympic distance races, this will be my first half iron distance race. I have ran half marathons, cycled centuries, and swam the full distance, but never all at once. It will be a trial and I am hoping a great bit of fun with the accompanying pain.
I will be updating this blog weekly, I will try to post each of my workouts and give a weekly summary of how everything went. Seeing how many of my past training schedules have met with issues (injuries, time, exhaustion, drinking,...) this blog should show how well a part time "athlete" (term very loosely applied) can go from start to finish in a little over 5 months.
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