Tuesday Training

Good day of workouts Tuesday with a noon swim and a fast-ish run in the evening. I don't come from a swimming background so I don't get into all the sets of drills and stuff. I've always been a decent swimmer and I was a lifeguard as a teenager one summer at the neighborhood pool. Although lifeguarding was more about spinning the whistle and keeping little Johnny from dunking Sally than swimming.

So my swim workouts are jump in, swim the precribed distance for the day and get back to work. Yesterday was no different. 2500m broken into 5 x 500 with 15 seconds between just to get a sip of water and start the next set. I'm trying to keep all sets below 8:30 which while not fast, still gets me around a 1:06:00 Ironman swim time.

Tuesday's lap times: 8:26, 8:16, 8:22, 8:31, 8:22.

Didn't have the best of feel in the water, but I'm happy with the times. Especially being able to stay below 8:30 for the last set.

Attended the varsity girls district tourney basketball game after work... they lost, thus ending the season for the team. Sad to see the seniors end their careers on kind of a lack luster performance against a team they beat last week. But it happens in all sports when you just have one of those low energy days. There were a few tears shead after the handshakes for sure...

After the game, A and Kels headed for the gym, and I headed home for a quick run. It's a recovery week for running being the last week of the month so just a 4 mile run planned. The temp was awesome being right at 50*F and no wind at all. Feeling good, I kicked up the pace, especially because it was only 4 miles. Goal was to finish under 30 minutes and I made with time to spare. I'm thinking that's a PR for my 4 mile loop... :)

4 miles, 28:54 (7:13 pace), 160 avg heart rate

Back to KMA

The high school basketball season is over so I have no more excuses for missing cycling class. It was a great season for the junior varsity as the girls went 18-4 and won their conference. Now it's back to work getting ready for Ironman Louisville and a few tune up races leading up to the A event.

Coach Greg re-introduced me to the rest of the class and I took a good bit of ribbing from some fellow KMAer's for being away. I haven't been totally slacking though trying to make up the workouts at home. Still, I wasn't sure going into last nights class how far behind I would be.

On tap, one of the toughest workouts we do, the main set consisted of 4 sets:

• 20 minute build to 85% (get to 85% by minute 10)
• 15 minutes 85% (get to 85% by minute 3)
• 10 minutes at 90% (get to 90% by minute 3)
• 5 minutes at 95% of max heart rate.

Hard stuff but also one of my favorite workouts. I prefer steady efforts to climbing or power.

Overall it went pretty good. I had run 4 miles on the 24HR treadmill over lunch and thought maybe the legs would be a little tired but I felt really fresh during the workout.

Excellent Weekend

Okay the first weekend of training for Ironman Louisville is done. Week 1 of 30. I remember how fast these 30 weeks went by two years ago training for Wisconsin. Even though it sounds like a long time, those 30 weeks fly by.

Beautiful weekend in KC with Saturday temps around 70 degrees. Got out for the first outdoor ride of the season Saturday which is always a treat. No matter how many trainer rides, KMA workouts or flexband squats I do, the first time dealing with gravity and wind resistance is always a reality check on fitness levels. Did 3 loops around the Lakewood loop then added a short out and back to get in an even 20 miles. First couple loops were brutal but actually felt better on loop 3.

Sunday met another group in south KC for a long run. Great group of guys. But FAST! Ran way harder than a base phase long run is meant to be run. At least that's the way it felt. Probably the first time all winter I really felt bad on a long run. Not sure if it was from the Saturday ride or the hour massage leaving the legs heavy and tired. Still managed 12 miles at 7:43 pace. How my average heart rate was 150 I don't know.

Finished off the day and the weekend with yoga class at 24Hour and a burrito and a couple of margarita's with A and Brian and Angie.

Get Going!

Feeling like a bit of a slacker coming off a recovery week and then missing Mondays cycling class. Gotta get going again! Had a good long run (10.5 miles) with Christopher Saturday morning but didn't do much after that all weekend.

Had a good swim on Tuesday of 2500m and a really decent run last night of 7 miles. Noticing the pace is improving and the heart rate is staying the same. I'll take that as progress. Cycling class tonight looks like a good challenge.

Thursday Cycling Class

Really REALLY good cycling class last night. More strength work and big gear efforts. Everyone was feeling the effects from Monday night, but of course since I was MIA that night, I felt pretty good Thursday night. Although today my legs feel a bit heavy! So much for a recovery week :) Well at least it has been a "running" recovery week.

Also got in 2500m of swimming yesterday at lunch. Need to get more consistant with my swim workouts as the form feels a bit ragged right now.

The KMA workout...

• 5 min easy spinning
• Warm up: 3 x 30 sec, 30 sec rest, small 17, 100+ rpm
• Warm up cont.: 4 x 1 min, 30 sec rest, B23 100+ rpm, B21, B19, B15 standing
• 1 min easy
• 1 x 4 min, 20 sec sprint, 10 sec rest, B19
• 1 min easy
• 5 x 1 min Sprint, 30 sec rest, B12 standing
• 1 min easy
• Off Bike: 2 x 4 min, 30 sec rest, Iso split squats 2 min each leg w/flexbands - OUCH!!!
• 5 x 1 min Sprint, 1 min rest, B12 stand 15 sec, seated 30 sec, stand last 15 sec
• Off Bike: 4 x 1 min, 15 sec rest, 30 sec leg split squat, 30 sec iso split squat w/flexbands. 15 sec rest, switch legs
• 1 min easy
• 5 x 30 sec, 30 sec rest, B12 standing sprint
• 1 min easy
• Off Bike: 3 x 90 sec, 30 sec rest, 60 sec speed squat, 30 sec iso squat w/flexbands
• 5 x 30 sec Sprint, 30 sec rest, stand 15 sec, seated 15 sec
• 1 min easy
• Off Bike: 1 x 2 min, 1 min speed squat, 1 min iso squat (no flexband)
• 2 min easy spin
• Off Bike: 1 Leg Crank Series
• Cool down and stretch

Huh, doesn't look that bad on paper... Good hour and forty minutes of workout and only 18.5 miles on the trainer.

Recovery Week

Been trying to take it easy this week and let the body recover, legs specifically, from a good month of training. Considering it's only January I feel like I'm in pretty decent shape and ready to kick off the real training in the next couple weeks.

Only a couple running workouts this week so far what with the frigid temps and dealing with some auto issues. Skipped Monday's KMA workout and went to Kelsey's basketball game instead. Priorities...

Monday and Wednesday were both noon treadmill runs at 24 HR of 3 and 4 miles respectively. Plus some core work stuff. Noon swim and KMA tonight.

Weekend Round Up

Monday January 26, 2009

Decent weekend of training in spite of the really cold weather. I can now say I ran farther than the temperature! Golfer's will often say "some day I want to shoot my age". For a 70 year old to shoot 70 is pretty darn impressive. Well Saturday morning Christopher, Hugh, Eric, Brian and I met at 7:00am on the trail for our long run. It was a whopping 6 degrees when we started and only bumped up to 9 degrees when we finished our 11.5 miles. Still some snow on the ground from Friday nights little 1/2" or so dusting. Thankfully the sun was out and there wasn't much wind. So the run was actually not too bad.

So there you go, 11.5 miles in sub 10 degree temps.... Where is Spring?!?!

Sunday I was lazy and skipped my normal trainer ride. Still went to the afternoon yoga class with A at 4:30 though. Met Brian a bit early to check out his swim form and offer any pointers I could to help him get started. Looked much more comfortable in the water after 20 minutes or so of balance drills.

This week is a running recovery week. So cut back to 3 miles at noon on the treadmill at 24 Hour over lunch.