Chasing the Kona dream and a Mai Tai cocktail

Wednesday
Solid day put in,
Swim - planned 60 mins
Did not want to end up doing a full brick session like last week so up at 5am for a quick bowl of porridge and a nutrigrain bar and back to bed for an hour before i hit the pool at 6.30am. Brought the wetsuit with me for the early morning start and the fact i knew this session would be tough without it.
300 warm up
8x50 drills (going to start these up again to focus on technique)
5x500 with 90 secs rest in between and i hit the following times
9:42, 10:08, 9:45, 9:41, 9:49 - total time: 49:05
200 cool down
Really tough towards the end but swimming in the wetsuit makes it much easier and obviously helps with the times. Pretty sure this is my longest swim session to date.

Total distance: 3.4km
Time: 79 mins

Brick Session - planned 45 min bike & 20 min run
Put the kids to bed (in fact fell asleep in one of their beds) groggy when i got up but got straight to it
Bike
Intensity was probably too high for this for the base phase but just wanted to give it a good go. Pancake flat course and i done most of it in the big gear which dropped my cadence slightly whilst increasing my power. Still trying to find that middle ground between cadence/power ratio for IM bike. Tipped into Z3 a little bit but finished up in the upper limits of Z2.
Distance: 29.1km
Avg speed: 38.7kmph
Cadence: 95
Power: 232 watt
Avg HR: 153


Run
Both pairs of running tights in the wash so out in me shorts:eek:. Much slower than last weeks t run given the conditions and the cold air was really taking my breath away.
Distance: 4.6km
Time: 22.25
Pace: 4.49km/7.45mile
HR: 147

Total time 67:25 and 33.7km covered, enjoying a nice glass of vino right now

Friday
Run - Planned 60 minutes Z2
Had been out the night before at another work night out and was feeling the worst of it and the increasingly slushy paths did not help. Slow enough and just hated being out as my form was all over the place but job done.
Distance: 12.9km
Time: 1:07:15
Pace: 5:12/8:23
Avg hr: 155

No swim today as the gym was closed on Xmas Eve so one session missed for the week.

Saturday
I switched things around for Xmas day (3 hyperactive kids does that) took a rest day and pushed out the long sessions by a day.

Sunday
Long Bike - planned 150 min Z1/Z2
Up for a 6am start on the turbo, head and guts felt hazy/sickly from the turkey and beers, it was probably the toughest session to get myself going so far since i started IM training. Given the fact we had 12 people coming for dinner later in the day meant it was a now or never session. Loaded up the Milan San Remo route 80km which has about 4/5 decent climbs totalling around 900mtr of climbing. It was below par from previous long bikes but the long sessions really cannot be missed, probably 1:30 in Z1 and 1 hr in Z2
Time: 152 minutes
Distance: 80km
Avg Speed: 31.4kmph
HR: 129
Power: 209
Cadence: 97


Bloody 6 pounds put on in the last two weeks with all the nights out and turkey dinners, diet and no beers until after IM should sort it in the new year.

Tuesday

Run - Fat Turkey Run - Howth
I forgot i had signed up to run the Turkey Run with a friend so headed off with heavy legs from yesterdays LSR. I was not sure how to approach this, run as a recovery i go for a quick paced run. I decided i would try run close to 4.30km/7.15mile pace and see how i faired. Clicked by the first km in 4.33 with the legs feeling heavy but started to get into a rhythm and ran the 2nd km in 4.28 so was there or therabouts against planned pace. Just as i ran into Howth we were faced with the summit (the steep side) I trundled on up for about a km and had to take a 100 mtr walk due to a stitch/cramps and the legs feeling very very heavy. I ran the next km slightly quicker but lost about 4 minutes in total going up the summit.
Quickly regrouped at the summit and churned out the rest of the race at planned pace although the hr remained in Z3 for all the race. I think i need to get some decent interval sessions in before the Waterford Half.
Summary here
Distance: 11.4km
Time:54:43
Avg pace: 4.47km
Avg HR: 166

Friday
Felt better today and just back from a sneaky 5k run with the Father before New Years festivities commence. My last training session of 2010!!
Time: 26 minutes
Distance: 4.97km
Pace: 5:12km/8:22mile
Avg HR: 133

Another year over and thankfully an enjoyable one. Looking back over 2010 i have a few positives/negatives,

Positives
1. Dropping nearly 3 stone in weight since the start of the year.
2. Running my first marathon in Cork under 4 hours
3. Generally just feeling much healthier and fitter than i have done since i was 20.
Negatives
1. Missing out on my priority goal of sub 3.30 in DCM
2. Not running enough 10k races

Looking forward to 2011 i have set myself the following goals.
Race goals
A priority race - IM UK which i hope to complete in under 12 hours
B Priority race - London Marathon in which i hope to complete in under 3:30
C Priority race - Half IronMan in Cookstown in which i hope to complete in under 5:30
D Priority race - DCM (providing London goes well) a sub 3.25 marathon

Other goals,
a sub 1.35 half marathon
a sub 41 min 10k
Hit over 1500kms running next year
Hit over 6000kms cycling next year
Hit over 200kms swim next year
Get the BF % down to 7%

Happy New Year Sports Fans!!

Week 7 Summary
28 - 02January|# sessions|Time hh:mm|Distance kms
Total|5|4:35|107.1km
Swimming|0|0|0km
Cycling|2|3:04|89km
Running|3|1:31|18.1km
Conditioning|0|0|Strengthening Work - Gym
Other|0|0:00|Swim coaching


Totals so far
15 Nov-02 Jan|# sessions|Time hh:mm|Distance kms
Total|71|63:10|1023.2km
Swimming|14|10:49|28.2km
Cycling|20|22:51|731km
Running|28|22:30|264km
Conditioning|6|5:30|Strengthening Work - Gym
Other|3|1:30|Swim coaching


Very dissapointing week, no swims completed due to the gym closing a crazy number of days over the holiday period and generally only hitting about 50% of planned volume for the week due to sickness.
Due a recovery week this week but will rerun the planned week 7 numbers and take a recovery week next week. I have 4 weeks to play with in my plan between now and IMUK so no real panic. The missus is due in 3 weeks so i plan to have another light week around that time which will then see me into the build phase of my training plan.

menoscemo wrote: »

Myself and Oisin will be doing that run in the park on saturday if you're still interested. Probably about 18 miles at 8:30ish pace...

Yeah Niall well up for that, what time? I assume meeting at the Papal Cross car park? 8.30 pace is fine aswell.

Monday
Swim - Planned 60 minutes
Tough going after the week break but felt better as the session went on.
200 warm up and 10x300@20 sec rest
Distance: 3.2km
Time: 71 mins

Run - Planned 60 minutes
My first proper run in a few days, started off very slugish with the first few miles rolling in 8.50/8.46/8.48 kick started the engine with a 7.36 and then hovered around 8.30 after that. Ended up running longer as i wanted to get miles into the legs and i am trying to find my running mojo back.
Distance: 15.9km
Time: 1:24:56
Pace: 5.20km/8.35mile
HR: 148
Summary

Started the new diet today, early doors but enjoyed my salmon fillet and salad (no dressing) dinner:o

Wednesday
AM Swim - planned 2.5km straight
Up at 6am and into the pool at 6.30am, tough to get going but once i got a few lengths i was fine. Struggled in the last 15 lengths or so and had to do a few bstroke recovery lengths mixed in to keep things moving along. Right shoulder is slightly sore could be shoulder doms. I really need to get something into me before these early morning sessions as the hunger pangs heading into work were unbearable.
Distance: 2.5km
Splits: 1k split: 24:35, 2k split 25:05 and the last 500 was a 13.52 so need to continue working on swim endurance.
Total Time: 63:32

Lunchtime Run - 40 min Z2
Decided to continue with the running streak and set out at lunchtime. The plan was to hold a steady 8 min mile pace including two hills on the route. Running cadence was 86 and increased to 90 on the hills as i shortened my stride. Good session and felt strong throughout
Distance: 7.9km
Time: 38:40
Pace: 4.57km/7.58mile
HR: HRM not working

Nightime brick session - 45min bike 15 min run
Loaded up a hilly session on the turbo and kicked off. Legs felt a bit weary for the first few minutes but soon had the power and cadence up. I was constantly shifting up and down the gears as there was continous rolling hills. Tough enough section with 530 mtrs of climbing (some 12/13% gradients), a fair bit of climbing in just 26kms.
Distance: 26.3km
Time: 45
Power: 235
Cadence: 98
Speed: 35kpmh
HR: HRM not working
A quick change into two dry layers and i was off out, even after a long day i felt good and tried to hold 7.30 mile pace for the 15 minutes. Alas the legs started to weaken in the last 2/3 minutes after what has been a long but productive day.
Distance: 3.9km
Time: 18:22
Pace: 4.42km/7.34mile
HR: HRM not working

Into day 3 of the diet and it's going really well, had a quick check on the scales and i have dropped 4 pounds already.

Friday
Lunchtime Run - 60 min Z1/2 easy
Legs heavy enough from the gym yesterday and with a long run planned for Saturday morning i took this one easier than i normally would. I am convinced the HRM does not like some of my clothing as the reading for the pace does not look right at all, felt nowhere near that effort. Miscalcuted route by 2km which resulted in an earlier finish!!
Distance: 9km
Time: 48:32
Pace: 5.27km/8.47mile
HR: 158 (yeah right)

PM Swim - planned 2.5km
We will mark this down as one of those sessions you want to forget quickly. Struggled throughout and never got into it.
300mtr warm up
1x300 @ 40 sec rest
4X200 @ 30 sec rest
1x300 @ 40 sec rest
200 mtr cool down
8x50 drills (hated these tonight)
Distance: 2.3km
Total Time: 62 mins

Saturday
LSR - Planned 150 mins
Group session in the Phoenix Park which consisted of me, Menescomo and Ainman who was doing one loop of the course. The plan was to run at a pace of 8.30, we done the first loop closer to 9 min miles but picked up the second half to finish off at an average pace of 5.23km/8.40 min mile. Really enjoyed the company and the run itself, felt fine throughout bar a stitch around the 23km mark which i ran off quick enough. Legs feel ok after so recovery is certainly improving on these long runs. We passed the cars at mile 17.3 and given Menescomo is a garmin nut we had to pass the finish point to clock up the 18 mile:pac:
HRM obviously still on the blink graph looks like the Wicklow Mountains.
Distance: 29.1km
Time: 2:36:54
Pace: 5.23km/8.40mile
HR: 154
Summary

Aimman wrote: »

Good to meet up with you today. Next time I'll tag along for longer, once the legs remember what they are suppose to do

Yeah good to meet up hopefully you will get out longer with us next time, that Meno can be a bit of a slave driver on the hills:)

Sunday - Long Bike 180 mins
Set the alarm for 6am and hit snooze 2/3 times before finally rising. Had a look out and as expected it was far to icy outside to ride out on so went with plan b on the turbo. I had set up a GPS route of the full M1 route Port Tunnel to Newry on the Tacx Turbo the night before so went with that route.
Started at 7am as i needed to get this done early today, felt grand all the way through and in fact the longer the ride went on the better i felt. Took on 500ml of water, 500ml sports drink along with an energy gel and bar - more trialing different nutrition strategies more than anything.
Time: 180 mins
Distance: 104.8km
Cadence: 98
Power: 204
HRM: 1st hour 134 (70% FTP), 2nd hour 131 (68% FTP), 3rd hour 133 (69% FTP), overall avg 133

Izoard wrote: »

Some serious output there...16hrs per week in Jan!

69k is still above race weight? I can only dream:)

Cheers Izo, well i am a shortass at only 5ft 7 and a half (the half is very important) so targeting 66/67kg is probably not too far off.

shotgunmcos wrote: »

LOL Very solid week put down there JB and as for 69kg.. Last time I was that weight I was about 12yrs old:rolleyes:

Cheers Shotgun, yeah last time i was anywhere near that weight was my late teens. The positive thing is that i am still feeling strong/sharper at that weight although i will keep an eye on any loss of power and or muscle.
I would say the BF % is probably under 9% at this stage, it would be sweet to get down to 7%.

Edited to say i am weary that this is my 1st proper season doing any tri related stuff so a complete newbie. If any of the more experienced on here think i am doing anything wrong please do let me know.

Tuesday
Lunchtime Strides
I normally do one 15/16km run during the week but today it will be split into two. For the lunchtime run I went with 800 mtrs steady and 200 mtr strides for every km i covered.

Distance: 11.3kms
Time: 54:05
Pace: 4:47km/7:42mile
Avg HR: 156, it was reading 183 at the start:rolleyes:

Plan for tonight is a swim coaching session and another 5k run probably at a slower pace than todays run.

Wednesday AM
AM Swim - planned 2.5km straight and 300 WU and 200 CD
I was actually up for 5.30am this morning as i wanted to get some food in me before i went for the swim as i struggled on this session last week with no fuel on board. Took on the advice from last nights coaching and concentrated on breathing, keeping my stroke long and keeping everything nice and slow.
This was a great session and the first time i can say with absolute confidence that the IM swim will cause me no problems on race day.
Time last week was 63:32 and i managed to knock nearly 5 minutes off that. There was no breaststroke recovery in between and i was even going to push on to bring it up to 3k but was pushed for time. Happy with this one!!
Distance: 3km
2.5k Time: 58:49
Total Time: 68 mins

shotgunmcos wrote: »

Good swimming JB. Nice confidence boost, it will be great to go into the IM not worrying too much about the swim

Cheers. I was feeling very dodgy about the whole swimming lark but at ease with it now. I have a swim target in mind for IM but not willing to share it just yet until i get a couple of straight 3k/3.5k in over the coming months.

Just changed and arranged my HIM race. I shall be doing it along the sunny Med coast in Spain. Now doing the Half-Challenge Barcelona-Maresme on the 29th May.

Nicely incoporated into the family holiday aswell:)

Thursday

Lunchtime Run - Tempo Session
Debated on doing this type of session so close to the Waterford but i wanted to test out the legs at HM pace.
Took the first 2 miles easy enough holding close to 9 min mile pace and then ran the next 4 at planned HM pace, 7.21/7.28/7.24/7.31 miles. These were very tough going and i will find it hard to sustain this for the full half especially if conditions are bad, ran the last 2.1 miles just over 9 min pace. HR was firmly in Zone 3 for those 4 miles hitting around a 172 and i averaged at the top end of Zone 2 for the 8 miles.
Distance: 13.03km
Time: 67:45
Pace: 5.11km/8.21mile
Avg HR: 162

Bike - 60 minute zone 1 maintain 100+ cadence
Took me a few minutes to get into this as the legs were dead after todays tempo session. Watched last nights episode of Shameless to pass the time:)
Distance: 35.5km
Avg speed: 35.5kmph
Cadence: 107
Power: 196 watt
Avg HR: 129