swim, bike, run ... it'l be fun!

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Is that what passes for a race report around here?!

Yep, its in line with what counts as training these days too
Alarm went off this morning and I'd no choice but to hit "off" and go back to bed for a few more hours.

Anton Glamorous Repression wrote: »

Just saying

http://www.attackpoint.org/trainingpaces.jsp?dist=10&units=miles&time=60%3A00

:eek: that looks like an awful lot of hard work

Dublin City Marathon 2013

Training for this went reasonably well, I did a nice time at the 10mile race but had some shin splint problems a few weeks later, so some of my remaining long runs were done at a slower pace than normal. I skipped a few mid week runs along the way to ensure I could at least do quality when I was getting in a run, and decided not to do any more races just incase I gave them a bit too much effort.

Training mostly consisted of 2xswims a week and 3xruns a week (long run, tempo or interval run, jog to work) and occasionally cycling to work. I know it's a long way off what most people pack in for the training, but I hoped with the base of fitness I've built in the last couple of years it would be enough.

I picked up some sort of cold/infection during the first taper week (of 3), and with two weeks to go it wan't improving so I took a week off. Tried swimming a week later when I was getting over it, and was down with a fever the next day again, so didnt do any training after that until popping out for a run the friday before the marathon. I was still a bit tired, but couldn't tell if it was just sluggishness at this stage or what. I went for an easy jog with a plan of 2x1k at a marathonish pace, and everything felt tight. After the 10mile race I'd notions of a 3hr marathon, but I couldn't even hold that pace for the couple of 1k efforts during my easy plod after two weeks rest. On sat/sunday my legs felt sore from the 7k run, and just to make things more fun I didn't get home from a family event till 4am on the saturday (unavoidable event that I wouldn't have missed for the world, but I was well behaved and didn't drink). I had a clear sunday, so didn't get out of bed till lunchtime and spent the rest of the day with my feet up taking it easy. 24hrs is enough to recover, right? Eventually got my kit for the race together, and set the alarm.

BEEP-BEEP... BEEP-BEEP.. RACE DAY!

I didn't feel so bad in the morning. I've done a few races now, and this didn't phase me too much so I had a nice lazy breakfast before heading for the start. After dropping bags I didn't know where to line up. I set myself up infront of the 3'10 pacers, and figured I'd see how things felt after a few miles and decide what time to target. I'd a wrist band with all times from sub 3 (optimistic) through to 3'30 (previous pb and the time to beat) on it. When the gun went, the 3hr pacers disappeared and I set off at my own pace. It felt quick heading around the green and up oconnel st, and by the time we got to the phoenix park I'd caught back up with the back pacer. The pace felt OK, but I didn't know how it would feel later in the day. I decided to stick around that pace and reevaluate at 13miles. It looked like the other two 3'00 pacers were setting for a slightly faster time, so I wondered if they'd agreed to stagger the target times for their groups.

Through the park, chapolizad etc. and the splits were perfect. Then we hit the wind, and I cheekily started drafting up the road as we headed into the headwind at walkinstown. A little slower here, but figured it would be time enough to make up later in the day. By the time we were heading by bushy park and into miltown we started passing people who'd set out too quick, and although the pace wasnt easy (my legs felt like they were working from the start tbh!), it wasn't hard. I decided to try and stick with the pacer till about mile 21 and see if I wanted to push or just hang on if the wall creamed me. Last time I ran this race I died going up the hill at milltown, and from there on it felt like effort. This time I didn't feel like I'd put in too much effort, so the pace stayed steady around UCD and up roebuck hill. The groups out supporting were massive and although it was starting to require a bit of effort now, it felt like it was the right time for it to be kicking in, and the atmosphere just fuelled you to stick with it. Our pacer was doing a stirling job, keeping us on the racing line and avoiding any wasted effort.

Over the flyover and down to donnybrook and It was clear our group had spread out a bit, though there was still a good gang pushing together. As we turned off with 3miles to go I was feeling strong and had heard someone I knew was just ahead, so picked up my pace... and immediately felt it. I tried a couple of times to stay steady at a faster pace, and each time I got away from the 3hr pace group I heard them land back on me. Checking the splits it seemed like we were about 30s off sub-3, and I used this as motivation to push a bit and make it stick. There's no way I'm going to have stuck it out this far to miss sub3 by a few seconds, I wanted to comfortably finish inside the hour mark. Finally I made it stick, and pushed pretty hard for the last two miles. This felt incredible. Last time I did this race I was walking sections here. Today the crouds were big and noisy, and the pace and nutrition plan seemed to be working (gel every 30mins starting an hour in).

Around by the front of TCD and onto nassau st and the road was huge with plenty of space. I was in a full tilt sprint just waiting to get a sight of the finish line, and there it was. In with a couple of minutes to spare, and hung around to see the pacers come in bang on target with about 20s to spare.

I really enjoyed this race. There was a big unknown hanging over it for me, I'd trained on low mileage, had a terrible taper, but thanks to the perfect pacing early in the race (big thumbs up for pacers!) I got to the later stages feeling strong. Over the moon to break 3hrs, its one of those numbers I never really expected to beat. Most people say you can estimate your IM marathon time from a standalone +20-30mins.. so given I did a IM marathon of 3:45+ earlier this year, I thought 3'00 was a very conceited time to consider targeting. My #1 goal with training and doing this marathon was just to enjoy it, which I did. Runs with friends and other groups, a lack of any pressure by not picking a time to target, and a little more chilled attitude to training were lovely for the last few months.

Solobally8 wrote: »

Congrats kingQuez you make it sound so easy

Thanks, Solobally8.. I think I need to edit the race report better next time ... it wasn't easy, but I did enjoy it

In a shakeup of my normal mix of training, this week has seen me... swim 20mins, cycle 30mins, run 15mins, and spend 6hrs in the gym doing s&c :eek:

It's fun to change stuff around a bit, but I think my vacation from cycling is going to have to come to an end soon.

shotgunmcos wrote: »

Actually unattended for 5 mins would mean "done" or resting after 1-3 rep Max effort which would mean a stack of weight on the bar.

I'll find out for real this week as I plan to venture into one of these gym things for the first time in years.

Ah, that could be it. I'm pretty sure they said they were taking long rests between sets, so it must have been that sort of set you described. Not crazy weights on the bar, but certainly more than I can lift!. Sounds like I've a smiddgin more knowledge about this weights lark than you BTH, but thats about it ... it's good fun to be doing something new at the moment, although my mantra with the barbell is "dont fall over"

30mile spin thismorning, with a coffeestop, and it near killed me. First cycle since about June. I've been tormenting myself looking at far flung races, and then realizing I dont really want to train for them. Suspect I'm really just looking for a holiday, and trying to justify it by lining one up with a race of some sort

Averaging about 8-9hrs a week training at the moment, slowly trying to build volume back up a bit after a few lazy months averaging about 4-5hrs a week at most of doing whatever I felt like on any given day.

Current template looks a bit like this (increase different components over 3 weeks, and then drop a little volume/intensity on the 4th)..

Monday ("Recovery"): 30min swim AM, 1hr yoga/stretching PM
Tuesday: morning off, 1hr turbo trainer PM
Wednesday: 45min swim AM, Long run (currently 1hr) PM
Thursday: 1hr S&C AM, PM off
Friday: 30min run AM, 1h30 swim PM
Saturday: 1hr turbo or 2hr spin outside
Sunday 3-4hr bike with 15min run off

Lots of short sessions, but the goal was to get back to training to a plan, and executing it with consistency rather than making up what I wanted to do each day. 7 weeks in and I'm hitting all the sessions.

I've totally backed off on swimming (used to do 3x1.5hr sessions a week) and instead focusing the two short swims on nothing but technique, and the one proper session on friday as a real session. The point is to try and shift focus to cycling.. which I used to always bump for a swim, even though its my weakness. Reading back over my log, my swim times are down on where they used to be.. but then again I don't know what year I last did a 6k swim set in :-) Started using a pull buoy for the first time a few weeks ago, and really notice the change in body position and how to use your stroke to improve propulsion.. I used to get a lot of my movement from a decent kick.

Running is usually OK, so im just about keeping it ticking over too without any hard sessions.... mainly so that I have no excuses for slacking off on the bike.

Cycling I'm starting to enjoy again; I really wish the weather would improve though. Hit a patch of ice a few weeks back and came off, and since then my left shoulder still isn't right. Also finally got a TT bike and trying to adjust to it. Positioning of shoulders (in terms of width between TT bars) feels pretty tight so trying to work on flexibility for that too. The tuesday turbo session is only an hour (so that, in my head, "its only an hour", and cant be skipped), and also the only session that day.. so that I can have zero excuses for skipping it. There's certainly space for a swim or a run that day, replacing a swim another day with an easy hour on the bike.

S&C ... I enjoy. It's in a small group, and it helps with avoiding injury (since starting it I don't really get any niggles anymore), and pretty sure its contributing to run strength quite a lot. In terms of general training + fitness I think its good, in terms of focussing 100% on triathlon, I think the recovery time from the session is too high, but going to keep it for now.

Goal in the next little block is to the get long bike up to 5hrs, the turbo session up to 1.5hrs, bring the long run up to 1h45, and bring the little swims up to an hour and do some proper work during them. At some point I need to start moving some runs off to trails.. but I haven't worked out the logistics for that yet.

Back training with a bit of frequency, and enjoying it after slacking off for most of the last year :-)

RacoonQueen wrote: »

That an example of your recovery week?

Nope, not far off what I did last week and this week.. goal is to try and find something I can do with consistency and then build on it. It's got to be fun though, I've been dreading having a "timetable" for a lot of my free time again, so the only way it makes sense is if im looking forward to doing it

Hey Solobally8, I signed up for an early summer IM, and have a long trail run the month after.. No goals for them other than to finish and have fun. Might pick out a couple of things to give a good effort later in the summer, but I haven't planned that far ahead.

First long spin that tipped over 4hrs was today, up into the hills. No ice which was a nice change. Lots more trips up there from now on. I've a day off scheduled for tomorrow, first one in 5 weeks. 12.5 hours done this week.