[catweazle]

Chrisee Wellington races to the dodgy tune of Elton Johns Circle of Life, when the heart rate starts to go up on me on the big days I turn to "BT's - every other way" and mumble the logs title over and over again to keep me running. Its also an apt title for this years log, a half arsed heart rate plan got me through Swinford in good shape. I thought pretty soon after that what I could have done if I had been a little braver and pushed the heart rate a little more that day and I am going to focus very much on heart rate training zones this year

With every man and his dog these days having a coach, I went and got a backroom team as well. I first got a training allocation manager meet Catweazle Junior (AKA Pudsey)



and my financial manager Mrs C



My original plan was to look at doing Challenge Barcelona this year but with Pudsey now on board, Mrc C baulked at both the purchase of a TT bike and a trip to Barcelona so I was told one or the other but not both. I went with the bike, I dont want any excuses or regrets the day I take on the big one. Up till recently the bike was now in danger as well as an unplanned attic conversion was decided upon and Mrs C was worried about dipping into Pudseys Eton/Oxford and Harvard PHD education fund but thats been smoothed out (I hope) and I am hoping to have a B2 in my possession within the next month or so. The TT bike is essential, the bike has always been my weakest but I am hopeful that the TT Bike, Tear Drop helmet and the deep section wheels will shame me into improving and not being the useless eejit with all the bells and whistles gear that everyone loves to pass out and sneer at.

So the plan this year is the same as every other year - to do my best in Swinfords Humbert Challenge. I am in week 3 of Don Finks Competitive plan, I may cut back the hours at the plans peak phase depending on how I am going but it is my birthday the day after the Hardman so I am tempted to have a go at this. I learned a lot from my first attempts at a 1/2 Ironman and Marathon and I am sure an attempt at Hardman will give me some vital lessons for potentially a european trip the following year. But the plan very much for the moment is Swinford - the holidays to the uncles villa in the Algarve is always race week as he has a few horses and thats always the week after Swinford. To train over on holidays is to much of a chance with Mrs C as that is seen as a relaxing reward for the few weeks of taper madness that always hits me.

I enjoyed the route I went last year - I raced less and enjoyed the long weekend training sessions, I need to be more diligent in timekeeping, with Pudsey on the scene gone are the days when Mrs C spent all her weekends in town shopping and drinking coffee with the girlees so early starts will need to be sorted.

So the loose plan this year is

June
Galway Cope Triathlon Sprint (Target = top 15 place, 29th last year) - No date for this yet
Kilkee Triathlon Olympic (Target = a Time in mid 2.30's, 2.49 last year)
July
Salthill Aquathon or Galway Cope
Humbert Challenge

After that who knows, I would like to give DCM another go as well. I have the sub 4 off my back but I think I can go faster. Word on the street is that "The strong cyclist" has been getting swimming lessons over the winter - I was out with him a few times over the xmas and he never mentioned it. He is ultra competitive so he may well be looking at taking me down a peg or two. I am slightly faster than him on the run but he could crucify me on the bike. "The Fit Friend" is also targeting a marathon this year if its Dublin I will most likely have a go with him. I am sure my usual arch nemesis's will rear their heads up this year as well

Target for Swinford is 5.15.59 this year, thats a few minutes off the swim and transitions and ten minutes each off the bike and run. I reckon I could have done a 2.50 in Swinford last year but it would have destroyed my run so its all about getting stronger on the bike. Its doable but it will be a big ask for me.

[catweazle]

As per usual there are complications with me, with my log all about heart rate zones this year, my Garmin has been giving me back inconsistent readings.

With 2 failed time trials on the bike this week, the first time the Garmin gets up to 145bpm and refuses to budge for the next ten minutes. This is not good when you are busting your balls trying to get a max heart rate. Take two was two days later when I was climbing steadily to 160's, ten minutes left legs screaming and with me being close too tears, I ee my heart rate gradually drop back down to low 90's????

F-this for a lark so I have just bought a cheap Polar which I will have in two weeks, so I will go with Finks example heart rate zones for the next few weeks.

I did get an accurate TT time for my swim tonight though I have moved Gyms, its nearer, opens earlier and the area is well lit for a few k's around so I can get in some night running if needs be. Plus it has a creche . While the pool is only 18 metres which is a real pain in the arse its quiet also. The only other thing of note is that the tiles are continuous along the floor, I dont like that, it feels like you are not moving during kick board.

Anyway while the TT is a bit flawed distance wise 396m its near enough. I have been swimming well recently - just doing Interested 1500m plans for the last few months so I was confident I would beat my previous 400 best of 7.12. Started out too fast for the first 6 laps but managed to keep the next 10 steady, 6 to go and I really dogged them out to come in at 6.36. So that augers well - my running is brutal at the moment though but its January

[KoemansCC]

Originally Posted by catweazle

As per usual there are complications with me, with my log all about heart rate zones this year, my Garmin has been giving me back inconsistent readings.

How high up are you wearing the chest strap? I had a similar problem a few months back and found that when I lowered the position of the chest strap is worked perfect...I now wear it about 4-5cm below my nipples, mostly around my ribs, just tighten the strap..it feels like it will fall down but it won't, I don't even wet the strap before use.

[jackyback]

Best of luck CW, Pudsey is the spit of you Get used to 5am weekend turbos imo!!

[Dory Dory]

So glad to see this log up and running. You'll get used to the length of the pool and you'll do fine. When I was on a military swim team in Washington DC, we practiced in a 20 yard pool during the week (and a 60 yard pool on the weekends) and it did us no harm. More opportunity to practice your tumble turns!

And more importantly than this triathlete chit chat, your son is quite the handsome lad. And I'm loving the Livestrong bracelet you tailored to his little wrist.

[catweazle]

Originally Posted by KoemansCC

How high up are you wearing the chest strap? I had a similar problem a few months back and found that when I lowered the position of the chest strap is worked perfect...I now wear it about 4-5cm below my nipples, mostly around my ribs, just tighten the strap..it feels like it will fall down but it won't, I don't even wet the strap before use.

Tried that a little bit of an improvement from running in the low 30 bpm I spent the run at low 50's bpm. I wet it before I start off but It gets more accurate when the sweat comes in. I will steal the young lads tub of Vaseline and see if that improves it

[catweazle]

Week 3 of the plan called for a weekend run of 1 hour at zone 2 (140-158) and a 1 3/4 hours cycle at zone 2 (130-148). The run wouldn't be an issue but I was dreading the turbo as I struggle to get the heart rate up on it, so 130 + will be a slog.

With Mrs C away on a hen it was my first time with Pudsey on my own, if I could organise the rest of my life as well as I have the young lad I would be Taoiseach everything ready with military precision.

To get the run in though I needed to pop up over to the auld one for a visit . So as soon as she turned her back I was out the door shouting I would be back in an hour. She was delighted anyways as she hasnt seen a huge amount of him yet.

The run was grand no accurate heart rate so I ran by feel, it kicked in around 3 miles and I was running 8.40 pace at around 150 heart rate. Ruadhri Geraghty came by me the other way so I thought to myself, I would pick it up a little for fear he would overtake me on his way back. So 158 and around 8.20 pace, that will need to come down in the next few months.

With Mrs C back and not letting Pudsey out of her sight it was time to stop putting off the bike. Last episode of Heroes season 1 loaded up and off I went (season 1 was great stuff, I love my sci fi). No heart rate for the first hour and when it came on I was in the 120's, I was feeling this so it wasnt long before I was struggling in the 130's gave in a little for the last 30 minutes and alternated 5 minutes in 130's and then 5 in the 120's

I hope to do the entire bike leg of Swinford in the 130's so there will be plenty of bike this year for me

[catweazle]

Week 4 of the Fink Plan calls for a recovery week Off an 8 hour week last week, needless to say I don't really feel like I need one fitness wise but I am already glad of the low hours in this phase as I am struggling to get time with Pudsey and work.

Monday is a rest day every week so I will try and schedule meetings and trips to the office as much as I can for that day. Although I would like to get a swim in if I can as I like to swim more than twice a week.

Tuesday was an evening swim and I am now on the medium level distances of Interesteds plans. My pool is 18ms so rather than stopping in the middle of a lane I am doing 100's as 108's. I avoid 50's as its 3 lengths of the pool as I don't like having the Garmin in the water for fear of cracking it, the Polar is water resistant so I will use that for pool sessions when I get it. A lot of kickboarding with an 8 x 100 off 2.15 in the middle of it, came in usually just under the 2 minute mark for each of them. There was a big (in all ways) aquafit class on beside my lane so it was more or less an open water session. Do they really think they are losing weight on those sessions a few star-jumps was as strenuous as I saw in it.
Total distance 2200m

In the afternoon it asked for a 30 minute zone 2 run, I did the local loop and ran to RPE - finally I think the running legs are coming back to me. I was at 5.09 km pace and it felt reasonably comfortable, ran for 37 minutes to complete the loop

Wednesday - Skipped a brick session before I hit the road as the electrician was in the attic so I didnt want to be doing it with him there. I did get a sneaky TV point in though behind Mrs C's back, an upgrade for my 15 inch laptop to a decent sized tv will be coming at some stage

Thursday was a 30 minute Z2 bike so I did 44 minutes of Z2 RPE while watching the 2nd series of Heroes (those Cork accents are terrible).

Thursday evening swim had to be cut short as waiting for flooring to arrive for the attic. There was some tasty swimming in it so I was almost glad. 6 x 100 off 2 minutes and then later a further 4 x 100 off 1.55. I was coming in at high 1.40's low 1.50's for the 6 x 100, and then just did a straight 200 coming in at 3.40 before I had to cut the session short
Total distance 2000m

[griffin100]

I'm very jealous of your swim times

Hardman would a nice way to build up a thirst for the birthday. Might see you there.

[pgibbo]

Just spotted this now. Welcome back!

Good luck with the goals. See you at a couple of those races!

[RedB]

Originally Posted by pgibbo

Just spotted this now. Welcome back!

Good luck with the goals. See you at a couple of those races!

++1 except I probably won't see you at any of those races .

HOTW is usually the same weekend as the County Community Games Finals and I've ducked them for the last 3 years. When committing for IMAT I was informed that my presence was required there this year . No 1 is doing some serious sprint training these days and No 2 is starting soon so I'm already lined up with the stopwatch . They grow up so fast!

Enjoy the training and the wee fella. Bet you'll wish you had lungs as big as his by the time the year is out!

[catweazle]

Friday: With the bit of drizzle in the air the heart rate was more accurate than usual. Plan was for a 45 minute Z2 run - an evening run and I had too much clothes on so sweated through. I was mid 140's for most of it at 8.24 pace. Quick dip in the pool afterwards.

Saturday: 1.30 on the bike and when the HRM kicked after 30 minutes or so I was in the high 119's. Struggled through the next hour in high 120 low 130 bpm. I hope trying to stick to these zones will keep the junk mileage on the bike away from me this year.

Sunday: With Mrs C wanting to borrow the Garmin to time her first run in about a year (8k in 45 minutes) I finally gotten around to go back into triathlon and press a button on the watch to change the pace to kilometres. An hours run in Z2, I was conscious that fridays run was low 140's and wanted to push it a bit harder today towards the upper side of Z2 so after a bit of a slog around the 5k mark I started to feel a bit better. The HRM stated giving me proper readings with about a minute or so to go and I was where I wanted to be heart rate wise at 5.08 pace

I got back after the hour to some surprise to Mrs C who reckons I am doing F all this year - I told her to remember she thought that in another few months

The Polar has finally been posted so hopefully I will have it for next weekend and its looking like we have five weddings this year - I thought I was too old for weddings!

[Dory Dory]

Whoa! Mrs. C hasn't run in a year and she whips off a 9 min/mile for 5 miles? And she just had a baby a month or so ago!?? She rocks!! Oh, and nice work on your part too.

[catweazle]

Originally Posted by Dory Dory

Whoa! Mrs. C hasn't run in a year and she whips off a 9 min/mile for 5 miles? And she just had a baby a month or so ago!?? She rocks!! Oh, and nice work on your part too.

Shes as thin as a whippet Dory even after the baby. I have always been at her to get into triathlons as she was a competitive enough swimmer in her youth - she did Tri Athlone years ago and hated the bike so never again for her alas. Probably as well off - I wouldn't like her beating me, although she is threatening to do the aquathon in Salthill in July.

[catweazle]

Monday: Rest Day - Up in the office but Mrs C rings me to tell me the Polar arrived, with the price of the Garmin 310 I had to spend a while convincing her that it cost less than 50 euro (which it did).

Tuesday Lunch Run: I immediately reckoned the Polar was a great buy, no sooner than I had it on it was working properly and the hard strap stayed on me easier than the soft strap when I have load of layers. Didn't feel very good during the run but wanted to keep it at the higher end of Zone 2 for 45 minutes so I was delighted that this meant I was running at sub 5 pace which was the first time in a long time. It gradually started creeping over the 155 so I had to reign it back a little every now and then. So finished it off with an average Hr of 152 and 4.58 pace for just over 9k.

Tuesday Evening Swim: Pool was busy tonight between a kids swimming class and some aqua arobics so I was stuck in a late with two aqua joggers. I don't know why but I have never liked aqua joggers - there was an auld lad in my pool in Castlebar who basically thought he was great running up and down the pool and commandeered a lane for himself every time - because of his age you would never say anything so this may have colored my judgement towards them. But my attitude is they could very easily go into the public section as they can see where they are going to avoid people and let some swimmers in the lane. So two aqua joggers (with music on) and a sulky catweazle trying to get through them. There was a 6 x 200 in there off 4 minutes which I struggled to hold towards the end - i think the run earlier was biting my ass a bit. 2600m swam