Could be the start of something big!

Topps

Okay so I have just entered my first triathlon (Joey Hannon sprint distance). I've been meaning to do this for years but college life and what comes with it took over. After an incident that happened over Christmas i'm willing to make this change to my life and make this the center of my life.

Recently i have been going to the gym daily in UL. Doing weights, biking and a small amount of swimming. For me the last few weeks have been mostly biking starting off with resistance at 8 for 10k and then increasing this up to resistance 12 for 20k in 40mins and reduced this down to 36.50. At the moment i'm doing 30-31k in 1hr but will reduce this to 20k and go harder. As with most men when your in the gym your see bigger guys so me been a skinny 19 year old said id give weights a go and thought it wouldn't do any harm. I started off light, barely able to lift light weight. But i stuck with it and over the weeks the weight increased. I put in long hours and the results began to show.

I hope to start swimming and running as soon as possible. The last time i ran was over 2 months ago and didn't go well, had huge pains in my calf's straight into the run and the hips were not great. Swimming is not much better had severe pains in my chest 2 weeks ago after 6x50m.

Anyway i have decided to start this log for somewhere to record my training, see my improvements and hopefully to learn about myself and how far i can push my body over the months and years to come.

"A great pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do." — Walter Gagehot

Topps

Didn't do to well today. Might have been the two portions of lasagna 20mins before a 20k cycle. Anyone know how long you are suppose to wait after eating? Couldn't even attempt a short swim, anyway tomorrow is another day.

20k cycle indoors 38.45

catweazle

Topps wrote: »

Didn't do to well today. Might have been the two portions of lasagna 20mins before a 20k cycle. Anyone know how long you are suppose to wait after eating? Couldn't even attempt a short swim, anyway tomorrow is another day.

20k cycle indoors 38.45

Was it the processed stuff? If yes straight after while the horse meat is flowing through your blood!

I find eating times is a personal thing - wouldnt fancy a run or swim straight after a feed but I can usually handle a bike if not going too hard

Good luck with the log!

Topps

catweazle wrote: »

Was it the processed stuff? If yes straight after while the horse meat is flowing through your blood!

I find eating times is a personal thing - wouldnt fancy a run or swim straight after a feed but I can usually handle a bike if not going too hard

Good luck with the log!

No home mad just defrosted. Yes the horse meat would of come in handy in the last few kilometers . Ya every time i tried to push myself i felt like i was going to get sick. Never again going to eat that close before a workout. Thanks for the support.

sconhome

I woudn't eat a meal within an hour of planned exercise.

The muscles will demand the blood flow and your digestion will slow down or basically stop in preference of the activity. You'll just feel stuffed or possibly sick even. This is why it can be hard to eat immediately after exercise too.

Best of luck with the training and the log.

Topps

Okay today was a success. Pushed myself a bit further than i usually do. Still increasing the weight slowly in all my weight exercises. Core is also improving. Plank seems to be getting easier and easier. Starting variations of it recently to increase the difficulty. Do you guys spend long doing weight and core for triathlons or is it all about the three disciplines and clocking up the kilometers?

The plan for tomorrow is a short swim and then my first road run in a good few months.

Weights session and core 1.5 hours

Topps

Tired today. Found out when i got to the gym that there was some race on in the pool:mad:. Decided to do weight but was to tired from yesterday so did a short session and gave running a go which was a bad idea. After about 250m legs started tightening up. I'm hoping this is due to the shoes:(. Anyway tomorrow swim and some core is the plan and maybe 20k bike if i'm feeling good.

Short gym session and terrible run

Topps

Bike seemed harder than normal but still got through it. First swim so wasn't expecting much and found out how much work I have to start putting into it.


20k bike indoors in 38.48 and 5x50 and 3x100 swim

Topps

If you're a member of a club do you need a One Day Licence? Sorry probably a dumb question.

Trig1

Topps wrote: »

If you're a member of a club do you need a One Day Licence? Sorry probably a dumb question.

Yes you do but if your planning a few races during year your probably better off getting a TI license for the year at triathlonireland.com

Topps

Hard gym session today and core with a short power warm up on the bike. Tomorrow hopefully a swim.:rolleyes:

Hard Gym 10mins warm up on bike

Topps

Hard gym seesion weights and core. Two by 500m rows less than 2mins for both before and after session. Outdoor run tomorrow between 3k and 5k

2x 500m row. weights and core 1.5hours

Topps

Yesterday it rained all day and i had a touch of a cold so said i would leave it. Tired today didn't sleep well and a long day. Was going to do a pool session today but it was full of children so said id leave it until tomorrow.

Indoor bike 20k 40mins

Topps

Yesterday normal weights day which felt hard due to pushing myself the furthest I have ever last Saturday and short swim which I have learned is not a good idea after weights.

Today indoor bike PB 36.16 for 20k:D happy out really went for it rarely went below 85RPM and stayed around the 90 for most of it. Followed by a swim interrupted by a evacuation of UL arena :eek:

Tomorrow weight and core

Bike 20k 36.16:D

Topps

Gym session today. three hours of weights and core and fifteen minutes of a bike warm up.

Topps

Very happy with today's swim went way better than I had expected. Swam 7x 100m and 50m in around 20mins. This is probably the furthest I have swam doing the freestyle by over 400m. I had been putting swimming off in my training for weeks but now I know that swimming 700m straight for the joey will be possible if I put in the hard work. Improving my stroke and breathing will also be key as a lot of energy is been wasted in both. I'm going to build it up over the weeks and hopefully around 15mins for 700m at the end of April.:D

7x100m and 50m in around 20mins

Topps

First run today in a long time. Legs were a bit stiff starting out by loosened up. Not as fit as i thought I was. More running and swimming is needed in the next few weeks. Solid weeks work to be done this week. Any advise about how to measure distance before going on a run. I know there used to be an option on Google Maps to measure distance but cant seem to find that. Any free apps?

Run-3k hard

woody1

you have to sign into google to measure distance on a map, so sign in, click my places, then create map.. then youl see the draw a line options on the map screen..
mapmyrun and a few others have the same options but you have to log in to these as well

Topps

Tuesday 19th March

Legs were killing me from the run on Monday. I mean killing me could barely walk:eek:.

Morning
7x100 swim in the morning which felt way harder than the swim last week. Just shows the lack of energy in the mornings and how I am not a morning person.

Evening
Strength session in gym and a bit of core. Nothing major but a good work out all the same.

Wednesday 20th March

7x100 swim again but felt way better. I have to keep telling myself 700m is not a sprint (and stop racing against other people in other lanes:D) and try do more lengths without stopping.

Topps

Just a swim today had planned 7x100m but just decided to push myself and did 300m and 2x200m with little breaks inbetween. First time I have ever gone over 100m freestyle in a pool without a break and it felt great. The body feels perfect but its the breathing that gets me. If I can somehow improve on the breathing I believe I can go further and faster with the same energy use. Any advise on breathing techniques?

Plan for tomorrow swim 700m 350x2 hopefully:D and 20k turbo.

Swim 700m 2x200 and 300m+50m sprint

Topps

Swim and Bike today. Swim 700m 1x300 and 2 x 200 in total time of 16.30 with short break inbetween. Didn't quite make the 350x2. Ill give it a go next week. Probably my fastest so far but there is so much room for inprovement. I can feel the strain on my left shoulder as i pull through the water must be due to the tennis I used to play and the imbalance there in the muscle. Something I can work on. Still having problems with breathing and not sure how to fix it. The swim was followed by a 20k bike session in the gym which was much harded than I had expected and my slowest time in a good while. It just shows how much the swim takes out of you. Bike time 41.30 for 20k:(. It's safe to say I am wrecked. First ever swim followed by a bike. Tomorrow hopefully a run and gym session with core and weights.

Swim 700m 16.30 and bike 20k indoor 41.30

Trig1

Hey Topps
Joey Sprint is just over a month away...when you are talking about Bike indoors..is it an excersice bike or turbo trainer?? you should probably look at getting out on the roads for a few spins over next few weeks on bike- a 20k on the road will give you a proper indication of your bike speed- that is as opposed to an excersice bike..if your 20k times are on a turbo trainer then thats good going..especially the 36min session

Topps

Thanks Trig. I was a bit confused with the whole turbo jargon:D. Ya I have planned going out on the road but due to been in college it is just easier to go to the gym. Bringing a bike to college would be a hassle and I have nowhere to keep it. I plan a few outdoor rides near the race but its my best discipline so I am not to worried.

Trig1

Cool...see you at the race then...doing the sprint myself that day!!:D

Topps

Disaster today had planned a 5k run and as soon as I left my house I knew it was a bad idea. Freezing outside and the legs felt bad, i must not have warmed up enough. Anyway after about 2k I had to stop the legs has seized up and feet were killing me. Not 100 % sure what it was but I think its due to heavy tackies and running to flat footed. Anyway tomorrow ill give it another bash and try run on the toes and see if it is any different.

Anyway 5k in about 30mins:eek:

Topps

My first 5k properly timed. 23.15 4'39"km. So running on the toes does help:D. A hugh improvement from yesterday. Legs felt heavy but I think my legs will always feel heavy being 6ft 4 and having legs made of led :rolleyes:. Very happy with this was aiming for under 25. Tomorrow swim 2X350 hopefully and 20K turbo(im learning Trig1:D).

5K 23.15 4'39"Km

Topps

Yesterday swim and turbo. swimming is coming on well up to 400 non stop. Did the usual 700m with 400m and 300 and a few 50s at the end. Bike always feels like hell after the swim. Was around 42 for the bike not great but its not suppose to be easy is it?:rolleyes:

Today hard gym session. Spent about 2.5 hours doing weights and core and a bit of rowing. Still feeling good tho hopefully 5k tomorrow. Bring on Joey:D

Topps

Just an easy 5k nothing to major. The nike run app paused so no time but felt roughly like last time.

On another note I entered the HELL OF THE WEST:eek: at the end of June. I didnt know it was olympic distance thought it was a sprint:D. Anyway gonna give it a shot. How hard can it be :pac:.

Topps

Swim and turbo today. 700m in around 15mins which is good as its my first time doing the full 700m in FS.

This was follow by a ride of 20k in 37.28, very happy with this after the swim. Tomorrow probably a day off or a short gym session.

Fazz

Welcome to the world of triathlon, sounds like you've the race bug kicking in before you've even done your first race :-)

Hell of the West is a great race and you've loads of time to prepare.

A couple things I'd offer:

- run keeper is a good free app for tracking run workouts. You can play your music at Same time and it also has audible updates such as 1km in xx etc

- it sounds like you need to run more which you've acknowledged.
I'd recommend even just starting simple easy 30mins continuous runs for say every other day. Youd have 1.5-2 hours a week then and can adjust from there. No need to go hard/fast yet until you've built up endurance and run strength.
I remember I used to try run for 30mins but needed to stop for breath/recovery half way. After a little repetition I was able to keep running continuous and enjoyment increased as well.

- weights/core. You asked how much people do. Generally, very little certainly compared to your tracker.
Especially weights - assuming you mean barbell/dumbbell curls, bench presses etc?
The thing is, they breakdown and build muscle but in triathlon it's more about lean efficient muscles than size and strength.
Have you ever seen a buff triathlete?
It's more about strength and conditioning exercises working on core and stability muscles utilised in the 3 disciplines.
Big triceps won't help you swim faster etc.

Now take this with a pinch of salt, not everyone wants to look like a triathlete. It's certainly not what got me started that's for sure.
All I'd say is if you want to continue to put on muscle or build muscle then perhaps be careful about swimming or doing a hard swim/bike/ run for a day or so after.

Best of luck with your training and possibly a basic principal is start slowly, keep enjoyment and build up time/distance as you go in each discipline.

Oh and see you in Kilkee!

Topps

Fazz wrote: »

Welcome to the world of triathlon, sounds like you've the race bug kicking in before you've even done your first race :-)

Hell of the West is a great race and you've loads of time to prepare.

A couple things I'd offer:

- run keeper is a good free app for tracking run workouts. You can play your music at Same time and it also has audible updates such as 1km in xx etc

- it sounds like you need to run more which you've acknowledged.
I'd recommend even just starting simple easy 30mins continuous runs for say every other day. Youd have 1.5-2 hours a week then and can adjust from there. No need to go hard/fast yet until you've built up endurance and run strength.
I remember I used to try run for 30mins but needed to stop for breath/recovery half way. After a little repetition I was able to keep running continuous and enjoyment increased as well.

- weights/core. You asked how much people do. Generally, very little certainly compared to your tracker.
Especially weights - assuming you mean barbell/dumbbell curls, bench presses etc?
The thing is, they breakdown and build muscle but in triathlon it's more about lean efficient muscles than size and strength.
Have you ever seen a buff triathlete?
It's more about strength and conditioning exercises working on core and stability muscles utilised in the 3 disciplines.
Big triceps won't help you swim faster etc.

Now take this with a pinch of salt, not everyone wants to look like a triathlete. It's certainly not what got me started that's for sure.
All I'd say is if you want to continue to put on muscle or build muscle then perhaps be careful about swimming or doing a hard swim/bike/ run for a day or so after.

Best of luck with your training and possibly a basic principal is start slowly, keep enjoyment and build up time/distance as you go in each discipline.

Oh and see you in Kilkee!

Thanks Fazz.
It's really helpful to hear peoples opinions on this. I appreciate it. Yes you're right about the running. I seem to have bad feet which making running very difficult. I get pains up my calf's after about 5 mins so I have to do plenty of stretching before which I found out the hard way. I plan to do more running and cut down on the weights which I had just started this week. Tbh 5k is a killer when I run it i'm just not up to a great fitness in running yet. More running is the plan. The bike/swim i'm very happy with especially the swim I have improved extremely quickly from barely been able to swim 3x100m a few weeks ago to finding it OK to swim 700 today.

Thanks for the support again and yes I must get some of those apps to start clocking my times instead of using a phone time. See u at Kilkee!

Topps

Yesterday did a gym session due to bad weather. Nothing was done on Saturday and nothing today:(. Tomorrow swim in morning and bike in evening to get me back on track.:)

Topps

Morning 700m swim in 15.20 and 50m sprint 39s. Happy with this was going to fit in a turbo but it never happened. Tomorrow turbo and strenght/core and maybe a swim

Trig1

swimming going really well I see...think you'll probably be out of the pool ahead of me at the rate your improving

Topps

Just a swim today again:mad:. Tomorrow bike and weights definitely:rolleyes:. Anyway 100m warm up and 700m in 14.50 and 5x100m and 200m cool down. Very pleased with this not sure if I can keep improving on that 700m time. Really pushed it in the 700. Most I have swam ever in one day:D. Anyone have any tips to improve on the 700m time in three weeks? Should I be doing sprints or long distance?

Topps

Thursday 04/04/13

Had planned a lot but only did a turbo. More a lack of energy then fitness turned me off the gym. Turbo went quiet well 22k in 40.26 with a 36.43 20k. Very happy with this think its my second best 20k. The plan for tomorrow is a swim and bike.

Topps

Training has been bad lately. last Thursday evening I ate a 2 kg packet of nuts in the space of 30 mins. Not a good idea was getting sick all that night and didn't feel well until Saturday and then it took me and day to get my strength back from the lack of food.

Anyway back training today which is all that matters. The plan was a 20 k turbo followed by interval training and a swim.

20 k went very well did it in 35.47 and did intervals of 2 mins easy, 2 mins moderate and 1 min hard for twenty mins. So four intervals. Was very tired at the end of this. Average speed of 32 k for the hour.

Next the swim did 100 m to worm up all okay and then into 700 m which did not go to plan. Got a stitch after about 100 m and had to stop at 200 m. Tried to get ride of it but no luck ended up stopping with another attempt of 100 m followed by a 50. Ill put this down as bike before swim :rolleyes:.

The plan for tomorrow is a swim and gym session.

Topps

Swim and gym as planned.

Swim 100 m warm up 700 m main set in 14.40 and 50 m warm down. Happy with this as I felt quiet tired throughout so a good time.

Gym 1.5 hours. Was tough was my first time back in around 10 days.

Topps

The plan was a bike and a gym session.

Ended up doing a bike and swim.

Bike was tough and felt tired from the start. 20 k in a relatively slow time to previous ones. It wasn't the legs that were tried it was more a lack of wanting to push myself which is not like me.

After the bike I decided pool was the only place for me. Feel into the pool and did 100 m. I decided to do another and near the end of the hundred I decided to push myself a little. Managed a 700 m which was much further than I thought I would go for the energy I had.

Anyway tomorrow is not looking promising for training with student race day.

Topps

Evening swim today. 100 m warm up, 2x50, 700m main set could of been 800 lost count :pac: and 100m cool down.

Swim 1000m

Topps

5k run in 22.57.

Very happy with this. Consistent pace for the 5k which was better as I usually go out fast and slow down near the end. Need to do more running and get the fitness up over the next few weeks.

Topps

One of the tougher days today. Was very tired before going to the gym so very happy with the training (feel asleep in college:D).

Brick session: 20k in 36.1x followed by a run of 1k with about 30sec between the two. This was my first time ever doing a brick and it felt grand. No jelly legs for me. Felt sick near the end of the run due to eating a lot at lunch and not giving sufficient time to digest. Otherwise legs felt good except for a tightness in calves which I cant seem to get ride of. It may be due to my exaggerated running which I am doing at the moment to get out of the bad habits of running flat footed.

Weights: This was shortly followed by a good session of heavy weights of about 40mins.

Brick session 20k turbo and 1k run, weights 40 mins

Topps

16th April swim 14.02 for 700 m. Really pushed it and had a stitch for the last 100 but pushed through it.

17th April Nothing was sick all day

18th April Nothing, had planned a swim but the pool was closed:mad:

Tomorrow ill get myself back on track with a tough session

Topps

Today the plan was a brick session of 20 k turbo and run.

Was feeling energetic so no excuses and ended up doing 20 k in 35.02 pb for me and so close to under 35 mins:rolleyes:. Straight of the bike and onto the indoor track with about 30 seconds gap, which is way faster than i'm ever going to transition but good to get used to the wobbley legs. Felt strange at the start of the run but got into it after a few hundred metres and did 2k at a slow passe except for the last 200 meters sprint at the end which killed me:D. Good session though more of these brick session in the future.

Topps

Just a 5k today in 22.36 which I am quiet happy with. Wasn't too tired after it. Same tomorrow.

Topps

yesterday another 5k 22.37, legs felt stiff after but a good workout

Today 2k run on outdoor track with a friend and turbo with 2x1k sprints and 3x0.5k sprints at around 350-450 watts with a total of 8k. First time doing sprints very good workout more of these in the future. Training is going to drop off over this week from now on due to Joey Hannon Sprint on Sunday:)

Plan for tomorrow short distance swims with lots of recovery time. Just get the shoulders moving.

Topps

easy swim today just a few lengths at my own pace. Around 15mins with breaker whenever I felt the need for one. Tomorrow 4x 200m.

Trig1

All set for the weekend??? it'll be fun!

Topps

Trig1 wrote: »

All set for the weekend??? it'll be fun!

As ready as ill ever be:D. Looking forward to it now.

Topps

Swim today 100 warm up 4x200m and 50 cool down. Good session nice and relaxed until the pool filled with toddlers and the shallow end became 1 foot deep:rolleyes:

Topps

okay haven't updated this in a while.

25th April- Day off had a lot of college work

26th April- 3x 1k bike sprints with easy peddling between and 2k run. Harder than I would of liked.

27th April- Day before race easy bike outside for around 15mins.