I Am the Master of My Fate

Shell to Run

zico10 wrote: »

Intro
Then I'd look at my watch and decide the group wasn't going fast enough for my liking and push on again. Trying to find the perfect running partner among the thousands taking part wasn't easy. I didn't think I was doing anything foolish, but the fact that nobody else seemed to want to work with me probably tells a different tale. There were a few runners in particular, that on reflection would have been wise to try team up with, but I think how runs unfold in triathlons has moulded me to be of a 'go-it-alone' mindset and this slightly messed things up for me today.

Congrats and thank you for a very insightful read.
The quote above really struck me, as from following your log and considering your vast experience, this description makes it sound like you had no game plan apart from your pace!! Had you considered a more detailed strategy you could have used during the race?

zico10

peter kern wrote: »

do you think sitting at java is losing you up more than swimming nice and easy in a pool ;-)
or were you afraid of the scales ;-)

The scales don't scare me. It was the 5:30 a.m. alarm that did that. It's down time for me now and there will be plenty of those early morning alarm calls over the next 6 months that I won't be able to ignore. Breakfast in Java was exactly what I needed on Thursday. I did think about going to the session and swimming easy, but it would have messed up the lanes and it's not something I'd need a coach's expertise for anyway.

Anyways I might have quit running had you still done a good race with that prep.you are strong and i guess with proper tri training over the last few month ( not that you should have ,as you have plenty of time) you could still have done 2.35

This is a bit confusing. Do you think I haven't been doing proper tri-training? Up until the race last Sunday, so far my 2017 totals had been 75 hours swim, 96 hours biking and 52 hours running. You know I was injured, so maybe take 20 hours from the bike and add it to the run, then you'd have almost the exact same hours in each discipline.
Also, do you mean I should not have done the marathon? I should not have chased a time? Or I should not have done 'proper tri training'?

and btw i believe its not certain that pheidippeds actually run the marathon.
I think its only certain that he run to sparta and back to athens.
since you mention him i guess i will read up on it in the next few days.

i didn't think there was anything anybody could be certain about that myth from Ancient Greek. But my version of the story works for me.

zico10

Shell to Run wrote: »

Congrats and thank you for a very insightful read.
The quote above really struck me, as from following your log and considering your vast experience, this description makes it sound like you had no game plan apart from your pace!! Had you considered a more detailed strategy you could have used during the race?

First off, thanks for the praise. I'd honestly never claim to be vastly experienced though. I just put in the work. The other 10%, that would make me an expert, I don't bother with.

I know I talked a lot about pace and kilometre splits in my report, but I also said, "I wanted to keep my breathing under control (and) I was making a conscious effort not to push overly hard". If you happened to have been struck by that quote, your question might be very different.

What would a more 'detailed strategy' entail?

Although when at a low ebb, it didn't feel like it, but the course in Rotterdam is essentially pancake flat. It was absolutely perfect for running even splits and I don't think there would be any sense in trying to tackle the race any other way.

I wanted to break 2:35. As things turned out, the time was beyond me, but given my previous best, it was not at all an unrealistic target. It can be dressed up whatever way one likes, but the only way I was going to break 2:35 was by running 42 kilometres at sub 3:40 pace. Whether I ran to heart rate or perceived effort, this is still what I would have needed to do. If I had been stronger on the day, the pace would have came easier to me. I wouldn't have been so obsessed with how fast I was running and I wouldn't have commented so much about my pace in the report.

My build up to the race just means it was an impossible task to sustain :40/km pace for the full 42k. Maybe aiming for 2:40 would have been more sensible, but considering my PB was set in Connemara, settling for a significantly lower target was never a runner.

When the revelatory moment that I wouldn't break 2:35 arrived, what else could I do but keep plodding along? Read through the logs here and you'll find a similar trend with all race reports when people's plans fall apart. This is the case whether they used heart rate, power meters, perceived effort or pace. Once the game is up, even the best laid plans go out the window and there's not much you can do to salvage a race that's gone to pot.

peter kern

there is many ways of proper tri training...
and many ways or planning a season.
and its also good not doing the same every year.
all iam saying is your balance is different this year than last year.

i would not think going for a marathon pb in a tri season is the best
but as i say sometimes you have to do what motivates one.

Shell to Run

zico10 wrote: »

When the revelatory moment that I wouldn't break 2:35 arrived, what else could I do but keep plodding along? Read through the logs here and you'll find a similar trend with all race reports when people's plans fall apart. This is the case whether they used heart rate, power meters, perceived effort or pace. Once the game is up, even the best laid plans go out the window and there's not much you can do to salvage a race that's gone to pot.

My question was not meant as a criticism, more to explore your headspace when your target time started to slip away. I am currently reading Matt Fitzgerald's book, 'How Bad Do You Want It' and he makes the case that when the target time starts to slip away, this is when the strength of an athlete's mental toughness is tested. There is a direct correlation between the time lost in a race and the mental coping skills of the runner.

Just from reading your race report, I thought there was an over reliance on pace being the key factor in terms of judging performance. Read other race reports..a quote from a recent one (2.31 marathon time), 'I wasn't watching splits, focusing rather on running a comfortable fast pace.'

No race is ever gone to pot. The game is not up, best laid plans don't always go out the window, it's how you actually cope in this situation that counts!! Not just plodding along...

zico10

peter kern wrote: »

i would not think going for a marathon pb in a tri season is the best
but as i say sometimes you have to do what motivates one.

Whilst I might have been going for a PB, I certainly wasn't going for my best marathon performance. 2:35 in Connemara or sub 2:35 in Rotterdam, what would impress you more?

Had I wanted a marathon PB above anything else, I would have taken the same high volume approach I took to Connemara in 2014. I ran over 1,500km in the first 3 months of 2014, it was less than half that this year. I was hoping to PB in Rotterdam because it's a flat course, rather than on account of the training I'd done. I'd never taken my eyes off the main goal.

peter kern

Running a marathon less prepared costs more on race day.
It's not the training that kills it's the race
And no suprise you felt never so worn out after a race
Marathon training and then going 20 min slower than capability. Would be a safer bed in my mind or not actually doing the race and maybe do a half m.

zico10 wrote: »

Whilst I might have been going for a PB, I certainly wasn't going for my best marathon performance. 2:35 in Connemara or sub 2:35 in Rotterdam, what would impress you more?

Had I wanted a marathon PB above anything else, I would have taken the same high volume approach I took to Connemara in 2014. I ran over 1,500km in the first 3 months of 2014, it was less than half that this year. I was hoping to PB in Rotterdam because it's a flat course, rather than on account of the training I'd done. I'd never taken my eyes off the main goal.

zico10

Shell to Run wrote: »

My question was not meant as a criticism, more to explore your headspace when your target time started to slip away. I am currently reading Matt Fitzgerald's book, 'How Bad Do You Want It' and he makes the case that when the target time starts to slip away, this is when the strength of an athlete's mental toughness is tested. There is a direct correlation between the time lost in a race and the mental coping skills of the runner.

Just from reading your race report, I thought there was an over reliance on pace being the key factor in terms of judging performance. Read other race reports..a quote from a recent one (2.31 marathon time), 'I wasn't watching splits, focusing rather on running a comfortable fast pace.'

No race is ever gone to pot. The game is not up, best laid plans don't always go out the window, it's how you actually cope in this situation that counts!! Not just plodding along...

I wasn't taking it as a criticism. I just gave my honest answer to your question and I didn't mean to come across as abrupt. You still haven't told me what alternative strategy I could have adopted by the way? (Customary smiley here, just to show I don't intend any offence.) Running for me is no more complicated than getting from A to B as quickly as you can. The only way to do this is by putting one foot in front of the other. This is what I set out doing and it's what I continued to do (albeit at a significantly slower pace) right until the end.

Before I started, the only barometer of success for me personally was whether I could break 2:35. I divided that time by 42.2 and worked out what pace I needed to run at. (Krusty did the exact same thing, by the way.) Alas, that pace proved too much for and the time became unattainable. I don't mean to be egotistical, but once I realised I wasn't going to PB, there wasn't much else I wanted from the marathon. Starting off at a more conservative pace, might have seen me cross the line in under 2 hours 40 minutes. That wasn't my target starting off though and even had I managed it, I wouldn't regard it as much of an achievement. Quite frankly, my feelings on a 2:39 finish wouldn't be a whole lot different to my feelings on a 2:42 finish.

Despite this, I don't look upon the last 3/4 months as a waste of time. The injury was unfortunate, but I am taking positives from the race, which I've already listed in my report. I've learnt a few things along the way and the training I did for Rotterdam will stand me in good stead for the tri-season ahead, but I'll never look back upon the race itself as anything other than a failure.

I definitely lost time because I let negative thinking creep in. But the goal was gone and I simply didn't care enough to suffer for a time that wouldn't have meant a lot to me. It's nothing to do with mental toughness. (I'd love to know how Matt Fitzgerald quantifies this by the way.) I could dress it up differently and say how I heroically battled to my second fastest marathon time ever, but that would be BS.

I'm pretty sure that's Krusty's report you're referencing. I'm not going to say he was lucky to be comfortably hitting his pace. It's all down to the miles he's put in over the years, but nonetheless he was in the nice position of being able to run comfortably without having to worry about his pace. If his splits were outside his 5:40/mile target, what do you think he would have done? He actually answers this late on in his report, where he realised he had slowed down. Then, just like I tried to do, he worked harder to get back on track.

Krusty mightn't have mentioned his splits as much as I did, but he still quotes them a lot. Also because he uses miles instead of kilometres, he had sixteen less splits to quote. In percentage terms, I doubt there's much difference in the frequency in which we refer to our pace.

zico10

Monday 10th April
I spent the day slowly hobbling around Rotterdam. I'd booked a late flight home in the hope that it would allow me see a bit of the city. But when I woke up and could move no faster than 2 miles an hour, I gave up on that idea. Instead I just got a late train and went straight to the airport, where I hobbled through security, to my boarding gate and into the plane.


Tuesday 11th April
Swim
25m pool

3*400m

These were untimed and interspersed with some aqua-jogging. I brought my pull buoy along, but I think using it would have actually done more harm than good, so it just remained on pool deck unwanted and unused.
Totals: 0.5hrs - 1,200m

Cycle
Turbo

30 minutes very easy

Another half an hour of exercise to loosen out the legs.
Totals: 0.5hrs - 12.0km


Wednesday 12th April
a.m.
S & C

20 minutes easy work

This was a bit of a token effort at maintenance work, but the pool was closed for reconfiguration when I arrived at the NAC and I had to put done the time somehow.
Totals: 3.5hrs - 93.08km

Swim
50m pool

3,200m

I got into the pool planning to do 400m repeats, but when I was getting near the end of the eighth length, I took a notion to just keep swimming. After a few more lengths, I thought just go for 3.8km. My arms started to feel overworked long before I got to this point though and with it being a recovery week, I quit when I'd 2 miles done.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 3,200m


Thursday 13th April
Cycle

93.08km in 3:43:28, 25.0km/hr, 419m elev. gain

This was all very easy with a long break for coffee and cake.
Totals: 3.5hrs - 93.08km


Friday 14th April
Cycle

81.33km in 3:12:06, 25.4km/hr, 474m elev. gain

I didn't take any stops today until the end of the spin. It was faster than yesterday, but still a very easy effort.
Totals: 3.0hrs - 81.33km


Saturday 15th April
Swim
50m pool

800m SKPS w. fins,
5 sets of {3*100m off 2:00, desc. 1-3 (Approx. Times = 1:48, 1:40, 1:34)}
100m cool down

This was the homework prescribed by my Friday night swim coach that I would usually do midweek. The sets should also have been sets of 4*100m, but f*ck it! It was a recovery week. I also wore buoyancy shorts to make it easier, but like I said, f*ck it! It was a recovery week.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 2,400m


Sunday 16th April
Run
40 minutes easy

7.61km in 40:00, 5:15/km

Just to be 100% sure I was fully recovered from my injury, I had planned on waiting until tomorrow before running again. This was my thinking at the start of the week, but I felt fine and I was running out of daylight hours to get a cycle of any length done, so I opted for a run instead. To be on the safe side, I did it all on grass. I was running with a bellyful of crap and the 40 minutes weren't all that enjoyable.
Totals: 0.5hrs - 7.61km



Weekly Totals;
Swim: 2.5hrs - 7,650m
Bike: 7.0hrs - 186.41km
Run: 0.5hrs - 7.61km
Other: 0.5hrs

It was all easy stuff this week, just more or less doing whatever took my fancy.

zico10

Monday 17th April
Cycle

139.80km in 5:10:34, 27.0km/hr, 755m elev. gain

I repeatedly turned onto unfamiliar roads and ended up riding up one longish climb. I wasn't really expecting this and it wasn't really what I was looking for when I set out. There was quite a bit of slowing down, braking and stopping, which would have impacted on my overall speed, but it wasn't important today. I achieved my objective of getting a good long spin in.
Totals: 5.0hrs - 139.80km


Tuesday 18th April
Swim
25m pool

700m SKPS w. fins,
40*50m off 60" as 4 sets of 10, no extra rest;

1-10 2 hard/2 easy,
11-20 pull,
21-30 12.5m all out/37.5m easy
31-40 alt. all out/easy,

200m cool down

I started using a pull buoy for the easy 50s in the final set, but I was happy enough to get to this point without having to resort to "cheating". I had to switch pools after the ninth 50m in this set, but the main work had been done, so it was no big deal.
Totals: 0.5hrs - 2,900m

Run
40 minutes w. 4*20" strides

8.51km in 40:12, 4:44/km

I did this on the grass in Fairyhouse. It was the last day of the three day Easter racing festival and there were still some people hanging about the venue. Thankfully there were no horses on the track though and nobody prevented me running. Not wanting to make a spectacle of myself, I avoided the grandstand and ran back and forth around three-quarters of the track only. I wanted to keep the effort easy, but aimed for a faster pace than last Sunday at the same time.
Totals: 0.5hrs - 12.0km


Wednesday 19th April
a.m.
Swim
50m pool

4*100m steady on 2:10,
4*100m as 50 kick/50 swim w. 10" rest,
4*100m desc. 1-4 off 2:10 (1:50, 1:42, 1:35 & 1:31),
4*200m pull desc. 1-4 off 3:45 (3:28, 3:20, 3:15 & 3:14)

I went to the NAC in the evening for this swim. I'd another four reps of 200m planned, but I got chatting ing to someone at the wall after the first set. Our lane got busy while we were talking and while I could have carried on, it would only have annoyed me, so I called it a day.
Totals: 0.5hrs - 2,000m


Thursday 20th April
My alarm went off at 5:30 a.m. I'd intended going to Peter's swim, but I awoke with a sore throat and other flu like symptoms. I didn't think 90 minutes of frantic swimming in chlorinated water was going to provide much relief, so I took the executive decision to skip the session and go back to sleep.

Cycle

74.06km in 2:33:10, 29.0km/hr, 318m elev. gain
Hourly splits;
1) 26.9km/hr, 114m gain & 87m loss,
2) 29.1km/hr, 129m gain & 119m loss,
3) 32.7km/hr, 75m gain & 90m loss (33 minutes)

I didn't set out with the intention of doing a progressive cycle, but as I was riding, I always wanted to go just that bit faster and I was prepared to increase the effort over the 2½ hours.
Totals: 2.5hrs - 74.06km

Run
50 minutes easy

10.35km in 50:08, 4:51/km

I felt fat and bloated from the amount of sh!t I've been eating lately. The timing of my meals is not something I've been given any consideration to either and today's run happened less than half and hour after a substantial feed. I can get away with this on the bike and even in the water, but it makes running feel uncomfortable. This was compounded by the fact that I had a sore throat and a slight chest infection, so breathing was sore. Despite this though, something about the numbers struck me; 9 years ago when I started this triathlon lark, the first race of any sort I ever did was The Dublin Port Tunnel Run. It was a 10k run and just like today's 10km run, it took me 50 minutes. I was pretty happy with myself at the time. I can now match that running easy and feeling like sh!t. It's this sort of progress I draw upon to keep me motivated for the mountain of the work that lies ahead of me.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 10.35km


Friday 21st April
Cycle

89.92km in 3:05:14, 29.1km/hr, 673m elev. gain

I went into North County Dublin for this ride. It's hillier than the roads I normally cycle. I worked harder than I have been doing recently and finished with my highest average speed since Rotterdam. Even with the terrain though, 29.1km/hr for only three hours of cycling is nothing hectic, so I'm not getting too excited about it.
Totals: 3.0hrs - 89.92km

Swim
50m pool

6*25m all out off 40" (17" approx.),
5*100m steady off 1:45 (1:33-1:35),
2*50m off 50" (42" & 43"),
100m easy,
5*200m off 3:45 (3:15 - 3:20),
50m easy,
3*50m off 75", #1 target >60", #2 swim, #3 max effort (40"),
50m cool down

This was my first coached swim session since Rotterdam and while there were moments I had to work hard, I spent most of it behind another swimmer and thankfully the overall distance wasn't that high.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 2,100m


Saturday 22nd April
Run
50 minutes w. 5*100m strides

10.98km in 49:14, 4:29/km

I wasted the entire morning and then the afternoon. I was going home to Roscrea in the evening and I thought it would be wise to get one extra weekly swim in before driving down. When I got to the NAC, I discovered there was a competition taking place (an all too regular occurrence). The public and under appreciated members were crammed into Pool A. It was like fish at a fish farm and the thought of joining them to try get any quality work done was not appealing, so I went back to my car and threw on some running gear and ran on the Sports Campus's premises. I was running round and round on the National Cross Country route and used the 100m marker signs for my strides. It was my first time running the course and I just ran round and round for practically the whole run. I've no idea how many loops I did and I've still no idea of the route used for races.
Totals: 0.5hrs - 12.0km


Sunday 23rd April
Cycle

79.05km in 2:56:08, 26.9km/hr, 591m elev. gain

At the start of the week, I was hoping to get in a long cycle either yesterday or today, but I'd a family engagement in the afternoon, so I needed to be finished cycling and showered early in the day. Unless I was prepared to start ridiculously early, it ruled out the possibility of a long cycle. Under the circumstances, 3 hours was all I could manage. I wouldn't classify 3 hours as 'long', but as I was still officially in a recovery week, I didn't get too upset about it.
Other than time in the saddle, I wasn't really sure what I wanted from this cycle when I set out. After 20km, I turned onto an unfamiliar road and ended up climbing and then descending a steep hill. (The like of which I didn't know existed in North Tipperary.) After an hour and a half, I turned around and had to do it again from the other side. Apart from that, nothing too eventful happened.
Totals: 3.0hrs - 79.05km




Weekly Totals;
Swim: 2.5hrs - 7,000m
Bike: 13.5hrs - 382.83km
Run: 2.5hrs - 29.84km
Other: 0.0hrs

This was my second week of unstructured training. It coincided with the second week of school holidays, so with no structure in my normal day either, my training was a bit of a mishmash all week. Proper structure was reintroduced this week and I'm struggling to get out of the bad habits I let creep in over the two weeks following Rotterdam.

zico10

Monday 24h April
a.m.
Nothing - I was part of the Dunboyne AC crew helping out at the Virgin Media Night Run yesterday and it ended up being late enough by the time I eventually got to bed. My sleep patterns were all messed up over the two weeks off and I just couldn't bear the thoughts of an early morning alarm call when I went to bed. I figured there wouldn't be much harm in postponing a planned run until after work and an extra hour's sleep would be more beneficial. Hopefully I'll show better discipline in two weeks time on my next working Monday.

p.m.
Run
55 minutes easy/steady

12.09km in 55:02, 4:33/km

I didn't feel great; too fat and eating too much crap the likely causes.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 12.09km

Swim
25m pool, coached session

400m warm up,
16*100m as 4 sets of {4*100m off 1:45}, extra 30" rest between sets (1:37-1:38),
20*25m off 40", {desc. 1-4} x 5, (#4; 18"-19")

200m cool down[/INDENT]
Our regular coach was off tonight and the guy who was deputising advised me that my left arm is crossing over my centre line when I turn to my right to breath. Coincidentally, or perhaps not, a swimmer in the NAC said the very same thing to me last week. I breathe to my right all the time, so my left hand must cross my centre line all the time as well. I'm giving away a lot of time, if that's the case and it's something I've tried consciously avoid since. Besides that, I thought I managed comfortably enough with the 100s. Each lane was let decide their own push-off times and even though I swam consistent times, the stand-in coach suggested it would have been better to swim off 1:50, only 1-2 seconds faster swim faster.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 2,500m


Tuesday 25th April
a.m.
Swim
50m pool

4*100m as 50 kick/50 swim, w. 10" rest,
4*100m pull, w. 10" rest,
4*100m, w. 10" rest,
8*200m off 3:55, (3:35 average)

I felt okay at times and not so okay at others. My times started to slip a bit for the later 200s; partly attributable to fatigue, partly attributable to poor concentration.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 2,900m

p.m.
Nothing


Wednesday 26th April
a.m.
Nothing

p.m.
Cycle
1 hour steady w. 2 sets of {5*30" max effort & 30" recovery}

31.57km in 58:40, 32.3km/hr, 105m elev. gain, +2km not recorded
Efforts;
1) 32 seconds at 36.1km/hr, 4m gain & 0m loss,
2) 31 seconds at 37.9km/hr, 0m gain & 0m loss,
3) 30 seconds at 39.1km/hr, 0m gain & 0m loss,
4) 30 seconds at 36.4km/hr, 0m gain & 0m loss,
5) 31 seconds at 35.9km/hr, 2m gain & 0m loss,
6) 31 seconds at 42.9km/hr, 0m gain & 0m loss,
7) 30 seconds at 35.4km/hr, 0m gain & 0m loss,
8) 31 seconds at 44.7km/hr, 0m gain & 0m loss,
9) 31 seconds at 44.1km/hr, 0m gain & 5m loss,
10) 31 seconds at 35.3km/hr, 5m gain & 0m loss

My average over the ten 30 second efforts worked out at 38.78km/hr. It wasn't quite the >40kph I was hoping for, but f*ck it, I was still working hard and hitting good speeds. Once I lose the bit of weight I've put on since Rotterdam, things should start to come together.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 33.57km

Run
50 minutes easy/steady

10.71km in 50:01, 4:40/km

After doing 55 minutes on Monday, ideally I wanted to run another 55 minutes today, but the fact I wasn't running on grass, meant I reduced it to 50 minutes instead. I'm determined not to injure myself by pushing too hard between now and October and I'm going to be a lot more cautious from now on. Essentially this just means a lot more running on grass, but also the understanding that I if my coach tells me to do a 50-60 minute run, it doesn't always have to be 60 minutes.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 10.71km


Thursday 27th April
a.m.
Swim
25m pool, coached session

I've no record of what we did this morning. I remember doing some 50m sprints at the very end of the session though. I was leading out the lane and was moving very well for the first three, hitting 40 seconds per 50. Then I cramped during the fourth one and had to pull up. Sadly, I never got back in the groove after that.
Totals: 1.5hrs - 3,800m

p.m.
Nothing - I was pretty wrecked this evening and as I was going to have enough hours over the weekend to get all my prescribed training done, I took the executive decision to take the evening off.


Friday 28th April
a.m.
Run
70 minutes progression

15.71km in 1:09:56, 4:29/km
1) 2.10km in 10:01, 4:47/km,
2) 6.84km in 30:04, 4:24/km,
3) 4.70km in 19.58, 4:15/km,
4) 2.08km in 9:58, 4:47/km,

Circumstances dictated that I do this run in the morning and the practicalities of driving to Fairyhouse (the only expansive gassed area I know near Ratoath) before work, ruled that out as a venue. I drove to my school instead, parked up there and ran to Porterstown Park. It meant using baby wipes instead of showering afterwards, so I dressed lightly and hoped I wouldn't break much of a sweat.
I was happy with the end results from this run. It was definitely easier hit the right paces than it was last November/December, when training picked up after my post Ironman hiatus.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 15.71km

p.m.
Swim
25m pool, coached session

6*25m all out off 45" (18" approx.),
5*100m steady off 1:40 (1:33 approx.),
2*50m off 45" (39" & 42"),
50m easy,
6 sets of {3*50m off 45" & 100m off 2:00},
6*25m off 45" alt. easy/fast, practicing sighting

There were only two of us in the lane and I swam side by side with the other guy for all the 25s. He was beating me to the wall on all of them and I happily drafted him for anything longer. I left 5 seconds after he did, but I managed to close the gap each time. The draft was hugely beneficial, but I still felt I made a reasonable fist of the sets we were given. I made the first two 50s off 45" in the main set, getting 5 seconds or more rest on the first one. I never managed to swim all three of them under 45 seconds, but having been given a push-off time 5 seconds quicker than last week, meant this was always the likely outcome.
This was the last of my Friday night club swims for the year and what I now do instead remains to be seen.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 2,450m


Saturday 29th April
Cycle
2½ hours steady w. 3*25' IM Efforts

80.83km in 2:37:24, 30.8km/hr, 348m elev. gain
IM Efforts;
1) 25 minutes @ 35.0km/hr, 60m gain & 38m loss,
2) 25 minutes @ 31.2km/hr, 83m gain & 83m loss,
3) 25 minutes @ 31.3km/hr, 68m gain & 65m loss,

The wind was a real cnut today and it had a big effect on the speeds I was able to hold for the efforts. It was so bad at one point, I actually had to change into an easier gear going downhill just to maintain my cadence. It was the toughest spin I've done in a while, but I guess that's what I want.
Totals: 2.5hrs - 80.83km

Run
60 minutes easy/steady

13.03km in 1:00:01, 4:36/km

I did this about 20 minutes after finishing the cycle. I wasn't sure what to expect and my only plan was to run at comfortable pace. There have been times I've been lighter than I am now when 4:36/km pace felt like hard work. This wasn't the case today and it coming so soon after a hard cycle is particularly pleasing.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 13.03km


Sunday 30th April
Swim
50m pool

8*100m off 2:10 desc. 1-4 & 5-8 (1-4; 1:43, 1:38, 1:34 & 1:30, 5-8; 1:47, 1:42, 1:37 & 1:32),
100m easy,
4*400m off 7:30(7:20, 7:10, 7:00 & 6:54),
200m easy

I went to the NAC and got this done before the pool was closed for reconfiguration at 10 a.m. It was a nice feeling to not have it hanging over me when I was out for my long cycle later on in the day. As far as I can recall, it's my first time swimming 1:30 for 100m in a 50m pool. And even if it has happened before, it's certainly a very rare occurrence. It's a small cause to be joyful, but I couldn't follow it up with another 1:30 100m at the end of the next set of 4*100m; which would have had me ecstatic.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 2,700m

Cycle
5 hours steady

139.06km in 4:57:10, 28.1km/hr, 552m elev. gain, +2km not recorded

It was wet and I got soaked. The roads were greasy and memories of my fall 12 months ago were flashing through my mind. I was being very cautious on any bends or roundabouts.
In an effort to lose weight, I did this whole ride entirely unfuelled. I'm not sure it was the wisest thing to do come the end of it, I was desperately craving sugars and while I wasn't falling asleep, my concentration was wavering and I found it hard to hold my head up. I got through it, but I'm still too heavy and I might need to deprive myself of calories on a few more 5 hour rides before I'm at a respectable weight.
Totals: 5.0hrs - 139.06km



Weekly Totals;
Swim: 5.5hrs - 14,250m
Bike: 8.5hrs - 255.46km
Run: 4.0hrs - 51.54km
Other: 0.0hrs

Neady83

Great to see you coming back positively from Rotterdam Zico, was really disappointed that it didn't go your way on the day. You and your log crossed my mind in Connemara two weeks ago as I was shuffling up the Hell of the West - I wondered just how fast you'd have gone in Rotterdam were it not for your injury as to have run 2:35 on that course in conn was incredible.

Do you worry that without fuelling on the long bikes, you'll bonk, loose power and outdo any of the benefits of the long bike? Would it be better to cut some calories from your three main meals instead of during you're training?

zico10

Neady83 wrote: »

Great to see you coming back positively from Rotterdam Zico, was really disappointed that it didn't go your way on the day. You and your log crossed my mind in Connemara two weeks ago as I was shuffling up the Hell of the West - I wondered just how fast you'd have gone in Rotterdam were it not for your injury as to have run 2:35 on that course in conn was incredible.

Even without the injury setbacks, I realistically wasn't going to run a whole lot faster than 2:35 in Rotterdam; if at all if I'm being perfectly honest. I missed a lot of key sessions that would have served as useful indicators of where I was at, but without them, I was being very optimistic aiming for sub 2:35. The only reason it was a target was that I'd already set a PB close enough to this in the previous marathon I did. I haven't given a whole lot of thought to how fast I could have ran this year, but what I do wonder is how fast I could have gone in Rotterdam, had that been my target race, in 2014.

Do you worry that without fuelling on the long bikes, you'll bonk, loose power and outdo any of the benefits of the long bike? Would it be better to cut some calories from your three main meals instead of during you're training?

I'm not at all worried about it. Bonking isn't much of big deal. I'd just stop for a can of coke and I'd be quickly over it. Over the years, I've been through much greater hardships than fasting for a 5 hour cycle on a mild day in Ireland. Even were I to bonk and lose power, it wouldn't undo the benefits of a long cycle for me. In the long run, the bonking is the benefit. 5 hours at a steady effort was the target on this particular Sunday and I got that done. It might be different for others, but I would have always gotten it done no matter how badly things went. Any session without intensity isn't really a key session in my mind and were I asked to include some efforts over the 5 hours, I would have been worried about missing out on the benefits of the session and I would have made sure to bring sufficient nourishment with me.

After not snacking, cutting calories from meals is probably the most effective way of losing weight. When times get desperate, I do that as well, but right now, quite frankly, I'm just not sufficiently motivated to take such a drastic step.

RacoonQueen

I think a lot of people overeat on the bike aswell. No need for the volume of calories I see people pumping into themselves on a long bike. I'd only bring food with me if I'm doing a lot of hills (to fuel effort) or efforts.
Not that I bike much, but you know what I mean

Don't drink much on the bike myself either...another thing IMO, some people can overdo.

joey100

Laura was talking about something very similar to this recently enough. She works in obesity research and was talking to a primary school teacher who's looking to start something in the school. I don't know the full science behind it but in terms I can understand by skipping breakfast we are confusing our metabolism and it can go onto a more slow burn, body tries to hold onto calories because it doesn't know when it's going to be fed again. She said that one thing that all obese people have in common is they don't eat breakfast, it's pretty much 100% across the board. If you eat a breakfast, even a small one, your kick starting your metabolism, which should help burn calories better than starving it. Obviously you need to be eating the right stuff too.

I'm not saying your obese, far from it, and you have done this before so you know what works well for you but something to consider.

peter kern

The thing is in Spain for instance people don't really eat breakfast and the would defo not be the most obese nation in Europe.
At the end of the day the biggest by far biggest contributer to putting on Weight is to eat more calories than you burn.
And most obese people don't move....
Besides you seem to also talk about something different ie losing weight vs being more economical for long distance training.
Ah and Spanish people do something else often attributed to weigh gain... They eat very late....

joey100 wrote: »

Laura was talking about something very similar to this recently enough. She works in obesity research and was talking to a primary school teacher who's looking to start something in the school. I don't know the full science behind it but in terms I can understand by skipping breakfast we are confusing our metabolism and it can go onto a more slow burn, body tries to hold onto calories because it doesn't know when it's going to be fed again. She said that one thing that all obese people have in common is they don't eat breakfast, it's pretty much 100% across the board. If you eat a breakfast, even a small one, your kick starting your metabolism, which should help burn calories better than starving it. Obviously you need to be eating the right stuff too.

I'm not saying your obese, far from it, and you have done this before so you know what works well for you but something to consider.

joey100

I was talking about losing weight because I got the impression from Zico's log that that was the thinking behind doing the cycle unfueled. I might be wrong but that's what I read from what he said.

You might want to change your example of Spain too. Consistently top 7 in Obesity numbers in Europe and in a WHO study they were top 5 in obese adults and top 5 in obese teenagers in the WHO countries.

peter kern

http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/44127/1/The%20evolution%20of%20obesity%20in%20Spain(lsero).pdf

i guess this says more eating times have not changed much but obesity goes up and its mostly attribiuted to the fact that people eat more proccesed food and move less. and income seems to be important .
portugal which has similar eating time habbits than spain but i guess still a more old fashioned mum cooks at home would be western eurpoes country with the lowest obesity rate. a good bit lower than germany where breakfast is quite important and people tend to eat at 6 pm dinner.

I would agree that breakfast is a good thing for stable energy intake
but its liklely far behind
dont eat more calories than you burn
move every day at least 1 hour
eat a healty diet and little processed food .
dont drink fizzy drinks ( keep sugar intake low overall)
you need to feel a bit hungry every day a bit (or prevent comfort food or when you are bored or stressed at work or at home etc etc)
sleep quality
stress
mental helath in general.
and i guess some obese people will be obese regardless what they do but this is most liley only 1 or 2 in ten.


http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1038/oby.2002.13/full

a studdy with quite a solid sample
Differences between Breakfast Eaters and Non-Eaters

We were interested in whether there were differences between breakfast eaters and non-eaters in terms of weight-loss maintenance or behaviors related to weight-loss maintenance. In this analysis, we defined breakfast eaters as those reporting eating breakfast four or more times per week and non-eaters as those eating breakfast three or fewer days per week. Using these criteria, we had 314 non-breakfast eaters and 2645 breakfast eaters. There was no difference between groups (non-breakfast eaters vs. breakfast eaters) in amount of weight lost (34 vs. 32 kg, p = 0.14) or in duration of weight-loss maintenance (7.7 vs. 7.9 years, p = 0.29). Furthermore, there was not a significant difference in self-reported energy intake between groups. Breakfast eaters reported an energy intake of 1394 kilocalories per day and non-breakfast eaters reported an intake of 1366 kilocalories (p = 0.50). Breakfast eaters did report engaging in slightly more physical activity than non-breakfast eaters (2657 vs. 2391 kcal/wk, p = 0.05)

the conclusion they have is very interesting given those numbers that non breakfast eater seem to have lost more weight lol


http://advances.nutrition.org/content/7/3/563S.short
i guess this is a fair summery and it was sponsored by kellogs ..... but leaves you wondering why kellogs would still produce frosty cornflacks that are low in fiber low in protein and high in sugar ......

joey100

I don't want to drag Zico's log further off topic talking about breakfast and weightloss.

The 2 articles you have linked to are good but talk about eating breakfast as a way of losing weight in people who are already obese and are currently on a weight loss programme, To see if breakfast can be used to help lose weight in obese people. That's different than what we have been talking about up to now, Zico is far from obese. (I'd probably discount a study by Kelloggs about breakfast too).

Look this is all completely off topic, Zico mentioned something in his log, I mentioned something I was told. Let's get back to the log and the training.

Keeks

Should we get a mod to extract the last few posts and continue the discussion elsewhere. This (and nutrition in general) is an interesting topic

zico10

Keeks wrote: »

Should we get a mod to extract the last few posts and continue the discussion elsewhere. This (and nutrition in general) is an interesting topic

I'm quite happy for them to remain on my log. It's good to have an "interesting topic" discussed here. You could quote the last few posts and start a thread on the main forum if you like. I don't think that's breaking any rules.

peter kern

For athletes there would be quite a few studies that would support at least moderate low call intake during training and train on empty stomach before breakfast
To burn fat and become more energy efficient.



zico explained very well how he works it
Easy session he dosnt too worry much to bonk and for a hard session he tries to avoid it
As it would not great at all.
Then for other people this dosnt work well when they train a lot as they struggle to hold weight and need more energy.
What we also notice is that the extreme fastening during training that was in fashion a while a go has generally become a bit more moderate and more pros Eat a bit at beginning at long ride.
Kienle said it very nicely in one of the videos either pgibo or fazz posted on the turbo trainer thread
And the first study i posted would indicate that it is easier to lose weight with a light healthy breakfast. At the same time for the people that don't do breakfast and it works it works at least as well
It would have been great had they take 100 people of each group and revers breakfast and non breakfast intake if there would be a difference in weight loss. ( the problem with their study is they recommend something they have not tested it was the natural choice but it was not a test to prove breakfast or non breakfast. It was a professional that those people took on little calories lost weight
One thing many studies do say is that omitting breakfast tends to increase Cholesterol levels and some suggest increase of diabetes ( i would be doubtfull a breakfast with Kellogs frosties would be better for diabetes...)
I have said it many times the best I have ever read was by Brian Cri..on he said if he was over 75 kg in the morning he had one bowel of porridge if under 75 2 bowels
Worked well for him until he obviously stopped using this method lol.

An Irish athlete that trained with a pretty well known coach once did a session to go for as long as they could only on coffee ithink it was.
The athlete collapsed 200 m from the house after a good while and all the others had been back . Coach run out and shouts E..a do you have to listen too everything I say 100% you fool. And then in a quiet voice and a thumb up said well done.
Sometimes there is a fine line.... And maybe it would have been better to finish 1 k earlier but
He also showed drive to go to the limit.
And what I really mean if you have the drive you will lose weight or do something if there is achieve to get it.
Part of obesity and slower marathon times in Europe is we are getting lazier everything needs to be comfortable and happen now.
This is how total immersion made a killing.
Using easy rather than the best you can be

Iam out of here written way to much sh.te

joey100 wrote: »

I don't want to drag Zico's log further off topic talking about breakfast and weightloss.

The 2 articles you have linked to are good but talk about eating breakfast as a way of losing weight in people who are already obese and are currently on a weight loss programme, To see if breakfast can be used to help lose weight in obese people. That's different than what we have been talking about up to now, Zico is far from obese. (I'd probably discount a study by Kelloggs about breakfast too).

Look this is all completely off topic, Zico mentioned something in his log, I mentioned something I was told. Let's get back to the log and the training.

joey100

I think we are nearly saying the same thing Peter, just coming at it from different ways. You seem to be talking more about using breakfast as fuel where I'm talking about it from a weight loss point of view. The reason I don't think the studies you have linked to apply here is they are studies of people who are/have been obese and are on a weight management diet. This is very different from someone who is looking to drop a few kg to get to race weight. The damage an obese person has done to their metabolism and immune system is huge and irreversible. I've asked Laura to email me the details about this and I can pass them on. But I asked her about it last night and from what I understand, your body produces a hormone called GLP, this is what fires your metabolism and starts the body using calories for energy. Obese people have very low levels of this (if it exists at all) and so their metabolism is very slow, generally people who are a healthy weight have good levels and so this aids weight loss. Pretty much everybody produces it, some more than others, why some people find it easier to lose weight than others. GLP release can be based on sleeping rhythms so is highest in the morning, that's why a breakfast is important, it encourages the body to start using this and burning calories, takes it out of the starvation mode it has gone into over night. When you wake up you haven't ate for the 8 hours you were asleep and probably 2/3 hours before, because of this it's important that you have something to eat, even something small to kick start your metabolism and to encourage the use of this GLP. I'm not saying you need to sit down and have a full English breakfast but something is good. By skipping breakfast your body will stop producing the GLP because it's not needed and because it's already been 'sort of starved' overnight it hangs onto what ever energy it can because it doesn't know when it will be fed again, your body doesn't know that it's going to be fed in a few hours. One of the effects of being obese is that the body slows down or stops producing GLP, this is why I don't think the studies you have linked to are important to what we are talking about. The damage has already been done to the body by the people in them studies, they are already suffering with not producing GLP so breakfast or not will have little impact on their weight loss. Most studies now seem to say that for the majority of people the most they will lose off their starting weight is 30%. That's for obese people looking to lose weight. They might dip down below but they tend to come back up and settle around the 30% mark. If your 200kg, that's 60kg, putting you at 140kg which is still obese. That is true for the vast majority of people who have a gastric band too, again they will probably dip below the 30% mark but the all tend to settle at it. GLP has a huge impact on the immune system so even from that point of view it's important to eat something to encourage it's production. (You mention Diabetes, lack of GLP is hugely linked to this, and they think that the lack of GLP in obese people is part of the reason for the development of diabetes in them)

Laura was telling me about a recent study done in mice, it looked at lean mice vs heavier mice. They were fed the same but the lean mice had higher levels of GLP and better gut micro biota that helped it burn off the calories it was taking in. They found by feeding the heavier mouse the poo of the lean mouse it helped increase it's metabolism and help it produce GLP. It's called re-poop-ulation. Apparently it works pretty well but it's a hard sell to people to help them lose weight! But it shows the role of GLP and your gut micro-biota in weight loss.

I agree with pretty much the rest of what you have wrote, for people looking to maximise energy use and become more efficient it's a bit different, and it's not a daily thing to skip their breakfast.

I agree 100% with what your saying about us getting lazier and wanting everything easy. I see it all the time in work, kids expect to be great at everything. If they aren't they give up. There is no emphasis on learning a skill or practicing, either they have a bit of natural talent or they give up. This is spread across our whole society and the kids are really just a product of that. Want a car? Buy it on PCP, no need to save, you don't even have to save for the lump payment at the end, you just go again. Want to go on Holiday? Get a credit union loan. Want your dinner? Go to McDonalds it's ready straight away. Want to know anything? Use the internet. We live in an instant gratification society. people want what they want and they want it now. It's true in weight loss too, weight loss in it's simplest form is very simple. Burn more than you eat. But people want a diet that lets them still eat the bad stuff and lose weight, people want pills that make them lose weight, people want the easy way out.

And on the obesity theme, Laura was saying that studies have found it's communal. So if you are obese chances are your friends are too and more than likely your family. Some of this is down to lifestyle and what you have learned. But they think some of it is down to your gut micro-biota too, they can be passed from person to person, so while lifestyle is the major factor they think that i can also be spread a bit from person to person.

Like I said at the start Peter, I think we are saying the same thing, just looking at it from 2 different points of view.

zico10

Monday 1st May
Cycle
2 hours easy (ridiculously easy)

48.67km in 2:01:50, 24.0km/hr, 118m gain

Totals: 2.0hrs - 48.67km

Swim
OW Swim, Forty Foot

Garmin file; 540m in 11:38, 1:44 average moving pace

This was my first open water swim of the year and with horrible memories of other annual debut dips, I dressed appropriately. On the way to Dun Laoghaire, I took a detour via the Cycle Super Store to purchase a pair of swim socks. Wearing these, a pair of neoprene gloves and a neoprene skull cap, I bravely took to the water. My Garmin recorded the distance I've detailed above, but there was a minute or two for which I didn't have it switched on.
I thought I was moving alright and managed to keep close enough to a faster swimmer from our club, but then the gloves I was wearing were webbed, so I'll have to swim with him another day to see how good I am without them.
The swim wasn't about going fast though. I just wanted to get the first sea swim of the year out of the way. I was glad to manage that escaped the shivers that have so often beset me before.
Totals: 0.5hrs - 640m


Tuesday 2nd May
a.m.
Swim
50m pool

400m warm up,
400m as 50 kick/50 pull,
6 sets of {3*50m off 50" & 100m off 2:30}, (50s ~ 44"-46",47"-48",44"-48"),
200m cool down

I did okay with this. The main set was similar to stuff we did with our club coach last week, but I was in a 25m pool then and I only got 45 seconds for the 50s. I hadn't a hope in hell of making that time in a 50m pool and the extra 5 seconds I allowed myself more than compensated for any time I might lose pushing off midway through. All the same, I made all the reps with at least 2 seconds to spare and never felt like I was in danger of failing. The hope now is to get it down to a push-off time of 45 seconds in a LC pool. It might take a month (perhaps a year) or two to get there though and I won't be trying it just yet.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 2,900m

p.m.
Run
75 minutes progression

16.74km in 1:15:04, 4:29/km
Splits;
Warm up) 2.11km in 9:59, 4:44/km,
1) 6.73km in 30:01, 4:28/km, (Target = 4:24-4:36/km),
2) 5.86km in 25:01, 4:16/km, (Target = 4:12-4:24/km),
Cool down) 2.11km in 10:02, 4:55/km

I was running this in Fairyhouse Race Track, which I'm sure I've said before is a testing circuit at the best of times. I stayed on the grass, which was a few inches long and gave no return of energy. It felt like a slog from start to finish. I'd no problem hitting or holding my desired paces, but I would have preferred had it been a bit easier.
Totals: 1.5hrs - 16.74km


Wednesday 3rd May
a.m.
Swim
50m pool

8*100m off 2:10 desc. 1-4 & 5-8 (1-4; 1:43, 1:38, 1:34 & 1:30, 5-8; 1:47, 1:42, 1:37 & 1:32),
100m easy,
4*400m off 7:30(7:20, 7:10, 7:00 & 6:54),
200m easy

Totals: 1.0hrs - 2,700m

p.m.
Cycle
1.5 hours steady w. 2 sets of {5*30" max effort & 30" recovery}

42.53km in 1:21:18, 31.4km/hr, 210m elev. gain,
Efforts;
1) 32 seconds at 39.3km/hr, 4m gain & 2m loss,
2) 31 seconds at 38.9km/hr, 0m gain & 0m loss,
3) 30 seconds at 35.6km/hr, 0m gain & 2m loss,
4) 30 seconds at 38.0km/hr, 0m gain & 0m loss,
5) 31 seconds at 38.7km/hr, 2m gain & 2m loss,

6) 31 seconds at 39.7km/hr, 0m gain & 0m loss,
7) 30 seconds at 40.9km/hr, 0m gain & 0m loss,
8) 31 seconds at 39.1km/hr, 2m gain & 2m loss,
9) 31 seconds at 38.6km/hr, 2m gain & 5m loss,
10) 31 seconds at 39.0km/hr, 5m gain & 5m loss

I rode for 10 minutes steady in between the two sets of efforts. I did the second set in the opposite direction to the first and was dealing with a crosswind for both sets. I would have thought it was more beneficial for the first five efforts, but my speeds wouldn't seem to back that up.
Totals: 1.5hrs - 42.53km


Thursday 4th May
a.m.
Swim
25m pool, coached session

100m warm up
8*50m build,
2,000m mix of different **** involving paddles, a pull buoy and a parachute,
100m easy,
10*50m sprints off 65",(42"-43", led out all ten),
500m steady,
6*25m sprints off 40",(17"-18"),
100m cool down

I was working hard for the 50m sprints and I seemed to maintain my form. I'm starting to hold more consistent times during these sets of short, fast reps, but I lose this consistency on longer stuff and I'm starting to wonder if I need to up my swim volume.
Totals: 1.5hrs - 3,950m

p.m.
Run
60 minutes steady

13.32km in 1:00:01, 4:30/km

I slowed by 5 seconds per kilometre over the second half of this run. It was a straight out and back along The Royal Canal Way and a headwind on the return leg might account for some of those 5 seconds. It was just another steady run to build my base; nothing more, nothing less. So it's no great cause for concern.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 13.32km


Friday 5th May
a.m.
Swim
50m pool

3*50m max effort off 80" (40", 42" & 42"),
5*100m steady/fast (fastest; 1:36, slowest; 1:42, average; 1:39),
2*50m off 50" (45" & 46"),
50m easy,
4 x 400m untimed

This was pretty short and when swimming, I planned to get back in the pool for a second session. I'd a change of mind when the time came and this proved to be my final swim for the week.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 2,400m

p.m.
Run
85 minutes steady

18.97km in 1:25:00, 4:29/km

I ran from Blanchardstown Village to The Phoenix Park, where I did the majority of the run, and back. Being in The Park meant I could spend most of the time on grass. My target pace setting out was 4:36-4:48/km, but it wasn't taking any huge effort to run faster than this, so I just kept it up without feeling the need to slow down. This was my longest run since the marathon nearly a month ago and I finished it feeling fresh. Fingers crossed it's always so good.
Totals: 1.5hrs - 18.97km


Saturday 6th May
Cycle
2½ hours steady w. 3 x {25' IM Efforts & 5' recovery}

83.40km in 2:29:24, 33.5km/hr, 461m elev. gain
IM Efforts;
1) 25 minutes @ 34.6km/hr, 90m gain & 89m loss,
2) 25 minutes @ 37.8km/hr, 72m gain & 74m loss,
3) 25 minutes @ 37.3km/hr, 59m gain & 91m loss,
Totals) 75 minutes @ 36.57km/hr, 221m gain & 254m loss

I took my P3 out for its debut ride tonight. I was hoping I'd just be able to sit on it and it would go fast, but alas that wasn't the case. Although my average speed of 36.57km/hr is one I'd settle for, for most Ironman efforts I'm asked to do, I really was hoping for more. There were a few interruptions to some of my efforts though and not only was it my first time on the bike, it was also my first time on a TT bike since my Ironman last September. No doubt I'd have gone faster only for those things.

A few teething problems were inevitable and once I get more comfortable on this Cervelo, I should start to see the benefits of the upgrade. It will require some tweaking and going for a bike fit, but there's little point spending so much money on the bike only to leave some free time out there.
Totals: 2.5hrs - 83.40km


Sunday 7th May
Cycle
4 hours steady

119.59km in 3:54:37, 30.6km/hr, 552m elev. gain

I was down in Roscrea and rode to Lough Derg hoping for a scenic cycle. It was that, but the road was as lumpy as fnck in parts. There were some fast descents, but the poor surface meant my bones and my new P3 was getting a good rattling. I'd intended cycling back along the same stretch of road, but I was getting fed up with the poor surface and instead made my way to the N52 connecting Nenagh and Tullamore. My speed picked up and it was nice to be able to just cycle a straight line without worrying about bumps in the road. The bike felt a better fit than it did on its virgin ride yesterday and I was less nervous about how it handled.
Totals: 4.0hrs - 119.59km

Run
60 minutes easy/steady

12.58km in 59:08, 4:42km

I started this about 20 minutes after finishing my cycle and I took it deliberately easy, making sure I didn't go any faster than 4:36/km. I had to dial it back a bit in opening kilometre to achieve this, but once I found the right intensity, it'll felt like a natural pace to be running at.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 12.58km


Weekly Totals;
Swim: 5.0hrs - 12,390m
Bike: 10.0hrs - 294.19km
Run: 5.5hrs - 61.61km
Other: 0.0hrs

zico10

Monday 8th May
a.m.
Morning off; coach's orders

p.m.
Swim
25m pool, coached session

150m warm up,
400m progression,
20*100m off 1:45, (desc. 1-4) x 5, w. extra 45", 30", 60" & 30" rests between sets,
9*50m off 60", (desc. 1-3) x 3, (Approx; 52", 48" & 45"),
50m easy

The times I swam for my best set of 100s were 1:42, 1:39, 1:36 and 1:33. I managed to descend through the first four sets, but my times were not always as neatly decremental as those four. The last set worked out as 1:45, 1:45, 1:42 & 1:38; disappointed to have messed up on the second one, but at least I was able to somewhat salvage the set by getting faster over numbers 3 and 4.
It was one of the toughest sessions I had in a while and I felt pretty banjaxed after it.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 3,050m


Tuesday 9th May
a.m.
Swim
50m pool

200m warm up,
5*100m w. 15" rest (1:40, 1:42, 1:42, 1:43 & 1:42),
1 minute break,
5*100m w. 15" rest (1:39, 1:40, 1:42, 1:41 & 1:41),
1 minute break,
4*100m w. 15" rest (1:41, 1:42, 1:44 & 1:41),
1 minute break,
6*100m w. 15" rest (1:42, 1:44, 1:43, 1:45, 1:44 & 1:45),
200m easy

Going to bed last, I was at a bit of a loose end as to what I would do in the pool this morning. So I looked back at my swims from last year and saw I did two test sets two days in a row in May 2016. Both sets were the same and the first one I swam in my togs, and the second in a wetsuit. The real purpose of the sessions was to test out two wetsuits, but repeating them again would give me some indication of the progress, (or regress), I have made over the last year. It ended up being the case that I swam the four sets 3 seconds quicker than last year.
I was faster during the opening three sets, but failed to maintain this during the fourth one. Although it wasn't an alarming rate of deceleration, I'm a bit annoyed with the lack of endurance I showed. Perhaps it was too close to the hard swim session of last night and I might have been wiser choosing a different set. 3 seconds is still an improvement though and coming off 6 months of reduced volume, maybe expecting anything significantly better was unrealistic.
Interestingly, my stroke rate increased from 62 spm to 68 spm from one year to the next. It wasn't much use to me today, but the fact I can maintain a higher cadence for the same energy costs should prove useful in the open water.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 2,400m

p.m.
Run
75 minutes progression

16.36km in 1:15:01, 4:35/km
Splits;
Warm up) 2.25km in 10:47, 4:35/km,
1) 6.60km in 30:00, 4:33/km,
2) 5.62km in 25:19, 4:31/km,
Cool down) 1.89km in 8:54, 4:43/km

I should have been running faster during the 25 minute segment, but I don't know what got into my head, that made me think I was holding the same target pace (<4:24/km) of last week. I still showed progression though, even if was only an increase of 2 seconds per kilometre, so I succeeded on that count.
Totals: 1.5hrs - 16.36km


Wednesday 10th May
a.m.
Swim
50m pool

200m warm up,
5*100m w. 15" rest (1:32, 1:31, 1:32, 1:32 & 1:31),
1 minute break,
5*100m w. 15" rest (1:31, 1:30, 1:31, 1:32 & 1:32),
1 minute break,
5*100m w. 15" rest (1:32, 1:31, 1:34, 1:34 & 1:34),
1 minute break,
5*100m w. 15" rest (1:32, 1:34, 1:33, 1:35 & 1:34)

This was part 2 of the test sets. Today, I wore my Roka race suit and started hoping for a better outcome than yesterday. Unfortunately, this wasn't the case. I got chatting to someone for too long after the 200m warm up and perhaps my focus wavered as a result.
There's not much point commenting on the specifics, but my overall pace fell from 1:30/100m to 1:33/100m. Was this the only basis for comparison I had between this year and last, I'd classify it as a disaster, but the non-wetsuit test of yesterday is enough to assure me I haven't lost anything over the last 12 months; not much evidence I've gotten any faster, but I won't worry about that right now.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 2,200m

p.m.
Cycle
1.5 hours steady w. 3*20' IM Efforts

57.36km in 1:40:05, 34.4km/hr, 263m elev. gain,
IM Efforts;
1) 13.44km in 20:04, 40.2km/hr, 51m gain & 46m loss,
2) 11.99km in 20:01, 35.9km/hr,47m gain & 35m loss,
3) 12.47km in 20:10, 37.1km/hr, 33m gain & 69m loss,
Totals) 37.90km in 60:15, 37.90km/hr, 137m gain & 169m loss,

I was out on my P3 and it seemed to handle a lot better today than it did on its maiden voyage last weekend.
There were a few things working in my favour, but an average speed of 37.9km/hr for the efforts is way above what I'd need for a sub 5 hour IM split. My first race with the bike will be on Sunday and hopefully I'll still happy with it after that.
Totals: 1.5hrs - 57.36km


Thursday 11th May
a.m.
Swim
25m pool, coached session

8*50m building,
8*50m as 12.5 fast/12.5 easy,
800m pull steady,
15*50m sprints off 60" (45" approx.),
8*100m alt. max effort/easy (1:32, 1:35, 1:35 & 1:35),
400m easy,
6*25m sprints

Totals: 1.5hrs - 3,950m

p.m.
Run
60 minutes steady

13.34km in 1:00:02, 4:30/km

I ran from the NAC to a nearby park and was able to do most of the run on grass. It was a small park, so it was just one loop after another. I'd never ran here before, but if I had been familiar with it, I think it would have a pretty testing 60 minutes. I was pleasantly surpsprised with my average speed considering everything.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 13.34km


Friday 12th May
a.m.
Swim
50m pool

200m warm up,
1,000m drills & kick,
4*50m #3 fast (41")

Totals: 1.0hrs - 1,400m

p.m.
Cycle
Turbo

60 minutes steady

Simple, straightforward session
Totals: 1.0hrs - 28.0km


Saturday 13th May[/B]
Cycle
90 minutes steady w. 3 x {4' Olympic Efforts & 5' recovery}

43.70km in 1:26:53, 30.2km/hr, 167m elev. gain
Olympic Efforts;
1) 4:00 @ 37.2km/hr, 8m gain & 0m loss,
2) 4:01 @ 37.1km/hr, 11m gain & 4m loss,
3) 4:03 @ 37.6km/hr, 0m gain & 5m loss,
Totals) 12:03 @ 37.3km/hr avg., 19m gain & 9m loss

I did this on my road bike and I adjusted my saddle early ride. This might have been necessary because it's been gradually slipping downwards for the last few months, or perhaps it just felt strange after a few spins on my TT bike. The position felt alright after this and I managed to hold a satisfactory speed for the race paced efforts. Ideally it should be north of 40kph, but I had to deal with a crosswind for all three efforts and this wasn't in particularly helpful. Also the majority of the 12 minutes was spent going uphill and on my road bike, without race wheels I was happy enough with it.
Efforts were short admittedly, but they served as a good confidence booster ahead of a race tomorrow.
Totals: 1.5hrs - 43.70km


Sunday 14th May
Warm-up
Run

Approx. 12km cycle from from Ratoath to Dunboyne

Run

20 minutes w. blocks of increasing pace

Race
Frank Fagan Duathlon
Run 1
10km

9.98km in 35:17, 3:32km

Cycle
53km

52.93km in 1:23:09, 38.2km/hr, 244m elev. gain

Run 2
3km

3.06km in 11:30, 3:46/km

Report to follow - But in a nutshell, it was running with Peter Kern, cycling with Peter Kern, finally breaking Peter Kern, pulling away from him and crossing the line in first.

Cool-down
Cycle

Approx. 12km cycle from from Dunboyne to Ratoath

I spent so long hanging around for prize giving after the race, that I'm not sure I should describe this as a cool down, but I've no other ideas as to what to call it.
Totals;
Run: 1.0hrs - 18.04km
Cycle: 2.5hrs - 96.93km

Swim
50m pool

200m easy,
500m drills,
4*400m fs, untimed

Totals: 1.0hrs - 2,300m


Weekly Totals;
Swim: 6.5hrs - 15,050m
Bike: 6.5hrs - 225.99km
Run: 3.5hrs - 47.74km
Other: 0.0hrs

Ryath

zico10 wrote: »

Race
Frank Fagan Duathlon
Run 1
10km

9.98km in 35:17, 3:32km

Cycle
53km

52.93km in 1:23:09, 38.2km/hr, 244m elev. gain

Run 2
3km

3.06km in 11:30, 3:46/km

Report to follow - But in a nutshell, it was running with Peter Kern, cycling with Peter Kern, finally breaking Peter Kern, pulling away from him and crossing the line in first.

Cracking result.

Who was drafting who?

zico10

Ryath wrote: »

Cracking result.

I'm not sure it was and I think the win made me a little too complacent. It would probably have been better for me in the long run if Peter had won and I think I'd have turned out a better performance in Athy, on Saturday, had that happened.

Who was drafting who?

I know you're only joking, but I'd be quite adamant that neither of us were drafting. There was only the two of us out front and bunching doesn't happen in such situations. I was leading for nearly 90% of the cycle and any time I looked over my shoulder, Peter was back the required distance. When he passed, I also dropped back and used the opportunity to recover and fuel, before I'd retake the lead.

Sadly, that's going to have to suffice as my race report. I'm three weeks behind with my updates and more important things have happened since.

zico10

Monday 15th May
a.m.
Morning off - Rest or an easy run were the options my coach gave me, but I fancied an extra hour in bed instead and postponed the run until evening time.

p.m.
Run
40 minutes easy (very easy)

7.20km in 38:40, 5:22/km

I only looked at the time of day when I was running. My pace nor elapsed time were of any concern to me.
Totals: 0.5hrs - 7.20km

Swim
25m pool, coached session

16*25m off 30", every fourth one fast (18" approx.)
8*50m off 60", #4 & 8 fast (40" approx.),
50m easy,
4*50m off 45" & 100m easy,
3 x {4*50m off 50" & 100m easy},
8*50m off 60" (desc. 1-4) x 2

I only made the first two 50s off 45 seconds. It was similar for the others in the lane, so the coach gave us five an extra seconds and they became manageable for all of us. I don't know when I'll swim four 50s off 45", but hopefully I'll get three done the next time and I'll be that bit closer to it.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 2,500m


Tuesday 16th May
a.m.
Swim
50m pool

200m warm up,
500m drills,
3*50m fast off 1:20 (42" approx.),
5*100m off 1:50 (1:43 - 1:44),
2*50m fast off 50" (45" approx.),
50m easy,
20*50m off 65", {desc. 1-4} x 5, (55"-46" typically, quickest = 45"),
200m cool down

I got faster over the descending 50s, but I had to work harder and harder for the improvements. Whether this is a good or a bad thing, I don't know.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 2,700m

p.m.
Cycle
1.5 hours steady w. 3*25' IM Efforts

68.83km in 2:15:03, km/hr, m elev. gain, (+5km not recorded)
IM Efforts;
1) 14.10km in 25:01, 33.8km/hr, 83m gain & 63m loss,
2) 13.65km in 25:01, 32.8km/hr,67m gain & 21m loss,
3) 14.00km in 25:02, 33.6km/hr, 48m gain & 50m loss,
Totals) 41.75km in 1:15:04, 33.4km/hr, 198m gain & 134m loss,

I was on my road bike for this spin, so my speed for the IM efforts wasn't bad considering this and also the fact that I had a net elevation gain of 64m over the three efforts.
Totals: 1.5hrs - 73.83km


Wednesday 17th May
a.m.
Run
50 minutes steady

11.06km in 50:18, 4:33/km

I didn't wake when I expected and I opted to do this morning run in place of a regular swim. This decision made sense as it meant I'd be able to spend more time in the water come evening time.
Totals: 1.5hrs - 16.36km

p.m.
Swim
50m pool

1,000m drills & easy swimming,
7*400m untimed

I was saving myself for Peter's session in the morning and as a result, there was nothing hectic taking place.
Totals: 1.5hrs - 3,800m


Thursday 18th May
a.m.
Swim
25m pool, coached session

200m warm up,
8*50m building,
2 sets of {3*300m, #1 fast, #2 as 250 fast/50 easy, #3 pull steady},
12*50m as {12.5 fast/12.5 easy} x 2,
100m easy,
400m with parachute,
4*75m sprints,
100m easy,
2*50m sprints,
50m easy

Totals: 1.5hrs - 4,050m

p.m.
Run
90 minutes steady

19.58km in 1:30:02, 4:36/km

I ran to Fairyhouse and got over half of this run done on grass. There was only a one second difference between the pace I held over the two halves of the run. I was starting to slow the longer I spent on grass though and it felt like the energy was being sapped from my legs. I was looking forward to getting back onto the road and sure enough my pace picked up when I did. It might have been more a case of a prophecy being self fulfilled rather than any imagined impediment the grass provided.
Totals: 1.5hrs - 19.58km


Friday 19th May
a.m.
Rest

p.m.
Cycle
Turbo

10:00 warm up,
[/B]5 x 4:00 20km TT Effort[/B] & 3:00 recovery

My rpm dropped by one or two revs over the duration of each of the efforts. Perhaps I started each one off too ambitiously, or it could be that I simply haven't turboed in a while and have forgotten the intensity I am capable holding. Still, there was some intensity in the workout and that was the main purpose of the session.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 28.0km

Run
30 minutes steady off bike, Target: <4:36/km

6.74km in 30:03, 4:27/km

While I never found the target pace difficult, it came to me a lot easier over the first half. There was more elevation gain on the second half though, so maybe that's all it was.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 18.04km


Saturday 20th May
Swim
50m pool

2*500m fast, pull buoy & snorkel; (8:22 (1:40/100m) & 8:23 (1:40/100m))
10*00m fs fast w. 7" rest; (1:38, 1:41, 1:40, 1:42, 1:45, 1:42, 1:43, 1:41, 1:44, 1:43),
2*500m easy, pull buoy & snorkel; (8:56 (1:46/100m) & 9:11 (1:49/100m))
10*00m fs fast off 2:15; (1:44, 1:44, 1:45, 1:43, 1:43, 1:41, 1:43, 1:43, 1:42, 1:41)
200m cool down

Following up on my recent resolve to do some swims with greater distance, I decided upon this 4k session. I did this same session a couple of times last year. I can't find any record of those swims, but I've a feeling I was quicker whenever I did it last, especially on the second set of 100s. Ah well, at least I got faster as this second set progressed. I wasn't happy with the times I was swimming in the first half of the set and I just sort of willed myself to go faster from there. It makes me think I should have just taken the decision to work harder earlier.

For peace of mind, I'd love to see some improvements in the pool. No matter how hard I look though, I can't see them and the swim in Kona worries me more and more as the weeks go by. Swimming seems to be a mental battle for me and it's one I'm losing right now.
Totals: 1.5hrs - 4,200m

Cycle
4 hours easy w. 1 hour progression

113.50km in 4:03:00, 28.0km/hr, 536m elev. gain
Splits;
1) 67.06km in 2:29:59, 26.8km/hr, 352m gain & 335m loss,
1 hour progression;
2) 7.29km in 14:59, 29.2km/hr, 49m gain & 48m loss,
3) 8.14km in 15:02, 32.5km/hr, 13m gain & 32m loss,
4) 7.98km in 14:58, 32.0km/hr, 42m gain & 24m loss,
5) 8.77km in 15:01, 35.2km/hr, 20m gain & 34m loss,
Cool down;
6) 14.26km in 32:59, 26.0km/hr, 60m gain & 61m loss,

Although thundery downpours had been predicted and they were a few of them in Co. Meath today, I avoided any when I was out for this spin.
I hadn't planned on going so fast for the second quarter of my one hour progression. This was solely due the elevation gain/loss working out in my favour and a tailwind was also assisting me. I was acutely aware of these things at the time, but I still find it very hard to look beyond the average speed I hold for any effort and I felt compelled to better it in the third quarter. Unfortunately circumstances didn't favour me for these 15 minutes and despite working harder, I finished with a lower average speed. 45 minutes went by and I upped the effort for a fourth time and finished out the hour quite pleased with how I had rode over the hour.
Totals: 4.0hrs - 113.50km


Run
30 minutes easy off bike

5.76km in 30:01, 5:12/km[/INDENT
I hadn't changed my base layer from the cycle, It was wet and I got cold, which made the run seem worse than it was.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 18.04km

Sunday 21st May
S & C

45 minute mishmash of strength work

Totals: 1.0hrs - n/a

Run
1 hour 39 minutes steady

21.91km in 1:39:31, 4:33/km

I was sticking rigidly to a 10% increase on my previous long run, so 1 hour 39 minutes was exactly what I planned and would have been exactly what I did bar I zoned out at the very end of the run and forgot what I was meant to be doing. I drove to the Phoenix Park, so I could do it all on grass. It certainly beats the monotony of running in Fairyhouse and the time passed quickly enough. I avoided any of the hillier parts of the Park and held a consistent pace throughout.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 18.04km

Swim
OW, Bull Wall

974m in 16:11, 1:40/100m

I met two club mates for this and although I wasn't busting myself, I still hoped I would have been able to match the speed of one of the others who was swimming with me. The water was choppy, I got bounced about and I failed to stick with him though. I wasn't particularly enjoying the experience at the time, but it turned out to be good prep for the Howth Aquathlon the following night, where conditions were pretty similar.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 18.04km


Weekly Totals;
Swim: 7.0hrs - 18,224m
Bike: 7.5hrs - 213.33km
Run: 5.5hrs - 72.25km
Other: 1.0hrs

I'll try catch up with the last few weeks and update you on my physical and mental state then.

zico10

Monday 22nd May
a.m.
Cycle
Turbo

50 minutes steady with 5 x 30" sprints

I misjudged how long I'd hold power for in the first effort and ran out of steam before the 30 seconds were up. I learned my lesson after this and made a better fist of the other four.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 25.0km

p.m.
Howth Aquathon
Swim

1,200m in about 20 minutes

I'm not really sure of the distance I swam as I didn't hit lap on my watch upon standing up after the swim. The timing mat was quiet a bit away from the swim exit and my time in the official results includes a lot more running than would normally be expected. I'll just to remember to press lap more promptly for the next race I'm doing in the series.
The swim itself was pretty choppy and most people felt it was long. There was a lot more contact in the opening stages than I would have expected in such a small field. There was nothing malicious though and once I found clear water, I felt like I settled into a nice rhythm. My time compares favourably enough with a few whose form I'm aware of, but then the long run from the water to the timing mat hands an advantage back to me and skews things a bit.

Transition
I'd forgotten lube for my wetsuit and had a bit of trouble getting my legs out. I'd also forgotten my race belt, so it meant I'd to pin the number to a T-shirt before the race and put this T-shirt on in transition. It was a bit a of messy transition and I gave up a bit of time here, but it wasn't a very important race and I didn't get stressed about the time I was losing.

Run

7.14km in 26:22, 3:42/km

I was in the top 10 coming out of transition and most of the people I passed, I caught on the first lap of the run. All others stayed away. I'd be warned about the hill, but I didn't expect it to be as bad as it was and I slowed dramatically going up it.
I finished in 6th, but ònly had the fifth fastest run, which isn't the usual pattern my races take. It might reflect well on how well I swam, but I'll focus on the negatives in this case. I felt flat and slow going up that hill and I need to be faster full stop!
Totals;
Swim: 0.5hrs - 1,200m
Run: 0.5hrs - 7.20km

Run
25 minutes easy

4.52km in 26:01, 5:45/km

I did this about 20 minutes after the race just to shake out the legs. I was just plodding along and found it great that for once I didn't to have to worry about my pace.
Totals: 0.5hrs - 4.52km


Tuesday 23rd May
a.m.
Swim
50m pool

200m warm up,
600m drills,
32*50m off 65", (desc. 1-4)

I've no notes or stats for this session, so don't know how it went.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 2,400m

p.m.
Cycle
1.5 hours steady w. 3*25' IM Efforts

66.47km in 2:06:47, 31.6km/hr, 357m elev. gain,
IM Efforts;
1) 14.18km in 25:00, 34.0km/hr, 53m gain & 56m loss,
2) 13.90km in 25:01, 33.3km/hr,92m gain & 105m loss,
3) 15.46km in 25:01, 37.1km/hr, 41m gain & 76m loss,
Totals) 43.54km in 1:15:02, 34.8km/hr, 186m gain & 237m loss

I did pretty much 50% of the total time for the efforts into a headwind and the other 50% with a tailwind. I got lucky with the net elevation loss for them though and it certainly made holding an average speed of 34.8km/hr a lot easier. I was on my road bike though, so I'll happily take finishing only 1.2km/hr off my IM target pace of last year. Now that I am happy though, it probably means I need to aim to go faster.
Totals: 1.5hrs - 73.83km


Wednesday 24th May
a.m.
Swim
50m pool

3*50m max effort off 1:20(41" approx.),
6*100m off 1:50(#1: 1:37, 1:42-1:43 after this),
2*50m off 60" (45" & 46"),
50m easy,
4 sets of {3*50m off 50" (<40", 45" & 48")& 100m off 3:00},
200m easy

I was late into the pool this morning and I felt the most efficient use of my time would be to swim fast for the thirty-odd minutes I had in the water. Three fifties in under 50 seconds in a LC pool had me almost at my limits. Numbers 2 and 3 proved far more challenging than number 1, but I made the times, so at least I got out of the pool without the abject feeling of failure I sometimes have.
Totals: 0.5hrs - 2,000m

p.m.
Run
75 minutes steady

16.14km in 1:15:01, 4:39/km

I did this as an out-and-back along the Royal Canal Way and stopped looking at my watch after turning around. I tried to match the pace of the first half based on perceived effort and I actually managed to go slightly faster on the home leg, despite the fact the wind was against me.
Totals: 1.5hrs - 16.14km


Thursday 25th May
a.m.
Swim
25m pool, coached session

200m warm up,
6*75m as 25 fast/25 easy/25 fast,
10*100m as 100 fast/100 easy,
400m pull steady,
5*200m fast off 3:30 (3:20-3:23)
50m easy,
2*400m pull steady,
3*50m sprints,
4*25m sprints,
100m cool down

Totals: 1.5hrs - 4,250m

p.m.
Run
90 minutes steady w. 10 sets of {6 seconds max effort & 24 seconds recovery}

45.05km in 1:28:28, 30.6km/hr, 85m elevation gain

I did the max efforts in the second half of the ride and they sometimes coincided with sharp bends in the road and I was afraid to pedal powerfully through them. This no doubt means I didn't get the full benefit of the session, but overall I was happy enough with my average speed considering the effort I put in.
Totals: 1.5hrs - 19.58km


Friday 26th May
a.m.
Rest

p.m.
Run
Split tempo; 6 x {5' on & 1' recovery}

14.45km in 57:01, 3:57/km
Splits;
Warm up) 2.89km in 12:02, 4:10/km
Efforts;
1) 1.44km in 5:00, 3:29/km & 1' @ 4:32/km,
2) 1.42km in 5:00, 3:32/km & 1' @ 4:42/km,
3) 1.40km in 4:57, 3:34/km & 1' @ 4:55/km,
4) 1.42km in 4:59, 3:31/km & 1' @ 4:57/km,
5) 1.40km in 4:59, 3:35/km & 1' @ 5:05/km,
6) 1.42km in 5:00, 3:33/km & 1' @ 5:13/km,
Cool down) 1.85km in 8:59, 4:52/km

I was hoping to run sub 3:30/km pace for all of these efforts, but I'm way too heavy for that. (75.3kg when I weighed myself this morning) The first effort was okay I suppose, but I had to push a little bit harder towards the end of it to ensure I finished under my target pace. I missed it on my second one and I knew the game was up. Chasing the pace would have killed me, so from here, it became a case of running them off feel and hoping for the best. To finish with an average pace of 3:32.5 wasn't a complete disaster and I know I'll get faster with some conditioning. Getting into shape is the next thing.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 18.04km

Swim
50m pool

2*500m untimed

No real plan behind this other than to loosen out from the run. Also it gave me an excuse to go to the sauna and steam room in the NAC.
Totals: 1.5hrs - 1,000m


Saturday 27th May
Run
1 hour 50 minutes steady

24.07km in 1:50:19, 4:35/km

More to break up the monotony of 110 minutes running, I took splits every 11 minutes and they worked out thus; 1) 4:32/km, 2) 4:24/km, 3) 4:35/km, 4) 4:41/km, 5) 4:39/km, 6) 4:38/km, 7) 4:40/km, 8) 4:40/km, 9) 4:30/km, 10) 4:33/km
I ran to Fairyhouse for this, but most of the first two and last two splits were on the road as opposed to grass, which explains the faster pace I held for them. I wasn't looking to smash it and just adopted a 'wait and see' approach to the run. It was a miserably wet day to be outside and I was soaked to the skin, but at least the wind was light.
Totals: 2.0hrs - 24.07km


Sunday 28th May
Cycle
6 hours/180km steady

179.99km in 5:51:45, 30.7km/hr, 737m elev. gain (+3km not recorded)
Hourly splits;
1) 29.7km/hr, 112m gain & 93m loss,
2) 31.4km/hr, 117m gain & 149m loss,
3) 30.9km/hr, 158m gain & 149m loss,
4) 31.0km/hr, 115m gain & 100m loss,
5) 30.7km/hr, 118m gain & 121m loss,
6) 30.5km/hr(51:44), 116m gain & 119m loss,

I went out on my road bike and after the soaking I got during yesterday's run, I dressed for inclement weather. It turned out to be dry and of course I was overdressed and ended up getting too warm. I took a few stops for water, coffee and other essentials and it was only after the second stop, I decided I may as well stay out for 180km. I wasn't looking to go fast, but I was surprised by my average speed for the sixth hour as I felt like I was slowing badly.
Totals: 6.0hrs - 182.99km



Weekly Totals;
Swim: 4.0hrs - 11,850m
Bike: 10.5hrs - 319.53km
Run: 5.5hrs - 66.32km
Other: 0.0hrs

I didn't do enough swimming this week, but the swim in Monday's race went okay, so I don't need to get too down about it. It was a poor week for running, but all those issues will take care of themselves when I drop a few kilos. I know it's ages until Kona and I've plenty of time to loose the weight, but I'd like to give a good account of myself at any race I do and the guys I'm competing against won't be given extra weight to carry just to even things up. Plus it'll make my training runs easier and consequently more enjoyable.

rodneyr1981

Have you any target racing leading into kona?