To the waters and the wild

Kurt.Godel

Mon 18k steady run

Had to drop the car to the garage in Wicklow, so took the opportunity to run over hilly backroads to Rathdrum (pick up the wifey's car). I felt strong setting out, and was ticking along nicely at 5min/km without much effort. A very enjoyable and unexpected run.

Tue 6k easy run; 10min yoga, 40min short turbo.

10min EZ
5*(30s on, 1:30 off)
5*(1min build 300->500W, 2min EZ)
5min EZ

Lost the will to live during the final 10s of each rep!

Entries have now opened for the National LC Masters Champs in Limerick. I've entered the 1,500m, 100m and 50m free, 200m back, and 50m fly. I was being coached on correct fly stroke by my son last night, he swims this in the blink of an eye and should be able to give me a few pointers. If nothing else it'll help with shoulder mobility. But the real goal is 23:xx in the 1,500m.

shotgunmcos

Kurt.Godel wrote: »

But the real goal is 23:xx in the 1,500m.

Would love to get down to that too. But 3 months to get back to some sort of fitness on 2 swims a week = no chance.

Honestly with your swim times I'd say 23:xx is 23 low or 22:59!

Kurt.Godel

shotgunmcos wrote: »

Would love to get down to that too. But 3 months to get back to some sort of fitness on 2 swims a week = no chance.

Honestly with your swim times I'd say 23:xx is 23 low or 22:59!

I find it very hard to gauge pace in Limerick- I'm not used to the LC and there's no clock (and you can't wear any pace aid). A couple of years back I went off too hard, died in second half, and I think swam 24mins dead. Last year I "paced" it better and ended up with 24:40... very hard to know how to set off and how to hold back. Plus, as you know the entry list for your AG before, tactics come into play (last year a lad just sat on my pace all race and took me in the final 50m deciding silver/bronze).

A vague 23:xx (well paced) will have me happy! The biggest thing I can do to bring this about is keep tumble turning in training (worth a couple of seconds per length). Thats the thing I love about learning swimming as an adult, there's a lot of low-hanging fruit to be picked!

griffin100

Learn to feckin tumble turn properly!!

Kurt.Godel

Wed 15min yoga, 17k hilly run; 20min Fastlane
A nice run through some new (to me) local trails and backroads. The engine still had yesterdays MAX turbo efforts in it truth be told, and it was a hilly enough course. Upped the effort towards the end to finish with a couple of fast km's.
Later a much needed recovery swim in the Fastlane.

Thurs 30min easy run; 10min yoga, 1:10turbo; 60min Masters
Turbo:
10 mins easy to build
5 mins as 30' hard, 30' easy
easy 60'
4 * 8 mins at 7-8 PE with 2 mins between recovery
15 mins EZ
This felt pretty good, the earlier recovery run had shaken out any stiffness from yesterdays hills. Kept the 8min effort from about 240W-300W and felt like this was a useful session.

Masters:
200m WU
8*(25k, 25dr, 10s)
8*25 decending 1-4, 15s
Step test: 7*200 off 5min
1. 3:40
2. 3.32
3. 3:26
4. 3:19
5: 3:12
6. 3:08
7. 3:03

I was tired after a couple of earlier training sessions, but looking forward to this step test. Last one I did a few months back went cock-eyed towards the end (last three were in 3:12, 3:15, 3:19) so the plan was to start off the same time and hit the targets towards the end.
The test is 7 200's off 5min- you hit the wall 7 secs faster than the previous. The first couple feel very slow, but from number 4 on you feel the pinch. I was just outside my 3:05 goal for the 6th rep, and further outside my 2:58 goal for the last, but overall I'm pleased given that the body was tired.

peter kern

Kurt.Godel wrote: »

I find it very hard to gauge pace in Limerick- I'm not used to the LC and there's no clock (and you can't wear any pace aid). A couple of years back I went off too hard, died in second half, and I think swam 24mins dead. Last year I "paced" it better and ended up with 24:40... very hard to know how to set off and how to hold back. Plus, as you know the entry list for your AG before, tactics come into play (last year a lad just sat on my pace all race and took me in the final 50m deciding silver/bronze).

A vague 23:xx (well paced) will have me happy! The biggest thing I can do to bring this about is keep tumble turning in training (worth a couple of seconds per length). Thats the thing I love about learning swimming as an adult, there's a lot of low-hanging fruit to be picked!

can you do that with the TI swim ireland licnsense or do you need the full license. I am thinking doing the 1500 ?

Kurt.Godel

peter kern wrote: »

can you do that with the TI swim ireland licnsense or do you need the full license. I am thinking doing the 1500 ?

Unfortunately a SI competitive licence is required Peter. The special combined TI/SI licence only works for a few masters galas and OW events- however since this is the LC National Champs a full licence is required.

Personally I think the combined TI/SI licence should be all-inclusive, or should be scrapped. It causes more problems than it solves!

*Edit- the 1,500 is very popular and has sold out by early Jan for the past few years... better get your skates on!

peter kern

thanks

much better of doing joey hannon tri .

Kurt.Godel

peter kern wrote: »

thanks

much better of doing joey hannon tri .

Depends what the goal is for the start of March!

To be honest you would get more (fun, enjoyment, camaraderie, memories, What Its All About) out of Day 2 in Limerick rather than the 1,500 the night before which tends to be all Business. The full program day is one of the best days racing (on all levels) I've ever witnessed, and great to experience and be part of.

But you might also consider there is a LC gala in the NAC in May (same day as Joey Hannon though;) ) that might allow dual SI/TI memberships. I'll race you over 50fly

Kurt.Godel

Fri 40min S&C, 30 min easy run; 30min Fastlane

The run was preceeded by an hour looking out the window at the cold wet gale blowing out there... will I, won't I... before eventually just wrapping up and getting out the door. Very easy pace, but on the roads rather than forest so not all that enjoyable.

Later an easy enough 30min Fastlane, focus on underwater catch and power to exit.
10min 1:42 pace
10min 1:36 pace
10min 1:30 pace

Kurt.Godel

Sat 15min yoga, 24k run; 20min Fastlane
Run:
60min EZ
45min steady
balance recovery

Lashing rain and a swirling gale throughout, I was going well on the steady section until I ran into the burst river in Tomnafinnogue, had to walk through knee deep water for a km or so. Nuts!

Later a very easy Fastlane recovery which worked wonders.

Sun 10min yoga, 1:25 turbo; 30min run; 1:30 SLS training

10min EZ
5*(30s on, 30s off)
4 sets of: 4*(1min 230W, 1min 300W), 4min EZ
15min 260W+
balance EZ

I felt good on this, worked where I was meant to and the recovered where that was meant.

Later a very easy plod, the slowest of these 30min runs I've done yet. Done straight after todays turbo, the legs were stiff and sore from yesterdays long run, and I started with a "Kenyan shuffle" before things brightened up towards the end.

The evening was rounded off at Surf Life Saving training, good to get into the water again.

Kurt.Godel

Mon 9k run; 60min Masters

30min easy, 15min steady to strong
Did this while up in Dublin, on concrete paths and then a lap of UCD. Two things of note- running on concrete paths is significantly faster for same effort on my local trails! Also, I wasn't aware of that lovely tree-lined lap in UCD, its an oasis.

Masters
200 WU
16*(25 IMO, 25 free, 10s)
8*50free off 45
200 easy
Balance turns and turn drills

Tue 10min yoga, 40min turbo; 30min easy run

Turbo
10 mins easy spin
5 * ( 30' hard, 1.30 easy )
15 mins as 5 * {
1 min 'on' @ PE 9-10 .... power / effort should build
2 min easy
}
5 mins easy

These felt "slightly" less intense than last week, although comparing the W's they seem similar. I was operation at PE 10 towards the end of each (whereas last week felt like they were dialled up to 11)

Wed 30min easy run; 30min Fastlane

Fastlane:
10min pb 1:42 pace
10min pb 1:36 pace
10min pb 1:30 pace

Thurs 30min easy run; 10min yoga, 65min turbo; 60min Masters

Turbo
10 mins easy spin
5 * ( 30' hard, 1.30 easy )
5 * {
5 min 'on' @ PE 5-6
3 min easy
}
5 mins easy

Masters:
200 warmup
10*50 (odds 25k, 25sw; evens 25dr, 25sw)10s
8*25 desc 1-4 (15s)
1500TT 24:47
100 swim down

Wasn't feeling the love tonight, thought I was swimming faster than the disappointing time. Others were saying the same; it feels like Xmas rest is needed.
On the positive side of things I managed to tumble for the first 900m, and throughout I felt I had a decent stroke. Just need to do all this a bit quicker. Next time.

Kurt.Godel

Catch up

I had a plan but with the Xmas break and visitors etc it became very unstructured. I got out for at least 30mins running each day. Otherwise:

Wed 26th 10min seas swim
The SLS kids were out on their boards so I chanced a wetsuit swim in Courtown. The water was cold- although not quite as bad as I might have expected. I did tarzan stroke for about 5 mins (no goggles or hat) before dunking my head for the next five. No better way to spend 10 minutes of life.

Fri 15k hill run
I really enjoyed this route- first up along some hilly backroads before joining up on the Wicklow Way and diverting up into the Muskeagh forest. Its a very steep climb, but I was plugging away nicely and felt stronger climbing than I have done in quite a while. The views from the top were spectacular, my first time running this loop in a clockwise direction and its a much better panorama this way.
The descent was on wet slippy moss and my Merrall shoes offered zero grip so I ran down gingerly. Back onto terra firma through Tinahely before picking up the pace over the last couple of km.

Sat 10min yoga, 1:25 turbo; 30min recovery run
Turbo:
Main 4*(4*{1min 230W <70rpm, 1min 300W >90rpm}, 4min EZ)
This went well, the consistency on the turbo/bike lately is paying dividends.

Actually that goes for overall; recent consistency has me fitter than ever as we move into a new year.

Kurt.Godel

Sun 6k easy run; 2 hours SLS training

I was only reminded of this training session this afternoon- it meant I had to ditch my expected feet up on the couch afternoon, no harm done. We drove up to the UCD pool and spent 2 hours doing a combination of kicks, fins, side stroke, single arm, IM; before moving onto manikin carry. Tough work but good fun and better all round than the lazier option.

Kurt.Godel

Mon 12k run

So, the last day of 2018 and I had to complete my Dec run streak... at this stage of Xmas anything goes, the celebrations in Ireland go on way too long and people are stressed, bored of each other, hungover and tired, etc etc etc...

I drove the missus to Gorey to do some chores- family stability is more important than any run streak- and as we circled the madness in Dunnes carpark I spied a Mother and two daughters walking to their car. Mom looked stressed, youngest daughter took a brilliant notion to ease this stress by whacking Mom's phone from her hand to smash on the ground. Never have I seen a face move so quickly from glee to despair as Mom screamed curses into her face. Later on a frantic chap in a BMW X5 screeched his brakes up to me and shouted "Lad where is good for breakfast around here?"... it was 2pm at this stage so I pointed around the corner and suggested the Breakfast Store, all the while thinking this run was becoming more important...

Eventually I got to escape and ran home over the hills from Hollyfort to Monaseed and up over Annagh/Hillbrook gap. Took it easy for the first 5k and then pushed on for the next 5. It was an overcast day and as I crested the highest point and considered the wide landscape of my valley I noted the sole sunbeam laying upon Coolfancy church, burning it bright and glowing in the dull surroundings. It seemed a fitting vision to end the year on. The last couple of km were hard and tough, they burned but the legs wanted the burn and for the first time in a few years I embraced running pain and finished faster than I've ran in a while.

After a few years in Tri now, I know that you need to be hitting the ground running by Jan 1st, so overall I'm content with drawing a line through this past year and looking forward to pushing on in 2019. Happy New Year to anyone who follows this log and good hunting over the next 12 months.

Kurt.Godel

Tue 1st Jan 5k run; 40min turbo

Run:
A run/hike over parts of Annagh hill, which included some very steep up and down sections. I finished on the roads, and I have to say that I'm starting to enjoy running now and being able to run at a decent pace.

Turbo:
10min EZ
5*(30s hard, 1:30 EZ)
5*(1min build to PE 9/10, 2min EZ)
5min EZ
If you know Zwift, you know they have sections flagged as sprints, and its very hard to not blast them. If I'm doing a recovery section then I ignore them, but if I'm putting in some work and a sprint comes up... suffice to say the hard sections of this set were a minute building to 500W, but in the 4th rep I came across a sprint section early on, and hit 690W for the 5 secs or so of the sprint... crap, now its over and I've still got 30sec of the rep left... trying to hold 500W for 30s on busted legs... its not something I'll be repeating anytime soon!

Kurt.Godel

Wed 45min run

Myself and the missus drove to Belfast for the night (we used live here while she was in Art college) and I chanced a run out to the old homestead in North Belfast. Not a whole lot looked different out there, although thankfully the white line crossing the road outside our street was gone (it had "UFF" painted on one side, "PIRA" on the other)

Thus Easy 5k after a long days driving

Fri 100*100swim; 5k run

24*100 off 1:50
2min break
22*100 off 1:50
2min break
18*100pb off 1:50 (I was drifting towards off 2:00 towards the end)
5min break
balance a mixture of free and pb 100's, off about 2:00. Just a case of holding form until the end. The last 800m or so was ok, decent form if slow pace.

I spotted somewhere that zico intended doing this swim and asked if I could tag along. The first 5k or so was fine, no real issues, but I wasn't doing so well using the pb. I went a bit unstructured towards the end swapping swim and pb, while zico forged ahead using paddles. This section was a little dreamlike as the brain wasn't too sharp.

Overall while there are things I can take from the set, its not something I'd do again. There wasn't much shoulder pain, any leg cramps held off till towards the end, and it was nice to tick this box. I'm most happy that I tumbled every turn until 5km in (wasn't quite so diligent after that), but there are more useful sets to do with less volume. Thanks Alan for the company which was needed!

shotgunmcos

Holy cow batman! 100 100s! Only ever did that once and thankfully not in a pool. Oh to be swim fit...

Going well Sir.

Kurt.Godel

Sat 7k run
No obvious aches or pains after yesterdays swim. Lungs a little tight but otherwise all good. Although I wanted to reign in any effort, a faster pace than usual for energy expended, was noted. Better running form.

Sun 1:20turbo; 30min easy run

Zwift have a 9-leg "Tour de Zwift" going during January. I spotted it late but figured stage 2 would be a good way to try out virtual group riding. I went off way too hard- its tough not to get caught up in the pack jumping- and sat at the front of packs too much. Died a little at halfway (was about 150/1900 at this stage) and kept plugging away trying to keep the power over 280W. Overall I finished about 240/1900 but more importantly had a very good workout.

shotgunmcos

Kurt.Godel wrote: »

Later an easy enough 30min Fastlane, focus on underwater catch and power to exit.
10min 1:42 pace
10min 1:36 pace
10min 1:30 pace

23:xx eh.. sandbagging if I ever heard it

Kurt.Godel

Mon 15k run; 60min Masters
Run:
30min EZ
30min steady
10min hard

Driving back from Dublin I detoured to Roundwood for a lap of the lakes. It was blustery and raining, but all was good with the world once I got going. I felt good throughout and this was my best run in a while- the setting helped a lot! Had the wind at my back for the start which flattered the pace, but finished into a strong headwind. Getting stronger on the runs, no doubt about it.

Masters:
400wu
10*(25dr,25sw,10s rest)
Main set:
1*200 bk
2*100 bk
4*50 bk
1*200 fr
2*100 fr
4*50 fr
250 hypoxic 3,2,1,0,0,0,0,1,2,3

Didn't do great, I was tired after the earlier run and the air quality wasn't good at the pool tonight.

shotgunmcos wrote: »

23:xx eh.. sandbagging if I ever heard it

lol says the man who has just swam 2k at 1:29 pace on Strava!:D
To be honest the Fastlane pace is like a running treadmill; useful as a guide but not to be trusted.

shotgunmcos

Strava lies! The garmin thought it was on Sun Yang's writs during the kicking warm up!

Still, working my ass off to hit 3:10s for 200m with a torn intercostal muscle and crampy feet was not too bad

Kurt.Godel

I've been struggling with breathing issues since last Monday at the pool... turns out their extractor fans aren't working. I think that might be the straw that breaks the camels back for me, I'll have to consider moving pools. A real pity as the staff are very nice there, and its a good pool otherwise, but the air quality has been poor for years now on/off. Anyway, perhaps more use of the Fastlane will suffice for a while.

Tue 10min yoga, 40min turbo; 7k run
Turbo:
10 mins easy
5 * ( 30' hard, 1.30 easy )
5 * (1 min PE 9-10, 2 min easy)
5 mins easy

Run:
Kept the pace way down but felt fatigued towards the end.

Wed 40min S&C; 15min yoga, 6k run; 20min fastlane
Run:
Slightly faster than last night but felt much, much easier

Fastlane:
10min 1:38/100 pace
10min 1:30/100 pace

Thurs 10min yoga, 1:20 turbo; 6.5k easy run

10 mins steady to build
5 * ( 30' all out 1.30 easy)
3 * (15 mins building from PE 3 to 8 every 3 mins, 5 mins easy)

Fri 6k run
I felt very good on this, started slow and the pace just crept up of its own accord. I ran faster towards the end just to test the lungs, and started to feel some tightness at around 4:30/km pace.

Sat 50min Fastlane; 6k easy run
5min WU
2 sets of the following (everything on 1:50):
2*100 @ 1:40pace
2*100 @ 1:35pace
2*100 @ 1:30pace
2*100 @ 1:25pace
2*100 @ 1:20pace
5min CD

Sun 1:45 turbo; 6k super easy run; 90 min SLS training
Turbo:
10min EZ
90mins steady group ride (holding around 250-290W)
5min EZ
I'm not used to pack riding- even on Zwift if you fall off the tail end you need to really work to get back into the relative comfort of the pack! Good fun though.

SLS training later this evening.

Kurt.Godel

Mon 45min run; 60mins Masters

Run:
30min easy, 15min steady
Can't remember much about this run but looking at the figures everything hit what it needed to hit.

Masters:
I took a chance and the air quality was much better... whatever they did at the pool made a huge difference. Nevertheless, I kept the effort middling and focused on technique,
400WU
2 Sets of:
200paddle and pb fast
200 easy
2*100paddle and pb fast, 10s
150 easy
4*50paddle and pb fast, 10s
100 easy

10*25 hypoxic 3,2,1,0,0,0,0,1,2,3

Tue 40min S&C; 30 min easy run

Run plan: 15 min breathe through nose, 15 min build with good form
"Nose breathing" on the schedule I previous comprehended as "take it easy", and would breathe through the nose for 30s before continuing to jog. It just dawned on me tonight that it was meant as a hypoxic form of training! So I ran 15mins breathing in and out through the nose- a lot more difficult than I'd have imagined. Final 15mins with good form.

Wed 1:30 turbo; 30 min easy run

Turbo:
10min easy
5*(30s on, 30s off)
4 sets of:
{4*(1min <70rpm 230W, 1min >90rpm 300W)
4min easy}
15 min at 260W
balance easy

Run:
I'll have to keep an eye on these 30min runs, started off easy pace but started to up the speed and ended up in no-mans land pace wise towards the end. Need to be more disciplined: if a run isn't on the schedule then I need to keep it easy pace throughout.

Thurs 15k run

Up around the Roundwood lakes at lunchtime- what a magnificent setting. It was a lovely clear day... perfect temperature running along by the water, got a little tougher running round the second lake with the various undulations, but finished strong enough. I like this run. Snow on Lug down here, first I've seen since last year.

Kurt.Godel

Fri 2,500m swim; 40min S&C, 7k run

The cat woke me up at 4:30 this morning, mewing loudly at our window that she wanted to come in from the cold wet night. Consequently I've been operating all day from a heightened lack of sleep. There's probably a specific term for "heightened lack of sleep" but I'm not of a mind to look it up and in any case it suits the air of surreality that lingers today.

Swim:
5mins WU
5*(100m in 1:40, 10s)
5*(100m in 1:32, 10s)
5*(100m in 1:26, 10s)
5*(100m in 1:20, 10s)
5min CD
Straight into the water once the cat was content, it was pretty cold as I've not had the heating on in a few days. Once I got used to it there were no issues, and I quite enjoyed these 100's with the muffled sounds of "Bitches Brew" on the headphones.

Run:
There was a post on the IMRA forum about a new step section on the WW nearby, so I drove to it to have a scout. My run plan was to run the first 15mins breathing through the nose, and so I literally kept my mouth shut and set off and up these steps. Nothing too bad, although 30m climb over 100m will have the air thick with curses from leg 7 finishers in the WW relay! Still keeping mum, I continued up into the muckier boreens over Muskeagh, and was rewarded with an almost hallucinogenic landscape, bright and green and fresh and cold, a dance between Winter and Spring.
Finally able to take a deep breath, I continued down back to the backroads while holding good form. Running seems a joy these days, and I certainly enjoyed these final few km back to the car.

I just mistyped that last word "cat"

Kurt.Godel

Sat 10min yoga, 70min turbo, 30min bric run

Turbo- Main 4*(8mins build 260-300W, 2min EZ)
Run- First 10mins breathe through nose, balance super easy

Sun 56k run; 90min SLS training

Junior was at the NAC gala all day so no long ride- instead I got to check out their Xcountry course. Pretty impressive for something bang in the city.

Later on into the pool in Courtown for SLS training. Lots of kicking, lots of fins. After watching sharks all day I was happy to get into the water tonight.

griffin100

Didn’t see you at the NAC today. I was there for the long stuff Friday evening and all day Saturday and Sunday. Feck all training done this weekend.

Kurt.Godel

griffin100 wrote: »

Didn’t see you at the NAC today. I was there for the long stuff Friday evening and all day Saturday and Sunday. Feck all training done this weekend.

Ouch. My lad was meant to be there yesterday as well, but a wrist injury in rugby last week put paid to any fly races. As it was today he managed ok for 50m of back but the wrist was very sore for the 100free and we bailed after that.

I noticed your young lad's name on the board- he had a good 100free I think?

griffin100

Kurt.Godel wrote: »

Ouch. My lad was meant to be there yesterday as well, but a wrist injury in rugby last week put paid to any fly races. As it was today he managed ok for 50m of back but the wrist was very sore for the 100free and we bailed after that.

I noticed your young lad's name on the board- he had a good 100free I think?

Rugby and swimming, interesting combination.

My lad had a good weekend. His 100m free was 1.08, just off the Div2 time. I was much more impressed with his 11.02 800m and 5.19 400m, the little sh1t. Nothing like a qualifying gala to make you realise how slow you actually are.

shotgunmcos

griffin100 wrote: »

Rugby and swimming, interesting combination.
.

Worked out ok for Paul O'Connell