The difficult second album

Tuesday 26th November

So slept through the planned early morning swim. Evening session was a run, 3km warm up then into 12 X 60's with 60's recovery between each, with a 3km cool down. Wasn't sure how to pace them but tried to hold it at what I thought I could get all through at. One or two small blips on the times with people stepping in front of me but otherwise the pace was kept at around 3.30 min kilometres. Don't think I have ever ran this fast and was pleased to get through all of them keeping it around this time. Hamstrings were very tight afterwards so a bit of stretching and foam rolling.

Wednesday 27th November

Had to get a bit of a swim session in today, mainly a 400m TT just to see where I was. Turbo was first though, 1hr 15 mins, mainly focusing on endurance but with 6 short sprints thrown in and 2X5mins at just above FTP. Legs were feeling it by the end but with plenty of recovery it wasn't the worst session in the world.

Bit of lunch and then to the pool, got there and found out there was a water aerobics class on so had to wait while they pulled their floating partners around the pool by the ankles. Finally got in but didn't have much time before I was due into work. Bit of a warm up then into the 400m TT. Wasn't feeling great in the pool and have missed a few sessions over the last 2 weeks so wasn't hoping for anything great. Felt I paced it well and managed to hold the pace for the 400m. Only problem was my pool is 17m so meant I done 24 lengths and covered around 408m. I'm not the fastest off the wall so hopefully the extra turns cancel out the extra 8m's. Time came in at 6.04. My fastest ever 400m (last season when I was in my best shape was around 6.20). Was wrecked at the end but was very happy, know there is a few easy seconds to take off with a few more sessions in the pool, stroke got sloppy at parts, and didn't feel 100% in the water.

Friday 29th November

So still not fully recovered from the weekend in London, and reckon I can feel the start of a throat/chest infection coming on. Evening swim session with interested. First time in a few weeks that the clock has been there and working, wasn't sure if I was happy or scared about that. Warm up then into main set of 5 X (4 X 100m, with each 100m getting faster, all based on our 100m PB's) all off 2.00. These got tough very quick, managed to get faster each time but I wouldn't say all my flat out 100m's were the same pace, recoveries were getting harder and harder. Ended up setting a new PB for 100m (1.24). Was wrecked after the session, really felt it when I got home.

Saturday 30th November

Had to be an early morning turbo instead of a club bike spin, had to go into work instead. 2 hours on the turbo, mainly easy spinning and was glad that's all it was. Still not back to 100%. After work was out to club AGM, some good idea's for the club and looks positive going forward. After this was few drinks, that turned int getting home at half three. Great night out though.

Sunday 1st December

Woke up feeling the effects of the night before so some changes had to be made to the planned sessions. Didn't want to miss them so done a 10km run and a bit of a swim, not much but around 1.2km done. Enough for the day, starting to feel a bit better, hopefully should be able to get back into properly from tomorrow. Seeing what training other people are doing at the AGM has made me realise I need to keep up with my training and stop missing so many sessions.

So no training since Tuesday and doesn't look like I'll be doing any until Monday at the earliest, another chest infection has seen to that. Don't know what to be doing with my time in the evenings, just end up spending money! Chest infection has been a good excuse to stay off the drink at work christmas do tonight and a 30th birthday party tomorrow night. Have a bit of time off over christmas so hopefully I'll be able to put in a good week or two and catch back up to where I was.

Tuesday 10th December

Handy enough day, usually a double day but moved the swim to Monday so meant I only had a run tonight. Knew from the start of the run that it was going to be tough, easy pace was about 12-15 seconds out on what it usually is. Session was to be a warm up, then into 15 X 40 seconds fast, 20 seconds recovery and then a cool down. Plan had been to run the 40 second fast at around 3.40 min pace but knew that wasn't going to happen from the start. Pace came in at around 3.55 for them so not too bad considering the time I was out on my easy run too. The recoveries is where I suffered, just couldn't recover quick enough at all, from the 2nd or 3rd one I was feeling it. Got through them all though and done a cool down. Altogether around 11.5km run, hopefully can get over this chest infection soon, hard to see the times coming in where they are after a months good training.

Friday 13th December

Only one session today, swim session in Belvedere. Last session of the ten week block, really enjoyed the block and will be signing up again in the new year. Session was a tough one, lots of faster than normal stuff. 4 X 50m with first 12.5m fast and then 4 X 50m with last 12.5m fast. Was faster off the wall than towards the end and these were tough. Lot more fast stuff then a flat out 100m, pb for this was 1.24/25 from a few weeks back in this session. Felt I paced this one well and don't think I have ever suffered as much in the pool as towards the end of this. Hit the wall at around 1.20 so a nice new pb for 100m. After this was 6 X 200m off 3.40 coming in around 3.20 each time (pb for 200m is 3.04). Again these were tough and was feeling it towards the end.

Saturday 14th December

Turbo session today, too bad to head out on the bike. 2 hours, mostly focused on endurance but with approx 10 all out sprints and 5 X 4 mins at above FTP. Tough session but enjoyable, feeling much better and finally feel like I'm getting back to normal.

Sunday 15th December

Morning session was a run session with the triathlon club. These sessions have been going on a while and I had been hearing good stuff about them so I decided I may as well give them a go. Session was following a route they have have marked out but worked out about 3.5km warm up, then 1 lap of the loop so I would know where I was going, lap was a around 1.2km. There was 6 laps with first 400m fast, middle 400m steady and last 400m fast again then with a short break between laps. Kept the pace for the first 400m at below 3.35 min kilometres, steady was around 4.55 min kilometres and 3rd 400m was kept around 3.45 min kilometres. Last 400m was into a headwind so sort of explains why it was slower then the first 400m. These were tough, most of my running is on fairly flat ground with a few gradual hills. This was more cross country and was feeling it by the end, bit of competition between the lads in the club so pushed myself more than I probably would have by myself. Bit of a cool down after for a total of around 12.5km ran.

Evening session was a swim. Bit of a warm up then 8 X 50m fast. Then into main set of 8 X 100m descending times, started a bit fast and some of them were close in time but managed to lower them all and finish on 1.30. Bit of a rest then was 6 X 100m coming in as close to 1.30 as I could. Managed to keep it close enough, some a bit below and one or two a bit over (1.31.5). Short rest then 4 X 100m on same time, again in or around the same time. Then short rest and 2 X 100m on same time. Last of these drifted out a bit to 1.32.8 but was really feeling it. Cool down was 300m kick with board and then 100m steady for a grand total of just over 3km.

Good training weekend and finally starting to feel back to normal after my chest infection, just in time too, I have a good bit of time off over the christmas and am hoping to get a good bit of training done during this time.

Monday 16th December

In work late so hour and a half turbo. Mostly focusing on endurance but with part at tempo and the last 20 min interval building from 80% to 95% of FTP. Legs took a while to wake up but session overall wasn't too bad. Long intervals with around 3 min breaks inbetween but heart rate was down where it should be and legs weren't feeling too bad.

Tuesday 17th December

Another late night in work so swim and run done before. Swim session was some kick and pull work to start, some drills then 5 X 300m with 30 seconds recovery between. Again took a while to get going but once I did was first time in a while I have felt good in the pool. Sets like this make me think I took it too handy in my open water swims last year, wasn't confident enough that I could swim the whole distance at a decent pace.

Bit of a break after this and then a run session, 3.5km warm up then main set of 20 X 40 seconds fast with 20 seconds recovery inbetween. 40 seconds were coming in around 3.55 pace and kept in around that for all of them so happy with that, recoveries weren't as bad as they have been. After this was a cool down of around 3.5km cool down for a total of around 11km. Legs were feeling it after the intervals but recovered quick enough and pace was comfortable enough for the recovery.

Friday 20th December

Had a wedding to go to today so took it as a rest day. Hopefully going to have a busy christmas training wise so didn't feel too guilty taking the whole day off.
The gf is going back to her parents for over a week over the Christmas and with me finishing work on Thursday until 6th January I'm hoping to get in a week or so of quality training.

Saturday 21st December

So after a late night but no drink I wasn't looking too forward to the turbo. Hour and fourty five mins, working on building endurance and with around 55 mins focusing on sweet spot work too. Tough session but settled into it after a while and finished well.

Sunday 22nd December

Plan was for a club run in the morning but when I woke up and seen the weather I went back to bed. Went for run in the afternoon instead, plan was for warm up then 7 X 1.1km intervals and cool down. Had just finished the warm up when the heavens opened, rain,sleet, hailstones and snow. Hid under a bus shelter for a while and then decided best to head home. Altogether only around 4.7km ran, nothing too hard.

Swim session was to next. Bit of a warm up then into main set of 1020m TT, wasn't sure how to pace this but think I done ok, came in around 16.30 and was pretty pleased with this. After this was 260m easy then a 400m TT, faded badly in the 3rd hundred of this and came in on 6.08 which I was happy enough with (pb is 6.04) so not too far off it and after a tough 1000m. Few fast lengths and bit of a cool down next. Felt good leaving the pool, good session.

Evening then was an hour on the turbo to make up for the missed run. Hour spent trying to stick between 70-75% of FTP. Legs felt really good for this and got off feeling good.

Going to try do the missed run session tomorrow along with a long turbo.

Saturday 28th December

Woke up and weather wasn't too bad so time for first brick session of the year. Decided to do it differently than I done it last year. Drove down to Phoenix park parked up the car and this would be where I would leave the bike during the run parts. Session was to be 3 X 20km on the bike with 3 X 3km runs inbetween. Bike felt good, got used to the position again quick enough and was comfortable on the bike. Pace was decent but hard to judge with the wind. Run felt good, bit of jelly legs but nothing major, pace was kept around 4.10 min kilometres (race pace from last year). Felt good during the run, first km was good, 2nd km a bit tougher and then a strong last km. Good session done. Heading down to the gf's parents tomorrow but hope to get a bit one before I head down and should be back on Monday afternoon so should fit something in on Monday evening.

Wednesday 1st Jan

So finally got home after being stuck out in the countryside for too long. Afternoon was an easy 10km run, nothing fast just to get the legs moving again. Felt good, pace was never hard though, just good to be back out.

Evening session was an hour and a half on the turbo. Mostly focusing on endurance but with 4 X 4 min at between 90-100% of FTP. Legs felt really good here, better than they have in a while. Felt very strong for the FTP efforts and in the last one built to around 110% of FTP. Trainer road seems to have lost this workout though, a pity because never got to look at how it went after.

Thursday 2nd Jan

Long run today. Around 13km done, again nothing fast but legs felt good and was no problems at all.

Evening session was a swim. First time in the pool in what seems like ages and felt like it too. Bit of a warm up then into main set of 10 X 100m with 30 second RI, then 5 X 100 with pull, then repeated. A long session in the pool and my arms were feeling it towards the end. Breathing was ok, was more muscle tiredness. Altogether 3.74km swam. And woke up today to water stuck in my ear! Bit of fuzzy hearing going on, might look into ear plugs.

Have started logging on the SBR thread too this year, to try and keep an eye on the distance I do and see how it compares to others on here. Not the most computer literate person so hopefully I don't break the table.

Sat 4th Jan

First club cycle in a long while. One of the lads from the Tri club who is in a different cycling club came along for the spin too. Plan was to go with him (ex Irish TT rider). Groups were a bit all over the place and the group started out pretty slow. Average pace was right down and few seemed more interested in having a chat, when ever the other lad got to the front there was a push in pace which pleased some of the group but wasn't long before we heard people shouting steady. After about 65km of this (pace did go up after around 40km but was surging rather than steady), we pushed on ourselves. Gave me a bit of advice, saying to work on power going up short hills so to go up a gear or two and push up them staying in the saddle. Very new to me and made me suffer. After about 22km together we split to go home, added on a bit to the cycle to cover 103.5km and legs weren't too bad at the end. Will try to do some big gear work when I'm out on the bike over the next while. Club are having a meeting on Wednesday evening about racing so hopefully from that a new racing group might be started from people only getting into racing.

Monday 6th Jan

Didn't think today would be too bad, Monday is nearly always a turbo day, but today was to be a 20 min FTP test. Wasn't sure how this would go, FTP had been creeping up and I had adjusted trainer road once or twice because of this. Started well and was able to hold a good power average for the 5 mins, around 10% above what my FTP came in at (probably even a bit higher). Twenty mins was tough, struggled to get comfortable on the bike and was suffering very early on but kept it where I wanted to and lasted until the end. Probably my best paced one yet, no real sprint finish in me, able to up the watts a bit the last 30 seconds but no huge jump. After the test was a 30 min easy spin, legs felt good and kept this nice and easy. Altogether 1hr 30 mins on the turbo and a decent enough increase in FTP. Up around 5% from last time I raised it and weight is down around 1.5kg too so not bad all round.

Wed 8th Jan

So the new years resolution didn't last long and I slept in today. Working in a new place though and a much handier and nicer cycle in so hope to do that at least 3 times a week, some days I have to have the car but hopefully I can keep them to a minimum.

Evening session was an hour on trainer road. Bit of a warm up then into 10 X 2 mins at 105% of the new FTP with 1 min rest between. Tough session but doable, one of them ones where your body feels like it can't do it but once you push through they become nearly enjoyable. Session was nearly split half and half between VO2 max and endurance. All part of a new block working on increasing my 20 min power. After this was a 30 min spin, focusing on endurance. Legs felt grand for this, pleased with how quick I am recovering after the intervals and got through the whole spin no problems.

Fri 10th Jan

Busy day but not too bad a day today. Managed to get myself up early for a recovery run, kept the pace right back and just tried to enjoy it. Body was bit tired but after about 3km felt grand, really loosened me out.

Had a commute to work by bike, then up to swimming and then journey home from swimming. Not huge mileage but all adds up by the end of the week.

Swim session was with interested. Good session, not many there but was a good first session back. Some fast 50's mixed with some consistent 50's. Feeling it a bit by the end but wasn't too bad. Good to be back in a coached session, much easier to motivate yourself to go when other people are there.