Thursday, August 20, 2009

Coasting mode.....

I have had a good week and I feel like I am starting to coast. I am really enjoying my daily challenge. I am getting good rest and eating very well. Here is how it went this week:

Monday-easy recovery swim of 1000 meters (20 laps). 26:12. As I am swimming an easy pace I am simply wondering....what the hell am I getting out of this? I mean it is nice to shake the soreness out by getting in the water but is there a better idea? I decided that I would rework my plan and drop easy recovery swim day and add another bike day. After all the bike is my limiting discipline. So for every 10 days I will do 4 bike efforts, 2 swim efforts (long and interval), and 3 running efforts. The distance change of the Olympic distance swim and half iron swim is not very different.

Tuesday-Easy recovery run. 4 miles in 37 min. Decent pace easy-to-slightly moderate effort. No pain which is a good change.

Wednesday-Low mileage/hill repeats. 13.75 miles total. I rode 5 miles to the hill that was about 8% grade and roughly 0.46 miles from where the start was to where I turned around. Ok, 5 miles there 4 X up or on and 3 times down, after the 4th just headed home. Here are the splits:
1:10 on, reaching 23 mph/1:32 active recovery,
1:31 on, 24 mph/1:38 active recovery,
1:17 on, 21 mph/1:25 active recovery, and
1:37 on, at 22 mph. Finished with 5 miles home. Legs where tired but I got home in OK time. I might have gone for 1 more but it was getting dark and I didn't have my head light. It hasn't been dark here at that time. Must be getting to be fall...my favorite time of year.

Thursday (today)-Long swim. 2000 meters. As I started I decided to set my bar for this distance swim. My best friend Karl proposes that 6 weeks of interval training will demonstrate huge benefits. I am going to try that. I did 8 sets of continuous 250 meter increments (5 laps.) Here are the splits: 5:32, 5:48, 5:53, 5:53, 6:56, 6:25, 6:57, and 6:42. For a total of 50:09, ave 6:16. Remember a few weeks ago when I wondered how many sub 6 min/250 meters I could do? I did 2 then and today I did 4. But then today I pooped out. I just wanted to see how many I could do during a long swim. I definitely could pace that better so the second half is more consistent but I wanted to go out fast. While I was swimming I was thinking that in the beginning of the year 2000 meters would be more than my weekly total. Today I was able to swim that consecutive with no breaks and even go fast. Im happy with where my swim is at today.

One of these weeks I am going to give you some literature review. I have pulled a total of 5 articles/studies of different topics but just haven't sat down to read them. My man Karl (and clay too) put together a heckuva presentation on interval training and all the physiology that is involved. I pulled a few of those articles. QUOTE:

“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.”

Dale Carnegie quotes (American lecturer, author, 1888-1955)

by the way I DO WORK was supposed to be funny....I cracked up....I GET BUSY

5 comments:

Missy said...

Sounds like a plan to me! Some people just want to get through the swim since the real time is in the bike and run anyway.

Chuck said...

Sounds like your training is really going well. Looking forward to reading about your weekend. Keep up the great job!

P.S. Karl and you make a great team!

Tri-James said...

About your swim - I think you need more time in the pool. Your slow-recovery swimming 1000 yards was at the same pace as the last sets of your fast 250’s. Look, I have struggled with the swim – but more time in the water will help – it will not only make you faster but the swim will become easier. That allows for you to have a faster bike and a faster run.

Everything else seems like it is clicking – GOOD JOB!

Mel-2nd Chances said...

i'm still trying to figure out the whole scheduling thing of triathlon, and getting the most out of my workouts. Sounds like you're doing great!

Karl Stutelberg said...

Ron
Good idea on the switch to add a bike day. I think you are smart to do that. Another idea is to add a short brick in its place if you have time. It would be an easy swim followed by an easy bike. Just an idea. Awesome week of training. I can't wait to see how Disneyland goes.