12-18 August 2013 Training Log

It's been weeks since I made time to post my training log. Time was short and I had to make some choices. Hopefully this is in some way helpful to those of you reading this. (Side note - our  plans are almost firmed up on a trip to Ironman Arizona. Some people have been interesting in seeing what the Ironman experience is all about. You can't experience IMAZ as a spectator much better than with Linda as your "cruise director"!)

I've moved into 2 new phases with training since last I posted. I had been in a Maffetone training cycle where all my riding and "running" were at Maffetone calculated Heart Rate - essentially zone 2. I did not stick to this in the pool  though, as I continued to do one speed based workout each week. I'm now in an 8 week block that includes some emphasis on tempo (and some speed) on the bike. That more like a Zone 3 effort. That doesn't mean I ignore Zone 2 at all. It just means that some or all of a workout or 2 has significant blocks of higher intensity thrown in. This mostly applies to the bike as I never stopped doing it in the pool. While the intention has been to add it to my elliptical "running" too, work and coaching have conspired to limit my actual implementation of that.

The same cannot be applied to my "real" walk/running. I have been unable to consistently do run training for any extended periods for the better part of the last 4 years. I have not been able to build a true endurance base for running because of it. Yes, I've trained a lot over that time doing water running and elliptical but to add speed or tempo or strength sessions to my walk/running would be foolish at this time. I may have a large aerobic capacity but there is more to it than that. Muscles and the supporting structures also must be ready for training. Just because my cardiovascular capacity could handle much more volume and intensity doesn't mean that my body parts can. So my walk/runs (a hybrid of the Jeff Galloway run/walk method) will remain in the Zone1 to zone 2 aerobic level. I will continue to try to keep from escalating foot pain by avoiding intensity and sticking to my 2 min walk, 1 min run protocol as much as possible. After so many problems, mostly with plantar fasciitis, it would be dumb to do otherwise. Actually, since I do get some pain these days, maybe it's foolish to even do that. I don't know.

To put this another way for those who are curious, here are the reasons for why I'm training the way I am: I have focused primarily on Ironman and 70.3 distance triathlons for the past 4 years, with occasional Olympic distance efforts. (By the way, this is NOT because I don't value or appreciate shorter distances. It's simply a matter of not wanting to waste a $600-800 IM entry fee because I did a sprint race and exacerbated my plantar f.) Over this time I've done a lot of endurance-specific training. There has been some sprint and tempo work here and there but not a lot. I view the 3 disciplines separately when figuring out how I should train. For swimming, my background is substantial so I've maintained mostly a speed day, an endurance day, and a long, distance-building endurance day in my weekly cycle. That isn't changing except to up the speed work some. On the bike, a few months ago I focused some of my bike training on speed and strength. Then I did 8 weeks of mostly endurance building. Now I'm spending 8 weeks maintaining my endurance but doing less of it in favor of some hard tempo efforts during the long Sunday ride. The run is a whole different matter. While I have a high endurance base, I do NOT have high durability. I can do speed work or tempo on the elliptical but not the road. So, in spite of my large aerobic base, I'm approaching the run (walk/run) more as a beginner. It's all about your own personal history and this is why a coach can be helpful if you're not willing or able to sort it out yourself.

With my walk/run I've managed to maintain 12 to 13:00/mi. pace. It may be time to reconsider my Ironman Arizona goal. It seems possible that I might be able to come close to my 2009 race time, my first IM ever, at 12:32:02. I have to admit that I'm training with that time in mind, using it as motivation. In the end it might not be realistic and I'll be okay with that (he says philosophically, knowing full well that he probably won't be "okay with that".)

Weighed 156.5 on Mon. to start the week

Week Totals - I don't feel like figuring this out. I got in as much as I could, missed 3 sessions due to work or coaching, but got the all-important weekend sessions in as well as strength training
Swim  times - Total 11,500yd, :
Bike  times - x Road : (mi); x Trainer - Total :
Run/Walk  times - x elliptical :; x walk : - Total :
Strength Training - x upper, x core, x lower - Total :
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Monday
am - Lower and Core strength training - Power Phase - 3 sets of 8/6/4 for lat pulldown, pullover, leg curl, and leg extend
pm - 1:45 Walk/Run - long, endurance pace
Tuesday
am - Swim 3000 yd - tempo/speed; Strength train - finish Monday's workout
300S, 12 x 25 Fr RI10, 3 x 100K RI 10
400 P w/buoy, pads
6 x 50 Fr on 55 - descend every 2
4 x 25 Fast RI 30sec
main set: 4 x 100 Fr Fast on 1:45 (intended RI30) - 115, 15, 16, 14
400 P w/buoy, pads
6 x 50 Fr Fast on 1:05 (intended RI 30) - 35, 35, 36, 35
Strength train - finish Monday workout (only non-power phase exercises remained)
pm - Team Challenge coaching - no training
Wednesday - slept in due to late night - turned out to be a rest day
am - Core strength training only
pm - Worked late, home at 8pm - no training; up late to finish coaching email
Thursday - slept in - late night working. Ironman (WTC) announced Ironman Chattanooga for Sept. 2014. CCFA/Team Challenge will be the charity partner with up to 100 participants.
am - no training
pm - 1:06 lunch walk/run (WOOHOO!);
Cyclemeter file link - 5.26mi, 12:31 ave. pace including WU and CD
Total stoked to get a walk/run in during lunch at work. It's been a VERY long time since I was able to do that. Elevated my mood for the rest of the afternoon.
Friday - 6.5 hr sleep; intended lunch time nap never happened
am - Swim 3400 yd, :62; Strength Train - power phase biceps, triceps, bench press, glute leg press; endurance phase for othe exercises
400 S, 300 K
1500 Fr P w/pads, buoy
500 Fr; 500 K
200 CD
Strength train
pm - Worked late and had to miss my 1:00 Spin Class (with speed emphasis)
Saturday
am  - Team Challenge open water swim coaching - swam about 500 yds
pm - Swim 4600 yd ~1:25; :55 Elliptical - endurance zone 2 effort
300S, 200K, 300P w/buoy, pads, 200S
6 x 50 S on :60 - 3 back, 3 breast
6 x 50 Fr on :50
1 x 800 Fr P w/buoy, pads
4 x 200 Fr on 3:20 (intended RI30-40sec) - 2:55, 252, 250, 250
400 K - did 75 before leg cramps, then pulled the rest
4 x 200 Fr on 3:20 - 258, 257, 256, 254
200 CD
:55 Elliptical run - cut short 10 min - family priorities
Sunday - Preride breakfast= 2T. chia seeds, 4oz unsweetened almond milk, 4oz coconut milk, 1 scoop vegan chocolate protein powder (20g protein), l-glutemen - whisk together and let it sit for 10-15 min. Eat like pudding. 10 Energy Bits. Probiotics for ulcerative colitis.
am - 5 hour ride (+30 min non-moving time) 91 miles, including 4 x 20 min hard tempo repeats; :33 Brick Walk/Run 2.45 miles