EAT MY DUST!!

DAVE_K

At last a triathlon/marathon based training log thread!!!!

My Goals for 2009
10 k - 40 mins
Olympic Triathlon - 2.15

Current Times
10 k - 45 mins
Olympic Triathlon - 2.25

Weekly Training Plan
2 * Swim
2 * Bike
3 - 4 * Running (1 long, 2 speed)
1 - 2 * Weights/Core Exercises

DAVE_K

Been taking a little break since a sprint triathlon two weeks ago and have had but a few sessions down the gym in the way of training. I want to get my 10 k down to 42 mins for the Fields of Athenry 10 k on 26 December and reckon the only way to do it is to break down a 10 k into either 2 * 5 or 1 * 5 and 2 * 2.5 per session and work on the speed in bits first bringing them all together when I get to the right pace..........well that's the plan.

SO last night I did

5 k in 21.55
Slow 5 - didn't time

I had planned to do 2 fast 5 k with a small break in between but I was totally banjo-ed after the initial 5 so said i'd give myself another couple of sessions to get back in the swing of things before I started pushing myself again (nice of me wasn't it!) SO took my time on the second 5 k - which as per usual wished I hadn't done when I got home. I think a HRM monitor will have to be purchased just so I know just how hard to flog myself. This however will have to wait until the next time my wife allocates me some pocket money! With bikes, wetsuits, surfboards, weights, exercise bike, punch bags, plus all the other bits of peripheral gear, it's getting harder and harder to justify why I need yet another piece of training equipment......the last proposal involved selling some of the above items - a proposal I'm not too keen on.

Woddle

Tell her your new running club demands the use of HRMs
I think if you where trying for 2x5000m intervals is alot, I reckon if you broke it down in to 1200m or 1 mile intervals you might find it more beneficial, strictly an opinion I'm no expert
Best of luck with the log

DAVE_K

all suggestions welcome.

I'm going to give that a go in 15 mins - sod the rain.

MCOS

Looking forward to reading your log! Hopefully I'll learn a bit from your triathlon experience:) Best of luck with your goals!

DAVE_K

Gave the 1200s a go. They hurt but recovery is quick.

2400 to warm up and then

5 * 1200 (4.54, 4.57, 5.00, 5.00, 5.05)

800 warm down and stretching

5 * 10 pull ups
5 * 10 dips
5 * 15 press-ups
5 * 1 min planks

DAVE_K

10 k run this morning

Medium Pace: 8 @ 5 mins, 2 @ 4.30 total time 49 mins

4 mile road race tomorrow so took it easy enough.

Seres

good luck morro , had a 10k today in donadea forest park , really enjoyed it , weather was good , which makes a huge difference , think weather expected to be good morro , enjoy , sure you will post here how you got on

DAVE_K

Race day visa was revoked at the 11th hour. Missus and kids sick. I'm not complaining though.....I had a good run for September/October. Although in performance terms it bears as much weight as "the dog ate my homework" so there will have to be some hard work done this week to make up for it. Balla 5 K in two weeks. I wonder could I push for a 21 min 5 k?

Donadea forest looked like a nice run. I'd have gone for it too had Donadea not been a 3 hour drive.

Seres

donadea was really nice , like that it was a bit of a hike , well 1hr and half , good turnout for first time , 330 odd , such a pity to like such a distance from dublin , where most decent , or any races are ran
good luck with 5k in Balla , keep up the good work !
go for the 21min for the 5k , you could surpirse yourself , its only 11 sec faster per k on your last time and that was in training , so the crowd will defo pull you on .
i remember the fastest time i did for the 5k run circuit in training was 21.22 and then on the day of the triahtlon i had a split time for the run of 20.42

DAVE_K

I don't know I haven't raced in Dublin at all.........mind my experience is only one season long.
I love the country road races - up and down hills and around country roads....with a real good mix of people. There's always some characters and I always love getting passed by some real hard old fellas - RESPECT.

How's you fare in Donadea time-wise Seres - did you do as well as you hoped?

Seres

was aiming for 45min , did it in 43.39 , next target will be 4min/km for 10k ( 40min) to achieve by the end of January , starting new training plan tomorro ? how is your training going ?

DAVE_K

WOW - that's a good time - you must have been well chuffed with beating the 45 and not just beating it - beating it comfortably. What sort of plan did you follow/What sort of you changing to?

Training is going OK - going to try and do a long(ish) run this evening and then a fast session tomorrow. The next 10 k around these parts is the 26th December which is too far off. I just can't seem to push myself in training in the same sort of way I do when there's a load of other people running in the same direction

Seres

DAVE_K wrote: »

WOW - that's a good time - you must have been well chuffed with beating the 45 and not just beating it - beating it comfortably. What sort of plan did you follow/What sort of you changing to?

Training is going OK - going to try and do a long(ish) run this evening and then a fast session tomorrow. The next 10 k around these parts is the 26th December which is too far off. I just can't seem to push myself in training in the same sort of way I do when there's a load of other people running in the same direction

thanks , wasnt realy on a training plan to be honest , just trained when i could , did a few speed session just to help my pace , going on a sub-40min for 10K program link http://www.time-to-run.com/training/10k/sub40.htm , hopefully this will focus me .
like that i find it hard to push myself on my own , ya the race atmosphere is great , you are on such a high before and after , the 5k in 2 weeks will really get you remotivated , where is it exactly ? are there any places left ?

DAVE_K

http://www.athenryac.com/balla-fit-life-5k-balla-comayo

DAVE_K

10 K easy this evening

54 mins total

Contemplated doing another 2 k but i was out of time

Tomorrow's plan is

2400 M warm up
6 * 1200 M fast ones

DAVE_K

Morning session. Up at 6. Down the track for 7. Still pitch dark......but dry!!!

2400 warm up
1200 4.47
1200 4.49
1200 4.52
1200 4.59
1200 5.05

With 90 second rest periods. Looked down at the stop watch on the 1 km mark for these and was around the 4 min/km mark. How eventually i'm going to keep that up for 10 km i don't know!!

Swim planned for this evening. I haven't swam for a few weeks so i'll be breaking myself in gently enough.

Target
500 m front crawl
250 m kick
250 m arms only
5 * 100 M front crawl on the 2 min mark

and then over the next few weeks I'm going to bring the 5 * 100 up towards 10 * 100

DAVE_K

Swimming yesterday evening went out the window......had to stay behind in the office to finish off some work.

Did some weights at home instead

Chins 3 * 10
Dips 3 * 10
Press-ups 3 * 15
Planks 3 * 1 min
Shoulder Press 3 * 20
Rows 3 * 15
Flyes 3 * 20

Hit to the Pool this morning and did

500 m (9 min 30)
250 m kick
250 m arms
5 * 100 (on 2 mins)

If energy levels are OK this evening, maybe run again and declare tomorrow a REST day.

DAVE_K

Went to the track last night with the intention of doing a fast 5 K.

3200 M in and the legs weren't in it. Performance could at best be described as poooor.

Seres

DAVE_K wrote: »

Went to the track last night with the intention of doing a fast 5 K.

3200 M in and the legs weren't in it. Performance could at best be described as poooor.

these are the days that make it hard and are the reason why everyone doesnt run , they are also the days that will make the difference !

DAVE_K

Weights last night

4 * 8 pull-ups
4 * 10 bench press
4 * 10 squats
4 * 10 military press
4 * 8 chin-ups
4 * 10 (left first, then right) bench step ups with barbell
3 * 2 min plank
3 * 1 min hanging knees to chest

Run this morning

8 km - total time 37:20. Started off at a reasonable pace.
4.44 at the first km mark
9.00 at the 2nd
kept it up at ~4.30 min/km after this. Was in at 22.20 for the 5 km - looked promising, things started to go down-hill after that and I seemed to be coming in at the 5 min/km mark for the next three finishing at 37.20. Not really where I wanted to be . Maybe if I'd had someone there to flog me I could have picked it up and kept it at the 4.30 pace, but it wasn't happening this morning. Overall feeling of satisfaction post run -> medium to low.

MCOS

Hi Dave K. A suggestion to bring your overall satisfaction for this run up to medium to high if you like. Start the run slower than 4.30 km and hold it for the first 5k. Don't worry if you go through 5k in 23/24 or so as you will be feeling good and fresher. Pick it up a little and build into your last 2k. Aim for a negative split and finish strong! Don't let the pace dictate you. dictate your pace. Control it, control it and then... attack it!

DAVE_K

Thanks for that. I'll give it a go next time I go at it. I noticed alright last Saturday when I started 10 Km slow at 5 min/k......that the last two at 4.30 were easy enough to pull out of the bag. There is that buzz that seems to kick in around the 20 - 25 min mark where you're going "wooohoo I love this" that puts a spring in your step.........unfortunately this morning it didn't come

DAVE_K

Gym Yesterday

Nothing too hectic. Sunday afternoon pace. Trying out some new exercises I want to incorporate into my gym session.

5 circuits of
10 Pull-up/10 Bench Press/10 Squat/1 minute hanging knees to chest

5 circuits of
8 reps medicine ball plank roll-out with 4 second hold/10 reps dumbell squats on wobble board

Some other medicine ball stuff I don't know the name of!

This morning

Planned run but was nailed by the kids sneaking out the door at 7. Managed to get a 15 minute HIIT session on the bike done instead. I will try and get a run in this evening.

DAVE_K

Yesterdays run at the track went out the window. I got held up in work late. Went to the gym instead and did 40 minutes on the threadmill at varying speeds from 5.00 min/km to 4.27 min/km.

Went to the track this morning and had a really nice run. 10 km with a time of 48.10 which wasn't great time-wise but it did feel pretty controlled throughout. The aldi base layer and leggings really are the business - super snug.

DAVE_K

Last night
6 km run - nice and easy. 29 mins.
Weights:
3 * 10 Dips
3 * 10 Chin-ups
3 * 15 Press-ups
3 * 20 Bent Over Rows
3 * 15 Dumbell Curls
3 * 10 Dumbell Shoulder Press

This Morning
Weights
Circuit 1 - 5 times
Bench Step Ups with Barbell - 20 (10 either side)
Press Up with feet on Swiss Ball - 15
Dumbell Squats on Wobble Ball - 10

Circuit 2 - 4 times
Pull Up 10
Bench Press 10
Squat 10
1 min plank

DAVE_K

Saturday 25 October

Went to the gym and did a basic enough gym session with bench press, pull ups, core exercises and some ab work. Did 30 minutes on the threadmill taking it handy.

Sunday 26 October

Did a 5 K road race but made a total balls of it. Wasn't really motivated for it. Had spent most of Friday & Saturday tucking into big portions of ice-cream (I could swear I've put on the bones of 1/2 a stone since then). At the race then not many people turned up and we spent 30 mins at the starting line waiting to go (IN THE COLD!). By the time we started I wasn't even pushed about finishing it, and just plodded around the course finishing in 24 mins which was at best could be described as a poor show.

I can feel my motivation started to fade at the moment. You can say what you want but the weather is starting to be a real reason for not wanting to train outdoors.....it's not that it's stopping me, just that it's another reason to add to poor motivation ultimately resulting in me not getting out the door.
It's not training i'm shying from, i'm still up for that: do I want to train - HELL YES; do I want to brave the cold and the rain to do it (in the dark) - NOT SO SURE.

I might have to start using the gym more and the outdoors less until this spell lifts.

DAVE_K

Got my ass in gear again today and did 10 K at the track. It was a great morning for running. No rain, and with the right clothing no cold either. Kept it at 5 min/k for the first five and then around 4.45/4.40 for the second five. Finished in 48 mins.

DAVE_K

Things have been bad on the training front for the last 10 days. Got a chest infection and all exercise was off the cards. Well there's nothing that'll make you want to train as much as not being able to train. Was well enough yesterday to go back to the gym. Did a average enough session but couldn't really push myself cos everything I tried I ended up spluttering.

YESTERDAYS GYM (Nov 11)
Core Work with swiss ball
Pull Ups 5 * 6
Bench Press 5 * 6
Cable Pull Downs 5 * 10
Dips 5 * 10
Chin Ups 3 * 8
Wobble Ball Dumbell Squats 3 * 20

This morning I went to the track running.
Did 3600 warm up at easy enough pace
and 2 fast 1200s with a training partner. Gave him 40 secs lead and had to catch him by the end of the 1200 - loser got 20 press ups
Total 6000 metres. Had planned to do more but the chest is still not 100%.

MCOS

How long are you doing Triathlons DAVE K? How would you describe your competency in the 3 disciplines?

I like the sound of that 1200 catch him and loser does push ups... if I could only rope someone into that kind of fun!

DAVE_K

Not a lot of triathlon experience really MCOS TBH.

Did Carlingford Olympic with about 2 - 3 weeks bike training last year. Had been saying to myself for a long time that I'd fancy a go at a triathlon - had no bike nor money to buy one and someone gave me a tip on a horse at 6:1 in the galway races (i'd never bet before) - so I said feck it i'll stick 100 on and if I win i'll buy a bike and do Belmullet triathlon in 8 weeks - i won the cash and bought the bike - found out the next day that a mate was getting married the same day as the Belmullet triathlon and the only Olympic one left in the summer was Carlingford which was two weeks away.........i was very unsure whether to do it or not but said I'd give it a lash. On the day my only intention was to do it and not come last. I started the swim well wide of the pack but finished the 1500 in 23 mins well ahead of a lot of the pack - T1 took me about 4 mins and I didn't really give it a full 100% for the rest worried I was going to run out of steam. I finished in 2.25 which i was happy enough with....and was a long way off last!!!

By that stage in the season there was only a few sprint triathlons left (25.5 series) - i did two of those - the first I came second in (granted there was only about 50 people in it!) and finished in 1.06 - it was funny though I had no race strategy whatsoever - just did the swim as fast as I could, came out of that in the lead, then did the cycle as fast as I could and started the run in the lead, about a k into it my legs went "sod off we've had enough" and I slowed down completely, got passed and came in second. It was great craic though, i'd never given anything as much before and if there's one thing that'll keep you moving it's being in the lead and not wanting to lose that lead.

The second I came in around 12th/13th (out of about 200) and finished in about 1.12 - had a lousy swim for this - goggles kept filling up with water (that won't be happening again), and crashed the bike as well losing a few places. Crashing the bike was funny - i was going around a corner and the bike just went from under me......got a bit of road rash.....but at the time didn't give a SH!T - it was just 4uck 4uck 4uck get back on the bike and examine the injuries on the way up the road.

I reckon with the Olympics I could probably shave a minute off my swim, 10 off the bike and 4 to 5 off the run (ALL WITH HARD WORK) and do my transitions quicker bringing it down from 2.25 to somewhere around 2.10
- granted no two triathlons are the same but it's not a bad base to work off. I can't see myself making a decent placing in an olympic triathlon but I'll give placing well a good shot in the sprints for 2009.

I spent years doing a fair bit of surfing and spending my time driving around the country looking for surf (and a lot of the time getting none after a days driving) - with the running and triathlon I love the fact you can do it most of the time and it's not TOO weather dependent. Plus it's a good chance to pit yourself against others to gauge how you're doing.

My strongest discipline is swimming. I spent about 10 years of my youth competitive swimming and a lot of it swimming before school and after school. I've connaught medals and Irish medals for swimming. I no longer swim (seriously that is) but when you've done it that much as a kid it's easy enough to do the sort of swimming that's required in a triathlon. With a couple of weeks in the pool I find it easy enough to work up to 2500 to 3000 m continuous swimming.
Cycling is my weakest discipline but I reckon of the 3 (maybe I'm wrong) it's probably the easiest to shave minutes off your time with practise.

Anyway that's it

and yeah running after someone is a great way to keep the pace up in training - 20 press-ups after a 1200 done fast isn't easy - just as well the other guy was doing the press-ups this morning!!!!!