EAT MY DUST!!

MCOS

Wow thanks for that response DAVE K. 2'10 is a savage time if you get it and you will place very well at Olympic distances if not winning them! Well done on your results so far. Unfortunately I didn't swim as a kid and so I'm a newbie to that part. I just cannot fathom how fast you guys swim :eek:. Size doesn't seem to be too important as both whippets and lumberjacks pass me out on my club swim sessions. You seem to have a great talent for the sport so it will be interesting to see what you can do giving it a proper lash! I'll never have the experience of leading out of a swim so Triathlons for me are going to be all about how many people I can catch (which is why I like the sound of your 1200m session;)). I've had a bike for about 2 months but its been shamefully sitting in a room while I trained for the DM. Can't wait to get out on it this weekend, it would be smashing if it didn't bucket down.

DAVE_K

Keep at the swimming though MCOS - the difference between a good swimmer and an average swimmer in a triathlon could be just a few minutes. With a good transition and a good cycle you'll be able to close that gap no problem, then with your running experience LEAVE THEM FOR DUST.

I'll be watching my back !!

and hopefully

NOT WATCHING YOURS!!

DAVE_K

Yesterday

AM
30 mins stationary bike

PM
Core Work Weights
Swiss Ball Stuff
5 * 8 Pull ups
5 * 8 Bench press
3 * 20 Wobble Ball Squats
5 * 20 Step Ups with Barbell
5 * 10 Dips
5 * 10 Military Press With Dumbells
3 * 10 Dumbell Flyes

This morning
5 K run (24 mins)

Fitness coming back a bit now after chest infection. Great to be feeling strong again after feeling so SH!T

DAVE_K

Friday 14th

Went to the gym in the evening. Wasn't a weights day and had ran that morning so did a skipping workout. Do these every now and then for a change. They're good for getting the heart rate up and always have me near puking.

3 mins skip
1 min burpees with a jump
3 mins skip
1 min clean and press
3 mins skip
1 min bench step ups (30 secs either side)
3 mins skip
1 min press-up with foot on medicine ball

Do the above circuit twice giving a total of 32 minutes. Throw in 5 - 10 double unders on the skipping every round and alternate the pace.

Saturday 15th

Down the track for some running
4 k @ 5 min/k
2 fast 1 k's - 1st one a 4.08, 2nd at 4.10

Probably about 2 mins rest between each.

Today should really be rest day which i'm going to translate into a surf. The conditions look good so I'll probably get a couple of hours in. It's a good workout on the shoulders and translates well enough into swimming fitness.

DAVE_K

Last night

Weights
Chin ups 5 * 8
Dumbell Press (light) 5 * 20
Seated Bicep Curls 5 * 10 (each side)
Dumbell Flyes 5 *10
Arnie Press (5 * 10)

20 mins HIIT on the exercise bike

DAVE_K

Last night

Went to the gym and did

Core Work on d swiss ball
3 * 20 Wobble Ball Dumbell Squats
5 * 8 Pull Ups (2 sets weighted with medicine ball between legs)
3 * 8 Bench Press
3 * 8 Incline Dumbell Press
5 * 10 Lat Pull Downs
5 * 8 Dips

Ab Circuit Workout - 3 sets no rest
15 Crunches
15 Side to Side Heel touches lying on back
15 Leg Raises
15 Cycle Crunches

This morning
Had a really nice run. Plotted a route around Castlebar town that takes in 3 hills and was taking me 12 - 13 minutes per lap. I was starting to worry about the effect running on a totally flat racing track was going to have on me when I met a hill in a 10 K. I did 3 laps and it took me 38.42 so i'd be thinking it must be somewhere around the 7 - 8 km mark. I'll map it later on walkjogrun.net. It's great to run around an interesting route again rather than laps of the track which are mentally so tough to keep going on. I'd be running on the road more but I live about 4 miles out in the country and the road outside my house is treacherous with barely room for 2 cars and some @sshole drivers who go way too fast and insist on overtaking etc with a solid white line the whole length of the road. The only way I could run it really and feel safe was during the summer at 6.30 in the morning when there was no one on it. Anyway I'm going to start doing 4 laps of the above course on a regular basis and keep the track for speed sessions. It's a great buzz having a nice run like this morning and running a nice route puts the enthusiasm back in the my running training - WOOHOO. On a scale on 1 to feeling very good - i'm feeling very ***king good!!

MCOS

Yep you are right I'm Knackered! Thanks

My local 7 mile loop is mostly on roads with no white line at all! When it rains the potholes beside the ditches fill up so you have to run in the middle of the road and then try to leap over them if a car passes. Tight bends too so in the dark you get the full beams in your face all the time!

DAVE_K

My local 7 mile loop is mostly on roads with no white line at all! When it rains the potholes beside the ditches fill up so you have to run in the middle of the road and then try to leap over them if a car passes. Tight bends too so in the dark you get the full beams in your face all the time!

sounds well gnarly!!!

DAVE_K

Running track this morning

2 km warm up slow
2400 m at 5 min/k pace
3 * fast 1 k's (4.15, 4.20, 4.25) with 2 minutes rest

Should really be doing more of the fast 1 k's. Chest still isn't the best. I'm coughing up loads of gack in the mornings and the coughing fits at the end of the 1 k's has me wretching.

DAVE_K

Went to the gym last night - not really a scheduled workout but I wanted out of the house for an hour.

Some stretching
Core Work on Swiss Ball
Bicep curls (3 * 10, 2 * 8)
Military Press with Dumbells (5 * 10)
Tricep Pushdowns (5 * 10)
Dumbells Flyes with 2 - 3 sec hold (5 * 10)
Chin-ups (3 * 10, 2 * 8)

DAVE_K

Gym Last night

Weights
Pull Ups 2 * 8, 3 * 6 with medicine ball wedged between the legs
Bench Press (2 * 8, 7, 6, 5)
Lat Pull Downs 5 * 10
Incline Dumbell Press (5 * 10)
Single Arms Rows with Bench superset with seated cable row (3 * 10)
Dips (3 * 10, 2 * 8 with medicine ball wedged)

Run this morning
4 laps of the town centre route - total time 51:18
Lovely run, the last lap was encruciating.........excruciatingly nice. I was totally banjoed after it and the hills on the last lap had me wanting to stop. There was a bit of rain but when you're in the swing of it you'd hardly notice it. Not sure if I should be getting more food into me before the run - I'm up at 6.00am and running at 7.00. Had a slice of toast around 6.30. After the run I was close to wretching but I think thats the cough on its way out.

DAVE_K

Chest infection got the better of me in the end and I lost a weeks training. A real pain in the ass as I was enjoying it and feeling my fitness increase. Upside is I didn't really put on any weight oveer the week so with a couple of days training again I should be back where i left off.
Went for a run last night - not sure how far but ran for about 50 minutes. Have me a new running partner for Mondays and Thursdays and with the guy I do my speed sessions with on Wed/Sat I should be running accompanied 3 days a week which will help battle any waning winter motivation no end.

MCOS

Cool! Back on the horse now for a solid winter training

DAVE_K

Down the track this morning for a few fast 1 k's.

Did 4 K to warm up - had planned on only doing 2 k warm up but my training partner was running a bit late as the roads were pretty icy around these parts this morning. It was well cold running too. Fingers were feeling it even through a set of gloves. When we'd warmed up we did 4 fast 1 k's....usual story - gave him 30 secs headstart and then catch up after that. Was fairly pleased with my times

4.00/4.06/4.00/4.10

I went at it a bit different today with a more controlled pace, keeping it even until the last 200 m where I built up speed for a good burst on the last 100 m. I'd been finding it hard before to find my pace and had come out too fast - about 600 m in having to slow down cos I was banjo-ed and then picking it up for a sprint on the last 200 m resulting in an overall slower time and being in worse condition after the K was done....resulting in a gradually worse time as the k's went on. I think if i can get the 1 k's up to 6 reps and keep them at the time i've done today I'll be making some progress.

DAVE_K

YESTERDAY

Did weights am and pm - have some life sh1t going on which is making me "mad as hell" so have been getting great satisfaction from doing weights

Weights - AM

Shoulders
Front Dumbell Raises - 5 * 10
Side Dumbell Raises - 5 * 10
Bent Over Dumbell Raises - 5 * 10
Military Press - 5 * 10

BicepsChin Ups 5 * 10 - pulled the chin-up bar off the door-way and landed on my arse - 7 in the morning and the wife comes running out to find out what the bang was and there i was on the floor moaning and holding the chin-up bar in my hands...
Negative concentration curls 3 * 10 each side
Alternating Dumbell curls with light enough weight 3 * 15
21s 3 * 10

Triceps
5 * 10 Dumbell Kickbacks

Weights PM

Back
Pull Ups 2 * 10, 3 * 8 with medicine ball between legs
Cable Pull Downs 5 * 10
Seated Cable Rows 5 * 10

Chest
Bench Press 3 * 8
Incline Dumbell Bench Press 5 * 10
Dips 2 * 10, 3 * 10 with Medicine ball between legs


Doing a lot of weights doesn't fit into my overall plan but whilst I'm enjoying it it's not a big problem. I've been getting plenty of sleep and eating well with plenty of protein in the diet.

TODAY

Went to the track at lunch time today and did 2 K slow to warm up followed by straight into 5 K at a good pace with a 1 k warm down. Did the first of the 5 K in about 4.15 and was in around 4.30 for the rest finishing at 23.05 for the 5 K which I was happy(ish) with......

I can't see myself getting up to much training wise over the weekend so should be well rested come Monday for a good long run

MCOS

What kind of program are you on?

DAVE_K

Did an hour and twenty minutes run last night with my training partner. I've not really done much running above the hour mark and found myself with aching calves near the end - my calves were all sure they should be back in the car and on the way home but instead here they were being pushed into running up a hill. It was good though and nice to push it a little bit extra than what I'm used to. I'm going to try and get a longer one in at least once a week now as I reckon it should help my 10 K time. My training partner is a better runner than me, she's light on her feet and doesn't seem to have any problem keeping the pace up, we did a few sprints up some hills last night and by the end I was trailing behind. It's good to feel pushed though.

MCOS - at the moment my program is loose enough in terms of organisation but generally i'm doing weights - 2 times per body part every week and 3 - 5 runs a week.
I generally leave the legs out of the weights as I find having tight legs after squats does nothing for my running.
So i do Chest\Back\Core in one session and Biceps\Triceps\Shoulders in another, mostly because I've what I need to do the B\T\S session at home and the other one in the gym.
On the running front I'm trying to do 1 - 2 speed sessions per week and 2 - 3 longer runs (up as far as 10 K)

I intended following a more triathlon based plan for the last few months but sh1ts come up in work (i work in a construction related industry) and I've got absolutely no cash (or have for the last 2 months) and can't even get the price of the swimming together, add to that I need some winter cycling gear which as you know costs cash too so for now I can't get the cycles in either. Upside/Downside (whichever way you look at it) is that we could be moving back to Dublin which might be a good opportunity to join a triathlon club as it does look like fun.

DAVE_K

Did an easy enough session on the track at lunch time - 6 K in about 30 mins.

Did 4 K on 5 mins/k and 2 more k with a 100 m sprint for 100 m of every 400 m. Had a couple of beers last night and I wasn't feeling too "in the spirit of things" today. I'm going to go to the gym tonight and make up the difference and then try and get a decent session in on the track tomorrow.
Have got a job in Dublin now starting after Xmas so my running time in Castlebar is coming to a close. I'm glad we've something sorted work wise but I'll miss my two new-found running partners as well as the other friendly faces I've met in the gym.

MCOS

Hey DAVE_K there will be plenty of time for cycling in the new year. Are you making a permanent move to Dublin? If so look up a club and that will get you back on track

DAVE_K

Last night went to the gym to do the Back/Chest/Abs workout

Did usual swiss ball and wobble ball stuff. Then a 5 minutes abs workout from a BJJ class I used to go to.
Onto my favourite exercise - wide grip pulls ups 2 * 6 (with medicine ball between the legs) and 3 * 8 unweighted
Incline Dumbell Bench Press 5 * 10
Lat Pull Downs - 5 * 10
Dips - 5 * 10
Seated Cable Rows 5 * 10

This morning then it was Arms and Shoulders at home

Stuck back up the chin-up bar and did 5 * 8 chins
Front Dumbell Raises 5 * 12
Alternating Dumbell Bicep Curls 5 * 15
Side Dumbell Raises 5 * 10
Tricep Kickbacks 5 * 12
Bent Over Dumbell Raises 5 * 10

Military Presses With The Dumbells Loaded up 5 * To Failure (which was from 10 - 8 reps)......interesting addition this morning was my son counting the reps for this one and going "c'moan another one"......i might have to teach him a few bad words to address me by - that's always a winner to get me going. Kids can be great for weight training though - they're ever increasing in weight so there's no need to keep buying more disks, just keep feeding them.....press ups with two kids on your back is comparable to benching and when I find myself away from a facilities for any amount of time this usually keeps the chest in shape. I'll be looking towards dips and chin ups in the future with one of them hanging on.

MCOS - yep we're looking at moving back to Dublin lock, stock and barrel long term. We've been down in Castlebar two years now and the place I work for is going to the wall. With the current economic climate there's no option but to head back to Dublin - plus i have a job there to go to. A bit of a pain in the ass - life down here is great, you can leave for work at 8.55 to be there for 9.00. I have to look on the bright side though and look to the advantages of living in Dublin which will hopefully be better access to facilities, a tri-club, maybe a few extra road races, although I have to say I don't like the look of the crowds at any of the Dublin runs - how does anyone get a PB at one of these - looks like you'd have to elbow your way through it.

But yep I'll be looking towards joining a good club if I can. I've a fair bit of flexibility where I can live (jobs right in the middle of town), so after finding a school for the kids, access to facilities will be a major factor where we choose to live.

Sosa

great training Dave..you put me to shame.
I convince myself i am doing loads with the bit of running i do.
Aswell as that my 5 year old gets up on my back enough times during the day,but you wont catch me doing pushups with him !

Well done...i'm enjoying reading your log

DAVE_K

thanks for that Sosa.....good luck with the running ("bit of running me arse!!"......i've had a look at your logs - you look like you're building up a fair amount of mileage) - anything done is better than nothing.....there's a hell of a lot of people around who do no more than walk from the house to the car, the car to the office, back to the car and home for another night sitting in front of the TV

DAVE_K

Big run as planned didn't happen yesterday. More sh1te at work - the joys of a dying company........my running partner works in the same place as me and the only thing he looked up for yesterday was going on the p1sh. I went to the gym after work and did 30 mins on the threadmill building the pace from 5.00 min/km to 4:18 min/km.
Did some bench press then. The day before was chest day but the bench was occupied and I didn't work to break the rhythm.
Did 5 sets going from 10 reps down to 3 - i've got the bench up to 80kg which I'm happy with - i'm not into getting big but I am after strength - functional strength especially. Totally forgot to rehydrate though when I went home and went to bed at 10 to get a good nights kip..............woke up with a headache going "sh1t I'm getting sick again" and then put 2 and 2 together. What an eejit!!

It's 2 weeks now to the athenry 10 k. When I started this log I'd looked at trying to train to do a 42 min/10 k which I think was a bit on the ambitious side.........I'm hoping now to beat 45 and get as close to 44 as I can. Up to this my PB was 45:18.....I'd done no speed training before that but had given it everything I had that day thanks to my pace-maker the very hot girl (i've no idea who she was) with the great figure (polite terms for great ass) running in front of me (fingers crossed the wife never gets wind of this log).....I was going "just keep up with her"......she must have run about a 44 that day because she shook me around the 8 k mark.
Anyway it FEELS like the speed work hasn't done me much good because while i can run a faster K (or 2 or 3 or 4 with a couple of minutes rest in between) - i can't keep it up over time so overall it looks like my time has improved shag all. I'm starting to think i should have incorporated more tempo runs into my training. I'm hoping though race day will bring the best out of me and I'll do a PB. I'm watching the diet from here in and will do my best to stay off all crap from here in. I was about 78 kg last week but have stuck a couple on as I let the diet go and had a few beers a few nights last week and it always seems to whack the weight on me very quick....so I'll be needing to get back down to 78 kg by then.....upside of putting the kgs on from the beer is that if I stay away from it they usually come off pretty quick.

DAVE_K

Yesterday - GYM

Bench Press 10, 8, 8, 5, 5
Pull Ups 5 * 8
Incline Press Dumbells 5 * 10
Front Shoulder Dumbell Raises 5 * 12
Lat Pull Downs 5 * 10
Side Dumbell Raises 5 * 12
Seated Cable Rows 5 * 10
Bent Over Dumbell Raises 5 * 10
Military Press With Dumbells 3 * 10
Chin Ups 5 * 8
Tricep Kickbacks 3 * 12
Alternating Dumbell Curls 4 * 15
Dips 5 * 10
E-Z bar curls 3 * 8

Today - track session

Had a really good run at the track. Did 5 * 2 k intervals with a strict 2 mins rest. I did these at 4.30 min/k. My intended race target is to beat 45 mins on Fields of Athenry so I hope that this is somewhere in around where I need to be. These hurt and I was close to giving up on the last one but the appearance of another lone runner at the track somehow gave me the motivation to keep going. I finished about 50 mins ago and am now basking in the soothing post run glow happy with the knowledge that I have done my quota of exercise for the day. :P

DAVE_K

Had yesterday down as a rest day. Come evening I was itching to do something so decided to go to the gym and do a long slow run on the threadmill. Everytime I was almost at the door MRS K had one more thing for me to do so by the time I got to the gym there was just over 30 mins left till closing so did 6 k on the threadmill with a incline of 1 in 26 mins 40 secs which is about 4.26 per K - i was happy enough with this....it was a good pace and i reckon if I could do 10 k at this pace next week at the F.O.A. I'd be on track to beat the 45. I have 1 slightly dodgy knee which i broke when i was about 20 and when I run on a threadmill I always seem to have a slight limp - running normally (as in not in the same spot) it seems to be OK.
Anyway I'll do no running today but might do some weights at the gym later.

DAVE_K

Wednesday 17/12

Weights
Bench Press 8, 8, 6, 5, 3 (up to 85kg now for the last set of 3 - wooohoo, 100 kg has been a goal for a long time)
Pull Ups 5 * 8
Incline Bench Dumbell Press 5 * 8 (28kg dumbell)
Lat Pull Downs (5 * 12)
Seated Cable Row (5 * 10)
Dumbell Shoulder Front Raises 5 * 12
Dumbell Shoulder Side Raises 5 * 12
Dumbell Bent Over Raises 3 * 12

Yesterday
Did 50 mins on the threadmill at what was planned to be 1 hour slow run at 5:00 min/km. At 30 mins I increased the pace bringing it up to 4:26 min/km and kept it there for 15 mins bringing it up to 4:18 min/km for the last 4 and 4:00 min/km for the last minute. I was in bits for about a minute after it and then grand and wondering why I hadn't carried on till the 1 hour mark. I enjoyed it though and I'm starting to get confidence of being able to keep a good pace up for a 10 k at this stage. It's been September since my last 10 k so i was getting worried about pacing myself when the time came.....and not beating my PB.......I'm starting to feel i'll be in with a chance.......day after Xmas though so I'll have to keep it together on Xmas day. It'd be a shame to 4uck up all the work over 1 day - even if it is Xmas day!!

This morning
Chin Ups 5 * 8
Dips 6 * 10
E-Z bar bicep curls 5 * 8 (heavy)
Dumbell Kickbacks 5 * 12
Alternating Dumbell Curls 3 * 15

Weights this morning were just something to do before the kids got up and things got going in the house. I've a track run planned at lunch time but it looks pretty windy outside so it might be in the gym yet. Finishing up this job today for good so there could be a few beers had tonight. I'll have to watch it though cos I want to keep the lb-age off for next week.

MCOS

You do a lot of weights! Is this just a winter thing to build strength endurance?

DAVE_K

it's more of a winter thing in the fact that when the short days are upon us I prefer going to the gym (i know i could be braving the elements and the dark but when it comes to getting out there the pu55y in me shows it's true colours)......they're a good space filler too for rest days from running.
Last summer I did shag all weight concentrating on running, swimming and cycling, not down to the fact that I didn't want to do weights more down to the fact there wasn't enough time in the day...............MRS K supportive and all as she is has her limits!!!
Weight training is good too for keeping your heart healthy and your body injury free. There's a history of heart disease in my family (both sides .....plus my fathers side of the family got a slap of the fat stick somewhere back in time and i can pile on the kgs very very fast - muscle burns calories even when resting - cardio burns calories mostly only during the actual act of exercising.

and

I LIKE WEIGHTS!!!! I like being strong but functionally strong - i'd opt for chins, pull ups and dips any day of the week- whats the point in having a great big set of arms and not being able to pull yourself up over a bar - in fact i'd rather stay the same size but just get stronger

Been staying away from doing the legs the last couple of months though cos i don't want stiff legs the next day when it comes to run-

time

MCOS

I'm with you on the legs thing. A decent set of squats is on a par with a running speedwork session the time it takes to recover. A few years back I was doing weight 2-3 times a week, mainly 2 strength endurance on 4 big exercises like power cleans, bench pull, bench press and sqauats. I too like the feeling of strength. My brother is a good personal trainer and is a mine of info on this stuff. He said for upper body you can't beat chin ups and dips and lower its squats and lunges. Although he got a set of rings recently (like the ones gymnasts use) and he said they are immense in terms of the strength you need... new found respect for those little gymnasts with popeye arms! I've only just started to incorporate some resistance into my cross training session. I'll definitely be trying those 2 new core workouts though! My family got a slap of that same stick :rolleyes:

DAVE_K

I'm with you on the big 4 'cept your missing one deadlifts to make it 5.

I'm thinking of going crossfit sometime soon. It looks the biz and 4ucking tough.