Run for your life.

Oryx

Just as a reminder to me:

Feb 13th 2011. Mysport.ie 10k entered
Mar 5th 2011 Ballbuster (clashes with Ballycotton) not entered
April ? 2011 Crystal Clear Sprint Triathlon, Waterford. Not open yet
May ?? Wexford Half Mara, Tri sprint TBC.
June 5/6th 2011 TriAthy Oly. Entered
July 25th?? Antwerp HIM not entered.

Oryx

Bummer of a day. Out on mtb this morn but had to cut it short. Hands got so cold I was swearing with the pain and couldnt hold the bars right. Slid off on ice goin up a hill too, but got my feet down and didnt hit the deck. But that finished me, and I said fcuk it. I need better gear for the bike or I wont get out much this winter. Today I had thermals and sealskin gloves and still froze.

Oryx

Swim session. Warm up, then 6 x 50m fc kicks, 50m ssts, 10 x 25m one arm, 50m ssts, 6 x 75m fc. 100m swim down. Everything was against the clock, which was hard. I mostly made the times, but with no rest time to spare. Have been put last in lane two, which is a move up for me, and boy could i feel the change of pace. Good stuff tho, bein pushed.

Oryx

Not been that well all week, so didnt train, apart from the pushup challenge. Got out this morn, tho still chesty, cos I was going mad not doing anything. 4.2 miles easy. 35 mins. Felt better than I expected, even tho had asthma attack at the finish Dodged the rain, at least.

shotgunmcos

Oryx wrote: »

Dodged the rain, at least.

For some reason I have visions of a dancing runner... 'Tis one of those mornings!

Oryx

shotgunmcos wrote: »

For some reason I have visions of a dancing runner... 'Tis one of those mornings!

I look bad enough puffing up a hill without throwing in a cha cha cha.

Oryx

Out running again, same route as yesterday, but a minute slower. Lost all that time in the first mile cos I felt lousy starting. Picked it up after a bit, and felt good finishing.

Other than that just did my pushups last night.

Oryx

Turbo set this morning. 5 min warm up. 3 min up to 80%, 1 min down to 70%. Then one leg 35 sec on 25 off, 4 times each leg. Cadence kept at around 90. Next 4 mins up to 80% 1 min rest, 4 times. Then 1 min to 80% 1 min rest. 5 min spin down. Dead easy, written down. Not so easy in practice!

Dont know my exact % hr, so estimated 160 as 80% and 150 as 70%. Will get a max hr test done soon to make all this more accurate.

Izoard

Hey Oryx,

Firstly congrats on setting the HIM as a goal for 2011...your consistency will make this pain-free:)

One Q...why Antwerp over some of the local HIMs...branding? Course? Weekend away?

Oryx

Branding is one reason, am a sucker for it. just want to try a proper ironman event cos have heard good things. Weekend away is another, and it means I can stop being mum for a fixed amount of time and concentrate on the event. Here, if family come, it can be difficult, tbh, even tho I love em there.

And Antwerp is flat, supposedly.

Oryx

Swim set tonight. Normal warmup, then into baggy shorts and tshirts for the rest of the session. Same ol stuff, fc legs, ssts, one arm, only arms, changing breaths from every two, all the way to every 5 strokes. But horrible, just horrible, with the extra drag of the clothes. And they make you sink. My arms ache and I am wrecked. Just an evil hours work. Probably good for ya, then.

Oryx

Tuesday was a rest day, just did my pushups.

Wednesday went out just after dark for a run. Was the first properly cold one Ive done this year. Wore longs and a hat so after about 15 mins I wasnt feeling so chilled. Good run, felt lovely. 40 mins approx, about 4.5 miles.

Thursday, today, Ive just done a turbo set. Warm up, short hill set, one leg 40s on 20s off 8 each leg alternating. Then 4.5 mins at 80%, then 30s easy gear high cadence. 1 min rest, repeat 5 times. Then spin down. Nice set, felt ok.

Oryx

Nothing yet today, (debating whether to turbo or run) but last night managed my 3 x 18 pushups, which was surprising. Thought it would be hard cos the 17s were terrible, but it was easier. Very weird. I wonder what the 19s will be like tonight.

Ended up doin 50 mins at 70 - 80% on the turbo, including warm ups and spin down. So not a lost day.

Oryx

Blummin snow. Couldnt even get out the house today so training was limited. Did manage an early morning run in the pelting snow. People have been locked up for less, but it was fun. Much harder than usual, like running uphill all the way. Only did 25 mins as I was afraid the men in white coats would come get me. Back at my gate I met my crazy dog racing down the drive making a bid for freedom. Did a half mile sprint back up the road, yelling after him all the way as I tried to get him back. Weve lost the eejit twice before so I had to keep him in sight! So that was an extra little tempo set added to my run.

Me and the dog still arent speaking.

Oryx

More snow. So did the same turbo set as earlier in the week with the single leg sets and four mins at 80%, but did 6 sets of that instead of 5. Is something I suppose.

Oryx

This weather is getting me down. Simply could not motivate myself to do anything yesterday apart from the pushup challenge. Swim was cancelled but I couldnt have got there anyway.

Today did 6k on the treadmill. God I hate that machine!

Oryx

More snow. Yippee, not. Turbo was my only option, so did last weeks set again. Managed to keep the cadence higher than before, so thats good. 55 mins altogether. A nice way to get warm on a chilly day.

Oryx

Did just over 7k on the tready today. Even tho Im not keen on it, Im very glad I have it. Its letting me get some training in while the weather is like this.

Oryx

Evil turbo session this morning. 5 min warm up, then 18 min at 75% 15 min at 80% and 12 min at 85%, plus every 5 min thru session 30 sec sprint and 30 sec spin. Harder than it sounds.

shotgunmcos

Oryx wrote: »

Evil turbo session this morning. 5 min warm up, then 18 min at 75% 15 min at 80% and 12 min at 85%, plus every 5 min thru session 30 sec sprint and 30 sec spin. Harder than it sounds.

Thats one way to wake yourself up though! Fair play to ya I'm starting to enjoy the midweek turbo but the long one this weekend fills me with dread. A 2 hour MTV Alicia Keyes special recorded to distract me

Oryx

Havent gone over an hour yet in these interval sessions, still building up my cycle legs. I will be readin your log to see how you did

Oryx

Back onto the treadmill today. Less time than most of the week, Im back to work, yay! So did just over 5k. Always feels harder and more horrible on the treadmill, I cant figure why. Maybe its because you can see the numbers on the display creeping oh-so-slowly upwards.

Oryx

Had to get out of the house this morning, I needed to run in fresh air regardless of how bad it was underfoot. Managed a nice easy jog for about 8 or 9 miles. Had to walk a few sections but mostly once you stayed on the crunchy bits it was ok. Wasnt a bit cold, i have all the cold weather kit and neoprene gloves which are great.

The few people I met all had something to say, like 'are you mad?' One guy pulled alongside in his van and warned me that its better to miss a day than a season. Clearly another runner

Oryx

Braved the icy roads again today, but this time in the car. Went to the pool as I couldnt face either running or turbo today. Its been 2 weeks since I swam and I sure knew it. Water felt like treacle and I couldnt find a comfy pace. Did drills in sets of 200m, catchups, ssts, kicks, pushing t, and bilateral which Im lazy about. 62 lengths in total. Was only getting relaxed and into it coming to the end, boy swim fitness drops fast.

Oryx

My indoor machines are the only things going for me at the moment, Im glad I didnt sell my treadmill when I was considering it.

Turbo on Wednesday night. Same set as last time, 18mins @ 143bpm, 15mins @ 152bpm, 12mins @ 161bpm. Those are estimated % hr. Every five mins did the 120 cad spin up. Really tough set, feels easy for the first half but the last rise of hr had me swearing at the bike. Cant wait till the sessions get even harder, ha. Ill be waking the kids.

Ran on the tm this morning. 6k, a bit faster than the previous efforts, the minimum incline on the tm is 1.5, I wonder if thats what makes it feel so much harder than outdoors.

In other news, I want to buy a new bike. Christmas is coming, I havent a cent in my pocket but Im already looking at bling on the net. Where theres a will theres a way. Might sell my gym (except the tready!)

Oryx

Strength work today. Its been a long time since I did any, so a gentle start. Kettlebells. 3 sets of 10 x squats, deadlift, swing, cleans, obliques, two arm press, and an arm one I cant name. All with a 12kg weight. Did a few negative pull ups, as cant do them anymore and I need to get back to them. Short set so might do something else later.

Oryx

Turbo set today. 1 x hill climb. One leg x 5 (each leg), spin ups @120rpm, 40s on 20s off x6, hill sets 3 mins to 85% x5. 55 mins all in. Nice, interesting set, tough in parts. I'm learning to sweat like a proper athlete.

Oryx

Sunday:
Only managed a treadmill run today, 5 miles. We have a child for communion this year so it means going to mass. Training for the soul, instead of the legs, I suppose.

Monday:
Swim session. We have missed two weeks because of bad weather, and I had a feeling this would feel tough. All arm technique based stuff, and I did tire quickly. My biggest problem is breath. I cant seem to go longer than two strokes for very long, and that slows me down as my technique is never as good as it is when I keep the head down for more strokes. Suppose it will come, the more I swim. All in all the session felt very ragged and my head was high, my feet low the whole time, because the power just wasnt there in the legs. All learning, I suppose.

Oryx

Just strength work tonight. Felt lazy compared to say, turbo.

Kettlebells, 4 sets of 12 reps of: swings, deadlift, squats, cleans each arm, press, one arm row, obliques. Then at the end of each set, one 1 min plank, 10 push ups, and 50 sit ups.

Felt easy, but bet Ill ache tomorrow.

Oryx

Wednesday:
Finally! Got out for a proper run on the roads. So much nicer than the treadmill, but I got to be honest, the tm must be good training for me, cos todays run was nice and the pace was pretty ok, I thought, felt stronger than Ive done for a while. 4 lovely miles in crisp cold air. Bliss.