Chasing the Kona dream and a Mai Tai cocktail

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

pgibbo wrote: »

Fair play for doing 3 hours on the turbo Fran. What's the story with the drops in cadence on link?

Did you do the 5k yesterday?

I dropped down into the 53x11 and up out of the saddle hence the occasional drop in cadence, more to stretch out the legs than anything else as they felt a bit crampy.

No 5k race see above, pity as judging from a few club members who have slower pbs i could have nabbed a decent time, it seems like it was a fast enough course.

Kurt Godel

Aliya Wailing Bench wrote: »

I have a 400tt in the pool tonight, being honest i am dreading it...just want to crawl up and sleep so not expecting great things in the pool!!

Getting the excuses in early?:D A bit of pressure can often help- so what's your hoped for time in the TT?

Bambaata

What time did you do last time JB? I'm working out my strategy now, might see if i can lap you ;-) Would that spur you on?

pgibbo

Hope Ryan is on the mend. As you said, there'l be plenty of 5k races.

I'm predicting 6:58 or there abouts for the TT assuming there's no draft.

pgibbo

Bambaata wrote: »

What time did you do last time JB? I'm working out my strategy now, might see if i can lap you ;-) Would that spur you on?

I'm guessing sub 5:30 for you Ed. How much below it will you go?

Bambaata

You've higher expectations for me than i have! If i went sub 05:45 i'd be over the moon

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Kurt Godel wrote: »

Getting the excuses in early? A bit of pressure can often help- so what's your hoped for time in the TT?

It does sound like that a bit but really i am shattered with hardly any sleep the last while:o. I would be happy to shave 15/20 secs off, 7.15/20 i would be content with.

Bambaata wrote: »

What time did you do last time JB? I'm working out my strategy now, might see if i can lap you ;-) Would that spur you on?

Pretty certain it was a 7.3x. The only way that would spur me on is if i attached a tow rope onto your feet. What did you do last time around?

pgibbo wrote: »

Hope Ryan is on the mend. As you said, there'l be plenty of 5k races.

I'm predicting 6:58 or there abouts for the TT assuming there's no draft.

Not a chance i will go sub 7 and if i do its because i left 50mtrs out:)

Bambaata

Aliya Wailing Bench wrote: »

Pretty certain it was a 7.3x. The only way that would spur me on is if i attached a tow rope onto your feet. What did you do last time around?

Managed 05:48 in August and i do feel im swimming better but we'll see.

Kurt Godel

Aliya Wailing Bench wrote: »

It does sound like that a bit but really i am shattered with hardly any sleep the last while:o. I would be happy to shave 15/20 secs off, 7.15/20 i would be content with.

Ah yeah, tiredness is a genuine factor all right. I know a lot of folk looking forward to recharging batteries over the Xmas break! Give it what you got anyhow, I imagine you'll go under 7 soon enough.

griffin100

Kurt Godel wrote: »

Getting the excuses in early?:D A bit of pressure can often help- so what's your hoped for time in the TT?

My excuse for tonight is that in the last two weeks I've been to more Christmas parties than swim sessions and have the gut to show for it

There was only 4 seconds between me and JB last time out...........bring it on!!!!

tunney

It appears I won't make it

7:19, start strong but starting lifting head after 250m and neglecting the kick after 200m

tunney

tunney wrote: »

It appears I won't make it

7:19, start strong but starting lifting head after 250m and neglecting the kick after 200m

Of course if you don't do these two things then faster

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

tunney wrote: »

Of course if you don't do these two things then faster

Or slower, i turned like an oil tanker at the wall on each turn and swam ****:rolleyes:

Monday
Club Swim
So 400tt tonight, my last one a few months ago was 7:34 and i was hopeful of 7:15 or close enough to it. Ended up with a 6 sec improvement on my last tt with a 7:28, not good enough and not reflective of where i thought i was at. I will be retesting in one of my swims this week or next. . At least the pacing was steady throughout with the last 100 slightly faster, problem was each 100 was just about 3 secs to slow.
A number of contributing factors, we will get it next time.

30min easy treddie run
I was due to do a 45min run at lunchtime yesterday but that was replaced with a power nap instead:o
I had collected my new treddie and set it up in the pain cave, it is taking shape!! I had not planned to run as it was late when i got home from the swim after stopping off at Tunneys to collect my 910 (he looks more sleep deprived than me:)) but even though i was so bloody tired i could not sleep, go figure.
I jumped on for an easy run to test it out and i enjoyed it, more options available for sneaking some easy running in and also doing specific work, intervals, tempo etc.
30mins,6.4kms,4.41m/km pace

A quick question is a 1% gradient on the treadmill more reflective of running outdoors? I have often heard this mentioned?

BeepBeep67

Nice training of late, at least you didn't have far to fall when you fell on the ice

I find the treadmill great; 1st link below gives you relative pace at various inclines. Other 2 links to give you some session ideas.

Aliya Wailing Bench wrote: »

A quick question is a 1% gradient on the treadmill more reflective of running outdoors? I have often heard this mentioned?

http://www.hillrunner.com/training/tmillchart.php

http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/treadmill-exercise-how-to-perform-hill-training-317
http://www.runningplanet.com/training/treadmill-training-tips.html

shotgunmcos

Yeah 1% on treadie to simulate the fact that the ground aint moving under you on the road and you create your own little headwind

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Tuesday
S&C
45 minute session, Added in in a 20rep,18,16.....to failure metcon type session to get me working and to keep things interesting. I made it down to 10 and called it quits. Decent workout and kept the focus of the workout away from the legs with a turbo lined up later.

60min turbo with some shizzle
Unsure how this would go as i was not feeling on top of my game. I have to say it went well. I know this will come back to bite me:rolleyes: but 20mins @ threshold whilst not feeling easy is feeling a lot handier than when i tested back in the 2nd week of November. The two 5 minutes at 110% were short enough not to hurt that much. Overall a solid session and one i did not think i would hit. I think it helped having Michelle alongside me as she was in the process of suffering through a 5x1k interval set on the treddie:)
20min @ 279w, two 5mins @ 309w & 312w
60mins,AP241w/NP258w,CAD:83,878kj

Wednesday AM
Ah treadmills, they are just great.
45min run with work
Literally rolled out of bed to get Hannah a bottle. She went back asleep so i threw on shorts/runners and 5 minutes later i was running. Session called for 10mins easy, some builds and then 5x3mins slightly slower than 10k pace. I kept the treadmill at 1% for the lot and kept the easy pace at 12.5kmph pace and upped the efforts to 15.5kmph (3:52 pace) for the 3min efforts.
Sweating buckets and the legs a little tired from the turbo last night but i liked the way a session like this can be controlled to hit an exact pace. In the process of laminating a sheet with speed/pace conversions to make things easier. I even got all the brekkie and lunches made for school, brownie points aquired.
45mins,10.2kms,4.25m/km pace

Swim scheduled for lunchtime today.

BennyMul

Aliya Wailing Bench wrote: »

Wednesday AM
Ah treadmills, they are just great.
45min run with work
Literally rolled out of bed to get Hannah a bottle. She went back asleep so i threw on shorts/runners and 5 minutes later i was running. Session called for 10mins easy, some builds and then 5x3mins slightly slower than 10k pace. I kept the treadmill at 1% for the lot and kept the easy pace at 12.5kmph pace and upped the efforts to 15.5kmph (3:52 pace) for the 3min efforts.
Sweating buckets and the legs a little tired from the turbo last night but i liked the way a session like this can be controlled to hit an exact pace. In the process of laminating a sheet with speed/pace conversions to make things easier. I even got all the brekkie and lunches made for school, brownie points aquired.
45mins,10.2kms,4.25m/km pace

Swim scheduled for lunchtime today.

how do the family sleep though the noise of the threadmil?

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

BennyMul wrote: »

how do the family sleep though the noise of the threadmil?

Its not that noisy and its in an extension out the back of the house so well away from the kids bedrooms.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Wednesday

Missed the swim, things at home just nuts.

Thursday

Up early again sorting one of the sick kids. Was going to do the tough turbo but decided to do an easy 30min on the treddie, kept it handy.

Binned the turbo midway through in the evening. 3 out of the 4 kids really sick with various ear,throat,vital infections and running high temps. Easy decision binning the turbo as I am just shattered and knew fatigue was steadily building the last few days and i am not feeling 100% myself. No point flogging a dead horse. Looking forward to a break over Xmas. Got fantastic news at work so not all bad:)

Swim & run scheduled tomorrow, we shall see what happens.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Friday
Swim
2.1k set with some drills and 100s trying to hit 1.45. An ok session, still a little tired.
55mins,2100mtrs

Run
Easy run on the treadmill with some 30sec builds thrown in.
45min,10.1km,4.27m/km pace

Saturday
3hr long easy bike
Tape over the garmin, ignored numbers and just rode by feel. Pissing rain out but enjoyable enough although i did feel like i was tiring towards the end.
3hrs,88.78kms,29.5kmph,AP187w/NP191w,CAD:80,2026KJ

30min run off bike
Straight onto the treadmill & stripped down to my jocks (mental picture implanted) 5mins steady at 15kmph and the rest easy easy at 13.2kmph on a 2% incline. Happier with this run compared to last weeks although bike was much easier compared to last week which would have something to do with it.
30mins,6.75kms,4.27m/km pace

Sunday
Swim
With the pool being closed a good bit over Xmas i got down to do a swim. Done the session from Wednesday with the main set consisting off 5x300s times all coming in between 5:30 and 5:37. Swam ok considering i was hungover to bits.
60mins,2800mtrs

90min long run
I have said before and i will say it again, sometimes some of my best sessions are after a night out on the beer followed by a hangover:rolleyes:....should not be the case though. The day got away from me and with Michelle out tonight this was destined to be a late treadmill run. Those 90mins dragged but it was a very good session and hr was well within easy (tracking hr on treddie). Run done at 2% incline throughout and alternated the pace a little (keeping it all within easy though) Happy to get this done as it was looking like it was going to be a missed long run.
1:30:21,20.5kms,4.24m/km pace,AHR:147bpm

Weekly RU
Not a great week with the kids being sick (still two of them unwell) also tiredness and fatigue affecting some sessions. Generally i was not on top of my game. Still hit 12hrs for the week which was not too bad. I am off for 12 days so it will give me a good opportunity to recharge the batteries and spend some quality time with the family over Xmas & NY.

Unlikely to be back on here before Xmas so wishing everyone the very best over Xmas. Thanks to those who offered advice, support etc throughout the year.

Dory Dory

Merry Christmas JB!!

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

A quick training catchup over the Xmas holidays in this period of sloth & over indulgence. Its been an easy week training wise.

Monday 24th
Run
1hr easy on the treadmill, felt very sluggish and this was a bit of a struggle.
60mins, 12.6kms, 4.46m/km pace

Tuesday 25th
Day off playing with the kids and cooking Xmas dinner for a small army

Wednesday 26th
Run
I was expecting this to be a slogfest as Xmas turned into a late one....a very late one. Kept it handy but i was moving much better on the treadmill than Mondays run.
45mins,9.8kms,4.36m/km pace

Thursday 27th
Bike
Just an easy ride out around Navan and back in.
2.21,66.47kms,AP184w/NP193w,CAD:84,28.1kmph

Run
Small bit of work in this pushing on under 4min km pace on the efforts for a steady return on the treddie. I feel like its much easier running on the treddie at a faster pace even with the incline set to 2%. Overall a very good run but i think i need to return to some of my running back out on the road to mix things up a little.
45mins,10.6kms,4.18m/km pace

Friday 28th
Bike
We were heading down to Dublin for a wedding so i set off on the bike ahead of Michelle. Just felt really strong and the route was hilly up through Bellewstown & through Naul although the hills felt like speed bumps. Again effort was easy but it was a good spin even though it was into a strong headwind the whole way hence the paltry 25.5kmph avg.
1:51,47.3kms,AP194w/NP207w,CAD:79,25.5kmph

Saturday 29th
Bike
I was not expecting this to get done after what was easily one of the best weddings i have ever experienced at our very own Bambatta's. Plenty of craft beers & old school tunes left me in a bit of a jock this morning. Eventually got out for what was just short of a 3hr spin.
2:46,81.23kms,AP178w/NP187w,CAD:80,29.3kmph[/I]

As i said an easy week and its just as well as i have been eating & drinking crap. Looking forward to some clean living and getting stuck back into training proper in the NY. I am avoiding the scales for now but i feel like i have put a kg or 2 on. Tis is the time of year though and feck it i have been really enjoying some downtime with family & friends. You cannot remain totally focussed on training all year round otherwise you would be a dull sorta person:rolleyes:

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Sunday 30th
3hr turbo with 30min run off
Just an ok session (hardly surprising given over indulgence days previous). Never really got into the session and was willing the 3hrs by but i really got into my new Love/Hate boxset. Kept the run easy coming off on to the treddie.
Bike:3hrs,AP193w/NP198w,97.5kms, Run:30mins,6.8kms,4.25m/km pace

Weekly RU
13hrs in total with 10hrs of that cycling. No swimming and i am sure my absence from the pool over the festive season will show when i get back in. A pretty poor week in terms of quality, to be expected though as you cannot keep burning the candles at both ends. 292.5kms on bike & 39.8kms on run.

Monday 31st
1hr recovery ride
Last session of 2012, kept it easy out on the road...i was hungover:rolleyes:
1hr,AP178w/NP193w,29.03kms

Tuesday 1st
Start of a new year, start of clean living and start to getting down to work proper.

2.5hr turbo with spice & 20min run off
By the time i had cleaned down & serviced both bikes it had rolled past 6.30pm and this session was starting to look a little more daunting. Stuck on another few episodes of Love/Hate and just got on with it. The first hour rolled by easy at 195w and it was down to work. 3x30min segments broken out as 15mins @ tempo, 5mins @ FTP and 1min @ VO2 to really burn off the legs followed by 9mins easy.
The first one bit, the second felt better and the third one sucked big time. Legs started to cramp up a little, in particular at the bottom of my quads perhaps 1 bottle of fluids was not sufficient enough and could have done with another. Bike stats below.
Transitioned from bike onto treddie in under a minute. Set off to hold the first 10mins of steady at 15kmph (4min km pace). I did but it was the high end of steady, finished out with 10mins easy, in fact more like 13mins as i let the last episode run to an end.
I was pretty tired afterwards but happy to have my first 2013 training session under the belt and the numbers on both not so bad. Now if i could only hold that wattage for a 200km bike and be able to run off it;).
Bike:http://www.trainingpeaks.com/av/TYGXEW4XWIOWRIL3DX7VMRKVZY
Run:23:03,5.4kms,4.16m/km pace

With only 59 days to Abu Dhabi i need to make sure every session counts from now on. Weight has crept up to 70.5kgs over Xmas so i need to get a handle on that, I know 2/3 kg should drop off easily enough.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

So whilst it was not a good year racing wise its been a solid years training. Some numbers & graphs....its been a while since i reviewed stats & shared etc:rolleyes:

To start off a look at this years numbers
Swim: 22.1%, 373,975mtrs & 141hrs 51mins - a weekly avg of 7191mtrs & 2hrs 43mins at an average pace of 2.17 per 100.
Bike: 44.9%, 8813.24kms & 289hrs 1min - a weekly avg of 169.5kms & 4hrs 49mins at an average pace of 30.5kmph.
Run: 28.4%, 2414.9kms & 182hrs 45mins - a weekly avg of 46.44kms & 3hrs 3mins at an average pace of 4.32m/km or 7.18 pace in old money.
Strength/Other: 4.6% & 29hrs 10mins
Total training hours came out at 642hrs & 47mins, an average of 12hrs 21mins, considering i lost the guts of 4-5 weeks proper training through injury and after Roth its not so bad i guess

Volumes compared to last year are all up, swim is 17% up, bike is 5% up and run is marginally up 0.5%. Sometimes it takes you to look back to move forward. Big changes need to happen this year, i know i had misfortune racing last year but i need to back up good training with good racing.
Positives are i am in a much stronger position than this time last year, CTL is closely related to current level of fitness so you can see from the PMC chart below i am starting off the year in good shape. Onwards & upwards.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Michelle said i have that "look" in my eye again. The focussed look and i feel like am back into my big race bubble. I can notice it in my training, perhaps its that my first big race of 2013 is fast approaching or the fact its a New Year and i feel freash & eager to get going. From experience (two years now;)) i know not to get carried away with things...patience!!
I am heading away for some warm weather training next Friday and i cannot wait. This spot looks class and i am sure Lanza will provide challenging terrain to train on.

Some training so
Wednesday
45min Easy Run
Its feels like a while since i have been running outdoors, growing too attached to my new treadmill. I started off a bit stiff and wooden legged on this run, probably down to Tuesdays efforts with the 3hr brick. Soon loosened out towards the end.
46:24,10.15kms,4.34m/km pace

2.5km swim
This was truly awful, dreadful in fact. The absence from the water over Xmas showed. I had 5x300s as part of the main set all coming in between 6:08 to 6:16, a good 10secs+ per 100 slower than 2 weeks previous.
It will come back...hopefully
60mins,2500mtrs,swolf:86

Thursday
75min Easy Bike
Out for a long lunch and just spun along, done two loops of the Ras Na Nog (i think thats what it's called). Savage wind, was crawling at 20kmph into a strong headwind and then moving along nicely at 45kmph.
71mins,35.14kms,29.8kmph,AP188w/NP194w,CAD:84

30min Easy Treadmill Run
This is one of the many reasons why i got the treadmill. Sneak a few easy additional aerobic miles in the legs, obviously without impacting on the key sessions for the week otherwise coach would kick my a$$. I am finding the treadmill is fast becoming as useful piece of kit as the turbo & PM!!
Kept this very very easy and trotted along, finished off the first series of Love/Hate, bloody class.
33:43,7kms,4.49m/km pace

Friday
45min Run with some work
Up bright & early for this and had it boxed off by 7am. Onto the treddie and set incline to 1% and easy pace to 12.5kmph for the first 15mins, then into 5x4mins at mod effort and 1min easy. The mod efforts were done at 16kmph (3.45 pace) and i found them tough. A good sign though that a week or two i had a similar session except 5x3mins with 2mins recovery, that extra min effort and 1min less on recovery coupled with a faster pace had me sweating buckets. I really enjoyed this though as normally early morning runs do not go well for me.
45mins,10.6kms,4.15m/km pace

2.8k swim
Back down to the pool for some more at lunchtime. Better than Wednesday but still a good bit off. Session was a mix of 400wu/cd and sandwiched in the middle some 100s and 200s alternating between pull/sw with easy and moderate efforts. Good to see an improvement in my 100splits and SWOLF reduced also from Wednesday. Better!!
2.8km,68mins(54mins moving),1:58avg pace,SWOLF80

Time to dust off and bring out the tt bike for this weekends session.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Saturday
Bit of juggling around today. I was due to do a 4hr bike 30min run off but had to bail after 55mins into the bike as kids were causing chaos:rolleyes: Just finished a long run on the treadmill as kids finally in bed and Michelle off out.

Bike
As i said bailed less than an hour in, hopeful to get a long bike in tomorrow instead. It will take a while getting used to the tt setup again.
56:30,28,4kms,AP182w/NP183w,CAD:89

Long Run
At least some decent training salvaged for the day. Plan called for an 1hr easy and the last 30mins steady. I held 14.7kmph (4.05pace) on the steady and it felt solid, i reckon i could hold that pace and maybe a bit more for a HM. Decent run & going in the right direction although did get a strange pain from my left big toe for the last 10 minutes
90mins,20.7kms,4.21m/km pace

shotgunmcos

If 4:05 pace was the steady part of a long run then yes, no doubt a half pb is on. Even training through...

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Sunday
4hr Long Bike & 30min run off
This was a poor session for a combination of reasons most notably late long run the night previous and general tiredness. We have 4 kids and the youngest Hannah has taken over the title of the "terrible twos" and not even two for another 3 weeks!! I digress. This long bike was due to have 3x40min efforts but maintaining 190w (easy) was difficult enough so i decided to just get miles in the legs. First outing on the tt since Challenge Barca and it felt awkward & uncomfotable. I am bringing the tt to Lanza with me next week so hopefully will get the feel back for it.
The run off the bike even though the legs felt tired was a good one, in the context that you can never really have a good run off a **** bike:rolleyes: First 10mins steady on the treddie settled in at 15kmph bang on 4min ks (high end of steady though) and i dropped it back a bit for the last 20 min easy to finish 7.3kms in the 30mins for a 4.07 m/km paced run. I had to lie down in the foetal position and suck my thumb for a few minutes after. I was pretty smashed after it and for the rest of the evening. One to forget!!
Bike stats - http://tpks.ws/LrUe

Weekly RU
Overall a decent 16.5hr week. I was happy with how the week went apart from swimming which will come back after a few sessions from the Xmas break. The long bike left a bitter taste in what had been a good week up to that point but i will not dwell over it as i know why it was a bad bike. On a positive note running is feeling really good right now.
I ate well for the week so i must do my weekly weigh in to see how things stand. I reckon i have shifted at least a kg of Xmas over indulgence.
Really looking forward to some quality warm weather training next week.

31st Dec - 06th Jan|# sessions|Time hh:mm|Distance kms
Total|13|16:31|371.84kms
Swimming|2|2:07|5.3kms
Cycling|5|9:56|305.39kms
Running|6|4:28|61.15kms
S&C|0|0:00|N/A

Abhainn

Aliya Wailing Bench wrote: »

and the youngest Hannah has taken over the title of the "terrible twos" and not even two for another 3 weeks!!

Our lad was super untill he reached 13 months.
We then had hell at night from there untill he was well over 2. There was rarely a night both of us were not up with him once or even twice at night.

Nicely coming along. Enjoy the sun (and hills:)) next week

pgibbo

Nice training Fran. :cool:

Enjoy Lanza. Be sure to bring a wetsuit. I was there in March and the water was damn cold. I was getting the chills and headaches after 20 minutes without it.