I no longer sink

tHE vAGGABOND

Sorry we never got a chance to meet in person yesterday! [I was one of the 3 or 4 people with the blue boards ac singlet on]

Good work for sticking with it, and completing it.

I find sleep is all important, if I dont get decent sleep my training runs are like crap - so I bet that is a huge factor in your race yesterday.

elvis jones

I read racing weight recently and it brought home to me the importance of proper sleep.

My work isn't great for that..........DJ's don't get to bed early at the weekends:(

My wife said good enough for ya ! I needed a major fail like that to see the importance of sleep and i think its been brought home to me in spades.

I didn't see 1 boards singlet.............then again after 2 miles i don't think i was seeing much at all:p

couerdelion

Pfffft... excuses!

elvis jones

You'll be glad to know couerdelion that 10 miles took me 100 min yesterday:eek:

chinguetti

Sorry we didn't get to chat yesterday. Well done on saying going yesterday if you were in trouble before the hill, it must have made that bit awful.

Put it down to an experience learnt as some days the body just doesn't want to know regardless of what you do. Its ok on a training day but on a race day, its a right killer.

elvis jones

chinguetti wrote: »

Sorry we didn't get to chat yesterday. Well done on saying going yesterday if you were in trouble before the hill, it must have made that bit awful.

Put it down to an experience learnt as some days the body just doesn't want to know regardless of what you do. Its ok on a training day but on a race day, its a right killer.

Monday showed me i have the mental strength needed for DCM even when it gets hard and the pain sets in my head won't let me quit.

I believe you learn something on every run, some positive lessons and some negative lessons.

elvis jones

Not looking for medical advice but my quads are still very sore Never had this before either.

I think i'll get out on the bike this evening and a cold bath afterwards.

Oryx

Ever tried an ice bath? I did. Once.

elvis jones

Oryx wrote: »

Ever tried an ice bath? I did. Once.

No just a plunge pool:eek::eek::eek: did i mention:eek::eek::eek:

elvis jones

Well i did my ice bath last night and stayed in for 7 min..........went well and my legs feel normal again today.

Out on the bike tonight and i'm itching to get out:)

elvis jones

Test tri with my club this weekend and i did a PB so last Monday is partly banished.

I've done 3 of them this yr and i'll show the times below.

Swim ( 220 M )- 7:45/7:27/5:30
T1- 1:27/1:37/1:30
Cycle (14.5 KM ) - 26:12/25:37/24:39
T2 - 1:07/1:34/1:33
Run ( 3.6KM ) 18:40/19:22/18:13

The last set of times were last sat and the 1st set were in may, second in June.

My swim has come on and thats because of advice from Oynx. I'm just not stopping as much and keeping it going as long as i can. I took 2 mins off my time.

T1 is T1 and i can see myself improving much there unless i put the shoes on the bike which i wouldn't be comfortable doing just yet.

Cycle is getting better and i held off slightly as the last time i pushed it too hard and my run suffered. BUT it was my fastest time yet on the bike so happy about that.

T2 is a problem for my as i use orthotics and have to put on socks because my feet slosh around in the runners with no socks and makes running impossible. I am looking at getting new runners for sprint tri as its only 5K and my legs should be ok with that.

Run was good and ran my best time yet. So happy with that after the disaster of last Monday. My legs felt strong and i ran a constant 5km/min pace off the bike. I couldn't do 5:30 km/min with fresh legs earlier in the yr.

Overall happy and i'm really seeing an improvment. I intend to keep working on my swimming over the winter as the cycling and running are coming along nicely.

No race this weekend so going to do a hard weeks training and so a LSR of about 25K on sat morning.

Swim at lunch and 8KM hill work run tonight.

Oryx

Brand new, unwashed thin cotton socks (puma type) are easiest to get on fast in my experience. I wear them from T1 because I prefer socks on the bike too. Glad to hear your swim is coming on well. Knew you could do it. Got any key tips to make me into a competent cyclist in oh, say, three weeks?

elvis jones

Oryx wrote: »

Brand new, unwashed thin cotton socks (puma type) are easiest to get on fast in my experience. I wear them from T1 because I prefer socks on the bike too. Glad to hear your swim is coming on well. Knew you could do it. Got any key tips to make me into a competent cyclist in oh, say, three weeks?

Legs like tree trunks and cycle as if there is a large ape trying to catch you.........as in harder and faster !

elvis jones

Got off the train earlier than usual this morning and ran home. 8Km and wow it was warm, good pace to start off with, dropped a bit and came back strong.

43:40 for the 8KM and was tired at the end but it was warm as i said !

Tomorrow is cycle evening.

elvis jones

LSR this eveing and 15 miles is on my radar !

Aiming for about 2:30 and was advised to only have 1 energy gel along the way.

I shall report back.........if i am alive:)

couerdelion

Good luck with the LSR. 15 miles seems huge to me.

elvis jones

couerdelion wrote: »

Good luck with the LSR. 15 miles seems huge to me.

Me too:o i'm focusing on running now until November and then training for my main event of 2012.

When i get to the marathon it will be a major tick on my fitness CV, i'm going to train more and do less events in 2012.

couerdelion

elvis jones wrote: »

Me too:o i'm focusing on running now until November and then training for my main event of 2012.

When i get to the marathon it will be a major tick on my fitness CV, i'm going to train more and do less events in 2012.

I'm thinking of doing the same alright.

You've got one more tri left this year, yeah?

elvis jones

couerdelion wrote: »

I'm thinking of doing the same alright.

You've got one more tri left this year, yeah?

I have a club race and a sprint in Oct all going well. Open water olympic just isn't in my swimming, yet, i'm working on my swimming all winter and will be in a position in 2012 to do any race i want to do..............

I have 2 races in mind to be my focus tri in 2012, at the moment all thats holding me back is my swimming.

elvis jones

LSR last night and i aimed for 15 miles but did 14.

I tend to do everything in KM these days as thats what my watch is set up for and what my head works in ( because of triathlons i think ). Anyway i did a total of 22.6KM which equates to 14 miles.

I'm aiming for 4:30 in DCM and intend to split it into 4 x 10KM with 2km at the end. If i convert that into km/min it looks at roughly 6:18 per KM.

Last night i ran TOO FAST, my average was 6:21 which was too fast for my LSR, i did the 1st 10km in 59:30 and the 2nd 10KM in a more sensible 1:05. Doing that 1st 10km so fast left little in the tank for the final 2.5k and the pace really slowed.

I used one gel at 13Km and it seemed to help. I also stopped for 30 sec to take that gel with a drink as i don't like taking them while i move. At the end the legs were weak and calf begun to wobble in the final 500M but i got there !

Choc milk and a banana within 3 min of finishing, stretches and straight into an ice bath for 6 min. Stomach didn't feel great for an hr after but i dropped off to sleep.

Up early with little E's this morning and feel perfect.

Plan is to cycle tomorrow ( wife is getting a bike for her birthday from a wonderful husband )

Sunday will be an 8 mile run and return of the premier league !

elvis jones

Cycling weekend. Nice 40k on sat at a good pace that felt good.

Good session saturday ( wine etc ) so went out with my wife for a cycle on her new bike. Nice and slow and actually enjoyed just turning over the legs without having to push it to beat a time or get up a hill.

Plan for the week is.

Mon - 5 mile run
Tues - club cycle ( 50ish KM )
Wen - 8 mile run
Thurs - Swim
Fri rest
Sat - 10 Mile race
Sun - Club cycle ( if i'm not working sat night )

elvis jones

6 miles at lunch and the 1st 3 were hard, i knew i had been drinking at the weekend but i pushed on and finished with a nice pace.

Out this evening with my wife for a gentle 3 miles which should leave the legs in a good position for the club cycle tomorrow.

I really am thinking 10 mile will be just under 90 min on Sat if i can take it easy thus & fri and well hydrated.

Izoard

elvis jones wrote: »

I'm aiming for 4:30 in DCM and intend to split it into 4 x 10KM with 2km at the end. If i convert that into km/min it looks at roughly 6:18 per KM.

Hey EJ,

I'm down to pace the 4.30 group @ DCM, so would be great to have at least one tri-head along for the ride:)

The pacing is even split all the way, so aiming for approx 6.18 for each km.

elvis jones

Izoard wrote: »

Hey EJ,

I'm down to pace the 4.30 group @ DCM, so would be great to have at least one tri-head along for the ride:)

The pacing is even split all the way, so aiming for approx 6.18 for each km.

that sounds perfect,

i need to slow down to about 6:40 for those LSR

elvis jones

laid low with the dose.......no work today and no energy:(

make to work tomorrow but don't think i'll train again until thursday. need to make the start line on sat so don't want to push it.

Oryx

How are you feeling today, man?

elvis jones

Oryx wrote: »

How are you feeling today, man?

Still a bit rough. Gonna try a short run this evening. But I think racing 10 miles on sat might be too much too soon.

I think I'll to a LSR on Sunday at home. Give myself those extra 24 hrs.

elvis jones

Yep tomorrow is a no go:(

LSR at home for me and a long soak in the bath.

10 weeks to DCM, i'm to a 14 mile LSR........i should should get there, i think its about finishing and not time for my 1st one.

Oryx

Radio/music in your ears and don't think about the distance or time. Just enjoy the headspace.

elvis jones

Oryx wrote: »

Radio/music in your ears and don't think about the distance or time. Just enjoy the headspace.

Thats what i normally do, lovely country roads and time to get away from 2 kids under 2 and a crazy house:D

RacoonQueen

Woah what about our bet? :eek:

elvis jones

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Woah what about our bet? :eek:

Hold it for Ballycotton !!!!!!

elvis jones

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Woah what about our bet? :eek:

Hold it for Ballycotton !!!!!!

couerdelion

Shame you missed out on the 10 miler but in the scheme of things it was not an important race for you. Good luck in your training towards the DCM.

We'll carry our bet forward to another time

elvis jones

couerdelion wrote: »

Shame you missed out on the 10 miler but in the scheme of things it was not an important race for you. Good luck in your training towards the DCM.

We'll carry our bet forward to another time

Balycotton if it doesn't get in the way of your 1/2IM.

Quiet week getting rid of this dose once and for all. I did some swimming on thursday and felt fine.

I hope to do 8km tomorrow and see how my chest is. If all is fine i'll do 10 miles monday evening at LSR pace and build my week from there.

Only 9 weeks left on monday so 7 weeks of hard training and 2 weeks of tapering:eek:

elvis jones

Sitting here waiting to start my gig and getting a bad pain in my ear, its what my had all week and went into her throat and laid her low for a week......i hope i don't get it that bad:(

elvis jones

I finally got back out last night and did 10.5 km.

It was very tough and i think it was my body punishing my for all the food and drink i had when i was ill/holiday.

I've started a new route with a good few hills as i'm beginning to think that flat runs are pointless.

Anyway at the end i was spent and it at a pace between 10km and marathon, 6:01 per/km

Out on the bike this evening and i'll do 30km, i need a few weeks really hard work to feel i'll be able for DCM.

elvis jones

I did the 30km last night, on my way home i wasn't up for it and tried to talk myself out of it BUT i got home say the nice weather, no wind and just changed and went out.

Went a route i've done a few times before and the 1st 5km were very hard, i just couldn't get my mojo going. But i went up a long steep hill and enjoyed it. From then on i kept the pace up and the hills came easy.

I got back and left groin was a little tight, i think its the cleet on my left shoe. Bike being serviced this evening so i'll mention it and we'll have a look.

Anyway, nothing today but light 6k run tomorrow before 24K on friday and the build to the 3/4 marathon on Oct 2 and that stepping stone leading to DCM.

My mental attitude to the longer runs is to break them down into 10K splits and once one is done i just focus on the next 10k so i never have more than 9.xx to complete.

elvis jones

Nice rest yesterday and body feels so much better for it.

Today is a nice 6km at a slow pace to clock up some more on the legs.

Tommorrow will be 16K and not 24K as i have to work tonight and will only get 5 hrs sleep..........me + little sleep = awful runs.

I'll hold off my LSR this week until monday as i have a busy busy weekend.

elvis jones

Things are getting harder and i have no energy.

Here is what i deal with on a weekly basis.

Two kids, 2 and 4 months.
Perhaps 1 proper nights sleep a month
Full time Job
18 hrs commuting
Part time Job at weekend

So add family time into the above and my basic week is packed.

In March/April i was up at 6ish to train and get out early to come home and train. Energy levels were high and i felt great.

Fast forward to Sept and i'll be lucky to be up at 7:20 whcih means no morning trainging, i'm home late and after son to bed etc i just don't have the energy/want to train.

I have trained at lunch that leads to me eating my lunch in 4 mins and sweating for half the afternoon.

I need to find a balance, my trainging so far has my weight down and fitness up a lot. But i want to go further and have bigger events i want to do and do well. But finding the balance and time to train is going to be my problem.

The weekend are hard as i can work fri & sat night with 5am being the time i get to bed sometimes. I try to get up at 11 so i have time with the kids and before i know it the weekend is gone, no training is done and i'm trying to do a LSR on a monday..........with the dark nights coming and where i live this isn't going to be possible.

I have to decide do i stay at the level i'm at ( half marathons & max of Olympic tri ) or do i cut back on family time and lunch etc to get to marathon and half IM.

Any thoughts would be great.

Cleanman

elvis jones wrote: »

I need to find a balance, my trainging so far has my weight down and fitness up a lot. But i want to go further and have bigger events i want to do and do well. But finding the balance and time to train is going to be my problem.

The weekend are hard as i can work fri & sat night with 5am being the time i get to bed sometimes. I try to get up at 11 so i have time with the kids and before i know it the weekend is gone, no training is done and i'm trying to do a LSR on a monday..........with the dark nights coming and where i live this isn't going to be possible.

I have to decide do i stay at the level i'm at ( half marathons & max of Olympic tri ) or do i cut back on family time and lunch etc to get to marathon and half IM.

Any thoughts would be great.

Finding time to train can be tough. It really boils down to how much you want to step up your training. As you say, you might have to cut back on family time to increase your training so at the end of the day, it's up to you to decide which is more important to you.

My 2 cents are that you've gotten yourself into good shape and there's nothing wrong with maintaining that level. Consistent training at the level you're at will lead to incremental improvements over time. Why not wait for a year or two before stepping up the training? By then, the kids will be a little older, sleep might be more forthcoming and your work week might not be as punishing. You'll have a couple extra years of reasonable and consistent training under your belt also.

Now, there'll be lots here that will give you the HTFU and just find the time to train speech but for me, if you're genuinely finding it really tough to get the high intensity training in, and you spend as much time worring about it as you do training, then you'll start not to enjoy it. And for me this is the most important point - why train if you don't enjoy it?

Well done on getting to where you're at now. I'm enjoying keeping up with your log and hope to see lots more entries. But at what level you train at - that's up to you to decide, just keep enjoying it;)

Oryx

My first thoughts on reading that are don't lose heart. Youre heading towards DCM, into the heaviest part of the training load, and youre coming off an already hard year. Tiredness is part and parcel and it's not unusual to feel a bit worn down by it. Thats what I think I'm hearing.

When you up your training load, it is hard to stay motivated when you're tired and pressured. (Believe me, I have two kids and a full time job as well. I know. )

I'm not the most experienced of people, especially when it comes to marathon, but I do know what its like to juggle training and life. I also know that worn down feeling. All I can advise is planning. Map out your week, plot your training, and stick to it, come rain, hail, shine or baby's tantrums. Ask your missus for a few weeks of understanding. Taper is not so far away. Buy a head torch and a hi viz vest. Get out early. Be economical with the time you do have. Sleep when youd normally sit up watching shoite tv. It requires planning, and a bit of change. Wave bye bye to that old clubbing lifestyle, ha.

I hope whichever way, you make a decision on training that you are content with. Good luck and like I said, dont let it wear you down. Youre meant to enjoy this!

elvis jones

Thanks for the replies guy and firstly i will say that i am going to do DCM if i have to crawl over the line as i'm doing it for a charity and don't want to let them down.

A few things.

@Cleanman Staying at those levels would be fine if i focued on PB and building speed. I see what you mean about holding off and its something i have to consider. Either way i will continue to train but for what is the question.

@Oryx/half iron woman:D Early nights are the norm for us, i'm in bed by 10 most nights unless i'm working. I think a major problem is recovery from lack of sleep at the weekend. When i was younger it wasn't a problem but if i work at the weekend and train/family stuff as well i'm on my arse until the middle of the week and i've lost at least one session. There are weekends where between the 2 nights i have 7 hrs sleep and try to do a session as well.

The sleep/tiredness aspect 1st came to light in the half in Portlaosie where there is nothing in my legs in the monday after working fri and sat night even when i rested on sunday.

Its not that i don't enjoy the training, i do ( even swimming sometimes ) even like others its not until i'm 5 miles into a run and the legs come to life.

I'd love my life to have structure but Irish rail let me down eating up time, late gigs come in taking over nights and mornings, kids.....well they are what they are and need what they need. I'm so lucky this year to have no injury and have have added to my CV but can i move it forward more. DCM will happen and after that a lot of thinking will have to be done.

The clubbing lifestyle will be here for at least 3 more years and we can pay off all the silly things we did in the auld tiger days:D

Izoard

EJ...timely post - I think there are a number of people reading it, thinking the same (me for one!).

At the end of the day, this is a hobby, so family and work have to take precedence.

Also, there is an assumption that going long (blame Oryx for that one...:)) is the holy grail, but as someone who is juggling lots of balls, there is a compelling arguement for you to try to go faster, rather than longer.
6-8 quality hours of training per week, would have you in a solid position for great gains in Olympic distance next year.

Now, if I could only practice what I'm preaching....

elvis jones

Izoard wrote: »

EJ...timely post - I think there are a number of people reading it, thinking the same (me for one!).

At the end of the day, this is a hobby, so family and work have to take precedence.

Also, there is an assumption that going long (blame Oryx for that one...:)) is the holy grail, but as someone who is juggling lots of balls, there is a compelling arguement for you to try to go faster, rather than longer.
6-8 quality hours of training per week, would have you in a solid position for great gains in Olympic distance next year.

Now, if I could only practice what I'm preaching....

I ain't built for speed:D

I see where your coming from but i am the sort of person who wants to do everything.........once, just to see how it feels.

I've jumped out of planes, driven nascar, done bungee jumps.......why ? because its there to be done ! I do feel i'll get to half IM but it will take a lot of organising and changes for 6 to 8 months to get to it.

But i do want to go back to 3 races i did this yr for PB next yr and they are sprint and half marathons.

elvis jones

I consulted 2 bottles of Merlot last night and had a good think.

So far i've decided to focus on DCM until late afternoon on Oct 31. I'm going to throw myself into the training from now and grab extra sleep where i can to make up. This is something i've wanted to achieve for a long time and having my wife and kids at the end line will make all the tiredness, pain and work worth while.

Last night i also decided to cut down to DJ work 1 night a week for the majority of the time. I'll now only be working 9 to 1 on a saturday which gives me structure and going to bed at 2am is an early night for me:D

Until Christmas my focus will be swimming at lunch/evening and spinning. I will do the half marathon in Waterford but its only a half so the above will keep me ticking over.

I'll sit down then over Christmas with my wife and decide what to do and how much time i can give to training without it getting in the way of the rest of my life.

HAHA i just noticed i wrote "only a half marathon" above, i remember when running 500M was a big deal and now i've reached the the level of saying that................wow

Anyway thanks for the advice and 10km slow run at lunch will set me up for 25k LSR tomorrow evening.

catweazle

My suggestion would be to get a cheap turbo trainer - theres a lot to be said for being somewhere in the house when needed. Mrs C never loses the rag over the turbo but heading off to the pool or running at weekends or week nights can sometimes be problematic.

They are better for you than the spinning anyways

elvis jones

catweazle wrote: »

My suggestion would be to get a cheap turbo trainer - theres a lot to be said for being somewhere in the house when needed. Mrs C never loses the rag over the turbo but heading off to the pool or running at weekends or week nights can sometimes be problematic.

They are better for you than the spinning anyways

I'm actually borrowing one from a club member to see how i like them, i can't stand the threadmill but i might find this easier in front of the tv on Champions league nights and now that i bought her a bike as well it woild be used by both of us.

The spinning is with my club on a tuesday night and the banter is great so there is a social part to it as well. Its a good class, a hard class and really helped me move forward and get power in my legs..........Oryx take note:D

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

+1 on CW's suggestion re turbo. You will be surprised how easy it is to sneak 3/4 hours a week in on the bike and you are not loosing time travelling out to/getting ready for spin classes etc, just hop on in your jocks on the turbo and away you go:).

Balance is what is needed and i would not sacrifice too much time with family over training, as someone mentioned earlier it's a hobby and you will start to resent training if it is taking over quality time with the family etc. Believe me it takes tweaking and your time management needs to be spot on to get the training volume in without feeling like you have been mawled by a bear!!

I would forget about targets or what you are going to do for next year for now. Put all your efforts into DCM and then take a few weeks off after it to reflect on the year and then look forward to 2012.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Oh btw it's always good to consult with a bottle of wine:)