Toiler's Constant

Oryx · 17-03-2013 10:18am

Happy Drunken Irish day, or Drink Anything But Peach Schnapps day.

Twas a bit fresh out there this morning. Are you another one who had to get the run out of the way early so you could do parade type family stuff?

Kurt Godel · 17-03-2013 10:37am

Oryx wrote: »

Happy Drunken Irish day, or Drink Anything But Peach Schnapps day.

Twas a bit fresh out there this morning. Are you another one who had to get the run out of the way early so you could do parade type family stuff?

Indeed I am, we will be going to see the local tractors and floats drive down the local main street, which I will observe from my high horse, Sobriety. Then a nice game of Whist before prayers and bed:)

Kurt Godel · 17-03-2013 10:41am

Weekly Summary|Session|Comment

Monday|10k run 4:39 pace; 97 min turbo|Felt solid on the run
Tuesday|12.5k easy run|Carnew loop 1:06:30
Wednesday|2,100m swim; 75min turbo|Swim drills; Sufferfest Hell Hath No Fury
Thursday|5.72k easy run;2,700m club swim|Met PN for run; 40x50m off 60-45. Missed the 45's, otherwise good
Friday|62 min turbo|Sufferfest Downward Spiral
Saturday|3,000m swim|4x100 off 1:45, 4x100 off 1:40, 2x200m (3:05, 3:07)
Sunday|10k steady run|Legs felt heavy
Weekly km|Swim 7.8 Bike 108 Run 38.22|Tougher bikes, runs.
2013 km|Swim 106.95 Bike 846 Run 249.82

Swim: I purposely cut down on volume this week. My average this year is about 10k/week, which is where I would like it to be. I got some good technique and pacing advice at the coached session, and I need to work on aerobic endurance. The two 200's at the end of Saturday's session were decent, and I'd hope to bring some 200's under 3 minutes soon. The sub 6 400m is also a goal within striking distance, and more leg work would help achieve this.

Bike: Two hard Sufferfest sessions, and an easy turbo, no complaints here (although the easy one done outdoors would have been better).

Run: Volume is up without incident, and running 10k around 45 mins isn't too hard. I'm taking this week as a platform to build from- intervals and some faster paces beckon.

Overall: Solid week, probably the best so far for variety.

Oryx · 17-03-2013 10:42am

Whisht was what my granny used to say when she wanted me to shut up.

Dory Dory · 17-03-2013 6:23pm

Googling whisht....

Kurt Godel · 18-03-2013 7:10pm

Mon 1:40 turbo

Easy spinning, watching "Apocalypto". Great movie!

Dory Dory wrote: »

Googling whisht....

whist [hwist, wist]
noun
a card game, an early form of bridge, but without bidding. Popular form of courting in Cavan:
"Will ye have a game of whischt lassie?"
"Who are ya?"
"Podge Reilly"
"Podge Reilly who owns 50 head o' cattle?"
"I am, aye"
"I will, aye"
Origin:
1655–65; earlier whisk, perhaps identical with whisk, though sense relationship uncertain

interjection
1.
hush! silence! be still!
adjective
2.
hushed; silent; still.
noun
3.
Chiefly Irish. silence: Example: We're sick to our back teeth of hearing about your latest purchase. The kids have no food and wear threadbare clothes, but you need a new €500 sports watch. Last year it was a bloody bike. Come back to us when you actually start winning races, and we'll talk about your new toys. Until then, hold your whischt.

RacoonQueen · 18-03-2013 10:43pm

This what you did last year?

http://www.openwaterswimmer.ie/index.php/events/glendalough

Kurt Godel · 18-03-2013 11:12pm

RacoonQueen wrote: »

This what you did last year?

http://www.openwaterswimmer.ie/index.php/events/glendalough

Yes indeed, they've brought down the price to a more reasonable €25, and I see they've added a 3.9km swim on Sept 8th. I will be there, its an A goal for the year, lets hope the weather plays ball like last year. Probably the best I've ever raced in my life.

RacoonQueen · 18-03-2013 11:31pm

Yeah was going to ask you about the price. Remember you talking about it being overpriced.

Might do the 3.8 myself. Would like to do a few longish OW swims.

Dory Dory · 19-03-2013 1:43am

Kurt Godel wrote: »

whist [hwist, wist]
noun
a card game, an early form of bridge, but without bidding. Popular form of courting in Cavan:
"Will ye have a game of whischt lassie?"
"Who are ya?"
"Podge Reilly"
"Podge Reilly who owns 50 head o' cattle?"
"I am, aye"
"I will, aye"
Origin:
1655–65; earlier whisk, perhaps identical with whisk, though sense relationship uncertain

interjection
1.
hush! silence! be still!
adjective
2.
hushed; silent; still.
noun
3.
Chiefly Irish. silence: Example: We're sick to our back teeth of hearing about your latest purchase. The kids have no food and wear threadbare clothes, but you need a new €500 sports watch. Last year it was a bloody bike. Come back to us when you actually start winning races, and we'll talk about your new toys. Until then, hold your whischt.

For a minute here I thought I was in Tunney's log....but was so relieved when I got the punchline and realized I was in a safe place.

Thanks for the explanation.

Kurt Godel · 19-03-2013 6:52pm

Tue 1,500m swim

I had the kids with me at the pool, so I "played forward" and coached them a bit, and then grabbed what I could. They're coming on well, both of them will be strong swimmers.

3x400m, rested between (6:31, 6:44, 6:29)

The first was without any warm-up, straight into it. Needless to say the form dipped quite early, and it was a bit of a thrashfest, winded by the end.
Second was all about pacing and stroke control.
Third was about merging the two.

Kurt Godel · 19-03-2013 10:08pm

Tue pm 6.74km run Tinahely hilly loop 29:30

With a belly full of dinner and excuses, I met up with the club lads and lasses for the usual Tuesday night hilly run around the backroads of Tinahely. Myself and PN led out from the start, keeping the progress going up the first long hill. My breathing became laboured half way up, and I thought "Oh crap!" when PN started a conversation (luckily the conversation was largely about himself so all I had to do was grunt and listen). I followed his pace down the hill, where I usually back off- don't notice any ill effects on the knees thus far from doing so. Back by the school and river to the start for the second shorter lap.

This hill is very steep and no matter how much I tried to mimic PN's cadence, by halfway he just sliced open a gap, which I spent the rest of the run chasing. Over back by the school again, and the gap was 30m or so. For the final km I upped my pace to hurting levels, and got in a few seconds behind him. Fastest I've done for this route by 30 seconds or so, I'm happy enough with that, and a good run to look back on.

Dory Dory · 20-03-2013 1:12am

PN???!!!!

:D:D:D;)

Kurt Godel · 20-03-2013 12:58pm

Wed 3,000m swim

400m descending warm up (1:45 pace)
Main set drills:
5x(100m each ripple, pull, point, kick), (100m swim @ 1:30)
600m pull (1:56 pace)

It's amazing how long it takes to get that "feel" for the water. It took me till towards the end of the drills to start floating streamlined on the water, with catch and pull working in unison with the kick. In the meantime, drills are very useful. I still have to focus on keeping a high shoulder/elbow, and my kicking needs work. Each 100m kick was over 3 mins long (Garmin missed them- no stroke). The tester 100 in 1:30 was alright, time would have improved if I'd tried a few more. But with the club swim tomorrow, I don't want the arms hanging off me. Pull at the end was with good form.

Dory Dory wrote: »

PN???!!!! :D:D:D;)

Back on Irish soil for a while, a little less fast (good thing for me), and a little less cranky (good thing for everybody:))

Kurt Godel · 20-03-2013 9:43pm

Wed pm 65 mins turbo

Sufferfest Angels:
6:30 warm-up
10:00 of over/under intervals, with 1:00 just above your threshold, and 1:00 just below threshold
3:00 easy
8:00 climbing
4:00 easy
8:00 climbing, increase cadence without increasing effort
4:00 easy
8:00 climbing, with attacks
4:00 warm down

Kurt Godel · 21-03-2013 11:24pm

Thurs 2,700m coached swim

4x100m descending warm-up, 5 seconds between each.
8x50m off 70, getting stroke advice throughout.
3x(3x200m off 3:50), 50 easy between each set.

The three of us in the faster lane got 4x100m to start, a different warm-up than usual. We got lambasted for our stroke error, and the little red book was flung into the deep end- instead we would do a session based on correcting and maintaining our stroke. I had my instructions, and they were refined, repeated, and added to, during the set of 8x50m steady.

The main set was to be about maintaining the stroke during each 200mI put a fair amount of concentration into this, kept them steady, focussed on kicking; keeping the head straight; elbow high and tight; pull bent, wide, and solid. First set came in all 3:15, next set 3:20, next 3:20-3:25.

I actually got a lot out of the session. Bad habits have been creeping into my stroke and they need to be addressed before further time progress will be made.

interested · 22-03-2013 7:58am

Kurt Godel wrote: »

We got lambasted

Come come, these logs are supposed to be factual. I'm a total pussy cat with you guys. No one got hit in the head with a water bottle did they ?

Kurt Godel · 22-03-2013 8:09am

interested wrote: »

Come come, these logs are supposed to be factual. I'm a total pussy cat with you guys. No one got hit in the head with a water bottle did they ?

The restraint and lip-biting from you is palpable. More than one from the group has said they are slightly scared of you. I'd say the gloves come off when coaching your own club

interested · 22-03-2013 9:50am

All bark, no bite .... some people respond to the carrot, others the stick ... either way, they get faster

BTH · 22-03-2013 12:01pm

interested wrote: »

All bark, no bite .... some people respond to the carrot, others the stick ... either way, they get faster

:eek: :eek:

Did you really type that with a straight face?

KG, I would advise that the pool deck is kept clear of anything that could be used as a missile. You certainly don't want a repeat of Carlow.

Kurt Godel · 22-03-2013 12:10pm

Fri 1,000m swim, incl 400m TT in 6:05 pb

interested wrote: »

All bark, no bite .... some people respond to the carrot, others the stick ... either way, they get faster

Don't know if its the carrot, or the stick, or a combination of both, but your methods are certainly producing results. I thought there might have been a 400m TT last night, but it wasn't to be, instead vital stroke corrections. When I woke this morning my first thought was to get to the pool and see if I could put those corrections into practice. An easy 200m warm-up showed tired arms, but 100m each of ripple and point got me into the right groove. Then straight into the trial;

400m TT in 6:05

1st 100m 1:28. This was kept steady and controlled, and seemed slow for the first couple of lengths. By the end I knew I was working.
2nd 100m 1:29. Steady as she goes, and considering bailing towards the end. Must be a 200pb, right? I felt an imaginary water bottle hurled at my head. Keep going...
3rd 100m 1:34. Very hard work, legs are starting to hurt and I'm focusing on keeping the kick going. Mentally challenging to keep this pace (stroke was decent though).
4th 100m 1:33. Lungs screaming in pain. I know I took the foot off the gas slightly for the penultimate 50m, so gave it what I had for the last, forced the last bit of strength to up the kick, and ended panting for air.

I was delighted to see 6:05 on the watch- that's 10 seconds off last months time. The sub 6:00 will have to wait, but it will come soon. If I was racing someone today there might have been a few more seconds in the tank, and 250m-350m needs work. Onwards and upwards, with more speed endurance work I should go under next month:)

Dory Dory · 22-03-2013 1:18pm

Ah now....you've not been properly initiated until you've had something thrown at you in the pool. It's actually the highest form of flattery knowing the resonse you can elicit from a coach...but as all good fish know, all you have to do is duck under that water when a missle is heading your way.

:)

pgibbo · 22-03-2013 9:02pm

Cracking stuff KD! :cool:

BTH wrote: »

:eek: :eek:
You certainly don't want a repeat of Carlow.

What happened in Carlow???? Surprised no-one else asked :pac:

interested · 22-03-2013 9:15pm

Carlow : an ASKhole got a water bottle in the head from 15 metres away - shot in 1 billion ... I was aiming for about a metre ahead of him.

ASKhole : someone who constantly asks for advice on things, nods intently, asks more and more questions and then decides to their own thing.

Aerobic endurance and a faster first 200 is whats required for a sub 6 400. Nice to hear you actually bothered using the legs

Kurt Godel · 22-03-2013 9:29pm

interested wrote: »

Aerobic endurance and a faster first 200 is whats required for a sub 6 400. Nice to hear you actually bothered using the legs

Do you mean a (say 1:26, 1:27) faster first half than I specifically did, or that a positive split in general is the way to go? (Mental note: don't be an ASKhole if interested is holding a bottle of beer)

Dory Dory · 22-03-2013 9:31pm

interested wrote: »

Carlow : an ASKhole got a water bottle in the head from 15 metres away - shot in 1 billion ... I was aiming for about a metre ahead of him.

Sounds like we've a bit of work to do on your precision aim skills.

interested · 22-03-2013 9:35pm

@kurt - bottles of beer ? come on, lets not get silly
@DD - for legal reasons Im sticking to the story that it was an accident

Positive splitting ? no, what Im trying to say is that in order to go sub 6 mins, you have to get used to going out on 2.50 and holding stroke and speed sufficiently to ensure you come in under 6 mins.

There aren't that many who can negative split with control ... but it'd be almost unheard for anyone trying to break 6 mins for the first time to do that ... so, out on 2.50, second 200 must be under 3.10 for a sub 6 min 400.

Simples.

Kurt Godel · 22-03-2013 9:45pm

interested wrote: »

@kurt - bottles of beer ? come on, lets not get silly

Thought you were taking the club to Wicklow beach in a few weeks? Coolers, lilo's, BBQ's; not what you had intended?:eek:

interested wrote: »

Positive splitting ? no, what Im trying to say is that in order to go sub 6 mins, you have to get used to going out on 2.50 and holding stroke and speed sufficiently to ensure you come in under 6 mins.

There aren't that many who can negative split with control ... but it'd be almost unheard for anyone trying to break 6 mins for the first time to do that ... so, out on 2.50, second 200 must be under 3.10 for a sub 6 min 400.

Simples.

Great advice as ever, cheers. That's a much wider spread than I would have thought. I need to stop googling "400mTT<6mins", and start doing sets of 200 under 3 mins.

Kurt Godel · 22-03-2013 10:28pm

I've been told I'm just dragging my legs behind me while swimming, so that's an area I want to improve on. Here's some good videos showing just what can be achieved with good leg kick (others found in this link, "How to get more leg propulsion")