The Good Mood Cookbook

Oryx

I struggle with stomach problems most of the time, and this was a bad week. Not helped by getting prescribed STUPID meds that made things a ton worse. So yesterday I couldn't train at all. Today I got out for a run at least. It was slow but overall I felt pretty good once I settled in. 13.5k in too many minutes to mention. But I don't do being ill very well, and needed this.

Oryx

Made up for my missed weekend cycle today. I got lost in the meandering back roads around here, at some points I hadn't a clue where I would end up. 53k in total, yet again disappointingly slow, 2h15. But yet again I felt sick to the gills starting out so I suppose its okay.

pointer28

I read/heard somewhere that Wexford has more miles of road for the size of the county than any other county in Ireland. I spent 30 years in the place and can still get lost 10 miles from home.

pgibbo

Oryx wrote: »

Did my css test today. Got 7:52 for the 400, and 3:46 for the 200, giving me a css of 2:03. Also gave me a new time to enter on the swim tt thread.

Not sure if you captured your splits for the 400 & 200 but if you did, it might be worth plugging the number in to the PDF in this article. My pacing had a delta of 12s for the 1st 100 average vs the last 300

Oryx

pgibbo wrote: »

Not sure if you captured your splits for the 400 & 200 but if you did, it might be worth plugging the number in to the PDF in this article. My pacing had a delta of 12s for the 1st 100 average vs the last 300

By delta do you mean difference?

The watch measures 25s, but I am getting the same kind of discrepancy. Didnt put anything in that pdf cos I didnt know how.

Training wise, I did kettlebells last night. Jesus, the man is trying to kill us. I didn't think I would be able to move today after it, but I'm surprisingly limber. Actually got up for the early swim this morning. It pays to do a little forward planning, my gear was all laid out so I didn't even have to wake up properly to get ready. Though I had to reverse my car out of the drive without being able to see as it was frosted up, (and I needed to get away or the whole house would be awake). That was fun, not.

I did a load of drills, still trying to master this damned catch. Every time I take a step forward, next time I get in the pool its like two steps back. But I am going to get my bloody times down, I am sick of being a flounder among sharks.

MaryB30

You are not a flounder. I have been discussing strategies with a guy I met recently. I am now basically stripping back the swim, speed is gone and balance and body position is now the priority. So bye bye 400 tt and hello side ways kicking, Body rolling and kicking and head bown/chest down drills. Apparently speed comes with all this. Bi lateral swimming is also on the agenda.

Not a flounder more like a aaaaa Pike???????

pgibbo

You can't put values in to the PDF. I worked it out using the data in the PDF as a reference

Oryx

MaryB30 wrote: »

You are not a flounder. I have been discussing strategies with a guy I met recently. I am now basically stripping back the swim, speed is gone and balance and body position is now the priority. So bye bye 400 tt and hello side ways kicking, Body rolling and kicking and head bown/chest down drills. Apparently speed comes with all this. Bi lateral swimming is also on the agenda.

Not a flounder more like a aaaaa Pike???????

I'm a catfish. :P

I am doing one session of technical stuff, and one where I try to apply that, yet swim hard (and one session where I do whatever coach has on the menu). For me I think I need to keep both strands going to improve. If I don't work using a certain pace I just wont gain the fitness I need to swim hard over distance. I will be doing all those drills, plus flexibility work on my core, arms (and feet!) because I can feel them as limiters now. I am not a bendy person. Good swimmers are bendy.

Oryx

Double swim today. Back into the pool twelve hours after I got out. This was the club session and it was 4x100 drills to start, then 8 x 100 sprints with 1 min rest. I think I'm getting warped because I'm starting to enjoy this kind of thing. My times started at 1:42, drifted to 1:52 midway through, and got back to 1:48, 1:49 at the end. I'm really pleased with that for two reasons. One, those are times I hadn't a hope of maintaining a while back and two, for the last few I was wrecked, so all I could do was relax, slow down and keep good form. And that was actually faster. Whoop di do, I'm learning.

A little exhibition swim and some coaching from a shark at the end was a great help too, in spotting why he is so good and we are not.

Oryx

Spinny turbo today. Its a rest day really so this was easy but fast pace. 50 mins.

Oryx

Group turbo tonight. It was chatty and nice and I didn't work hard enough. I did hit 85% but they were short intervals. We have a two week break then the real work begins.

Oryx

Early swim. Last one of the year. For the first 15 mins I was the only one there. They had classic Christmas carols playing on the sound system, and it was weird (in a Stephen King The Shining way) yet really peaceful at the same time. I did a pretty easygoing warmup, listening to Little Drummer boy and becoming fixated on the reflected patterns on the pool floor (sleep deprived I guess). For the bulk of the swim I did technical stuff, fc and bc, trying to practice the damn elusive catch, and tumble turns which have been neglected lately. Did some swolf 25s and 50s (with tumble) towards the end. Scores have improved, but still have a lot to do.

1550m - low on distance but slowing down is the only way to master the stroke I suppose.

Dory Dory

Little Drummer Boy??? Barf. Worst Christmas song ever. Hmmmm...."Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" is close, however.

Oryx

Dory Dory wrote: »

Little Drummer Boy??? Barf. Worst Christmas song ever. Hmmmm...."Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" is close, however.

They also had I saw mommy kissing santa claus which I always thought leaves small kids with the impression that mommy is a cheating 'ho.

Oryx

Early run sans Christmas music today. Though there was a fantastic storm as I was getting up. Thunder, lightening, monsoon rain, the lot. Then, like moses parting the red sea, in the space of five minutes the skies cleared and the sun shone. Just in time for me to head out. The gods of weather timing were certainly smiling today. And it was also the first morning in three weeks or so that I didn't wake feeling ill. I wasn't perfect but its a sign may be getting over this latest bout of tummy woefulness. Yay!

11k. 57 minutes. I could tell I haven't run in a week.

Oryx

Group cycle today. It didn't look that cold out, no visible frost... so I wouldn't need a hat, would I? By the time I got to the meet point I realised that it was in fact, bloody freezing. My feet were numb and my hands were agony. Oh well. Keep going. Pace was slow enough and I was glad to get to the (very civilised, indoor!) tea stop. Heading back we had the wind behind us and it was lovely. Combined with a chatty group who were all in Christmas spirits, it was a grand morning. Short enough, 53k and very slow. 3h including tea.

Oryx

Final pre Christmas swim. 1500m of drills and stuff in a crowded pool. I was strangely tired after this, so the half hour core session that followed was tough going. Rest (prepare food and distribute presents) day tomorrow, then roll on Christmas so we can get it over with and have a few fun days afterwards.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Dory Dory

Merry Christmas, IronWoman!!!

Kurt Godel

Happy Xmas Oryx, 2014 is going to be a great result year for you.

<Virtual Mistletoe>
MMMWWWCH!:D

Oryx

Kurt Godel wrote: »

Happy Xmas Oryx, 2014 is going to be a great result year for you.

<Virtual Mistletoe>
MMMWWWCH!:D

No tongues!

Have a good one

Oryx

Easy breezy run today. Just to get away from the chaos for a half hour. It was bright and cold, and there were lots of new bikes being tested up and down the road. Though as usual I got stared at for running on Christmas morning. I think I'm The Weird Neighbour of our area.

Since then I have eaten more than I normally would in a week and I've had the regulation post dinner sleep. All is well in the world.

shotgunmcos

Oryx wrote: »

...... I think I'm The Weird Neighbour of our area..

Nope, you are simply the local hot running chic!

Happy Christmas

MaryB30

As I am relatively local, I can confirm,

"Nope, you are simply the local hot running chic!"

Happy Christmas (belatedly) Oryx.

Catch up for the New Year.

Oryx

Thanks Mary. Ill pay you next time I see you.

Local charity cycle this morning. Billed as a family ride, pace was meant to be handy. I lost the pack within 500m and that was that. Paddy last coming back. Handy me arse.

But really enjoyable, very bright and sunny day. Short enough I'd say I did 55k altogether. And then a huge dinner of leftovers -no cooking required! But gotta go... the couch is getting lonely.

Oryx

Levered myself off the couch today and got to the pool for a swim. It felt clumsy - one of those days- but did what I wanted to do.
100 wu
1000 fc w/ fins
20x 50 fc, 3x or 4x breaths and tumble turn
100 bc w/ tumble turn
50 bs

Still trying to get the catch improved. Not there yet, and I'm all tumble and no turn. Better than sitting on the couch eating though. But I am back doing that now of course.

Dory Dory

Eating?? Did someone mention the art of shoveling mass quantities of calories into one's mouth?? Namely in the form of a humongous fruit and nut Cadbury bar? From Ireland?? Oh yeah....it's over halfway gone in 48 hours. Thank you, Oryx, just how am I going to wear your fur bikini on the beaches of Key West now???!!!

Oryx

My mum made me a huge Christmas pudding which is almost gone. It will take a lot of running to get that off again. Thankfully, I may have that sussed.

Oryx

Trail and beach run today, starting just as dawn broke. It was pleasantly chilly. I had put out an open invitation to anyone who wanted to come to this run, but Maryb was the only hardy soul to turn up. (In shorts, the eejit)

We did 5k on a trail before returning via the beach, where there were a few tentative splashes in the waves. Our pace increased slightly in the second half, hovering just over 5min kms. 10.5k total in 56mins. Mary the party animal then went home for a well earned sleep, but as I haven't been partying I headed down the trail again on a shorter version of what we just did, covering another 7.75k in 44mins. So just over 18k today, that should be one slice of Christmas pudding gone!

Dory Dory

Oryx wrote: »

My mum made me a huge Christmas pudding which is almost gone. It will take a lot of running to get that off again. Thankfully, I may have that sussed.

Hmmm....due to the "thanks" you got on this post, I have a sneaking suspicion you have a race up your sleeve. Oh, Oryx, do tell. :D

RacoonQueen

Dory Dory wrote: »

Hmmm....due to the "thanks" you got on this post, I have a sneaking suspicion you have a race up your sleeve. Oh, Oryx, do tell. :D

I was thanking her about the pudding