The difficult second album

joey100

Thurs 30th March

Evening turbo with the newly updated laptop. 3x10@215w,3easy. These went well, felt strong and never under huge pressure. Bit of time left at the end and didn't fancy just easy spinning so done 4x1@305w,1easy. These where tough, found it hard to get the power settle, jumping between just below and then around 10w over. Got it done though and a good session.

Fri 31st March

Nearly rolled over and didn't go for my morning swim. Glad I did on the way in when I heard on the radio about the strikes. Plenty of time in the pool this morning and done a mix of everything really. Long steady to start alt swim and pull. Then into 6x50m as 25 fast, 25easy. Then was 6 x 100m steady off 1.55, holding 1.35 pace. Then was 8x50m off 55 aiming for 45. These went well enough too. Bit of easy and pull buoy stuff then to finish off. A good session in the pool and lots done.

Lunch time run. At times moving well, other times still a little slow. Legs a little tired today but was only 45 mins easy so was grand. Average pace similar to last Fri with HR a little bit lower but not enough to say there was an improvement. Definitely feeling better running though but still lots to do.

joey100

Sat 1st April

Another morning spin with A1CC. Not as long as last week, around 82km done in total. Handy enough on the flats and pushed a bit going uphill. Legs feeling the turbo from Thursday a little bit but grand other than that. Split off from the group after a bit and then pushed home by myself. Moving well and felt comfortable. Good spin.

Sun 2nd April

Had hoped to make the club TT but knew I wouldn't early on. Long run had been done earlier in the week so done a brick session. Session was 3x(4mins easy, 8mins@225w) into run of 600m faster than 3.45 min/km pace, 600m easy. These went well, no problem holding power on the turbo across all of them. Ran well off the bike too, first one pace was around 3.40, second 3.25, and third was 3.32. Feeling it a bit by the third one but was running well off the bike and felt good. I won't be running as fast as these off the bike next Saturday in Laois but good that I can, I'll be hoping to go close to 19mins for the run (Never broken 19 in a tri, not sure I'm in the best shape to do it now either). So will need to average around 3.45 pace. Plan today was to run quicker than this so hopefully it feels easier on Sat. Short enough session overall but felt it went well and had no problem running off the bike.

New freehubs have arrived from FLO too to turn my 10 speed wheels into 11 speed. Dropping them upto the bike shop today and should have them back by the weekends race. Closer than I would have liked but they were ordered in Feb to give myself plenty of time.

rodneyr1981

Whats the race at the weekend Joey?

joey100

Tri Laois Rodney. Timing not great, run hasn't really bounced back like I had hoped after being sick but getting there. It's more a race to get the mistakes out of my system before the season really starts in Carlow in May. Not a huge fan of the race, open busy roads, lot of waiting around but a big load from the club going and it's not too far from home. Done it the last 2 years too so have a fair idea of the route. I'm not going to take too much from it, going to just go and enjoy it and see how it goes really, try to remember it's just a bit of fun!

rodneyr1981

Cool best of luck with it.

joey100

Mon 3rd April

Evening run. Had hoped to do this at lunch time in work but never happened. One of them sessions where you very nearly don't leave the couch to do. Plan was repeat of last Mondays session. 45 easy with 5x1km @3/55 pace, 1 easy. Went better than last week, lot better at judging the pace and actually felt like a threshold run rather than flat out. HR still a little high for the effort but not as high as last week. No problem holding the pace and for most of them had to pull back a little to not over push them. Good session with just over 10km done in the 45 mins.

griffin100

joey100 wrote: »

Tri Laois Rodney. Timing not great, run hasn't really bounced back like I had hoped after being sick but getting there. It's more a race to get the mistakes out of my system before the season really starts in Carlow in May. Not a huge fan of the race, open busy roads, lot of waiting around but a big load from the club going and it's not too far from home. Done it the last 2 years too so have a fair idea of the route. I'm not going to take too much from it, going to just go and enjoy it and see how it goes really, try to remember it's just a bit of fun!

I see the first two waves will be 'fast' swim waves so hopefully you'll be away early emough.

joey100

That's if I get in one! Seen that alright, main thing will be the roads will be quieter when we get to the bikes. Lot of traffic last year.

Will you be down at it yourself??

griffin100

Hoping to get there but only for swim and bike, no running for last 4 months with no end of problem in sight. If I get into wave 1 or 2 I'll probably head down, if I'm in wave 7 I might rethink it.

joey100

Might see you down there Griffin so!

Tues 4th April

Evening turbo. Mainly easy with 7 x 2mins@100@ and then 4 x1mins@100%. More about keeping the legs turning over for Saturdays race than anything else. Felt decent.

Wed 5th April

Afternoon run. 40 mins easy. Pace improved a little bit, great day to be out running. All nice and easy.

Thurs 6th April

Morning swim. Mainly long steady stuff with some faster short stuff towards the end.

Evening cycle. OUt on the roads to check the TT bike out. All feels good, only around 15km done but felt comfortable on the bike.

Fri 7th April

Lunch time run. 30 mins easy with some strides. Pace pretty good today, HR very settled, feel a little tired but other than that all good.

Racing in Tri Laois tomorrow. Signed up for this a while back but wasn't expecting to be sick so close to it so any plans for it are gone out the window really. Plan is just to enjoy it and see where everything is really. Season starts proper in Carlow and I'll be in a lot better shape for that. Tomorrow is about having a bit of fun and enjoying myself. I'll still push it but have no idea how the body will respond and how I'll hold up. But we will see!

griffin100

Wave 1 for me so no exuses not to head down!!

Neady83

Race well tomorrow Joey.

mossym

best of luck tomorrow joe

El Director

Good luck today Joe I believe Mick King is going to so that'll be a decent battle I'd say! ��

mossym

well done joe, i wouldn't have expected to see the two nenagh brothers there yesterday, thought they would be focused on ras mumhan in prep for the Ras.
nice running off the bike.

joey100

Right so Tri Laois was on Saturday. Stayed down the night before, our club had a huge amount doing it and the organiser put us all into the same wave. A quick email a few days before got me moved to wave 1 (fastest wave and first wave out), these are the lads I want to race against and with it being wave 1 would mean quieter roads for the bike. Swim lane was going to be fast, two scully brothers, 2 from Belpark and then a sub 10 min swimmer and a low 11 min swimmer. No problems putting myself at the back. Had swam beside the 2 from Belpark in UCD and knew that I wasn't as fast. Plan was to sit in behind them all and draft the swim.

Swim 12.04 (includes some of the run to T1) out of the water in 11.37.

Went really well, Lane was well organised and apart from a bit of swapping positions at the front the rest of us stayed fairly solid. Lost a bit of time with each turn but wasn't rushing them, bit of an extra breath at each length and then a little surge to get back onto feet. Was working well and I never felt flat out. I was working though and was very happy to see 11.37 on the clock when I got out. Whole swim + run to t1 time was around 40 seconds quicker than last year. A good start to the race.

T1 42 seconds

Had a jersey in T1 that I had planned on putting on when I got there but you get caught up in the race and it was left there. Nice and quick through, 1 second quicker than last year.

Bike 33.42

Not as fast as I would have liked. Only about 10 seconds quicker than last year but done on less power, approx 15 watts, less surges in power though. Probably took the foot off a bit too much on the back part of the course. Bike handled well and apart from being really loud on some of the rougher surface was very comfortable. Never felt under huge pressure and had a bit of back and forth with a lad from Limerick Tri. Passed by another just before T2 and another lad pulled alongside but was confident in my run.

T2 1 min

Bit of a fiddle getting helmet off and into shoes but that was because of cold hands. Other than that pleased with it.

Run 18.59 (last year was 19.12)

Started well and was out before the lad who came into T2 with me, passed the lad who passed me at the end of the bike and the lad from Limerick within 200m and was into fourth. Could see 3rd up the road but was making no progress into him. Ran steady without pushing too much for the first 2.5km, gap stayed between me and the little group behind me and then from the turnaround I pushed on a little and opened it up over the next 2km. Had a good lead over them heading towards the finish but tried to keep the pace up. Was never in danger of catching 3rd but knew I was close to sub 19min so pushed it a bit. Crossed the line in 4th place and 1.06.28. About a min quicker than last year, quicker in all 3 sections with the swim being the real difference.

Pleased with how the race went. I had pretty much 3 weeks off at the start of March with sickness and last year I came into this race off some good training blocks. Didn't perform how I wanted last year but happy with this year. I swam smart, probably could have moved up a position or two but this would have only saved me 6/7 seconds as the second half of the lane pretty much all got out together. Bike was fairly decent. Lost a bit of time here compared to others around me. Settled a bit too easy on the back half of the course I'd say. Run went well, ran strong rather than fast and worked well. Again looking at the data after the race I probably could have pushed on a bit but very happy to go under the 19 mins.

4th place was as good as I would ever do with the other lads racing here so very pleased with that. The 3xbrick session I done the Sunday before the race worked well for my running off the bike. I had no problem's with Jelly legs (could have been due to the lower power on the bike too) and no cramping or anything, was able to settle into a quick run very quickly. Moving my long run to midweek as well the week before the race worked well, the running legs felt very fresh and it meant I didn't skip the long one.

I'll have to have a look at the bike run up to the next race. I was out the Saturday before the race for around 3.5hours on the road bike. I'll probably cut that back next time and get out on the TT bike. Need to spend more time on it and I'll include some race power efforts in that. Swim went well but that was more down to the lane I ended up in than my own swimming.

My big goal for a sprint tri this year was to go sub 19 off the bike. I've been trying for around a season and a half now and have gone close but never done it. It was only just under and the real test will be in Derry and Carlow off a harder bike to see if I can do it but it's good for the confidence. I only have done 2 tough-ish run sessions since I've got back training, everything else has been easy so good signs there. So overall pleased with the race, positions don't mean a whole lot in small races like that but I was faster in all 3 than last year so a good race.

Sunday 9th April

Easy turbo. Got on the turbo planning to do 2hrs easy spinning. Watched the mens ITU race and half of the women's race and called it a day, HR was starting to climb and it was becoming more of an effort. 90 mins easy done.

rooneyjm

Good racing. You were freaking out a bit after Naas but there was no need really. That's a super platform to build on for the summer. Crossing that bridge at the end of the run in Carlow slows you down a bit if your after sub 19

joey100

Cheers JM, ah the Naas thing was a bit mad. In a way I'm glad it happened, hadn't been feeling right for a while. I ran slower there than I had in a while and my HR was higher than it had ever been so made me realise something was up and actually go to the doctor. Seems to be working well now and can actually see some improvements with the training.

peter kern

somebody you know swam 3 sec faster per 100 this morning seems like you lit a fire under his a..se lol.

joey100

IF he done that he would have left me behind! To be fair it was more down to my swim lane than myself in how I beat him. He well beat me on the bike and nudged me on the run. Need to remember that and get back in the pool myself!

zico10

peter kern wrote: »

somebody you know swam 3 sec faster per 100 this morning seems like you lit a fire under his a..se lol.

How many fins was he using today?

griffin100

Good result the weekend, didn't see your name in the first wave starters so didn't try and find you. You has a serious swim lane there!

peter kern

zico10 wrote: »

How many fins was he using today?

one
https://www.scubastore.com/scuba-diving/scubapro-carbon-monofin-m1/135900013/p?utm_source=google_products&utm_medium=merchant&id_producte=2254210&country=ie&gclid=CPr3rIb7nNMCFYO37Qode5YKQA&gclsrc=aw.ds

we should get those also for moc s birthday to control his kick ...

joey100

Cheers Griffin, yeah was some serious swimmers in the lane, maybe could have moved myself up one or two but wouldn't have made a difference really. Plan within the lane was for one lad to take it out hard and then for Shane and the lad from Belpark to take over and share the leading. Talking to a fella on the bank the first 100 was in 1.12 and then dropped to 1.24 for the next one. That lad was done then and the 2 others took over. Worked well and the lane held together pretty good.

Monday 10th April

40 mins easy run. Didn't want to do the intervals but didn't want to not run either so 40 mins easy was the compromise. Legs feeling lot better and was moving well.Easy suddenly feels a lot easier after Saturdays run.

Tues 11th April

The only real bit of Saturdays race I'm not happy with is the bike. Gave up too much time to other people. I tend to come out of aero a good bit on the turbo, especially when it gets tough so from now on I'll be making more of an effort to put the power out in the aero position. Tonight was 5x7 mins @220w+, 3 easy. No real problems holding the power, did get a little tough towards the end but pleased how I held it together.

Wed 12th April

Morning swim. Lots of longer intervals today. Alt between swim and pull, trying to keep the turn over high. Sometimes settles down a bit so today was about keeping it moving. Felt decent in the water. A few fast 25's included in the longer intervals to make sure I done some work.

Lunch time run. 45 mins easy. Another decent run, no real improvement in pace but it is feeling a lot easier, HR is more settled and I'm doing the same pace for a little lower HR. Legs feeling a lot better today. Just over 9km done.

joey100

ok Been a while since I've updated so I'll do my best to remember it all!

Thurs 13th April

Turbo session. 1hr with 6X3@105%, 3 easy. tough enough, tougher than it should be really.

Fri 14th April

Morning run. 4x1km @3.35, 2.5 easy. First proper fast session in a while and suffered for it. I'll keep the session the same for the next week and see how I go.

Evening turbo,. 45 mins easy on zwift with some sprints thrown in. Legs not too bad.

Sat 15th april

A1 CC club spin. Bit by myself and a bit with the club. Altogether 100km done, felt comfortable through the whole thing. Pushed on a bit on the climbs and easy on flats

Sun 16th April

Long run. 90 mins easy. An out and back route and when I got to the turn around the rain started and didn't finish until after I finished. Got soaked, legs a little tired but overall a decent run. Few hills and bumps thrown in cos I knew I was going to be slow anyway.

Mon 17th April

Threshold run set. 6X1km @3.55, 1 easy. First of these was the worst, once that was done it got comfortable enough. Pleased with the pace, no problems at all and had to pull back for a few of them to stop going too fast.

Tues 18th April

Evening turbo. 90 mins including 5x10@220w,5easy. Probably a little long rest but wanted to go for longer at the watts and wasn't 100% I would be able for the full 50 mins so decided on a long enough rest. comfortable enough throughout.

Wed 19th April

Easy run. 1 hour and for the first time I averaged under 5 min km in a long time. Very comfortable throughout, HR very settled and never really rasied at all during the run. Good run.

Thurs 20th April

2 hour turbo including 10x3mins @105%. Plenty of gaps between the intervals but were still tough towards the end. 30 mins done at over 105% so a good enough session.

joey100

Fri 21st April

Lunch time run. 4 x 1km @3.35 pace. A little better than last week, not hugely but more comfortable running at an uncomfortable pace. Legs feeling it from the start and were wrecked by the end.

Sat 22nd April

Solo cycle on the TT bike. Headed out early to get some time in on the new TT bike on the roads. It's a lot more stable than the Argon. Doesn't feel as on edge, the otherside of that is I'm finding it hard to judge the pace on it a bit. Felt like I was crawling along, look at speedo and going 30kmph+ for little effort, push it a little, feels I'#m going a bit faster, look at garmin and nearly 40kmph. Hard to tell the difference in the speed at time, it all feels very comfortable. The legs know they are working but on the Argon you could tell when you were going fast because you would feel more on edge. Maybe it's just being more comfortable on the new bike but it's only a small thing anyway and more time on it will sort that out. Anyway, 102km done. All in Easy zone, NP around mid 170's and HR were it should be. Very little wind and used a route I used last year training for Outlaw half where I done my intervals on the route. Plenty of fastest sections and 2nd and 3rd fastest times all in easy zone so good signs.

Sunday 23rd April

Skipped my long run. Have been feeling on the edge of being sick for afew days now so decided that I would take an unplanned rest day. I'm not too worried, with the way the last race fell and the next it's about a 5 week block so with the last week being an easy meant I would be doing 4 weeks work rather than 3. Combined with doing a bit extra on the bike over the last week cos I'm off work has meant I'm more tired than normal. I'll move the long run to Wednesday in place of my easy run and all will be well.

joey100

Monday 24th April

Easy 40 min run. Still feeling a little off so no intervals today. Just an easy 40 mins, pace a little better, nothing huge but with me feeling a little off I'm paranoid and keeping an eye on Hr and pace.

Tues 25th April

1 hour easy turbo. Long while since I just took an easy hour on the turbo. Again probably too conscious of HR to power. Power is up for same HR, not huge but again enough that has me bit worried I might not be well.

Wed 26th April

Morning swim. Been a while. Plenty of longer intervals. Mix of 300's and 400's pull and swim depending on space in the lane. Felt decent in the water, little bit of a coughing fit at one stage but nothing too bad.

Lunch time run. Still not feeling 100% and don't know if the recent improvements are because of training or HR dropping before I'm sick but today's run was pretty bang on where I have been the last while. Average HR and where I hit the max are the same, pace a tiny bit better. THink I'm being over cautious, but will probably finish out the week with just easy stuff and see how I feel. 1hour easy done.

Kurt.Godel

There's a bug going around Joe, better to err on the side of caution alright. A few easy days now will pay for themselves later.

What race is up next?

joey100

That's what I'm thinking too Kurt, I'm finally starting to learn! I'll keep it ticking over but nothing mad.

Next up is Carlow, looking forward to it. Not looking forward to the freezing cold water but sure that should only be a short part of the race anyway!

joey100

Thurs 27th April

Morning swim. Similar enough to yesterday with 5x50m off 1 min thrown in. Still not wanting to push too hard but starting to feel normal, just a little tickly cough now.

Evening turbo. 1 hour easy. Power is def up on the bike, not hugely but around 7/8 watts for the same HR. HR is very settled and matches Tuesdays so don't think it's any sickness.

Fri 28th April

Lunch run. 40 mins easy. Again playing on the safe side and keeping it easy. Legs feel good and no issues at all.