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Dilbert75

Thursday
Static bike: 10min wu, (15x 30s high cadence <75%hr & 30s rec), 5 min CD. Total simulated distance 18km.

Also got new gym programme - hopefully it'll take me a bit further away from resembling the old Mr Muscle.

Dilbert75

Friday
Rest

Saturday
National Duathlon Championships, Mondello Park International Racing Circuit
I didn't deliberately set out to enter the National Championships for my first duathlon but it was being held in Mondello and I spent a lot of time there at car racing in my younger days, so I thought it'd be cool. Master D also chose to enter his first duathlon.

The kids' races were off at 10:30, so it was an early start. Master D ran the first 1600m leg well, lying in 5th at t1. The bike start didn't go so well for him (we should have practised) and he lost about 5s and passed into 6th. But once he got going he cycled well and by t2 was back in 5th. He pulled this back to 4th on the run, finishing an agonising 2s behind a national bronze medal. Great debut though.

A lot of waiting around ensued, during which it started raining and the wind started blowing. The senior races were to be 6.7km run (75:25 sealed surface:very mucky trail), 40km cycle and 3.3km (more like 50:50 tarmac:muck) run to the finish. The ladies' races (youth, junior and senior) were off first, to be followed by the men's races in the same categories. The men's races were started once the final female cyclist finished.

Lined up at the back - the fewer people to pass me the better. Chatted to a guy from Athy TC and then we were off.

First was a lap of the race track. It's a lot easier in a car but at least on foot I managed to neither spin nor crash! About half way around my stomach started protesting, possibly about the (admittedly out of date) gel I'd taken just before the start, but I backed the pace off a tad and it settled. After tge lap we turned off track and ran along the outside of the catch fencing and an access road. We went through the very mucky kids' transition area onto the track before going off road again onto grass/muck around to the back of the grandstand. Then we were into transition area to get the bike. Run was a gnat's whisker over 7km and it took 29:49 (avg 4:14/km).

T1 took 1:19 - should have gone with the elastic laces and actually practised.

Out for 12 laps of the race track. Very quickly I was getting lapped by trains of faster competitors (it was draft legal) absolutely churning past me. For these laps I could hardly see anything - my glasses were fogged up the minute I put them on and kept fogging up every time I cleared them, so I had to cycle with them on the bridge of my nose, so cycling behind anyone gave me eyes full of rain. Despite all my layers I got quite cold quite quickly. (6:54, 6:45,7:00).

On lap 4 two guys caught me and they were on the same lap so they invited me to join their train. I hung on for about a lap and a half but they were too strong for me and I couldn't even pass them to take my turn on the front. I lost them going uphill and didn't see them again (but they didn't lap me!).

On lap 6 I reached down to the crossbar to remove the lap stickers (removable stickers to help count laps) and got a ferocious cramp in my upper right calf. Had to clip out and stretch it out but fortunately I wasn't going uphill at the time and the stretch relieved it. (6:34,6:56,7:25)

The final 6 laps were unremarkable other than the wind was getting stronger and it was in our faces as we went up the long main straight. I was finishing my 8th lap as Bryan McCrystal was winning his national gold medal in 1:40. As the wind got stronger, I got slower but my resolve to keep going got stronger, helped by Master D's shouts of encouragement from the stand on every lap. Last 6 laps were 7:27, 7:37, 8:09, 7:53, 7:57 & 8:10. They were disassembling the adverts around the finish area as I was coming in. Average speed was 28:03/km (which I'm happy enough with).

T2 took 1:30, which was better than expected seeing I couldn't feel my fingers to tie my laces.

Final run was on the second half of the first run. It was slower than first time but I passed two people on the trail bit (I was wearing trail runners but even they were swamped by mud so I'd hate to have been in road shoes like most of the rest). Finished the 3.4km in 15:39 (4:38/km).

Total time was 2:17 for 52.24km and I was in the bottom 15% but they weren't in the same race as I was - racing me.

Kurt_Godel

Dilbert75 wrote: »

The kids' races were off at 10:30, so it was an early start. Master D ran the first 1600m leg well, lying in 5th at t1. The bike start didn't go so well for him (we should have practised) and he lost about 5s and passed into 6th. But once he got going he cycled well and by t2 was back in 5th. He pulled this back to 4th on the run, finishing an agonising 2s behind a national bronze medal. Great debut though.

Well done to that young man!

Dory Dory

Well done to you both!!! Whoop whoop!! And good for you to keep at it - you know it's a lot easier for folks like Bryan McCrystal to show up at the start than it is for most of us normal peeps. Props to you. Your next race will be even better!!!

Neady83

Well done C , those conditions were far from ideal. Chin up, you got out there on a day when I bet many who had signed up decided to stay inside and you did great on the bike especially as you were on your own and your glasses were causing you bother. Your structured training is paying off.

I wonder do the trains decide before the off that they're going to work together or is is something that happens naturally in the race?

Well done to Master D, you're a great influence, it's no wonder he's doing so well.

Dilbert75

Thanks all. Master D is a credit to himself and to us - he's always willing to try something new and to work hard.

For my part I'm not dissatisfied. It backs up my suspicion that the plan I'm following is a get-you-round rather than do-well. But I've never raced 40k before, I've never raced in wind and rain like that and didn't know how hard to push. I'm not conditioned to do much more right now but that can change. I'm thinking the wattbike could be taking some punishment over the coming weeks - build up the cycling from avg power for some time to more power for longer time. And some real world timed cycles against the clock. And more of that single-leg pedalling that works so well for Dory.

Dilbert75

Had missed my gym session yesterday so got in there today to give my first go at day 1 of the new programme. Gave it a good shot, with 10 mins warm up on the wattbike, although I wasn't 100% sure of some of the core exercises - have to check with nice man when I see him next. Still I spent 49mins on the bits that don't get improved by swimming, biking or running.

Then into the pool - not exactly a great idea after an upper body weights session. Ground out 1200m - way below what I'd planned to do today & for the whole week but I was running out of time and energy.

Totals for the week:
Swim: 59%
Bike: 403%
Run: 135%
Strength: 132%

I think there are 4 weeks left on the current plan so I think I'll see it out. It's supposed to be an Olympic distance training plan and, though it's light, I'm not planning anything more than sprint distance this year so I'm not going to judge myself against a higher standard.

Dory Dory

Not everyone on boards sees value in the single leg drills, but the gal who is helping me does (as does Oryx! ), and I think as long as you keep it to 4 to 6 minutes (no need to do much more than that), you're fine.

Dilbert75

Rest day today thankfully. My hamstrings are aching from the gym session yesterday. Turns out the 3x20 standing jumps onto an 18" plyometric box will have that effect. Who knew?

Neady83

Dilbert75 wrote: »

3x20 standing jumps onto an 18" plyometric box

:eek: :eek: Yikes

Dilbert75

Tuesday
Club swim. 1400m, if my counting is correct, including quite a bit of practise of swimming in close proximity for maximum efficiency and swimming in formation. I've never swum so quickly with such ease!

Dilbert75

Tonight is supposed to be run + gym. Instead I'm waiting to give blood. I missed the clinic on Sunday and then couldn't get here on time Mon & Tue. But I was feeling guilty and left early today. I blame Neady.

Neady83

Dilbert75 wrote: »

Tonight is supposed to be run + gym. Instead I'm waiting to give blood. I missed the clinic on Sunday and then couldn't get here on time Mon & Tue. But I was feeling guilty and left early today. I blame Neady.

Yeaeeeeeeeeee thanks C, I really appreciate it and please don't feel guilty for missing a session or two - it's totally worth it, you're saving lives. I'll do an extra gym session this week to make up for you missing yours

Dilbert75

Neady83 wrote: »

Yeaeeeeeeeeee thanks C, I really appreciate it and please don't feel guilty for missing a session or two - it's totally worth it, you're saving lives. I'll do an extra gym session this week to make up for you missing yours

Thanks S...though tbh I was scapegoating you; I was going anyway . Got a 10-donation pin too, which was a surprise. I used to be a regular but then for a few years it seemed every time they came to town I'd the snuffles. But I came back just before Christmas when women weren't allowed donate and I happened to be snot-free. Will have to try keep it up.

Anyhoo! Run tonight - hill repeats. Plan was 10 min wu, 6x (30s hill, jog back), 2x (5 min @85-90% hr, 2 min easy), 5 min cd.

Mistimed the wu a little so took about 12 mins. Had programmed the watch without any flexibility so had to stop it for about 2 mins while I got to the bottom of the Hill of Doom. Thought that, having done up to 10x20s before 6x30 would be easy but no way. Was tired anyway but this was tough. Was gasping by the end of the 2nd one and it got worse from there, though my distances stabilised after the 3rd. After these were done it was on to the 2x (5+2) - wasn't hard to get the hr up to 85-90% of max. Finished out the 5 min CD and had a couple of extra mins to get back to the start. Total 8k in 43 mins.

On to gym for strength session. Only had 30 mins before closing so got day 2 of my new programme done for the first time. Could need help getting out of bed in the morning, never mind getting dressed.

Neady83

How did getting out of bed go? I find putting on the seatbelt to be the toughest after a new strength session

Dilbert75

Haha - it was disappointingly easy actually. Little but of residual soreness but was hoping for more as a sign of something achieved.

Wattbike today. Plan was 10 min wu, 8x (2 min@85-90% hr, 1 min recovery), 10 min CD onto 5 min run. Went well except I really had to crank up the resistance to get the hr up, so now my butt hurts. 25.3km in 44 mins. Went straight onto the dreadmill and ran 1km in 5 mins + some change.

Pool is closed on Sunday for a gala, so need to get in for a swim in the morning.

Dilbert75

Plan calls for 50 mins easy running on terrain similar to my hypothetical race so chose hard sealed surfaces, running with Mrs. D. Not used to running shortly after breakfast so the change was good. 10.36km in 51 mins - wasn't nearly as easy as it should have been at that pace but anyway.

career move

Is hard sealed surfaces a fancy name for the road???

Dilbert75

Saturday evening
Swim from Friday. Planned to do 2000m and hoped to do 2400, as I covered less distance than I'd hoped at Tuesday club swim. But, having had Miss D and her friends out for bowling & pizza for the afternoon (Miss D's birthday day out), I was against the clock. Still got 2x200m fc wu and 4x400m fc: total 2000m before they pulled the covers over me. Tired now.

Dilbert75

career move wrote: »

Is hard sealed surfaces a fancy name for the road???

Road is one example of such. Round here we also have footpaths though. You need a Wikipedia link? :P

Dilbert75

Sunday
Was due to do 70 mins on the bike with 10 mins of that at race pace. Also had to do the strength work that I skipped yesterday in order to get Friday's swim done. Stuck for time so went to the gym for both ('cos it takes me ages to even get ready to go out on the bike:o).

Jumped on the Wattbike and stuck it on 8 with minimum magnetic resistance. Stayed at that for the first 35 mins, averaging about 32 simulated km/h (about 10% faster than last week's race pace). Then knocked it back to 5 for the next 10 mins. The avg speed was dropping then so I stuck on a bit of magnetic resistance and upped the cadence from about 75-78. Finished it out at 70 mins, 35skm and 2 jelly legs. Spotting an opportunity, I jumped on the dreadmill for 1skm.

Then on to the strength work. The gala monopolising the pool also had the studio so I couldn't do my plyometric standing jumps but I got the rest done - finished it off with some core work when I got home.

Week 9 summary
Swim: 2/2 sessions, 92% of planned distance
Bike: 2/2 sessions, 114% of planned distance
Run: 2/2 sessions (+2 short runs off bike), 102% of planned distance
Strength: 2/2 sessions, 102% of planned time

Dilbert75

Monday
Rest. Badly needed. Fully appreciated.

Tuesday
Club swim. 1900m total incl. drills and sighting practise. Was swimming comfortably tonight and, six weeks out from Lough Cutra, in my head I was comparing my swimming to last year's visit. Phenomenal difference. Still need ow practise but confidence is way higher. While joining the Tri club is not the best thing I did ever, it's certainly the best move I've ever made from a sports point of view. I'd never have done this alone.

Dilbert75

Wednesday
Run - back to hill repeats. Plan was 10 min wu, 8x (30s hill, jog back), 2x (8 min @85-90% hr, 2 min easy), 5 min cd. Working late again :mad: so only got togged out just after 8:10pm.

Changed my hr settings this time so that I would no longer be trying to warm up, run up hill and stay in hr zone 2 simultaneously, 'cos it wasn't easy. By virtue of being allowed run a bit faster I got to the start of my hill repeat section a little sooner than last time, less than 90s after the wu was planned to end. Into the repeats then; as expected this was tough. It's a nice wee hill and I'd not done 8x30s on it before. Distances were 140, 130, 133, 138, 130, 126, 128 &125 - not as even as I wanted but ok. The two 8 min sections in zone 4 were 1.67 and 1.66km and the total was 9.5km in just over 50 mins.

Was due to do some strength work then but had less than 10 mins before the gym closed so I got 4 sets of Bulgarian split squats and 4 super sets of bicep curls / tricep curls.

Weight is still dropping and clothes are getting looser on me (Miss D is delighted at the prospect of bringing me clothes shopping for the second year in a row). I dropped on size up to last year and it feels like another one is on the way - back to my 20-year-old sizes (if only I'd kept the clothes). Energy levels are good though, even though I'm tired from a series of non-fun late nights.

Dory Dory

Well done you !!!!

Neady83

Thems hill repeats ain't easy, fair play. Well done on the weight loss though, honestly, I don't know where you're losing it from, I thought you were a bean pole when we were jogging the prom.

Dilbert75

Thanks girls.

Neady83 wrote: »

I don't know where you're losing it from, I thought you were a bean pole when we were jogging the prom.

I'm honestly not trying but it's happening. I eat less stupidly compared to when I was running all the time; I guess why it's happening.

As for not thinking I could lose some weight well it was 6am on a December morning so it was dark and I was well wrapped up. It was an easy mistake!

Steroo

Eat more ! My scales won't budge ;(

Louth Cutra getting close now

Neady83

Dilbert75 wrote: »

Thanks girls.



I'm honestly not trying but it's happening. I eat less stupidly compared to when I was running all the time; I guess why it's happening.

As for not thinking I could lose some weight well it was 6am on a December morning so it was dark and I was well wrapped up. It was an easy mistake!

There's a recipe for datey coconutty balls over on my log, they're a really tasty, nutritious and high calorie snack. You can make a bazillion of them and freeze them.

We can't have you fading away on us

Dilbert75

Steroo wrote: »

Eat more ! My scales won't budge ;(

Louth Cutra getting close now

Sure is - need to get into the cold, wavy stuff... :eek:

Dilbert75

Neady83 wrote: »

There's a recipe for datey coconutty balls over on my log, they're a really tasty, nutritious and high calorie snack. You can make a bazillion of them and freeze them.

We can't have you fading away on us

No fear of me - I eat plenty but have cut out a lot of crap. Tbh I suspect my choice of hr zones - a lot more time in zones 2 & 4 rather than 3, as advised at a Tri club talk a couple of months ago - has led to the drop. But it's all good.

Thanks for the offer of the recipe but, as it happens, there's nothing on this planet (and I include the experience of cleaning kiddie vom out from between floor boards) that makes me as nauseous as coconut. Even being near someone who used coconut shampoo sends my stomach somersaulting. :eek:

As you can tell I'll prob pass on the coco-balls! :P