P in the Pool

Kurt_Godel

Sat 1:40 bike, 2k run bric

10 easy
3x(15 race wattage, 5 easy)
20 ez
onto run
5 steady
5 easy

Dropped the nippers at the pool- driving there we were lucky to see the sun just rising over the horizon from Wales. Fantastic start to the day! It got better as Kirk was dropping his daughter off too, saw my bike and asked if I wanted company. So in a few minutes we set off from his house onto the old N11 road towards Wicklow. It's a dream to bike on, flat with good surface, and 99% of traffic now takes the new motorway. My race Wattage has recently been around 240W so I kept an eye on the garmin to keep it over this. Riding in company was great for this, and for the (also important) discipline of keeping the easy segments around down around 150W. I'll have to get out in company more often, will try and make it a regular early Saturday gig.
The three 15 min sections all averaged 250W bang on, which I'm happy about. Distances were 8.59k, 7.75k, 9.05k, which reflected the rolling out and back course.

Straight into the run, pushed for time so slightly under the required 10 mins, instead a 2k run. The first km off the bike felt a bit stiff, kept the cadence high and the posture solid, used the arms to get motoring. 4:06 for the km. Nice and easy coming back, a very comfortable 5:09. All in all a great start to the day

Kurt_Godel

Part 2 in an unfortunate series

(Again, posted here in lieu of a diary)

Brian Sewell died today aged 84, and the art world has been dealt a blow for his passing. He was possibly the most pompous, arrogant, overbearing critic around- willing to cast a cold eye on the populist garbage that gets the modern 15 minutes of fame, while championing those values that will remain in Art History after Fashion has used them up.

The world (especially in the internet age) needs educated snobs to remind us of eternal values, and we just lost an important one today. Someone who was not afraid to be mocked for being right, someone who was not afraid to stir the pot for being right, someone who worked very hard to justify their being right.

The circle has got a little smaller today. He was a worthy failure that would have been celebrated as a success in a better era.

Kurt_Godel

Sun 7.64k run
15 easy
15 steady
5 easy

4:32min/km pace for the 15min steady. Legs felt a bit stiff starting off, but felt much better as the run went on. Lashing rain, nice to run in that.
I've been feeling tired lately- slept for 10 hours straight last night. It's probably an "end-of-season" lethargy, will take a break after next Saturday's race.

Kurt_Godel

Mon Masters swim incl 400mTT in 5:55

100easy
10*75 as (25k, 50swim, 15s rest)
8*50 as (25 BE 3,5; 25 BE 5,7) 15s rest
50 as 25 max, 25 easy
400m TT (5:55)
20*50 as (odds steady+15s rest; evens on 45s)

TT tonight- always a defining moment of where you are and what you can do. Where I thought I was- not really swim fit, but with better form and breathing than last year in the pool. We got the extended warm-up and hypoxic out of the way, and lined up in the pool, 3 to a lane. I was going second behind Stu, who has notions of getting under 5 mins in the next couple of months. I went out 5 secs after him but like a bat out of hell I could feel his draft for the first 25m. He quickly pulled away on the turn however, and I kept plugging away, feeling good, knowing my form was decent and I was swimming well. Target I had in mind was 1:25 for the first 100m... crap, way too fast, I glanced up at the turn and saw 1:17... guess you can't teach an old dog new tricks! The second 100m was better at around 1:25, but I started to suffer from 250m in, and struggled over the last 50m with very bad form.

Still, 5:55 is just off my fastest 5:50 at the end of last years Masters sessions, so its a decent start to this block. More discipline next time- going off in 1:20/100m pace and holding that should produce better results.

pgibbo

Nice benchmark to start off from!!! :cool:

Kurt_Godel

pgibbo wrote: »

Nice benchmark to start off from!!! :cool:

Thanks Paul, yes it is a better place to be coming from than I'd have expected. My swimming is at a decent level now- I can cruise and be confident of stroke etc so as to exit relatively high, without a huge amount of swim work. The bigger gains for next year will come from run and bike (in that order) and I suspect this winter's training program will have that in mind.

Of course I'd still like to be faster as a swimmer, and will work towards making that happen too. The masters group is fantastic for this- if you want to swim faster, surround yourself with faster swimmers. It's not the only way to get faster, but it's the best as far as I can see. Plus having company and banter makes it easier to hit the pool when staying in by the fire is tempting!

Tue 30 mins easy run, 6km
This felt easy all the way through.

tunney

Kurt_Godel wrote: »

Thanks Paul, yes it is a better place to be coming from than I'd have expected. My swimming is at a decent level now- I can cruise and be confident of stroke etc so as to exit relatively high, without a huge amount of swim work. The bigger gains for next year will come from run and bike (in that order) and I suspect this winter's training program will have that in mind.

Of course I'd still like to be faster as a swimmer, and will work towards making that happen too. The masters group is fantastic for this- if you want to swim faster, surround yourself with faster swimmers. It's not the only way to get faster, but it's the best as far as I can see. Plus having company and banter makes it easier to hit the pool when staying in by the fire is tempting!

Tue 30 mins easy run, 6km
This felt easy all the way through.

Devils advocate - is 5:55 fast for a short course 25m (with what reads like some draft)? Or does it just seem fast based on comparisons to here?

You like maths and graphs. Can you plot your 400m TT times over the last 5 years? Would be an interesting graph to see here.

Kurt_Godel

tunney wrote: »

Devils advocate - is 5:55 fast for a short course 25m (with what reads like some draft)? Or does it just seem fast based on comparisons to here?

You like maths and graphs. Can you plot your 400m TT times over the last 5 years? Would be an interesting graph to see here.

Fast?- only in comparison with what I've done previously.

The following table is from the past few years 400mTT threads. The most useful way to compare progress IMO is start/end of masters swim season- although there is notable progress no matter what way the table is read.

Winter/Spring|2012/13|2031/14|2014/15|2015/16
Start of season|6:50|6:48|6:10|5:55
End of season|6:05|6:00|5:50|


Fast compared to here? That's a whole different question!

tunney

Kurt_Godel wrote: »

Fast?- only in comparison with what I've done previously.

The following table is from the past few years 400mTT threads. The most useful way to compare progress IMO is start/end of masters swim season- although there is notable progress no matter what way the table is read.

Winter/Spring|2012/13|2031/14|2014/15|2015/16
Start of season|6:50|6:48|6:10|5:55
End of season|6:05|6:00|5:50|


Fast compared to here? That's a whole different question!

Unless you read only the end of season line only. Then your 400m progress is largely flat.

interested

Well done on the progress, as pgibbo said, nice to be starting on something close to where the swimming block finished a few months ago.

Details associated with each of these 400 TT's would be interesting (you may have already posted them in your log or previously and when I say interesting I mean for you ).

Things like:
When in swim block it happened
What was the session warm up before hand
How many times had you swam that week
Was there a lead out in front of you
Did you catch / lap anyone
HR at the end of the 400

All of the above is coming from a swimming point of view - and its kinda comical since you'd think that replicating a test set in a pool is easy (well easier compared to an OW race).

With total respect to you and how far you've come with your swimming - the progression over the years in time, seconds is a small percentage of the overall tri picture. A point you've already nodded to with reference to bike/run work for upcoming winter.

I guess, its about balance and finding a sweet spot for your swimming and weeks training (and all the other stuff in a normal week). Swim enough and at a challenging intensity to improve** but ensure key bike and run sessions and progress in those are made (arguably yielding greater gains / results in triathlons).

** improve: swim as fast as before for less energy / effort OR faster for less or same energy / effort

p.s. I think you're fortunate to have a good masters group to swim with in addition to someone helping you find the sweet spot across all 3 for maximum gains.

Winter well.

tunney

Anyways...... its on like donkey kong biatch

http://www.aware.ie/events/

Kurt_Godel

tunney wrote: »

Unless you read only the end of season line only. Then your 400m progress is largely flat.

Ah, you mean going from 6:05 in 2013 to 5:50 at best? Yes that is flat. There was a time when I wanted to get under 5:30, that isn't so important any more. I've come to realise that Tri swimming is about becoming more efficient rather than faster per se. I exited CK water last year and nearly threw up- a "fast" swim but not efficient. This year I exited about a minute slower, a lot more refreshed, and had a much better overall race.

My stroke is more efficient now- I swim 6:05 burning a lot less energy now than in 2013. That's progress.

Kurt_Godel

tunney wrote: »

Anyways...... its on like donkey kong biatch

http://www.aware.ie/events/

Link points to the Aware 30th Anniversary Ball? Having seen you wow the girls with smooth dance moves, I should just concede at this stage

tunney

Kurt_Godel wrote: »

Link points to the Aware 30th Anniversary Ball? Having seen you wow the girls with smooth dance moves, I should just concede at this stage

Scroll down.

Kurt_Godel

tunney wrote: »

Scroll down.

I saw the 10k. Scroll up your sense of humour!

tunney

Kurt_Godel wrote: »

I saw the 10k. Scroll up your sense of humour!

Sorry, just didn't realise you had one.

Kurt_Godel

Wed 40 min turbo, 11min run bric

10 easy
10x2 just above race pace, 1 easy (all in 270-282W)

Kept the cadence high with an eye on the watch. The second last I only glanced at the watch every 15 secs and was holding a steady 95rpm (and the steadiest wattage of the set). The last I counted down mentally and didn't look at the watch. Counted down a perfect 2mins! Decent cadence again.

onto run

4 steady (4:31 pace)
2x(30sec race pace, 30sec easy) (fast were 3:27, 3:43 pace)
5 easy

The garmin was playing up, showing me 6:xx pace starting off. It certainly felt like steady effort (and it was, as the download showed after). But this fed into the race pace being too fast- nevertheless they weren't killer pace so I'm happy enough with this little sharpener.

Kurt_Godel

Wed pm 1,600m swim

200sw,200p,100k
2x50 as 25fs, 25sw
2x50 as 25fist, 25sw
4x50 des 1-4 on 60
5x100 10 sec faster than race pace , + 30sec
200 choice easy, backstroke and breast

I've gotten better at judging pace. The 50's descending came in 44,43,42,41, and I was master of that domain. The 100's came in 1:24-1:29. The slowest one I cast form side and powered it. The rest I made sure to control reach, pull, and swim high. Good form, and they were faster. That's the first time I've been faster with good form, rather than balls out, which is a very, very, good sign.

Kurt_Godel

Thurs Off

Fri 25 min turbo, 10min run bric 2.23k

5 easy
10x1 just above race pace, 1 easy (all in 275-301W)

Kept the cadence high again

onto run

4 steady (4:21 pace)
2x(30sec race pace, 30sec easy) (fast were 3:31, 3:24 pace)
4 easy

Won't get in the swim tonight.

RJM85

Best of luck tomorrow. All going well myself and the young lad might get down to shout things at people.

Dory Dory

Don't f*ck up tomorrow!!!! (how's that for blunt? :D)

(seriously....have a great day out!!! )

Kurt_Godel

Dory Dory wrote: »

Don't f*ck up tomorrow!!!! (how's that for blunt? :D)

(seriously....have a great day out!!! )

After the whole seasons training, what will be will be. All that is left is DFIU

Blunt is good

Dory Dory

Kurt_Godel wrote: »

After the whole seasons training, what will be will be. All that is left is DFIU

Blunt is good

:eek::eek::eek:

Kurt_Godel

Dory Dory wrote: »

:eek::eek::eek:

DNF- crashed the bike into a ditch after 1.6k, over the bars, faceplant, bike went over me. Bars were bent down over the front wheel and so I couldn't continue.

Swim went very well- a run-in from the beach suits long-limbed creatures so I was leading at one stage. Interested soon passed by and I grabbed on for as long as I could (not very), and turned the first bouy in third. Another passed me here and from then I stayed in the chasing pack, very happy with how high I exited for the effort put in. Trans went good, got the feet in quickly and was off. At the time i was worrying about my power being too low but I was travelling at 38kph on the flat and 33kph up the hills so was starting nicely... then the crash. Naturally I'm a bit disappointed to end the season like this (this was my A race and I was set up for a good one), but there are no broken bones or busted carbon so it could have been a lot worse.

Lots of positives from the day- chatting to loads in the sunshine, in particular sucking in my gut while shooting the breeze with the radiant Medbh. I tried to get a photo with interested for your album Dory but he had left early , otherwise he was in good form and had a good race. Called in to Tunney on the way back for a cuppa and talked 2015 and 2016- what worked, what didn't, and how to prepare for next year. It will be a good one. The man knows his stuff. But for the moment, two weeks unstructured.

joey100

Well done Kurt, seen your result and hoped it wasn't an injury so glad everything is (relatively) ok! Pity it happened in your A race, but all the work put in this year will stand to you next year too. Enjoy your unstructured weeks, and don't do what I done the first time I had them and do nothing, try to keep ticking over a bit.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

What part did you crash on? I normally run and cycle those roads and apart from the left at the church turn it's pretty ok.

Kurt_Godel

Timothy Rapping Vest wrote: »

What part did you crash on? I normally run and cycle those roads and apart from the left at the church turn it's pretty ok.

1.58k from start, about 30m after a bend. Misjudged the line I guess and was looking down.

Great part of the world to S/B/R by the way, you are spoiled Fran!

Dilbert75

Glad it wasn't serious Kurt.

RJM85

Bad luck. At least there's no lasting damage.

Kurt_Godel

Sun 31k bike @ 28.8kph av

RJM85 wrote: »

Bad luck. At least there's no lasting damage.

Took the bike out today to assess any possible damage on three grounds:
1. Mechanical- front derailleur is stuck on the big cog so must have got a knock. Otherwise everything is good.
2. Physical- a few aches and pains waking up today from places I didn't expect, but nothing too bad. This is the reason I'm relatively happy regarding yesterday's outcome.
3. Psychological- I've heard after a crash its a good idea to get back on the horse as soon as possible. I'm still hesitant downhill and weak on cornering, but no more so than before yesterday I think.

So a decent spin, somewhere between easy and steady pace. Easy was scheduled but there is a lot of unused energy in the body so the pace was very uncertain. Part of yesterday's discussion with the coach was why my race wattage is so far under my FTP wattage, there is too much of a discrepancy. It was notable that when I concentrated on correct pedalling motion today, wattage went a lot higher for perceived effort, so something to work on for next year.