Winter Miles, Summer Smiles

RJM85

RJM85 wrote: »

😱

That didn't work. You get the gist though, I'm sure.

Kurt_Godel

RJM85 wrote: »

That didn't work. You get the gist though, I'm sure.

Thanks for the sentiments (whatever they were!) but unfortunately they didn't work

Mon PM 1,700m swim including 400mTT (6:05)
400m warm up
8*75 as (25fist, 25k, 25swim; 15s)
400m TT (6:05)
300m pb cool down

I went into this knowing my swimming hasn't been great the past few weeks, but targeting a 5:45. I went 4th of 5, but there was no draft as the 3 ahead were much faster. Felt like I was holding a good stroke the first 150m or so, and noted the time at 200m, 2:45. Think thats a PB for 200, in any case it was too fast. I was tiring from there, and having to stop three times to let the faster guys pass cost me some time and technique. If they hadn't passed I'd have got sub 6, but thats a moot point. The real story of this TT is bad pacing, going off too fast. Why? Because I'm doubting my stroke after the Xmas break. I need to relax and trust my pacing abilities.

joey100

there was no draft as the 3 ahead were much faster.

I'm going to call you out on this, mainly because I know you will take it the right way! For the first 200 to be 2.45 and to come in for 6.05 means the second 200 was 3.20. That's a huge drop off, 17 seconds per 100. I'm going to say that if you felt it or not there was some draft there for the first bit, the stopping would have cost you time but I don't think it would have cost you that much. I know from your swimming that you are capable of going sub 6 but I think you might have discounted the draft a bit too quickly this time.

Kurt_Godel

joey100 wrote: »

I'm going to call you out on this, mainly because I know you will take it the right way! For the first 200 to be 2.45 and to come in for 6.05 means the second 200 was 3.20. That's a huge drop off, 17 seconds per 100. I'm going to say that if you felt it or not there was some draft there for the first bit, the stopping would have cost you time but I don't think it would have cost you that much. I know from your swimming that you are capable of going sub 6 but I think you might have discounted the draft a bit too quickly this time.

(No problem calling me out! Its all swim chat so its all welcome ) I've gone sub 6 quite a few times over the past few months, both leading off, in a train, and swimming solo. I'm a little rusty right now after the Xmas break and its showing, still don't have the feel for the water I had in Nov/Dec.

The guys in front of me came in 5:11, 5:14, 5:40 (and he died in second half too). There might have been some sort of residual draft, but I don't think so- we set off with 5 sec gaps and that gap opened up from the start. 2:45 is just too hot for me to maintain, and for the second 200 I had to stop three times due to passing- thinking back on this there could have been up to 10 sec lost here.

The only way to be sure would be to lead off, or to do another TT in clean water. I was slightly tempted to try one yesterday, but the TT's are secondary to the main goal. I have another 400TT scheduled in a few weeks, the work I put in now to my stroke should bring that under 5:45. I can swim fast, and I can swim long; the goal is to swim fast and long.

Kurt_Godel

Tue 3,100m swim

300sw,200p,100k
4x50 as 25 dr, 25 sw + 15s
6x50 on 60 as des 1-3 fast 4-6
3x200sw + 15s steady
4x150p +15s mod
4x100 sw hard + 20s
4x50 fast on 70
200 choice easy
dr as fs, front balance, right side balance, left side balance

6x50 des were 39,37,36,41,40,39
3x200 steady all in 3:15
4x100 hard were 1:25, 1:27, 1:29, 1:28
4x50 fast all <40secs

Felt better in the water than last night, swimming higher.


Wed 30min turbo; 10.3k Hillbrook loop run
Turbo:
5 easy
5x(30sec build, 30sec easy)
5x(30sec hard, 30sec easy)
5 easy
5x(30sec hard, 30sec easy)
5 easy

The hard efforts were all 400W+

Run:
Decent run, felt good (chest still a bit wheezy) 5:13/km pace hilly run.

Kurt_Godel

Thurs 60 min easy turbo 183W av; 2,000m Masters swim

Changed the angle on my stem and the bike feels a lot better, more comfortable in aero.


Swim:
200m free
10x50 free 25kick/25drill
Main set
8x25 free 25 kick max
25 swim easy
20 squats 20s (X3)
4x50 free 25kick/25swim Max
25kick/25swim easy
10 jumping squats 20s (X3)
Repeat 3 times
100 free swim down (had to dash)

Felt a bit tight in the calf/achilles/plantar areas with all that kicking, so didn't do jump squats, and sat out the last squat session.

Kurt_Godel

Fri 3,000m swim; 9.22k run 4:59/km pace av

Swim:
200sw,200p,
4x50 des 1-4 on 60
5x(200p steady,100sw mod, 50 fast, 50 easy all + 15s)
4x50 fast on 60
200 choice easy

Arms were a little tired from last night but form was good throughout.

Run:
15 easy
5 steady
5x(400m fast, 200m easy)
5+ easy

This was faster than last weeks variant. Its a decent mixture of hard/easy, I like this session. 400's felt tough but the lungs are starting to clear.

Kurt_Godel

Kurt_Godel wrote: »

but the lungs are starting to clear.

Obviously this was tempting fate... Junior brought back a fresh hacking cough from school which permiated the household. I woke up yesterday short of breath and had to let my running buddy know I was bailing. Cough got much, much worse, and I spent all last night in a fever. Strange hours and visions. An etching of grass was fighting with an unfinished watercolour of a car. The etching was coughing, bad, waking; the watercolour was breathing, good, sleep.

Starting to get better now, but my core is very sore from constant coughing. A workout of sorts, I suppose.

Dory Dory

Rest up and feel better soon!!!! (smiley face)

(I can't do emoticons/icons/bold/underline/italics/color/font size/slash/burn/or-anything-else since the damn ddo-fecking-s attack...so I'll be typing out my emoticons for now, thank you very fecking much) (big grin...smiley face...wink...mad...fecking bastards can go to hell...big grin)

Kurt_Godel

Mon 30 mins easy turbo

The cough got much worse, we relented and saw the Doc. Just finished a course of antibiotics which seems to have shifted what was in the lungs, but it was a hell of a bashing. I'm still not 100%, but am on the mend. Warm damp Irish winters do not suit me at all, this cough was so bad that I'm considering moving elsewhere in a few years, for a better climate.

Its a pain in the butt to miss training, to have had to blow off the enjoyable chat-pace runs, to skip the Masters pool sessions, etc. The temptation is to make up for lost time, hit the ground running... a temptation I need to avoid. Yesterday's comment from the coach reminded me of what a value he is: "Easy thirty minutes turbo tomorrow. Nothing else. This is the time people get injured and sick - coming back from illness."

RJM85

Train so you can train again tomorrow...

GoHardOrGoHome

I'm reading Don Fink's Ironfit at the moment and just came across a nice little nugget.

Definitely don't try to make up for lost sessions but also:

First two days back do 1/3 of the training load, next two days to 2/3 of the normal training load and if that all goes fine then you can start back to the normal training load.

So next time you're in the pool don't hammer yourself!

Kurt_Godel

@GoHard yes that is good advice. Discipline in coming back from injury/illness is very important, especially so when you have to fight the impulse to "make up for lost time". This week has been limited, and limiting, and thats the right way to be. Cough is only now starting to recede.

Mon 30 mins turbo 167W

Tue 40 mins turbo 171W; 6k run 5:28/km pace

Thurs Masters swim
400 free
10x25 free odds easy, evens hard 15s rest
Main set
5 press ups/ 10 sit ups/ 15 squats (x2 speed)
4x50 free 15s rest
(1) 10m underwater/40m swim
(2) 15m underwater/ 35m swim
(3) 20m underwater/ 30m swim
(4) 25m underwater/ 25m swim
10 press ups/ 20 sit ups/ 30 squats (x1 speed)
2x100 I/M (fly max) 15s
Repeat 3 times

I was happy to be back in the water, but hypoxic was hardly the most ideal way to return. I only swam 10m underwater at most, not wanting to exacerbate the lungs. Fly felt good.

Sat 12.24k easy run 5:59/km
The goal was to keep this very easy, so it was just a trot in the cold wet and windy morning. Some coughing during it but nothing too bad, and I feel better for having done it.

Kurt_Godel

Sun 2:30 easy turbo 155W

I wake up at 6am most mornings, including Sat when the kids have early swimming. So the Sunday morning lie-in (8:30am!) is much treasured. This meant I missed getting gear etc ready for the 9am club spin- no real harm as I didn't want to be far from home if energy levels crashed. And so onto the turbo, for a 1-hour-and-see-how-you-feel, which became two and a half hours. Felt good during it (although a little saddle sore towards the end), next week I should be able for outside spins.

Kurt_Godel

Mon Masters swim 2,600m

200 free
10x50 25 back kick/ 25 swim choice 10s
Main set
10x150 free 20s
Odds 50 hard/100 pace
Evens 100 pace/ 50 hard
Swim down
400 choice

Tough enough, although my hard pace wasn't touching MAX. Felt the lungs complain when I upped the effort on the hard 100's, but nothing that wouldn't be expected.

Weighed myself today... 92.9kg. Lent has started 2 days early, and the food diary has been dusted off and restarted. I'll need to be hitting 85kg in a few months, if I want to make any sort of impression.

pgibbo

Good to see you back training!

Kurt_Godel

Tue 8.2k easy run 5:19/km av

Thanks gibbo, its good to be back training. Lungs still aren't 100% but getting better all the time.

Tonight was a nice run in the freezing rain and wind around Arklow. I was well bundled up, and had a spring in my step after the first km. Could have kept going all night, but the plan is very limited this week. Instead, back to the pool for a shower, followed by 40mins watching the kids do their thing. Missy is developing a very strong breaststoke. Junior is knocking out 37sec 50's effortlessly... more to the point they both still love it, and get a lot out of the training.

Kurt_Godel

Wed 1:15 turbo 197W av

30min EZ
3*(8min steady, 2 EZ) (245W, 247, 240)
15 EZ

Felt good for this, the first touch of effort on the bike in a while. I'm out of practice, found it hard to keep the cadence steady.

Kurt_Godel

Thurs 6k easy run 5:15/km; Masters swim

I enjoyed the run. My job has been stressful lately... getting out for a run on a dark, cold, crisp night was the perfect antidote.

Swim:
Warm up
400 free
6x50 free pull buoy (25 fist/25swim) 10s
Main set
1min plank
4x75 free pull buoy (25 count stroke,take 1 stroke off each time through/50 build) 15s
90s plank
4x75 free on 1:10
Repeat 3 times

This was tough but good- I've not been planking much lately so struggled to hold 90s (did 60s+25s instead). I've just now noticed the fast 75's were free, I did them with pb (led for the last set and just about hit all on 1:10). Tough swimming, it would have been a lot easier with a kick as well.

Kurt_Godel

Fri 9.54k run

25min easy (c.5:00/km)
15 steady (4:23/km, 4:26, 4:21)
5 easy

Up in the wet and muddy forest, first test of the legs in a while. Legs performed well, lungs were just ok.

Dory Dory

Swim Fest is coming to Luray this summer!! If you're in the area......

http://luraytriathlon.com/swim-fest-luray/

Kurt_Godel

Dory Dory wrote: »

Swim Fest is coming to Luray this summer!! If you're in the area......

http://luraytriathlon.com/swim-fest-luray/

What, travel all that way for second place?!?

Looks like great fun. You should start acclimatising early

Kurt_Godel

SAT 14.42k at 5:44/km av

Nice long run again to start the weekend, with a few hills thrown in to make it interesting. Kept it at chatting pace all the way, perfect as the legs were a little tight after yesterday.

Kurt_Godel

Sun 2:45 easy turbo 157W av

Did this as 11*(10min aero position, 5 mins sit up)

I got a new bike fit yesterday. The set-up wasn't too bad but he dropped the saddle a cm, and moved the bars back slightly. Feels much better now, but I didn't want to sit too long in a new position and so did 10 mins in aero, 5 min sit up, and repeated.

The turbo was as soul-destroying as ever, but necessary. An early morning airport run meant I missed the club spin on a nice day.

pgibbo

Where'd you get the fit done? How did it feel?

Kurt_Godel

pgibbo wrote: »

Where'd you get the fit done? How did it feel?

Aidan Hammond did a group day down here. I had my previous TT fitted by him, and had set up the new bike based on his measurements- but it was always too aggressive (previous owner was a pro). Stem angle was changed, saddle lowered, bars moved out... I felt sore on the shoulders and neck before, but feels a lot better now. Still need to do a couple of things (try a shorter stem so my elbows sit on the pads rather than my forearm). The proof in the pudding will be how I run after 40k at 35kph+

Kurt_Godel

Mon 1,500m TT Masters swim 23:23 (1:33/100m pace)

My heart sank when I saw this on the schedule today... I did not feel like pushing myself in the water at all. The cough is still there, getting better but my lungs are a limiter. Got in the pool, chat/made excuses, bit of a warm up, and off. I had a draft for the first 700m, which certainly made things easier. I'm in two minds about drafting during these swim TT's, on the one hand they flatter your numbers, on the other hand your TT numbers count for zilch in a Tri race where drafting is all-important. We had a bit of congestion as a speedster* lapped us a couple of times (he finished in 20:10), but nothing too bad. My whole swim was steady/hard rather than killer-flat-out and I was happy with how I swam, given the breathing limiter (I was coughing throughout).

Slower than the last TT (23:05), but faster than I expected, and more in control of my stroke than I expected.

joey100

What's the first race of the season for your Kurt?

Kurt_Godel

joey100 wrote: »

What's the first race of the season for your Kurt?

05/03/2016 Irish Open LC Champs (100m and 400m)
16/04/2016 North Tipp Sprint Sprint Nenagh Tipperary (Pool tri)
22/05/2016 Tri 795 Carlow Sprint Carlow Carlow
29/05/2016 Lough Cutra Standard Galway (Early season A race)
25/06/2016 Hell of the West Standard Kilkee Clare National Champs
10/07/2016 Wicklow Town Black Castle Standard Wicklow Town Wicklow

Closer than I thought!

joey100

Some swimming races, very good!

I'll be at Carlow, not racing, there as a supporter and will be doing the sprint in Wicklow too. I'm sure you will add a few aquathons to that too.