Lyric Revues

Kurt.Godel

Time to bring it all together, to start anew and refind beauty and use for old things, and freshness in common ideas.

The goal (I accidentally typed "gaol" there) will be the ITU AG Champs in Rotterdam, a year from now. I've history with that city, in 2009 I travelled there in full expectation of a sub-3 marathon, only for the effort to come apart rapidly after halfway. During the slow death march to the finish I vowed to return and extract revenge on that flatland... a good Triathlon will do justice now better than a marathon. I hate unfinished business. A loop must be closed to move onwards.

This log for the next year- a lot of training, especially run training. Also a lot of fun, creativity, wordplay, flotsum and jetsam, and a general move away from numbers. For a little while anyway... we'll see how it goes. I have to keep it interesting!

Kurt.Godel

Monday 19th Sept 2016 3,250m Masters swim
Warm up
200 free
6x75 free 25k 25d 25f 15s
Main set
12x200 free
Odds with pull buoy (pace) 20s
Evens 80-90% hard 30s (in 2:58-3:02)
Swim down
200 choice easy

Ah crap I just realised we weren't meant to use pb for the fast 200's... anyway, its done now. Pull bouy throughout the main set. I had a chest infection for the past 10 days or so, which co-incided with the recommended two weeks off post-season, so at least I managed a modicum of multitasking. In any case, back on the horse, it was good as ever to be back in the pool. Myself and one of the lads shared leading the main set (the real leader was off and away and in under 2:30 for them all...), and the fast 200's were bang on where they needed to be.

Kurt.Godel

Tue 60 mins easy bike

A nice easy spin on the roadie, testing the new TT helmet (its a great fit, feels well, but the magnetic visor might be lost at some stage in a race). I looped into the backroads south of Arklow Rock, and detoured down to Kilmichael Point... yet again I stumble upon wild and unspoilt coastline that is new to my eyes. I had to dismount and walk the bike along some sand dune trails, before careening down the steep dunes to the long empty beach. It's always amazing to find a new strand, and this one was picture perfect tonight. I ran a long 1km transition with the bike along the shore, before hitting the road again. Magic. Then cycle back to civilization before nightfall, and drive home into the gleaming twilight.

shotgunmcos

Kurt.Godel wrote: »

Monday 19th Sept 2016 3,250m Masters swim
Warm up
200 free
6x75 free 25k 25d 25f 15s
Main set
12x200 free
Odds with pull buoy (pace) 20s
Evens 80-90% hard 30s (in 2:58-3:02)
Swim down
200 choice easy

Ah crap I just realised we weren't meant to use pb for the fast 200's... anyway, its done now. Pull bouy throughout the main set. I had a chest infection for the past 10 days or so, which co-incided with the recommended two weeks off post-season, so at least I managed a modicum of multitasking. In any case, back on the horse, it was good as ever to be back in the pool. Myself and one of the lads shared leading the main set (the real leader was off and away and in under 2:30 for them all...), and the fast 200's were bang on where they needed to be.

First post.. not quite the departure from numbers you promised, boo
The second post included magnetic unspoilt gleaming adjectives, yay

Rotterdam should be fun
Best of luck closing the loop!

Kurt.Godel

I'll move away from numbers rather than replace them altogether, they are still vital for comparison and tracking progress... although back when I used to hill race there was little use for numbers, it was all about effort going up and finding the next footfall going down. Certainly purer! (Damn these knees ) I imagine thats how Adventure Racing is, very much in the moment.

Wed 10k medium/steady run 4:53/km pace
Rain was spitting down for this first run in a fortnight, along an empty Railway Walk and forest. I felt good throughout this run, as I usually do in the rain- I think large units prefer that cooling effect.

Dilbert75

Wait - not just a new log but a new Kurt too? I'm confused....

mossym

b&lls, he closed the other account before opening this, don't even get to ban him.

now to be known as TAFKAK_G

Dilbert75

mossym wrote: »

b&lls, he closed the other account before opening this, don't even get to ban him.

now to be known as TAFKAK_G

Not to mention TAFKAKG...

Kurt.Godel

KGFKATA would be more precise... new beginnings; return, refresh, and renew. Hopefully with some art-related postings to wean away from the harsh mathematics introduced over the past few years. Still don't know what I want to be when I grow up...

Thurs 60min easy turbo; 5k easy run; 2,650m Masters swim

An easy spin on the turbo at lunchtime, just to get the old legs ticking over (they're a tad tight after yesterdays first-run-in-ages).

Then a slow and easy 5k trot around Arklow seafront, again with purpose of dragging some life into tired muscles. I was rewarded with a spectacular sunset for my efforts on one side, and slowly crashing late September waves on the other. The sea has seasons like trees do; never realised that until tonight.

Warm up
400 free (focus 3 kicks per arm stroke)
10x25 free
Odds sprints 15s rest
Evens easy 15s rest
Main set
30x50 free 15s rest
1x50 breathe every 3/5 by 25m
1x50 focus 3 kicks per arm stroke
1x50 100% max
(X10)
Warm down
10x50 choice 25 sculling 25 fist 10s rest

Masters...sprints! I like sprints. However I found them tough as my breathing was tight, a lingering cough necessitated gasps for air. Each of the MAX 50's were to come in around the same time, I had a 32s first one, and the rest were 34-37; not too bad. Just couldn't do hypoxic tonight though. Coach gave some good advice from the deck regarding my pull phase (its too slow and needs more power), sinking legs, and shoulder rotation during the fist 25's. It's very important to clean up any bad habits in Sept/Oct, get them out of the way early and it should lead to faster times over the Winter.

Kurt.Godel

Fri Steadyish 10k run

Met up with Mick for a good chat'n'run along the Railway walk and forest, pace was probably a little too quick for me (and probably a little too slow for him). Its always good to have company though.

Sat Easy 16k run; 45min easy turbo

It was wild this morning, dropped the kids to swimming and headed along the seafront for 8k out, 8k back. The waves were crashing, a strong wind out there; its a magic way to wake up the weekend. My legs were tired, but I kept the pace down around 6min/km. At the turn point for home I faced into a very strong wind, which kept itself known all the way home.

Easy turbo later, just spinning out the legs, and it seems to have been a tonic.

Kurt.Godel

Week 1|Swim|Bike|Run|Comment
Mon|3,250m Masters swim|||12x200 free alt mod/hard
Tue||60 mins easy bike||New helmet, felt comfy
Wed|||10k steady run|Raining, felt good
Thurs|2,650m Masters swim|60min easy turbo|5k easy run|30x50 free fast in c35s
Fri|||10k run|Railway Walk with Mick
Sat||45min easy turbo|Easy 16k run|6min/km pace, wild and windy coast run
Sun||1:45 easy turbo||
Overall|Found it difficult to breathe this week, still have a cough|All easy spins, no power, on the roadie|Felt strong back running on Wed, a bit tired and happy to go slow by Sat|10:30 for the week, the only stress was in the pool, otherwise easy base building

Kurt.Godel

Mon 60 min easy turbo; 35min easy run; Masters swim

The run was an enjoyable trot with the pooch. He's got the makings of a good runner!

Masters swim:
400 warm up
Main set
2x100 free on 1:45
1x200 free with pull buoy pace 30s
2x100 free on 1:40
1x200 free with pull buoy pace 30s
2x100 free on 1:35
1x200 free with pull buoy pace 30s
2x100 free on 1:30
1x200 free with pull buoy pace 30s
2x100 free on 1:25 (failed on second one in 1:26)
100 free in 1:15
300m hypoxic

Finally this cough is abating, and I can breath easier in the pool. I liked this set, the idea was to take 5 sec off until failure. 1:35 felt nice and comfortable, a cruising pace. The next rep was a tad harder, but I held good form and I'm content to be swimming at that pace with good form at the start of a winter block. The fastest on 1:25 were tough, and I just missed the second. Rested a little before blasting a quick 100, then some hypoxic work. Overall this was a useful set, and taught me a lot regarding good form, position, and pull.

Kurt.Godel

Tue 2 hrs easy turbo
This fortnight is all about transitioning back into proper training, and to that end most run and bike work will be kept easy. The major gap in my training over the past couple of years has been lack of long bike rides- totally my fault as I'd often skip them when proscribed. I prefer hard effort on the turbo, bang for your buck, and to be honest its been working for me. My bike times have come down quite a bit, and thats the yardstick. However, everyone else seems to benefit from long spins, and I'm running out of years that I can afford to spend experimenting, so I'll go with Common Knowledge this year.

Wed 10k moderate run
On the cusp of twilight, running through the trees. Up a path that opens the view towards a Ballycumber panorama, salmon-pink late-September mackeral-clouds, and beyond.
Then hit the Church at dark, and down the hill and home against the light.

Kurt.Godel

Thurs 60 min easy turbo; 3,200m Masters swim

Warm up
8x50 free 25kick25swim 10s
Main set
8x400 free
Odds hard 45s rest (6:09, 6:09, 6:12, 6:20)
Evens pace 45s rest

How do you catch a fish? Let's try to find her with some swim Q's as bait... The first fast 400 was perfect; tumble turned, managed to breath on 3 for most of it, held good form... ditto the second. So BE3 was working well (albeit moved to BE2 towards the end of each). The 3rd and 4rd rep I was tiring, and did the 4th BE2, with touch turns. I tried to push it but was aware of slowing through the water. I know that Katie Ledecky and others have been offered as examples of why you should BE2 for 400+ distances- but is that because they so streamline anyway? In that I find lifting the head often to BE2 seems to disrupt form. Should I force myself to BE3, and focus on better streamline?? Am I back to early winter overanalysis??? Rhetorical questions I guess.

Kurt.Godel

Fri 60 min easy turbo

Sat 58min easy run (Hillbrook Loop)
After a lot of overnight rain, it has cleared to a good fresh afternoon here, and I took in the magnificent views on this favoured loop. My breathing was very laboured and wheezy however, I'll have to consider that I may have a reaction to chlorine in the pool. My throat was dry and raw after Thurs, and I've struggled to breath since, with fluid on the lungs.

Kurt.Godel

Sun Nothing, breathing was bad all day

Mon Masters Swim
Warm up
10x50 25 free kick 25 back fist 15s
Main set
24x100 free
2x100 on 1:35
2x100 on 1:30
20s rest
2x100 on 1:25
45s rest
2x100 on 1:20
1min rest
(3X)
Swim down
10x25 free 3210000123 20s rest

I didn't hit all of these, we slowed for parts of the 2nd and 3rd reps, but for parts the swimming was good. I managed to go under 1:30 with relative ease, under 1:25 a few times, and hit 1:20 once.

Kurt.Godel

Tue 12k easy
I felt very wheezy starting this run, and that didn't get much better throughout. This asthma... I'm starting to eliminate/consider/experiment with foodstuffs to see if there is any correlation. Right now, I'm suspicious of banana's, believe it or not, so will do without them a few days. Otherwise a nice trot around Arklows hinterlands, and it finished well along the promenade, with crashing waves on one side, and a glorious mountainscape vermillion sunset.

Wed 2:30 easy turbo
Stuck in the office, but lucky enough that I can spin and keep an eye on any work that needs an eye on it.

Thurs 40 min easy run; Masters swim
Run: nice and easy, it actually felt great and free to be running tonight and I had to dial back the effort so as not to be tired for the later swim.

Swim:
400m warm up
1,500m TT (23:15)
I was on feet throughout, in a train, but nevertheless it feels good to swim at this speed in comfort. I need to be able to swim like this, minus the tugboat. But for early October, the tugboat is fine. Form is important.

Dilbert75

That chest thing is hanging around a long time now, isn't it? Have you had it looked at or is it all just waiting for it to pass?

Kurt.Godel

Dilbert75 wrote: »

That chest thing is hanging around a long time now, isn't it? Have you had it looked at or is it all just waiting for it to pass?

I've been diagnosed with asthma years ago (used to be a heavy smoker), had bloodwork done recently and no cancer markers. I'll be back at the docs next week for a check-up, but I don't think its anything ominous.

Dilbert75

Wise and hopefully you're right. Reason I asked is that fellas in our demographic are not always the best at asking for medical advice when we need it.

Neady83

Kurt.Godel wrote: »

Tue 12k easy
I felt very wheezy starting this run, and that didn't get much better throughout. This asthma... I'm starting to eliminate/consider/experiment with foodstuffs to see if there is any correlation. Right now, I'm suspicious of banana's, believe it or not, so will do without them a few days.

I've suffered with asthma since I was a teenager and I've been experimenting with foods that I think trigger it for a while. Bananas definitely cause a mucus overload for me so I've eliminated them and dairy is a big problem for me too so I've switched to almond milk. Too many peppers in a stir fry have landed me in A&E once or twice and my brothers have issues with tomatoes. It's trial and error I guess.

I changed to a doctor who runs about 5 or 6 years ago and she put me on a combination inhaler and it's changed my life. I take it in the morning and in the evening and can run a marathon in the middle of the day without a problem.

Kurt.Godel

Thanks Neady, glad you got yourself sorted! I'll continue to experiment with foodstuffs for now (I'm on ventolin inhaler which helps too). I don't find breathing to be an endurance issue myself- I can go out and run for hours slowly no problem- but introduce intensity, and then breathing is a limiter. Its not too bad though overall, only mild asthma which is worse over the colder months.

MojoMaker

With that great point i mind have you ever felt yourself considering moving up the distances where it's less about intensity?

joey100

Looking back at your log kurt it does seem to be after the pool swimming that you suffer with it the most. I have something similar and problems with my sinuses and I know it's not worth swimming in some pools because of it. After I was in the Aquatic centre on Monday night my sinuses where in bits all night and was feeling very tight in chest on Tuesday. This passed quick enough, never seem to have this problem though with UCD pool, must be something they use in the water in the NAC but it just makes it not worth going for me.

Kurt.Godel

MojoMaker wrote: »

With that great point i mind have you ever felt yourself considering moving up the distances where it's less about intensity?

Intensity meaning above threshold running, really. Doesn't seem to bother too much for pool or bike sprints.

I've no desire to do IM distance at the moment- it just doesn't appeal to me, and I like the shorter races. If I control pacing during them, breathing isn't a huge limiter. If I can get running down to 40min Oly pace, intensity/breathing shouldn't be a limiter during summer Sprints/Olys. Although I'm a very heavy breather during most races.

Kurt.Godel

joey100 wrote: »

Looking back at your log kurt it does seem to be after the pool swimming that you suffer with it the most. I have something similar and problems with my sinuses and I know it's not worth swimming in some pools because of it. After I was in the Aquatic centre on Monday night my sinuses where in bits all night and was feeling very tight in chest on Tuesday. This passed quick enough, never seem to have this problem though with UCD pool, must be something they use in the water in the NAC but it just makes it not worth going for me.

UCD is chlorine free, right? Chlorine is a known aggrievant- and breathing chlorine gas even worse. We get in to the pool after the water has been churned up for two hours by the club kids, so gas will sit on top of the water. Quite a few of the Masters group have breathing/coughing issues afterwards. Not a lot we can do, besides set up an array of fans poolside, or not swim. To be honest, winter asthma is something I'm content to control rather than cure, because I think you're correct about the pool being the main culprit.

joey100

Yep think UCD is ozone treated, or something like that. Swimming on Friday nights in Belvedere with interested used to be a bit like what you are describing sometimes. Would all depend if the fans were turned on before we got there. Hopefully you can manage it over the winter, figuring out foods that aggravate it might lessen the effect too and make the pool more bearable.

and still ricky villa

joey100 wrote: »

Looking back at your log kurt it does seem to be after the pool swimming that you suffer with it the most. I have something similar and problems with my sinuses and I know it's not worth swimming in some pools because of it. After I was in the Aquatic centre on Monday night my sinuses where in bits all night and was feeling very tight in chest on Tuesday. This passed quick enough, never seem to have this problem though with UCD pool, must be something they use in the water in the NAC but it just makes it not worth going for me.

I had similar sinus issues to the point that my nose was like a tap after a swim. I switched to a nose clip but still got very chesty after swimming. A word with the doctor suggested a mucus build up and possible food intolerance (he may be a boards man as he wasn't keen on diagnosing it officially, many consider it junk science)

Long story short, I had an intolerance test done and very broadly it came up with a reaction to dairy. I cut it out and although I still swim with a nose clip my breathing and general mucus build up has improved no end without going into the gory details. Skin and snoring have improved too.
Although I'm not offering a definitive diagnosis food may be worth a look.
I'm the son of an asthmatic so know multiple sources can worsen and improve symptoms

griffin100

Kurt.Godel wrote: »

UCD is chlorine free, right? Chlorine is a known aggrievant- and breathing chlorine gas even worse. We get in to the pool after the water has been churned up for two hours by the club kids, so gas will sit on top of the water. Quite a few of the Masters group have breathing/coughing issues afterwards. Not a lot we can do, besides set up an array of fans poolside, or not swim. To be honest, winter asthma is something I'm content to control rather than cure, because I think you're correct about the pool being the main culprit.

UCD is not chlorine free, but it used at a low level in conjunction with sand filtration and UV treatment. On the difficulties post kids being the pool its not chlorine per se that's the problem, it's chloramines. These form when the chlorine in the pool reacts with organic material (sweat, skin, wee!) and are more irritating than chlorine itself. A heavy organic loading (e.g. by a sweaty swim club) will generate chloramines. Some chloramines carry the Hazard Statement H334 - May cause allergy or asthma symptoms or breathing difficulties if inhaled.

Kurt.Godel

Fri 2:30 easy turbo; 8k run

The turbo was just ticking over while in the office, a decent way to multitask.

Run was 4k easy, 2k steady (4:32, 4:25), 2k easy. I wanted to see how my breathing would fare, and sure enough I was wheezing a km into the steady section. This got worse, and I was tightening up and hurting after another 500m, and struggled to gasp air in for the rest. The jog down was another wheeze-fest, although I noticed if I breathed in through nose, out by mouth, it made a big and immediate difference. Next run will be with a neck-scarf.

Kurt.Godel

Sat 16k easy run (5:41/km av pace)
Had a chat with my running buddy just before this run- he's currently injured and a few months away from getting back training. I've been there before- the frustration of not being able to run as usual, it can tear you up, and make you come back too fast too soon. Hopefully he'll be back on the horse soon. After I left him I realised just how lucky I was to be running on this crisp morning... just being able to get out is fortunate, and something we need to remind ourselves of from time to time.
The run itself was easy; a nice route along the coast, and then sleepy backroads. Breathing wasn't too bad, and feels better now for having done the run.