The Ironhorse Triathlon in Cleburne is tomorrow morning. Training's been going pretty well. I had a killer swim on Tuesday, maybe my best ever. I completed 21x100(2 on 1:25, 1 on 1:35). I was pretty fired up about it, the swim is really coming around. I got to ride with Alex again on Thursday, which was really good for me. We did 4x4 minutes hard with 3 minutes easy. I held around 300 watts or so for the stretches, going hard, but not max.
Tomorrow's race is going to be pretty small. There are about 160 or so signed up. I didn't have a chance to check out the start list so I won't really know who I'm up against until I get there. It's probably going to be the usual Team Ironhead crew and some local guys. Benbrook is being held by Playtri tomorrow so there's been a bit of a battle to see which race gets more people. We'll find out tomorrow!
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Solid Training at Home
This week's been great so far. I started off by getting some massage work done on Monday by Steve Looney. I was pretty sore afterward, it was tough. I haven't been for a couple months so there was a lot to clean out; he went deep.
Tuesday was a set of 5x600 running 200 close to max effort then finishing with another quarter within 8 seconds of double the 200 (eg:32/72). The wind was straight in my face on one straight and at my back for the other. I was significantly faster than when I did this same workout six weeks ago. The 200s averaged in the 33 second range and the 400s around 73.
Yesterday was awesome! I rode with Alex Williamson and Justin Wallace in the morning and got my butt kicked, but it was really good for me. We did 2x10 minutes with 5 minutes easy then another 5 minute interval. The pace was pretty much a maximal effort for me as I tried to hang on to their wheels. Of course, they weren't going very hard at all and I was suffering behind them with everything I had. Alex's power meter said he was doing about 320-340 watts so I was most likely holding about 300-320 for the hard efforts, definitely good for me since I did 272 for the threshold test last week.
Today's going to be all recovery then back at it tomorrow, hopefully I'll be swimming with Marcin in the morning.
Tuesday was a set of 5x600 running 200 close to max effort then finishing with another quarter within 8 seconds of double the 200 (eg:32/72). The wind was straight in my face on one straight and at my back for the other. I was significantly faster than when I did this same workout six weeks ago. The 200s averaged in the 33 second range and the 400s around 73.
Yesterday was awesome! I rode with Alex Williamson and Justin Wallace in the morning and got my butt kicked, but it was really good for me. We did 2x10 minutes with 5 minutes easy then another 5 minute interval. The pace was pretty much a maximal effort for me as I tried to hang on to their wheels. Of course, they weren't going very hard at all and I was suffering behind them with everything I had. Alex's power meter said he was doing about 320-340 watts so I was most likely holding about 300-320 for the hard efforts, definitely good for me since I did 272 for the threshold test last week.
Today's going to be all recovery then back at it tomorrow, hopefully I'll be swimming with Marcin in the morning.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Finally...Some Fast Swimming
Yesterday was a good day. I didn't know it during my long run that morning as I slogged through a painfully slow 12.5 miles, legs just dead and tired. But when I met Marcin at the pool at 3, I felt revitalized.
My legs were still less than 100%, but I felt smooth and comfortable warming up as I prepared for my swim test, an 800yard time trial. I started off as comfortably as possible, but still split the first 100 in 1:17.6. I tried to keep the pace around 1:20 per 100 and just got into a groove. It started getting tough around 500 but i just tried to push through and keep going. With 100 to go I went for broke and sprinted with everything I had left knowing I was on pace to dip under 10:40. I was pushing down the last length and hit the wall in 10:39.8. A 35 second PR!
This was a huge workout for me. I've been putting in thousands of yards and have been feeling improvement but this was the first time in a while that I've been able to see the benefits of training so plainly. I'm fired up now and ready for more. With CapTex just three weeks away, it couldn't be a better time to start getting in a groove.
My legs were still less than 100%, but I felt smooth and comfortable warming up as I prepared for my swim test, an 800yard time trial. I started off as comfortably as possible, but still split the first 100 in 1:17.6. I tried to keep the pace around 1:20 per 100 and just got into a groove. It started getting tough around 500 but i just tried to push through and keep going. With 100 to go I went for broke and sprinted with everything I had left knowing I was on pace to dip under 10:40. I was pushing down the last length and hit the wall in 10:39.8. A 35 second PR!
This was a huge workout for me. I've been putting in thousands of yards and have been feeling improvement but this was the first time in a while that I've been able to see the benefits of training so plainly. I'm fired up now and ready for more. With CapTex just three weeks away, it couldn't be a better time to start getting in a groove.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Bike Test
Today was a good day, I did the 20 minute threshold test on the trainer using Austin's PowerTap. I put the Tour of Flanders in the playstation and went at it for 20 minutes as hard as possible. It was painful! It was probably one of the most painful experiences of my life. My quads are still burning ten hours later. After the first ten minutes my arms were shaking and sweat was flying all over the dorm (lucky I'm leaving tomorrow). In the end, I averaged 272 watts, which isn't amazing, but it's a pretty good mark for me. I was hoping to keep it over 250 so I'm pleased with the result for sure. All there is to do now is train hard until the next recovery week and see if I've progressed.
Well, that's all I have time for right now, tomorrow's the last day of school. Two finals and I'm home free (literally). Thanks for reading!
Well, that's all I have time for right now, tomorrow's the last day of school. Two finals and I'm home free (literally). Thanks for reading!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Run Test
This week is recovery which means three quality workouts...a test in each sport. I was sick during my last recovery week so I only completed the run and swim tests which did not go well and were basically thrown out.
Today I set out to do my run test, 4x1mile with 90 sec rest, trying for the best possible average. Of course, the nice calm 5mph breeze of yesterday was replaced with 25mph of terror and gusts blasting at 35. I still felt pretty good, after the quality workouts of last week where I was able to produce some decent performances. Not today.
The first mile was good. I hit 5:15 and felt pretty comfortable doing it. Since my goal was to get in under 5:20, I was buoyed by my early success. The second wasn't so great. I passed the half in 2:39 and was relatively comfortable, then it went downhill and I trudged in in 5:25. Not too far off, and with only two to go, it was time to push. On #3 I split the 400 in 82, putting in more effort than the faster times of the first two repeats. I went through the half in 2:51 and slowed even more severely from there as I ran (more like jogged) past the finish in 5:57, probably the slowest 1 mile interval I've sun since middle school.
Oh well, it's recovery tomorrow then the bike test on Thursday, which I feel I'll be a little fresher for as I really didn't beat my legs up that much today. 20 minutes on the trainer all out. I'm pretty excited! I've never done the threshold test before so this will be something new, just going at it for 20 minutes in the dorm, probably re-watching this year's Tour of Flanders for motivation...Thanks for reading, I'll check back in soon.
Today I set out to do my run test, 4x1mile with 90 sec rest, trying for the best possible average. Of course, the nice calm 5mph breeze of yesterday was replaced with 25mph of terror and gusts blasting at 35. I still felt pretty good, after the quality workouts of last week where I was able to produce some decent performances. Not today.
The first mile was good. I hit 5:15 and felt pretty comfortable doing it. Since my goal was to get in under 5:20, I was buoyed by my early success. The second wasn't so great. I passed the half in 2:39 and was relatively comfortable, then it went downhill and I trudged in in 5:25. Not too far off, and with only two to go, it was time to push. On #3 I split the 400 in 82, putting in more effort than the faster times of the first two repeats. I went through the half in 2:51 and slowed even more severely from there as I ran (more like jogged) past the finish in 5:57, probably the slowest 1 mile interval I've sun since middle school.
Oh well, it's recovery tomorrow then the bike test on Thursday, which I feel I'll be a little fresher for as I really didn't beat my legs up that much today. 20 minutes on the trainer all out. I'm pretty excited! I've never done the threshold test before so this will be something new, just going at it for 20 minutes in the dorm, probably re-watching this year's Tour of Flanders for motivation...Thanks for reading, I'll check back in soon.
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