Tuesday - Wednesday

Tuesday I was out of the State...explore the Nations Capital actually!

No training happened Tuesday and Wednesday!

Weekly Totals - October 13-19, 2008

Sunday...it's a big day of Cycling!

This morning the plan was to do Nebo and then ride down to Raby Bay to support the BTS Crew at the first QTS Triathlon race of the season.

The Stats Review:

Then it was a cycle from Cleveland back home.
The Stats Review:


Session Reflections:

• It was a very early start, the motivation was there today. Up at 3.50am, waking up before the alarm.
• The HR shown on the chart is a little inaccurate as the monitor was not sitting right on my chest.
• Worked to a cadence of between 50-60rpm on all hills.
• Found the Nebo part of the ride really challenge but found it really worthwhile. The legs were really burning throughout the 20km of the Nebo component of the ride.
• Felt good to be on the bike for an extended period of time (Total 4hrs 28min)
• I can definitely feel I still have that Base and now it is to develop it further for great improvement.
• When I returned home I didn't really have the sore/aching legs that I would have normally had when I rode in the sessions leading up to Ironman.

Saturday Afternoon - Run Session

It was Saturday and time to toddle off for a 50-70min run...Hills of course!


The Sats Review:

Session Reflections:

• This was a 45s PB for this course
• As with the 30min runs I am trying to work at negative splitting this run. Strengthen and focusing on developing the 2nd half of my run.
• Really happy with the run.
• Feeling good about the running and seeing some improvements.
• Completed a 18 min stretch session after this run. Putting a real focus on the stretching! I believe there are some real benefits of stretching after a workout.

Saturday - Morning Session

Rode into swimming this morning - 25min in, 10km.


Good solid swim set this morning.
Long warm up this morning which included a 800m pull.

Session Reflections:

• It was a fabulous morning for swimming, the pool was a great temperature and the sun on the pool was very nice.
• Felt motivated for the swim session this morning....relatively focussed. Bit of change really.
• The straight kick drills are one thing that is frustrating me a little. I don't have the power to propell me down the pool. Custard legs I would have to say. LOTS of room for improvement.
• When I get tired I need to focus on my form of the stroke entry. My left arm was crossing over a little throughout some of the session.

Fabulous Friday.....mmmmmm

AM Session:
Ride Inside - first session. Do 50-60 cadence strength efforts not main session. Same time as main session just strength. Did 7min on 50-60rpm with 3min recovery....it was done 5 times.

Session Reflections:

• Oh...the sweat of strength! Got to love it! Really I'm being sincere here!
• By the 4 and 5th rep the legs were burning.....it felt goood!
• Just what I need.

PM Session:

Core strength: 5 clap push ups; 20 sec prone hold on one leg; 20 sec squat hold on one leg x 15 then 30 min run @ under 150hr

The Stats Review:

Session Reflections:

• Times and HR are becoming more consistent.
• Still working on the negative split thing! This, I have been really happy with as over the last 2 runs I have negatively split my time between 45-90sec.

Thursday...Nothing to see here!

Just one of those days where work has the priority!

It HAPPENS!

Wednesday Weigh In

It's Wednesday and it time for my weekly weigh in: 85.0kg

AM Session - Rest

PM Session - Run: 30 min @ under 150hr and 15 min stretch

The Stats Review:

Session Reflections:

• Feeling a little more comfortable throughout this run.
• One of the developing goals is to really look at negatively splitting these runs. I am aiming to run a more consistent pace over my runs, whether they be races or training runs. Specifically trying to come home a little faster. I have a history of going out to hard. I have now decided to address this and believe I will 'race' better if I can master this skill.

• The run time is coming down...under 30min.

The hills are alive with the sound of music!

The morning session was: Run: 60-75 mins through C. Hills. Push hills and recover on down hills.



The Stats Review:

Session Reflections:

• Look forward to these session each week, the trail runs through the hills are very soothing...and give you a great strength workout.
• Throughout the 12km there are approximately 12 hills.
• I have found that leg fatigue is lessening with each session.
• Times are improving...but only completed 2 runs on this course for this season.

Deficiencies:

• Form becomes a little 'all over the place' when I get tired...end of a climb etc.
• Posture could be a little more efficient....left hand....'feeding the chooks'
• Need to work on 'running' through the top of the hills

Swim Session (PM)

Great session John!

500m Warm up, 3 x 200m on 3:15, 6 x 100m on 1:45, 6 x 50m on 50s, 6 x 50m on 55s then a choice warm down.

Session Reflections:

• Really struggled with the 2nd and 3rd 200m was outside the 3:15.
• 100m set was too bad, last 2 reps struggled to work to the 1:45, more like around the 1:50/1:55.
• 50m sets were fine, and was able to work within the time cycles.

It's all about gaining that advantage!

This evening I DID it. I ordered my aero helmet through ProBikeKit for $192.00 AU.

Monday Training Sessions

The morning session was one of rest. Nice!

The PM session was: Core Strength - 30 min run prior with choice of drills.

Core Strength Session

The core session was again one that challenged the body. This is an area where I need to focus more on working the core. Holding the core/abs to work them more.

Tonight was a testing night. The test involved the following three exercises:

1. Push Ups : 43
2. Prone Hold : 1:45
3. Swiss Ball Balance: 0:57

I was happy with the push up count, this was better than my previous performance of 36.

The other two test I was a little disappointed with...there is certainly room for improvement.

Weekly Totals - October 6-12, 2008

Sunday....Non Event....

This morning was suppose to be the first of my Nebo accents...however....at 5.00am it was very wet outside when I went outside and then checking the BOM weather radar...it was even worse over the Nebo region. In see that I made a decision erring on the side of caution and decided not to go. This ride in the wet would be very interesting.

Looking at a number of hours later, I am now 'kicking' myself as it appears that the weather seems to be improving.

Saturday....a different way

Saturday was a relative big day of training.


6.15am - Lined up for a swim session at the pool. The set was about 2.5km in length. The swimming was looking a lot better this morning my stroke was coming back the that of 'old'.
I felt better than I had done in the pool in recent times.


10.00am - I was fortunate to have a trial of the Computrainer system for cycling training. This was very impressive for one who loves his gadgets. How good was it! The training you can get out of this system seems to be quite realistic.


4.30pm - 50 to 70min Run


The stats:

Session Reflections:

• Humidity was higher than some previous runs.
• The course that I used today was again relatively hilly as shown by the evelation chart above.
• I focussed on pushing the hills relatively hard, trying to keep the HR within the 145-155bpm range.
• Legs are not getting as fatgiued towards the end of the run.
• Trying to get the HR down without loosing too much of the pace.

The Return to Ride Inside

This morning was the return to Ride Inside.

The session this morning was 5 x 5min efforts with 4 min recovery at race cadence (90-100rpm)
At the end of the session was 4 x 30sec at max effort.



Session Reflection:

• It was a tough session...but...what doesn't kill you is good for you.
• Glad to be back!

Missed the PM session of Core strength: 5 clap push ups; 20 sec prone hold on one leg; 20 sec squat hold on one leg x 15 then 30 min run @ under 150hr due to work commitments.

Thursday Training

AM session was a time of rest.

PM Session was back to the pool - again struggled with the swimming but it was improving. Made it through about half the session but it wasn't at full strength and I was generating the normal abount of power I usually do out of the left arm - but we are getting there!

Physio again tomorrow.

Weigh In Wednesday

It's Wednesday and it time for my weekly weigh in: 86.1kg (Beginning of September 87.2kg)


This morning I played it safe and drove into the start of the ride rather than riding in...play it safe in case the shoulder/neck/back play up and then I could go back to the car and go home.


The stats for the ride are:

Session Reflection:

• The neck/shoulder wasn't too bad this morning. However I didn't have full movement of turning my head from left to right.
• Felt good, legs were feeling better..not as heavy as in previous rides of late. But the ride this morning wasn't as hard as previous rides.

Physio Update (11.45am):

• Went to the Physio - not for the back this time but for a shoulder/neck complaint that had I believed developed out of me being tight across the back over the last couple of days.
• Got a very good massage and it felt a lot better when I walk out of the door of the physio.

The Stats for the afternoon run:

Session Reflection:

• With heat packs and muscle rub applied throughout the day the neck/should (particularly after the physio appointment) it was improving as the hours went by.
• Went on the run feeling rather good. Throughout the run I could feel the remnants of the back injury more than anything else...the neck and shoulder were ok.
• The time for the course was a PB with the HR just over the 150bpm.