Week 7 - Week in Review

The week begins on Monday March 14, 2011 with a morning of rest and reflection on the training past and the journey ahead.

"A race is an exercise in leaving others behind" -Lance Armstrong

There is a time where enough is enough........when an IM athlete decides that it's no longer about making up the numbers in the age group.....this is where I'm at!

Monday:
The morning was about taking it easy.

In the PM more core and then off for a massage. I will have to say that this massage was one of the worst ones for me squirming on the table. I would think that the ride yesterday had a bit to do with that. Was a bit slack with the recovery after yesterdays ride and now suffering for it on the massage table.

Tuesday:

The run this morning was again long....but today it was to be a commitment to the cause. The course was to be flat and working to a strategy of 10 on and 1 off for 2h30min. The average pace for the 5:09m/k.

The nutritional strategy wasn't the best. I only had a couple of gel left and I needed at least 4 for the run and only had 2 along with 4 fuel belt bottles.

Final stats for the run: 2h33min - 29.5km (5:09m/k)

Swim was 3.5km of strength. Solid session. Completed in about 1h05min.

Wednesday:
Back to my home away from home.....Mt Cootha.
Same session...different week.
The legs are feeling good...they are eating up the hill. I am really starting to feel the benefits of my weekly strength session on the bike.

Wednesday bike stats: 72km - 3h13m


Thursday:
Morning of coaching then off to work.
Did a cross country session this morning 6km of strength and core work.

PM session into the pool for another 3.5km strength session. Happy with the swimming at the moment.

Friday:
This morning is was over to the crit track for a 20km TT on the bike. It has been a while since I have done a bike TT and I was looking forward to the session.

The legs were feeling tired but after a good warm up they were moving okay. Once I was started things feel into place and I working into a solid rhythm. I crossed the 20km mark in a time of 30:04 this was a 45sec PB I was wrapped. The training is certainly paying off.

Saturday:
The body and mind lost a little of its mojo over the last 12-18 hours and the body was just tired and feeling very fatigue. So based on the session ahead tomorrow I just needed an opportunity to do nothing and enjoy a sleep in. Well earned I believe.

The PM session I managed to drag my sorry butt out of the house for a easy 60min run. A good session in the rain and it managed to get my motivation back and going again. The stats were 12km in 1h05m.

Sunday:
It was Sunday Session time......Long ride
It was to be an early start....and it still hadn't stopped raining. I have recognised that these ride are critical in achieving a good bike time.
It was the same session as last week. 2.5hr easy, 1hr moderate, 1hr hard, then the rest of the ride easy.
It was again the same route as last weekend relatively flat but with the rain there was caution given to the ride.
The pacing was again a little too hard early. The rain was continual but I still kept at it try to push the body. It very much about conditioning the body to be able to 'go hard' for the bike leg. It's also about getting the nutrition right. This week it was again the 20min strategy. It work well until I had miscalculate the requirements for the ride and was one 'solid' food portion short. This through the strategy out and I had to go with every 30min.
The 1 hour hard was a real challenge this week. Again I had a head wind to contend with along with the rain...it was hard work and the average for this section of the ride was lower then last week.
The ride was going well. I had survived the rain. It stopped raining about 5hrs into the ride. It was at this point where I found the bitumen, only a minor scrap but I came off at around the mid 20's. Bit of knee and forearm damage but nothing too serious, both are very swollen and bruised.
After taking a few minutes to compose myself I was back on the road with a easy ride home.

Weekly Stats:

Swim: 7km (2h15)
Bike: 291km (10h41m)
Run: 47km (4h5min)
Core Strength: 30m
Maintenance: 1hr

Total: 18hr30min

Week 8 - Week in Review

The week in review starts on Monday March 7, 2011.

There is nothing noble in being superior to some other man. The true nobility is in being superior to your previous self.

 -- Hindu proverb

The focus is on the target now! The mind, body and soul has come into alignment to achieve the goal. I have found a new level of commitment and determination to get as close to the 'energy lab' as possible. The superior being has come into ones self.

Monday:
The morning was a time to rest the body.

In the PM it was into the core strength. The same routine. The same outcome......managing and strengthening the body to achieve the best possible outcome.

Tuesday:

The long runs continue through the hills. This was an early start 4.10am out of bed and on the road at 4.30am. I can feel the leg getting stronger. This was a 26km run in about 2h26m. The average pace was 5:32m/k. I was happy with this. The hills on this course did not let up, they are so good for getting those legs burning.

The evening was into the pool. This was a chest busting session. 10 x 100m best effort reps. This was a tough evening in the pool but pushing through the fatigue there was a sense of satisfaction that it had been completed. Overall this was a 3.0km swim session.

Wednesday:
Again an early start, 4.30am.
I spend 30min to get to Mt Cootha and then spend another 1h15m going up and down the old foe. The burn by this stage of the campaign is something that I have just condition my body to endure. It is this conditioning that will help me in a number aspects (obvious the bike leg and the run leg) of my assault of the challenge that lies ahead. The first ascent is always a bit tough but after that the legs get going and the climbing becomes second nature.
Once I have completed 5 ascent of the Cootha it then off to work. This is another 50min in the saddle. It all about getting time on the bike...conditioning the legs and working through the physical fatigue and a tiring body.

After work it is an easy cycle home. This is a 45min trip and is usually battling a head wind for much of the 18km to get home.
Once home, the runners are straight on and I'm off for an easy 45min run. It about getting the legs into a rhythm as early as possible and sitting on a easy pace...looking for about 5:30m/k pace. The session was a total of about 8km with an average pace of 5:23m/k

Thursday:
My morning was at the pool, coaching. A good opportunity to give the body a break from the training but the body is still up early. By Thursday, the Tuesday and Wednesday early morning begin to take a toll.

Thursday evening into the pool and knock out a 3.5km (based on the strength session) I completed this in 1h3min which in comparison to other session using the same workout was completed in approx. 7min quicker. Good signs!

Friday:
The morning brings a trip into the squad wind trainer session. I was in a good frame of mind but tired. As I have learnt from the previous campaigns this is normal and just needs to be managed with good sleep and healthy eating.
The wind trainer session was a strength session with hard runs round the block. I was running well off the bike these were around the 3m/k pace. Great session.
I had an opportunity to reflect with coach during the session and there was a change of strategy and thinking with the training for the next 6 weeks. Both of us admitted I have now done 3 IM races and this time round it's not about just finishing...it's about racing...it's about getting into the low 10's. For the next 6 weeks it's about pushing the limits of the body and soul. Taking it where it has never been before, exploring my limits and taking some risks in the training.

Based on this, there are a number of things that I will now be focusing on.....

1. Refining the nutrition. There is thought within the camp that I possibly aren't getting enough carbs into the body to fuel the muscles. The target in training is to get use to taking on 75-80g of carbs per hour.
2. Focus on a number of training rides where they are 5hrs 'hard'. Conditioning the body for that continued fatigue on the body (particularly the legs) Training the mind to ride relaxed but fast and keep everything smooth and controlled on the bike.

PM session was to be a restful afternoon but sneaked in a 30min core strength session.

Saturday:
It hasn't happened much lately, but with work commitments it wasn't possible to get out there on the training paddock this morning.

The PM session was spent working through a hill/strength run which included a 10min session on a long set of stairs.
The stats on the session were 12km in about 1h05min
Sunday:

This mornings session was the first of the hard 5 hr rides.
The ride it’s self is 2.5hrs easy, 1 hr moderate, 1hr hard 30 min easy to make 5 hrs. The 1hr hard is still aerobic but the high end where you’re right on the edge of going lactic. Overall to aim for 150km plus for the 5hrs not including any stops. Stop are to be very quick and only to refuel or a toilet stop.

The ride started at 4.30am.
After 2.5 hrs I had completed 76.0km at an average speed of 30.3km/h
After the 1 hr moderate I had completed 108km at an average of 30.7km/h
The after the hard hour I had completed 139km at an average of 30.9km/h. Throughout this effort the average speed was around the 36km/h.
After the rest of the ride (easy) I had completed 170km in 5h35min.

The legs were very fatigued but I was able to maintain a good solid effort throughout the session and it felt comfortable. I experimented with the nutrition in this ride. The strategy was to eat every 20min. On the hour (gel), the 20min mark (solid - banana etc.) and the 40min mark (gel). It worked well but it felt like I was eating all the time. I think it will work for me every 20min I will just have to get use to it.

WEEKLY STATS:
Swim: 6.7km (2h13m)
Bike: 243km (10h05m)
Run: 54km (5h50m)
Core Strength & Flexibility: 55m

Total: 19h04min