2x 3x1000 at the track

RUN: 8.4 miles in 1:10 2x[3x1000, 200rest] 1200 between sets, descending 1-3 and 4-6.

BIKE: 24.1 miles in 90 minsx 3x20 mins at 75% (aimed for 120-125 bpm)

That is probably the longest track workout I’ve ever done, and anything longer probably shouldn’t be done on a track! We had a great group today of BE, DC, IT, CM, DK, and a new runner DS. Track sessions are definitely better as a group. Everyone did their own thing, some of us doing my workout in some form, others following right along with me, others completely different. It was great!

The goals were simple. Shaving a few seconds off each 1000 within each set, then having the 2^nd set be like the first. Since I don’t know my 10K or 5K pace really (I could guess, but I mean I don’t know for sure) but I thought I’d start the first 1000 at just under 10K or just under 8m/m. Based on previous weeks, that should be no problem-o.

The interval data: #/time/distance/pace*/HR

1 4:50 0.72 6:41 150

2 4:42 0.71 6:36 156

3 4:38 0.73 6:23 165

Then a 1200m jog

1 4:52 0.70 6:56 154

2 4:35 0.70 6:33 153

3 4:21 0.69 6:17 137

*I mention distances since the Garmin didn't seem to measure a full 1000m and instead captured a 3/4 mile. If these numbers are put into a calculator using 1000m, the paces are not that fast. I'm sure sure which is right.

I was surprised at the speed of the 4:35 interval! It didn’t feel all that fast, but by that time I was warmed up and finding it much easier to do. So how was I going to beat that? Hang on to DC and BE! I started with them but soon enough they eased ahead. At the 200m to go mark I said out loud to a cheering IT that “I’m making my move” and I pushed it…my legs burned and my chest was starting to hurt…but I caught them!!  Right before the line I re-grouped with them and crossed just behind them. AWESOME!  And WOW!!!!

We closed with some 100m strides and headed off to get our days going. I still had a bike ride!

I hate to say it, but since I was very keen on getting the 20 min intervals in, I did this indoors. I noted in Sunday’s ride that I have a weakness of not being able to hold higher efforts for long. Not speed efforts, but rather just the ability to hit 80% and maintain it.  My focus would wander off or my legs would tire out. So today the goal was to STAY FOCUSED and get a feel for how that effort builds on the legs. If I had a long stretch of road I would have done it outdoors, but that’s not possible all the time.

It's also notable that I did this run in the newer 12-2/gray Adrenalines, this morning before the run I successfully adjusted the orthotics to a comfy fit! The left shoe really needed it. Now to test on a long run.

What a day! No, what a morning!!

JRR Tolkien quote

The greatest adventure is what lies ahead
Today and tomorrow are yet to be said
The chances the changes are all yours to make
The mold of your life is in your hands to break.

The greatest adventure is there if you are bold
Let go of the moment that life makes you hold
To measure the meaning can make you delay
It's time you stop thinking and wasting the day.

A man whose a dreamer and never takes leave
Who thinks of a world that is make believe
Will never know passion
Will never know pain
Who sits by the window
Will one day see rain.

The greatest adventure is what lies ahead
Today and tomorrow are yet to be said
The chances the changes are all yours to make
The mold of your life is in your hands to break.


Today was a day off for me, I needed it! I thought about swimming in the evening but that's as far as I got. Thinking about it.

A Day at Carlyle Lake

SWIM: 1.25? miles in 55? minutes
BIKE: 67.2miles in 3:57, ave speed 17mph and 119bpm

It was a long drive, but worth it. How often do you get OWS opportunites!? The water was smooth, warm, and had something that accumulated in my bra top to cash some irritation later...

The day was cool again, we really did catch a break from the heat this weekend. After checking in, getting a cool RMP tshirt and blankie, then heading to the beach I did 4 laps on the 0.25mi course. I tried to keep track of the times, I was doing roughly 11-12mins quarter miles. That's 400m, which should only take me 9 or so minute. But I certainly wasn't hurrying and I kept going off course on the backstretch.

At some point in the swim, my back itched. Like I had prickly crumbs in my top. Then I started noticing it in other places, legs, abs, arms. I ignored it, but later on I found what looked like sawdust in my bra top and a mild rash on my skin! Not sure what it was.

I was the last peep out of the water, so getting the bike together was a rush. In my hurry to get out the door with copies of the route maps, I forgot my aerobottle but thankfully nothing else. That's what I get for having a late night spent in a daze and not being efficient in packing.

The clouds overhead made it feel as if we were barely working, and the clouds in the distance kept us watching the skies. Around mile 24 we decided the storms would slip south. Around mile 26 we decided to do 66 instead of the planned 85. In the end this all worked out. To make up for it, I hit the pace hard on the way home, bringing the ride ave speed up out the 16's and into 17. I've been watching my bike speed the past few weeks and have been dismayed at the speed. If I want to do 17-18 in Redman, I have to start rocking it. Sure, I can't compare the stop/start of a training ride like this to the smooth go-go-go of a race...but still. It's a nice confidence booster to know I can do it.

My nutrition today was going to be EFS, but I opted instead for my new batch of homemade BOOMfinIT. Good stuff! I had just 300 cals of that and a powerbar over the 4hrs. I ate a lot of fruit before the ride, and more fruit after, then by the time I came home I was again ravenous. I just get so hungry I'm nauseated! I did this yesterday, and I did it again today. Sounds like it's time to research recovery foods that withstand the hot car, have good protein and fat, and don't leave me starving like today!!! Cuz now I ate too much again, just like yesterday, although I was more mindful of it today.

This week was just over 15hours of training, with this being sort of a rest week on the IM plan. Next week is 18hours.

Overall, I did 6700y swim, 129.2 mi bike, and 34 on the run. I hope to get my run mileage up next week.

Saturday Sandwich and Nakedness!

RUN: 6.48mi, 9:05m/m, ave 141bpm
RUN: 6.39mi, 9:21m/m, ave 147 bpm
BIKE: 48 mins, just under 10 miles, easy
RUN: 4.44 mi, 9:07m/m, 145bpm

TH and I met up for this sammie. My goal was a slightly slower pace than last week's sammie, to have run #3 be the same pace as run #1, and to test the hydration backpack.

Success all around! Last week we ran 8:53 for the first 6 miles, this week 9:05.
It would have been nice to have run #2 be like #1, but oh well.
And the hydration pack is something I need to learn to wear.

The morning was finally a cool one (although not cold like a lady at the VC was saying!). It was so refreshing! The first lap went great, unremarkable. The 2nd lap I wore the backpack. It's heavy, but like TH said it won't be heavy the entire run because I'll be drinking out of it! We didn't drink out of this one, just wore it to feel the weight. It was a distraction, but not a problem. Which means I just need to grow used to it. It will be very helpful to have one for the upcoming long runs! I don't like so much the handheld and the fuelbelt only holds so much.

So I'm not sure why run #2 was slightly slower, but each mile was just a few seconds slower. Maybe it's because we ran the 2nd loop counterclockwise like on the track!? We ran into SaMu at the end, she said NK was out running. We decided to find her on the bikes and heckle her a bit.

The goal was easy, but maybe we took this too easy! Puppy loves the park :)

The final run was going to be 4-6 miles, take them as they come. We didn't need the mileage, we just needed the transition back to running. We hit the 2mi point, wavered between turning around and going past the zoo, chose the zoo, and were rewarded by running into TB!  A nice IB'er morning :)

I didn't know when we finished that we'd hit 17.3 miles total, my math just isn't that good in-run. But right afterwards I felt great, even though I had to stop by work and I didn't get home until an hour later. This also means I didn't eat until later too, by the time I got home I was ravenous/sick. I really gotta watch out for that, then I eat too much and feel sick again!

Later on we saw the WNBR with friends. Yuck. But fun!

Next week the 18 miles won't be "broken" up by the bike ride. Straight through!

Started the weekend Friday afternoon

SWIM: 2500y in just under an hour. 30x50, first 10 80%, next 10 kick/sprint, last 10 FAST.

Didn't get the swim in before work and instead went in the afternoon. This worked out well, I recovered after Thursday's run/bike and before Saturday's long run.

I always think the pool will be busy on a Friday night, but it seems that's just my triathlete-centric view of things. I like to think that when people have a night free they could hang out at the pool! Wrong.

The pool was pretty dead. I shared a lane with a guy using a pull buoy but still dragging his feet. Reminded me to keep my head down.

I almost didn't do this, and if I hadn't of gone with DH to work, more than likely I would have just gone home after work. But this is a nice schedule option to keep in mind!

If I had ridden in the afternoon, it would have rained

RUN: 6.4 miles in 57 mins, 8:54m/m
BIKE: 23.5 miles in 1:25

I slept in--again!! I don't even remember my alarm going off. Usually I can at least recall waking up briefly. So I missed the group at the Thursday run. And just when I thought I'd be on my own, AC texts! We had a great run, I haven't seen her in weeks. She has such a great pace, hope she can join the earlier Thurs group or some of the trail runs. She's been training with the slugs, something I've been wanting to do. So I'm inspired to look into that more.

The bike was supposed to be my speed work of the week on the bike, but that's so hard to do in town. The plan called for 3x10K at 80+% but where can I find a 10K stretch of road except in the country. I could have driven somewhere, but since I slept in that was a no-go. So I rode out on Clayton/Conway hitting the hills hard and pushing a bigger gear than I would have normally selected.

The run and ride felt great, getting tired but nothing unexpected. And sitting here a few hours later, my right leg hurts--it's a quiet ache on the lateral thigh just under the hip. HTFU hip.

No rain now for weeks but it looks like it could rain tonight. I did the ride in the morning out of worry that it would rain in the afternoon and mess up my plans. The temps were cooler today, so an afternoon ride would have been better than the past few days and weeks. But no, it's over and done. I get to go home and rest!

I've been reviewing my schedule in my head, and wondering if Friday or Monday is my better day off? Monday has Master's swim, but I so dang tired on Monday! What if I took Monday off and turned the Tuesday recovery ride into a swim? Should I swim after a track workout?! I'm already sloppy, why add fatigue to it?

7250y and 7 months...I got nuttin' to complain about!

RUN: 4 miles in about 45 mins, so slow it hurt
SWIM: 2000y in 45 mins, so hot it sucked

Today's goal was to run a few miles just for mileage. I got a late start because I slept in then hung around the house with DH in the morning. By the time I started, it was 85-88F! Since I wanted to swim, I drove to the YMCA and ran from there, figuring I could combine the swim with a shower and be done! Also if I'm already at the pool, I'm more likely to actually get in it.

The run was hot, but I stuck to the goal of slow...I was doing 10:30m/m and my HR was still in the 130s. The heat is getting tiresome! Then I get back to the truck, and stand there, drinking water, stretching, debating...so am I gonna swim? Hmmm.....am I?.....it's hot out here...it's hot in the pool...yuck...but I need to swim...5 mins of this back and forth debate then finally I decide to go in.

Do it now, or do it never.

I get in and select a gameplan with 2100y--a nice 400, 300, 200, 100 descending efforts designed to come after a ride or run. Perfect! My friend D is there, he's busy with his big training goals and I need to get to work eventually so I don't stop to talk. I just get to swimming.

In the end the swim wasn't bad or hard or hot. I'm glad I went!  I was so proud of myself, then I talked to D and found he was wrapping up a 7250y workout! And his lane mate was 7 months pregnant! Man, I got nuttin. No excuses! And how inspiring!

No hip pain today like yesterday, but my ankles hurt. Especially the left one. It's like a tight burny feeling. I'll bet tomorrow it's gone and replaced by something else.