Okay, I am declaring my off-season to be officially over. I have increased my cycling workouts, keeping the time under 75 minutes each so far, but making each workout count. That is the key to avoiding early season burnout and overuse injuries: make it short and intense. Thursday and Friday I did three back-to-back workouts, this is when there is 12 hours or less between workouts, giving you the benefits of a longer workout but without the strain. Thursday evening I did a 70 minute high cadence spin. Friday morning I did a 45 minute tabata workout, 1 minute hard, 1 minute easy, with ascending and descending gearing. Friday evening I did a 60 minute high cadence spin followed by a 75 minute core workout.
I am reintroducing my body to running. I got hit with a weird, dry cough in early December that was exacerbated by heavy breathing, especially in cold air, so I had to take a break from running until I knew the cough was gone. This cough was brutal. It was keeping me up all night, and I was coughing so hard it made me retch, and would come and go randomly. Totally gnarly. Anyhoo, Thursday I headed up into the foothills with my best bud Hugo (my big, red dog), and did a run/walk for about 90 minutes. When I say "walk" that is an understatement. We were on a gravel Forest Service road that was mostly steep, rolling hills. I climbed the hills at a hard walk, and ran the more level areas. It was probably harder on my knees than a regular run, but damn, it was great to be out in the woods. I am going to enter running at a slow-ish pace, I don't want to overdo it early in the season. That being said, my running felt good, my breathing was easy, and my legs felt powerful. There is a lot to be said about offseason strength training. I am going to start with 3 runs a week, allowing my body a few days for recovery between runs, and see how that goes. I want to get back to the run drills I was doing up until the cough sidelined me. I also have a great hill about 1/2 mile away for hill repeats.
Tonight I had the best, and longest, swim I've had since my event in December. I went into the water with "fresh" arms tonight, which I haven't done in several months. That is one downside of arduous strength training, your muscles always feel in some state of fatigue. I have been doing hard upperbody strength routines nearly every other day for several months now. Yes, my shoulders are rock hard, and I have some nice deltoid definition, but it has made me mildly fatigued in the water. Last week I was actually feeling a bit of burnout, so slacked off on my swims a bit, dialing them down to just swimming a simple mile without any strenuous drills. Tonight I was aiming for 1-1/2 miles, with some intensity thrown in for kicks and giggles. I ended up swimming 2 miles, with a lot of intensity. I started with 20 laps with hand paddles. 5 laps of kick drills (remember, describing my kick as "weak" is an understatement, so kick drills are asskicking). 5 laps at race pace. 10 laps freestyle sprint. 5 laps race pace. 5 laps kick drills. 20 laps race pace. It was a good workout. The 10 sprint laps were right at my asthma threshold, and my shoulders were burning well before I was finished. The hard part about sprint drills is pushing through the last lap or two, keeping the pace hard and steady, and not letting myself slack at all. I had only planned on swimming about 45 laps, but I was feeling so damned good that I kept thinking, "Maybe just 5 more laps." The last 20 I swam at just above race pace, i.e. my I-can-do-this-for-miles pace, and felt really good. Honestly, I felt a bit stilted for a good part of the first mile, but just like running, "the first mile is a liar."
I spent a lot of time on the bike this week, and am eager to start rebuilding my cycling base. I am really seeing gains from my months of strength training. I feel like my cycling power is up, as well as my cadence, and the smoothness of my pedal stroke. I have a small bike computer coming with a cadence meter and speedometer so I can really work on maintaining high cadence especially while I'm indoors on the trainer. And once I get back on the road I can really work to get my average mph up to where I need it to be for the Epic 250K come September. Today was a total leg rest day, which was one reason I swam so hard, but my legs recover quickly so tomorrow is run and cycle day, with a nice upperbody workout tossed in for good measure.
Now is when it is all about intensity, whether that is speedwork or strength. Now it the time to up the intensity.
Saturday, January 10, 2015
Friday, January 2, 2015
Floundering Without a Schedule
My final visit to the gym and pool for 2014 was a bit lackadaisical. I did a good leg workout, but skipped all but 10 minutes on the elliptical. Then I hit the pool and realized just how tired and sore my upper body was. Normally it only takes about 10 laps to warm up, 20 at the most. Tuesday I swam 45 laps and never did lose the soreness in my arms and shoulders. To make it a bit easier on my body I did slow down and work on form. I am trying to have a more solid grab and pull, and keep my elbows higher, but it is tiring to tweak form. The whole time I swam all I could think of was how much I wanted to just be sitting in the hot tub. My realization during all this was that I had reached that point so often talked about: Burnout. Not hardcore, more subtle than expected, but burnout nonetheless. Now I am struggling with the idea of taking a few more days off from swimming, which I hate the thought of. Or should I hit the pool later today for a short, focused swim?
(Insert a little back story here) January 31st was my last day of work. My department was closed permanently. I was told nearly two months ago that we were getting closed down, and I thought I was emotionally prepared for the reality of it. But these last few weeks have held more than a twinge of depression and sadness. I am in mourning for a job that I really enjoyed, even as I look forward to having some freedom to lead a more productive life for a while. Part of me is whooping it up at the thought of being able to train like a professional athlete this season, even though money will be tight. Also, my grandmother passed away on the 30th, quietly, in her own home. It was expected, and in some ways a relief for her, but that doesn't make the loss any less poignant. Also, this last weekend my son and his family moved out. They had been staying with me for a bit while they were getting back on their feet after moving back from the east coast. Yes, it was crowded and chaotic, but I got to know his family better, and his step-children got to know me too. Now the house seems achingly quiet. So in reality, it has been a draining week on nearly every emotional front. On the one hand I revel in the prospect of new opportunities and returning my home to its previous relatively serene state. On the other hand I am unemployed, home alone, it is bitter cold outside, and I am facing the onset of seasonal affected disorder. All that being said, it is no wonder my training is taking a hit.
Okay, enough of the pity party. I did get in a good 70 minute cycling workout New Year's Eve, and a great 90 minute upper body workout starting at 9:30 last night. Yes, it was rather late in the day to start a workout, but I was feeling blue and weepy, and it's not like I am on a schedule right now.
Speaking of schedules, that is where I will need to focus, starting Monday. I need to realign my training schedule. For the last... well, seemingly forever... my work life has dictated my training schedule. I had to be up at a specific time to get out the door, gym and swim bags packed the night before, and training was regulated by what time I got off work. Now I have no base schedule to work around and I feel lost and adrift. I am a creature of compulsive habit and routine, and that has all been tossed out the window. In order to get my training back on track I need to rebuild a schedule for my life or I will flounder and get nothing done. That would be tragic, and depressing. Not to mention a spectacular waste of a golden opportunity. I could make excuses, like, "but it has only been two days since leaving my job behind," or "but it is the holidays, everyone gets to slack off and be lazy." No excuses. No fucking excuses.
I do not make New Year's Resolutions, but this I resolve: Get my ass in gear, devise a schedule for training and life in general, and make 2015 as productive on every level as I possibly can. Sink or swim, now is the time.
(Insert a little back story here) January 31st was my last day of work. My department was closed permanently. I was told nearly two months ago that we were getting closed down, and I thought I was emotionally prepared for the reality of it. But these last few weeks have held more than a twinge of depression and sadness. I am in mourning for a job that I really enjoyed, even as I look forward to having some freedom to lead a more productive life for a while. Part of me is whooping it up at the thought of being able to train like a professional athlete this season, even though money will be tight. Also, my grandmother passed away on the 30th, quietly, in her own home. It was expected, and in some ways a relief for her, but that doesn't make the loss any less poignant. Also, this last weekend my son and his family moved out. They had been staying with me for a bit while they were getting back on their feet after moving back from the east coast. Yes, it was crowded and chaotic, but I got to know his family better, and his step-children got to know me too. Now the house seems achingly quiet. So in reality, it has been a draining week on nearly every emotional front. On the one hand I revel in the prospect of new opportunities and returning my home to its previous relatively serene state. On the other hand I am unemployed, home alone, it is bitter cold outside, and I am facing the onset of seasonal affected disorder. All that being said, it is no wonder my training is taking a hit.
Okay, enough of the pity party. I did get in a good 70 minute cycling workout New Year's Eve, and a great 90 minute upper body workout starting at 9:30 last night. Yes, it was rather late in the day to start a workout, but I was feeling blue and weepy, and it's not like I am on a schedule right now.
Speaking of schedules, that is where I will need to focus, starting Monday. I need to realign my training schedule. For the last... well, seemingly forever... my work life has dictated my training schedule. I had to be up at a specific time to get out the door, gym and swim bags packed the night before, and training was regulated by what time I got off work. Now I have no base schedule to work around and I feel lost and adrift. I am a creature of compulsive habit and routine, and that has all been tossed out the window. In order to get my training back on track I need to rebuild a schedule for my life or I will flounder and get nothing done. That would be tragic, and depressing. Not to mention a spectacular waste of a golden opportunity. I could make excuses, like, "but it has only been two days since leaving my job behind," or "but it is the holidays, everyone gets to slack off and be lazy." No excuses. No fucking excuses.
I do not make New Year's Resolutions, but this I resolve: Get my ass in gear, devise a schedule for training and life in general, and make 2015 as productive on every level as I possibly can. Sink or swim, now is the time.
Friday, December 26, 2014
2014 Was a Great Year. 2015 Will Be Even Better!
The end of 2014 is just a few days away. Looking back, it was a damned good year. I trained hard and diligently, even if I did not quite reach my goal of getting a finishing time in the Epic 250K. I built a solid foundation and reached the start line healthy, well rested, and best of all uninjured. I trained hard without injury from accident or overuse. My cardio was great, my stamina was amazing, my body felt fantastic.
As disappointed as I was to not finish the Bike Leg in time, it taught me some valuable lessons, and reaffirmed my training: Know your race, know the speed you need to maintain and train accordingly (key for 2015 training). Be prepared, take more gear than you think you might need, and discard what you don't (I did this well, I think). I learned that I do have the mental toughness to push through the rough moments, but need to work on speed. Always remind yourself, "I am right where I want to be, right now."
I am coming to the end of my off-season training, letting myself back off from running and cycling, while really working on strength and power. During the last 3 months I have spent a lot of time sweating at the gym, working on strength training and flexibility. I have been managing 3 days a week each for Leg Day, and Upper Body Day. Yes, this is a thing for me. I have always loved weight training, and it seems that even when I am too tired to push the cardio, I always have energy to lift. A goal for 2015 is to continue with solid strength training throughout the season right up to Race Week. Yes, I did strength training last season as well, but this year I am dialing it up a notch. Actually, this year everything gets dialed up a notch.
I know that my training last year got me to the start line in good condition. My endurance was fantastic, but my speed needs work. The next few months I will focus on speed drills in the water, on the bike, and on the run. All three disciplines require just a bit more speed. If I can get out of the water 15 minutes faster, that gives me 15 minutes more to finish the bike. If I can increase my average speed on the bike by a measly 1 mile per hour that will get me to the start of the run in plenty of time. From there on, I have ample time to finish the run, but want to do it in style.
I had my nutrition dialed in to near perfection, during real life, training, and best of all during the race itself. There are a few tweaks I plan for 2015, mostly more plant based protein and edging closer to being vegan. I do rely on eggs as a daily source of protein, and don't want to give up what little bit of cheese I allow myself. I don't know if cutting these out of my diet would make much of a difference. I am hoping to have a better vegetable garden this year, since I will hopefully have more time this spring to get everything ready for a good planting. I want to be able to fill a freezer with fresh produce to make fall and winter eating all that much better. More berries for smoothies is always a good thing. And fresh frozen veggies hold a lot of their nutrition.
One wish is to get new front chainrings for the bike. I want a 56 tooth large ring, and a 32 tooth small ring. This will add just a bit more speed to my lowest and highest gears, and that will give me part of what I will need for a good finish time. The rest is all on me, and my legs and core. They say, "It's not the bike, it's the rider." This rider needs more strength, power, and speed in her legs.
2014 was a great year. 2015 will be even better. It will be a fantastic year.
As disappointed as I was to not finish the Bike Leg in time, it taught me some valuable lessons, and reaffirmed my training: Know your race, know the speed you need to maintain and train accordingly (key for 2015 training). Be prepared, take more gear than you think you might need, and discard what you don't (I did this well, I think). I learned that I do have the mental toughness to push through the rough moments, but need to work on speed. Always remind yourself, "I am right where I want to be, right now."
I am coming to the end of my off-season training, letting myself back off from running and cycling, while really working on strength and power. During the last 3 months I have spent a lot of time sweating at the gym, working on strength training and flexibility. I have been managing 3 days a week each for Leg Day, and Upper Body Day. Yes, this is a thing for me. I have always loved weight training, and it seems that even when I am too tired to push the cardio, I always have energy to lift. A goal for 2015 is to continue with solid strength training throughout the season right up to Race Week. Yes, I did strength training last season as well, but this year I am dialing it up a notch. Actually, this year everything gets dialed up a notch.
I know that my training last year got me to the start line in good condition. My endurance was fantastic, but my speed needs work. The next few months I will focus on speed drills in the water, on the bike, and on the run. All three disciplines require just a bit more speed. If I can get out of the water 15 minutes faster, that gives me 15 minutes more to finish the bike. If I can increase my average speed on the bike by a measly 1 mile per hour that will get me to the start of the run in plenty of time. From there on, I have ample time to finish the run, but want to do it in style.
I had my nutrition dialed in to near perfection, during real life, training, and best of all during the race itself. There are a few tweaks I plan for 2015, mostly more plant based protein and edging closer to being vegan. I do rely on eggs as a daily source of protein, and don't want to give up what little bit of cheese I allow myself. I don't know if cutting these out of my diet would make much of a difference. I am hoping to have a better vegetable garden this year, since I will hopefully have more time this spring to get everything ready for a good planting. I want to be able to fill a freezer with fresh produce to make fall and winter eating all that much better. More berries for smoothies is always a good thing. And fresh frozen veggies hold a lot of their nutrition.
One wish is to get new front chainrings for the bike. I want a 56 tooth large ring, and a 32 tooth small ring. This will add just a bit more speed to my lowest and highest gears, and that will give me part of what I will need for a good finish time. The rest is all on me, and my legs and core. They say, "It's not the bike, it's the rider." This rider needs more strength, power, and speed in her legs.
2014 was a great year. 2015 will be even better. It will be a fantastic year.
Sunday, November 30, 2014
Swimming
I am trying to up the ante with my swimming. In the past I have not been comfortable with swimming so hard that I am pushing my asthma threshold. It is a bit panic inducing to have breathing difficulty when you are in the water, it is too reminiscent of drowning I think. But now, as I become more and more comfortable with my swimming, I am also finding it easier to push myself harder. The last few swims I have really pushed myself. I have been swimming laps with hand paddles and my shorty fins which elevates my heart rate and breathing far beyond my race pace, and the level I have been training at. Friday I was 22 laps into what would have been my fastest mile ever when I was informed that the gym closed at 8:00 on Fridays (it was 7:55), so I had to stop before I felt finished. I felt robbed. Tonight I headed in for a swim, but didn't feel quite as speedy as I did on Friday. I did push myself hard for the first 30 laps though, until I was having to breath on every stroke instead of every other stroke as I usually do. Then I switched back to strength drills for the remaining 30 laps. My challenge to myself: 10 swims in 14 days, while maintaining my regular workout schedule. With work ramping up for the holidays it is going to be a tiring few weeks. But I do love rising to a challenge.
Sunday, November 16, 2014
First Brick in Two Months
Today was my first brick workout since mid-September. I didn't really plan for it, but hell, strike while the iron is hot. It was a beautifully sunny day, with temps in the mid 40's so a bit on the chilly side. Yesterday I had vowed to myself that I would head out to Wildcat Road (aka "Kick-my-ass-and-leave-me-in-the-ditch-to-die Road") and run hill repeats on the first steep hill. Okay, all the hills on this road are steep, hence the nickname from my cycling outings on it. It is less than a mile from my front door to the foot of the first hill, a perfect warm-up distance. I decided to run to the top in sprint sets, with each set consisting of sprint 30 paces, walk 30 paces. It took me seven sets to reach the top. I considered running further, but since this is my first real hill repeat session I didn't want to over extend myself, so I turned around and ran for home. I was careful running the steep downhill, knowing just how hard downhills can be on my knees and quads. It gave me a chance to focus intently on technique, footstrike and stride rate. I admit, I really had a tough time motivating myself out of the door, and procrastinated until the sun was getting a bit low on the horizon and I knew if I didn't get going the light would fade and the temps would really drop. Of course by the time I was warmed up, and before I even started the hill repeats, I was feeling great, and glad to be out in the fresh, brisk autumn air. It was a good run, short but effective.
When I returned home I decided to get in a 60 minute spin session. I haven't been keeping up with my cycling quite as much as I would like. As with my swimming, it is so hard to return to indoor workouts after a glorious summer of outdoor training sessions. My route to work is the same road I spent so many hours cycling over this last summer, and as I drive my eyes wander the bike path on the shoulder of the road, wishing it was August and I was sweating my way up and down the hills. I know I can cycle outdoors even during the winter, but I don't have all the gear I need, and the wind chill can be brutal on a bike. I did pick up some basic gear before my event in September, just in case of inclement weather, but I didn't need it. I need to dig it all out and have it ready for the next dry weekend (granted, that might be in June).
I still haven't really filled out my training schedule as much as I would like. I have a few training days that are very specific: Monday and Friday are Strength Training with a focus on legs and core, Wednesday is Running Drills at the college track. The rest of the week is a little less focused: Tuesday and Thursday are dedicated Swim days, Saturday and Sunday are for Cycling and a Run workout. I am doing the Elliptical machine to warm up on Leg Day, and trying to fit in an extra run where I can. I'd also like to get in a third swim somehow. Yeah, yeah, it sounds pretty specific, but my cycling workouts are very generic, and not frequent enough, and I could say the same about my swimming. There really are not enough days in the week to fit in all the training sessions I would like. This is where I guiltily confess that I am looking forward to getting laid off from work so I can train more (terrible, I know).
I do have to keep reminding myself that this really should be my Off-Season, and I shouldn't have to be quite so obsessively focused. But my nature is to be obsessively focused, it is how I am, I seem to be hardwired for it. Maybe this year I will actually get a training calender, and keep a journal, or just do as I always do and keep it all up inside my noggin.
When I returned home I decided to get in a 60 minute spin session. I haven't been keeping up with my cycling quite as much as I would like. As with my swimming, it is so hard to return to indoor workouts after a glorious summer of outdoor training sessions. My route to work is the same road I spent so many hours cycling over this last summer, and as I drive my eyes wander the bike path on the shoulder of the road, wishing it was August and I was sweating my way up and down the hills. I know I can cycle outdoors even during the winter, but I don't have all the gear I need, and the wind chill can be brutal on a bike. I did pick up some basic gear before my event in September, just in case of inclement weather, but I didn't need it. I need to dig it all out and have it ready for the next dry weekend (granted, that might be in June).
I still haven't really filled out my training schedule as much as I would like. I have a few training days that are very specific: Monday and Friday are Strength Training with a focus on legs and core, Wednesday is Running Drills at the college track. The rest of the week is a little less focused: Tuesday and Thursday are dedicated Swim days, Saturday and Sunday are for Cycling and a Run workout. I am doing the Elliptical machine to warm up on Leg Day, and trying to fit in an extra run where I can. I'd also like to get in a third swim somehow. Yeah, yeah, it sounds pretty specific, but my cycling workouts are very generic, and not frequent enough, and I could say the same about my swimming. There really are not enough days in the week to fit in all the training sessions I would like. This is where I guiltily confess that I am looking forward to getting laid off from work so I can train more (terrible, I know).
I do have to keep reminding myself that this really should be my Off-Season, and I shouldn't have to be quite so obsessively focused. But my nature is to be obsessively focused, it is how I am, I seem to be hardwired for it. Maybe this year I will actually get a training calender, and keep a journal, or just do as I always do and keep it all up inside my noggin.
Saturday, November 15, 2014
Must Get Faster
I am at the computer searching for articles on ways to improve my performance next season. I must get faster. Absolutely must. In the swim, the bike, and the run. But especially on the bike. I have heard all too often, "It is not the bike, it is the rider." Well, g'damn it I wish I could blame it on the bike, but I know it is me. Oh I am sure there are things I could do to Joshua that might let me shave a few seconds here and there, but the reality is that I need to be faster. I knew going into my big event that I had the endurance, just not the speed. For so long I have said that speed is not my strength, my strength is my strength. I am a strong swimmer and cyclist. I do have excellent endurance and can find that "I can do this all day" pace. But that is not good enough. I got a DNF because I could not finish the bike leg in the time allowed. I knew going into the event that it would be a miracle for me to manage the 138 miles in less than 9-1/2 hours. I do wish I had found out what the time limit was a lot earlier in my training, it might have made me add more speed work to my training. Or not. I had to focus on base building. I followed my training plan religiously, taking the advice to go easy on the bike to save energy for the run. That is advice that crops up again and again in Ironman training, you have to go easier on the bike than you think you should because you have to get off the bike and run. But now I know, I still need to be faster. I don't know if I need another bike, not that I can afford one anyway (but a girl can dream), or if there are things I can do to Joshua to help improve our performance. He is a good, basic road bike. I just need to be faster all around.
I am working diligently on my strength training, since it is technically my off-season. I know that strength and power are key in both speed and endurance. I have always kept up a decent level of strength training, but in the past I have focused more on core and upper body strength which is vital to all three disciplines. Now I haev added a considerable amount of leg work. I make sure to have two days at the gym that are dedicated leg days with squat, lunge, deadlift, leg press, leg curl, leg extension, jump squat, wide squat, split squat, and a plethora of other leg exercises and stretches. I am also doing one day on the track with running drills aimed at strength and speed work. I do love the running drills; sprint, skip, high knee, butt kick, leap, crossover stride, and square hop. I am adding hill repeats to the mix starting tomorrow. I haven't been cycling as much lately, letting myself have a bit of a break, but I will be adding tabata drills, and threshold speedwork to try and make my legs get faster. I have to be faster. It is not an option, it is a requirement.
Off-season is not easy for me, but it is the time to research and study, seek new ways to train. I know I can improve my times,
I am working diligently on my strength training, since it is technically my off-season. I know that strength and power are key in both speed and endurance. I have always kept up a decent level of strength training, but in the past I have focused more on core and upper body strength which is vital to all three disciplines. Now I haev added a considerable amount of leg work. I make sure to have two days at the gym that are dedicated leg days with squat, lunge, deadlift, leg press, leg curl, leg extension, jump squat, wide squat, split squat, and a plethora of other leg exercises and stretches. I am also doing one day on the track with running drills aimed at strength and speed work. I do love the running drills; sprint, skip, high knee, butt kick, leap, crossover stride, and square hop. I am adding hill repeats to the mix starting tomorrow. I haven't been cycling as much lately, letting myself have a bit of a break, but I will be adding tabata drills, and threshold speedwork to try and make my legs get faster. I have to be faster. It is not an option, it is a requirement.
Off-season is not easy for me, but it is the time to research and study, seek new ways to train. I know I can improve my times,
Good News, Bad News
The bad news: I will be unemployed come January first. The good news: OMG just think how often I will be able to workout! No, seriously, this really was one of my first thoughts after hearing that they were closing my department by Christmas. I will be able to train like I have wished I could for a long time. Okay, hopefully I won't be unemployed very long, but I am going to try and make the best of it. Another great aspect of having a bit more free time is the ability to get caught up on my writing, finish a few of the works I have in progress and haven't been able to quite finish off, as well as start a new writing project or two. One idea I have swirling around in my over-active brain is a book on triathlon on a budget. I won't be more specific than that right now (don't want one of my 12 readers to swipe my idea *ha ha*). I think if there is one area of triathlon that I have a bit better than average knowledge it is how to do it on the cheap. I admit, setting up T2 and seeing all the glorious tri-bikes next to my old school road bike, I am inclined to feel a bit like the girl from the wrong side of the tracks. But I don't participate in this sport for glory or recognition, or to have the spendiest bike on the rack, I do it because I enjoy it, and I feel that by pushing myself to reach for what may have seemed impossible not long ago that I am making myself a better person. Hell, I am definitely in the best shape of my life (well, at least I was on September 20th), and plan on being even more fit come September of 2015. I don't have the qualifications to be a trainer, but I definitely qualify to help people find a bargain.
On that note, time to get my workout space organized so I can get in a bike and strength training workout a little later. Onward through the fog!
On that note, time to get my workout space organized so I can get in a bike and strength training workout a little later. Onward through the fog!
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