Ok, so this week is a complete mess. I have a dentist appointment and a trip to the new Bourne film and they just complicate my commutes. The only race this week is a TT on Tuesday night, but even that is a weird one as it is only a few miles from my house so I will ride to and from it.
Monday - Run commute in.
Cycle commute home.
TPT Swim session.
Tuesday - Cycle commute in.
DTCC TT 9.5-mile.
Wednesday - Run commute in.
Cycle commute home.
Thursday - Cycle commute in.
Friday - Cycle commute home.
Saturday - Easy swim.
Sunday - Easy brick.
Target totals - Swim 2.4 miles. Bike 36.4 miles. Run 13.9 miles. 1 short core, 1 short light weights and 1 short stretching sessions. 30 mins of yoga.
Monday, 25 July 2016
Training Review - Week 30 - July 18 to 24
Monday I commuted by bike. Fairly rapidly on the way in, and desperately slowly on the way home. Admittedly with a different route and a couple of Pokemon stops but still pretty terrible. I did manage to go to swimming and clocked my longest session since my quad tear. It still wasn't great, but it was an improvement on the last few weeks.
Riding a bike straight up a hill is the dumbest thing in the world. I knew this already but doing a 1-mile uphill only Time Trial is good confirmation of it. It didn't help that my hay fever was bugging me so I had a really scratchy throat before and during, but that is no excuse for quite how long it took me to do a (slightly short) 1-mile ride up a hill.
Wednesday I decided to just run to the office again. 7-miles is too long to be really useful training, but it is fitting in well enough with my supposed rest plan and taking it a bit easier for a few weeks. I actually felt like I managed a decent pace for most of the run, the slow time was mostly due to traffic and another couple of pokemon stops. However, it wasn't good enough to convince me to sign up for Inverurie at the weekend.
Thursday I planned to commute both ways on the road bike. The weather overnight was a bit rubbish so I took my winter bike, which was a fine idea until about 200m to go when I punctured. that in itself wasn't a huge problem, but the late change of bike meant my spare tube and gas were still on my summer bike. That meant taking the train home instead. When I got home I did take the opportunity of the tube change to give the bike a full service. I should have done that after winter when I put it away. As well as potentially averting the puncture I could have avoided the rust on the drivetrain, and would have known that the front brakes were a long way past useful.
Friday, having put all that effort into cleaning and servicing the winter bike, I didn't really want to get it dirty again, so I decided to take the mountain bike to work instead. I knew it was only going to be a one-way trip this time as it was off to Star Trek Beyond in the evening. That meant leaving the bike at work over the weekend. That also gave me the choice of road bikes to fit the weather for a longer weekend ride.
Saturday I started with a haircut, and then a trip to ASV. I had planned 2,000m steady but from stroke 1 I was trying to justify a shorter session. 4x400 would be better, 2x750 would be good, just a 20-min time trial would be ok, ... . In the end I did 750m and stopped to check the watch. Faster than Huntly sprint, which just shows how bad a race that was. I was feeling terrible though so I shifted down a lane and did a bit of breast stroke just to take me to 1,000m. Half of the original plan, but at least getting a second swim in this week.
In the afternoon I went out for an easy loop of Dyce, mostly just to tick off some numbers to avoid a long run on Sunday. That turned into a terrible walk/jog/pokemon-hunt taking me nearly an hour to get round 4 miles.
Sunday I slept in and missed my planned group ride. Instead I went out for a solo brick, with a decent 10-mile on the bike and then a bit more pokemon collecting with my easy run afterwards.
Since I have started my new job I have bumped up the cycling miles with commutes and I have done as much as I reasonably can running on my injured quad, but my swimming is really suffering from not being able to get out to Knockburn midweek. That drop-off is now so bad that I am now behind my swim target and also behind last year's swim mileage for the first time this year.
Also I am still getting problems from my quad strain. The roller and stretching doesn't seem to be getting into it so I need to try and fit in a trip for a massage to see if she can straighten it out.
Target totals - Swim 2.4 miles. Bike 36.4 miles. Run 13.9 miles. 1 short core, 1 short light weights and 1 short stretching sessions. 30 mins of yoga.
Monday - Commute to work 7.0 miles in 28 mins.
Commute from work 8.2 miles in 45 mins.
Swim with TPT 1,800 m in 55mins.
Tuesday - Warm-up 1.7 miles in
DTCC 1-mile uphill TT 0.9 miles in 6:22
Wednesday - Run commute 7.0 miles in 71 mins.
Thursday - Commute to work 7.0 miles in 29 mins.
Friday - Commute to work on mtb 7.3 miles in 42 mins.
Saturday - Swim at ASV 1,000m in 24 mins.
Easy run 4.2 miles in 58 mins.
Stretching and rollering.
Sunday - Brick ride 10 miles in 36 mins.
Brick jog 3.5 miles in 35 mins.
Actuals - Swim 1.7 miles (2,800 m). Bike 42.1 miles. Run 14.7 miles. 0 short core, 0 short light weights and 1 stretching / rollering session. 0 mins of yoga
Cumulative (Cumulative target) [Cumulative Stretch target]
S 58.7 (59.0) [67.8],
B 1273.4 (1250.6) [1563.3],
R 456.3 (433.2) [489.5].
Riding a bike straight up a hill is the dumbest thing in the world. I knew this already but doing a 1-mile uphill only Time Trial is good confirmation of it. It didn't help that my hay fever was bugging me so I had a really scratchy throat before and during, but that is no excuse for quite how long it took me to do a (slightly short) 1-mile ride up a hill.
Wednesday I decided to just run to the office again. 7-miles is too long to be really useful training, but it is fitting in well enough with my supposed rest plan and taking it a bit easier for a few weeks. I actually felt like I managed a decent pace for most of the run, the slow time was mostly due to traffic and another couple of pokemon stops. However, it wasn't good enough to convince me to sign up for Inverurie at the weekend.
Thursday I planned to commute both ways on the road bike. The weather overnight was a bit rubbish so I took my winter bike, which was a fine idea until about 200m to go when I punctured. that in itself wasn't a huge problem, but the late change of bike meant my spare tube and gas were still on my summer bike. That meant taking the train home instead. When I got home I did take the opportunity of the tube change to give the bike a full service. I should have done that after winter when I put it away. As well as potentially averting the puncture I could have avoided the rust on the drivetrain, and would have known that the front brakes were a long way past useful.
Friday, having put all that effort into cleaning and servicing the winter bike, I didn't really want to get it dirty again, so I decided to take the mountain bike to work instead. I knew it was only going to be a one-way trip this time as it was off to Star Trek Beyond in the evening. That meant leaving the bike at work over the weekend. That also gave me the choice of road bikes to fit the weather for a longer weekend ride.
Saturday I started with a haircut, and then a trip to ASV. I had planned 2,000m steady but from stroke 1 I was trying to justify a shorter session. 4x400 would be better, 2x750 would be good, just a 20-min time trial would be ok, ... . In the end I did 750m and stopped to check the watch. Faster than Huntly sprint, which just shows how bad a race that was. I was feeling terrible though so I shifted down a lane and did a bit of breast stroke just to take me to 1,000m. Half of the original plan, but at least getting a second swim in this week.
In the afternoon I went out for an easy loop of Dyce, mostly just to tick off some numbers to avoid a long run on Sunday. That turned into a terrible walk/jog/pokemon-hunt taking me nearly an hour to get round 4 miles.
Sunday I slept in and missed my planned group ride. Instead I went out for a solo brick, with a decent 10-mile on the bike and then a bit more pokemon collecting with my easy run afterwards.
Since I have started my new job I have bumped up the cycling miles with commutes and I have done as much as I reasonably can running on my injured quad, but my swimming is really suffering from not being able to get out to Knockburn midweek. That drop-off is now so bad that I am now behind my swim target and also behind last year's swim mileage for the first time this year.
Also I am still getting problems from my quad strain. The roller and stretching doesn't seem to be getting into it so I need to try and fit in a trip for a massage to see if she can straighten it out.
Target totals - Swim 2.4 miles. Bike 36.4 miles. Run 13.9 miles. 1 short core, 1 short light weights and 1 short stretching sessions. 30 mins of yoga.
Monday - Commute to work 7.0 miles in 28 mins.
Commute from work 8.2 miles in 45 mins.
Swim with TPT 1,800 m in 55mins.
Tuesday - Warm-up 1.7 miles in
DTCC 1-mile uphill TT 0.9 miles in 6:22
Wednesday - Run commute 7.0 miles in 71 mins.
Thursday - Commute to work 7.0 miles in 29 mins.
Friday - Commute to work on mtb 7.3 miles in 42 mins.
Saturday - Swim at ASV 1,000m in 24 mins.
Easy run 4.2 miles in 58 mins.
Stretching and rollering.
Sunday - Brick ride 10 miles in 36 mins.
Brick jog 3.5 miles in 35 mins.
Cumulative (Cumulative target) [Cumulative Stretch target]
S 58.7 (59.0) [67.8],
B 1273.4 (1250.6) [1563.3],
R 456.3 (433.2) [489.5].
Monday, 18 July 2016
Training Plan - Week 30 - July 18 to 24
Back to Time Trialling this week, but a particularly weird one as I do my first hill climb.
Sunday I have the option to do Inverurie triathlon, but unless there is some miracle transformation in my form between now and the entry deadline on Wednesday I won't be racing.
Monday - Cycle commute both ways.
TPT Swim session.
Tuesday - DTCC TT 1-mile hill climb.
Wednesday - Run commute in.
Thursday - Cycle commute both ways.
Swim at ASV.
Friday - Run commute in.
Saturday - Easy swim.
Sunday - Rest day or Inverurie Triathlon.
Target totals - Swim 2.4 miles. Bike 36.4 miles. Run 13.9 miles. 1 short core, 1 short light weights and 1 short stretching sessions. 30 mins of yoga.
Training Review - Week 29 - July 11 to 17
Monday I took my road bike to work in the morning, without properly checking the weather forecast for riding home again. The monsoon conditions on the way home were pretty atrocious. It was almost drier at swimming in the evening. Fortunately I got half a lane to my self so I was able to just do a steady swim rather than try the planned session. That at least gave me a chance to settle in at a comfortable pace and try some tumble turns without pushing too hard. Even with that I still had to call it a day early as several of my assorted niggles ganged up together.
Tuesday I had the day off work to get a CT scan on my kidney problems, a trip to the dentist, and yet more wedding planning. In the evening I managed to sneak out for an easy 4-mile run in the evening.
Wednesday evening I had my sister's graduation dinner but I managed to arrange a run to work in the morning. Taking a cunning short-cut added about an extra half mile and plenty of vertical so it was a bit slower than previous attempts.
Thursday I took the bike to work, with the intention of stopping in at ASV for a swim on the way home. I got delayed at work with a late meeting and decided to skip the swim so I could get home in time to see the highlights of the Tour de France Mont Ventoux stage.
Friday I decided to
Saturday I decided not to do a longer session but I did take the chance to catch up on some of the stretching, core and weights sessions that I have been missing. I also went out for a couple of times for walks and to catch some Pokemon. Partly to play the game a bit but also because I have been over 10,000 steps a day every day but one (the day after my torn quad) since I started my new job. Not exactly a rest but hopefully different enough.
Sunday I wanted to close out my bike miles for the week but still knew I should be taking a rest, so I went for a very easy pedal, even stopping to catch a couple more Pokemon on the way.
Another terrible week for swimming. And while I scraped over the numbers for running and biking the actual content was similarly terrible. I still need a proper rest.
My depression has been pretty bad towards the end of this week. A number of contributing factors, stress at work, stress from wedding, July's in general, my dad being ill again, my complete inability to exercise at any sort of sensible level, all featuring among others.
Target totals - Swim 2.4 miles. Bike 36.4 miles. Run 13.9 miles. 1 short core, 1 short light weights and 1 short stretching sessions. 30 mins of yoga.
Monday - Commute to work 7.0 miles in 29 mins.
Commute from work 6.9 miles in 29 mins.
Swim with TPT 1,200m in 35 mins.
Tuesday - Easy run 4.0 miles in 36 mins.
Wednesday - Run commute 7.3 miles in 71 mins.
Thursday - Commute to work 6.9 miles in 28 mins.
Commute from work 7.1 miles in 34 mins.
Friday - Commute jog from work 7.2 miles in 1 hour 20 mins.
Saturday - Light weights.
Stretching.
Easy walks.
Core session.
Sunday - Easy pedal 10.1 miles in 63 mins.
Cumulative (Cumulative target) [Cumulative Stretch target]
S 57.0 (56.6) [65.1],
B 1245.6 (1214.2) [1517.7],
R 441.6 (419.3) [473.8].
Monday, 11 July 2016
Training Plan - Week 29 - July 11 to 17
Another strange week, and I still can't get settled into a training routine around my new job. I am also sorely in need of a break. A couple of weeks completely off training would probably be much better for me than my current load. Unfortunately that doesn't really work in with my commuting plans.
Tuesday I have a day off to finalise a lot of the wedding plans. Wednesday is a dinner to celebrate my dad's birthday and my sister graduating from her MSc.
Sunday is Knockburn Standard triathlon but I am not going to do it. I have put a rest day in, but will see how I feel through the week.
Monday - Cycle commute both ways.
TPT Swim session.
Tuesday - Easy run or bike.
Wednesday - Run commute in.
Graduation dinner.
Thursday - Cycle commute both ways.
Swim at ASV.
Friday - Run commute in.
Saturday - Easy swim.
Sunday - Rest day.
Target totals - Swim 2.4 miles. Bike 36.4 miles. Run 13.9 miles. 1 short core, 1 short light weights and 1 short stretching sessions. 30 mins of yoga.
Tuesday I have a day off to finalise a lot of the wedding plans. Wednesday is a dinner to celebrate my dad's birthday and my sister graduating from her MSc.
Sunday is Knockburn Standard triathlon but I am not going to do it. I have put a rest day in, but will see how I feel through the week.
Monday - Cycle commute both ways.
TPT Swim session.
Tuesday - Easy run or bike.
Wednesday - Run commute in.
Graduation dinner.
Thursday - Cycle commute both ways.
Swim at ASV.
Friday - Run commute in.
Saturday - Easy swim.
Sunday - Rest day.
Target totals - Swim 2.4 miles. Bike 36.4 miles. Run 13.9 miles. 1 short core, 1 short light weights and 1 short stretching sessions. 30 mins of yoga.
Training Review - Week 28 - July 4 to 10
Monday I started with commuting on the mountain bike just to test my legs before Tuesday's TT. Quad seems to be ok now during exercise, but then it aches a bit afterwards. The bruising from the tear has gravitated to my knee.
In the evening I went to swimming but somewhere between reception and poolside I decided I just didn’t want to be there. From out of nowhere my depression had arrived again. I moved down to lane 2 because I was in no mood to work hard but I figured at least getting through the session would limit my depression. When I did eventually get in and tried to swim it took only 2 kicks to realise that my quad might be fine on the bike but swimming was a different story. With a lot of fin work and kicking in the planned set I knew I wasn’t going to be able to do any of the structured session. I hopped out at the opposite end to grab a pull buoy and then paddled a few lengths trying to stay out of the way but after covering less than 800m in 40 mins of arms-only and careful touch-turns pushing-off with one leg I gave up and got out.
By the time I got to the start line the weather had cleared up but I was in a much better frame of mind. I at least felt like I could start and ride a bit and if my quad gave me trouble I would just bail out and easily pedal back. I went off at number 2 and spent the first 5 miles catching up the minute to number 1. I was pretty pleased with myself when I passed him, obviously too pleased as I backed off the pace and at the 7 mile mark he went back in front. I realised how much I had slowed and my heart rate had dropped from 165 to 150, so I pushed on a bit and by 7.5 I was in front again. I was starting to get a bit uncomfortable in the saddle though. I was having to adjust my position a lot and just before the 10 mile mark number 4 came past me having made up 2 minutes over the first 10 miles, and the number 1 rider went through again.
I realised at the 10-mile mark that I was at least going to finish and that helped me relax a bit. But by the turn I was fed up with the discomfort of my saddle. As I rounded the turn I took a moment to unzip my suit, make some comfort adjustments and then zip up again. That was soon much more comfortable and having been on the verge of having a strop and just sitting up and rolling in from the half way point I was suddenly back to actually treating it as a race. There was a long fast section, downhill and wind-assisted and I was enjoying it a bit more now that I wasn't in pain. And I was please at how few people had passed me. I expected pretty much everyone to about number 17 to catch me at some point but by the 19 mile mark it was still only 1 and 4 ahead of me. That started to change in a hurry as the serious boys started swooshing past with a challenge between whether their breathing or their full disc wheels were making the most noise. 8, 12, 14, 17, 3, all went past.
Hold on, number 3 has taken 22 miles to catch 1 minute on me. And he isn't going away much. There is an uphill coming so I am going to put myself back in front of him and work the last 5 minutes to stay ahead of him. Then as I closed on him there was a sudden huge downpour of rain and he just sat up and looked like he had had enough. I figured I was getting wet anyway and pushed past him knowing that there was a downhill finish so a couple of minutes of real hard work and then I can coast down the hill. And then the rain was off again. It can't have lasted more than 90 seconds but I was soaked through. But I was back up at 165bpm and my legs were burning from actually working hard for the first time in the entire race.
I finished in 1:14:16, just over 20mph average. I am happy enough with that given the lumpy course and coming off an injury last week. And it was a significant negative split with my fastest 5-mile blocks coming last and second last.
Wednesday I got up 5 minutes earlier and ran to work so that I could have the evening free to celebrate my 40th birthday. That was a pretty tough run. Anyone who tells you that turning 40 doesn't hurt hasn't celebrated by running nearly 7 miles to work the day after a 25-TT. In the afternoon I had a bit of free time so I had a look at planning the rest of my summer. I still haven't had a proper look at this since Strathclyde as I wait for the final race results and the official selections to filter through.
Instead I looked at just running races as I now qualify as an over-40. And the first one that came up was a chance to run 400 hurdles on the Thursday evening. I knew my quad wasn't going to like it but the chance to set a Moray Roadrunners M40 record in my main event was too big too pass up.
I rode in to work on Thursday and then round to the track afterwards. I did a bit of a warm-up and a few slow drills over hurdles. My quad really didn't like it so I strapped it up and tried again. It was still sore, but survivable. I lined up against two more-current hurdlers. I started well and to the first hurdle I was closing on the kid outside me. He stuttered into the first hurdle as I cleared mine cleanly, but that was the last of the good news. I was still up on him at hurdle 2 but the other kid inside me was already past and the drive into hurdle 2 upset my quad. From there it was a progression of slower hurdles, higher jumps and more pain at each one. I finished in a fairly disappointing 77.3 seconds after really struggling the second half of the race. But that was enough to set the MRR record, and give me (or anyone else who fancies it) a target for the future. I also then went and had a half-hearted attempt at the discus competition that followed but with no willingness to drive off my right leg that was also fairly poor. The discomfort in my quad was enough that I phoned for a lift rather than ride home from the track.
Friday I finally had a proper rest day. I was sorely in need of it.
Saturday was a trip to Loch Muick for a walk with my fiancee to celebrate a year since our engagement. An easy 8-mile hike around the loch shouldn't really warrant a mention here but I am looking to get plenty of excuses in here before Huntly on Sunday.
And on that note, Sunday will get a blog to itself.
Target totals - Swim 2.4 miles. Bike 36.4 miles. Run 13.9 miles. 1 short core, 1 short light weights and 1 short stretching sessions. 30 mins of yoga.
Monday - Commute to work mtb 7.0 miles in 32 mins.
Commute from work mtb 6.8 miles in 32 mins.
Swim with TPT 850m in 40 mins.
Tuesday - DTCC 25-mile TT 1 hour 14 mins.
Warm up / Cool down 2.2 miles in 10 mins.
Wednesday - Run commute 6.8 miles in 61 mins.
Thursday - Commute to work mtb 7.0 miles in 35 mins.
Commute to ASV mtb 3.6 miles in 36 mins.
Warm-up run 1.1 miles in 12 mins.
400m Hurdles 77.3 seconds.
Discus Throw 16.28m.
Friday - Rest day.
Saturday - Lochnagar hiking 8 miles in 3 hours.
Rollering session.
Sunday - Rollering session.
Huntly Sprint Triathlon
Swim 750m in 14 mins.
Bike 15.6 miles in 47 mins.
Run 3.2 miles in 23 mins
Warm-up / cool down 1.0 mile in 9 mins.
Actuals - Swim 1.0 miles (1650 m). Bike 67.2 miles. Run 12.3 miles. 0 short core, 0 short light weights and 2 stretching / rollering session. 0 mins of yoga
Cumulative (Cumulative target) [Cumulative Stretch target]
S 56.3 (54.2) [62.3],
B 1207.6 (1177.7) [1472.2],
R 423.1 (405.4) [458.1].
In the evening I went to swimming but somewhere between reception and poolside I decided I just didn’t want to be there. From out of nowhere my depression had arrived again. I moved down to lane 2 because I was in no mood to work hard but I figured at least getting through the session would limit my depression. When I did eventually get in and tried to swim it took only 2 kicks to realise that my quad might be fine on the bike but swimming was a different story. With a lot of fin work and kicking in the planned set I knew I wasn’t going to be able to do any of the structured session. I hopped out at the opposite end to grab a pull buoy and then paddled a few lengths trying to stay out of the way but after covering less than 800m in 40 mins of arms-only and careful touch-turns pushing-off with one leg I gave up and got out.
It was clear by the end of that first length that I wasn’t going to be able to swim well enough to take a competitive part in the Aquathon on Wednesday, and that in turn meant I had no real chance for a proper test swim (or a proper test run) to make a decision in time to register for either race on Sunday. At that point I was also in two minds about Tuesday’s TT. While my quad had been fine commuting on the mountain bike with short bursts of high intensity, that is a very different story from a sustained hour and a bit of high watts trying to stay in my TT position. I knew my decision making was being affected by my depression as I was watching the weather all afternoon and hoping it would rain enough for the race to be cancelled, even though it was my last chance to get my 25-mile TT target this year. The greyer, foggier and wetter it got, the more likely it was that the race would be cancelled and the decision would be out of my hands, the less depressed and stressed I got.
By the time I got to the start line the weather had cleared up but I was in a much better frame of mind. I at least felt like I could start and ride a bit and if my quad gave me trouble I would just bail out and easily pedal back. I went off at number 2 and spent the first 5 miles catching up the minute to number 1. I was pretty pleased with myself when I passed him, obviously too pleased as I backed off the pace and at the 7 mile mark he went back in front. I realised how much I had slowed and my heart rate had dropped from 165 to 150, so I pushed on a bit and by 7.5 I was in front again. I was starting to get a bit uncomfortable in the saddle though. I was having to adjust my position a lot and just before the 10 mile mark number 4 came past me having made up 2 minutes over the first 10 miles, and the number 1 rider went through again.
I realised at the 10-mile mark that I was at least going to finish and that helped me relax a bit. But by the turn I was fed up with the discomfort of my saddle. As I rounded the turn I took a moment to unzip my suit, make some comfort adjustments and then zip up again. That was soon much more comfortable and having been on the verge of having a strop and just sitting up and rolling in from the half way point I was suddenly back to actually treating it as a race. There was a long fast section, downhill and wind-assisted and I was enjoying it a bit more now that I wasn't in pain. And I was please at how few people had passed me. I expected pretty much everyone to about number 17 to catch me at some point but by the 19 mile mark it was still only 1 and 4 ahead of me. That started to change in a hurry as the serious boys started swooshing past with a challenge between whether their breathing or their full disc wheels were making the most noise. 8, 12, 14, 17, 3, all went past.
Hold on, number 3 has taken 22 miles to catch 1 minute on me. And he isn't going away much. There is an uphill coming so I am going to put myself back in front of him and work the last 5 minutes to stay ahead of him. Then as I closed on him there was a sudden huge downpour of rain and he just sat up and looked like he had had enough. I figured I was getting wet anyway and pushed past him knowing that there was a downhill finish so a couple of minutes of real hard work and then I can coast down the hill. And then the rain was off again. It can't have lasted more than 90 seconds but I was soaked through. But I was back up at 165bpm and my legs were burning from actually working hard for the first time in the entire race.
I finished in 1:14:16, just over 20mph average. I am happy enough with that given the lumpy course and coming off an injury last week. And it was a significant negative split with my fastest 5-mile blocks coming last and second last.
Wednesday I got up 5 minutes earlier and ran to work so that I could have the evening free to celebrate my 40th birthday. That was a pretty tough run. Anyone who tells you that turning 40 doesn't hurt hasn't celebrated by running nearly 7 miles to work the day after a 25-TT. In the afternoon I had a bit of free time so I had a look at planning the rest of my summer. I still haven't had a proper look at this since Strathclyde as I wait for the final race results and the official selections to filter through.
Instead I looked at just running races as I now qualify as an over-40. And the first one that came up was a chance to run 400 hurdles on the Thursday evening. I knew my quad wasn't going to like it but the chance to set a Moray Roadrunners M40 record in my main event was too big too pass up.
I rode in to work on Thursday and then round to the track afterwards. I did a bit of a warm-up and a few slow drills over hurdles. My quad really didn't like it so I strapped it up and tried again. It was still sore, but survivable. I lined up against two more-current hurdlers. I started well and to the first hurdle I was closing on the kid outside me. He stuttered into the first hurdle as I cleared mine cleanly, but that was the last of the good news. I was still up on him at hurdle 2 but the other kid inside me was already past and the drive into hurdle 2 upset my quad. From there it was a progression of slower hurdles, higher jumps and more pain at each one. I finished in a fairly disappointing 77.3 seconds after really struggling the second half of the race. But that was enough to set the MRR record, and give me (or anyone else who fancies it) a target for the future. I also then went and had a half-hearted attempt at the discus competition that followed but with no willingness to drive off my right leg that was also fairly poor. The discomfort in my quad was enough that I phoned for a lift rather than ride home from the track.
Friday I finally had a proper rest day. I was sorely in need of it.
Saturday was a trip to Loch Muick for a walk with my fiancee to celebrate a year since our engagement. An easy 8-mile hike around the loch shouldn't really warrant a mention here but I am looking to get plenty of excuses in here before Huntly on Sunday.
And on that note, Sunday will get a blog to itself.
An okay week considering I should still be sitting with my feet up. As well as my injury and about a dozen other niggles I really need to take a proper rest.
Target totals - Swim 2.4 miles. Bike 36.4 miles. Run 13.9 miles. 1 short core, 1 short light weights and 1 short stretching sessions. 30 mins of yoga.
Monday - Commute to work mtb 7.0 miles in 32 mins.
Commute from work mtb 6.8 miles in 32 mins.
Swim with TPT 850m in 40 mins.
Tuesday - DTCC 25-mile TT 1 hour 14 mins.
Warm up / Cool down 2.2 miles in 10 mins.
Wednesday - Run commute 6.8 miles in 61 mins.
Thursday - Commute to work mtb 7.0 miles in 35 mins.
Commute to ASV mtb 3.6 miles in 36 mins.
Warm-up run 1.1 miles in 12 mins.
400m Hurdles 77.3 seconds.
Discus Throw 16.28m.
Friday - Rest day.
Saturday - Lochnagar hiking 8 miles in 3 hours.
Rollering session.
Sunday - Rollering session.
Huntly Sprint Triathlon
Swim 750m in 14 mins.
Bike 15.6 miles in 47 mins.
Run 3.2 miles in 23 mins
Warm-up / cool down 1.0 mile in 9 mins.
Cumulative (Cumulative target) [Cumulative Stretch target]
S 56.3 (54.2) [62.3],
B 1207.6 (1177.7) [1472.2],
R 423.1 (405.4) [458.1].
Sunday, 10 July 2016
Race Review - Huntly Sprint Triathlon
I was not expecting anything from Huntly Sprint Triathlon. In fact if I was in any sort of race shape I shouldn't even have been racing here, but at the Scottish Sprint Champs in Monikie instead. If I was in any worse shape I would have stayed home and watched the Grand Prix, Wimbledon final and Tour de France.
Saturday night I did a bit of rollering, which just served to remind me of quite how many aches and pains I am carrying at the minute. And I checked the BBC weather which predicted some light showers for the early starters but heavy rain by the time my heat will be starting. I decided that at least the 16deg forecast meant it would be warm rain. I did consider packing the road bike instead just because it handles and stops better when it is wet.
I woke up on Sunday and nearly fell over as I got out of bed. Overnight my right calf had cramped up and was in a terrible state. I hobbled down the stairs and got the roller out to try and free it up but made almost no impression. I decided to go and race anyway, but at this point I was fairly solidly committed to just taking it as a training session rather than a serious race.
I got there in plenty of time and racked up and sorted all my gear and had plenty of time to chat to a lot of the other racers. After the briefing I still had two hours before my heat so I jogged round to Tesco to get some food. My quad and both calves were screaming at me as I started but as I warmed up they eased off. By the end of the 9 minute mile to Tesco I actually felt quite comfortable. But not comfortable enough to run back as well, so I took my time to walk back.
As Heat 3 came out of the pool the promised rain finally arrived and I decided to head inside rather than get wet early. This meant I was on poolside nearly an hour before my heat but as with most triathlons there was plenty of friendly chatting going and watching the earlier heats.
Once my heat was ready I realised I was seeded as the 7th fastest swimmer. And for about 2 seconds I thought about actually racing hard to see if I could get a podium spot. My warm-up tumble turn changed that plan though as my quad objected to the push out of the turn. As the race started I pushed the first length but that tumble was also very painful and I had to abandon them. I tried a touch and a single-leg push-off for the second turn and that was pain-free so I decided to stick with that. This was going to kill my swim time but it would get me round.
The rest of the swim was pretty terrible. One of the guys I wanted to be racing was out of the water while I still had 200m of my 750m still to swim. Another one in my lane lapped me twice, when our last race I lapped him. I was out of the water in 13:45, a minute and a half down on my planned swim time.
I then passed 3 people in T1 and got out on to the bike nicely. The light rain had turned into a fairly heavy shower now and that made the bike handling a bit nervous. I struggled to get my feet into the shoes, but once they were in I felt quite good. Just I was a bit nervous with the handling on some of the corners. When it was straight lines and good roads I was flying along nicely. Whenever there was any sort of handling I was throwing away time as I nervously braked early and teetered round corners. I was getting occasional twinges from my calves and quads but more telling was that everything else was tensing to try and protect them.
Over a minute faster than my last attempt at this course, in 2014. And over 20mph average for a fairly undulating route in the rain, so I am happy enough with that.
I woke up on Sunday and nearly fell over as I got out of bed. Overnight my right calf had cramped up and was in a terrible state. I hobbled down the stairs and got the roller out to try and free it up but made almost no impression. I decided to go and race anyway, but at this point I was fairly solidly committed to just taking it as a training session rather than a serious race.
I got there in plenty of time and racked up and sorted all my gear and had plenty of time to chat to a lot of the other racers. After the briefing I still had two hours before my heat so I jogged round to Tesco to get some food. My quad and both calves were screaming at me as I started but as I warmed up they eased off. By the end of the 9 minute mile to Tesco I actually felt quite comfortable. But not comfortable enough to run back as well, so I took my time to walk back.
As Heat 3 came out of the pool the promised rain finally arrived and I decided to head inside rather than get wet early. This meant I was on poolside nearly an hour before my heat but as with most triathlons there was plenty of friendly chatting going and watching the earlier heats.
Once my heat was ready I realised I was seeded as the 7th fastest swimmer. And for about 2 seconds I thought about actually racing hard to see if I could get a podium spot. My warm-up tumble turn changed that plan though as my quad objected to the push out of the turn. As the race started I pushed the first length but that tumble was also very painful and I had to abandon them. I tried a touch and a single-leg push-off for the second turn and that was pain-free so I decided to stick with that. This was going to kill my swim time but it would get me round.
The rest of the swim was pretty terrible. One of the guys I wanted to be racing was out of the water while I still had 200m of my 750m still to swim. Another one in my lane lapped me twice, when our last race I lapped him. I was out of the water in 13:45, a minute and a half down on my planned swim time.
I then passed 3 people in T1 and got out on to the bike nicely. The light rain had turned into a fairly heavy shower now and that made the bike handling a bit nervous. I struggled to get my feet into the shoes, but once they were in I felt quite good. Just I was a bit nervous with the handling on some of the corners. When it was straight lines and good roads I was flying along nicely. Whenever there was any sort of handling I was throwing away time as I nervously braked early and teetered round corners. I was getting occasional twinges from my calves and quads but more telling was that everything else was tensing to try and protect them.
Over a minute faster than my last attempt at this course, in 2014. And over 20mph average for a fairly undulating route in the rain, so I am happy enough with that.
I had another pretty slick transition until I got to my left shoe. It would not go on and when I tried to bend down to get it both legs cramped up and I nearly toppled over.
I set off with the heel tucked in and had to stop to adjust it, but just the few steps were enough to get my legs more relaxed and meant I could bend over without cramp. I set off quite comfortably on the run. The first mile is up a fairly brutal drag of a hill and I was careful not to do any early damage. From there the course is downhill and flat round to the finish and I just coasted along at a steady 7-min/mile pace, with the odd look over my shoulder.
Considering how I went in to this race I am fairly happy with the result. If I had been on top form there was somewhere in the region of 5 minutes to be picked up, and potentially a podium place on offer. But in my current condition I am happy just to get round without damaging anything else and having enjoyed the day out.
I set off with the heel tucked in and had to stop to adjust it, but just the few steps were enough to get my legs more relaxed and meant I could bend over without cramp. I set off quite comfortably on the run. The first mile is up a fairly brutal drag of a hill and I was careful not to do any early damage. From there the course is downhill and flat round to the finish and I just coasted along at a steady 7-min/mile pace, with the odd look over my shoulder.
Considering how I went in to this race I am fairly happy with the result. If I had been on top form there was somewhere in the region of 5 minutes to be picked up, and potentially a podium place on offer. But in my current condition I am happy just to get round without damaging anything else and having enjoyed the day out.
Monday, 4 July 2016
Training Plan - Week 28 - July 4 to 10
Another strange week. And ridiculously ambitious after a week out injured. I have drafted this before the weekend and without testing out my injury.
Tuesday is my last chance to get a 25-mile TT crossed off my target list for this year. So I plan to start at least and if I can get round it in one piece that will do. I have a cycle commute pencilled in for Monday morning mostly just to test my thigh. If I can get that test over the weekend I will drop the commute.
Wednesday is a fun Aquathlon at Knockburn, and is coincidentally my 40th birthday. I have risked the wrath at home by deciding to go to the race and bumping my birthday dinner into Thursday evening.
Saturday is as close to our engagement anniversary as we could reasonably arrange a trip back to Lochnagar. And Sunday I have a choice of races with both Huntly Sprint and the Scottish Sprint Champs at Monikie as options. The Huntly entry deadline is the Wednesday evening and I will make my decision based on how I cope with Tuesday and Wednesday races.
Monday - Cycle commute both ways.
TPT Swim session.
Tuesday - DTCC 25-mile TT.
Wednesday - Knockburn family Aquathlon.
40th birthday.
Thursday - Run commute in.
Birthday dinner.
Friday - Cycle commute both ways.
Yoga session.
Stretching and rollering.
Saturday - Lochnagar hiking.
Sunday - Huntly or Monikie Sprint.
Target totals - Swim 2.4 miles. Bike 36.4 miles. Run 13.9 miles. 1 short core, 1 short light weights and 1 short stretching sessions. 30 mins of yoga.
Training Review - Week 27 - Jun 27 to July 3
Monday was mostly filled with attending my fiancee's grandad's funeral. It was a surprisingly uplifting ceremony. From the little time I spent with him I was impressed with his drive and his knowledge.
My quad strain (technically a Grade 2 tear of the Vastas Medialis) was enough to keep me from even considering a run in the evening. I did go to swimming and struggled with a lot of the session. I used a pull buoy for everything and tried to only push off with my other leg. Even then I had to skip chunks of what was left.
Tuesday there was no improvement in my quad strain so I stuck with a rest day and completed my GymPact by doing 10,000 steps between my commute to work and a trip to Asda. Still much too tender to stretch or roll it so plenty more ibuprofen and rest.
Wednesday there was no improvement in my quad strain so I stuck with a rest day and completed my GymPact by doing 10,000 steps between my commute to work and a trip around the park. Still much too tender to stretch or roll it so plenty more ibuprofen and rest.
Thursday there was little improvement in my quad strain so I stuck with a rest day and completed my GymPact by doing 10,000 steps between my commute to work and a trip around the park. Just about able to stretch but still to tender to roll it so plenty more ibuprofen and rest.
Friday there was some improvement in my quad strain but we were off to the cinema so I stuck with a rest day and completed my GymPact by doing 10,000 steps between my commute to work and a bit of wandering around Union Square. Just about able to stretch but still to tender to roll it so plenty more ibuprofen and rest.
Saturday I started with the roller in the morning and then decided to take the bike out to test my quad. Still a bit away from being properly healed but it was ok at low effort levels. The same cannot be said for the rest of me. It felt like my fitness has completely deserted me during my light week.
Sunday I joined one of my ironfriends for an easy pedal just to give her some time on the bike and to give my quad a slightly more strenuous test. It still twitches a bit when I try to up the power but for the most part it is ok to ride on. Tuesday's TT might be a different story but I will commute to work on the mtb on Monday and see how it survives that.
OK, I was injured, so I can pretty much write this week off. I should actually be fairly happy that despite this bad week a couple of easy weekend rides have kept me close to my targets.
Much more disappointing were the results from Chatsworth Sprint which look like they have ended my qualifying hopes for the 2017 ETU Age group champs in Dusseldorf.
Target totals - Swim 2.4 miles. Bike 36.4 miles. Run 13.9 miles. 1 short core, 1 short light weights and 1 short stretching sessions. 30 mins of yoga.
Monday - Swim with TPT 1,300m in 40 mins.
Tuesday - Rest day.
Wednesday - Rest day.
Thursday - Rest day.
Friday - Rest day.
Saturday - Bike 10.0 miles in 44 mins.
Sunday - Bike 15.4 miles in 1 hour 8 mins.
Cumulative (Cumulative target) [Cumulative Stretch target]
S 55.2 (51.8) [59.5],
B 1140.4 (1141.3) [1426.6],
R 410.7 (391.5) [442.4].
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