Training Catch Up

I haven't been great about posting my training logs here, so I am doing one long catch up and then I'll get back to it. These were originally published on Salty Running.

The end of the week is both training log and race report. Overall this was a good week, even though the rodent said 6 more weeks of winter.

Monday – 3.050 yard swim mid-afternoon. Monday was a weird day where I struggled with my blood sugar all day and worked from home so I could try to stabilize it. I finally was in good shape by mid-afternoon and decided to get it in while the pool was likely less crowded.

Tuesday – Half mile repeat day. Six of them with 2:00 recovery in between. I started the warmup with a guy who was in his third mile already and only running five miles. So it was a bit fast. My 800s were ok, but not fabulous: 5:20, 5:19, 5:32, 5:19, 5:31, 5:32. I managed to hang myself out about 2.4 miles from the start when I only needed a mile cool down.  7.5 total miles.

Wednesday – 3,000 yard swim. Thought Coach Sean was trying to kill me with the late 5×100 with a resistance band around my ankles. It was the day of the team party so I moved my ride to Saturday (with Coach Matt’s permission).

Thursday – 5 mile easy run before I met with the personal trainer and did core work. He actually liked my plank form and said I did well this week.

Friday – 2,700 swim. The plan was 100 less, but the first part was 500 with drills and I forgot to use the drill timer so I added 100 and then started the workout. More resistance band death, but only 2×50.

Saturday – I rode an easy 15 miles on the trainer riding next to David on the other trainer, which was fun.

Sunday – RACE REPORT

A few weeks ago, before he updated my plan, I told Coach Matt that I could do a brick workout, riding the trainer in the hallway at the race venue (a school) and then running the Groundhog 7. G7 is one of the races my club stewards and it is a free community race on Super Bowl Sunday. It is timed and a great course. Coach Matt bought the idea and put it in my training plan.

I went to the school around 11 AM to be able to get there and unload everything, then set up the bike. I got on the bike around 11:55 and had quite a few people give me quizzical looks or stop by to chat or grab a selfie. Coach Matt was there to volunteer for the race and he stopped by the hall to chat while I was riding too. I finished my 15 miles and then got off the bike and ducked into a stairwell (guarded by David) to change into outdoor running clothes. I drank a container of coconut water and snarfed down a huma gel and headed to the start line.

The start was a little congested, as usual, but fine. I went out too fast, running the first mile in 10:45. It is both good and bad to be super warmed up. Good because you’re warmed up and ready to run, bad because you go too fast. With the course being backwards I knew that most of the hills were in the first few miles, before we got on the rail-trail. The second mile was more in line with reality at 11:01. The third mile was 11:16, but included a tight turn. After that there was a water stop and I used a Honey Stinger gel right before that and ran through the stop getting a cup of water and splashing it everywhere (I usually walk water stops). Mile 4 was 11:08 and we were settling into being on the trail and out of the wind. Mile 5 was 11:04. At this point I knew I had a chance at PR if I could hang on. David was the photographer near the hairpin turn at 5.5 miles. He said to go for it. I finished mile 6 in 11:10. I was starting to feel like I could have used more nutrition on the course, but I was determined to keep going. With a quarter mile left I made the last turn and saw Coach Matt. I was focused and didn’t say anything, just kept hauling it. The last mile was 11:04. Total time 1:17:40 – a 36 second PR.

On my cool down I stopped and talked to Coach Matt for a minute. I asked if he would take a PR…he said yes. :)

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If you run long enough, you’ll have bad runs. They’re part of the deal. If you train long enough for triathlon, you’ll have bad workouts. And once in a while, when the perfect s^&tstorm of life occurs, you’ll have a whole week like that. This is the story of Rose and the No Good, Very Bad, I Mean Horrible Training Week.

Monday – I went to work and spent the day working on nametags for the Prosperity Indiana Summit. One of the very few things I had committed to doing. Except we ran out of the plastic badges so I had to go to the store. While I was out anyway I did my swim. 2,700 yards. Then I went home and worked on nametags some more. Before we had SaltyChat. This was the best training day of the week.

Tuesday – Since we had an evening event I needed to run before work. The forecasters were talking about wind and wintery mix and so I went to hit a treadmill again. Really? Well, the weather wasn’t that bad it turns out, but I still ran my 7.4 miles on the treadmill, including 2x 2 miles at threshold. Then I went and co-hosted an event at a downtown hotel, then to a reception/fundraiser at a sponsor’s house.

Wednesday – We had freezing fog overnight and everything was black ice. I left the house at 6:30 AM to make it downtown by 7:30 AM for our Summit. Everyone was having problems getting in. The Prosperity Indiana Summit was great, but even leaving before everything was loaded and taken back to the office it was a long day. When I hit the downtown pool, it was right before swim team practice started for the youth. 4-6 of us ended up circle swimming in the one remaining lane. Whatever, I was just checking off the workout. 2,700 yards including 100 of new drills. Then I came home and ate dinner and got on the bike trainer for an hour of easy riding. Except the tension was wrong on the trainer and I needed to recalibrate (but didn’t) so it was hard. Didn’t matter what gear I was in or that I wasn’t riding a course, it was just hard. 13 miles of riding.

Thursday – We were hosting our sister organizations from across the Midwest for two days of caucus discussions and activities. I needed to be downtown early so I didn’t work with Personal Trainer Mark or ride before work. I skipped the group dinner to come home and ride 80 minutes with some hard segments. It felt awful. I still hadn’t recalibrated the trainer. 19.7 miles.

Friday – The most needed rest day EVER. Before the caucus was even done meeting I went upstairs to finish a proposal that was due at 5 PM. I managed to get it out the door around 3 PM and then headed to the tri store to use the Normatec boots for an hour.

Saturday – One would think I would have a good long run coming off a rest day, but no. Not even close. It wasn’t raining hard when I started and the wind was at my back, so the first few miles felt a little better than I expected. I forgot the heart rate monitor, and I barely had enough charge on the watch for the run, but the pace was ok for the first few. Then it got lonely as others were either done (faster) or not going as long (or had punked on running in the rain). The rain picked up and then when I turned into the wind it felt cold. I added gloves and when I got to three miles left I put my jacket back on (it was too warm earlier in the run). It kept getting slower and slower. 14 miles.

Sunday – I met with Coach Sean to discuss goals for Ironman as we get ready for actual IM swim training. Then I came home and got on the bike trainer. I was riding the IM Louisville course. Since David had been on the trainer earlier my bike needed to be reset. I didn’t get the tension quite right, but I did calibrate the trainer. I still need to adjust it before I ride again. The 22.5 miles took much longer than it should have, but it was hilly without putting in a huge effort and I felt like I was feeling the cumulative muscle fatigue.

So I got all the workouts done, but none of them were good and some were downright awful. I felt exhausted all week. 

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Coach Matt comments on my last training block and posts the next one every three weeks. I have come to find out that doesn’t mean he’s not in Training Peaks trolling in between, but it is like Christmas when he posts comments and the next block…unless you’ve been naughty. Since I work for a non-profit we get Martin Luther King, Jr. Day off as a holiday I have tended to use it for reflection, but also for a long swim of some sort. Coach Sean gave me a set that we called the “fun” set. I found out later it was a collegiate swim set.

Monday – MLK Day swim. 6,350 yards with 100×25 hitting the 25s at a consistent interval. Lots of rest early on, less rest and longer swims between sets as the workout went on. Coach Matt comment (he doesn’t normally comment on swims): “I have a dream to swim 6+K!!!” He’s a hoot.

Tuesday – You may have noticed I hate treadmills…like a lot. Yes, I spend HOURS each week on a bike trainer. But I LOATHE the treadmill. So many annoyances. But it was fracking cold again AND icy and I wasn’t going to do this workout in that in the dark. 2 mile warm up, 2×2:00 at threshold with 1:00 recovery between and 2 minutes recovery before 2 miles at threshold. Recover 2 minutes and then 4×1:00 hard, 1:00 easy, then a mile cool down. 6.2 miles of poo.

Wednesday – 2,500 yard swim drill set. I should have learned how to use the Garmin drill timer before this one, but that would wait another few days. Easy bike ride in theory. Kept it low key, but only made it 12 miles. Meh. But Coach Matt said a few weeks ago that most Wednesday rides won’t rise above meh.

Thursday – 16 miles on the bike trainer. A 20 min, 10 min, and 5 min interval at increasing wattage after warm up, and with recovery between. Then cool down. A solid ride.

Friday – I needed my fellow Saltines to get me out the door to go swim before my personal trainer session, but I got it done. 2,600 yards and I learned to use the drill timer!!! Then 30 minutes of agility and strength work.

Saturday – I started the day with 10 miles of primarily hills at Eagle Creek park (decent hills for central Indiana). Then I met with Coach Sean for an hour to learn some new drills and how to flip turn. I swear he was trying to drown me. I also need to use a band around my ankles while I’m swimming…I told you he was trying to drown me. In the evening I went to an hour of yin yoga and focused on mantras.

Sunday – 20+ miles on the back half of the Grand Rapids 70.3 bike course (virtual) while watching Angels & Demons. The time flew by watching this one, even with some hill climbing out of the saddle. Then I was in the gym with Personal Trainer Shannon to do heavy lifting…bench press, squats, overhead press, and deadlift as well as some triceps work and trying to get close to being able to someday do a pullup (I can’t…at all).

Swim 11,450 yards (6.5 miles) + coach time (and yards)

Bike 58 miles

Run 16 miles