WEEK 12 & 13 August 15-28

Molly Saturday 

 

Let the Sunshine In -The Fifth Dimension (Hair)

The next few weeks are usually the big build and the long rides cranking up to 5hours or more.

The wet weather was certainly making training this winter a lot harder than usual.The spirit tends to wax and wain  despite this being Kona.

The work week started much the same with a swim session and an easy 2000m swim with a straight session of non stop swimming.Tuesday I rode to cross fit and also ran 5kms and then had a cross fit session before riding home. Cross fit was back squats from 30 to 50kgs , with at least 100 squats .

Wednesday I had a run to the pool and then to work about 70 minutes in total and the pool session was just a short 1600m with various drills. In the afternoon a short easy 5km run. Thursday a hard wind trainer session with the Kickr and Traineroad. Basically 2x 7 mins at threshold and then 2x 5mins at 105% FTP and then 3 Mins at FTP . Struggled a bit with fatigue at the end and maintaining the levels. Friday a 3km swim and easy run.

On Saturday not feeling a 100% so opted for a run and swim 13km run and 1600m swim and then cross fit for 30 minutes.Started getting a cold and by Sunday had aches and I was down with the dreaded flu which meant I was out for the whole of the next week unfortunately.It had been through the population and was a lot worse this year possibly because of the cold wet weather . I admit I had it reasonably mild but just could not train particularly as I needed to get rid of it quickly and not let it linger.I did visit the Doctor and had antibiotics after 8 days and that helped with the chest and lungs .

Not a lot of training but life goes on.

Week 11 Getting Close

Mundaring Weir Saturday Morning 13 august 2016

Enjoying her water

Molly on Sunday Hike in John Forrest

Monday a sort of defacto rest day as I was just tired after the Sunday work outs .

Tuesday , managed to join the Exceed crew at the Narrows for a 2 hour session with a time trial out to Nedlands and then we did loops around a 8.5km circuit managing 3 and a bit laps and I finished with just over 50kms including a slow return to the city but I grouped up with 3 of the Exceed girls and just took turns at the front but 2 dropped off and then there was just me and Liz Sinclair before she had to go to work so the last half-hour was me struggling a lone . Jason Rhine training for the Worlds 70.3 whizzed by at 40kph with Mike Kent on his back wheel and they looked very strong . there was the Running Centre group cycling around and time trialing , all in the dark as I could only see the road in the last 15 minutes before we headed back to the city . In the evening I rode out to cross fit and had a half hour session .There was a bit of rain about and it was chilly. The cross fit session was just 5 rounds of dumb bells with

15 clean n jerks with 3kg dumb bells
5 dumb bell push ups
30 dumb bell curls
30 boxing with dumbells

then rode home making it an 85 km ride with the cross fit

Wednesday another early start ,running to the pool 5km and swimming 2km straight with the pull buoy and running to the office 6km with 5kms at between 5.06 mins per km to 5.25 mins per km then a slow last km recovery. In the evening a very painful massage with lots of sore points in the leg and back.

Thursday I managed a good rest and in the evening a solid wind trainer session with the main set of 3 x 9 mins at 216 watts .

Friday an easy run of 8km and then a swim 3km with :
400 easy
400 paddles
400 PB & paddles
25 x 60 with 3 hard 1 easy
300 easy recovery.

Saturday .Great weather and a 3.5 hr ride in the hills followed by a 5km run off the bike and then cross fit in the afternoon .

Sunday , I did a 1.40 m run really easy as the legs were tired .Finished with 13km and then swam in the evening with a 2km swim .

The training has increased with over 200km of riding and  lots of climbing , 17 hours all in so the volume has gone up a little.

Week 10

Patience

The time is rolling by quickly , the workouts colder and harder . It is now week 10 and there is just 9 weeks or so before I am hopefully at the start line in Kona.

I have been keeping to some of the core workouts but mixing up the training as and when I have felt fatigued . This week was particularly hard mentally and I have not quite done all the work outs missing the Saturday workout and skipping the long run . But I think I needed the rest as the legs were feeling the workouts particularly the wind trainer sessions .

Monday was the optional swim day . Had a break . Tuesday the usual ride to cross fit and then an hour session:

Did 5 rounds of
15 dead lifts
10 clean squats
5 push press
3 front squats using 35kg bar

Rode home after cross fit .On Wednesday I ran to the swimming pool starting with a slow jog and did a 2.5km session in the pool with 
400m warm up then 400m without PB
60 x 25 with 3 hard 1 easy =1500m
200 cool down
Then ran to the office with 5kms at medium to hard pace.Did not have the Garmin so just went on feel and I had to stop at the lights . 

Thursday was just a Road Trainer session with 75 minutes on a program called Stromlo-1 with 4 x 8mins at 216 watts . 

Friday an easy run of 8km and then in the evening a swim  with a straight 3km swim .

Saturday , I just had an easy day with just the cross fit :
Two rounds of the set of exercises ,doing each one for 5 minutes with 2 mins recovery 
triceps dips
bike
row
knee raises  and warm up 15 mins

Sunday , I had a big day of training with 3.5 hours on the wind trainer , I did a 2.5 hr session then ran off the bike for 10kms , lunch and then a swim of 1500m and then back on the bike for another hour with a run of 2km off the bike. All in about 5.15 hrs of training. Made up for Saturday's rest day.

Week 9

 When it gets cold Outside ...Maroon 5

Saturdays session a swim and run...for the dog

I was reading my review of Chrissie's book some 3 years ago while I lay in Hospital waiting to have my head stitched up and recalled that she always referred to the Rudyard Kipling poem IF ( see the article The remarkable story behind Rudyard Kipling's 'If' - and the swashbuckling renegade who inspired it By Geoffrey Wansell ) It is about fortitude ,strength and standing up at a time just before  the First World war and was as much about  the Scots-born colonial adventurer Dr Leander Starr Jameson and Rudyard's only son who was killed in the battle of Loos ,in World War 1.

If there are lessons in the world of Ironman and Endurance , Chrissie's commentary on the poem If provides it in prose. Fortunately most of us do not have to test our fortitude and calmness in war or battle but in this ever increasing chaotic world life can change at a moment and in testing and pushing one self in the only theater , that of sport , it is worthy to remember the words in the poem.

This week is the start of the last 10 weeks with the build phase finished and trying to put in a bit more of some speed work and just getting the long rides up a notch . I admittedly have been a little slack and the cold weather has not helped. I have probably not applied myself at each session but training a lone has its drawbacks.I have had some good sessions but this weekend I have rested more when feeling tired .

Monday I had a rest day instead of swimming. Tuesday rode to cross fit and then did a really hard session of clean and jerks getting up to 50kgs on the bar. Rode home still pushing reasonably hard.

Wednesday , up early for the first morning swim in forever .I ran 5km to the pool and then swam 2.5km doing 60 x 25 m with 3 of the 25m lengths hard and 1 easy with a warm up and cool down . Exceed were a few lanes down and chatted with Ross back from his Europe cycling holiday. Then ran the remaining 6 km to the office , with 5km just over 5min pace and at lunch had an easy 5km run for 16km of running.In the evening a painful massage to get the painful knots sorted. Thursday a straight 60 minute wind trainer session with 6 x 3 mins at 250 plus watts . Friday , I ran for 50 minutes really easy @ 6.30 pace and then swam in the evening , 3km swim. Saturday , I had a late start opting to take the dog for a walk and ended up running 14kms with a 1.5km swim then did cross fit .We had a good hard session with:

30 Slam balls
30 clean n jerks with a medicine ball
15 sit ups
10 squats
x 5

Sunday, I did a 2.5hour wind trainer session with the road trainer but more like 3 hours as the Ant+ was not picking up the power and cadence and there were a few drop outs making me bike for longer than the time recorded.Legs were feeling it and so I did not get a run or swim in. Been mixing up the training a fair bit and not following the plan religiously. Famous last words when I am buffeted by the winds on the  legendary Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway.

Week 8 Ironman Training Build

After the Sunday Ride to Mundaring and run off the bike

Swim on the Swan Saturday

The coldest winter July with quite a few wet days is now coming to an end .Not the ideal training weather for a humid and hot race in October but its got to do . I have had the advantage of being able to train late on the weekend and I have been doing just that and getting lots of sleep.

On week days this week I have had 2 rest days ...the fatigue and mental tiredness with work just meant I needed to have a break. Monday , I skipped the swim and allowed the body to just have a rest .Tuesday I skipped cross fit and did a wind trainer session with a road trainer programme ..Really pushes the legs . I managed a programme called Sill with 9 minute blocks at 200 watts and spikes of 1 mins x 3 at 222 watts . There were 3 blocks of 9 minutes . Felt pretty cooked after that .

Thursday, I rode with the intention of riding to cross fit but the wind and rain changed that . I rode the 34kms home and did a 30 minute recovery ride on the wind trainer . In the afternoon I did my Wednesday run with just under 9kms .mainly keeping to between 5.45 and 5.08 pace .

Friday , I did an easy run of 50 mins and covered 7kms and then swam 3.5km doing 60 x 25 m with increasing the hard efforts from just one 25 m every 4 to 3 out of every four for the last 20 . There were recovery swims of 200 m between and then 400m easy at the beginning and the end with 800m with PB and paddles.

Saturday .Late start and the legs were really sore so I had 1 hour on the wind trainer and then a 4km run and cross fit in the afternoon .We did Bring up sally which is usually a squat WOD but this time we did various variations with sit ups, squats , lunges , planks and leg raisers. they all hurt but its good for the core.

Sunday

Inverted the training and did the long ride today and missed my long run. Today I started late again but the temperature was hovering at 3 degrees and it was cold .I headed for the hills with a 71km ride to Mundaring Town through Helena Valley . It was also a little windy . I felt pretty comfortable and there were a few steep gradients on the ride today .Saw quite a few cyclist about . I managed to get to Mundaring in just over 1.5hrs and then rode back really pushing especially on the downhill leg . I managed to ride back with the Midland cycling Club juniors who were riding near Helena valley . I finished with an average of just under 25kph which was a little better than last year . I ran 5.5 km off the bike keeping to about a 5.50 pace. In the evening I swam a straight 2.5km with the PB and then ran home . 

Whilst not following the programme I drew up exactly I am getting some strength work in and next week is the start of some speed work .

Week 6 & 7

Saturday's Wind trainer sessions with Molly




Creedence Clearwater -Who will stop the rain

The last few weeks of the build phase with rain pushing the training indoors.

The weeks are all merging into a blend of the daily training grind in the cold and wet days. The swimming has been the hardest to adjust as there is so minute a change or improvement.  Getting back to basics of just getting my position and breathing right has been the hardest.

Monday 4 July . Just a long swim with 70 minutes in the pool on my own with 400m easy , 400 paddles and then the main set:

400 EASY
400 PADDLES
20 X 25 1HARD 3 EASY
2 EASY 2 HARD
1 EASY 3 HARDTotal 2.7km 

Tuesday : Ride round the river with Exceed group.It was their easy week but the front group dropped me at Stirling because of the lights and I was on my own for the river ride never seeing the front or the back of the group. 45kms done. In the evening it was a 45min cross fit session . 

Wednesday Just a run with 50minutes with 10 minutes at moderate pace and 10 minutes hard which for me was about 4.35 minutes per km. I skipped the swim today . Thursday I did a wind trainer session for 60 minutes using Road Trainer and did 3 x 7 mins @ 225Watts . Hard session . Ran at lunch time just doing an easy 4km run. 

Friday : An easy run 6km and then 2.3 km swim in the evening :

 600m easy
100m x 3
150m x 2
300m
150m x 2
3x 100m easy
cool down 200 easy

Saturday .Weather was bad again and so it was an hour on the wind trainer . I just couldn't manage a 3 hour session as the legs weren't working. I did run to the pool and swam 1600 m and then ran back before going to cross fit so I still ended up with a solid nearly 4 hour session with the cross fit .

Sunday .Again really wet conditions meant I did another wind trainer session with 2 hours and then a 7.5km run off the bike .

Week 7

Felt tired on Monday so had a rest day no swimming.

Tuesday : I rode indoors with a hard 75min wind trainer session with 4 x 8 minutes at 225 watts . Then a short 2km run off the bike.

Wednesday : A hard run session with 9.5km , 15 minutes moderate , 15 minutes moderate hard and then 10 minutes hard with the rest easy .All in 52 minutes. then just a short swim session at Beatty Park   with a 1.5km straight out swim and then a massage in the evening .Needed that even if it hurt like hell.

Thursday : Rode to Cross fit and then a clean and jerk session to a max of 50 kgs and then rode home .Friday Rode to work and swam in the evening with 2.5kms and ran an easy 6kms .

Saturday . I had a late start so I did another wind trainer session and the weather wasn't that great . Rode at about 170 watts for 70 minutes out of a 75 minute session and then ran 5kms and swam 2000 m before cross fit where we all did various versions of bring up sally (see video below) without the weights including lunges , push ups , squats and the leg lifts below with some of them repeated for a good 45 minute session .After the day of riding and running the legs were tired.

Sunday : Weather was still not so good with intermittent rain .I started late with a wind trainer session 60 minutes with 4 x 6 minutes at 205 watts and then ran for 10kms with 6.5 km with Molly which was a little slow. In the evening a 2km swim without the PB .

Slowly feeling a little more comfortable with the swim even though I am still slow .

Week 4 & 5 Ironman Training

Saturday's Very Wet Ride

Le Croissant short coffee stop before the 20km ride back home in the rain

Sunday run at Carine

Week 4 , No let up in the training and still about 15 hours of training although I have had to vary a few of the sessions with work and tiredness .

The week began with a good swim workout and a chance to recover from the weekend .I had only an evening swim to contend with on Monday . Did 2.3km with 400 warm up, then 400 with 4x 100 at moderate pace and 60 x 25m at varying levels of exertion .I did not do a cool down as I was pretty tired at the end.

Tuesday I skipped the ride and switched to an ergo session using Road Trainer with 15 mins or 5 x 3mins at 254wattts .Found it to be short but a hard session. Wednesday with work commitments I skipped the run and swim.

Thursday .I rode to cross fit and did a 45 minute session and then rode home. I also ran for 50 minutes in the afternoon with just 10minutes hard and 10 minutes moderate .(did 8.5kms) The ride was on the big chain ring and managed to get a decent work out but never as good as riding in a group. The cross fit session was :
35 squats
25 push press and push ups
20 push press and push ups
15 push press and push ups
10 push press and push ups
5 push press and push ups

followed by 35 squats for time .

Friday .Rode to work and ran in the afternoon and swam again in the evening just a straight 2km swim with a Pull Buoy.

Saturday. I managed to get out of bed .It was raining early morning but stopped. I decided to get to the narrows to ride with the Exceed group heading to the hills . 5 km into the ride the rain came back and I got to the start and fortunately it had stopped. I had a rain jacket a long sleeve cycling Jersey and my Exceed jersey , but it was still pretty cold. It remained reasonably light rain till Roe Highway some 27kms into the ride for me when the rain got heavier. The group started their hard efforts and I got dropped almost immediately .There was no point trying to keep up. The rain was pretty heavy in parts . Ross passed me on the climb up Welshpool Road .Fortunately it wasn't raining then.I passed some riders from Break Your Limits fixing a puncture and the rest of the group were waiting for them at the Petrol station . The 3 riders quickly passed me as I struggled at 10kph up the hill but the legs were not feeling too bad . It was about 2.5 hours into the ride as I headed into Pickering Brook and then I rode the next 25kms round to Bickley and Kalamunda Town . The last climb to Kalamunda was a good gauge of the progress as I had done the ride many times and felt good...just not fast.

Stopped at Le Croissant fro a quick coffee and then the rains came back . Rode down the Zig-Zag and back home through Guildford. I then ran with Molly off the bike , an easy 3.5kms .
In the afternoon cross fit with a 45 minute session . The legs were tired.

Sunday . Skipped riding again and ran at Carine for 75 minutes really easy again 9.5 kms and then swam with Arie giving me some pointers on my body positioning and follow through with the arms . swam 1.5kms

Total:
Bike: 7.5hrs about 180kms
Run: 3.5 hours or 29kms
Swim: 2.5 hrs  or 5.8km
Crossfit : 1.5 hrs
Total: 15 hours

Week 5

Had an easy week with a ride, a swim and just cross fit to try and recover from the sore legs and a bit of fatigue.Did less than 4 hours for the week but think I needed it.