It's Not Like It Was 3 Years Ago...

If you had asked me if I was training right a few years ago, I probably would have said you betcha, "I am hitting all my mileage". I would have believed myself also, but now I know I have not been training like I should until about a year ago, and that is when I started seeing the most results.

Now, I have always followed a plan since I first started training for triathlon, and I thought I was doing it right. If my plan said for me to run 4 miles that day, then I would go run 4 miles. If I were to swim 1500 yards, then I swam 1500 yards and called it a day. I was basically going through the motions thinking I was getting a good workout in.I wasn't getting any faster or making any type of progress. The reason why never dawned on me until I took a good hard look at my training plans. I had nothing planned for interval work, recovery runs, speed work was not happening at all. I was simply running to get the miles completed. This was my mistake.

After really going through my 2010 numbers, it was shown to me that I was not training as much as I thought, and I certainly wasn't training as smart as I should have been. So I knew I needed to make a change in my planning. So I did. I started working on speed drills in all segments. I run three times a week. One run is speed work, meaning I really push the pace for a determined amount of time. Usually for somewhere around a 2 fast pace and a 1 minute recovery for an extended distance. My next run is more of a steady "race pace", but yet slower than a race. My third run is a recovery run and it is the slowest of them all. This has been working for me because I am on a PR streak!

I am only swimming twice a week now and it is simply labeled as a medium swim and a long swim. On my medium swims, I normally try to hit the Master's class. A good solid hour of drills and speed work and my second swim is normally what I call an endurance swim where I try to keep race pace for an extended distance.

My bike, well, so far this year it has been all trainer work. I know a lot of the pros use the trainer, and I can honestly say I feel I am getting the most of it as possible. When it warms up, I will be outside, but until then, it is a trainer ride for me. I am using my cadence sensor to establish my training than I am anything else. While I have m bike computer on my rear wheel, I am just not as confident that the speeds are correct. So I use it only as a "measurement", and rely on the cadence sensor. I have so much work to do on the bike to be ready, but I am not shying away from it.

One thing I can say is that it is taking some planning in order to follow a training plan. As you know, Monday and Wednesdays are my double up days, meaning I run and bike on those days, and it takes everything I have to get up early and get in the run. It is not as easy as I would like it, but I know when I hit that PR at my Olympic race, it will be sweet.

So tell me how your training has changed over the last two or three years? Anything significant?

P.S. I am still sticking strong to my crunches goal, only 6,000 more to go! I added a countdown over here so you can see. I WILL DO THEM ALL!

Master's Class Whippin!

Here was the workout on Thursday. It was tough and I did not finish it all due to foot cramps! I finished 3,000 of the 3,500 planned. It is my furthest swim to date.

3 x 200 @ 4:00 decreasing (each set got faster)
8 x 25 @ :30
4 X 150 @ 2:40 decreasing with each set
8 X 25 @ :30
5 X 100 @ 2:00, 1:55, 1:50, 1:45, 1:40
8 X 25 @ :30
4 X 50 @ 1:00, :55, :50, :45

1 X 400 Kick with fins and kick board FAILED! Only did 100 yds. (foot cramps)
1 X 400 Pull buoy

1X 200 Timed Didn't even try

Total 3500 yds

Tough workout. This weekend I am hoping to get my first OWS of the season done!

Yesterday I got it handed to me...

I think I handed it to myself!

I was worn out last night. I was in bed asleep by 10:10PM. I ran early in the morning yesterday and then decided to go to Master's class that same day. It was a test for me physically.



I woke up at 5:25 AM and got dressed and then decided to run to the gym. The run to the gym is about 1.25 miles and I figured it would serve as a good warm up. Iwanted to hit the gym to run because I wanted to work on some set speeds fr my runs. I did 3 miles on the dreadmill. I did an 8:30 minute mile, a 8:04 minute mile and a 7:53 minute mile. I felt really good afterwards. It is my goal to keep gaining and maintaining speed. I had another 1.25 mile run home, so total mileage was 5.5 in around 45 minutes total (one bathroom stop before I left) I only timed total running time, so...



So later that day I was feeling pretty good, feeling strong and feeling the whole workout thing, that I decided to pack a bag and go to my Master's Swim Class. Big mistake on my part. I did not finish the class due to cramping in my calves. I really can't tell if I am getting any faster, because everyone else seems to be getting faster as well. My split times are down to around 1:36/100, which is good for me , but I am still one of the last to hit the wall. I need some new people to join the class! Slower new people! Here is yesterday's workout:

3 x 300 @ 6:00-5:55-5:50
3 x 100 fins no kickboard in streamline @ 2:00-1:50-1:40 (TOUGH)
8 x 50 @ 1:00 using pull and paddles (sore arms after push-ups night before)
1 x 200 @ 3:30
2 x 100
3 x 50
4 x 25 @ :30 (and this is when the cramps hit)
2,250 yards- was a tough swim for me



Tomorrow I am planning a 40 mile bike ride OUTSIDE!

This is a picture of the bike I think I want. In all honesty, I would be totally scared to be on this bike and take it outside. It looks like Batman's bike to me. It is my goal to up my biking mileage drastically over the next 6 months. Many of you have either commented or agreed that the longer tris are all about the bike.So, I best be figuring out my nutrition on my bike and how to keep my butt from hurting. Also I have been getting some pains in the wrists and I am thinking it may have something to do with the biking and push ups (still going strong on the challenge, my goal is to be able to do 125 straight).

While Thursday was a tough day for me, it showed me that I still have a lot of work to do before Sept, but I am up for the challenge!

Hypoxic what? Am I even spelling it right??

Today at Master's Class, well you know it was a butt kicker. The coach walked in and said we were going to do a 5,000 yard set today! Thank God for April Fools Day! Anyways the set was 2600 yards, and it was tough. We worked on something called Hypoxic breathing, at least I think that is what he was calling it. Basically, we were trying to swim the length of the pool and only take one or two breaths. It was tough. I could make the first one, but after that, forget it. So here was our workout:

4 x 100 @ 2:00
8 x 25 @ :30
4 x 100 @ 1:50
8 x 25 @ :30
16 x 25 @ :30 kick with fins
4 x 25 @:30 pull w/2 breaths
1 x 100 pull
4 x 25 @:30 pull w/2 breaths
4 x 100
3 x 50 @ 1:00
2 x 100 @ 2:00
1 x 200 Hard

Let me just say that my kick blows. Even with fins, it is tough for me to make it in 30 seconds. I can make maybe 3 in the 30 seconds, but after that I am behind. One guy told me I had small flippers (let's not get personal buddy). I am using Zip fins, and they are shorter fins than say scuba flippers they have at the pool, but it still feels like I am swimming in mud. I hate kicking anyways.

As far as making it a length of the pool on one or two breaths, it felt really cool the few times I did it, and I know that is how the sprinters swim, but after about the third one, I was huffin and puffin. It was a lot easier when we used the pull buoy and was told it was because I wasn't using my legs. The times I did it, the pool felt small.

Happy Easter Peeps! I will be away for a few days visiting family, then I have an important announcement to make, well, probably will only be important to me, but I hope to spread the word in the blog world to everyone.

Master Butt Kicking!

Today I got back into the swing of things after running the Germantown Half Marathon in my Brooks Adrenaline GTS10 shoes and setting a PR for myself! *grin*

And I did that by heading to the pool for my weekly butt kicking, humbling, masters Swim Class. let me tell you what we did today:

300 Warm up
300 kick
200 Pull
100 Kick
50 Pull

We never start out with the kickboard! What is going on?? Then we did the following:

50 Easy
50 Hard
50 Easy
100 Hard
50 Easy
150 Hard
50 Easy
200 Hard
50 Easy
150 Hard
50 Easy
100 Hard- "Your goal is 1:33" the coached barked! What? Are you kidding me?? My time 1:39! HA!
50 Easy
50 Hard

and then...

400 negative split.

I think I might have jumped back in to soon to fast after my race, cause I was beat, dead-legged, hurting, tired, swamped, bushed and so ready for lunch!

1:39 100 yards though! new PR!!

Feb Totals and Masters Class

I am posting this a little late, but here are my monthly totals fro February:

Bike: 142 Miles 7:42:58
Run: 50.59 Miles 7:13:51
Swim: 16,500 yards

Overall I am happy with my numbers. At this pace I will eclipse 2009 totals my mid year. I can tell that be me committing to my HIM in Sept, my training has been amped up a bit.

Master's Class report:

Today we had another butt kicking workout, it killed me. Here it is:

4 x 100 @ 2:10 for WU
400 yd kick
4 x 100 @ 2:00
400 yd pull (breathe every 6 strokes)
4 x 100 @ 1:50
20 x 25 @ :30


The last set was a killer. I am happy to report that I made all my times! I can tell I am getting faster and stronger in the water. So fast, that I might be able to beat my bride soon!

Yes, that is a challenge Babe!

It's Official!

I am back to training after my 10k race and feeling good. I did another Master's class on Tuesday and while I am still one of the slower swimmers there, I feel like I am getting faster, or at least enjoying the butt kicking I am getting nowadays! Here was Tuesday's workout, roughly 2500 yds:

150 WU
6 x 100@2:00
4 X 100@1:50
250 kick (25@:30, 50@1:00, 75@1:30, 100@2:00) My kick still sucks
300 Pull (breathe every 4 strokes)
4 X 200 @ 4:00
Cooldown

Wednesday was good also. I got up early and hit the dreadmill. I was doing 1/2 mile repeats. I would average 8:34 for the first 1/2 mile then ramped it up to 7:15 for the last half. This was pretty tough for me and had to talk myself into just holding on for the remainder of the mile.

I am planning a trainer ride tonight while my wife and mom in law are at the tennis tournament, so I am posting an oldie but a goodie to help me get motivated!



Now for my "it's Official" title... I have signed up, registered and paid for Ironman Branson 70.3. This will be my 1st HIM and I am excited and scared at he same time!

I Have Not Mastered The Masters Swim Class

Today I went to my first ever Masters Swim Class. I had been wanting to join one for awhile but never wanted to just show up. A buddy of mine that I train with said he was going this week and said I should show up, so I decided to give it a try.

I admit, I was nervous.

I was not sure what to expect. I was told I should bring my fins and goggles only. The more I thought about it, I kept thinking, "I can swim, all we are doing is swimming, I should be able to handle this". So when I got to the gym and changed clothes, I walked out to the pool and talked to the lifeguard for awhile before the class started. I got in and swam some to claim my lane until my buddy got there and we ended up sharing a lane, which was not a problem because he is super fast compared to me. So without further delay, here is how it went:

3 x 100 at 2:00
1 minute rest
3 x 100 at 1:50
1 minute rest
3 x 100 at 1:40
1 minute rest

10 x 25 kick with fins at 30 seconds
1 minute rest

300 yd Pull breathing every 4th stroke

3 x 100 at 1:50 x3
10 second rest

Roughly 2400 yards. It was a killer. Needless to say I did not make all the times. The 1:40 100's were the toughest for me, and I got behind. I also struggled on the 25 yd kicks in 30 seconds. I knew my kick was weak, but this surprised me. I also got left behind on the final sets of 100's.

All in all though, while this workout was tough for me, it was also fun. The coach gave me some useful tips which made sense. He said my stroke looked more like a windmill, which was wrong. So he showed me the right way and even helped me with my push off the wall. (Biceps behind ears hands sandwiched) This was tough for me to get my biceps behind my ears also!

Overall this workout was also humbling for me. I thought I was in a lot better swim shape than I am. I wasn't the last or the slowest swimmer by any means, but it also showed me I need a lot of work on my stroke. I think I will continue this class once a week at least and I expect it to make me a much stronger swimmer.