40K TT and Run

Warning: there is talk about bodily functions as it is important to the post.

The morning started off poorly as my % hydration was as low as its ever been (minus when I was sick) and my weight was up. I ended up using the bathroom four times for #2. I felt a little off before I started but it was only getting hotter as I didn't get out til noon and it was 77 degrees and got up to 83 during the workout.

Out 20K and back 20k into the wind. (2 bottles, 25cc tires @ 100psi, 32 spoke rear) Coming back into the wind sucked. Made it to 10k in 14:30 then 28:30, then 45:00 and ended with a 1:00:41 bc of the one away from granny gear hill. Thought about Nate from Tri-talk doing his 40K and how I just had to do it. Much rather would have went out with the wind. Kansas should be like that. Had a 15 minute warmup as well with a 2 minute effort.

Under two minute transition into running. Felt awesome the first mile with a 6:21(holding back) and then a sweet 6:25. Then the gas started again at 2.5 miles in. Still had a 4:40 and went thru 5K in 20 flat so not too bad there but then it fell apart. Next were 6:46, 7:19 (walked once) and a 8: 43 (had to walk three times). I could get back up to normal speed but it only made it worse. I only had water every two miles and that was a mistake as well.

I will be ready for Kansas now if I can get my diet and gas under control.

Good Bike

Did a 63 mile ride with a 56 mile effort (not directly on purpose, just edge of town to turnaround) and hit that at 22.1 mph in 2:32:00. I have quite of bit of free speed from my current set-up and my track legs were still in me as well, there was also a lot of course slowness the route I took. Only 40 minutes in Zone 3 as well.

The Kansas bike leg is finally coming around. I even felt good and still do. Was gonna run a bit after but had a good cooldown and I think the recovery is important.

Two more Tri bike workouts before I ship and then some standing hill climbs on the cross bike the few days after that. The run is in place for the taper. If I hit that the run should be good. The swim is now the one thing left to piece together and I hit it everyday starting on Friday.

Track was Rough

800,600,400,200 times 3.
2:38, 2:00, 1:18, :34
2:40, 2:02, 1:21, :36
2:41, 2:11, Gas problems

10.2 miles total in around 1:10:00.

Had gas and digestive troubles again. My fault for eating like crap today (too much whole wheat and oats) and not taking my gas ex. Felt really bad before the run and it just didn't get better. Super happy with the results and on the way home had about 30 seconds to make it into the woods. Good luck on the whole 3 miles home there was a perpendicular row of trees only about 30 feet of the whole way. Had a mile run home after that that also went surprisingly well. At least I was't crazy for feeling like complete hell.

Been making all these comments on Tri-Talk about going hard and food and I can't heed my own advice. I know I can get it and next week is my last chance and I will knock it out of the park. All these times and faster for whatever workout. There, I said it.

Life in the way

Work sucks and I want to sleep all the time. Feeling a little depressed and heavy. Gaining weight and don't want to train. I want to go out and trash myself again and again. This is always the time I self impload bc I want to go play. Only two days now bc I didnt want to swim after work bc work now always sucks. Can't wait to get away from corporate america. I can't even plan my workouts 4 days in advance (that sucks for someone like me if you can tell). Hence why I get on stupid 40 hour kicks. I know some people train like this on purpose and I used to but "wimping" out on stuff gets stupid. So insatiable with food all the time too. Oh well

I will be ready to hit it again tomorrow.

I'm Back

Last night I went out for a 8.1 mile hilly run in 1:02:00 and got done at 730pm. Got up this morning and rode 91 miles with a 32.5 mile hill climb where only .5 miles was downhill. Took 4:41:00 (19.5mph) but the best part was I felt good at the end. Not too hungry or thirsty and could jog just fine afterwards. It was really cold and windy though so it could have been better. See the pictures. Click to enlarge.

Above: This is the rest stop covered with snow. Below: Time Zone and State Crossing!

Fatigue

Took yesterday off and just a short swim today. Had about 4.5 more hours planned but just nothing in the tank. Sleep has been crap. Gonna try quitting the coffee again and get some sleep tonight but I don't know at this point. Odd thing is it coincided with no more phlegm so maybe I just need a couple days before hitting it again. Short swims, Some tough biking and regular running is the prescription from here on out.

Need some monster quality here bc there is not much time to gain anything.

Brick and 5 Pound Wt Loss

Precursor: Easy day yesterday bc about 4 hours sleep. Didnt go until 2pm to try out the heat. Rode 60 miles in 2:52:00 with a 20 mile TT at about mile 32 that was brutal and barely got over 22mph. Just wasn't feeling it today and the first 32 miles were rode at about 21.5 but with a crosswind. The 10 miles of headwind on the way back sapped me. Had a ride back into town at a good clip and decided to run.

Planned to try 4 miles at 6:30 pace but went out in 6:16 for the first mile so I was gonna then try 3 miles at around this bc I was hot and it was sunny for the first time in a long time. Mile one felt great. Mile two was a 6:21 and then I broke apart with a 6:55 and had a 1/2 mile home.

Still hacking up stuff from the chest cold and lost 5 pounds from my first thing morning weigh in. Put it back on in 45 minutes though with a banana and a cup and a half of raspberries in there at least.

This again bodes well for KS. Gonna try the long run tomorrow at about an 8 minute pace and then swim monday before track on Tues.

10 mile run with stuff

2 mile warm up then 1 mile on 1 mile off for the next 8 for a 10 miler with 17 minute zone 3, 2 in Z2, and 1 in Z5 when I was being chased by a dog who was running into me and I wanted to lead it as far away from its owner as possible. Worked pretty well and was way under 6 min pace for this part.

Felt good to actually have stuff in a 10 mile run as opposed to just running and trying to feel strong all the way through which is typical given the last couple days. These are always hardesp since I couldn't get out the door until 6pm.

2 X 10mile TT

Precursor: Hard Sat, Mon, Tue. Colder then I wanted (Under Armour Cold Gear). Stupid tired before I left. I wanted a record for this course for me (0 mph start, out and back, return uphill and into the wind, 25cc f/r, rear 32 spoke). This fact was going to make the second one suck.

Results: First was 23:44 (24.4mph, HR 160 , Cad 85) I lost .3 mph in the last 1/2 mile.
Rest interval was 4 minutes.
Second at 25:30 (23.5mph, HR 171, Cad 86) gained .1 mph in the last 1/2 mile.

Pretty happy with this. Need to do some higher cadence stuff (85-90) as KS gets closer, seems to work best for me in TT form. Trying to eat a little better and back on the coffee to make ground from the sickness.

Swim and Track

Swam this morning again all about form for 1200 yards with a couple 250 meter swims. Just bored in the pool and I feel gains when I go in so I need to just get in more.

Track was 200 on 200 marathon pace for 3 friggin miles. Managed a 18:39 but my fast 200's were only around 43 seconds so not that impressive. Started strong and then faded slowly. Still feeling the lungs at this point. Actually got my legs to hurt which was good and still a really good workout bc it is hard mentally.

Hills in the rain

Got in a little over 2000 ft of climbing in 1:36:00 of riding. Did 4x1 mile 300 ft hill climbs (5.7 %) in just under 6 minutes each with HR between 154-160 for the Avg but the last ones were much higher HR bc the rest interval was only half at 3 minutes. Gonna go back and try this one on the Tri bike to test the gearing I am using bc it resembles about what you find in the midwest for difficulty rating. Did it all sitting and there are some gear changes but not too much. Tried to push gears rather then spinning but no data.

I feel like I am back now after but will have to watch the throat bc it still sucks.

YTri Race

Well, two days ago I wasn't doing the race bc I was having trouble breathing (chest cold for two weeks). Yesterday I was hacking phlegm all day and was going to try and swim bc I have only had one workout in the past two weeks bc of this chest cold. Distances Swim 500 yards, 5 MILE bike, 5K run.

Swim was 7:53 (1:35 per 100y) and I only hacked up once at 200 meters (swallowed it) and thought, ugh this is going to be the longest shortest race ever. Biked in around 12:15 (24mph) for second best bike and felt like crap the whole way and there is a HUGE hill up the side of a mountain. The run was in around 19:00 (6:06) (fuzzy transitions slightly) and I wanted to push so much harder btu my chest wasn't having it. Barely made it to the one aid station without having to stop. Would have if it meant water would have appeared. Second best run of the day as well but that guy placed out of the top 10.

Second overall and missed plane tickets to anywhere Alligent Air flies by 90 seconds. Gaurenteed win if I wasnt sick bc I lost half on the bike and I am a faster cyclist then the guy.

This was perfect for Kansas bc of how crappy I felt trying to go hard with good results and little super speed training, base is all there. Legs never even felt like they were being used bc my chest was failing before the lack of O2 could get to my legs. Great pacing this way btw.

Sick too long

Binge ate yesterday to quell the dull pain of not being able to get outside and do something. Been gaining weight bc of this now 10 day sickness. This next block of training is going to be epic.

I have a new plan of attack. Swim 500 tomorrow night and if I can't make it without hacking then I will not do the race provided some miracle that I wake up the next day felling like 100%. No point in having an awful experience in the pool. May try to make it a Du or pass til next year.

Sickness testing on the trainer

I could handle 1 minute intervals but could not manage one five-minute interval like I should have been able to so I cut it back and held 55rpm for 25 minutes for 50 minutes on the trainer. I feel really good now a couple hours later although it still feels like something is tight around my neck. Might try to run tomorrow if the weather is OK. We shall see. Race this weekend is far out of my mind though.

Days Off

Took two days off after the last foray outside and I am going to hit the bike tomorrow and then run on Wed and then try to really get back into it on Thursday since I have the day off. Hope this plan works bc I need it to at this point. Man, not working out it tougher mentally then actually doing the workouts. Maybe I need to go harder. Definately focusing for a super build up for Kansas.

Failure to Launch

Still some red in the phlegm today but went out for a run and made it 2.3 miles and lost my left lung then ran up the mountain until I just couldn't and then back towards home for 4 miles and then walked the last 3/4 mile. Ooooftda. Now I think I just need to get two workouts in before next fri and I should be ok for the race. Just need to feel ready and this will actually fit in ok with KS so it came at the right time. No energy, trying to eat us out of house and home at the moment.

The Sickness

I have been sick since my last workout. No workouts Mon-Fri this week. Gonna get back out for a 45 minute tomorrow just t o test things out and then get my work schedule and figure out the rest. Have a race next weekend so I need to plan around that a little. Will just have 2 easier days before if I can.