Weekly brush up No.5 (2-14-11/2-20-11)

Swimming:3x [2hr 31(7000 mts)]

A couple of good workouts, consistency finally hit 3 sessions. Open water session on Saturday was a great confidence booster, fix a couple of navigation,sighting mistakes and dialed down what effort I need to do on race day.

Cycling: 3x [6hr 6min [144.7kms]

Quality-No junk miles here. Trainer session, short threshold intervals and long ride with tempo all went ok. Need to tweak minor details on aerobar configuration to address a neck strain problem.

Running:5x [4hr 17min (26 miles)]

Well not as expected but GOT THE JOB DONE, short runs,threshold run, long one and a brick. Everything you need for a textbook running kind of week.

Totals: 12hrs 55mins

*Notes: GREAT week if we left behind tuesdays long run. I completed every workout on good fashion. Consistency was great and overall volume is close to tops. Saturday was great with 3 workouts completing almost an olympic distance race. Long ride on sunday was excellent, nutrition was spot on and I rode 1 hour at race pace and felt ok afterwards. I was supposed to go 2.15 but went 2.28 because of an error at the turn around. Looking forward to next couple of hard days before going into taper mode. My confidence got a little bit better after this week, now is time to stay focus and HTFU.

Weekly Brush up No.4 (2-1-11/2-7-11)

Swimming: 2x (1hr 39min [2600mts]

Just 2 sessions again,that’s nothing new. I am satisfied to note that I hit both sessions with and A+, including the killer of 15x100mts on :10rest @threshold pace. Goal is to hit 20x under 1.50 before the race.

Cycling: 4x (5hr 55min   [125.3km])

Tough workouts as always. Tempo and threshold intensities addressed . Difficult long ride on Saturday of 3hrs, managed to finished drained and strong at the same time. Added a short spin session to help on the overall volume.

Running:5x (3hrs 52min [33.4km ] )

Frequency , Frequency, just over 20 miles for the week on 5x. A little of dissatisfaction with the long run on Tuesday but will TRY to stay positive and focus and hope for the best come race day. I am having trouble controlling my HRT running off the bike.

Totals: 11hrs 26mins

Notes: Another consistent week. Frequency and volume and frequency building. I hit 11hrs for the first time in a lot of time. I got a little bit tired at the end of week, forcing me to cut short on Sunday's session. It’s been a TOUGH TOUGH week, lots of stuff happening and the same time and I’m unable to understand why or how to deal with them. Looking forward to next week and showing some improvements on the run, building continues.

Weekly Brush-up (1-31-11///2-06-11)

Swim: 2x [4400mts (1hr 37min)

Managed to hit my main key workouts of 100’s @ threshold pace with :10 rest. I did 12x with a best of 1.44 and 1.50 as my slowest.

Bike: 3x [5hrs 24min (123.9kms)

All 3 rides were solid workouts including the trainer ride were I almost pass out. Managed to do 2x of main key workout during Sunday's long ride.

Run: 5x [3hrs 34min (34.4kms)

Frequency and consistency, day in and day out, volume keeps building. Threshold run went ok-not spectacular.

Totals: 10hrs 35 min

Another good week completed. Building my frequency and volume over the last couple of weeks. Another 5x sessions of running, a couple of solid workout.  My main focus keeps on been specific training to finish up the race.  Long ride on Sunday went good, close to 3 hours also long Tuesday's long run was successful and showed some signs of improvement. Let’s get the job done and keep on moving.

Bike performance analysis

*note I created this as a personal thing to use as future reference to track progress. If you want to read it go on, Amen. Hope this make you realize something beneficial to your own training experience.

Training rides in preparation for Miami 70.3 event (include last 8  rides)

8 weeks out	54km	2.02	avg.16.5mph
7 week out	61km	2.55	12.9 mph	hilly course
6 weeks out	75km	3.00	15.5 mph
5 weeks out	42km	1.34	16.5 mph
4 weeks out	86km	3.25	15.6 mph
3 weeks out	55 km	2.12	15.5 mph
2 weeks out	77 km	2.55	16.4 mph
1 week out	61 km	2.27	15.4 mph
RACE	90KM	2.51	19.6 mph

 

Findings: The first thing that jumps on my mind looking at this data is that I DID NOT HAD THE VOLUME to be able to handle the 90km segment of the bike. I only hit that mark ONCE during that block which is a quick recipe for disaster. Then looking a the average speed for the rides I did not included ANY threshold or tempo work simulating race pace/conditions/equipment/position, etc. Again recipe for disaster. How can I averaged 4 mph faster on the race if I had never went that fast or even close on training?, exposing me to a whole new calorie intake rate, effort perception, fatigue level , etc. TIME is a another factor the race itself was my 3rd longest ride of the WHOLE plan, which is not good by any means. I was in a physiological stress/doubt way early in the race.

Impressions: I am honest when I say I did feel good during the bike split of the race. But again, I didn’t had any TOOL to measure effort which left me with RPE but unfortunately ADRENALINE has a great effect on it and it showed afterwards. I went too hard and even longer than never before. I should have establish an easy pace, treated like a Sunday ride and make it to transition feeling like I had something left for the run.

Things to work on: I’ve made some big changes I’ve mentioned before on my blog so I’ll make a quick list.

1. Adjust wheel resistance on the trainer, I was spinning WAY to easily neglecting the effects of interval work.
2. Go longer, I’ve go 72km so far and plan on keep building.
3. Include threshold/tempo work on longer rides.This has really make a big difference on overall average speed on my longer rides and making them fun. (yeah right)
4. Incorporate a Heart Rate Monitor as my main training tool and effort gauge. (THANKS Eric)
5. Riding more, I’ve upper my rides to 4x a week, including QUALITY sets on most of them.

Hope this helps me improve and to finally say I’ve found the recipe for SUCCESS.

Weekly brush-up No.3 (01/23/11—01/30/11)

• Swimming: 1x (2000mts (47 min)

First pool session since I’ve been sick, I felt pretty sluggish and I was loosing my form pretty easily. Anyways I out out a couple of good moderate efforts and times were what I expected.

• Cycling : 3x (5hrs 02min (113.9km)

Quality quality quality. That’s the name of the game on the bike for me. Three sessions and every single one had some threshold or tempo work included. Feeling good on the bike, position is good and I feel I can be aero for 3hrs non stop. Averaged speed kept me feeling happy.

• Running: 5x (3hrs 15min (30.7km)

Five run sessions wooooot, including a long run on course, First threshold run with the segment been 20min, a 2 mile brick of the bike and couple of easy short ones.

Totals:

Very Happy about my overall performance this week. I was able to nail a couple of key workouts in the bike. I continued to do workouts on the actual race course making thing as race specific as possible. I feel good with my consistency on the run this week, 5x that’s my best since last year I think. Now it’s time to keep working , been as positive and optimistic as I can and focus on finishing.