How Hard Can It Be? Round 4

[Veronica]

It's that time again.

I've signed up for Barb's Race again this year. It will be my 4th entry into this race and my 5th Half Ironman. I'm done well (meaning I've finished!) on the "Show Up and Suffer" plan. This year I want to see real improvement.

I've spent the winter working on my running base, losing some extra pounds and building some anaerobic fitness on the bike. Notice the big sweat pool on the mat.



My goals right now are pretty simple. I want a sub 35 minute swim, 3:15 or less on the bike and under 2:50 on the run. Depending on how training goes, I may push for more aggressive times on the bike and the run.

I'm excited! I'm in the best shape I have ever been in at the start of a training cycle. If I can keep my focus and stay injury free, those goals are easily within reach. To that end, I'm keeping my monthly training goals pretty basic. For March - 32 miles of running, 180 minutes on the trainer and at least one trip to the pool. I haven't swum last July. I'll be seeing my trainer twice a week for weights and plyomterics and getting some yoga in there too. Anything else for March is gravy.

Veronica

[maillotpois]

Excellent! It's great to be starting your training in great shape, and know you'll just be getting better!

[kacie tri-ing]

You're back for more! Fantastic!

[redrhodie]

Does it get easier since you're obviously more experienced, and more fit, or is it just as hard because you're trying for faster times?

[Blueberry]

You continue to be an inspiration!!

Slight thread hijack.....what do you do for your bike after those kinds of indoor workouts? I've been doing similar things to my Surly - and worry about the steel and all.....

[Veronica]

Does it get easier since you're obviously more experienced, and more fit, or is it just as hard because you're trying for faster times?

The bike and the swim effort pretty much stays the same for me. I have always suffered on the run.

The more fit I get, the harder I make myself work (or maybe I should say, my trainer makes me work harder!) So, it always hurts.

Slight thread hijack.....what do you do for your bike after those kinds of indoor workouts? I've been doing similar things to my Surly - and worry about the steel and all.....

Most of my sweat seems to drip straight down to the floor. We took out some of those black mats a week or so ago that had been right under me and they just kind of just kind of disintegrated. I sweat - A LOT! I think it's why I don't mind working out or racing in the heat though.

Veronica

[GLC1968]

I sweat - A LOT! I think it's why I don't mind working out or racing in the heat though.

I agree. I don't sweat nearly as much as other people I know and I cannot handle the heat at all. My body is very good at staying warm in cold temps and supremely bad at venting excess heat when it's hot!


How exciting to be starting the training season in great shape. I bet you'll do awesome this year!

[Bike Chick]

Great job and good luck, Veronica! You inspire me!

[Veronica]

Intervals on the treadmill today. I'm going to be putting some training programs into my Garmin for running outside and I wanted to get an idea of where I'm at for intervals. After a good warm up I did a total of 6 half mile intervals. The first two were at an 8:40 pace, with 4 minutes rest in between. Then I did three more at a 9:13 pace with 4 minutes rest and the last one back at 8:40.

I think that outside I'll be able to maintain 8:40 for these longer intervals since I find running outside so much easier.

We'll see.

Veronica

[roadie gal]

Good luck!

[Veronica]

Another interval run this morning. We only have time to do 3 miles or so before work - so after a mile warm up, we did one full half mile interval which had a hill in it. We decided the hill so skewed things that we do the rest of the intervals without it.

The following three were about 3 tenths of a mile long. We did the first at a 7:30 pace, then 7:26 and the last was a 7:40. We had 2 and a half minutes rest between each interval - walking up and down the hill.

It was a good run.

Thursday is a "fun" run. That's what I call it when I go out and run without worrying about distance or speed. I go for as long as it is fun.

Saturday I'm doing a long run - around 8 - 9 miles, just to get an idea of where my endurance is right now and what sort of pace I can sustain.

Veronica

[Veronica]

A successful training week.

2 sessions with my trainer
2 runs outside
1 killer session on the bike trainer
4 yoga sessions

About 5.25 hours of training for Monday - Friday. Today is my recovery day. I've changed my plans for tomorrow and decided to do my first brick - an easy paced 15 mileish ride, followed by a 3 - 5 mile run. Not sure how far I'll run because I want to see how I feel.

I've signed up for my other races:
May 8 - Angels Camp Tri - 1000 yard swim, 16 mile bike, 4 mile run
June 5 - Tri for Real - Olympic Distance - back in 2008 I took 2nd as an Athena for this race - too skinny for Athena now.
June - 18 Tri for Fun - 400 yard swim, 12 mile bike, 3 mile run. I've done this course several times so it's kind of a benchmark event for me - lots of data to compare.

AND... I'm down another pound - 10 pounds since Nov. 1. It's coming off very slowly now, but I'm actually starting to see hamstrings on my legs. Maybe I'll get that lower body as defined as my upper body some day.

Veronica

[Veronica]

Awesome first brick this morning! I'm just thrilled with how it felt and my times.

The bike was 14.7 miles at a a rather easy pace. As soon as my legs began to burn I backed it off. Average speed was 16.7 mph including stopping at lights.

The run was just amazing - the first mile my legs felt a little heavy, but I pushed through. I was listening to "Bat of Hell", that's a LONG song and it got me through nearly the entire first mile. When I started my goal was just to make it through the song and then I started to feel really good.

I ran a total of 2.8 miles, at... drum roll an average pace of 9:56. I who have only had one other run at a sub ten minute pace, run under ten while doing a brick.

Maybe it's the endorphins, but I am sitting here with just the biggest grin on my face.

Veronica

[Veronica]

One monthly goal accomplished - I went to the pool today. I miss swimming. I have not swam a stroke since July 30 and it's been a few years since I have regularly trained for the swim. I'd really like to get in the pool once a week this year. Not 'cause it will bring my swim times down significantly, but just 'cause I like it.

I tried to take it easy today. I warmed up with a 200 Swim, 200 Kick, 200 Pull. Then I just swam 1,000 yards straight, not going too hard, just a nice happy pace. My hundreds were remarkably consistent. I don't look at my watch while I'm in the water, just hit the lap counter. Five of them were 1:55, highest was 1:56 and the lowest (last one) was 1:47. Total time for 1,000 yards was about 19 minutes.

That's not bad, regular swimming and I should see that drop to 1:40 average pace per hundred and with a little real work, 1:30 is quite doable.

Veronica

[Veronica]

First off, I'm down another pound - 144 now. The last time I weighed that was after crewing RAAM, not a healthy way to lose weight. Prior to that, maybe in college.

Another great training week:

1 brick
2 personal trainer sessions
4 sessions of yoga
1 swim
2 runs - one of intervals on the treadmill and my "fun" run outside
1 session on the trainer "Dropping the Hammer" - love that video!

Happy rest day today!

This week was kind of exhausting at work. The kids are getting antsy. March is a long month and our spring break is really late this year. Four more weeks, we're off to Hawaii. Yes, I plan on training on the IM course. I'm happy that instead of coming home and crashing I stuck with my plans. That's been an issue in the past for me.

Looks like rain for us this weekend. I had been planning on doing another brick. That bike to run transition has just killed me in the past. But if we have rain, I'll run instead.

Veronica