Another busy week - is there any other kind?
Mon: another late night watching the Tour and fortunately a day working at home thanks to a medical appointment. So a sleep-in, some work & then a lunchtime 'run' being 3 x 5min run with 90sec walk recovery. The less said about it the better.
I was feeling very CBF'd at the start of the week. If you are wondering what that abbreviation means, you probably don't want to know. Not sure why - a combination, I think, of tiredness (thank you TdF), frustration (thank you work) and nerves (thank you race).
Headed to swim squad tonight. Only 2.66km tonight but a very solid strength session.
Tue: rest thanks to work
Wed: rest thanks to a late night watching the TdF and a guest who gave me the excuse i was looking for to sit on the couch & not go for a swim (*waves*)
Thu: a big day to make up for the laziness, um I mean, restfulness, yesterday. Up at 5am for a 60min bike session on the trainer in an ice cold garage (included 3 x 8mins AT). A really solid session which made me break a sweat despite the freezing temp in the garage (24.2k). Then at lunch it was off to the pool for a 2km swim which included approximately 1.8km non-stop (my longest swim to date). I say 'approximately' because I had a real goldfish moment & completely stuffed up my lap counting. But I swam for 38mins non-stop so it would be very close. Close enough ;-)
Fri: cancelled my Pilates session with Carly so - wait for it - I could stay up on Thursday night & watch the TdF. Yes, I have my priorities in the right spot. However doing that meant I was able to go to the gym at lunch for the strength session I missed on Tuesday.
Sat: another big training day. 9 hours sleep to make up for a lack of sleep during the week before heading out for a 3.5hr ride. I felt pretty flat today; my legs just didn't want to play. I commented to R as soon as I walked in the door that I keep waiting for a confidence boosting ride which never seems to come. I felt pretty smashed once I got home however I suspect that was more due to the fact that I started the ride dehydrated & then didn't drink enough on the bike. Finished with 79km. 22.8k/h. 3:27
A few hours on the couch with my skins then I dragged myself off to the pool for a 2.2km swim which included 3 x 600m. Given how tired I was feeling, I was actually really pleased with this swim.
A hot date - complete with a huge chocolate concoction for dessert - and the time trial in the Tdf rounded out a tiring day. Thinking about the day later (with perspective), I realise that today's training was very close to race distance. I know I can go the distance; the only question is how long it will take...
Sun: after staying up til 1.15am to watch the TdF last night, I was pretty dusty when the alarm went off at 6.15am :-0 so that I could be at Hornsby by 8am to meet TA & Gnome for a 2hr ride along the Old Pacific Highway. Coffee & a deadline helped me to get out the door. My legs were feeling very fatigued & sore when I got out of bed after Friday & Saturday's sessions but they felt reasonably good on the bike once the blood started flowing. A really enjoyable ride with wonderful company and coffee; thanks guys! 46.1k. Av. 22.1k/h.
MTD:
Swim: 20.4km
Bike: 455.2km
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
4....
Cirque, a dead road is basically a road with a bad or course surface. So that, for the same level of effort, you actually go slower than normal. Hard to explain but think about those roads you drive on where you actually slow down when going down hill.
A recovery week for me - as much as I love my training, I do love my recovery weeks after a heavy training block.
Mon: I was due to run in the morning but rescheduled it to later in the week due to a(nother) late night spent watching the TdF. Swim squad after work again - only 2.6km this week due mostly to the fact that B+ took the session rather than our usual coach which tends to result in more talking & less swimming which suited me fine tonight. It may have been a shorter session but it wasn't any easier than normal thanks to yet another set of 10 x 100s - including my fastest yet (1:41).
Tue: rest - was due to go the gym at lunch but work conspired to ensure it was a rest day.
Wed: another rest day; I decided extra sleep was a much better idea after yet another late night watching Cadel (what I thought at the time was an implosion but what turned out to be an incredible demonstration of guts). Also gave away some of my valuable blood. If only I could get it back in 4 weeks time..
Thu: after 2 days rest (which is more than I've had in the last 3 weeks) & a good nights sleep for the first time in several days, it was time to get back into it today. Headed out this morning for my little run / walk / shuffle for the first time in about 10 days which included 3 x 8min running with lots of walking on either side. I must have been running (shuffling) slower than normal because I had a longer walk home afterwards then normal. 5.1k. 40min.
Then after working through lunch, I ducked out of the office mid-afternoon for a 1.9km swim. Not much to report. I felt really comfortable in the water; 3 weeks of consistency & it actually feels like it is slowly coming together.
Fri: 45mins of pilates with Carly this morning. Unfortunately she's cutting back my running to a grand total of 3 x 5mins as my left hip doesn't want to play nicely. <>
Sat: a 3 hr 'dubya' ride - out to Richmond, back towards to Penrith for 30mins, turn around & back to Richmond for 30min, before turning and heading for home. This was probably the closest ride I've done to a race simulation; 69km on a flat and largely dead road. My legs felt reasonably good throughout the ride (and fine afterwards) though the thoughts weren't particularly positive. 4 weeks to get my head together... 69.9k. Av.23.1k/h. 3:01
Sun: rest :-)) The first time I've not set an alarm in 6 weeks. Bliss!
Back into the hard work tomorrow!
MTD:
Swim: 13.6k
Bike: 305.9k
A recovery week for me - as much as I love my training, I do love my recovery weeks after a heavy training block.
Mon: I was due to run in the morning but rescheduled it to later in the week due to a(nother) late night spent watching the TdF. Swim squad after work again - only 2.6km this week due mostly to the fact that B+ took the session rather than our usual coach which tends to result in more talking & less swimming which suited me fine tonight. It may have been a shorter session but it wasn't any easier than normal thanks to yet another set of 10 x 100s - including my fastest yet (1:41).
Tue: rest - was due to go the gym at lunch but work conspired to ensure it was a rest day.
Wed: another rest day; I decided extra sleep was a much better idea after yet another late night watching Cadel (what I thought at the time was an implosion but what turned out to be an incredible demonstration of guts). Also gave away some of my valuable blood. If only I could get it back in 4 weeks time..
Thu: after 2 days rest (which is more than I've had in the last 3 weeks) & a good nights sleep for the first time in several days, it was time to get back into it today. Headed out this morning for my little run / walk / shuffle for the first time in about 10 days which included 3 x 8min running with lots of walking on either side. I must have been running (shuffling) slower than normal because I had a longer walk home afterwards then normal. 5.1k. 40min.
Then after working through lunch, I ducked out of the office mid-afternoon for a 1.9km swim. Not much to report. I felt really comfortable in the water; 3 weeks of consistency & it actually feels like it is slowly coming together.
Fri: 45mins of pilates with Carly this morning. Unfortunately she's cutting back my running to a grand total of 3 x 5mins as my left hip doesn't want to play nicely. <>
Sat: a 3 hr 'dubya' ride - out to Richmond, back towards to Penrith for 30mins, turn around & back to Richmond for 30min, before turning and heading for home. This was probably the closest ride I've done to a race simulation; 69km on a flat and largely dead road. My legs felt reasonably good throughout the ride (and fine afterwards) though the thoughts weren't particularly positive. 4 weeks to get my head together... 69.9k. Av.23.1k/h. 3:01
Sun: rest :-)) The first time I've not set an alarm in 6 weeks. Bliss!
Back into the hard work tomorrow!
MTD:
Swim: 13.6k
Bike: 305.9k
Sunday, July 11, 2010
5...
Another huge week in so many ways!
Mon: was due to do a 2hr ride this morning on my day off but woke up after 9 hours sleep still feeling a bit rusty. Not sick. But not 100% either. So I decided to skip the session & conserve my energy for swim squad in the evening. This turned out to be a good decision. 2.96km in one of the hardest - well, fastest - sessions I have ever done :-)
Tue: 45min strength session at the gym at lunch.
Wed: otherwise known as 'toothpick (for the eyelids)' day. I worked until midnight & then stayed up til 1:30am watching probably the best stage of the TdF I have ever watched. Then dragged my butt out of bed at 7am for a 2km swim which started with 1.6km non-stop as another race simulation. I went through half way in 16:30 and maintained that pace to finish in 33:01. For my longest non-stop swim ever, I am pleased with that time, particularly given its in the 3rd week of a training block & after very little sleep
Thu: 64min bike session on the windtrainer in the garage after work. Lots of firm efforts. 25.7km.
Fri: no pilates with Carly today as I had to cancel my session due to work. Headed to the pool at work during lunch for a 2.2km swim which included 18 x 50ms in total. Yikes. Happiness is having an entire pool to yourself during a lunchtime swim.
Sat: with rain forecast for Sunday, I decided to do my 4hr long ride on Saturday. It's not my preferred long ride day; I do love my Saturday morning sleep in - if you can call 7.30am a sleep-in ;-)
I decided today to ride out along the Northern Road & then to the dreaded Cobbity Road. Cobbity is, by far, the hardest route that I have ridden so far. It is a 'dead' road surface making hard work & then there are the 6 hills which get steeper & longer the further along you go. This was my third time over Cobbity Road & it doesn't seem to get any easier. I felt really sluggish for the first 1:30 along the Northern Road until we turned off at Cobbity Road but was surprised with my effort over the hills. Still very pleased to get off the bike. 92.4k. 4:11. 22.1k/h av.
Sun: as usual, for my 2 hr ride I headed out to Richmond & back this morning along Castlereagh Road. This is a challenging ride in that it is, for the most part, a dead surface and flat. So you have to work the whole time. There are no hills to coast down. You stop pedalling, you quickly come to a stop. My legs were feeling heavy after yesterday's ride.
Someone must have let the idiotic drivers out this weekend. Once yesterday & twice during this ride, I watched cars travelling in the opposite direction attempt to overtake slower cars, which of course, put them on my side of the road coming directly towards me. Sigh. 47.2k. 2:01. Av. 23.4k/h
Ah, tomorrow sees the start of a recovery week - yippee! This week has been my biggest week on the bike ever; 166km in total. After 3 solid weeks of training - in which I only missed 1 of my scheduled sessions - I'm feeling tired but pleased to finally get a solid block in. However I don't know if there will be much recovering going on next week given the number of stages of the TdF I'm planning to watch :-D
MTD:
Swim - 9.1km
Bike - 236km
Mon: was due to do a 2hr ride this morning on my day off but woke up after 9 hours sleep still feeling a bit rusty. Not sick. But not 100% either. So I decided to skip the session & conserve my energy for swim squad in the evening. This turned out to be a good decision. 2.96km in one of the hardest - well, fastest - sessions I have ever done :-)
Tue: 45min strength session at the gym at lunch.
Wed: otherwise known as 'toothpick (for the eyelids)' day. I worked until midnight & then stayed up til 1:30am watching probably the best stage of the TdF I have ever watched. Then dragged my butt out of bed at 7am for a 2km swim which started with 1.6km non-stop as another race simulation. I went through half way in 16:30 and maintained that pace to finish in 33:01. For my longest non-stop swim ever, I am pleased with that time, particularly given its in the 3rd week of a training block & after very little sleep
Thu: 64min bike session on the windtrainer in the garage after work. Lots of firm efforts. 25.7km.
Fri: no pilates with Carly today as I had to cancel my session due to work. Headed to the pool at work during lunch for a 2.2km swim which included 18 x 50ms in total. Yikes. Happiness is having an entire pool to yourself during a lunchtime swim.
Sat: with rain forecast for Sunday, I decided to do my 4hr long ride on Saturday. It's not my preferred long ride day; I do love my Saturday morning sleep in - if you can call 7.30am a sleep-in ;-)
I decided today to ride out along the Northern Road & then to the dreaded Cobbity Road. Cobbity is, by far, the hardest route that I have ridden so far. It is a 'dead' road surface making hard work & then there are the 6 hills which get steeper & longer the further along you go. This was my third time over Cobbity Road & it doesn't seem to get any easier. I felt really sluggish for the first 1:30 along the Northern Road until we turned off at Cobbity Road but was surprised with my effort over the hills. Still very pleased to get off the bike. 92.4k. 4:11. 22.1k/h av.
Sun: as usual, for my 2 hr ride I headed out to Richmond & back this morning along Castlereagh Road. This is a challenging ride in that it is, for the most part, a dead surface and flat. So you have to work the whole time. There are no hills to coast down. You stop pedalling, you quickly come to a stop. My legs were feeling heavy after yesterday's ride.
Someone must have let the idiotic drivers out this weekend. Once yesterday & twice during this ride, I watched cars travelling in the opposite direction attempt to overtake slower cars, which of course, put them on my side of the road coming directly towards me. Sigh. 47.2k. 2:01. Av. 23.4k/h
Ah, tomorrow sees the start of a recovery week - yippee! This week has been my biggest week on the bike ever; 166km in total. After 3 solid weeks of training - in which I only missed 1 of my scheduled sessions - I'm feeling tired but pleased to finally get a solid block in. However I don't know if there will be much recovering going on next week given the number of stages of the TdF I'm planning to watch :-D
MTD:
Swim - 9.1km
Bike - 236km
Sunday, July 04, 2010
6...
Can't believe it is only 6 weeks to go until the race. I don't feel ready though I people keep telling me that I am.. ;-)
Thu: after working til midnight last night, I thought this session might be a bit of a struggle but it ended up being a relatively good session. 55min bike session on the windtrainer. 21km.
Fri: 45min pilates with Carly. Was due to swim after work but couldn't escape from work until late.
Sat: up early to meet TA at Hornsby for my first ride along the Old Pacific Highway. I was feeling a bit rusty this morning after another long week at work so I was (secretly) relieved it was only due to be a 3hr ride rather than the 4-4:30 rides I've been doing lately. Maybe that relief turned into karma because it turned into a 2:24 ride with 3 tyre changes. If nothing else, it was good practice ;-) A really enjoyable ride (when we weren't practising our tyre changing ability) with great company. Brooklyn Hill is very different from the hills we have out west & a nice change. Not to mention the heavenly road surface - bliss. Thanks TA. 49.7k. Av.21k/h
Home for a shower, more coffee & food & catching up on my (personal) emails then it was off to the pool for my interval swim session I had planned to do on Friday. 2km in total including lots of intervals. Felt a bit flat during the first one but finished the session well. This session made 7km in the pool this week; I haven't done that in a l-o-n-g time. Would have loved a nap afterwards but there was no time; a hot date with my spunky hubby before before the start of the greatest sporting event in the world. I love July :-)
Sun: I was due to do my 2hr ride today but woke feeling really tired. Thankfully I have taken Monday off work as a bit of a "mental health" day. So I decided to get a bit more sleep this morning before a short run & push my ride over to Monday. So I headed out about 9.30am for my short run/walk shuffle with 3 x 8mins run in the middle. The cardio fitness is coming along; the left hip still doesn't quite want to play the game. Yet. 4.8k in total
MTD:
Swim - 2km
Bike - 70.7km
Thu: after working til midnight last night, I thought this session might be a bit of a struggle but it ended up being a relatively good session. 55min bike session on the windtrainer. 21km.
Fri: 45min pilates with Carly. Was due to swim after work but couldn't escape from work until late.
Sat: up early to meet TA at Hornsby for my first ride along the Old Pacific Highway. I was feeling a bit rusty this morning after another long week at work so I was (secretly) relieved it was only due to be a 3hr ride rather than the 4-4:30 rides I've been doing lately. Maybe that relief turned into karma because it turned into a 2:24 ride with 3 tyre changes. If nothing else, it was good practice ;-) A really enjoyable ride (when we weren't practising our tyre changing ability) with great company. Brooklyn Hill is very different from the hills we have out west & a nice change. Not to mention the heavenly road surface - bliss. Thanks TA. 49.7k. Av.21k/h
Home for a shower, more coffee & food & catching up on my (personal) emails then it was off to the pool for my interval swim session I had planned to do on Friday. 2km in total including lots of intervals. Felt a bit flat during the first one but finished the session well. This session made 7km in the pool this week; I haven't done that in a l-o-n-g time. Would have loved a nap afterwards but there was no time; a hot date with my spunky hubby before before the start of the greatest sporting event in the world. I love July :-)
Sun: I was due to do my 2hr ride today but woke feeling really tired. Thankfully I have taken Monday off work as a bit of a "mental health" day. So I decided to get a bit more sleep this morning before a short run & push my ride over to Monday. So I headed out about 9.30am for my short run/walk shuffle with 3 x 8mins run in the middle. The cardio fitness is coming along; the left hip still doesn't quite want to play the game. Yet. 4.8k in total
MTD:
Swim - 2km
Bike - 70.7km
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