571 TSS on 8 hours of training ... seems like it was a slow week. Some of that was my watch dying on the Wed night group run -- which, incidentally was one of the better tempo runs I've had in a while: cool but not freezing, nicely packed snow on the trails, and pace was hard but not impossible.
It was reading week, so the pool closed early one day, not sure why (snowstorm?). I had hoped to get a good outside CX ride on Sunday, but the weather was not cooperating, so that ended up being 90 min on the trainer.
That 90 minute ride was another example of me feeling so much stronger when I'm not stumbling out of bed directly to the trainer. I think I started at about 8:30am, absolutely no problem with the VO2 work.
Chilly half is this weekend, I'm hoping to break 1:30. I think it's doable if the weather and my health hold out (no more beer this week).
Monday, February 25, 2013
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Week 21 Summary and Refridgee-eight-er report
852 TSS on 9.8 hours
I'm edging towards the schedule I was thinking about last week, i.e., Victoria's Du, and Guelph Lake Oly, then a couple of fondos later in the summer.
There was nothing really exceptional this week in training. Show up, do the work, "log it", move on.
I went into the race today viewing it as a test for my hopes to run sub 1:30 at the upcoming Chilly Half: they're similar courses (flat), the weather is usually close (ie. cold). I had hoped to hold 4:16/km, that's what I'll need for the half.
It was a great day, cold but sunny. Started out really fast, throttled back within the first km from sub 4 (waaay too fast) to much closer to target pace, started to feel like crap around the 5km mark which started to make me wonder what the hell I was doing. I had run a lot of kms, and thought that I would be in good shape for this. I resolved to stop looking at my watch and just run by feel, focussing on turnover.
I could only see ahead to the next three or four runners, there was a larger group at the front, then it was pretty much strung out. I got passed at about 10k, it was just before we were heading onto a windy section, so I thought, ok, maybe I can just draft this guy, but I turned to look as he was going by -- he was maybe 5'1". No draft there :(.
Plodded onto the finish, and I was feeling better through the last three km, so I started pushing the last 1km, turned the corner onto the finish straight and saw I was going to go sub-54. I ended up 53:49 (4:14/km), which I feel very happy about. Primary lesson: don't forget that you are going to feel like crap at least once, and that this is normal.
I'm edging towards the schedule I was thinking about last week, i.e., Victoria's Du, and Guelph Lake Oly, then a couple of fondos later in the summer.
There was nothing really exceptional this week in training. Show up, do the work, "log it", move on.
I went into the race today viewing it as a test for my hopes to run sub 1:30 at the upcoming Chilly Half: they're similar courses (flat), the weather is usually close (ie. cold). I had hoped to hold 4:16/km, that's what I'll need for the half.
It was a great day, cold but sunny. Started out really fast, throttled back within the first km from sub 4 (waaay too fast) to much closer to target pace, started to feel like crap around the 5km mark which started to make me wonder what the hell I was doing. I had run a lot of kms, and thought that I would be in good shape for this. I resolved to stop looking at my watch and just run by feel, focussing on turnover.
I could only see ahead to the next three or four runners, there was a larger group at the front, then it was pretty much strung out. I got passed at about 10k, it was just before we were heading onto a windy section, so I thought, ok, maybe I can just draft this guy, but I turned to look as he was going by -- he was maybe 5'1". No draft there :(.
Plodded onto the finish, and I was feeling better through the last three km, so I started pushing the last 1km, turned the corner onto the finish straight and saw I was going to go sub-54. I ended up 53:49 (4:14/km), which I feel very happy about. Primary lesson: don't forget that you are going to feel like crap at least once, and that this is normal.
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Week 20 Summary
582TSS on 7'45"
Not a ticker-tape parade week of workouts ... I struggled with any intensity on the bike this week, the run was okay, but not great. The general theme was "log it" and move on. I feel like my legs are still fatigued from last week. I'm trying to balance not digging myself into a hole against the looming race dates on the calendar.
I'm following the 9-week plan Intermediate Build II plan leading up to Paris-Ancaster on April 14. In the meantime, I have the Re-Fridgee-Eighter in one week. Hopefully I can hold my goal pace for the upcoming Chilly Half.
I've shifted my focus for the latter half of the season, away from long course, towards some shorter Tris, and a couple long fondos (Tour De Waterloo, and Steve Bauer's). Spending long hours away during the summer seems like too much, plus we're going be away later in the summer.
Not a ticker-tape parade week of workouts ... I struggled with any intensity on the bike this week, the run was okay, but not great. The general theme was "log it" and move on. I feel like my legs are still fatigued from last week. I'm trying to balance not digging myself into a hole against the looming race dates on the calendar.
I'm following the 9-week plan Intermediate Build II plan leading up to Paris-Ancaster on April 14. In the meantime, I have the Re-Fridgee-Eighter in one week. Hopefully I can hold my goal pace for the upcoming Chilly Half.
I've shifted my focus for the latter half of the season, away from long course, towards some shorter Tris, and a couple long fondos (Tour De Waterloo, and Steve Bauer's). Spending long hours away during the summer seems like too much, plus we're going be away later in the summer.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Tour of Sufferlandria (day nine) and some stats
Local Hero (last day!)
Walking down the stairs to the BTC, I could feel the fatigue in my legs, a sign this was going to be hard. The middle intervals were particularly hard, and my mental resolve wasn't as sharp as yesterday.
Got through it though, was happy with my sprinting at the end.
Totals:
9 days
12 hours
940 TSS
8200 kcal
Back to running ... Refridgee-eighter is up in two weeks: an 8 mile effort that will tell me if I have a shot at going sub 1:30 at the Chilly.
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Tour of Sufferlandria (day eight)
There Is No Try + Revolver
Penultimate day. This is the start of the 100% efforts: TINT was ok, if painful in the first half, I had to go to 90% for Revolver, also did it in slope mode. I literally staggered off the bike after this one.
Penultimate day. This is the start of the 100% efforts: TINT was ok, if painful in the first half, I had to go to 90% for Revolver, also did it in slope mode. I literally staggered off the bike after this one.
Tour of Sufferlandria (day seven)
The Downward Spiral
Another 95% ride, though I think I had to pop down to 90% for a couple of the middle intervals. I switched to slope mode for the last four sprint intervals, to see what sort of wattages I'm hitting at 10/10.
Another 95% ride, though I think I had to pop down to 90% for a couple of the middle intervals. I switched to slope mode for the last four sprint intervals, to see what sort of wattages I'm hitting at 10/10.
Tour of Sufferlandria (day six)
The Wretched + Long Scream
Haven't done either of these a lot, the former because it's relatively new, the latter because it's a nightmare. There really isn't any chance to rest in either of them. I targeted these at 95%.
Haven't done either of these a lot, the former because it's relatively new, the latter because it's a nightmare. There really isn't any chance to rest in either of them. I targeted these at 95%.
Tour of Sufferlandria (day five)
Angels: The last of the 90% days, Angels is three 8-minute climbs. I've done this workout fairly frequently, so no surprises. It has the best music, btw.
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