Given how bad the weather has been this month, qualifying for Kona at Eagleman 70.3 has never sounded like a better idea or goal. I know many feel the same but for as much as I hate winter this past month has sucked! Probably like every other triathlete in the middle Atlantic or New England states, I often wonder what it would be like to be back out west training.
This month has been ridiculous from the amount of wind we have had to the lack of normal temperatures for the month. One news station reported that the final 2+ weeks of March were below normal for temperatures (everyday!). It has been so tough that I have only been outside 4 times on the bike for the month. Of course today I head out thinking I was going to be the forecasted showers but....NO!!! Nothing like a chilly wet ride. Whether it is for my running or for the team, one has to check weather.com to see from what direction the winds are gusting from so you can attempt to have it out your back for the finish of a run. I hope I do not jinx it but they are saying by the end of next weekend temperatures may start heading towards normal. Despite, the issue with weather, I definitely feel way ahead of last year's training at this point of the season.
New Training Totals
Week
Bike - 5 rides/ 162 miles/ 7.37 hours/ 22.0 mph
Run - 3 runs/ 21 miles/ 2.52 hours/ 7:12 per mile
Swim - 4 swims/ 3.5 miles/ 1.83 hours
Total - 12workouts/ 186.5 miles/ 11.11.72 hours
2013
Bike - 73 rides/ 2186 miles/ 97.93 hours/ 22.3 mph
Run - 42 runs/ 220.75 miles/ 26.98 hours/ 7:20 per mile
Swim - 43 swims/ 41 miles/ 19.99 hours
Total - 158 workouts/ 2447.75 miles/ 144.70 hours
Goals This Week
Bike - 5 rides/ 160-180miles
Run - 3-4 runs/ 23-26 miles (Long run of 11)
Swim - 3-4 swims/ 3 miles
Kona/Vegas 2013!!!
People will often ask what am I on to complete my training?
What am I am on?
I am on my bike 7-8 hours a week, in the pool 1.5-2 hours a week and on the roads running 2-3 hours a week......and of course caffeine,moose tracks and beer for recovery!
Given the forecast for tomorrow, I am trying to keep the music upbeat! Now I did manage to get outside to ride today but I think some of that was just to spite the weather. It was a chilly 37 degrees and there was a north wind on my back into the Grove. It was just the 3rd time all year I have been able to get outside and ride. If you have not guessed, the forecast for tomorrow is not too positive. They are saying that Central PA can be hit with anywhere from 2-5 inches of snow....SNOW?!?!? WTF???? It will be March 25th! The last time I looked at the calendar spring started 3 days ago. What makes it even worse is seeing all the post from friends on Facebook and Twitter who have been racing! It has got to the point where people up and down the East Coast are planning treks to Punxsutawney to hunt one particular rodent! I will leave him nameless at this point.
Despite my displeasure with the weather, my training in this phase has been going very well. I have now put in 3 consecutive weeks of 20+ miles of running and my swim time per 100 yards in dropping quickly. With 77 days until the EnduraFit Eagleman 70.3, I am feeling very confident about my goals. There is still a lot of work to do including actually riding outside!!!
Run - 39 runs/ 199.75 miles/ 24.47 hours/ 7:21 per mile
Swim - 39 swims/ 37.5 miles/ 18.17 hours
Total - 146 workouts/ 2261.25 miles/ 133.19 hours
Goals This Week
Bike - 5 rides/ 165-175 miles
Run - 3-4 runs/ 23-26 miles
Swim - 3-4 swims/ 3 miles
Kona/Vegas 2013!!!
People will often ask what am I on to complete my training? What am I am on? I am on my bike 6-8 hours a week, in the pool 1.5-2 hours a week and on the roads running 2-2.5 hours a week......and of course caffeine,moose tracks and beer for recovery! That's what I am on!
Last weekend was such a tease.....2 days outside on the bike!!!
This past week returned to the miserable cold, grey and windy days that plagued this area for the majority of the winter. And the when I talk about wind, it has not been a typical wind for this area. We are actually in stretch of about 8-10 days where the winds have been steady at close to 15mph with gust 20+ mph. I don't think I can recall a stretch of wind like this since I have moved to Central PA. Now don't get me wrong, it is not the wind I am complaining as much about as the wind chills that they create. I do not mind riding in 35 degrees but when the wind chills drop it well below 30 degrees I am moving my ass inside. While my training has been good and consistent it does get ass numbing and boring when you are riding 7+ hours inside every week. I have been outside a total of two times all year and I am beginning to wonder if I will ever ride on asphalt anytime soon. Today, we had yet another gray and snowy day that left a heavy inch of snow on the ground.
Workouts on the track and in the pool are going well. I completed my second track workout of this training cycle and I am slowly adding workouts to my swimming regimen. I definitely feel leaps and bounds ahead of last year at this time. Even though I have close to 12 weeks till what most likely be my first race of the year, I am feeling very good about my training to date.
Run - 36 runs/ 176.25 miles/ 21.59 hours/ 7:21 per mile
Swim - 36 swims/ 34.5 miles/ 16.77 hours
Total - 135 workouts/ 2072.75 miles/ 121.68 hours
Goals This Week
Bike - 5 rides/ 165-175 miles
Run - 3-4 runs/ 22-25 miles
Swim - 3-4 swims/ 3 miles
This week I am looking to lengthen the long run to at least 11 miles and continue to creep towards that 25+ miles per week. I really need to start to find some time to get in the weight room as I know some added strength will go a long way int the pool and on the bike.
Kona/Vegas 2013!!!
People will often ask what am I on to complete my training?
What am I am on? I am on my bike 6-8 hours a week, in the pool 1.5-2 hours a week and on the roads running 2-2.5 hours a week......and of course caffeine,moose tracks and beer for recovery!
That's what I am on!
One thing I have learned as a coach, especially working with close to 100 athletes each year, is, as a coach, I need to find the right balance of training volume and intensity to get the most out of each of my athletes. Not every athlete responds the same way to training. I have had athletes run 100 miles a week and qualify for nationals and others run as little as 60 miles a week and qualify as well.
As someone who trains alone a lot, I like to read the tweets and blogs that triathletes post about their training and racing to keep me motivated. I look at some of their totals in volume and I think back to my early triathlon career and think these numbers are higher than what I did when I went 4:31 at Wildflower (5th fastest run split of all athletes) and also qualified for Kona in 95 & 97. As they say, hindsight is always 20/20. I think about my training then and wish I had the knowledge I have now when I was racing in the 90's. I know smarter training back then would have had me achieving my goals of becoming a full-time professional triathlete. I am always shocked that even today, with all the knowledge that is available now due to advancements in Exercise Physiology, that too many triathletes still believe more is better. How many of these athletes are leaving their races in their workouts or never recovered enough to race especially when the race results are not what their amount training shows they should be? Whether it is the 1990's or now, things don't seem to change and always triathletes take things to the extreme whether it be training or nutrition.... gluten free (because it is the cool thing), no caffeine, no sugar, no alcohol, juicing everything, no snacks. Yes, I am guilty of some of these in the past but I have learned I can race extremely well (3 OA top tens and a top 10 AG finish at Rhode Island 70.3 in my 4 races in my first year back to triathlons) and have a few beers, eat ice cream and have many cups of coffee! I think enjoying these things and training smarter are a big reason I am enjoying races again!
Now that I have said that, I will post my new training totals where they will probably stay fairly close to this over the next 6-8 weeks:
Year
Bike - 58 rides/ 1698 miles/ 75.82 hours/ 22.4 mpg/ Avg HR - 138
Run - 33 runs/ 155 miles/ 18.98 miles/ 7:20 per mile
Swim -33 swims/ 31.50 miles/ 15.28 hours
Total - 124 workouts/ 1884.5 miles/ 110.08 hours
Goals This Week
Bike - 5 rides/ 165-175 miles
Run - 3-4 runs/ 21-24 miles
Swim - 3-4 swims/ 3-4 miles
My first week of adding speed workouts went very well last week. I completed one track workout (6 x 800 @ 3K pace with 200 jog) and one interval workout in the pool. I was also able to get outside on the bike to add some climbing to my training. Let the warmer weather begin!
People will often ask what am I on to complete my training?
What am I am on? I am on my bike 6-8 hours a week, in the pool 1.5-2 hours a week and on the roads running 2-2.5 hours a week......and of course caffeine,moose tracks and beer for recovery!
Whether on twitter or Facebook, I see a lot of post about people heading out to nice weather places for "training camps". I guess it must be nice to have both the time and the money to do such a thing. Now, I may have to back off the time argument as this is our spring break and I am staying in Selinsgrove for the week. Now the weather might not be the best but I at least I know I won't be missing a training session. I do have 20 athletes staying on campus for the week, so I will have some coaching to do this week but I can use this week to kick start my serious training now that I have completed base building. This week I will be starting on some more intense workouts especially in the pool and on the track. The goal is to add one track workout and start to do more intense workouts in the pool. I am feeling very strong and fit in those disciplines but now it is time to start to focus on speed. I also need to start to build up to 25-30 miles per week of running. I will also be building the volume of training from an average of around 11 hours to closer to 13 hours per week.
13 Week Base Training Totals Bike - 2416 miles/ 107.87 hours/ 22.4mph/ Avg HR 138
Run - 166 miles/ 20.42 hours/ 7:23 per mile
Swim - 40.25 miles/ 19.51 hours
Total - 2622.25 miles/ 147.8 hours
Goals This Week Bike - 5 rides/ 165-175 miles Run - 3-4 runs/ 20-22 miles Swim - 3-4 swims/ 3-4 miles 11.5-12 hours of training
98 days until Eagleman 70.3 and qualifying for Kona/Vegas!
People ask....what am I on?
What am I am on? I am on my bike 6-8 hours a week, in the pool 1.5-2 hours a week and on the roads 2-2.5 hours a week......and of course caffeine and moose tracks!