SOCIALLY PROFILED
IRONMAN TRAINING 2021
Week beginning Sunday, April 4, 2021
25 weeks until IRONMAN Canada.
WEEKLY GOAL
Two productive training weeks in a row. Let's go for three!
SUMMARY
I feel I like was STAYING CONSISTENT.
Although I did not get on the bike on Friday, this felt like a descent week in the build. Work life has been stable, I am seeing improvements in the pool and we started a renovation project (bathroom).
SUNDAY APR 04 ☀️
Sleep 2 | Fatigue 4 | Stress 3 | Soreness 4
Rate on an scale 1-7 1=best 7=worst +5 is a warning
PLANNED WORKOUT
Run/Walk 80 minutes: Walk 10 minutes to loosen up. Run 65 minutes. Easy effort. Flat to rolling terrain. 5 minute walk to finish up.
NOTES
Run Time: 66 minutes Distance: 11.6 km
A nice socially distanced, outdoor Easter brunch at the in-laws. From there, I hitched a ride to Sayward Road which gave me enough distance to run the rest of the way home.
I walked 15 minutes before the run and not much after I pressed "stop" on the watch.
This route was mostly flat to false-flat; an overall net downhill route with some dirt sections (perfect for an easy effort). I averaged 5:45/km pace and this was like other recent runs, comfortably aerobic and very focused on maintaining a stable pelvis over the +hour.
Pretty sure that it was Melanie McQuaid that flew past me on Lochside Drive. Cool!
Lochside Trail South to Swan Lake
MONDAY APR 05 ☀️
Sleep 2 | Fatigue 5 | Stress 3 | Soreness 4
Rate on an scale 1-7 1=best 7=worst +5 is a warning
PLANNED WORKOUT
Day 2 TAC Routine.
Ride 45 minutes. Easy. Inside on the trainer or outside on any bike you like. Spinning out after a weekend of solid volume.
NOTES
Total Time: 48 minutes
After work, I spent some time on the bathroom renovation and rode the TT bike on the rollers after dinner.
Light pressure on the pedals and I watched the 1997 Kona race (PNF v Badmann) on YouTube . Most of the time I was up on the bullhorns and maybe ~10 minutes on the aerobars.
Almost a shame that I didn't get to ride outside but so far this April, it has been far colder than normal. This worked.
TUESDAY APR 06 ⛅️
Sleep 3 | Fatigue 3 | Stress 3 | Soreness 3
Rate on an scale 1-7 1=best 7=worst +5 is a warning
PLANNED WORKOUT
Day 1 TAC Routine.
Ride 60 minutes. Any bike you like. Flat to rolling terrain (or inside) EASY effort.
Run/Walk 30 minutes: 30 minutes flat and easy running. Optional walk to cool down.
NOTES
Total Time: 82 minutes
Another busy day at work.
I took the road bikie for a spin on the Goose to Colwood and then rode the shoulder until the intersection of Goldstream Avenue and Vetran's Memorial Parkway. That put me at 30 minutes and with a net downhill on the way back; I needed to find a bit more road to ride. The solution was to re-visit the Crystal View Hill, going up to Ruby Court. I felt good going up that hill too (it was only one trip to the top). On this ride, I didn't have to stop once.
SIMPLY TIME IN THE SADDLE
Getting off the bike, I didn't waste much time before heading out for the run; enough to get into some running kit and put my bike away.
This run sucked. My legs didn't just feel heavy, they felt like concrete. It took a long 13 minutes to shake the effects of the bike, and even after that, the legs had no juice tonight. Ironically, after 8 minutes, I was averaging 5:35/km on a flat section of the Goose but if you would have asked me, I would have honestly guessed closer to 7:00/km.
After 22 minutes, I pulled the plug on this horrible torture session.
WEDNESDAY APR 07 ☁️
Sleep 4 | Fatigue 4 | Stress 3 | Soreness 3
Rate on an scale 1-7 1=best 7=worst +5 is a warning
PLANNED WORKOUT
Day 2 TAC Routine.
5:30am: Swim 2200: 4 rounds (50 Easy free, 50 as 25 fist drill/25 strong finish to stroke, 50 steady/tight kick w/ board r :20) 4 rounds (3x 50 steady swim w/ lots of rotation and a tight kick. r :20. 100 Strong effort, finishing each stroke well. r :40) 5x 100 steady free w/ buoy. r :20. 2x 50 EASY to cool down.
Bike commute: 10 minutes easy to the pool. 30 minutes, long way home. Easy back as well.
NOTES
Total Time: 123 minutes Total Swim: 2800m
I was awake early enough but with the right amount of procrastination, I was late getting to the pool.
I started the workout in the Slow Lane as that had the least amount of people in it; that was my second mistake of the morning.
The lane congestion was as bad as I'd ever seen it at Crystal Pool. I finally got out and walked over to the Continous Lane and swam the rest of my time there. In total, I completed 1600m but before staring the 5x100m w/ buoy set, my allotted time had run out.
The forecast had called for rain early this moring but it was dry before I left home and was still dry when I left the pool. I took a 35 minute route through Esquimalt to make my way home. My legs felt heavy, likely from yesterday.
After work, it just so happened that I had a second, afternoon lane paid for at Esquimalt Rec. I was back in the water to get that 5x100m set complete and I did a little more (1200m). After a casual warm up, I did the 5x100m and felt really good (maybe the shorter pool). I followed that with 300m of easy effort swimming and it was then that I started to feel the day catching up with me. After a bit of rest, I finished with a steady 100m and came in at 1:43.1; no joke, this was unexpected.
Solid day, time for bed.
THURSDAY APR 08 ☀️
Sleep 3 | Fatigue 4 | Stress 4 | Soreness 4
Rate on an scale 1-7 1=best 7=worst +5 is a warning
PLANNED WORKOUT
Day 1 TAC Routine.
Run/Walk 80 minutes: 5 minutes easy walking to warm up. Run 70 minutes. Flat route. Bring a gel! Maybe some water as well. 5 minutes walking to cool down.
NOTES
Total Time: 70 minutes Distance: 11 km
The first few minutes of the day were groggy, and any idea of doing the run before breakfast was tossed. A 15 minute nap at 1600 helped.
The run was simply time on feet effort. I probably did a better job with the breathing/posture on Sunday than I did tonight though. My pace was more down to earth too; 6:07/km over the 10km of bike path and dirt. I stopped after 63 minutes to say hi to an old hockey buddy, Mike M. in the parking lot of Pearkes Arena.
FIRST 63 OF 70 MINUTES
I walked for 15 minutes before the run and I did jogged the last kilometre home after my catch-up with Mike.
About 100 calories of Maynards candy in lieu of a gel was consumed and my soleus (left and right) were mildly stiff tonight.
Although it was a sunny evening, a stiff south-west wind felt way colder than it should for April in Victoria. A quick glance at the forecast for next week gives me some hope that normal, seasonal temperatures will be here soon.
FRIDAY APR 09 🌧
Sleep 2 | Fatigue 2 | Stress 3 | Soreness 4
Rate on an scale 1-7 1=best 7=worst +5 is a warning
PLANNED WORKOUT
Day 2 TAC Routine.
5:30pm: Swim 2100: 4x 100 as 25 easy/25 strong finish to stroke. r :30. 4x 100 w/ buoy as 25 over rotation/25 strong finish to stroke. r :30. 6 rounds (50 steady kick r :20, 50 Strong swim w/ strong finish to stroke and lots of rotation from hips r :30) 2x 25 EASY. 600 continuous/steady. Trying to find a nice comfortable rhythm. 2x 25 easy to cool down.
Bike commute: 30 minutes easy to the pool. 30 minutes, long way home. Easy back as well. Yes, it's a broken hour ride. If you'd rather do 10/50 or 50/10, that is ok with me. Whatever works best with your schedule.
NOTES
Total Time: 53 minutes
I am feeling a bit stiff this morning. Riding the rollers before breakfast did not happen.
In fact, I had another late afternoon nap (after a long day at work and before swimming).
The warmup sets were a warm up that I needed. My arms felt tired, like my legs did yesterday. The feeling didn't last I soon I was into the workout. My watch quit counting lengths after 1375m; I noticed this part way into the 600m effort. Math in my head is never a strong point but I found myself figuring that I am averaging 1:50/100m so, round that up to 2:00 minutes, multiply by 6 and I should be done shortly before 12 minutes. The last wall was touched at 11:39.
I did short myself 50m on an early warm-up set so that I could "cool down" with 100m and I touched that wall in 1:43. ←PR effort last year.
I am feeling (less effort) and seeing (times are better) improvements in the pool. That is until I bring my GoPro to the pool and watch after the fact. It looks to me that I am hinged at the hip and I need to dedicate time to the mobility work (TAC Routine 2).
SATURDAY APR 10 ☀️
Sleep 2 | Fatigue 2 | Stress 2 | Soreness 4
Rate on an scale 1-7 1=best 7=worst +5 is a warning
PLANNED WORKOUT
Day 1 TAC Routine. Ride 3:00 on MTB or road bike. Steady effort for most of the day. Rolling terrain. All the stuff you've been riding is good. You can always head out on the Goose or Great trail if you like.
*Fueling. Minimum of 600 calories on the ride. Try to get down at least two bottles. Stop to pee if you need to!
NOTES
Total Time: 175 minutes Distance: 70 km
The forecast called for a nice day but by the time I put the tools down and started to get ready to ride, the winds started to pick up.
I headed toward the waterfront thinking that I might be able to put some of that wind at my back for a spin up to Sidney. That worked for a bit but basically is was just gusty from any random direction.
At Mattick's Farm on Cordova Bay Road, a dark cell appeared and it started to spit. The precipitation started to get a bit heavier the further north I rode and once in the farmland of the Hunt Valley, I could see rain dumping on Central Saanich. If I was going to do a loop of the Airport, I was going to get wet.
Instead I rode an out and back to Island View Beach. On the return, I could see that the weather was getting worse.
FORECAST WAS FOR SUNSHINE
From there, it would be a southbound race to avoid the rain.
Luck was on my side right until Saanich PD, when I hit an isolated shower. I still had about 20 minutes left on a 3 hour ride too. I stayed out for a bit longer in an effort to get closer to 3 hours.
SATURDAY'S ROUTE
My legs were pretty much done from the ride and with the reno-work in the bathroom earlier, the rest of me was done too.
CONSUMPTION
84g of Maynard's Sours (Watermelon and Peach Fuzz), 54g of lemonade mix in for a sweet bottle, another bottle of plain water. Good to go or so I thought. I should have packed a bit more Maynards to get to 600 calories; I added a banana instead. Candy consumed after Island View Beach, lemodade bottle done on Lochside Drive (going south) and the water was gone before McKenzie Ave.