I have to post an assignment to uni tomorrow, and yoga at 6am. So this is going to be quick as I need a bed right now.
There's always a time that for some reason or another, the plan needs to be tweaked. Some days are too cold to be out on the road, other times life gets in the middle of training (how you dare, work, to get in the middle of MY training?) and so on.
For me this time it has been the tender tights (I may have to talk to KFC for sponsorship on this one). The past week I had to go with an adjusted plan and it looks like I may have to do the rest of my training with little or no hills.
Today I went for a longer run again, after 2 weeks of short runs. I needed to test how much the legs can endure and communicate to coach so we can project the next five weeks.
I had good company in the form of the two best runners in the training squad, so I knew it would be testing but not challenging.
The legs responded well to the little hills and short efforts. At some point I have to put the brakes as there were some signals coming from my quads saying PAIN PAIN PAIN!. I listened to them and here I am, reporting another happy day out.
Two years back or even last year, I may have carried on through the pain and let it go away with time, and do what the programme says. But I've learned that the smart athletes are always thinking on their feet.
I will probably miss having some serious strength endurance training. But I'll have the legs to run another day.
Date: 21 July
Sport: Swim / Run
Time: 60min / 75min
Dist: 3.2km / 15km
Comment: and it was bloody wet and cold
Triathlons, runs and other outdoor pursuits
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Today's incident
This Tour de France is getting better and better by the day. Today was a day of controversy due to the incident on the last climb of the day, when a group containing second, third and fourth GC guys let the guy in the yellow jersey on his own after he had a mechanical.
A lot has been written and said in many forums worldwide. The focus being the decision by Contador to attack Schleck was off the bike. Schleck was obviously pissed after the finish and Contador was booed at the podium. He later put a video on youtube where he kind of apologizes.
On another situation I think he may have waited, but there was pressure from the other two guys and they just kept going. The really stupid thing was not to wait. All riders have radios and it would have been really easy for them to roll for 2 minutes until he catched up. It would have been one of those times where the sportmanship and camaraderie are shown to a wider audience and says something good about the people involved, and also about all of the professional sportspeople. If this happened 2km to the finish I would have a different view. But the fact that there was over 30 minutes of racing for them to make good a decision that was obviously very controversial is what for me makes it a silly thing. This does not take anything from their sporting achievements. But makes me want to see their butts kicked by Schleck in the Tourmalet.
Many triathletes point out that nobody waits for you when you have a flat in a race. And this is true. But triathlon and bike racing and different sports. I've never waited for anyone when racing, but I've lended multitools, tyres, gels to fellow athletes, it just feels the right thing.
The other itchy questions are: who decides what's the right thing and the wrong thing to do? did putting time on Armstrong on that crazy cobbles stage play a part in deciding this tour? was Contador taking a payback from the day he had a flat and no one waited?
I'm going to bed now, and I'll wake up to the unknown,
Date 20 July
Sport Cycling/Running
Time 60min/15min
Dist n-a / 3km
Comment: I have to keep running in the flat, the leg gets better.
On another situation I think he may have waited, but there was pressure from the other two guys and they just kept going. The really stupid thing was not to wait. All riders have radios and it would have been really easy for them to roll for 2 minutes until he catched up. It would have been one of those times where the sportmanship and camaraderie are shown to a wider audience and says something good about the people involved, and also about all of the professional sportspeople. If this happened 2km to the finish I would have a different view. But the fact that there was over 30 minutes of racing for them to make good a decision that was obviously very controversial is what for me makes it a silly thing. This does not take anything from their sporting achievements. But makes me want to see their butts kicked by Schleck in the Tourmalet.
Many triathletes point out that nobody waits for you when you have a flat in a race. And this is true. But triathlon and bike racing and different sports. I've never waited for anyone when racing, but I've lended multitools, tyres, gels to fellow athletes, it just feels the right thing.
The other itchy questions are: who decides what's the right thing and the wrong thing to do? did putting time on Armstrong on that crazy cobbles stage play a part in deciding this tour? was Contador taking a payback from the day he had a flat and no one waited?
I'm going to bed now, and I'll wake up to the unknown,
Date 20 July
Sport Cycling/Running
Time 60min/15min
Dist n-a / 3km
Comment: I have to keep running in the flat, the leg gets better.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Andy Schleck and I have the same dilemma
This is the third race that I'm racing where I'm investing over 10 hours a week in training. The investment in hours is significant and I expect results to come my way because I'm also training smart and being coached.
This time around I focussed in strenghtening the bike and see if I'm able to keep in touch with the front of the race. So, 3500km (or thereabouts) later I was suprissed to find something that I'm not sure I like:
I am climbing well.
It may have been the Saxo Bank jersey, or the porridge, or just a good day out. The thing is that the legs were OK to go up and up and up and then a bit more. If I was a TdF rider it wouldn't be a problem. The matter is that I am a triathlete. And more often than not, I am not able to transfer this power thing to time trialling. These two are two different types of riding and I don't know how they influence each other for good or for bad.
This data is from my personal experience, but I bet is the same what's out there.
TT Cadence 90 to 100
Climbing Cadence 70 to 80
TT gearing: 53/14-19
Climbing Gearing: 39/19-25
One good way to develop strength is by doing hill repeats on big chainrings, I've done it in the past and it makes some difference. Note that these hill reps are not trying to go up the hill in a smart or fast way, it is going up the hill in a high gear. I don't think that doing a lot of TT training helps to be a better climber. I would bet for NO.
I haven't been doing hill repeats a lot this time (only two or three times that I remember) and I did that series of TT and efforts in the lab in April. But most of my training has come from being out there and doing the long rides on the Sunday.
Let's take an example: 2010 Tour de Fance winner Andy Schleck is a brilliant climber, but comes TT time, he won't be at the top due to his lack of ability to go fast against the wind. I think I am faced with the same problem here, I can't seem to be able to transfer climbing power to TT power. It shouldn't take long to figure out, but I am still to see.
In brief, I'd prefer to be a poor climber and be able to stay within the top 10% of the bikers on a traithlon race. I just have to make it happen.
On a side note I was cought off foot yesterday. Some weeks ago I came back home from a ride and did a 1min cleaning of my bike (fork, break, derraileurs and downtube) with one of Nat's socks. I hid it in the "bike stuff" drawer and forgot about it until yesterday. Natalia was nosing through my things and found the infamous cloth. I was prepared to lie when she came and confronted me, but nothing came out of my mouth and I had to admit my crime. It was silly-embarrasing and I lost all credit in front of my wife. I hope with time she will understand how important it is to have clean derraileurs and forks and be able to forgive me.
Date 19 July
Sport Swimming / Running
Time: 60min / 60min
Dist: 3.2km / 8km
Comment: Cooperst test. I topped my previous mark by 20 metres! (leg is not 100% though)
This time around I focussed in strenghtening the bike and see if I'm able to keep in touch with the front of the race. So, 3500km (or thereabouts) later I was suprissed to find something that I'm not sure I like:
I am climbing well.
It may have been the Saxo Bank jersey, or the porridge, or just a good day out. The thing is that the legs were OK to go up and up and up and then a bit more. If I was a TdF rider it wouldn't be a problem. The matter is that I am a triathlete. And more often than not, I am not able to transfer this power thing to time trialling. These two are two different types of riding and I don't know how they influence each other for good or for bad.
This data is from my personal experience, but I bet is the same what's out there.
TT Cadence 90 to 100
Climbing Cadence 70 to 80
TT gearing: 53/14-19
Climbing Gearing: 39/19-25
One good way to develop strength is by doing hill repeats on big chainrings, I've done it in the past and it makes some difference. Note that these hill reps are not trying to go up the hill in a smart or fast way, it is going up the hill in a high gear. I don't think that doing a lot of TT training helps to be a better climber. I would bet for NO.
I haven't been doing hill repeats a lot this time (only two or three times that I remember) and I did that series of TT and efforts in the lab in April. But most of my training has come from being out there and doing the long rides on the Sunday.
In brief, I'd prefer to be a poor climber and be able to stay within the top 10% of the bikers on a traithlon race. I just have to make it happen.
On a side note I was cought off foot yesterday. Some weeks ago I came back home from a ride and did a 1min cleaning of my bike (fork, break, derraileurs and downtube) with one of Nat's socks. I hid it in the "bike stuff" drawer and forgot about it until yesterday. Natalia was nosing through my things and found the infamous cloth. I was prepared to lie when she came and confronted me, but nothing came out of my mouth and I had to admit my crime. It was silly-embarrasing and I lost all credit in front of my wife. I hope with time she will understand how important it is to have clean derraileurs and forks and be able to forgive me.
Date 19 July
Sport Swimming / Running
Time: 60min / 60min
Dist: 3.2km / 8km
Comment: Cooperst test. I topped my previous mark by 20 metres! (leg is not 100% though)
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Weekend Wrap up
The wheather wasn't half bad, so I enjoyed a bit of outdoor life. There was a run on Saturday and I'm happy to report it worked 95% OK. I just had to run 30 minutes, I run 35 and the last downhill brought a little niggle, but nothing serius.
Lot of stretching afterwards and that was as far as it went. I was tempted to go swimming but there was too much to do at home and uni.
Sunday we hit the road with the boys for a easy long ride, but the day was soo good. The air sooo clean and the legs felt so happy, that it was a moderate ride with a coffee finish. I packed 2 of my kick ass bars, but this baking turned out to be really tasty, so by the end of the day I have almost finished with the lot. The right combination of salt, apricots oats and honey. I wonder if I can ever repeat.
I also had a flat, It's the first one for the year, which is not half bad. Having a look at my tyres they will need to be replaced soon. It was my first try with a CO2 cartrige and I messed it up, badly, I was tempted to stick my tongue like you do when you are young and fool, but I resisted. Anyway, another practice session: changing flats.
Lot of stretching afterwards and that was as far as it went. I was tempted to go swimming but there was too much to do at home and uni.
Sunday we hit the road with the boys for a easy long ride, but the day was soo good. The air sooo clean and the legs felt so happy, that it was a moderate ride with a coffee finish. I packed 2 of my kick ass bars, but this baking turned out to be really tasty, so by the end of the day I have almost finished with the lot. The right combination of salt, apricots oats and honey. I wonder if I can ever repeat.
I also had a flat, It's the first one for the year, which is not half bad. Having a look at my tyres they will need to be replaced soon. It was my first try with a CO2 cartrige and I messed it up, badly, I was tempted to stick my tongue like you do when you are young and fool, but I resisted. Anyway, another practice session: changing flats.Happy training everyone
Date: 17 July / 18July
Sport: running / cycling
Time: 35min / 180min
Distance: 7km / 80km
Comment:
Friday, July 16, 2010
There are days and days
The last three weeks I've been at 90% of my game, which would do OK for another race, but not for worlds, not this year. And in the last day or two, I don't know how or why I feel the extra 10% is coming back.
I felt in perfect sync with the world today. Last night was a bit hectic but I made it to bed in a reasonable time. I woke up OK and drove us to the pool as usual.
In connection with the last post we had a good strong set of the kind I think will set me to go really well in the swim leg:
50/150/50
75/150/75
100/50/100
100/100/100
150/150/150
200/200/200
each of the series is a continuum of level3 level2 level3 with a rest interval that gets bigger and bigger but doesn't get over a minute.
It's been a while since I felt OK to lead the lane for the full set, but today I felt better and better as it went.
Then off to coffee and work and everything ticked away really nicely. Aquajog in afternoon worked OK and the quad tenderness is getting better.
And finally, if I was in North America I'd be excited about a new brand of clothing for endurance athletes. It's called endurance athlete project and it looks promising.
I felt in perfect sync with the world today. Last night was a bit hectic but I made it to bed in a reasonable time. I woke up OK and drove us to the pool as usual.
In connection with the last post we had a good strong set of the kind I think will set me to go really well in the swim leg:
50/150/50
75/150/75
100/50/100
100/100/100
150/150/150
200/200/200
each of the series is a continuum of level3 level2 level3 with a rest interval that gets bigger and bigger but doesn't get over a minute.
It's been a while since I felt OK to lead the lane for the full set, but today I felt better and better as it went.
Then off to coffee and work and everything ticked away really nicely. Aquajog in afternoon worked OK and the quad tenderness is getting better.
It is not that there are days that I'm good or days that I am not so good. For me they come in weeks or months. I take this kind of things as they come. It's only natural that I'm not gonna be at a 100% at all times. Over the last year I've started to identify the periods. The mission for the future is start to marshall them to match training and racing schedules. Or be able to take the most advantage of that full synch period to make my fitness gains.
On another note, the first week of Training+Uni+work is over and I ticked all the boxes on the schedule. Looking forward for a bit of free time on the weekend and a catchup with TdF viewing.
And finally, if I was in North America I'd be excited about a new brand of clothing for endurance athletes. It's called endurance athlete project and it looks promising. I'm looking forward to the free shipping deals whenever they start retailing
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Execution
I'm officially on track. Even with a small hiccup it's all go for the World Champs.
It is time now to start fine tuning every bit of the race.
Today I sat and thought about the swim and T1:
The swim is a mass start (only the age group, though) so it will be between 150 and 200 of us. The circuit is M shaped with 2 left turns of 180º and two right turns, one of them 180º and the other 90º.
The first 400m is a straight swim and then there will be carnage on the first turn. It is important that I make it to the first turn fast, really fast, hopefully among the first 10/20 people, Otherwise there's a lot of time to be lost.
Then it should be a bit easier (just a bit) to deal and surely some people will make way and it will be a front pack, and a few of us in no man's land. until the end when everybody in our backs will start charging.
I expect to get to the finish in decent form and be able to keep the same pace that getting towards the first turn.
Training for a swim like that means a lot of explosive sets (200 and 300 metres all out) combined with longer sets (500 to 600 metres steady). At the moment most swims are heading in that direection, and they are truly tiring at times, but I know they are good. A good boost in confidence should come with the next 1500m TT.
I'm doing my first T1 practice on the weekend, swim 200 with the wetsuit, get it off in a flash and get my bike gear on. As it will be most probably indoor, I won't be able to ride. Transitions are an easy buck to make and sometimes I've been guilty of taking them too easy. To gain a minute in any of the disciplines takes 4 months, to gain a minute in my T1 will probably take 3 or 4 practices. I need to be smart about it.
What has problably helped me the most is this transition tip from my mate Ro.
Date: 14/15 July
Sport: Swimming/Running///Running/cycling
Time: 60min/45min/30min/60min
Dist: 3.2km/10km/aquajog/windtrainer
comment: Easy week, the HR's are all under control
It is time now to start fine tuning every bit of the race.
Today I sat and thought about the swim and T1:
The swim is a mass start (only the age group, though) so it will be between 150 and 200 of us. The circuit is M shaped with 2 left turns of 180º and two right turns, one of them 180º and the other 90º.
The first 400m is a straight swim and then there will be carnage on the first turn. It is important that I make it to the first turn fast, really fast, hopefully among the first 10/20 people, Otherwise there's a lot of time to be lost.
Then it should be a bit easier (just a bit) to deal and surely some people will make way and it will be a front pack, and a few of us in no man's land. until the end when everybody in our backs will start charging.
I expect to get to the finish in decent form and be able to keep the same pace that getting towards the first turn.
Training for a swim like that means a lot of explosive sets (200 and 300 metres all out) combined with longer sets (500 to 600 metres steady). At the moment most swims are heading in that direection, and they are truly tiring at times, but I know they are good. A good boost in confidence should come with the next 1500m TT.
I'm doing my first T1 practice on the weekend, swim 200 with the wetsuit, get it off in a flash and get my bike gear on. As it will be most probably indoor, I won't be able to ride. Transitions are an easy buck to make and sometimes I've been guilty of taking them too easy. To gain a minute in any of the disciplines takes 4 months, to gain a minute in my T1 will probably take 3 or 4 practices. I need to be smart about it.
What has problably helped me the most is this transition tip from my mate Ro.
Date: 14/15 July
Sport: Swimming/Running///Running/cycling
Time: 60min/45min/30min/60min
Dist: 3.2km/10km/aquajog/windtrainer
comment: Easy week, the HR's are all under control
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Bad news and good news
The bad news is that I'm injured for the first time in three seasons
Bummer!
The good news is that the injurie is not a biggie, though.
I went to physio today and had the bad and the good news delivered, together with a telling of because my flexibility on the lower limbs sucks. I am a series of injuries waiting to happen. (I take it lighthly.... it can only get better!).
What hurts the most is that I have to give in to Nat's invitations to start going to yoga with her. She's been telling me to start from the last year and a half and I've always been able to fend off the charges, but this time I'll have to agree. And she's gonna make sure I am aware she was right from the very beginning (ha ha ha... delights of the married life)
All in all, it can only be good, because it is a good wake up call and there's enough time to minimize any losses.
the lesson learned: lots of stretching, specially after excercise.
Date: 13 July
Sport: running / cycling
Time: 15min / 60min
Dist: 3km / n/a
Comment: 16kmTT - sub 24min - Personal best on the windtrainer!
Bummer!
The good news is that the injurie is not a biggie, though.
I went to physio today and had the bad and the good news delivered, together with a telling of because my flexibility on the lower limbs sucks. I am a series of injuries waiting to happen. (I take it lighthly.... it can only get better!). So it will be a bit less intense on the run front over the next week or so and hopefully it all should heal propertly. Coach has amended the programme to suit, and I may be even getting on the aquajog lane in the next days. But the most important bit is that I can continue with my programme on a 90% of what was planned.
All in all, it can only be good, because it is a good wake up call and there's enough time to minimize any losses.
the lesson learned: lots of stretching, specially after excercise.
Date: 13 July
Sport: running / cycling
Time: 15min / 60min
Dist: 3km / n/a
Comment: 16kmTT - sub 24min - Personal best on the windtrainer!
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