Beginner 1/2 Ironman Plan Group (Page 110)

I just finished swim focus week and I deviated a bit from the plan.  There is just no way that I can swim six days in a week nor do I see anything more than deminishing returns in those last few days.  By Friday my arms were getting pretty tired.  Even though it's a no impact activity I still feared injury if I pressed it further.

I rarely go beyond 500 yard intervals.  Even when I switch over to OWS in the late spring, I still break my swims into segments.  I can see every once in a while doing a long continuous swim but I think that the plan does these way to often.  I think most people agree that it is best to work on speed through proper form development rather than slogging out extended sessions. 

After reading your post on distance or quick interval training, Hot Runner, I opted to swim the intermediate swim instead of the 1x2000 long swim this week.  Do to the fact that life has overtaken my training, I'll only make 4-5 days this week and had to make a choice between swims today.  I liked what I heard about intervals in previous posts, so I went with it.

The farthest I have ever gone is 2000, but I tend to like swimming longer slow intervals over harder sprint focussed swims, but this morning, though hard, I motored through the intermediate swim on week 16.  Felt pretty good.  I still need 1:00 rest in-between my 100 yd. repeats.  this just feels comfortable.

Still nursing Plantar issue in left foot.  Tomorrow is intermediate distance run.  Hoping foot holds strong.

We are on the same week :D  I also move workouts around, but the other day I was a complete MESS - I drank orange juice which gave me my first optical migraine, my back went out for the first time ever - ugh! SO, the loved ones around me urged me to take a day off. I HATED it I honestly felt like, 'I can still swim even if I can't SEE!' LOL However, the migraine was a brain issue, not an eye issue so I sadly called it off. At least I got in my run first

However, I think the rest worked. I feel good today and I'm going to try to 'catch up' but in a gentle way. Yoga (90 min) and then run - later today I'll bike if the weather's nice or swim if it's not. So, I live in the hills and I also need to pick up my daughter at noon and bring her library books (not to mention packing a lunch)...and we have a birthday dinner to attend.  My car is going to be packed to the hilt and I'm going to have to be conscious of where I put my bike...this could be interesting. I'll leave soon and won't be back home until 8pm or so.

I better get going - !

I am also on the same week (anybody else doing IM 70.3 Lake Stevens?) and plan on swapping out the 2000 for some intervals, especially since there is already another 30 minute continuous swim this week. 

I know I can do that distance - with lousy form towards the end. I figure its better to work on maintaining that form through intervals than one long session.

mrfranks_84 - 2012-03-28 10:10 AM I have completely fallen off of the plan   I'm stuck working 60hr work weeks (rather than the normal 40 when i started the plan 2.5 months ago) while trying to fit in 12hrs of training.  No fun.  Still doing as many longer distance sets or bricks when I can but I've stopped even looking at the training schedule.  I found myself just getting irritated when I did cause I would try to plan a workout and something would come up.  Totally winging it now!

Oh, thats a tough  killer work week!  Good for you for even getting training in--better than nothing.  Hopefully things will settle down for you soon!

I had a pretty good swim last night and an easy hour on the trainer this am.  Will be heading out for a run this evening.  Off to a conference tomorrow for the weekend--going to have to find a way to get my workouts in. 

mrfranks_84 - 2012-03-28 12:10 PM I have completely fallen off of the plan   I'm stuck working 60hr work weeks (rather than the normal 40 when i started the plan 2.5 months ago) while trying to fit in 12hrs of training.  No fun.  Still doing as many longer distance sets or bricks when I can but I've stopped even looking at the training schedule.  I found myself just getting irritated when I did cause I would try to plan a workout and something would come up.  Totally winging it now!

I'm sure if your base level of fitness stays the same then it's not a real issue if you don't follow the plan - you may struggle a little more on race day but even with the correct training I know I will struggle!  Just mentally I may feel a bit tougher.

I think I will miss one of the bike sessions this week but that's okay, I probably got an extra swim in.

Today I aim to do a 60min run at lunchtime (boss away so taking a long break) and a 60-75min trainer ride tonight.  Swim squad on friday morning at 5.15 which will be a 3.5km session.  Then Saturday long bike and Sunday long bike and run.  All good.

ps - since I got my clipless stuff, I've not been off the trainer - could be interesting, stay off Beach Road Melbourne at the weekend!

Glad to hear you had a good run and hope you are past whatever was going on with your heal.  Be careful going forward.

This has been my run focus week according to the plan.  It's turned into a mini-taper week for Saturday's marathon.  Yesterday was the first day off in like 47 days.  It was the right thing to do but it felt weird especially with the family doing other things and I had the whole evening to myself.  I actually had my bike shorts on and looked at the trainer and contemplated for a few minutes before deciding that it really was in my best interest as far as Saturday was concerned to rest.

I do not have nearly the run mileage for the race but like last year when I was probably less prepared I just want to enjoy the experience.  I think I'm good at my target pace for about 20 miles and than the last six will be run/walk.  I want to be able to pick up my training next week with minimal disruption.

Coming into the end of the bike focus week - bleugh!  got such a sore glute at the moment it's rock hard needs a good massage but so far not got time. 

so yesterday managed a 9km run in my lunch break then walked in the door at 6pm and hopped on the trainer for an hour.  OUCH!

Got up at 4.30am today and headed to the 5.15am swim squad - did 2.5km - way too early for swimming I'm now officially exhausted.  I've had one coffee and I'm gonna need a bucket more.

Two long rides and a 30min run for the weekend.  Jeez.  Haven't looked at next week's plan too scared.

I looked at next week for you and you've earned a RECOVERY week!  You sure have been hitting it hard and I hope you get into IM Melbourne.  I watched quite a bit of the live feed last weekend and it looked like a great venue.  If it wasn't so difficult to get into I would be talking to my wife about going next year.

I was back in my old warm/small pool tonight and everyone wanted to chat! That was a bit rough on me but I still managed a good swim in the 40 minutes I had (which was interrupted a bit). I realized I need to keep my darn head down! I swam much faster and was breathing much better tonight. I believe just a little bit more in the science of this program tonight. Go, Swim Concentration Week!

Y'all are helping to push me along with this 'board. Jobaxes - I love the honesty. Seriously.

Did anyone ever answer the question about swim interval rest times? I've been just catching my breath and then moving on...

^^^^ me 6 weeks ago.   ↓↓↓↓↓↓ me today. 

In Kamloops for a conference, at the University I went to.  Went for 7km run earlier before it started to rain (incidentally, I come to Kamloops to get away from the West Coast rain, what is up with that?)  Swim was on the schedule for tomorrow am--pool was meant to be at 50m then.  Decided, knowing myself as well as I do, that I should probably go swim tonight, because 5:30 is really early, and I would find some reason to not get up.  So, off I go. 

10-11pm supposed to be half price; I get there, and because Rick Hansen had been here promoting the 20th anniversary of his Man in Motion tour, it was free!  Excellent #1.  Get into the pool, it is set up at 50m, excellent #2.  So the workout is 300m warm up, then 20x50 (eek!), odds RPE 4, evens RPE 9.  So I do the warmup, breast for 100, 50m free, then 50 breast, then 100 free.  No problem.  So I figure I will do the 50s on 1:20.  Well, that was a bit energetic, ended up on 1:30, but the good news is, the 50m set up was not a problem.  I struggled with the first few, as I tend to do, still need quite a bit to get my second wind and get in a groove.  At the beginning of any longish swim workout, I say to myself, "I am not going to be able to finish this whole thing, I'll just do what I can".  Then by the middle I have forgotten that I struggled, and all of a sudden I realize I only have 4 to go!  Even at the end, the RPE 4's were at 1:07 and the RPE 9s were at 1:02, the same as the first ones.  Excellent #3.  Not super fast, and I was giving myself a long rest between, but I can hold the pace.  AND I don't need a kayak every 25m . 

Jo, good job on getting all your workouts in and getting yourself up to swim squad.  I have such a time getting my a$$ out of bed.  I get my workouts in, just not that early.  My masters class has been on a break for a bit due to spring break, so haven't had to go at 5:45, but I guess it's back at that next Friday.  Yuk!

Grace, glad things are turning a corner for you.  Keep at it!

Thanks, bcraht Things are getting better and tomorrow I'm meeting with a friend for pointers at the 'far - away Y' - 35 minutes away. I don't have the $ to hire a 'personal full-time coach' as a guy suggested to me in the pool yesterday lol - I'm just doing this for fun, bragging rights, physical and mental health. I love hearing about accomplishments like forgetting that you were going to quit a workout and feeling successful at the end. Oh, and Glory Awesome.

Today I did the reverse triathlon. I spent 20 bucks I don't have on a babysitter to free up a few hours for this. The local Y (20 - 25 minutes away - I'm a hilltowner)'s swim schedule is ridiculously limited (20 y pool with only 2-ish lanes!) SO, I ended up doing :

45 minute bike on the bike at the Y ( I did a video of 'Farmer's Bluff' and then chased dragons arcade-style) it was kind of entertaining but I was wishing I was outside (this would not have worked time/logistics-wise) I was sweating like a pig at the end.

I met with my running group at that same Y for 12:00 noon and was surprised half-way through when I found out the 'change of plan' included a 4-mile trail route for today D:  I was already struggling b/c it's that time of the month (sorry, guys) and I have endometriosis. ANYWAY - er, that run was tough. I was decidedly cranky.

Finally, I went to the tiny pool a bit late b/c of the 'change of plan' and swam for about 25 minutes. Most of it - all of it but one minute (lol) was 'circle swimming' - which to me feels like trading spots in a bathtub over and over again.

So, that's done - back to real life. Bring the 'sitter home, 4 loads of laundry, make dinner and then Family Movie Night. I couldn't ask for a better day.

I did the 2000 yard continuous today (actually lost count and did 2050).  I was going to do intervals instead, but I did them yesterday and my shoulders were a little sore, so I just decided to go for a long cruise.

Averaged 2:06 per 100yds, which isn't too bad for me, considering a month ago I averaged 2:14 for 1500yds.  Making a little progress - now if I would just suck it up and start doing flip turns I might be able to get that under 2min.

yay - recovery week next week - including a 1000m time trial - wanna do 16mins if possible or at least 17 same as last time.  Just need to find a day when the pool won't be crowded.  wouldn't mind if the 50m was open up the road will check it out.

So today - I bit the bullet and went out in my new shoes and pedals - first time out of the cages not on the trainer.  Was nervous as all hell.  Anyway - it's done, was the same as cages but easier on riding!  I clipped in sooooo easily - stopping still inelegant but will practice more tomorrow.  Also managed to drink from water bottle and replace in cage while riding - that's first for me too.  What progress!

did 60min ride and a 30min run off the bike, felt great.

oh and for those who asked....

357 DAYS  TO GO - I GOT INTO IM MELBOURNE 2013....!!!!!!!!

Dang, I wish I could trade places for a day - but, it would only take about two hours and I would be wilting in the heat.  I have a 10k race Sunday morning and the forecast is for snow - I guess that is better than heat and humidity... but I'd like to have the option.