Beer Drinker Appreciation Society (BDAS) - Open (Page 53)

Hey all,
I've had a rough week and no good reason. I haven't been going to sleep late, I haven't been drinking at night, I have a little back pain but nothing I haven't been dealing with, and a little more stressful work stuff going on. But none of these are good excuses. Not sure why the dip in motivation. Monday is an off day but between Tuesday and Friday I only did one workout, a run with 18x30 sec intervals, and one yoga session.

It's too late to completely turn the week around but we will make sure it's not a waste either. Saturday I got in an 1800m swim with main set of 5x200 threshold intervals. Sunday morning I will go for my long ride one day late? and turn it into a brick workout with a long run after. Then Monday I will not take as an off day as usually planned since I had a few this week and shouldn't need it.

Sounds like other's weeks are going much better which is great to see. Keep up the momentum through the weekend!!

-Matt

The week started great, but then Thursday and Friday in Zurich for work, too busy to train (actually Thursday busy and half of the Friday wasted at the airport due to some mechanical problems with the plane that kept us 5 hours in the lounge after being seated inside the aircraft).
So today long run (17k) with great sensations and beautiful weather, and tomorrow long ride (hopefully 4 hours) followed by a not-so-great brick (I need to start loving them, guess is like eating veggies when you are a kid they insist on saying "they're good for you!)
As Matt was saying, too many "free" days these weeks, so hope to catch up tomorrow.
Hope you have a nice weekend!

Juan

Went for a ride with a friend of mine to scout out the bike course for our upcoming Sprint Tri in May. We did the 10 mile loop in 50 minutes. Not bad. I was sticking to his pace and it didn't help that he was riding a bike that was built during the reagan administration. We got back and I told him I was going to do another lap in order to get in my mileage for the day - and he joined me for a second loop. I was jazzed for him and happy to be back doing the work I need to do in order to make IMMD a reality. Not that I'm counting - but 24 weeks from today.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Matt - Another option is to go hard on Sunday and then take your normal day off on Monday. Think of it as getting back on schedule and saving up rather than making up for a less than stellar week. If you feel bad about it - have a crappy beer to wash away the guilt. Then use the off day as a chance to prep for a harder than usual week - where you push the pace and the distance. No more than 10% of your norm - but really go after it but going harder and longer. See what happens.

Great job Dave!! Two loops--good perseverance getting going again after the first.

Squeezed in my long ride/run brick yesterday afternoon. I'll tell you what--I did everything I could yesterday to delay that 2:15 on the trainer, but I was mighty productive at work! Slept in a little this morning and then laid out a nice long run. 1:30 using run:walk method--farthest I've ever run! Surprised this morning to not be sore at all from long ride yesterday. Hoping the same is true for tomorrow!

Swim Bike Run Eat

Chapter 2 - Carbs

- Carbs are our body's preferred energy source and if we eat the right amount and type we should be all set.
- There are Complex carbs and simple carbs. There are also 3 forms of carbs - sugars, starches, and fiber
- Three classifications of carbs - mono - one unit sugars that can't be broken down - examples glucose, fructose and galactose,
- diaccharides have two mono sacc. and examples are sucrose, maltose, and lactose.,
- polysaccharides - are long chains of monosaccharides - glycogen is an example and it's what our body makes. Other examples of poly saccharides are fiber and starches

Complex carbs take longer to break down but don't create a rapid drop in blood sugar that simple carbs do (think lighter fluid starting a fire that burns other carbs). Conversely - simple sugars are just what the doctor ordered during a race when energy is needed stat.

- Not getting enough carbs will lead to hitting the wall and can be avoided by proper fueling.

Good carbs vs. Bad carbs... Good carbs are ones that have not been processed. Grains, veggies, fruits, beans - they usually have a ton of fiber. Bad carbs - like the pretzels I just ate - are man made and aren't great and should be avoided (except during a race when fast energy can be welcomed)

A note about the importance of fiber - it slows down the absorption of carbs and keeps blood sugars more level

A word on the glycemic Index - Its really a chart that shows how facts carbs are broken down in your system
- High GI foods - like a sports drink is broken down faster than yogurt or milk.
Therefore it's better to have Low GI foods prior to working out and high GI foods when cranking on the bike/swim or run

I've got to say - there was a lot of info in this chapter. Kind of mind blowing.

Thanks Dave. I thought about your suggestion also but decided for a few reasons to just skip the Monday rest day. I really agree with "not trying to catch up" on missed workouts when you were sick or something. Because that mindset can be dangerous. But I had 4 rest days this week vs my usual one and no sickness or true stress added so I do think I'm well rested. Also I have a Sprint Tri (1st of the season!) next Sunday so I don't want to push a real hard week coming up. Just stick to the plan. Finally I have off from work on Monday so no early wake up or tight window to fit a workout in. I can do something at my convenience.

In the end I think I'll just judge how I feel Monday and not push myself if I don't feel it.

Today was a 3 hour coast to coast ride and a short (and slow!) 1.5 mile run afterward.

-Matt

Check out pg 47 for info on swim intensity. I imagine no pace info is provided to accomodate athletes of all levels.

IronFit Secrets, Don and Melanie Fink

Chapter 4--Heart Rate Training dor the Half-Iron Distance
This chapter explains HR training, with an emphasis on eliminating "junk training." Junk training is basically going too hard on easy days and not hard enough on hard days, leaving all of your workouts in the same zone/effort, which will lead to performance stagnation and potentially injury. They cover how to calculate HR zones (using 220-age method) and suggest confirming run zones with a 5K. Bike zones are listed as about 95% of run zones and they suggest confirming the computed zones with a 100% effort 15min bike time trial. They do present other methods for calculating HR in an appendix, but they seem content with 220-age, which I've heard is not great. The chapter ends with a section on "the dreaded gray zone" (Z3), but it is largely a repeat of material already presented and just says this is the zone you don't want to train in. It will lead to performance stagnation and potentially injury.

Chapter 5--Sixteen Week Half Iron Distance Training Programs
This is the meat of this book. This chapter provides the three different training plans: Competative, Intermediate, and Just Finish. Each plan follows the same basic formula, with eight weeks of base building followed by eight weeks of higher intensity training and a taper. There is a long section about how to read each type of workout. I will add that it doesn't appear the average training week hours presented includes strength training, which they argue for and none of the plans have ST listed on specific days in the plans presented.

Competative Program--for the experienced athlete who wants to maximize potential
Avg training week 12.5 hours, builds by about one hour per week, swim workouts are 3000 units per session

Intermediate Program--for the athlete between competative and just finish
Avg training week 9.4 hr, increase by about 45 min per week, swim workouts are 2000-2500 units per session

Just Finish Program--for athletes with limited training time who just want to finish healthy
Avg training week 6.3 hours, builds by about 30 min each week, swim workouts 2000 units per session

The chapter ends with info on adjusting your training plan to incorporate practice races (spoiler: treat them like training days) and how to adjust your training if you miss sessions for some reason. This is interesting info all of us could use, so I've typed it out below. In all cases they suggest using the slide days to minorly reorganize your training program if you have to miss a session before the adjustments below.

Miss 1-2 days: skip missed sessions, pick up plan without adjustment
Miss 3-4 days, skip missed workouts, pick up plan but only do half of planned workout on first day back, resume normal training on second day
Miss 5-6 days, skip missed workouts, on first two days back complete 1/3 of the planned workout, on days 3 & 4 back complete 2/3 of planned workout, then resume full training
Miss 7+ days, rethink training schedule and major redesign of training program

Iron Fit Secrets, Don and Melanie Fink

Chapter 6--The Half Iron-Distance Functional Strength and Core Program, Warm-Up Routine, and Flexibility and Stretching Program
This chapter presents basic ST workouts for the three phases of the year, plus a warm-up routine and a flexibility system--basically exactly what the title says. The Finks suggest ST on two non-consecutive days per week. As I said in the last chapter summary, these are not on the official schedule for the training program, so you have to be proactive and remember to add them to the schedule! The warmup is pretty basic body movement warm-up and they really only advocate for them when you need to do the ST program at a time when you aren't already warmed up from a s/b/r workout. They suggest you tack the ST on after another workout so you are already warmed up and it is time efficient.

The ST workouts are split into three types, each for specific times during the year. There is off-season, which is focued on more ST with higher weight. The preseason (4mo to A race) reduces ST some, but focuses on keeping the weight about the same with more reps. In season ST is reduced to just four exercises. All of the exercises are compound, working multiple body areas with one movements, which I like a lot. The thing I don't really like about the ST presented is that it requires a lot of equipment! They want you to have the stability ball, a bosu ball, dumbbells, kettleballs, stretch cords/cables, a step, and a medicine ball. Not only is that a lot of money to invest, but it is a lot of storage space! I've been modifying the different exercises to use what I already have, but not sure how much longer that will work.

The stretching program is nothing special. Could honestly be improved considerably by telling people to do 15 min of yoga 2-3 times per week. Most of the stretches are basic yoga poses anyway.

Chapter 7--Mastering Transitions:"The Fourth Sport"
This chapter talks all about transitions, with the message that transitions are an easy place to save time, with very little practice. They start with a description of different types of transitions, which I found really interesting, because I've only ever done races with T1/2 in the same place. They have two race day strategies: the walk through and the top down/bottom up approach. The walk through is exactly what it sounds like--do a walk through of the transition area(s) on the morning of the race, noting landmarks and just trying to visualize how you will move into and out of transition during the race. The top down/ bottom up approach is their method for systematically moving from one sport to the next, by always removing gear from the top down and then putting on your gear from the bottom up. They suggest practicing full transitions for about 15 min a week during race season, timing yourself each time to add the time pressure element and allow you to track your progress. The chapter ends with some time saving tips, the most important of which is to be a minamilist. Many of the rest (flying mounts, shoes taped to bike) are advanced and they don't suggest them for the avg AGer.

Gretchen and Dave - thanks for the summaries, I am re-reading the HIM training secrets and learning from nutrition tips from Dave. I have read a lot about this lately, but still don´t have a clear picture in my mind.

MIke, won´t complaint about traveling, I love it, but it is really disrupting for training (or lleast I find it very difficult to find time and motivation while away, apart from a some runs to discover the city I am at). I lived a couple years in New Haven, CT, we could have done some rides together.

I had planned a long ride today, but it looked like it was going to rain (and it did) so I ended up going to the gym and did 2 hours of indoor cycling with the help of the App Best Cycling. And skipped my brick, could not move my legs, just thinking about it made me stop. May be I am trying to justify myself, but today I found this on the web, and loved it:

http://www.endurancenation.us/blog/training/the-case-against-brick-...

Juan

Gretchen and Dave - thanks for the summaries, I am re-reading the HIM training secrets and learning from nutrition tips from Dave. I have read a lot about this lately, but still don´t have a clear picture in my mind.

MIke, won´t complaint about traveling, I love it, but it is really disrupting for training (or lleast I find it very difficult to find time and motivation while away, apart from a some runs to discover the city I am at). I lived a couple years in New Haven, CT, we could have done some rides together.

I had planned a long ride today, but it looked like it was going to rain (and it did) so I ended up going to the gym and did 2 hours of indoor cycling with the help of the App Best Cycling. And skipped my brick, could not move my legs, just thinking about it made me stop. May be I am trying to justify myself, but today I found this on the web, and loved it:

http://www.endurancenation.us/blog/training/the-case-against-brick-...

Juan

Morning run foiled by lightening! I don't mind running in the rain, but I don't want to get electrocuted!! I thought briefly about going to the gym and using the indoor track, but then I looked at the weather and found this afternoon is going to be gorgeous. So, early Monday morning schedule shuffle brought me to work early and now has me swimming around my normal time, but going home early to squeeze in a run. Sure is quiet on a university campus at 6am on a Monday morning.

Hope everyone had great training weekends!

Hard to say no to a run in Gorgeous Weather We are still struggling with the polar vortex and while our winter was relatively great - our spring has sucked.

Enjoy!

When is the sprint in Perryville?! I have been told it is very hilly, so that definitely makes me a bit nervous, especially since it would be my first Oly.

Sounds great, let me know!

Mike - I agree... I have the ironman training Book on my bedside table and I've decided not to do it for two reasons. First, I was pretty sure the heavy weekends would result in my getting injured somehow and second I wondered if it was enough training during the week to get me ready for an Ironman. On the other side of the coin –I knew that by doing this weekend workouts it would give me the confidence to finish the race which is one of the most important parts of Ironman training. So I see plus and minuses but for me at least I knew that my injury prone body wouldn't tolerate it.

GOALS FOR THE WEEK

DQ - 1) Do everything in my power to win the bet and get free ironman training, 2) 15 sessions of PT, 3) Log food 24/7, 4) Lose 3 pounds

GOALS FOR THE WEEK

1) Lose 2 pounds
2) Workout every day - Swim twice, run 3x, gym/stretch 2x
3) Log all my food in MFP to avoid a CLP!

Swim Bike Run Eat

Chapter 3 - Fats

1. Fats are used as a food source just like carbs and proteins but they contain 9 calories of protein per gram and while necessary - they aren't as healthy as carps and proteins (4 per gram)
2. WHile we burn them for energy they don't convert to energy as quickly as carbs do
3. other uses besides energy– Transporting vitamins A,D,E, and K producing hormones maintaining healthy skin and protecting our internal organs
4. we've got to watch out because excess calories are stored as fat
5. there're three types of fat from unhealthiest to healthiest trans fat, Saturated fat, unsaturated fat– Monosaturated and polysaturated
6. trans fat = the devil and increases our cholesterol and hurts our arteries and hearts. On labeling will find these as trans fats and partially hydrogenated oils Foods containing trans fat our margarine processed foods and shortening.
7. saturated fat come from meats and dairy and also increase bad cholesterol and often caused us to make bad health choices. Our goal is to eat less than 10% of our food from saturated fat. To do this don't over use butter, Shoes low fat dairy, eat red meat sparingly
7. monosaturated fat is a good fat and can be found and and olive peanut and canola oil they lower our levels of bad cholesterol and raise our levels of good cholesterol we can find these in oils nuts and fish
8. another good type of fat is polysaturated fat namely omega threes and Omega sixes we often get enough Omega Omega sixes so that's not a problem but we may need to take supplements to try to get enough of omega threes… wheat germ Chia seeds egg yolk and fish are great sources of omega threes.
9. the BS about the fat burning zone… While it's true that we burn more fat by exercising at a reduced level it really isn't true if we exercise at a higher level we won't burn as much fat as a percentage but we will end up burning more fat and more calories. So the next time you're on a treadmill and it says a fat burning workout choose hills are intervals.
10. Our goal is to eat 30% of our daily intake as fast

11. To recap trans fats are bad saturated fats are a little bit better and unsaturated fats are the way to go.

If there are mistakes in the text please blame it on the text-to-speech I'm using it to try to get it done more quickly and I apologize for any mistakes.

The course has some hills… No question about it and you'll have to work it times to get up those hills especially the ones towards the finish. However a lot of the hills are rolling and there's two or three really good down hills were you can make up sometime. I like the course and you'll like it too while thinking about going to jacks Abby later!

BDAS Rules!