Neweyes' Intelligent Trisign Group -- full (Page 6)

Recovery VS. Taper.

As I get set to start my recovery week I suddenly realized I dont even know what that means.

I know a taper is less volume at SAME intensity. So is a recovery week less volume at same, harder or less intensity.

I find that with the less miles I tend to push up the intensity. Any thoughts?

My opinion (might not be correct):

Do what feels right. If the higher-intensity low-volume workouts don't allow you and your muscles to feel refreshed, lower the intensity. 

I know I just set out at a different pace if it is a three mile run instead of a ten mile run...

In other news, I rolled my ankle. Lots of swimming and biking for me this week - holding off on the running until it feels right. I was so excited for my return from resting after my crazy race weekend, too!

Hey Terry, sorry I forgot to respond to this. You should probably keep intensity the same while reducing volume. High intensity training puts a great deal of fatigue on your muscles and stress on your musculo-skeletal system.... not what you want during a recovery week. Let yourself rest and recover.... we type-A triathletes struggle with that, but it's crucial.

Elaine, so sorry to hear about your ankle. Here's to a speedy recovery!

Speed work is coming along great.  I took 1min 2 sec off my 5k and 2min 41 sec off my 10 k.  I got in an extra day of rest and feeling refreshed and ready to go. 

have a good week. 

Hopefully I'll be able to run tomorrow! The ankle seems to be doing better and is fine on my rides this week. I'm excited for my half marathon next weekend - I just hope the ankle is as ready as I am!

I'm working on building up my biking right now. The trainer has become my friend because I can do continuous rides with no stop lights and traffic. 

How's everyone else doing?

Michael, 

have fun in Colorado that is my home state and i would love to get back there.  Where are you going to? I have family all over there. 

my 10k pace was low 54 now I am running it easily at 52 minutes without pushing. 

5k was avg. about 23.5 min. now easily running 22 flat. 

elaine take care of your ankle it sounds like it is getting better. 

missed my goal by 4 seconds today.  i ran a 10k race today and shooting for a sub 50 min time.  finished in 50:04.  sad part I spaced out on the first 5k did not pace well ran a 27:48 then took off to run a 22:16 second 5k.  I should have easily beat it but made a mental mistake.  Hope everyone is having a good week.  40 mile ride tomarrow. 

stay focused!  I can't

Bummer, Dave. Still, that's a solid time and a big improvement.

I'm writing from Winter Park, CO. Had a great day of skiing at Mary Jane yesterday and have a crunked lower back today. Looking forward to getting back to training, and hoping that my pretending to be a 16 year old on the ski slopes doesn't get in the way of that.

Hi All,

I'm finally back. It has been a crazy few weeks. I made it to Austin at the end of February and had a nice break from the winter weather. Got in two runs around Town Lake and two days of tennis.

We also managed a spring like day in TN last month which enabled me to get out out for the first real ride on the new bike. I got in 22 miles with a fairly large group. My butt was a little sore, but overall it felt like a good first effort.

I started a triathlon class two weeks ago -- it has been great. The guy running it has done several IMs and seems very knowledgable. He is coaching two sessions a week: 1.5 hours on biking/running and an hour at the pool. Right now we are doing spin classes at a club, but will hopefully get outside on the bike next week. After the first swim class I dropped about 5 seconds off my average 50 yard lap time (last swim was 1600 yards in 30:15).

Got in two 13 mile runs this week, around 7:20 pace. All seems to be going well, just need time on the real bike. 

Elaine, great stuff on your blog -- looks like you have been very busy.

How's everybody doing? Getting out more as the days get longer and temps get higher?

I replaced three days of training last weekend with flying, skiing, eating and drinking whatever was around, and not sleeping enough. As a result, I lost three days after that to being sick. Been coming back slowly, and feeling more-or-less back on track now, except for some tightness in my achilles after yesterday's long ride.

10k next weekend, and my first tri of the season is less than four weeks away! Woohoo!!!

Hi group!

SOunds like everyone is still plugging away. Dave nice times on the runs. I am doing a 7:42 5k now with a goal of 7:30. I would LOVE to do 22 flat. Nice work.  Good luck on the Half, Elaine.

Michael sounds like your having a great time, I grew up skiing but it just got so hard on my knees that now I havent skiied for 15 years.

I was sick two weeks ago with a 103 fever and was forced to skip two training days. Luckily it was my recovery week so I didnt lose out on to much mileage.  The snow is finally starting to melt here and the temps have even broken 40 so I was able to start running out side. Unfortunately, being back on the tar have brought back my shin splints. .

I was hoping to get the bike out but now we are forecasted for snow again wed.

I am scheduled to go to Mexico for a week in April, I was going to try to keep up with the running and swimming. Now, I wondering if a week long break would be good or just a fitness loser. What do you guys normally do? 

hey group, 

Sorry to hear some have been sick.  I hope you make a quick recovery. 

Group question what do you guys consider to build your training program.  I have been reading "your best triathlon" it makes alot of since.

So... remember how I rolled my ankle?

I might have also sprained my LCL in the process. I didn't notice it because my ankle was swollen, and while I felt it in my knee when I rolled it, it didn't bother me afterwards. The pain made a serious appearance around mile 8 of my half marathon.

Off to the doctor on Tuesday!

Meanwhile, from what I've read, I'm ok to work out as long as it doesn't hurt. NO running. MAYBE biking. We'll see. Darn!

Bummer, Elaine. Glad to hear you're staying off it and headed to the doctor.

My achilles has been bothering me since my long ride last weekend.... I suspect my silly anklet that I got on the beach in Colombia last year got caught in my sock and just irritated it, but it hasn't gone away, so I'm skipping my run today to ease off it a bit. And because winter has returned to WV, and because there's a 10k on Sunday that I want to nail.

Terry, sorry to hear you were sick, but to only miss two days of training with a 103 fever is pretty darn reasonable. Good job healing.

I'm not sure about the week off.... I think you probably give up a little fitness, but only very little, and it could be good for the skeletal and support systems of your body to have a little break. And it could be very good for the mind to just get away from training for a week. If you're feeling like you want the week off, I wouldn't hesitate to take it, and when you get back, maybe cut your first few workouts in half, or do a couple at 1/3 duration and then a couple at 2/3 duration before returning to the full program. But if you want to keep training.... yeah, get some open water swims in and have fun running... the bike will be waiting for you on your return.

Dave, I have only built a few plans, and even those, I have just modified existing plans to develop weaknesses or accommodate time constraints or whatever. I don't know the book you mention. In the "Triathlete's Training Bible" Friel lays out a system to build your whole year of training, but it is quite involved.... too involved for me, especially when it's so easy to take a plan off the shelf and maybe modify it a little.

Elaine I hope your your injury is not that serious, and that you can make a quick recovery. 

Michael I hope your your ankle heals quickly too races are coming up quick. 

The book that i am ready and going by are the next book after the training bible.  It is very intense and a lot of work to do all the workouts but I am seeing huge results.  My swim has changed from a 8 min 400 to a 6:45 min.  runs are faster and I am feeling beter after getting off the bike to transition. 

Take care of yourselves. 

Hey guys, Sorry it has been so long. Life has really been throwing a lot at me the past couple of weeks. I was fortunate enough to see it coming, so I adjusted my schedule around. I still missed a couple of workouts, but was able to at least get 20-30 min of activity in each day. I am glad my off season schedule is over now. My body really needs the break. I am looking forward to starting the official 16 week plan on 4/4. I am quite pleased with being able to handle the stress/hecticness of the past two weeks. I still got in some good workouts, even though life was trying to get me to miss out. I did slip and started to smoke again during the middle of it, but have since gone back to not smoking. That has me kinda mad at myself for being so weak. Guess all I can do is one day at a time and try to stay strong. I have also started swimming this week. I got a 24HR membership and have been having fun in the pool. I am going to have to be careful not to push it. I have about 2" long calcium deposits on each shoulders Acromion. It really looks like an eagle talon in the Xrays. Either way, If I try to push to hard it is going to cause me problems. I did a small hard sprint in the water last night, and I can barely move either arm above my head today. Ice and patience should bring it around though.I am very pleased with the results of my off season plan. I have accomplished my goals of increasing my core strength, becoming more flexible, and improving my joint strength. My flexibility improved by 5". I am now regularly doing 40-50 pushups daily, along with 150 crunches.  I am working on switching that to situps, but can only manage about 70/day so far. I also improved my overall strength considerably. I am confident that I will finish my race. I have built up a base level for all the distances. Each workout becomes more fun, and my race focus has changed from being competitive to just having fun.

I am sorry to hear that several of you have been sick/injured. I wish you the best and fasted recovery. It really sucks to not be able to do your normal workout, but there is hope. Try something a little easier on the body. You may not feel like you are getting a workout, but the body will respond positively and you won't loose any fitness level. Walking/hiking and pool aerobics are a couple of ways I like to reduce the intensity, but still workout. I am sorry, I shouldn't be preaching. I am the newest one here, but I have found that a little low intensity active recovery goes a long ways. As a result, I am always trying to think of alternate workout routines, in case I hurt myself.

Elaine, I wish you the best. Just take it very slow, and be cautious of quick sharp pains. I had to have a complete knee replacement many years ago. It took me right at 6 months from the surgery to get back to normal workout level strength in that leg. It may be better to take a week or so off, than to loose 6 months due to surgery. Besides, who can afford a $100K knee. I think my great grandchildren will still be paying for it long after my death.

Michael, sorry to hear about the ankle. Tender spot. Hopefully it was just your body telling you to recover better for a couple of days.

All you guys are working hard. Your logs are very impressive. I am proud to be a part of a group where everyone works this hard to reach their goals. I am confident that each of you will finish your race with an amazing boost to your confidence. Even if you don't make your time or specific goal. Think back about how far we have all come in the past 6 months to a year. I know I certainly couldn't have done 1/10th of what I do now. I am sure it is the same for all of you as well. You should be proud of yourselves.

Happy and prosperous training to you all. Have a great week.

Hey Brian -- glad to see that you're still around and on the training plan. You're doing great.... you've done a ton of training. On the smoking front, since you've since re-quit, don't be too hard yourself. I smoked a pack a day for a long time, and I was just telling a smoker friend of mine that quitting was one of the very hardest things I've ever done. And one of the best. It's a powerful, powerful drug. Congrats for quitting, and for not slipping back into it, but instead getting back on your game and quitting again.

I've got my first race in a couple months today... a road 10k. It snowed a bit last night and is too cold outside, but thankfully the race is in the afternoon. Did my first ride of longer than 50 miles yesterday, so we'll see how the legs hold up... should be fun!