Form Swim
Form
50
1700
WU: 200 easy swimming. 4x50 swim golf. Swim to the deep end of the pool and do 4x20" of vertical kicking. Hands are above water, keep your head up! Rest is 20" treading water.
MS: 8x50 drills, all on 20" rest:
- 2x50 are CFD (closed fist drill)
- 2x50 are SAD (Single arm drill)
- 2x50 are CFD
- 2x50 are Swim.
- Swim an easy 100 focusing CFD, swim 1/2 length with fist closed, then open it and feel the POWER!
Now repeat the set again, 8x50. Swim another 100 easy CFD.
Last set is 4x50 swim golf. How does your score compare to the first go-around?
CD: Easy 100

Lap 1: 15m 01s, 3.89 miles, 15.53 Mi/hr, Max HR 145, Avg HR 126
Lap 2: 10m 00s, 3.57 miles, 21.45 Mi/hr, Max HR 158, Avg HR 155
Lap 3: 19m 38s, 6.55 miles, 20.01 Mi/hr, Max HR 159, Avg HR 154
Lap 4: 16m 13s, 4.04 miles, 14.93 Mi/hr, Max HR 151, Avg HR 125

Interesting.  So my LTHR on the bike is low.  Really low.  Average HR was 154.  I wonder if I'm doing something wrong.  Is there supposed to be THAT much difference between the Run and Bike LTHR?  My run is 196, my bike 154.  That is a HUGE difference. 

I couldn't push it any harder.  I mean my average speed in that 20 minutes was 20 mph flat.  And that was with having to fight a head wind for the first 5-8 minutes and barely doing 18.  I wonder if my fit isn't right.  Looks like I need to do some research.  

OH!  And I got an email from a friend that was at the race yesterday.  I got 3rd in my AG!!!  How cool is that.  Going to try to get in touch with the RD to see how I can pick up my hardware.  WOOT! 

Warm up with some strides

Apollo 5k

WooT!!!!!!!!  I did it.  I not only hit my goal, I obliterated it.  I wanted to go sub 8:00/mile.  I did 7:38/mile!  How cool is that?!?!  And that is with very sore legs from my LTHR on Thursday.  I'm wondering if I hadn't done that what my pace would have been.  However, because of that test, I also knew I could push myself a little faster. 

So, onwards and upwards.  I've got to maintain this and see about getting faster.  Look out training, here I come.   

Recovery day.  Sweet, sweet recovery day.  Ahhhhhhhhhh......

Mercy, am I tired.  I could not get up this morning.  My neck is stiff (note to self, diagnose running posture next run), my calves are sore (note to self, stretch, stretch, and when you are done with that, stretch some more) and I can actually feel the air going into my lungs.  What's that all about?  Anyway, I'm glad I have today off.  I need it to get ready for the 5k tomorrow.  I've got a PR to take care of.  :)

Thank goodness it is a 3 day weekend.  I need that too.  I've also got my bike LTHR to do on Sunday.  That should be fun.  I will definitely need a nap after that.  Especially if we are going to go to the Sox Game on Sunday night.  Then I can just sleep in on Monday.  Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Hope everyone has a good weekend.  Remember those that have gone before us.  Rejoice in their memory, don't mourn their loss. 

Lap 1: 10m 01s, 1.13 miles, 08m 52s /mile, Max HR 184, Avg HR 164
Lap 2: 09m 59s, 1.31 miles, 07m 37s /mile, Max HR 198, Avg HR 193
Lap 3: 19m 40s, 2.34 miles, 08m 25s /mile, Max HR 199, Avg HR 196
Lap 4: 10m 21s, 0.78 miles, 13m 21s /mile, Max HR 197, Avg HR 158

Did the LTHR.  Like I said, I don't remember the last time I did it.  However, I do know that my HR went up from 185 to 196 from my last LTHR.  I also was able to do a significantly faster pace and farther distance than last time.  I'm pleased, for the most part.  Still wish I could get that pace to stay at or below the 8:00/mile mark but I'll get it there.  Soon enough.

I know, though, what it feels like to push it a bit more.  I still think I can push it some more, but I haven't pushed it this hard in a while.  And I know it.  Last year, when I started running seriously, I would finish a run and be coughing for the rest of the night.  Well, I started coughing again tonight.  Haven't done that in a  LONG time.  Going to have to keep an eye on that.  

All in all, I'm pleased with the workout.  

Oh, and I have a great little LBS story.  Same LBS that got me the new rail.  Anyway, brought the bike and the wife's bike in today at lunch time.  Hers was ghost shifting something fierce and mine just wouldn't go into the lowest gear.  Thought I would have to leave it.  Nope.  They did it while I waited.  Took them all of 10 minutes.  AND they didn't charge me!  So I bought two tubes.  Well, I needed them anyway.  They definitely have a new customer.  Won't be going back to the other one any time soon. 

Recovery
30
1500
WU: 500
MS: 500 pull w/paddles. 10x50 on 20" rest. Swim easy and focus on form. Do the 50s as bi-lateral breathing if this is a weakness.

Recovery
Very Easy
30
Easy spin for in small chain ring. No HRM, but keep the effort very easy.

I'm a little tired today. Tough swim last night, plus another swim this morning. Easy spin on the bike tonight. Tomorrow night, though is going to be a fun one. LTHR test on the run. Yippee.

Actually, I am very excited about this. I haven't done one in a while (5-6 months?) and I am overdue. Should be interesting to see what kind of progress I've made.

Pacing
Assess Fitness
60
2800
WU: 500 warm up. 8 x 50 on 15 sec rest.

MS: 1000 yd TT (time trial) for time (I think I accidentally swam 950 instead). After TT - swim a very easy 100. After easy swim -3x200 at the same effort at the TT - on 15" rest.

CD: 200 - Your TT time for the 1,000 is divided by 10 , to get your avg. pace. This pace is now known as your T-Pace.

Doing the 1000 TT swim tonight after work.

So I'm feeling better today than I did yesterday. Thanks to you guys for the inspires. They help.

Last night Beth and I went for a ride. I don't remember the last time we rode our bikes together, but it has been a long time. I think close to 10 months. And it was nice. We went slow and I could have cared less. The trail was almost empty. We got to ride side by side for most of the ride. She is still having ghost shifting problems so I'm going to take it to LBS to see if they can figure it out. Might as well drop mine off too to get my rear derailer fine tuned. Still doesn't want to go into the biggest gear when on the big chain ring.

Anyway, today is a new day. Lots to do since I took off early yesterday.

I also think I know what I'm going to do on Saturday for the race. I figured out that I haven't been pushing myself enough. At Sullivan, I had WAY too much in the tank after the race. I think I've been trying to avoid pain, and if I want to improve, I need to learn to run with some discomfort. So I'm going to leave it all on the 5k course this Saturday to see what I can do. I know the base is there, and the speed work has been doing wonders for my stride. Now I just need to put it all together.

9:10 PM addition

So the swim tonight.  First I accidentally swam only a 950 instead of a 1000.  Oops.  But I got a good swim in otherwise.  1:51/100.  Not bad.  I think this is the first time I've gotten a good TT in.  I did short 2 of the 3 200's that I was supposed to do after the 1000.  I was just too tired.  And I figured since this is just a fluff month anyway and I don't really start till Monday, 400 yards won't matter that much.  

Then I took Beth to Ballagio's (local Italian restaurant) for dinner.  I think we both deserved it.  She also swam a 2100 tonight with a workout from her new book.