This was the definition of a solid week. Got in all 5 bikes, 2 swims, and 3 runs. 145 miles biking, 27 miles running, and 4 miles in the pool. about 13.5 hours total. solid. just solid.
And this was a recovery week. A sorely needed recovery week. 3 runs, 3 bikes, 2 swims. 4 miles in the pool, 110 miles on the bike, 26 miles running. Even recovery weeks are still iron weeks. 2.5 hours in the pool, 5.5 on the bike, 3.5 hours running for a total of 11.5 hours. It felt so easy, and that kind of scares me.
Test Time
This week it was back on the horse. It's been a solid week, but two things happened that I want to mention here (and another big thing on Tuesday). Monday night I had a great swim, 3320 meters with some tough sprints in the end.
Tuesday I got some inspiration to go out and do a run test. I haven't done one in a long time, really before I got heavy into Ironman training. The test would be on the treadmill, and I would try to go 5k at an 8.6 speed (6:58 pace) after a warmup. Then typically I would cool down and call it a day after 4 miles total, and be thrilled to put up a 21:50 5k and go pass out. The end of the test would leave me exhausted and falling over from the effort.
This time I thought I would try an 8.7 speed, or 6:53 pace. I warmed up for 0.6 miles, then slammed the speed. 3.1 miles later I felt great and wasn't even out of breath. I slowed down to an 8.2 just because I thought I should, but after putting up that 21:30 5k PR I was ready to keep going. So I picked up the speed a bit again and hit the 4 mile mark at 28:36, beating my previous best time of 29:36. Since I still felt great, I pushed the speed up more eventually getting back to an 8.7, and hit the 5 mile mark at 35:39, also a huge PR (36:11 old PR).
I still wasn't winded. I still felt good. I wasn't doubled over with ab fatigue and so glad to be done. Instead, I was smart enough to know that I shouldn't go that fast for more than 5 miles right now so I killed the test. Insane!!! I still can't believe it. I mean, I can believe that I ran that fast. I can't believe I felt that good at the end of it. So the next time I have a recovery week (2 or 3 weeks from now) I'll try the test again and run at a 9.0 speed just to see how that goes.
Cast Iron Swimming
Then Wednesday night I went back to the pool and put in a solid 2800 meters with some distance work and some sprinting. Lots of form adjustments and drills. The cool part about that workout? When I got back and logged it, the cast iron club now shows me at 30.58 swims on the year. Since the goal is 30 iron distances in each sport, mark it 7/10 when I completed the swim leg.
Up next is the bike distance, where I'm sitting at 18.96 iron bikes, and then running is bringing up the rear with 16.1 marathons under my belt so far this year. I know running volume will pick up in December and when I'm crushing the Ironman build phase, so I feel confident about getting there. And I know the bike will get there, maybe in September.
Garmin Time
Finally, for my birthday Kelley got me a Garmin 310xt with the heart rate monitor. I am really looking forward to establishing some heart rate training. Amazon has a steal going on for these things right now, it's the best deal I've seen on them yet. A waterproof Garmin that I can finally take for all 3 sports? And a 20 hour battery life so I can wear it through the entire Ironman? Yes please and thank you, happy birthday to me!
Do you use a heart rate monitor? I'm glad it will be paired up with the Garmin watch.
3 comments:
Nice work. Wow you have gotten speedy. That is awesome that you posted that kind of time for 5 miles and felt totally fine after it! Impressive.
I used to have a HRM and I used it when training last summer... until I lost it. I thought maybe I would find it when I moved, but I didn't. So I will need to buy a new HRM strap if I want to train that way again. I am pretty sure my marathon days are behind me now so I don't know that I'll spend the money on one as I don't feel like I would need it for training for something like a half marathon.
You're doing awesome! Lots of bike miles there. I think the bike is going to be my new best friend since running is going to be tough and slow and short for awhile.
I have always trained with a Garmin but in the last two years I started using a HRM. At first I didn't like it but now I really enjoy using it. In fact, on most workouts I rarely even look at distance or time, I concentrate on keeping my HR where it's supposed to be and don't worry so much about the other stuff. It's a good break mentally for me.
Holy crap. AWESOME job on the test run! You are sir speedy! Also, that was quite a solid week of training as well; you are really kicking butt.
I have a HRM with my Garmin and I use it but mostly for a more accurate calorie burn. I don't really use it for heart rate training. I do like to see what my exertion is though!
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