Sohoooo... this is the start of new things to come. I've decided that my training is a bit aimless and while I do everything (sort of) it's not targeted towards my season highlights. So, I have decided to enlist the help of Will Usher to give everything a bit more structure. Will has also introduced a few more competitions to my schedule and together we've decided to give the ETU sprint distance qualifier for next year a bash before getting me ready for my first Olympic Distance. And so it begins...
Monday, 21 March
Squad Swim, Wimbledon College
300 m mixed stroke warm-up (means every third length backstroke)
4 x 50 m stream lined kick
2 x (25 m drill (fists, polo, slomo, minimax), swim back) + 1 extra slomo + 1 extra minimax (down to 19 strokes)
2x 100m increase tempo every 25 m
8x 25 m open water float starts
2x 100m pack swim
Total distance: 1.6 km
Started to get a feel for the water again. But I swear I swallow half the pool on kick drills.
Tuesday, 22 March
Battersea Park, Track
This was my first track session in donkey's. I had initially said I did not want to return to the track because I keep comparing to the "good old times" when I was fast. Mind I was running 800 m back then. The session was great, apart from the track being totally overcrowded by Clapham Chasers who didn't pay much attention to other runners on the track. Suppose it's elbow time and I'd better get used to it. Didn't like the fact though that this big bloke kicked me on the knee (developed into a big painful bruise) when he tried to muscle his way out of being boxed in. Quads were destroyed after the session, could hardly walk up stairs. Lots of love from the tennis ball and stretching the following days.
4x1 mile (6.12, 6.09, 6.11, 6.10) off a rather long rest.
Garmin data
Wednesday, 23 March
Bike shed
I have cocked up. Initially thought might go in the evening around Richmond Park for this interval session, but then realised that I had long arranged a work dinner. So I went early in the morning. Figured, races start at 7 am, so why not... better get used to it. Then thought I might go early to Richmond Park because the weather was so nice, but then felt when quads when getting up and didn't want to run the risk of not making it back. So the bike shed it was.
30 min warm-up slowly increasing resistance, then 2x2 min on, 1 min easy (mixed it up and did one 2 min effort on a big gear and then one with increased cadence and 1 gear up), 10 min warm-down, quick 3 min jog round the block (literally)
Quads still massively complaining. More tennis ball and stretching fun.
Garmin HR data
Thursday, 24 March
Wimbledon Park intervals
This was meant to be a track session, but I couldn't face a track session. My quads were still in meltdown, I wasn't even sure if I'd be able to run. The weather was nice though and it was lovely out there. Advantage of early morning bike session is also that there's more recovery to this run session... hmm... cunny.
15 min warm-up jog, 25x200 m average 44 sec with 30 sec rest, jog home
Legs felt like lead and my running wasn't very fluid. However, I made it through the session and it all went fine for the first 20, the last 5 were a pure fight, but I made it maintaining the time. Was quite pleased. Interestingly, this session seemed to losen my quads up slightly.
Tennis ball and stretching.
Garmin data
Friday, 25 March
REST DAY - this was my only demand, a full rest day
Saturday, 26 March
Box Hill ride
This was meant to be a 3 hour bike ride, but including riding to Richmond Park and back it was nearly 4 hours. I had expected this to be hard work, but boy was I in for a shock to the system. Now I'm used to tagging along at about 13 mph... we were shooting off at 18/19 mph surpassing 20mph for the flats. I switched to the big chain ring at Kingston Bridge as the plan demanded, but this didn't make things easier. Most of the ride I was hanging on for dear life, but somehow I managed. Largely thanks to some kind people who hung back and brought me back to the group. Managed up Box Hill on the big ring too and the way back didn't seem too bad, until we hit those last bumps and my glutes decided to go on strike... I literally felt how they were working and squeezing the last drop of energy out they could find. When we got back to Richmond Park, I had a look at my speedo - 60 miles at 15.5 mph average. My second furthest ride EVER and most of it at what I would consider my race pace. The ride made me realise though, how much potential I've got being able to hang on to this excellent bunch of riders (though barely).
Surprisingly, after a stretch, hot shower and food and put into my compressing leglings, my legs were absolutely fine.
Garmin data - later cos Garmin is currently not uploading
Sunday, 27 March
Latimer Road Pool
First swim session of the new regime and it looks like at least double to what I'm used to swim. Well, I haven't swum much at all in the last year, so this would hurt... no aftermath from yesterday, quads and glutes still fine, no aches. Excited! The pool at Latimer Road is 30 m long, so had to make some adaptations.
540 m (18 lengths) warm up with every third length not front crawl
2x90 m (3 lengths) kick, 40 sec rest
2x90 m pull, 30 sec rest
4x60m (2 lengths) descending off 70 sec (well this was supposed to be descending, but in effect, despite me trying to increase stroke rate and kicking harder, I didn't go faster) - all came out in about 1.05
10x90 m (3 lengths) off 2.15 (it was supposed to be 1.38 min but got nowhere near, not even for 90). The first was about 1.38, but by the third I was up to 1.45 and from there it fluctuated between 1.45 and 1.50. I'm one slow swimmer at the moment. Towards the end, I started to have a better feel for the water and was pulling through better. Need to consolidate technique.
240 m (8 lengths) warm down, mix of FC, backstroke and breast stroke
Stretch and core work in the evening.
Comments:
Overall, the week was challenging but it made me realise that I can handle all this and that I've got a lot of potential to work with. It's not going to be easy, but I can do it.
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