Month: February 2011

Categories
Ironman Lake Placid

Monday swim workout

Had a good swim workout this morning. Usually the first time through the main set I do well and then I just fall apart and can never seem to catch my breath. Today, though, was different and I felt stronger at the end. Maybe my swimming is getting better, I hope so. I did do some of the other strokes today where normally I just swim free. I really need to work on those more.

500 warmup
400 pull
200 kick
400 pull
200 free
400 4×100
200 4×50
400 pull
200 free
400 4×100
200 4×50
400 16×25
100 4×25 underwaters

Total: 4000 yards

Weight: 169

Categories
Ironman Lake Placid

CP30

This morning I did my 3rd Critical Power test. If you have been following my blog you know that I have been wondering if I had calibrated the CompuTrainer correctly and my score was artifically high. Well, this morning I warmed up for the 30 minutes and calibrated 10 minutes into the ride. The results were that I improved on my CP30 score by 5 watts. I’m now at 253 watts for 30 minutes  was kind of worried about this one, because I thought I didn’t calibrate last time and that score was artifically high. Looks like that may have been the case, but not by much. I was able to improve on my last score by 5 watts. So now my CP30 score is 253. So it is possible that my last score was a little bit high but it seems like maybe not that far off.

The Ironman training program that my training group is following calls for a 2 hour and 45 minute ride, so I still have a little riding to do. When my riding partner shows up today though, she is going on the CompuTrainer for the first time. We will see how she does on the Lake Placid Ironman course. I’m going to just spin since my legs are kind of hurting from the test.

Weight: 168.4

Categories
Ironman Lake Placid

Good swim workout

Had a good swim workout today. I was in early and got in a few extra yards during the warmup and managed to keep up for the pull. I liked the workout today because the distances were a little shorter than we do some other times so it was kind of like sprinting and I think we had a little more rest in between. As usual the workout is below.

700 – warmup
400 – pull
200 – kick
500 – 4 x 125
400 – 4 x 100
200 – 4 x 50
500 – 4 x 125
400 – 4 x 100
200 – 4 x 50
Total: 3500 yards

Weight: 168.5

Categories
Ironman Lake Placid

Easy CompuTrainer Ride

This morning was another easy CompuTrainer ride. The idea for this week is to make sure that my legs are recovered enough for the Critical Power test coming on saturday. Worked up a little bit of a sweat, but not too much, as my heart rate averaged 129 and maxed out at 139. I kept the cadence right at 90. The one thing I did focus on today was my spinscan numbers. I tried to keep that up in the 70s as much as possible, because most of the time mine is in the low 60s. I average 69 for the ride, a personal best, but I still need lots of work because I have to think about it too much.

Weight: 169

Categories
Ironman Lake Placid

Yup, Treadmill again

Spent another hour on the treadmill this morning. I don’t know if there is anything more boring. Running on the treadmill for an hour feels like running outside for an hour and a half to me. There are four TVs on the wall where I run and the are tuned to all the various news stations. Unfortunately they all repeat the news every 10 minutes so I ended up watching everything 6 times!!!! I definitely have to get out on the road at some point this weekend. The Great Bay Half-marathon is coming up in early April so I have to start getting my long outside runs back in, hopefully we will get some warmer weather and melt some of the snow and ice on the sidewalks by the gym.

Weight: 169

Categories
Ironman Lake Placid

Recovery Ride

This week is all about recovery for the Critical Power test this weekend. Today I did 45 minutes on the CompuTrainer, keeping the cadence up and heart rate down. Pretty much just spinning my legs, hopefully getting some blood flowing through them. Average heart rate was 130, average cadence was 93 and power was 158. My legs have been a little sore the past week, especially my calves, so I’m hoping this mornings ride and the one on Thursday will help them recovery sufficiently for the test on Saturday.

Speaking of sore, the rest of my body is feeling it from the workout in the weight room yesterday morning. I definitely have to keep that up so I don’t get so sore and I don’t lose muscle mass while I bring my weight down.

Weight: 169

Categories
Ironman Lake Placid

Vacation Day

I had the day off from work today and since Mackenzie didn’t have school I didn’t have to rush home to get her on the bus I had some extra time. I went to the Danvers Y this morning, and they open at 5:30 but the pool doesn’t open until 6:00. While I waited for the pool to open I headed down to the weight room and did some lifting. I think I need to head down there more often, I’m going to feel it tomorrow. Once the pool opened I did 3250 yards in about 50 minutes. I was the only one in the pool, I think because most people didn’t realize that St. John’s Prep is no longer using the pool until the fall. After the swim it was down to the treadmill, did I mention it was snowing out this morning? Anyway, did 5 miles on the treadmill and called it a day.

Weight: 165.25

Categories
Ironman Lake Placid

Looking for warm weather

Spent 2 hours and 45 minutes on the CompuTrainer today. That’s just about 48 miles for me on the Lake Placid RCV. The only nice thing about being inside is being able to fuel easier. I can see I’ll have to get a water bottle holder for behind my seat to refill my main hydration system. That or I will have to get a CamelBak. I only had two water bottles today so I will need to have a 3rd next time to keep the fluids up. Also had a couple of Hammer Gels and will need to start eating more as the time on the Trainer heads up over 3 hours. As much as I want to ride outside I think it is still going to be a while as there is still plenty of ice, snow, salt and sand on the roads.

Weight: 165.4

Categories
Ironman Lake Placid

Friday Swim

You never know what kind of day you are going to get on a Friday at the pool. Sometimes it is kinda slow and people drift in and then there are days like today, when people are ready to go. I also got a reminder of just how slow of a swimmer I am today when one of the fastests swimmers in the area jumped into my lane half way through the workout. Now I know what a real swimmer looks like.

600 – warmup
400 – pull
300 – kick
– Main set 4 times –
200 on 3:30
200 – 100×2 on 1:30
200 – 50×4 on 45
2400
– Main set –
Total: 3700 yards 

Weight: 167.5

Categories
Ironman Lake Placid

CompuTrainer Tempo Session

Had another good workout on the CompuTrainer this morning. I was able to hold 227 watts for an hour this morning, about 4 watts more than last thursday and just a little over what the training program called for. I was on the Ironman Kona course in 3D mode on the CompuTrainer, I do the same course each thursday for the tempo ride because it easy to measure improvement that way. Maybe I will choose a different course for the tempo rides over the set of weeks after I take the Critical power test again next thursday.

Weight: 167.6