March 5th (Week 3 Day 3) Ironman Triathlon Training
So last night I attempted to go to the gym directly after work with my fiance to get a good run in. When we got there non of the cardio equipment was available and the YMCA I go to has quite a large number of cardio machines, finally after 15 minutes of waiting a elliptical trainer opened up (not what I wanted but it would have to do because its 30 degrees out and 6 inches of snow on the ground) I would have rather gotten a treadmill but it will have to do. The plan was to do a quick 30 minute cardio workout (for those of you that don't know a cardio workout is when your heart rate is in the aerobic zone between 70-80% of your max heart rate for me that's approx 163-172 beats per minute) now working on the elliptical I found out is quite different then running on a treadmill.
For one, according to the speed indicator on the elliptical I was able to run at a constant 9-10 mph for the entire 30 minutes without ever raising my heart rate above 135 (which would be considered a fat burning workout) now on a tread mill running at a constant 9-10 mph would raise my heart rate to my targeted 165 beats per minute with in two minutes and at this point in my training would probably need to slow down with 7-10 minutes after that otherwise my heart rate would get too high and I would then be working in an anerobic threshold of my heart rate which isn't want I want.
The second and even bigger difference is that your stride length never changes no matter what speed you are going. This is vastly different from a treadmill or outdoor running, a 3 mph walk should not have the same feeling as a 10 mph run. Which brings me to my point about why I just didn't go faster to raise my heart rate to the correct cardio zone, it was impossible for me to make the elliptical go as fast as would need be to raise my heart rate up because I was taking a stride length that on a normal treadmill would be, for me anyway, about a 6 mph pace so taking eight million extra strides to speed up to a higher speed for a better heart rate just wasn't working.
The annoying thing for me was that there was no one monitoring the cardio room, normally during peak time they ask that you limit your workout to 30 minutes to accommodate as many people as possible and are pretty strict about enforcing it. There were many kids in there that I don't even think were old enough to be in the cardio room (my ymca has a strict 16 & over policy for the cardio room) and worse yet half the time they were on the treadmills they were just standing on the rails talk to each other while the treadmill was still going. Now these kids definitely needed to be working out but working out and socializing are too different things.
**RANT OVER**
This morning was my last physical therapy session so obviously no workout and I should be able to get back to a good training regiment next week without interruption, and better yet on the way into work I found out its supposed to be 65 this weekend which means no more snow, outdoor riding, and better running.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Poker Cancelled Workouts resume
March 4th (week 3 day 2) Ironman Triathlon Training.
So after planning on playing poker all night my friends decided to cancel with 15 minutes notice. Luckily I had already planned for this because I brought my work out stuff with me to work anyway. So after work I headed straight for the gym to try and complete both the workouts I was supposed to do today and was planning on doing on Saturday.
My Ironman triathlon training workout for today was swimming and running, 60 minutes or each. My swimming workout was quite easy 6x500. For some reason the third one was exhausting my left lat was feeling weak and felt like it was going to start cramping but when I started my fourth set it seemed fine and I finished my workout without any more problems. At the end of my swim i was talking to a friend of mine from the gym that has done many 70.3 Ironmans and even competed in worlds last year, I was asking him about using a wet suit during the swim. I had noticed when looking at photos online that almost always the majority of the participants wear a wet suit even if the water temp was in the 70s and was asking him if he had used one in the past, what benefits are there to wearing one, and do you need to use anything to prevent chafing while swimming with them since your body isn't used to it. He encouraged me that anytime the USAT allows you to use one to use it. He said that it increases your buoyancy so much that it turns an average swimmer into a good swimmer, it won't make you a great swimmer but it will make you faster, on a side note he actually doesn't like races where you are allowed to use them because he is such a good swimmer that it levels the playing field more during the swim and he has to work even harder to get ahead. He said if you are going to use a wetsuit and you are a good swimmer make sure you go out in the swim hard to get ahead of most of the other participants, according to him anytime you are in the swim being away from other participants will actually make you faster because you aren't worrying about being kicked or blocked in. And as far as chafing is concerned, they make a roll-on (kind of like a roll-on deodorant) greaser that is more the consistence of Pam cooking spray but for the most part its not needed unless you are swimming a full (2.4 mile) ironman. On a side note never use a petroleum based product, like Vasoline, on a wetsuit it will destroy it.
After the swim I hit the treadmill for 60 minutes. In the end I completed 6 miles but this was a much harder 6 miles then the 9 I had completed on Saturday after my swim. I started out running at 7 mph but was exhausted after only 20 minutes i slowed down to 6.5 mph for another 5 minutes then had to walk at 4 mph for another 10. After that I would do 5 minute intervals for the remaining 25 minutes of the workout, run for 1-2 minutes at 8 mph and walk the other 3-4 minutes at 4 mph. I hit 6 miles right at the hour mark. I was concerned about why this was so much harder the last Saturday so lets explore my nutrition and activities leading up to each workout.
As I was heading to the gym for both workouts I ate a Powerbar Performance (peanut butter is my favorite), I realized after looking at the Powerbar website that I was using their product wrong. The powerbar performance bars are supposed to be eaten 30 minutes BEFORE a workout, I had been trying to use them during my workouts and wasn't getting the full benefit of them. So there was no difference there. But during my swim on Saturday I had a Gatorade during my swim and last night I was drinking only water at the breaks of my swim (my runs on both days I drank both Gatorade and water). Could that little difference of a Gatorade really made all the difference or was it what I had eaten the meal just prior to workout, lunch for yesterdays workout and dinner on Friday for Saturdays workout. Friday night I had a large portion of chicken alfredo full of complex carbs and proteins, Tuesday lunch I had a couple things of fruit (good simple carbs) and a pulled pork sandwich and okay source of protein. I'll have to do some experimenting with different foods in my meals prior to workout to see what benefit I get from each. I don't want to always be eating pasta just to have enough carbs to work out but I don't want to be struggling through my workouts either. For now I'll change the one variable I know I can control, if I'm going to be doing two activities back to back I'll make sure I have a Gatorade during both to see if that makes a difference or not.
So after planning on playing poker all night my friends decided to cancel with 15 minutes notice. Luckily I had already planned for this because I brought my work out stuff with me to work anyway. So after work I headed straight for the gym to try and complete both the workouts I was supposed to do today and was planning on doing on Saturday.
My Ironman triathlon training workout for today was swimming and running, 60 minutes or each. My swimming workout was quite easy 6x500. For some reason the third one was exhausting my left lat was feeling weak and felt like it was going to start cramping but when I started my fourth set it seemed fine and I finished my workout without any more problems. At the end of my swim i was talking to a friend of mine from the gym that has done many 70.3 Ironmans and even competed in worlds last year, I was asking him about using a wet suit during the swim. I had noticed when looking at photos online that almost always the majority of the participants wear a wet suit even if the water temp was in the 70s and was asking him if he had used one in the past, what benefits are there to wearing one, and do you need to use anything to prevent chafing while swimming with them since your body isn't used to it. He encouraged me that anytime the USAT allows you to use one to use it. He said that it increases your buoyancy so much that it turns an average swimmer into a good swimmer, it won't make you a great swimmer but it will make you faster, on a side note he actually doesn't like races where you are allowed to use them because he is such a good swimmer that it levels the playing field more during the swim and he has to work even harder to get ahead. He said if you are going to use a wetsuit and you are a good swimmer make sure you go out in the swim hard to get ahead of most of the other participants, according to him anytime you are in the swim being away from other participants will actually make you faster because you aren't worrying about being kicked or blocked in. And as far as chafing is concerned, they make a roll-on (kind of like a roll-on deodorant) greaser that is more the consistence of Pam cooking spray but for the most part its not needed unless you are swimming a full (2.4 mile) ironman. On a side note never use a petroleum based product, like Vasoline, on a wetsuit it will destroy it.
After the swim I hit the treadmill for 60 minutes. In the end I completed 6 miles but this was a much harder 6 miles then the 9 I had completed on Saturday after my swim. I started out running at 7 mph but was exhausted after only 20 minutes i slowed down to 6.5 mph for another 5 minutes then had to walk at 4 mph for another 10. After that I would do 5 minute intervals for the remaining 25 minutes of the workout, run for 1-2 minutes at 8 mph and walk the other 3-4 minutes at 4 mph. I hit 6 miles right at the hour mark. I was concerned about why this was so much harder the last Saturday so lets explore my nutrition and activities leading up to each workout.
As I was heading to the gym for both workouts I ate a Powerbar Performance (peanut butter is my favorite), I realized after looking at the Powerbar website that I was using their product wrong. The powerbar performance bars are supposed to be eaten 30 minutes BEFORE a workout, I had been trying to use them during my workouts and wasn't getting the full benefit of them. So there was no difference there. But during my swim on Saturday I had a Gatorade during my swim and last night I was drinking only water at the breaks of my swim (my runs on both days I drank both Gatorade and water). Could that little difference of a Gatorade really made all the difference or was it what I had eaten the meal just prior to workout, lunch for yesterdays workout and dinner on Friday for Saturdays workout. Friday night I had a large portion of chicken alfredo full of complex carbs and proteins, Tuesday lunch I had a couple things of fruit (good simple carbs) and a pulled pork sandwich and okay source of protein. I'll have to do some experimenting with different foods in my meals prior to workout to see what benefit I get from each. I don't want to always be eating pasta just to have enough carbs to work out but I don't want to be struggling through my workouts either. For now I'll change the one variable I know I can control, if I'm going to be doing two activities back to back I'll make sure I have a Gatorade during both to see if that makes a difference or not.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Weekend and Snow Day review
March 2nd (start of 3rd Week) Ironman Triathlon Training
Feb 27th Ironman Triathlon Training
Finishing up my work out didn't happen Friday night but this was more due to choice then because I was lazy or any other distractions.
Feb 28th Ironman Triathlon Training
I decided I wanted to push myself even more on Saturday so i woke up early and headed to the gym.
Swim - 2x300 wu, 1500, 500 fast, 4x100 cd
Run - 90mins 9.25 miles (finished 9 miles in 85minutes then did a 5 minute cd walk)
The Swim I felt great and I decided to change up the work out slightly from the one purposed, it was supposed to be 2x1000. Well during the first 1000 I decided that I need to get some speed back into my workouts even if it's distance speed and I was still feeling strong 750yrds into it so I pushed myself to finish the 1500 (which i did in just over 26min) and then rested for 4 minutes. My goal for the 500 was 7:30 (which is a 1:30 per 100yrd time my goal for the actual swim will be a 1:20 per 100m split) I ended up finishing right at the 8min mark. Good but not what I wanted. I could chalk it up to having already completed 1900yrds but this is still off the pace I want to be able to do through out the swim.
The run felt much better the last week. Tip of advice when ironman triathlon training make sure you either run with synthetic boxers or no underwear at all, I was still chafed from last week (hence not running all week except for soccer) and at the end of the run and even the next day the chafing wasn't worse. This time i was able to run at 6.5mph for the first 30 minutes then I switched to 40s rest and 9:20min run at 6.5 for the next 30 minutes the remaining time was spent at 6mph 1:30 rest and 8:30 run until I finished the 9 miles. Originally my plan was to walk for another 30 minutes to get up to 11 miles but my legs were starting to give out so I decided that since I had swam immediately before the run and I finished the 9 miles 5 minutes faster then last week that I was good to finish up.
March 1st Ironman Triathlon Training
My fiance had been bugging me for weeks to do our taxes and she needed the day to do report cards for her kids so this was the day I decided to do them. I still had a swim to make up and the Bike that was scheduled for the day. In the end I wasn't able to get to the swim because the gym is only open until 7 on Sundays and I didn't finish my taxes until 6. My biking went well did 90 minutes approximately 24-25 miles.
March 2nd Ironman Triathlon Training
Woke up to find 12inches of snow on the ground with my street still not being plowed. So I figured running this morning was out of the question so I hit the bike again. Did 60 minutes on the trainer approx 17 miles. Felt good the entire time and really worked on my tempo. I was able to maintain a 65-67 rpm rate through out the entire time I was on the trainer.
My work actually was canceled because of the snow so at 12 I headed over to the gym to get a swim and run in. Only to find out when I got there that they decided not to open for the day. I ran some errands and headed back home. I really wasn't in the mood to bike any more so I took the rest of the day off.
March 3rd Ironman Triathlon Training
Today I had physical therapy in the morning, so that killed any chance at a morning workout, and I am planning on staying late at work to play poker with some friends. So I guess after a good weekend of training today will be my rest day for this week.
Feb 27th Ironman Triathlon Training
Finishing up my work out didn't happen Friday night but this was more due to choice then because I was lazy or any other distractions.
Feb 28th Ironman Triathlon Training
I decided I wanted to push myself even more on Saturday so i woke up early and headed to the gym.
Swim - 2x300 wu, 1500, 500 fast, 4x100 cd
Run - 90mins 9.25 miles (finished 9 miles in 85minutes then did a 5 minute cd walk)
The Swim I felt great and I decided to change up the work out slightly from the one purposed, it was supposed to be 2x1000. Well during the first 1000 I decided that I need to get some speed back into my workouts even if it's distance speed and I was still feeling strong 750yrds into it so I pushed myself to finish the 1500 (which i did in just over 26min) and then rested for 4 minutes. My goal for the 500 was 7:30 (which is a 1:30 per 100yrd time my goal for the actual swim will be a 1:20 per 100m split) I ended up finishing right at the 8min mark. Good but not what I wanted. I could chalk it up to having already completed 1900yrds but this is still off the pace I want to be able to do through out the swim.
The run felt much better the last week. Tip of advice when ironman triathlon training make sure you either run with synthetic boxers or no underwear at all, I was still chafed from last week (hence not running all week except for soccer) and at the end of the run and even the next day the chafing wasn't worse. This time i was able to run at 6.5mph for the first 30 minutes then I switched to 40s rest and 9:20min run at 6.5 for the next 30 minutes the remaining time was spent at 6mph 1:30 rest and 8:30 run until I finished the 9 miles. Originally my plan was to walk for another 30 minutes to get up to 11 miles but my legs were starting to give out so I decided that since I had swam immediately before the run and I finished the 9 miles 5 minutes faster then last week that I was good to finish up.
March 1st Ironman Triathlon Training
My fiance had been bugging me for weeks to do our taxes and she needed the day to do report cards for her kids so this was the day I decided to do them. I still had a swim to make up and the Bike that was scheduled for the day. In the end I wasn't able to get to the swim because the gym is only open until 7 on Sundays and I didn't finish my taxes until 6. My biking went well did 90 minutes approximately 24-25 miles.
March 2nd Ironman Triathlon Training
Woke up to find 12inches of snow on the ground with my street still not being plowed. So I figured running this morning was out of the question so I hit the bike again. Did 60 minutes on the trainer approx 17 miles. Felt good the entire time and really worked on my tempo. I was able to maintain a 65-67 rpm rate through out the entire time I was on the trainer.
My work actually was canceled because of the snow so at 12 I headed over to the gym to get a swim and run in. Only to find out when I got there that they decided not to open for the day. I ran some errands and headed back home. I really wasn't in the mood to bike any more so I took the rest of the day off.
March 3rd Ironman Triathlon Training
Today I had physical therapy in the morning, so that killed any chance at a morning workout, and I am planning on staying late at work to play poker with some friends. So I guess after a good weekend of training today will be my rest day for this week.
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