I was looking forward to getting back on my new bike for the return commute home. What I wasn't ready for was such extreme weather conditions, probably the worst winds I have ever experienced whilst cycling.
I had to wrestle with the 'Black Stallion' just to stay upright, a number of times I was nearly blown into the middle of the road.
After about 15-20 minutes I gave up and called for rescue - I know, not really the Ironman way, however better to stay alive to ride another day.
So I rode another few miles and met up with my lovely wife he drove down to rescue me.
In total 1 hour and 40 minutes cycling for the day. This evening's ride home, despite being cut short, will certainly go down as strength training.
Thursday, 8 December 2011
The new winter bike - virgin ride
First before I share details of my morning ride a brief update on the Club swim last night....
During this 1.5 hour evening swim session Coach MT had planned some strength work and the various sets involved a lot of paddles and fins - we like all the toys! The Coach even had us doing backstroke and breaststroke with paddles on. We finished the session with some explosive 25m sets - dive start, kicking hard and sprinting for at least 10-15m (no breathing) followed by an easy stroke to the other end. All great fun! I was pleased with my performance and despite being the slowest swimmer in my lane (lane 3 of 6) I managed to keep on the toes of the stronger swimmers for most of the session.
So on to this morning...
I looked at my plan for the week and given that I may have to take my son to rugby on Sunday I decided to bring the long bike ride forward and keep the shorter brick session for the weekend. More importantly I wanted to try out my new winter bike - a Specialized Langster singlespeed / fixed road bike (pictured below).
The decision to purchase a singlespeed / fixed bike was driven by getting back to 'pure cycling' (no distraction from changing gears), easier maintenance and the 'wear and tear' on my carbon road bike during the winter months. In addition I had been told it is beneficial to training given that your legs take over from your gearing.
In order to get a feel for the new 'black stallion' I decided on the singlespeed option for the first ride. I was pleasantly surprised to find the gearing just about right for my normal commute - the route being relatively flat. For the few down hill sections I was not pedalling frantically but likewise I manage all the inclines without much problem. I have always enjoyed getting out the saddle and powering up the hills when necessary. My return route will be a little more challenging but I am not too worried.
The real test will come when I flip the rear wheel round to use the fixed cog. In this position as the pedals turn the wheel goes round (obvious - I suppose), however when one stops, either the pedal or wheel the other stops too - more interesting! The plan is to move to a 'fixie' after a couple of weeks once I have got a good feel for the bike. In this position, I should get this best training benefit and it should certainly help with my spinning technique.
For those who are interested in this bike set-up the Specialized Langster is a relatively affordable option. The new 2012 model is very nice but there is limited availability until January next year and it retails at £499. The new model is also a little more set up for track cycling and comes with track handlebars and no bar tape. I went for last year's model and got a deal at just over £300 for an ex-demo model (generally you can pick them up for £350-£399, or £250-£300 second-hand on eBay). The only additions I made were some entry-level Shimano lock-in pedals and a Specialized bottle cage. Other than that, good to go!
During this 1.5 hour evening swim session Coach MT had planned some strength work and the various sets involved a lot of paddles and fins - we like all the toys! The Coach even had us doing backstroke and breaststroke with paddles on. We finished the session with some explosive 25m sets - dive start, kicking hard and sprinting for at least 10-15m (no breathing) followed by an easy stroke to the other end. All great fun! I was pleased with my performance and despite being the slowest swimmer in my lane (lane 3 of 6) I managed to keep on the toes of the stronger swimmers for most of the session.
So on to this morning...
I looked at my plan for the week and given that I may have to take my son to rugby on Sunday I decided to bring the long bike ride forward and keep the shorter brick session for the weekend. More importantly I wanted to try out my new winter bike - a Specialized Langster singlespeed / fixed road bike (pictured below).
The decision to purchase a singlespeed / fixed bike was driven by getting back to 'pure cycling' (no distraction from changing gears), easier maintenance and the 'wear and tear' on my carbon road bike during the winter months. In addition I had been told it is beneficial to training given that your legs take over from your gearing.
In order to get a feel for the new 'black stallion' I decided on the singlespeed option for the first ride. I was pleasantly surprised to find the gearing just about right for my normal commute - the route being relatively flat. For the few down hill sections I was not pedalling frantically but likewise I manage all the inclines without much problem. I have always enjoyed getting out the saddle and powering up the hills when necessary. My return route will be a little more challenging but I am not too worried.
The real test will come when I flip the rear wheel round to use the fixed cog. In this position as the pedals turn the wheel goes round (obvious - I suppose), however when one stops, either the pedal or wheel the other stops too - more interesting! The plan is to move to a 'fixie' after a couple of weeks once I have got a good feel for the bike. In this position, I should get this best training benefit and it should certainly help with my spinning technique.
For those who are interested in this bike set-up the Specialized Langster is a relatively affordable option. The new 2012 model is very nice but there is limited availability until January next year and it retails at £499. The new model is also a little more set up for track cycling and comes with track handlebars and no bar tape. I went for last year's model and got a deal at just over £300 for an ex-demo model (generally you can pick them up for £350-£399, or £250-£300 second-hand on eBay). The only additions I made were some entry-level Shimano lock-in pedals and a Specialized bottle cage. Other than that, good to go!
Tuesday, 6 December 2011
Great track session
Base training has begun... The plan tonight was an hour run on the track with the Tri Club (HAT). I normally follow the expert guidance of our running coach, Tony, who always has a good, relatively hard, session in mind.
Tonight, however, was a little different - I was invited to join Chris (HAT member, good friend and neighbour - also training for IM Austria) who was trying out the first run session in a personalised program designed specifically for him. Chris is a much stronger swimmer and cyclist than me but our run pace and endurance is similar, albeit my technique probably needs a bit more work than his. Anyway given our similar running ability I agreed to keep him company.
We actually covered the warm up, brief drill set, dynamic stretching and build section with Tony and the rest of HAT. The main set was simply 8x 800m at a moderately steady race pace.
Chris and I were both really pleased that each 800m set was completed within a couple of seconds of each other, our average being about 3:26.
Apparently the average time for 800m can be roughly estimated as your marathon time in hours and minutes (i.e 3:26). That would be good - my PB is 3:45.
Anyway a great session - really impressed with the consistency across all 8 sets.
I expect Chris will be inputting the data into Training Peaks and has the advantage of feedback from the Club Coach (Mark Tickner - Coach4Tri) - a service I am keen to know more about.
For me, it was home for a bit of my wife's wonderful chicken Risotto and homemade brownie for dessert - well deserved after a hard but rewarding track session.
Club swim tomorrow.
Tonight, however, was a little different - I was invited to join Chris (HAT member, good friend and neighbour - also training for IM Austria) who was trying out the first run session in a personalised program designed specifically for him. Chris is a much stronger swimmer and cyclist than me but our run pace and endurance is similar, albeit my technique probably needs a bit more work than his. Anyway given our similar running ability I agreed to keep him company.
We actually covered the warm up, brief drill set, dynamic stretching and build section with Tony and the rest of HAT. The main set was simply 8x 800m at a moderately steady race pace.
Chris and I were both really pleased that each 800m set was completed within a couple of seconds of each other, our average being about 3:26.
Apparently the average time for 800m can be roughly estimated as your marathon time in hours and minutes (i.e 3:26). That would be good - my PB is 3:45.
Anyway a great session - really impressed with the consistency across all 8 sets.
I expect Chris will be inputting the data into Training Peaks and has the advantage of feedback from the Club Coach (Mark Tickner - Coach4Tri) - a service I am keen to know more about.
For me, it was home for a bit of my wife's wonderful chicken Risotto and homemade brownie for dessert - well deserved after a hard but rewarding track session.
Club swim tomorrow.
Sunday, 4 December 2011
Getting muddy on the South Downs
Bit of a late one last night - Donna and I attended the Chestnut Tree House Christmas Ball and finally got to bed at 2am. However, there was the chance of a bike ride with the boys so the alarm clock was set for 7:30 and I was out of the door fully geared up by just gone 8am. I was joined by Matt, Nigel, Tony, Hilly and Mike from HAT (Horsham Amphibians Triathlon) in addition to a special guest appearance by John from Tuff Fitty Triathlon Club.
As we were were on the mountain bikes we headed up to the top of the Downs for some great riding and a lot of mud. There was a lot of sliding around but fortunately we all stayed upright. I peeled off after about 2 and a quarter hours to head for home down my favourite technical singletrack via Wiston. Total about 2 and half hours on the bike with around 35km in the bank. Excellent fun and great company. The only downside was cleaning the bike, which probably took 30 mins - well worth the effort though as the 'Black Beauty' (Elsworth Epiphany) is ready to roll when I get the next invitation.
The fitness didn't stop there as I took my son to a swimming party at the old Worthing pool and managed to get a dip myself. A good 30-40 mins of the 50m length pool.
On the way home stopped at Sainsbury for mulled wine, chestnuts, Michael Buble's new Christmas album - all that is needed after a great active day - now for some family time and an opportunity to put up the Christmas tree.
N.B. Sorry - still no data on the ride as my Garmin still playing up, hope to have the problem rectified soon.
As we were were on the mountain bikes we headed up to the top of the Downs for some great riding and a lot of mud. There was a lot of sliding around but fortunately we all stayed upright. I peeled off after about 2 and a quarter hours to head for home down my favourite technical singletrack via Wiston. Total about 2 and half hours on the bike with around 35km in the bank. Excellent fun and great company. The only downside was cleaning the bike, which probably took 30 mins - well worth the effort though as the 'Black Beauty' (Elsworth Epiphany) is ready to roll when I get the next invitation.
The fitness didn't stop there as I took my son to a swimming party at the old Worthing pool and managed to get a dip myself. A good 30-40 mins of the 50m length pool.
On the way home stopped at Sainsbury for mulled wine, chestnuts, Michael Buble's new Christmas album - all that is needed after a great active day - now for some family time and an opportunity to put up the Christmas tree.
N.B. Sorry - still no data on the ride as my Garmin still playing up, hope to have the problem rectified soon.
Saturday, 3 December 2011
Heart Rate Zones - the basics!
As previously mentioned I am keen to get some proper testing to calculate my training zones, definitely the most accurate method.
Meanwhile, the generally accepted technique for estimating your maximum heart rate is the '220 minus your age' method. The 30-week training program incorporate the following zones:
Zone 4: 90-95% of max hr (primarily anaerobic training)
Zone 3: 86-89% of max hr (middle zone)
Zone 2: 75-85% of max hr (higher-end aerobic training)
Zone 1: 65-74% of max hr (lower-end aerobic training)
For cycling Don Fink recommends you subtract 5% (less stress on your body).
That puts my personal zones (approx.) as follows:
Z1 (run): 115-132; Z1 (bike): 110-125
Z2 (run): 133-151; Z2 (bike): 126-143
Z3 (run): 152-158; Z3 (bike): 144-150
Z4 (run): 159-169; Z4 (bike): 151-160
Next week: Week 1 - Base Training
OK... here we go!
Week 1 of the 30-week IronFit training program (courtesy of Don Fink, revised around my diary):
Mon - Rest / Preparation Day (good start!)
Tue - Club track run - coached (1 hour)
Wed - Club swim - coached (1.5 hours)
Thu - Brick session: 30 mins on turbo Z2 / 15 mins run Z2 (45 mins in total)
Fri - 45 min run Z2 and/or testing with Coach
Sat - Club swim - coached (1 hour)
Sun - Bike: 30 mins Z1 (100+ RPM) / 60 mins Z2 (1.5 hours in total)
Total for week 1: 2.5hr swim; 2 hr bike; 2 hr run - total of 6.5 hours
Don Fink's Competitive Program lists 6 hours (2/2/2 each discipline), however I am fitting my own training around current coached sessions.
The plan is to increase to 7.5 hours for week 2 and 8 to 8.5 hours for week 3. Fortunately my recovery week (4th week) falls on the Christmas period. If I stick to the Don Fink's Base plan my heaviest week will be 11 hours, which should not be too challenging.
Countdown: 30 weeks from Monday - Base training begins!
Enjoyed an early morning Club Swim today with all the guys. Hopefully I will join them tomorrow for another session, this time on the mountain bikes - the South Downs awaits!
So the day is fast approaching - 30 weeks to Ironman Austria - Base training begins (slowly) on Monday.
My weakness over the last 2-3 years since getting into the sport of triathlon is the lack of a structured program. That is not to say that I have not managed to achieve a reasonable level of fitness, however I do feel that I have reached a bit of a plateau. As previously highlighted I know my easy and hard sessions blend into a similar range (comfort zone), which potentially leads to 'junk miles'. With time an important and sometime limiting factor (family time and work also need to be incorporated) I need to ensure that all the sessions are adding value and moving me towards my goal - in this case completing the Ironman in a reasonable time (under 12.5 hours) with a smile on my face.
I have done a bit of research into Ironman training plans over the last couple of months. There is plenty to choose from - there are the 'off the shelf' versions available in books, magazines and the Internet (some free to access) and then at the other end of the spectrum there are full coaching programs, tailored to your specific needs and individual requirements.
Given that I have spent quite a bit of money entering Ironman Austria (close on £500 - ouch!) and then the additional cost of getting there (probably another £500) I was initially a bit reluctant to go down the full tailored coaching route. However, then there is the argument that you have spent the money to enter - at the very least you need to give yourself every advantage to train properly and hiring a coach could be the very best investment I make.
My final decision is a little bit of both. The intention is to start the base training following an 'off the shelf' plan - the Competitive Program listed in Don Fink's best selling book 'Be Iron Fit: Time-Efficient Training Secrets for Ultimate Fitness'. During December I also plan to have an introductory session with the Club's Coach (Mark Tickner - http://www.coach4tri.com) - some max Vo2 testing on the bike, bike set-up and analysis of training zones.
I then expect to explore the options of coaching for 6 months from Jan- Jun and will also follow up with further testing and probably a few training sessions with the Coach and some of the Club members, who have also entered Ironman Austria. This is in addition to the regular coached swimming sessions (2-3 times a week).
My next post will cover my first week of base training and detail my current heart rate zones (basic calculation). For those interested in taking a look at Don Fink's book the Amazon link is listed below:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Be-Iron-Fit-Time-Efficient-Training/dp/1599218577/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322921837&sr=8-1
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