March 2009 Archives

I rode outside for the first time on Saturday. I only went about 20k, but I averaged 28km/hr and more importantly felt stronger than I ever have for a first ride of the year.

Clearly, the trainer wasn't a complete waste.

Then again, I had some pain in the outside of my left hip for about 2 days after the ride, especially when standing up to walk.

I took it easy on Sunday.

Monday's swim was hard, but not in the way I expected. I expected speed work, but what we got was big mileage with a lot of "50 build kick". The kick work added up, and I was pretty winded.

Today, I was back on the bike trainer. I sweated a lot, but I felt like I could have kept going, probably the first time this year I've felt strong and competent on the trainer. I kept it to half an hour, mindful of the hip discomfort from the weekend.

The weather continues to improve around here. The parks are wet instead of boggy. Daytime highs are often above freezing. And the training is heating up.

I had a 3 day weekend last weekend, and the lineup was as follows:
Friday: 40 minute ride
Saturday: 20 minute run
Sunday: 90 minute ride

I also finally graduated from week 3 of the hundred pushup program last week.

I'm not exactly sure when to schedule a day off this week, but I'm going to need one I suppose. This is kind of a dangerous time - one tweaked ITB, illness brought on by overtraning, and I can get set a long way back. I'm starting to really warm to all this activity, and I'm looking forward to my fitness improving, but it would be easy to overdo it, and have it all go wrong.

This week has already included 2 swims and a 5km run. I'm also starting on, and failing badly so far, week 4 of the hundred pushup program. I've probably got another swim, another run, and a couple of rides still to come. Maybe a brick will be in order this weekend.

I strongly suspect that next week will see a huge increase in intensity in the pool. Provincials were last weekend, and once the recovery is over I'm sure we'll be doing workouts designed to prepare swimmers for nationals.

I worked a bit on flip turns today, and will continue to do so. They're probably the single greatest speed gain I can get in the pool at this point. It's going to take some work to get my form down, but I may need it just to keep up!

So last week, I announced that I had finally run for the first time. I was planning on running the next day, but did not say so, even when another traithlete announced that their second ride of the year would be "tomorrow".

I guess, by now, I just knew.

By that evening, I was in the vice grip of a head cold, one that basically knocked me out until the weekend. Another 5 days of training written off.

On the bright side, I have now ridden, run (#2!) and cycled in the same 24 hour period. If I can keep my energy levels and health up, I should be turning a corner fairly soon.

With the weather improving by leaps and bounds, and the snow almost gone, there's plenty of incentive to move outdoors, and increase my training levels.

Monday was a sleep in day. Not really planned, but I need to conserve my energy. I'm starting to feel drained a lot.

Yesterday I did half an hour on the bike. Ho-hum, I guess, but the tension was a bit higher than it would have been a month ago, and I felt better at the end.

Today we did 2 timed swims, a 100 choice relay and a 50 choice relay. I did some of the worst flip turns imagineable on my 100 free, and came in in 1:17.9, a PB. It's funny how I can't seem to break 1:20 without flip turns, no matter how bad they are.

My 50 fly came in at 35.9. DIsappointing, as I know I can do around 2 seconds faster than that. I think I'm starting to lose my reckless abandon in butterfly.

The weather was wonderfully mild this weekend, so I took the opportunity to finally get a run in. 20 minutes later, my quads would be sore for days.

This is not very good news.

A week of hard swimming coaxed me into a 35.00 50m free on Friday, and Sunday's bike (trainer) was 70 minutes long.

Things are moving forwards, at any rate.

The Wii fit is getting me a bit weight obsessed, which I hate. I'm trying to weigh myself less, and make some dietary changes. As the weather warms, though, I'm sure the weight will start to drop.

I've also started the 100 pushup challenge, but will be repeating week 3 (column 2) as I couldn't complete any of the final sets.

Last week was a writeoff. I only swam about 40 minutes on Monday before coughing wore me out. I did not work out again until the weekend.

The weekend featured an hour ride on Saturday, and 30 minutes + some cardio on Sunday. I've worked out every day this week.

The swims were harsh. Monday was speedwork, Wedensday was the excellent but challenging +1 drill (my favourite one from last year). Friday was more tough work, then a 4x50 free relay at the end. My lane was under pressure to win, so I had to put in a good time. 35 seconds flat is very close to a PB.

The weather is supposed to be above freezing this weekend, so hopefully the running can finally start.