24 Feb 2010

Bike:
46.2km - 1:48 (606m / 77rpm / 25.6kmh/ 137bpm)

First hilly ride in spring-like conditions. Bit of a struggle at the steep parts of the course due to lack of gears and lack of strength.

23 Feb 2010

Running:
60:00 - 12km

2km easy, 8km fast (4:50 km/h average), 2km easy. First run without gloves.

Swim: 2300m
300m warmup
200m arms ahead / 200m normal / 100m legs only 

200m arms only / 200m normal / 100m legs only 
50m easy
200m high elbow / 200m normal / 100m legs only 
200m high arms / 200m normal
50m easy

22 Feb 2010

Gym: 60 minutes (upper body)

Good session. Felt that strength is actually improving and not just maintained.

Gels

I think I have finally found gels that are compatible with my stomach. Isotonic gels don't require to drink half a liter of water and are much less solid. Also, they don't taste like glue. I have tried 2 types (High5 and SIS) and both seem to work. I think I prefer the SIS ones, but need to sample all the tastes before making a decison.

I will get 12 sachets in a 750ml bottle which equates to approx. 1000 kcal.

21 Feb 2010

Running:
1:15 - 13.2km (Z1-Z2)

Easy undulating run on icy ground.

20 Feb 2010

Bike:
2:55 - 78km

First long ride (all flat, but windy) on winter bike. Speed very slow even though I pushed hard. Not sure whether this was caused by traing uptake this week, wind, the bike or lack of strength. A bit irritated...

19 Feb 2010

Running:
12km - 1:04

A little bit longer than planned and a bugger of a hill instead of fartlek.

Gym: 60 minutes (mixed)

Slow session; a bit tired.

18 Feb 2010

Bike Turbo:
1:15:00 - 40 .2km - Avg: 130 bpm / 32.1 km/h / 173 Watt / 86 rpm

15 mins warm up, 5 * 1min hard (3%) / 1 min easy (-1%), 5 mins normal, 45 mins moderate (low Z2).

Swim: 2500m
100m warmup

600m normal / 50m easy / 500m normal / 50m easy / 400m
300m / 200m / 100m
200m pull byoe  

17 Feb 2010

Brick Session: 1:15

Bike Turbo:
45:00 - 22.3km - Avg: 110 bpm / 29.7 km/h / 130 Watt / 83 rpm

Running:
30:00 - 5.65km (Z2 - Z3)

Easy bike and relatively easy run (apart from the long hill).

16 Feb 2010

Running:
1:00 - 11.4km

10 minus warm-up, 5 * 1 min fast / 1 min jog, rest Z2.

Swim: 3000m

Longest swim ever! Took exactly 60 minutes - assuming I counted correctly.

15 Feb 2010

Gym: 50 minutes (upper body)

Quick session.

Body Composition - Start Build Phase

Weight
87.0kg
Body Fat
16.3% (LA 16.3 RA 14.9 RL 14.1 LL 14.8, B 17.5)
Total Body Water
58.8%
Muscle Mass
69.2kg (LA 4.0 RA 4.0 RL 11.5 LL 11.1, B 38.6, 5)
Physique Rating
6
Basal Metabolic Rate
2111 KJ
Metabolism Age
26
Bone Mass
3.6kg
Resting Heart Rate
??

Moving in the right direction. Body fat and weight down, muscless mass constant. I guess that was the purpose of the Base Phase.

Start Build Phase

That's the first 10 weeks and the the Base Phase over. So far so good. I missed a few sessions due to travel, but did all the key ones. Build Phase starts tomorrow, but I am not sure whether I will be able to continue to stick with the program given next week's events.

Swimming:
Quite happy with progress so far. Didn't follow the program, but did similar sessions with the club. Swim seminar was very helpful. I think I will initially stick to 2 sessions a week instead of 3.

Cycling:
Missed a couple of the shorter and faster sessions. Also, progress hampered by weeks of snow. Getting fed up with long sessions on turbo, but nothing I can do. Endurance ok, but hills will be a struggle.

Running:
All good, except hamstring.

14 Feb 2010

Bike Turbo:
3:00:00 - 85.7km - Avg: 119 bpm / 28.6 km/h / 118 Watt / 87 rpm

Snow is back, so I had to revert to the turbo for a 3 hour session. It doesn't get more boring than that. First 2 hours easy, last hour moderate. Stopped after 50km for 5 minutes to grab a bite to eat.

13 Feb 2010

Running:
1:30 - 15.8km

First long(ish) run at slow speed. Left hamstring string still causing problems.

Started taking Resveratrol.

12 Feb 2010

Bike Turbo:
60:00 - 32.6km - Avg: 122 bpm / 32.6 km/h / 162 Watt / 92 rpm

First half easy, second half 100 RPM. Wore new Garmin HR belt for the first time. Much more comfortable than old version.

Gym: 60 minutes (upper body)

11 Feb 2010

Swim: 2200m
200m warmup

400m normal
4 * 25m legs only

50m easy
400m arms only
4 * 25m legs only

50m easy
400m normal
4 * 25m legs only

400m arms only

Missed bike session due to flight delays. 

10 Feb 2010

Running:
12.5km - 1:03:30

Fast run with Up & Runners after a very good morning session with the physio. Lower back is still the problem for which I have been given 2 more stretches to do.

I have been entered in the Up & Runners Hall of Fame. Very humbled and embarrassed.

09 Feb 2010

Running:
60:00 - 10.85km

Easy early morning run in Belfast followed by an evening swim in Olympia:

Swim: 2000m
8 * 250m

Tried to apply an improvement to each leg. Felt less tired than normal.

08 Feb 2010

1 Hour massge. Was good to get all the lactic acid out of my legs.

07 Feb 2010

Bike:
2:45 - 75.5km (415m / 84rpm / 27.3kmh/ 131bpm)

Very cold, but anything is better than on the turbo for that amount of time...

06 Feb 2010

Running:
49:00 - 9km (Z1 - Z2)


Easy to moderate run. Felt much better today, but hamstring still not good.

Swim Seminar

Attended a 5(!) hour swim seminar by Total Training Europe. Video analysis (see below), technique and theory. Very good event. The main technique things I have to improve on are
  • Look at the bottom rather than straight ahead
  • Arms wider when entering the water
  • fingertips pointing to the bottom
  • High elbow
  • Hand closer to stomach
  • More strength before exiting the water
  • Start breathing a bit earlier
  • Kick less high


05 Feb 2010

Running:
1:20 - 14.2km (Z1)

Esay run, but felt quite tired. Also, left hamstring causing problems again. Physio next week...

04 Feb 2010

Bike Turbo:
60:00 - 32.3km - Avg: 123 bpm / 32.3 km/h / 156 Watt / 100 rpm

Swim: 2400m
100m medley
200m high elbow
800m
8 * 100m @ 2.15

50m easy
8 * 50m last quarter in single breath
50m easy

03 Feb 2010

Bike Turbo:
60:00 - 32.7km - Avg: ??? bpm / 32.7 km/h / ??? Watt  ?? rpm

15 minutes easy, 30 minutes moderate, 15 minutes hard. Dropped unit after I finished which reset it, so no data. This was supposed to be a brick session, but snow and rain just made it impossible to run.

02 Feb 2010

Running:
60:00 - 9.7km (Z1, Z2)

Running in deep snow is significantly harder (and slower) than I thought. Very scenic though...

Went to the Frankfurt Triathlon University of Frankfurt to listen to a talk on nutrition byOlaf Sabatschus (winner of a number of Ironman races, 5th in Hawaii). Quite interesting, but also rather confusing...