Wednesday, November 24

Feeling the buildup

Here I am midway into Week 4 of my 20 week OS and I can tell you the training load is starting to build.  Nothing too bad, but I can tell it is adding up.  My recent issue with the right hamstring is a good indication that I am approaching the edge of too much.  Still have room to work in, but I need to be certain that any over-cooking of training zones is measured.  I still feel that I can push the watts and add time on my runs.  It's just that I need to pay closer attention to how I feel. 

Monday
was an 'off' day and I did use it as a hard rest day.  It was a much needed recovery day.  My only activity was W5-C3-D2 of my 100 pushup challange.  Instead of 5 sets like in previous sessions, this one has 7 sets plus the max set.  I did manage to get them all but my rest intervals were many minutes (not 45 seconds as instructed).  I am doing each day three times, taking a week to hammer the pushups in.  So, Wednesday (today) I did D2 a second time.  This time I stuck to the 45 second rest interval for all but the last Max set.  In all I did 190 pushups today: 19-19-22-22-18-18-22-50.  Come Friday, I will need to maintain the 45 second rest interval for all sets - including the lead in to the Max set.

Tuesday
is the standard bike-run workout.  Mainset for the bike was 2x12 (4) @ Z4 plus 25' @ Z3.  Feeling kind of spunky, I pushed the watts in the MS and finish with 206, (1.03) Cd 84; 203, (1.013) Cd 83.  The extra volume was on target at 168, (0.838) Cd 85.  It's important to NOT overcook the zone 3 volume because the gain isn't from pushing bigger watts, it is in expanding the volume without incurring too much fatigue.  Total bike workout 1:13:35 @ 176w, (0.881), Cd 78.  The brick run was at an easy pace on the deadmill.  Good thing to - I need to heal the 'hammy'.

Today, Wednesday
 was 'run' day but because of the issue I have had on the deadmill, I was determined to run outside.  Of course, the weather didn't care about me or my plans.  It wasn't raining or anything nasty, but is was far from 'nice'.  The wind is out of the NW at 16, gusting to 25, making the 29* feel like 19*.  No matter, I need to go - I just don't think I could take another interval on the DM.

The mainset is a simple 2x1 mile at 7:20 (zone 4) with 4 minutes rest between.  The rest is WU and volume, aiming for 45 minutes.  Decked out in Sporthill pants, mock neck thermal shirt, arm warmers, wind shell jacket, hat and gloves I head out easy.  I start north towards Old Town, into the wind so it is behind me when I am tired and sweaty.  Just past the Stillwater river, above the short hill I start my first interval.  I go almost a half mile before I look at my Garmin to check my pace - right on target.  I check my pace 1 more time then again as I make the 1 mile mark at 7:23.  Perfect pacing.  Feels good to know were I need to be.  I jog easy to the Cornfield, my 3 mile turnaround then start back.  My second interval proceeds the same way - minimal looks at my pace and nail it in the end at 7:17.  The rest of the run back was at a comfortable pace, finishing 6 miles in 48:09 at an average 8:03 pace.  Nice!

Tomorrow will be 60 minute on the bike followed by an easy run with Sierra.  The big meal of the day will be at Ed & Louise' house.  She'll be serving turkey, stuffing, lasagna, cake, pie..... you know... too much of everything.  Should be good!

1 comment:

Caratunk Girl said...

Hey you!

Hope your turkey day was a good one! I ate like a pig...snort.