Week 8---not too good

So once again, the weekdays go well and then the weekend sucks. After next week, I’m going to be changing up my training plan. I talked with a buddy of mine and 13.5hrs for your prep phase is a little steep. I’m going to drop it down to about 9-10hrs each week. This means I will be revamping my entire training schedule, but that’s cool. It shouldn’t be too hard to refigure everything.
I’ve also decided to alter my race calendar. I will not be doing IM 70.3 in Orlando in May. Instead, I’m going to do a half-iron distance tri in Panama City in May. The race follows the same course as the IM race in November. This way I can have a little bit of practice on the same course.

Onto the training…

Monday
WO 1: Masters Swim. I finished the entire set this time. It’s one of those man, I don’t want to feelings, but you feel awesome after you do it. 75mins, 2550m (1.58mi)
WO 2: Strength Training. The MT phase is a lot quicker…35mins

Tuesday
WO 1: Prep Phase Run-S1. Not a good interval run. I never could find my legs. 2.31mi, 30mins
WO 2: Prep Phase Bike-E1. Easy endurance ride on the trainer. I tried to focus on relaxing my lower legs and feet. 28.3mi, 75min.

Wednesday
WO 1: Masters Swim. Felt great on the swim. I might try to get there earlier to work on more drills and try to improve my stroke/form. 75mins, 2500m (1.55mi)
WO 2: Strength Training. MT Phase 35 mins. Didn’t feel great in the gym at first, but felt great afterwards.

Thursday
Sometimes, you are just tired and need a break

Friday
WO 1: Masters Swim. I think the rest on Thursday paid off b/c I felt awesome in the water! 75mins, 2750m (1.71mi)

The weekend was a bust. I didn’t ride or run at all. I could copout and blame the weather, but I should’ve dragged my butt out of bed both mornings. These would have been my last big workouts before my first full marathon. Hopefully, it is a blessing to give them this rest.

So out of a planned 13.5hrs, I got in 6.17hrs. Next week (race week!!) is going to be an easy week. So far it hasn’t been very productive. I’m just hoping to stay loose and keep my legs rested. Nutrition will be a big focus for this week leading up to the gun going off. It’s gonna be a close, but I might be able to hit my goal “fighting weight” of 238. We will see. Today (Wednesday) I’m sitting right at 240. I finally dropped past that stupid 242 wall. Right now, the forecast for Saturday is cold and rainy. It ought to be an interesting first marathon.

Eric’s Quote of the Day: no quote, just a shoutout to my buddy Justin (Cornbread & Shiftin) for finishing the St. Jude’s marathon this past weekend with a time of 4:24:58. Not his goal of 3:30, but still awesome!

Week 7 (Thanksgiving)

Holiday weeks usually suck for training for me. This week was a little different. I got some good training in on Thanksgiving. It was the subsequent days that weren't very productive.

Monday
Workout 1: Masters Swim (50mins, 2150m=1.34mi)
Workout 2: Strength Training (40mins). I moved to a new phase of my strength training MT (Maximum Transition). The loads increase and the reps decrease. I'll do this for the rest of the month to get ready for the MS (Maximum Strength) Phase.

Tuesday
Workout 1: Prep Phase Run-S1. Interval run on the treadmill (2.44mi, 30mins). Felt strong on the run. The intervals went from jogging at 5pmh to running at 10mph. You know what...a 240lb dude's feet can make some noise pounding on a treadmill at 10mph.
Workout 2: Prep Phase Bike-E1. Easy endurance ride on the trainer (34.8mi, 80mins). There are several different trainers out there. The resistance is generated from wind, magnets, or fluids. Mine uses magnets. The range of resistance isn't that great, and the upper end isn't very rough. If I need to get a more intense endurance ride in, I'll probably try to elevate the front end of my bike to increase the difficulty (any suggestions?)

Wednesday
Workout 1: Masters Swim (50mins, 1200m plus about 8mins of steady kicking in the deep water). This was a big drill day. Some of the drills were new. Towards the end of the main set, my coach tapped me on the head and said that my swimming had gotten great...yeah me!
Workout 2: The SNC Gym was closed for renovations today. Not sure what they were doing, but it could only be an improvement.

Thursday (Thanksgiving)
Workout 1: Turkey Day 10k (Prep Phase E2 Run)...my buddy Jeff organized a fun run for this morning. There were 4 of us out there to brave the cold and the hills. Both of which were brutal. Jeff and I stuck to our race strategy of run 4:26 and then walk 1:00. We did the 6.2 miles in about 73 minutes. It was a great run and a great way to start off a day of eating way too much.
Workout 2: Prep Phase S1 Bike. Speed work on the trainer. SpinUps: Warm-Up; take a minute to get to max cadence; hold as long as you can; then recover for 1 minute...repeat. It was fun. I watched a video documenting the AU Tiger's 2004 Season. It definetly got me fired up for the Iron Bowl on Friday. (36mi, 30mins)

Friday
I didn't schedule a workout for today. It was a fun time down on the plains. I've missed tailgating this year. Hopefully next year, we can all get back in the mix on game days. The game was great except for the last 1:26. The better team did not win this game; Auburn kicked Bama's butt that entire game. Hats off to Bama for pulling it off. Go gators! I hate to say things are moral victories, but this was a game that our boys could walk away from with their head held high. It was awesome to watch. Not to mention I got about 3.5 hrs worth of plyometrics done while I was cheering. I've never jumped up and down so much.

Saturday & Sunday
These ended up being lazy days. I know...WWYDT...I rested.

So, out of a planned 12.5hr training week, I got in 9.63hrs (yes, I did count the AU game. I know that is stretching it, but I was pretty sore on Saturday). According to my plan, I should ramp up my training to Base 1 Phase starting 12/7. I've decided that I'm not going to advance my training phase until I do 3-4 solid 13.5hr training weeks. So if all goes according to plan, starting the week of 1/4, I will ramp up my training. That is the great thing about this book and the plan you make. You can always adjust it to go along with your progress (or lack there of).

Eric's Quote of the Day: "Sittin on G, waitin on O!"~AU Coach Trooper Taylor

Overall this was a fairly productive training week. I still need to do more. I did something everyday except Sunday. The weather, work, and Lucas got in the way of my biking on Tuesday and Sunday. Here we go…

Monday
Workout 1: Masters Swim (40mins; 1150m) It was OK for a Monday morning.
Workout 2: Strength Training Phase AA (50mins)

Tuesday
Workout 1: Prep Phase Run-S1: Interval runs. Felt really good (30mins, 2.3mi)
Workout 2: Should have been a bike, but work ran late, which put me later getting home, which kept me from riding so I could take care of Lucas.

Wednesday
Workout 1: Masters Swim (60mins; 1550m) I really need to focus on bilateral breathing and not kicking my legs so much; need to keep from bending knees so much on the kick
Workout 2: Strength Training Phase AA (50mins)

Thursday
Workout 1: Prep Phase Bike-S1: Spin Ups. I did these on the stationary bike at work. I didn’t feel as productive, but it was easier have all the data right there in front of you instead of having to push buttons through my bike cpu (30mins, 9miles)
Workout 2: Prep Phase Run-E1. The run felt great. It was a little cold and got dark quick. I need to think about getting one of those head lamps or a light that clips onto your hat. I think the cars had trouble seeing me. (70mins; 5.03mi)

Friday
Workout 1: Masters Swim (45mins; 1900m). John kicks your butt on these workouts so it was awesome. I'm hoping to stay for the entire time soon. I think they keep swimming until 7 or 730.

Saturday
Workout 1: Prep Phase Run-E2. Had a pretty good run. I really want/need to get a little faster. I used the fuel belt for the first time. It wasn’t too awkward, but I do need to be sure to rinse the soap out of the bottles better from now on (blahhhh). I kept a pretty good routine of running 5mins and walking 1. I finished at 9.97 miles (close enough to 10 in my book) in 2hrs10mins.
Workout 2: Should have been an easy ride to just practice on spinning. I really can remember why I didn’t do this.

Sunday
Workout 1 & Workout 2: Should have been a long endurance ride followed by a short run just to give my legs some practice at the transitioning. I got out to the industrial park around 1045 to start my ride. I got a few miles into it and was about to freeze to death. It’s one thing to be out in the cold, but when you start moving 15-20mph, it gets flippin cold. I cut it short at 10mins/3mi. I need to invest in some cold weather gear. Until then, I guess I’ll just stick to riding on the trainer (boooo).

So, it wasn't 13.5hrs, but it was more than usual…8.58hrs. Next week is Thanksgiving. It will probably be a shorter week of training. Not to mention that the Iron Bowl is Friday (lots of 12oz. curls). Yes, I will be there screaming my head off for our beloved Auburn Tigers to improve our bowl bid and ruin Bama’s chance of playing for a National Championship. War Eagle!!


Eric’s Quote of the Day: “Believe that you can run farther or faster. Believe that you’re young enough, old enough, strong enough, and so on to accomplish everything that you want to do. Don’t let worn out beliefs stop you from moving beyond yourself”
~John Bingham, “Tools and Rules,” Runners World