week in training | 6.14 – 6.20
True steamer this week on many mornings. Embarked on my first treadmill run to avoid lightning and plodded through my first 80 degree 5am sessions. Survived okay, but can’t say it pleased me overmuch.
My inner knees (the knubby little parts) have felt sensitive on some runs. I’m hoping the discomfort was catalyzed by my old Adidas Bostons, which I since retired, as the sensations have receded a bit since switching to a fresh pair of New Balance Tempos. Sunday, I started rubbing some CBD cream we own on the areas and am hopeful any inflammation that surfaced might calm down with continued use of the balm.
Otherwise, a snazzy week of 58 miles and some good swims to boot! I’m loving my swim crosstraining days and have actually noticed some progress in my pacing despite my not really trying to get better. I usually consider my form more than anything in the water and try to consciously correct movements which have clearly gone awry, but the sub-1:50 100 yard sets in Thursdays workouts are quite a pleasant surprise for me. Not competitive status, but pretty awesome for someone whos only been in the water with mediocre consistency for a year.
Monday, 6.14: 7.42 miles, 10:47 pace + 1,700 yard swim (36:35)
Easy miles at 156 bpm, about 80 degrees at 5 am. Ridiculous. After a short work shift I hit the pool for a workout: 500 warmup, 2 x 250, 2 x 200, 2 x (4 x 25) with 50 easy in between, 50 cooldown. 1:58 average and a 42 SWOLF. Really enjoyed the sprints and overall the workout felt pretty good!
Tuesday, 6.15: 9.3 miles, 10:45 pace + 1,600 yard swim (34:06)
Thunderstorms early forced me indoors, and this run was wholly unpleasant. Our brilliant office staff keeps the AC at 78 and the result was a sauna-like torture chamber with no air circulation. I kept the incline at 0-0.5 and the speed from 5.5-5.7 mph, which was manageable, but the final half I definitely felt the heat and sent the office an angry email after begging them to turn down the system.
The pool was pretty warm as well but the swim felt relaxing after a long work shift. 400 warmup, 2 x (4 x 50 hard/50 easy) with 200 easy in between sets, 200 cooldown. 1:58 average (again! I seem to hang around that overall pace a lot) and a 42 SWOLF. Great way to transition from work to home.
Wednesday, 6.16: 15.3 miles, 10:12 pace + 15 min strength + 1,500 yard swim (32:42)
My legs were pretty stiff in the morning but came to attention, thankfully, when I started. Another long run workout wedged in the middle of the session, a good time-breaker-upper and overall pretty pleasing from a splits standpoint. 70 min run/walk warmup, 35 minutes steady state – 9:14, 9:00, 8:58 for the mile splits and 8:53 for the final .88 miles, straight into 4 x 50m sprints, 45 or so minute run/walk to finish. By the time the work portion completed the sun gathered over the horizon and cardiac drift was very real, so the final segment wasn’t exactly pleasant.
I rounded out the morning with a quick strength session: 3 x 10 Arnold press, 3 x 10 rows, 3 x 15 swings, and 3 x 10 ea. side lunges.
Swim was relaxed, slow, and refreshing. 1,200 yards straight and 4 x 25 yard sprints, 2:05 average and a 44 SWOLF. Felt pretty even-keeled and unforced which was exactly what I wanted.
Thursday, 6.17: 26.5 miles, 22.7 mph cycling (1:10:00) + 1,200 yard swim (24:50)
Decent little ride while listening to a replay of the Rays game. I warmed up for 15 minutes, then spun steady for 35 minutes at 135-140 W and finished with 5 x :15 standing sprints. Average 130W. The bulk of the session wasn’t hard by any means, and wasn’t meant to be, but I wanted to get my legs used to that range of wattage again perhaps in the hope of maintaining it more smoothly in the future.
The pool was absolutely chaotic after work. The bulk of the lifeguards I knew turned over and a new crop of students mans the pool at present, and it seems they aren’t sure what boundaries to set regarding children in the lap lanes. The head guard was there but had his eyes elsewhere, so for a few I stared at a pair of kids fooling around in the lap swim lane before another guy showed up and booted them over. He ended up dealing with them in a separate lane when he moved over. Poor guy. Wouldn’t have minded if he wanted to join me again. Nonetheless, I had an excellent brief session of 8 x 100 efforts, all but three at 1:48-1:49! That’s a first. 40 SWOLF and a 152 average for the swim.
Friday, 6.18: 6.51 miles, 10:54 pace + 4.78 miles, 10:27 pace
Split run to inch closer to my goal mileage for the week. Both felt pretty good overall, the first was slow but it wasn’t quite as humid out and I averaged 154 bpm. The second I performed smack in the middle of the day under heavy cloudcover and chose a 4/1 run to walk ratio, average 159 bpm.
Saturday, 6.19: 9.56 miles, 9:56 pace + 45 min strength
Not sure how I feel about today’s session. It wasn’t too horrible out what with a good breeze along the bay, and I didn’t feel blown by the intervals, but I also think I could’ve performed better overall. 3 mile warmup, 6 x 400 – 1:49, 1:50, 1:49, 1:53, 1:52, 1:50, with 90 second recoveries; 2 minute jog; 4 x 200 at :50, :49, :51, :49, 1 minute recovery; 3 mile cooldown.
Strength:
- 5 x 5 deadlift
- 3 x 10 ea. elevated glute bridge
- 3 x 8 weighted jump squat
- 3 x 10 stability ball bench press
- 3 x 10 swing
- 3 x 10 alt. lateral hops with extension
- 3 x 15 hollow rocks
- 3 x 15 ea. hip dips
- 3 x 20 weighted alt. jackknife
- 3 x 16 alt. sit squat
Sunday, 6.20: 5.73 miles, 11:22 pace
Wonderful recovery miles at 148 bpm average. I felt relaxed and happy to get my legs turning and they actually felt much better after I finished. Stopped early and strolled the rest of the way home, followed by a relaxing 15 minute yoga session and a blueberry waffle breakfast.
Later in the morning I swam a bit in our apartment pool, slowly, and not really keeping count of laps. Maybe went 30 minutes? Not sure, but it was lovely to be out on the deck without anyone else around and full cloud cover.
Total running mileage: 58.6
Total swimming yardage: 6,000
Total cycling mileage: 26.5
