week in training | 6.28 – 7.4

Almost 51 miles for a down week in training after hitting 60 last week. I welcomed the cut and felt pretty good overall, even during my long run during which I plugged a brief workout. I also managed to throw in 5 swims! My swimming is really improving with the reduced volume – I’m trying to put more focus into my workouts rather than piling on yardage, and my technique seems to be responding to the new stimuli.

This week we’ve a Tropical Storm approaching so I’m not quite sure how my workouts will play out: Tuesday and Wednesday may be compromised depending on conditions. Knowing me, I’ll wedge in something during quieter hours or as early/late as I can. Obviously, safety comes first, and we’re well prepared in most regards (lots of Blue Moon beer stocked up) and I always have Pittor to ride if running is impractical for a couple days.

Monday, 6.28: 10.11 miles, 10:53 pace + 50 min strength + 1,700 yard swim (35:23)

10 miles is a bit of a deadzone for me mentally. I find that my mind gets really bored and annoyed from miles 9-12 or any longer run, and after that point I hit another wind and manage to reengage. I guess, then, it’s good mind training to do so many 10 milers in my marathon plan. I averaged 157 bpm which is quite typical.

The swim set went well particularly because the pool was dead and there wasn’t a kids camp running, which meant the environment was far quieter and less chaotic. I warmed up for 600 yards, then swam 4 x 75, 4 x 50, and 4 x 25 with 10 seconds of rest between, and finished with a 500 cooldown. 1:56 average and 41 SWOLF.

Strength:

• 1 x 8 + 3 x 5 barbell clean and press
• 4 x 6 ea single leg deadlift
• 3 x 10 ea single leg overhead press
• 3 x 10 bent arm side raise
• 3 x 5 ea tick tock lunge
• 3 x 10 ea kneeling woodchops
• 3 x 10 ea single leg jump
• 3 x 10 ea windmills
• 3 x 10 ea banded standing hydrants
• 3 x 20 banded birddog

Tuesday, 6/29: 6.01 miles, 10:52 pace + 1,600 yard swim (32:42)

My running cadence has been abnormally low lately, more around 176-177 than my usual 180. I don’t really know what I could attribute it to…Mental laziness? The humidity? This run went alright and there were a lot of chatty people out at 4am.

Swim after work consisted of a 1,000 yard set (19:51), 6 x 50 alternating pull and free, 300 yards to finish. Averaged my usual 1:58/100 yards and 42 SWOLF. I shared a lane with a lady who was practically sidestroke and I kept hitting her foot despite being pretty much pinned to the barrier. This is exactly why I never backstroke or kick when sharing a lane – I can’t trust my ability to go straight outside of freestyle and breast stroke!

Wednesday, 6.30: 8.48 miles, 10:02 pace + 45 min strength + 1,450 yard swim (29:58)

Speedwork Wednesday went far better than I thought it would. I’m not as motivated to get out and go hard lately, probably in part due to heat and in part because I’m so used to those long aerobic efforts now, but my legs were readier than my brain and showed up for this session. 3 mile warmup, 4 x 300 – 1:19, 1:14, 1:14, 1:14, 4 x 200 – 48, 47, 49, 47, 4 x 100 – 22, 22, 21, 23, 3 mile cooldown. Most of my recoveries were walking to get my heartrate to come down. This was also the first time I’ve seen an average of 5:xx in any split! Super pumped about my progress on that front.

Swim was a relaxed 400-300-200-100 ladder with 6 x 25 sprints. 41 SWOLF and 1:55 average for the session.

Strength:

• 3 x 10 full squat (ass to grass, what I like to say)
• 3 x 10 alt reverse lunge
• 3 x 8 ea. dumbbell clean and press
• 3 x 10 front raise
• 3 x 10 ea. renegade row
• 3 x 10 alt. pistol squat
• 3 x 10 boat triceps extension
• 3 x 10 band standing clamshells
• 3 x 20 band deadbugs
• :45 R plank, :45 L plank

Thursday, 7.1: 26.34 miles, 22.6 mph cycling (1:10:00) + 1,500 yard swim (30:44)

Loved this ride! I covered the power readings as best I could with my arm as I rode so I wouldn’t get annoyed, and just sort of did what I pleased. My power averaged 129, which is pretty standard for a derp ride, and everything felt great! I switched gears and briefly stood every so often to mix things up, but no set intervals in my program.

Swim was very irritating, on the other hand. I squeezed everything in before the storms hit but fought with some obstacles along the way. A couple kids decided it was a great idea to swim right underneath me while crossing lanes, so I stopped midlap to yell at them. Then, the guy in the lane next to me hovered super close to the barrier and flapped his arms to and fro, managing to hit me several times! Some people have no gauge on etiquette. Thus, I was pretty stressed out while I stroked but got in 6 x 200 free/50 pull and averaged 1:57 and a 42 SWOLF.

Friday, 7.2: 6 miles, 10:18 pace + 1,350 yard swim (27:26)

Not sure why I sped up so much during this run, but despite the stillness and a slightly higher heart rate my legs were itching to turn over more quickly. I decided to just go with it. After all, speaking aloud was no issue (talk test is how I sometimes gauge my effort if I’m not really sure if I’m deluding myself or a run is truly feeling easy) so a bit higher bpm isn’t going to destroy me.

Final swim of the week after work and before a bevy of storms. 400 warmup, 4 x 50 – all 52, 2 x 100 – 1:48, 1:47, 4 x 50 – all 51, 4 x 25 – 23, 24, 23, 24, 150 cooldown. 1:49 average and a 39 SWOLF – new bests!

Saturday, 7.3: 15.14 miles, 10:14 pace

20 minute marathon effort and 8 x 100 in horrible conditions but watching a glorious sunrise and some flashes of lightning in the distance. Thankfully the storms edged away during my run, though J got dumped on later during his (much to his joy!) Marathon pace portion clocked at 9:00, 8:52, and 8:40 for the last bit and the 100s between 23 and 27 seconds. Lots of good-natured folk out and about which really boosted me. Straight after I did 20 minutes of core/hip work though I don’t actually remember what I did so I can’t copy it here.

Sunday, 7.4: 5.21 miles, 11:32 pace

Three cheers for Slow Run Sunday! My favorite weekly session. 145 bpm average, very hot and sticky out, but nonetheless nice to just piddle about in my New Balance tennies.

Total running mileage: 50.9 miles

Total cycling mileage: 26.3 miles

Total swimming yardage: 7,600 yards