week in training | 9.14 – 9.20

Finally made good on my vow to avoid a 50 mile running week by trading some of my road sessions for longer bike rides. I still hit a respectable number at 40 (ok, 39.4) and I noticed my vigor for running increased a bit from the previous weeks. Some people thrive off ridiculous mileage, but perhaps in my current seasons I’m just not there yet – and maybe I never will be, considering my love for all the tri sports and my refusal to give them up completely in favor of an all-running schedule.

I tried out a 10k pace interval workout today as something of an establishment. I wanted to see if racing in some regard is in my radar this year, from a personal mental standpoint and not a logistical one. Happily, I succeeded at the session and actually felt eager for the following week’s build!

(cover photo credit: Leo Briceno)

Monday, 9/14: 20 miles, 17 mph cycling (1:10:20) + 5.48 miles, 10:57 pace

Pittor destroyed my soul – well, my legs – in the early morning. I’ve been borrowing workouts from Triathlete Magazine and this one was powerful but brutal and left me gritting my teeth and whimpering at the end of each interval. I warmed up for 20 minutes with 3 x :90 builds, then performed the following 4x through: :10 maximal sprint (21+ mph), :20 submaximal sprint (20-20.5 mph), 4:00 threshold (17.5+ mph), :20 submax, :10 max, 5 min recovery.

My run was super slow due to the morning session and 90% humidity. It wasn’t too bad out except for the sloshy air but my legs did not want to move. This was day 9 in a row of running and I think a fair sign that tomorrow should be an off day from the streets.

Tuesday, 9/15: 45 minute strength + 25.04, 16.7 mph cycling (1:30:00)

As promised, I forewent running for a medium-length bike ride after work which felt nice on my sleepy legs. I threw a few relaxed climbs in – 1-2-3-2-1 miles – then alternated half mile at a tougher gear and half mile at my normal gear at reasonable efforts until I hit 25. I happily averaged a 137 bpm heart rate, which is lower than usual. Guess that means I’m improving still!

Strength: 5 rounds/10 reps of each

• Thrusters
• Warrior knee-up with row (per side)
• Side plank hip dip to pass-through
• (20) weighted toe tap crunches
• Lunge to bicep curl
• Pushup to plank knee-to-elbow
• TRX Pistol squat
• (20) shoot-throughs

Wednesday, 9/16: 50.05 miles, 16.5 mph cycling (3:01:20) + 3.41 miles, 10:15 pace

I originally intended to do a brick workout, but the length of my ride increased a bit more than I expected so I split them up with a few hours in between. The ride was awesome, even though the legs were stiff from gym on Monday. I warmed up for 10 miles, then hit 3 x 5 miles at tempo effort (17-17.1 mph averages) with 5 miles floating in between, then 10 miles steady to end the ride. I fueled before with a Clif Caramel Macchiato bar and Nuun Prime, and during with fig cookies and orange juice. I actually stopped at mile 40 to refill my bottle and run upstairs to grab my OJ. Tasted so good at the tail end of the workout.

The run would’ve been fine if not for some serious stomach distress. I guess I didn’t give my food enough time to digest so I was greeted with a big gas bubble under my sternum that didn’t let up for a couple hours and at points was rather crippling. I wanted 45 minutes but settled for 35 and walked home while chatting with my mom on the phone.

Thursday, 9/17: 8.46 miles, 9:27 pace + 16.43 miles, 16.4 mph cycling (1:00:00) + 3.33 miles, 10:31 pace

Still trying to keep a double run in my schedule despite cutting my mileage down. I penciled in a 10k-pace workout to start off this potential training cycle and it went a lot better than I thought it would, which gives me some optimism for being able to boost my fitness where I want it to be come February. The morning proved really hot at 81 degrees and 90% humidity, but a breeze that kept it from being near completely undoable. I warmed up for almost 2 miles around a 10:xx pace, then performed 16 x 400m aiming for 7:55-8:00 paces. I hit my splits in all but three, which clocked at 8:12 (the first one, I always forgive myself for rep #1 especially after cycling 3 hours yesterday), 8:03, and 8:02. I hammered the final interval at a 7:44 pace. Cooldown took me to 80 minutes and I was happy that every interval felt tough but manageable.

Nothing special about the ride or run #2. The weather was crap after work so I took a 35 minute easy trot to the treadmill.

Friday, 9/18: 45 minute strength + 25 miles, 16.8 mph cycling (1:29:35)

Work really roughed me up in the morning and my bike ride likewise suffered. The act of standing for almost six hours and moving about intensely probably dehydrates me and tightens my muscles and just overall fatigues my body. My splits weren’t too bad but my rhythm felt totally off and I essentially mashed the pedals to get them to turn, which is not exactly quality bike form. I warmed up for 20 minutes, then hit 4 x (2 min 7/10 RPE, 1 min 8/10 RPE, 2 min 7/10, 1 min 8/10, 2 min 7/10, 4 min recovery) before a cooldown to 25 miles. My 2 minute splits ranged from 17.2-17.4 and my 1 minute splits from 17.8-18, though I did hit mid-high 18s. Not exactly what I hoped for, as I wanted my 2 minute splits closer to 17.5, but it is what it is.

Strength: 4 rounds, 12 reps each

• Chair press-outs with march
• Explosive single-leg jumps
• Goblet squat front raise
• Plank jack to cross mountain climber
• Triceps extension/marching triceps dip
• Reverse fly
• Explosive weighted jump squats
• (4 x 20) stability ball deadbugs
• (3 x 12) biceps curls

Saturday, 9/19: 14.08 miles, 9:56 pace + ~1,825 yard open water swim (39:53)

Turned the long run into a workout this morning and my legs responded much better than they do during strictly easy efforts. Slightly nicer morning at only a 73 dew point, though still sweaty. I ran 5 miles as a warmup, stopping to fuel with a blueberry fig bar, then did 30 minutes at descending tempo effort which gave me roughly 3.5 miles: 8:52, 8:47, 8:28, and a final ~.5 miles at 8:22 pace. Ran the remaining time easy until I hit 140 minutes and my heart rate monitor decided to crap out and stop picking up my HR. Whatever.

Relaxed open water swim followed. The water was blue and cool and I’m continually loving our weekends immersed in nature’s saline pool. No dolphins or jellyfish today, just some wave navigation, and afterwards we stopped by a nearby park to snack on pumpkin bread to refuel.

Sunday, 9/20: 17 miles, 16.9 mph cycling (1:00:31) + 4.64 miles, 10:47 pace

Pittor Power Hour and an afternoon easy run under an overcast dome. Legs were pretty stumpy during the first mile but loosened up pleasantly and I actually managed negative splits – usually it’s the opposite during these midday runs! Pittor workout was less of a bomb to the system than I sometimes do but involved some steep, snappy climbs. 15 minute warmup, 5 minute 6/10 effort climb, 10 minute tempo (17.3 mph), 3 minute 6/10 climb, 1 minute recovery, 3 minute 6/10 climb, 1 minute recovery, 3 minute 7/10 climb, 1 minute recovery, 10 minute tempo (17.2 mph), cooldown to one hour and change because I was so close to 17 miles the difference made me twitch.

Total running mileage: 39.4

Total cycling mileage: 153.5

Total swimming yardage: 1,825