Half-Ironman Training - Week 4

Weekly Training

• Swim: 3100 meters (3000 meters planned)
• Bike: 70.24 miles (70 miles planned)
• Run: 11.90 miles / 1:54 hours (2:00 hours planned)
• Weights: 0 
• Volleyball: We won the match! 
• Overall: 84 miles in 7:18 hours

4 weeks down and 14 to go! 

Recovery week!  Only logged 84 miles this week and I tried to get 8 hours of sleep every night.  I was successfully 3 times.  I tried to get a couple naps in Saturday (not too successful) and will plan on one today.  Sleeping was hampered by the hot temps. We hit 100 degrees every day this week and so I left the alarm to go off at 4am.

Update on Garmin Issue

I think I figured out my issues with my Garmin devices losing distance/speed while on a ride.  On Saturday's 30 minute ride this happened on me while on a long downhill.  This means I was in the aero position which puts my physical body over the Edge 800, likely reducing its ability to "see" the satellites.  With reduced visibility it switched to the speed/cadence sensor.  I've noticed that the speed/cadence sensor hasn't been working correctly in not picking up the wheel magnet; therefore, not recording speed. I don't know if it is broken or the battery is on its way out.

Considering the speed I'm traveling, I think the Edge 800 has trouble reacquiring satellites.  I turned off the the speed/cadence sensor and it started working.  So I'm going replace the battery and, if that doesn't help, I'll replace the speed/cadence sensor. 

Now, I started having a second issue though.  On this mornings run, I hit "start" on the 310xt and it didn't do anything.  The display was stuck and I couldn't turn it off.  So that's interesting....

Other Things
Went to the doctor this week and got the thumbs up on another year of living.  Last year he was concerned about high blood pressure but this year he said it was fine. Sweet!

Upcoming

I've been wanting to get back to the weight room, at least for some core workouts.  Week 5 is when I had planned to do that.  We'll see if that happens.

I've been looking at buying another tri top and tri shorts to have on hand.  I've been using Pearl Izumi but think I'm going to give Orca or Zoot a try.  Orca has a line that is longer in the torso, which is what I need.  The Zoot's that I tried yesterday had good length, so I may give them a shot.  

Half-Ironman Training - Week 3

This week added more base miles to the training plan and I hit a new record, 3 digits.  Now I'm not talking the outside temps but rather 100 miles.  I'm cruising past the miles that gave me overtraining concerns back in March, so I must be doing things "right" this time.

Since this week was crazy busy, I got up at 4:00am each day to get my training in.  Not only did this help complete the training goals, it helped me finish my training before the heat of the day.  On Thursday I skipped volleyball to meet up with Ashley at Shawnee Mission Park where they organized open water swims.  I had a great time and plan to take advantage of this as much as possible.  I wish more lakes did this around here, and maybe they do.  With the nasty heat lately, the water was extremely warm.  I felt like I could cook pasta out there.

Saturday was a great training day as Joe VI and I headed out to The Legends and kicked off a long bike session.  We took off on State Avenue and road for 50 - 55 minutes and turned around.  I was trying to get in 35 miles so I went ahead a bit longer than Joe.  The weather started in the low 80's and finished in the 90's.  The was a nice breeze though and kept me cool enough

Sunday was a 60 minute long run and I slept a few hours past when I was hoping to get in the run.  I slept in a bit to get in more sleep.  The 35 miles on Saturday really wore me down.   Nothing very interesting on the run except that I almost ran into a car.  A brand new red Ford Explorer wasn't paying much attention pulling out of a church and I almost made a dent into the fancy new passenger side front door.  I could have smacked the car with my hand and/or yelled at the driver but just kept going.  I'll forgive the sinners. 

Weekly Training

• Swim: 3375 meters (3500 meters planned - OWS was shorter than expected)
• Bike: 82.29 miles (80 miles planned)
• Run: 15.59 miles / 2:31 hours (2:25 hours planned)
• Weights: 0 
• Volleyball: Skipped but I heard we want the match!  Go Team Far From Spiken
• Overall: 100 miles in 8:34 hours

3 weeks down and 18 to go! 

Upcoming

Week 4 is a recovery week for me.  Not as busy as last week but I am planning another OWS at Shawnee Mission Park, so feel free to come out and join in the fun.  I am planning to do a bike ride after if the temps aren't too bad.  Getting that annual physical on Wednesday, so hopefully the doc will approve with all my training.

Half-Ironman Training - Week 2

This week was going to be another big week and it was great to have Monday off to celebrate the Fourth of July by doing a Swim/Bike brick.

I finalized the travel, hotel, and registration plans for the Rock'n'Roll Las Vegas Marathon.  This is going to be extremely fun as we are meeting up with Rebecca and Jake for the race.  Rebecca is running the half-marathon.  I'm hesitant that I'll be able to ramp up my base to do a 26.2 after my Half Ironman but we'll see.  If I decide to knock it down to a half, I'm only out $15.

The week ended with triathlon #4 with Shawnee Mission Triathlon Long Course.  I'm working on the race report but to give some initial thoughts:

• Hot
• Humid
• Hot
• Finished 76 overall and 13th in my Age Group with a 2:01:21 (official) time.  I have very mixed thoughts about that.
• Hot

Weekly Training

• Swim: 4250 meters (3250 meters planned)
• Bike: 78.11 miles (70 miles planned -- commuting to work on Wednesday made up for the fewer miles on the weekend)
• Run: 13.59 miles / 2:02 hours (2:15 hours planned)
• Weights: 0 
• Volleyball: Lost all three games.  Need to start stepping up our game or hydrate less with beer.
• Overall: 93.7 miles in 8:40 hours

I dropped my training plans for Saturday and Sunday due to the triathlon on Sunday.  I knew I wouldn't be getting in my full scheduled training for those days but I also was planning to push a little harder on Sunday, so that made up for the lost training... at least in my mind.

Upcoming
One more week of base building and then a recovery week.  This week is going to be trying my training moxy as we are extremely busy this week.  I have a KC Stage staff meeting tonight so I got my training in this morning.  I just left my alarm set at 4:00am as it was yesterday for the race, so I was able to get in my 45 minute run and 1000 meter swim.  Tomorrow I will be working late but I will be going in later as well, so I plan to get both my swim/ride in tomorrow morning.  Wednesday Tricia is working late so I should just have to fight the temps to get in my bike ride.

Normally I move Thursday's run to Wednesday because of volleyball on Thursday; however, I'm skipping out to meet up with Ashley (who paced me during the KC Marathon last October) at Shawnee Mission Park to do a swim/ride brick session.  Time will be TIGHT since swim doesn't open until 6 and I am going to a Harry Potter double header that night.  As I mentioned above, I normally do a run on Thursday, so I might do that in the morning with the added training in the evening.

I'm debating about asking the boss for Friday off because there is so much stuff I've been putting off due to how busy things have been the last few weeks -- on top of all the training.  With any luck I will mow the yard after the meeting tonight.

Half-Ironman Training Day 1: Four "Showers" In 30 Minutes

Rain gauges love it this time of year.  They get so much attention and last night didn't disappoint.  A couple storms flew through and one hit right about the time I went to the gym.  Determined to start my Half-Ironman Training (HIM) training, I hoped in the truck and drove to the gym.  Normally I park pretty far from the entrance but today I parked as close as I could but I still managed get drenched, including my work shirt.  Not a big deal as it would have plenty of time to dry off while I swam.

I then noticed another issue.  Most of the lights in the gym were off.  People were still in the vestibule waiting for the doors to be unlocked but the pool lights were definitely off.  Kent, the cheery eyed front desk clerk, informed us that the pool was closed due to no lights.  Crap.  I was standing there in my jammers with few other workout options. I quickly did a mental "audible" and decided to get to work early so I could leave early and do my swim after work. I would then follow it up with my bike ride.  Sweet... I'm getting my first brick session in on day 1!

I hopped in the shower and as I got out, I noticed another guy in his jammers heading to the pool.  He told me that the lights are on.  Sweet!  I can get my swim in. Crap!  My towel is wet from my shower!  Eh, I can deal.  I did my "quick" 1000 meters and then back to the showers.

While it was annoying that my plan was adjusted a minuscule amount, I got it in.  I'm so glad I have a plan now after the first 6 months of just floating between swim, bike, run.  I'm sure that I would have just skipped the workout altogether had no plan existed.

So let's recap:

Shower #1: Running from car to gym
Shower #2: First Shower in the locker room
Shower #3: 1000 meter swim
Shower #4: Second Shower in the locker room

In roughly 30 minutes.  Go me.

Schedule Change
I have officially added the Kansas City Half-Marathon in October to my race schedule.  I plan to run the half where last year I ran the full.  I'm hoping to do a large brick session with this race in preparation to Beach2Battleship two weeks later.

I also have officially added The North Face Endurance Challenge (well, it's been on my list for nearly a month) but I have finally registered. This time we are doing it as a team but more on that in a few days.