This was the first time back in the pool since May 24th. I could definitely tell that it had been nine days as I felt sluggish during the 1st 2000 yards. I guess I could also chalk this up to just warming up too, but I’m usually good to go way before 2000 yards. This day has been slotted for my long swims (which have been hovering around 5000 – 5600 yards recently), but after 4000, I felt that I would close out with some sprints and a warm down. Net result was a 4500 yard workout. Even though the first 2K was sluggish, the main sets felt pretty good and I was satisfied with the workout when I was done. I was holding 29 and 30 seconds for those last 50’s.
Warm Up – 1000 swim (slow pace increasing to moderate)
2X – 400, 300, 200, 100 swim (:30 RI)
1000 pull (moderate pace)
4X50 fast (:15 RI)
Warm Down – 300 easy swim
RI = Rest Interval = Rest between each swim or repetition. In the examples above, I rested 30 seconds between the 400, the 300, 200, and 100. I rested 15 seconds between each 50.
Wednesday, June 2nd
Today was scheduled as a split day. Moderate ride in the AM and speed run in the PM. I was rolling @ 5AM and put in almost 41 miles. I think I was on the road for about 2 hours and 30 minutes. That comes out to around a 16 – 16.5 mph average. This ride is a very common route that I take in the mornings and has some decent uphill grades. I wouldn’t call it climbing, but it is an uphill ride to get to “2 mile hill” and then about another 2 miles uphill before coming home. Overall, I felt pretty good and was satisfied with the ride/results.
I’ve attended about 4 or 5 speed workouts, and during 2-3 of them, I get a real bad stitch just below my right rib cage. After doing some internet searching, it seems as though this is a common “cramp” that is also known as “Exercise Related Transient Abdominal Pain” (ETAP). It’s caused by stretching ligaments that extend from the diaphragm to the internal organs, particularly the liver. The jarring motion of running while breathing in and out stretches these ligaments. I also found that most people exhale as the left foot hits the ground, but some people exhale when the right foot hits the ground and it is this group that is more prone to ETAP. Guess which foot I exhale on? Exhaling when the right foot hits the ground causes greater force on the liver. So, just as the liver is dropping down, the diaphragm raises for the exhalation. It is believed this repeated stretching leads to spasms. The workout was scheduled from 6:30 – 7:30, but I had to start a bit early, so I was out there at 6. The perimeter of the two soccer fields we run around is about 0.3 miles. After some stretching, I walked one lap, and then jogged one before starting the workout. I would go at 80% for a full lap and would then jog a ½ lap to recover. I did 8 full speed laps. After learning what I did, about ETAP, I made a concentrated effort to exhale when my left foot hit the ground and didn’t have a problem. I felt the onset, but nothing really set in. This was also the first time I ran in my new shoes. They are the exact same as my existing pair, but the existing ones have 275 miles on them. They are now my “back-ups.” Overall, I was mildly satisfied with my speed work. I felt that I should have been able to go a bit faster and shouldn’t have been as fatigued.
Thursday, June 3rd
For the 1st time, since February, I decided to head up to Anthem for one of my favorite weekly rides, the Jim Stenholm Crit. It’s a 1 hour circuit type ride that is race pace and includes a nice uphill sprint. The ride is scheduled to start at 7PM and goes for 1 hour. I was able to head up there around 6:30 and got in a 10 mile warm-up. Since the bike of choice, for this ride, is a road bike, I really didn’t feel comfortable getting in the pace line with my tri bike. As a result, I tried to stay up front and provide as much pull as I could. The circuit is about 4 miles and the 1st half is downhill, so staying up front wasn’t a problem, but the backside is uphill and is where I would get passed. I’d just give as much room as possible and then grab the last wheel to the sprint finish. Great group (about 20), great competition, and a great training event. Overall, I was very satisfied with this ride and put in about 28 miles.
Friday, June 4th
Another split day scheduled with a moderate run in the AM and a speed swim in the PM. The morning started out with a nice low tempo 6 mile trail run with James. There’s something about a trail run that makes me enjoy running a bit more. It seems that every time we get out on the trails, we encounter something different. In the past, we’ve had a Gila monster hiss at us, a bobcat cross our path, and a 6’ rattlesnake make us stop until he decided to move off the path. This time, it was a dead cow. Overall, the run felt good, not too fast, and not too slow. Concentrating on the terrain also helps pass the time. One misstep and it could mean a twisted ankle on that rut you didn’t see. It could also mean finding a Cholla burr attaching itself to your calf. Good times.
For my speed swim, I decided to crack open the Swim Workouts for Triathletes book and take “Test 1.” Essentially, I want to find my “T1” pace for a 100 yard distance. The test calls for 3 x 300 with 30 seconds rest between each one. The goal is to swim each 300 at the highest average speed possible. The results are most accurate when the total time, for each 300, is within 15 seconds of each other. I need to get the average for all 3 300’s and then divide that by 3. This pace is used to approximate my lactate threshold pace and will be used to base workouts until my next test (in about a month). Anyway, here are my results:
1st 300 = 3:40
2nd 300 = 3:45
3rd 300 = 3:45
3:43 average
3:43 / 3 = 1:14 average per 100 yards.
Saturday, June 5th
Ah yes, my favorite workout day, the long bike ride. James and I mapped out a nice 80 mile loop that we’ve done in the past. Overall, it’s a great ride, but once we are out on Lake Pleasant Highway, things get a bit sketchy. There is no bike lane, there is lake traffic, and the asphalt is littered with debris. This is always my least favorite part of this particular route. We end up making our way into Anthem and over to the Daisy Mountain fire station to refill our water bottles. Total oz of liquid, consumed by me, was in the area of 100oz today. As we start heading home, we realize that we are going to come up short of 80 miles and decide to settle on 70. Overall, I felt that it was a good ride that included plenty of intensity when needed. I think it took us about 4 hours, which equates to about 17.5 mph (including bathroom breaks, a flat tire, and the stop at the fire station)
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