Weekly Wrap-up 033014

By the numbers:
Swim: 5h09m, 22,100y
Bike: 7h42m, 164mi
Run: 3h27m, 26.7mi
Strength: 1:00

Solid week.  I have a good plan for rehabbing my heel and I think it will work.  No morning running.  Ice after every run and eccentric heel drops 2x per day.  I think limiting my long rides will help as well and eliminating the easy rides.  It will be a long road to recovery, but it seem attainable now.  Warmer weather will help.

The 2-1/2 hour ride Sun. was a good solid ride.  I exceeded my target and it felt pretty good overall.  My legs fell flat the 2nd 1/2, but that was to be expected.  I'll try riding a more constant pace next week and see how that goes.  250W should be my target.

Swimming is making progress.  Well, it better be, I'd swimming a TON.  Time to HTFU and put in some solid hard swims.  Should be another hard week.

One final stat to consider.... my total mileage for March, matched what I rode in March, April & May last year!!!   Plus, on average, I'm riding harder too, and each ride is longer as well.

Weekly Wrap-up 03/23/14

By the numbers:

Swim: 5h05m, 21,900y
Bike: 3h28m, 75.4mi
Run: 5h05m, 15.05
Strength: 20m
Walk: 3.02mi
TOTAL: 12h03m

Run CTL: 31.4
Bike CTL: 64.7
Swim CTL: 41.5
CTL: 140.4, ATL: 134, TSB 0.6

This was a recovery week.  I took 5 days off cycling and completed a 10 day stretch without running.  I felt pretty rusty running, but my form started to come around by my "long" 4 mile run Sunday.   My achillies is still about 95%, but didn't get worse while running and cycling this week.  Cycling actually seem to aggravate it slightly more.

All the extra swimming is paying off. I've gotten my threshold pace down to 1:20 from 1:22 and I'm feeling a Lot faster swimming.   Like cycling and running, I think I'm at the fitness needed to hit my IMWI targets.   So now it's more a matter of staying healthy, and building a little more overall fitness so I can run strong after mile 10.

I broke the 300W FTP mark.  I rode 318 Watts for 20 minutes, or 302 Watts @ 95%.  I felt pretty solid with my legs well recovered.

I rode in my Epix Airflow suit on a short ride today.  Fit overall is very good and chamois is nicely shaped and well padded.  Just large enough for cycling.  We'll see what it's like to run in once it warms up.


Looking forward to some warmer weather and longer days.  I really enjoy those early morning rides and runs.

77 Days to Kansas 70.3 and just 5 weeks to Trizou.  Trizou could be interesting.  I'm cycling more than 2X as much last year...I was running more, and I'm swimming about 50% more.  I think shaving as much as 2 minutes off last years time is possible.  0:30 swim, 1:00 bike, 0:30 run.  That might not be enough to win, but it will at least be close until the run.

Final Trisuit Design

Order Confirmed.  Delivery date scheduled for April 18th.   I'm pretty happy with how it came out overall.   Hopefully the suit fits well and is comfortable. 

Weekly Wrap-up 03/15/14

The order for my trisuit has been placed.  We reached our goal of $2812 for LFA-Iowa Chapter.  Huge thanks to all the generous donors.

The numbers:
Swim: 20,650y, 4h54m
Bike: 254 mi, 12h24m
Run: 0.7, 0h5m
Walk: 1.8 mi, 0h34m
Strength: 0h45m
TOTAL: 18h42m
ATL: 160.8
CTL: 144.4 (run 33.5, bike 71, swim 37)
TSB: -25.5

Good News:
My 5 hour ride proved I can hit my target power numbers over the IM bike and still have descent legs.  Nutrition seemed fine.  Plenty of energy, hydrated just fine.  No GI issues, but I didn't try running.
My swim speed in finally improving.
My Achillies hasn't gotten worse
My upcoming swim focus should should help

Bad News:
My Achilles isn't better.  Riding bothers it almost as much as running.  I may need some cycling insoles or new shoes with stiffer soles.
I think Kansas has just become a "B" race...or at least a "A-" race.  I'll need to take another 4-7 days off, get my Achilles 100% and work my mileage back up slowly.

My goal will be to target a run CTL peak of 50 and 43 at race time.  I'll target 80 on the bike, 65, race time, and do it with only 2 more long rides, but otherwise no rides over 3 hours, but lots of shorter higher intensity rides 60-100 minutes.

Weekly Wrap-up 03/09/14

By the numbers:

Swim: 3h15m, 13,550y
Bike: 12h53m,267.5mi
Run: 3h37m, 30.2mi
Total: 19h45m
TSS: 1262
Bike TSS: 717
CTL: 141.6
ATL: 177.6
TSB: -26.6

Another solid week of cycling capped off with a 4 hour ride.  Achillies still isn't happy.  Butt I think it's the surrounding tissues is swollen, not the tendon itself.  Ice, AI's, Stretching and strength training exercises should clear it up in a few weeks I think.   In the mean time, I'm going to drop all faster running, hold around 30mpw until it improves, then increase to just 35mpw and slowly add in tempo & then threshold runs.   I'll keep mileage at that level until after Kansas, then slowly increase to 40mpw, then add in tempo runs.  Hopefully that all works out.

With less running planned the show must go on, so that's means more riding.  14h40m and 308 miles.  I have to read that a couple times myself.  My first 300 mile week coming up.  I'll probably only have one or two more of those all year.  At least warm weather is finally here.  I'm able to get in the long sessions outdoors.  The alternative is splitting up the rides into manageable 2- 2-1/2 hour chunks.


LFA Donations are at $2350!!!   Last day is tomorrow.  I have $200-600 out there, so I could make my goal.  But it will be close.  Then it's off to the printer for the final design.  Epix Gear has lived up to it's reputation and has been great to work with so far.  I'm looking forward to the final product.

Trisuit Design

I'm pretty excited.  I think it looks better than I originally envisioned when I started this.   I can't wait until Epix Gear does their final adjustments to it and adds their ideas.

Weekly Wrap-up 03/02/14

Base 3, Week 1 of 4 Complete.

The major focus this wee was my achillies tendinitis issues.  I stopped my Health Source to drop off a flyer and was talking to Dr. James.  I let him try some ART (Active Release Therapy) and I was surprised that is seemed to make a big difference.  Combined with taking 2 days completely off running  and it was feeling bout 95%. ... just in time for a visit to the Orthapedist... go figure.  Good news is X-rays are clean, and just some inflammation.  He gave me a few stretches to try and otherwise confirmed what I already thought.  He also strongly recommended orthotic inserts.   OR specifically, just a better quality insoles with better arch support than the basic insoles that come with the shoes.

My bike feels like it's coming along well.  I had 2 solid outdoor rides and then a longer, harder effort today.  The TSS score of almost 160, is just 10-20 short of the bike leg for a 70.3.  So my muscle fatigue resistance is coming along nicely.

This also wraps up Feb.  I did just a single ride outdoors in Feb, on the 28th.  Bike total 807mi.  I think that nearly matches what I rode in Jan - April combined last year.

Next week I'll start slowly bringing my running mileage back up and see how it responds.  The bike mileage will continue to increase.  I'll probably hold the swimming right around 14.5-16.5k yards.

Weekly Totals:

Swim: 3h34m, 15,650y

Bike: 12h02m, 255.1mi

Run: 1h59m, 16.2mi

TOTAL: 17h43m
TSS 1198
TSB: -22.9
ATL: 160.2
CTL: 134.2
Run CTL: 38.7
Bike CTL: 60.7

LFA- Iowa update.  Just 9 days left in getting donations in order to get on the back of the trisuit.  One major development. I spoke to the printer I was going to use and was disappointed with their options.  So I've decided to instead use Epix Gear.  I don;t like their suits as much, but I will be able to do most of the suit in in purple with unlimited full color logos at 1/4 the price of the other printer.  Overall i did see several favourable reviews about their suits.  I may also get a 2nd suit or even try a 2 piece.  It can be a back-up or I can use it in training as well.  I'm pretty excited about the options.  I'm going to send them what I have tomorrow and see what designs they put together... then just add the last remaining names and logos after the 12th.  

So just a reminder to any blog readers.... LAST CHANCE TO DONATE and get on the suit is coming up.  I am also looking at getting running shirts, T-shirts and maybe even a mix with Polo shirts printed as well.

Big thanks to all that donated so far!