training round-up, week ending 03-17-07

well, it appears i'm back. i actually managed to get through a week of heavy mileage without too much trouble.

i'd committed myself to hitting 2 major breakthrough workouts this week: a run of 150 minutes (yeah, i know, a little short, but i've come to the belief that those long 3-hour runs just take so much recovery time that you lose whatever conditioning benefits you get from them) and a bike workout for sustained wattage of 160-170 watts, which courtesy of limited time, got pushed once again to the stationary bike for a total cycling ride of 245 minutes (i know, i know, i'm praying the conversion formula of stationary bike time to road bike time of 1:1.5 is true). i managed to make it through both in their entirety feeling good.

thank god. i was starting to get worried. the previous 2 weeks had been major disappointments in terms of following the training schedule, and i was pretty much running out of space for a last build phase--and a crucial one, at that--before tapering into Ironman. i was seriously starting to wonder if i, despite all my care and efforts this year, was in the overtraining valley once again.

while i know i'd committed to devoting more attention to recovery during training for this year's Ironman, i still had some doubts, particularly in terms of getting in at least some race-distance mileage. i just didn't feel (and in some ways still am not sure i feel) entirely confident with the quantity of mileage i've gotten in this year, particularly long mileage. i honestly don't feel i've really done an adequate number of long workouts to this date.

but last year it had been clear i'd overtrained for IMAZ by a lot, particularly after conversations with coaches and friends. last year my workouts had been too long, the mileage too heavy, and the recovery too meager, especially considering my relative lack of experience at the distance (it had been my first). this year, i'd taken people's advice and limited the long workouts, restricted the mileage, and upped the recovery into more disciplined, purpose-driven packets connected together in series of build and rest weeks...and i'd promised myself to listen to my body, and if i genuinely felt fatigued (as opposed to just lazy), i'd give my body more time to recuperate.

my coaches and friends had also advised me to ignore target times for now. given that it was only my second Ironman, they suggested i focus more on just enjoying the experience and concentrating on holding form and focus during the race. race-day Ironman performance, they tell me, is something that improves with time, and doesn't happen at the first Ironman for everyone but rather takes several Ironmans to really come together--the body just needs the experience to adjust and grow.

so that's what i'm doing.

but still, it is a relief that i was able to get through a scheduled heavy week and actually finish it feeling strong (as opposed to the previous 2 weeks...or even last year, when i staggered through the mileage and finished weeks like this near catatonic). let's just say i don't feel as neurotic as i did before.

now, keeping with the plan, i have to ignore the obsessive-compulsive urge to train even harder, and bear down and exercise some self-discipline and give myself the long taper into IMAZ. i have one more break-through workout scheduled (a 3-mile ocean swim), but everything else is reduced mileage and recovery.

sunday, mar. 11

rest day

monday, mar. 12

morning

• trail run (weekly long run), 150 minutes (approx. 15 miles), aerobic & anaerobic conditioning (zone 3 & zone 4), rose bowl arroyo trail, start time 8:30am

evening

• weight training (chest & abs), 45 minutes, home, start time 6:30pm

tuesday, mar. 13

rest day

wednesday, mar. 14

morning

• swim (maintenance & pull), 3000 meters, aerobic & anaerobic conditioning (zone 3), mcdonald's swim stadium, start time 11am
• weight training (chest, upper back, abs), 60 minutes, immediately following

evening

• kung fu (active rest), 45 minutes, rose bowl park, start time 5:30pm

thursday, mar. 15

evening

• kung fu (active rest), 60 minutes, rose bowl park, start time 4pm

friday, mar. 16

morning

• brick: stationary bike (muscular endurance) + run (easy), 245 minutes bike + 20 minutes run, aerobic & anaerobic conditioning conditioning (zone 3 & zone 4), lyons center, start time 7am

evening

• weight training (abs), 30 minutes, immediately following

saturday, mar. 17

morning

• kung fu (active rest), casuda canyon park, start time 10:30 am