Training Log to Training Blog - Comfortable but not Easy

For some time I have kept a training log of all my workouts. I'd enter stuff like "Great run today!", or "Intervals suck!", or "Swimming in December is cold!". As my training progressed, I tried to be more descriptive than that, adding notes like "Drank all weekend, so Sunday long run hurt extra". Still not the most helpful, but I'm trying.

Now with TriAustin nearing release (it is, I promise), my lovely wife had a great idea. She saw me entering my latest entry this morning (that comes later) and pointed out that I should blog that and put it on the TriAustin site. Free content right?

So, here I am blogging about my training. I started this particular program last October/November-ish, so I won't be recreating all those notes. The summary is this: I'm attempting my first Olympic/Quarterman distance race in April at the Lonestar Triathlon in Galveston, TX. I've spent the winter months trying to build a solid base for the distance. So far so good, except that I've completely avoided strength training, which is horrible and something I've promised to change as soon as possible. Currently, I'm in the build phase, so I've started doing things like lactate intervals on the bike and run. They hurt, but make you faster, so yay.

Ok, so the post about training. I'll back up and talk briefly about Sunday's long run, Monday's swim with Amy's Triathlon Swimming group, and today's bike lactate intervals.

Sunday was a beautiful day. I tried really hard to maintain the "Comfortable, but not easy." pace that my current program dictates for the long runs. It went well, although after an hour of running, the notion of comfortable changes and easy kinda goes out the window. I think my pace stayed somewhere near the seven minute mile range (at least it was when I sampled near the mid-point of the run). This was somewhat worrisome because either (a) I'm doing the workout all wrong and going way to hard (pretty common for me, just ask my swim coach Amy) or (b) I'm just getting faster and seven minute miles are now comfortable, but not easy. Hopefully it's (b). Although, I do have a pain on the top of my left foot where the leg and foot meet, which might indicate I went too hard.

Monday's swim was great. Did about 1800 yards. The main set was something like three 200's, remember the last two times. Do some recovery stuff. Now do a 400 faster than the last two 200's combined. I did, finishing the 400 under my target of 7:17 at 7:08. That's about 1:47 per 100? Pretty good for me. That consistent 1:30 minute / 100 yard is still a pipe dream though. One can dream, can't they?

And now today. But first, yesterday. I bought a bicycle trainer off Craigslist. It's a Blackburn Magnetic something or other. Got a great deal thanks to Kelsey in North Austin. Thanks Kelsey! This morning I did my first ever indoor ride on a trainer. I wasn't too bad. It was nice not being in traffic. It was rainy so I didn't have to deal with possibly eating pavement everytime I turn a corner. I did a lactate threshold ride, 80 minutes total, with five three minute threshold intervals ( R.P.E 9) each followed immediately by three minutes of active recovery (R.P.E. 6-7). 

Intervals are hard but make you fast!

Wow. Longest post ever.