11/9/09 -- 11/15/09

Almost there. I'm just hoping I race up to my ability on Saturday. I don't care if I finish last, I just want to race where my current fitness puts me, dig down, hurt, and win all the small battles as they present themselves on race day. It would be dumb of me to assume everything will go smoothly, I just want to have the strength to overcome when things start getting tough.

Mon: {2200}+(0)+0 -- {45:00}+(0)+0
Feeling like ass today. Not sure why.
noon - Somehow my swim went pretty well and I feel much better after than I did heading in.


Tue: {0}+(28.92)+4.09 -- {0}+(1:27:19)+29:21
am - Legs still feeling like crap. This run was alright. Some downhill and lots of gradual extended uphill climbs which is why this probably felt worse than it was.
gr4ph5 & stuff: Garmin
shoes: ds trainers (105)

pm - I still don't feel all that great but the pace session on the bike went well. My legs feel pretty good, even right from the get-go, and I had a super solid warmup and main segment. The pace felt fairly easy, which is good, especially with several more rest days to go. My HR was high, but it didn't feel that way.
gr4ph5 & stuff: Garmin
bike: qroo (4020.5)


Wed: {0}+(16.5)+2.8 -- {0}+(1:04:48)+20:46
Travel day!
am - Easy brick. Super easy hour spin on the bike followed by a relaxed 20min run. Legs have a hint of tightness from yesterday, but otherwise feel in good condition. Great morning session to get the body moving before I have to sit on an airplane all day.
ride gr4ph5 & stuff: (via PowerTap) click on picture; (via Polar) HR max/avg=144/124bpm

bike: tarmac (2448)
run gr4ph5 & stuff: Gmap; (via Polar) HR max/avg=161/147bpm; pace avg 7:24/mi
shoes: ds trainers (108)


Thu: {0}+(0)+0 -- {0}+(0)+0
Day off today. It will be well-deserved and a nice change to adjust and get my bike together etc. Michellie Jones was on our connecting flight from Houston to Tampa. Scott and I got to talking with her while waiting for our bikes to come out of the baggage claim. She was pretty freakin' cool, and in good spirits. Definitely wish her good luck on Saturday.

11/2/09 -- 11/8/09

I really finished last week off with quality work. Now it's time to sharpen up and taper! Small race on Saturday should help shake the dust off.

Mon: {3000}+(0)+4.08 -- {1:05:00}+(0)+30:01
Finally some good sleep last night. Woke up this morning feeling super rested. I feel the weekend in my hamstrings and calves, but they're not too bad at all.

am - Laundry, run, breakfast, shower, haircut, work; all before 9:30am. Morning run was a tad struggled. Legs were not into it, and easy running felt like more work than it should have. I never found a good rhythm to settle into. I can't tell if I feel better or worse after the run, but if that's case, I must feel worse. To be expected after a big weekend, and little recovery between last night and this morning. I actually considered not running today, not because I felt bad or tired, but because I thought a little extra rest may be good. But the legs felt so good when I woke up, and the weather was so inviting that I had to go.
n0mbers: Garmin
shoes: ds trainers (100.7)

pm - I got real tired after lunch. This swim was nothing to brag about (or even talk about). Lot's of side swimming/balance drills. Then some 300's that were slow. Not all that focused or into this that much. Lack of focus makes for bad swimming.


Tue: {0}+(24.66)+5.67 -- {0}+(1:31:31)+40:08
noonish - Nice ride around the Verdugo loop and up and over Chevy Chase/Linda Vista/Lida. Flatted less than 30 min. into the ride coming out of the bowl. After making the turn from Salvia Canyon to Linda Vista, I ran over some ugly monstrosity with an evil serrated section was all the way into my tire/tube. Also, it was hot out.
n0mbers: (via PowerTap) click on picture

bike: tarmac (2402.7)

pm - Easy run fartlek style. Threw in a couple 800 efforts around slow end steady-state (3:19 and 3:20, with recoveries of 3:33 and 3:38). All day I was thinking about how I didn't want to run, but I actually felt pretty decent during this except for the last 10 min. The first two miles were smoooooth.
n0mbers: Garmin
shoes: yellow ds trainers (29)


Wed: {2000}+(39.31)+0 -- {45:00}+(2:00:03)+0
am - My legs are cooked from this past weekend and essentially very little rest for them on Monday and Tuesday. I think today's bike session was a little more difficult than it should have been. I was able to nail everything, it just felt harder than I would have liked. Also, Janda updated my bike and run zones after I threw down last weekend. So everything has been bumped up a notch or two. Here's what I had:
FTP/VO2max Interval Session
----------
2 Hours Total
Rolling Course
• Mins. 1 – 10: All flats: Extensive/Intensive zone, light gearing, normal cadence. All hills & rollers: Seated and spinning light gearing, 80+ RPMs, under Tempo zone.
• Mins. 10 – 30 = All flats: Intensive zone, moderate gearing, 80 – 85 RPMs. All hills & rollers: Seated and spinning light – moderate gearing efficiently @ SS – VO2max zone, 80+ RPMs
• Mins. 30 – 35 = Gradually build to high end SS/Low end tempo zone (flats, hills & rollers). 80+ RPMs throughout.
• Mins. 35 – 45 = Rec. Spin
End at a safe, rolling course that is free of traffic lights, stop signs, etc.
----------
Main Segment: FTP/VO2max Set
15 minutes @ All flats: low range of tempo zone, 80 – 85 RPMs. All hills & rollers: Seated and cranking light – moderate gearing @ 80+ RPMs, high end of tempo/low end of VO2max zone.
• 15 min. rec. spin
VO2max Set:
• 3 min. @ 90 – 95 RPMs, low end of VO2max zone.
• 2 min. @ 90 – 95 RPMs, gradually building from low end to high end of VO2max zone by min. 1.5. Maintain through min. 2.
• 1 min. @ 90 – 95 RPMs, building from low end of VO2max zone to MAX EFFORT by final 15 sec. of interval.
3 min. rec. spin between intervals
----------
Post set – Hour 2 = Cool down spin.
n0mbers: Garmin
bike: qroo (3975.56)

pm - Pool session. I was terribly unfocused and just not into this at all and cut it way short (by 1k). I am pretty sure I am now a SLOWER swimmer than I was 8 weeks ago. I just don't have any ability to hold pace near threshold. I'm going to hit up a set of fast smooth 100's on Friday and see what I can do.


Thu: {0}+(0)+8.47 -- {0}+(0)+59:11
am - Easy run. This was great. Good weather, good rhythm in my legs. Miles 1 & 2 were downhill, 3 & 4 rolling, 5 uphill, 6 more uphill than 5 ending with the big climb up California to Orange Grove, 7 involved stopping at pretty much every light along California and at the Metro crossing and was gradual downhill with a small climb up to Marengo, 8 was weaving around pretty much flat on average.
n0mbers: Garmin - something looks jacked up with the HR data; maybe the battery is getting low in the HRM strap (I will replace this today!)
shoes: yellow ds trainers (37.5)


Fri: {2100}+(0)+0 -- {45:00}+(0)+0
noon - Swim du jour. Finally found the rhythm. Doing the 100's felt great.
----------
200 Free @ intensive effort
200 Pull+Paddles alternate 50 extensive w/ 50 SS effort
Drill Set: 12 x 50 Drill/Free w/fins. 15 Sec. P Rec. between 50s
• Drills 1 – 4 = Down @ 1-Arm drill, Back @ Free w/stroke count. Odds = Right arm, Evens = Left arm
• Drills 5 – 8 = Down @ Catch-Up drill, Back @ Free w/stroke count.
• Drills 9 – 12 = Down @ Finger tip drag/zipper drill (w/ exaggerated body roll), Back @ free w/stroke count.
Follow with 5 min. of light static stretching (swim specific musculature)
----------
Free Set: 9 x 100 Free
• All = Tempo ON 1:40 (started these around 1:25, fell off to 1:30, then recovered to 1:26 for last couple)
----------
Cool down: 200 Choice


Sat: {1200}+(16)+5 -- {20:00}+(50:00)+37:00
Dam Sprint/Big Rock Sprint Triathlon
Presented by

Just fucking terrible. The race was a struggle from start to finish. I don't know what the hell happened during the swim except I swam crooked as shit all over the place. Felt terrible. Long s-l-o-w run to T1. T1 was fast. Off on the bike, trying to settle in and start pushing my watts up. Tried and tried to hold power but nothing. I felt like I was fighting my bike the entire time. Never saw a soul on the bike. At times I thought I was lost and some of the intersections were super sketchy. Roll into T2. Apparently I'm in 3rd place and I know the two ahead of me are Scott and Quinn. Fast T2, as usual. Ab cramp on middle left ab, as usual. This one sucked. I had to stand there in T2 trying to stretch my abs out to get it to release. Mash, mash, stretch, try to get to the run out. Stop, stretch more, and finally it let go. Off on the run and legs are DONE. Never felt right, and I've never felt so slow. I couldn't get them to move. Finally saw other people when I was about 1 mile in. It was Quinn and Scott, they were about 1 mile ahead of me. Shit shit. I just wanted to get through it. So yeah, I got owned by those two boys by 6 fucking minutes in a sprint tri.

Man, I hate to have a race like this. I warmed up and everything and still nothing. I was looking forward to it because things have been going so well. Now this just makes me feel like shit for Clearwater.
full race d4t4: Garmin 310xt - has all splits (s, t1, b, t2, r)
bike d4t4: Garmin 705 - power data
gear: qroo (3991.6); zoot tempo (72.2)
results: from Prime Time


Sun: {0}+(29.02)+0 -- {0}+(1:58:00)+0
Easy spin on the road bike.
Stick a fork in it.

n0mbers: (via PowerTap) click on picture

bike: tarmac (2431)


WEEK: click on picture

10/26/09 -- 11/1/09

I am feeling incredible. I feel like I've been on a recovery cycle for 2-3 weeks, but it's only been one week. I'm looking forward to some good sessions again.

Mon: {3000}+(0)+6.09 -- {1:10:00}+(0)+45:12
noon - One of the hardest pool sessions I've had.
Pool: Aerobic Power Session
----------
Warm Up:
• 800 Free @ extensive effort w/stroke count
• 4 x 50 drill/free (Streamline)
o Odds = Down @ 10 x 10 drill, Back @ Extensive Effort w/stroke count.
o Evens = Down @ shark fin drill (same as 10 x 10 drill, but drag thumb of non-lead arm up your lat/to your armpit and back to your hip, while keeping elbow high. Execute this movement slowly. Switch sides once non-lead arm is fully extended to your hip again) Back @ Extensive effort w/stroke count
o 10 sec. P Rec. between intervals.
• 4 x 50 drill/free
o Odds = Down @ fist drill, Back @ Free with stroke count.
o Evens = Down @ 3 stroke catch up, Back @ Tempo effort.
o 10 sec. P Rec. between intervals.
Follow with 5 min. of light static stretching (swim specific musculature)
----------
Kick Set: 6 x 50
• All = @ Max effort on 1.5 min. (didn't do these at full max; 1:10, 1:04, 1:02, 59, 57, 57)
Follow with 1 min. P Rec.
Free set: 10 x 50 Free
• All = Down @ head up free, Back @ tempo w/stroke count (these destroyed me)
• All = On 1 min.
Follow with 1 min. P Rec.
Main Set: 5 x 100 @ max effort On 3 min. (had nothing here; 1:19, 1:20, 1:18, 1:20, 1:25)
----------
Cool down: 2 x 250 drill/free w/fins. All = Alternate 50 @ choice drill x 50 free w/stroke count.
• 15 – 30 sec. P Rec. between 250s.

pm - 6mi easy run that sucked. Hills and rolling stuff in San Marino. My legs are so pumped full of lactic acid from that swim. I hope they feel better by tomorrow. Super hard swims like above always kill me. They suck the life right out of me and it takes me days to recover.
number5: Garmin
shoes: ds trainers (88)


Tue: {0}+(34.77)+2.31+6.21=8.52 -- {0}+(1:45:24)+15:13+45:00=1:00:13
Slept like crap last night. Still feeling that swim in my legs this morning.

am - FTP interval session + transition run. Solid bike, better run. Encouraging to see HR barely top out at 160 for 260+ W intervals.
ride number5: Garmin 705
bike: qroo (3860.5)
run number5: Garmin 310xt
shoes: ds trainers (90.5)

pm - Strong winds whip the San Gabriel Valley, kicking up dust and ash into the air. So that's one of the headlines from our local newspaper. It is GROSS outside, probably worse than when the fires were pumping smoke into the air. The mountains are completely obscured, palm limbs are falling everywhere, and if you even try to go outside you'll get all kinds of crap in your eyes and mouth.

So that forced me to run on the treadmill. Hopefully it doesn't affect training tomorrow. I will hold off and attempt to bike in the afternoon since that article says this will continue until 11am tomorrow. As for the treadmill run, I used it as an opportunity to recalibrate my Polar S1 footpod which pairs with my RS200sd (which apparently isn't made anymore?). The data below is from my run, which was essentially a fartlek of sorts.
number5: 2mi@8.0mph(7:30min/mi) + alternate 0.5@8.5(7:03)/0.5@8.8(6:49) for 3mi w/ last 0.5@9.0(6:40) + rest of time @8.0(7:30) - all at incline 0.0
----------
Lap1 - 7:37 (from startup) - avgHR 144/maxHR 154/endHR 154 - 1mi (footpod distance 0.98mi)
Lap2 - 7:29 - 155/158/158 - 1mi (1.02mi -> calibration 0.980)
Lap3 - 3:33 - 159/163/163 - 0.5mi (0.52mi -> calibration 0.962)
Lap4 - 3:25 - 166/167/166 - 0.5mi (0.51mi -> calibration 0.980)
Lap5 - 3:31 - 165/168/164 - 0.5mi (0.51mi -> calibration 0.980)
Lap6 - 3:24 - 167/169/169 - 0.5mi (0.52mi -> calibration 0.962)
Lap7 - 3:33 - 166/169/166 - 0.5mi (0.52mi -> calibration 0.962)
Lap8 - 3:18 - 170/172/172 - 0.5mi (0.51mi -> calibration 0.980)
Lap9 - 7:29 - 165/172/164 - 1mi (1.03mi -> calibration 0.971)
Lap10 - 1:38 - 163/164/163 - 0.21mi (0.22mi -> calibration 0.955)
----------
Avg - 7:15/mi - 160/172bpm - 6.21mi (avg calibration 0.971)
My HR was pretty high for this. Not sure why.
shoes: ds trainers (96.7)


Wed: {3400}+(34.77)+0 -- {1:20:00}+(2:13:35)+0
noon - A swim where I forgot how to swim. Warmup felt ok, but nothing else did. Right shoulder really started bothering me.

pm - Easy ride. It is windy here. Rode all over the place, around San Marino, South Pasadena, up the Arroyo, San Rafael, ACH and took a couple pics of the Station fire damage, and more. It was a bit chilly out and I initially thought I overdressed, but by the end of the ride it was perfect. Good times. And strangely, I rode the exact same number of miles as yesterday, albeit it took me 30min longer today. Images below show the view to the left (left image) and right (right image) from ACH into the Angeles National Forest.

number5: (via PowerTap) click on picture

bike: tarmac (2378)


Thu: {0}+(~21)+7.15 -- {0}+(1:15:02)+57:34
lunch time - Today's workout was some kind of inverse duathlon tempo brick session. Here is the structure (I did the rides on the trainer, warmup run around campus, tempo intervals on the track, and back to the trainer for the final cooldown ride):
----------
45 minutes of extensive/intensive effort riding
Mins. 1 - 10 = Build from extensive to intensive zone, 85 - 90 RPMs.
Mins. 10 - 20 = Alternate 15 sec. @ 1 leg spin (80 - 85 RPMs) x 45 sec. both legs, normal cadence, intensive zone.
Mins. 20 - 45 = Alternate 2 min. @ 85 - 90 RPMs, intensive zone x 30 sec. standing, cranking larger gears, 60+ RPMs, intensive/SS zone.
----------
2 mile warmup run progressing from extensive -> intensive by 1/2 mile mark and maintaining through mile 1. Mile 1-2 = tempo zone/pace (build from low to high end by final 1/4). Follow with ~10 min. of light static stretching, 4 x 70 strides @ 80 - 85% of max (1 min. walk between strides). Main set: 6 x 800 @ 3:00 on 3.5 min. (my times were 2:57, 2:59, 2:58, 2:57, 2:57, 2:53 all on :30 rest). Then 10 min. of cooldown before heading back to the bike.
run number5: Garmin 310xt
shoes: brand new ds trainers; the yellow ones, so sweet! (7)
----------
Second ride = spin out on trainer @ extensive zone, 80 - 85 RPMs. I did a build from low to high end of extensive zone, held at the high end for a few minutes, then descended back to the low end.
ride number5: Garmin 705 (includes both rides, with pause in middle while I was running)
bike: qroo (estimated this was ~21 miles on the trainer, but these don't go on the odometer)

All in all, a successful day. There wasn't anything special or hard about the rides, and the tempo intervals on the run felt really good. I kept starting a bit too fast (first 200 around :42) because the pace felt so easy.


Fri: {3300}+(0)+0 -- {1:10:00}+(0)+0
pm - Best swim I've had in a long time. Excellent pacing, excellent rhythm, good way to break up the 2000. I may try something like this during the race.
Pool: Pull Session
----------
Warm Up:
• 500 Free @ extensive effort w/stroke count (15-17)
• 200 Kick (w/ fins)
• 6 x 50 drill/free
All = Down @ 1 arm stroke (keep non stroking arm pressed by your side) Back @ Free with stroke count. 15 sec. P Rec. between intervals.
Follow with 5 min. of light static stretching (swim specific musculature)
----------
Main Segment: Extensive Pull
2000 free
• First 500 = Intensive effort w/stroke count (15-16)
• Middle 1000 = Alternate 50 free @ intensive effort w/stroke count x 50 @ Tempo (16-17)
• Final 500 = Build from SS → max effort by final 100 (16-18)
----------
Cool down: 3 x 100 drill/free w/fins. Alternate 25 free stroke count x 25 catch up. Regenerative/extensive effort throughout. All = On 2 min.


Sat: {0}+(75.73)+2.34 -- {0}+(3:29:03)+15:11
am - Progressive ride + T run. 3.75 hours total. I think we're doing something right.
Felt AMAZING on the bike today. I really had to hold back on the long intensive section to prevent from drifting into SS (though I did anyway). So I pretty much rode this on the top end of intensive. First 56mi in 2:35. The last 45 min. started as 25 min. build from 220-260 or so, then a solid and steady 20 min. at 280!
I think my power zones are getting outdated.

ride number5: Garmin 705
bike: qroo (3936.25)
foods: 4sc-cafe latte Perpetuem (540) + 1.5sc-Cytomax (130) + H2O + 2-Gu gel (200) = 870 = 232/hr
run number5: Garmin 310xt
shoes: brand new ds trainers; the yellow ones, so sweet! (9.34)


Sun: {0}+(0)+13.95 -- {0}+(0)+1:37:03
pm - Three super solid workouts in each discipline in three consecutive days. Friday = swim. Yesterday = bike. Today = long progressive run. It was warm today, and I knew I would need water for this. I really didn't want to run with a water bottle so I decided to run a 4 x 3mi loop over in San Marino and stashed a bottle full of Cytomax at Hill/San Pasqual. Gradual elevation loss on the first half of the loop, then extended gradual climb on the way back. Slight build in pace on the first 3/4 of the run. Then tempo effort for miles 10-13. Mile 10 was the toughest mile on the loop and happened to be the first (and last!) of the tempo miles.
I had to stop and use the bathroom about 1 hour in at CVS on Sierra Madre/San Pasqual. I tried to take care of this business beforehand but it always seems to be an issue on pm runs. When I came out it was getting pretty dark and it was super dark on certain parts of the loop. It made running at a good clip pretty sketchy.
number5: Garmin
shoes: brand new ds trainers; the yellow ones, so sweet! (23.34)


WEEK: {9700}+(166.3)+38=total distance 210mi -- {3:40:00}+(8:43:04)+4:35:13=total time 16:58:17

10/19/09 -- 10/25/09

Recovery weeeeeek!

Mon: {0}+(0)+0 -- {0}+(0)+0
Off.


Tue: {0}+(32.39)+4.21 -- {0}+(1:57:00)+30:03
What is going on with the weather here!? Why so hot?

early pm - A beautiful afternoon. Very clear, sunny, low 70's outside. I was looking forward to a little ride and run and just relaxing and enjoying the time. I really wanted to get on the Tarmac because I miss it and I just have to get off the Qroo for a week. However, as I was giving the chain the lube business, and shifting through the gears, the rear shifter cable snapped right where it goes into the shifter/brake. A real bummer. So now I have to get that fixed before I can ride my Tarmac. Shiiiiiiit.

So I had a 2hr easy ride on the Qroo, took it up Angeles Crest to get a closer look at any fire damage I might be able to see from the Station fire, and to find out where the road is closed. I really hated this ride from the beginning just because my mind wasn't in the right place after the shifter cable broke and I had to spend more time on the tri bike. I don't mind it at all when I'm in aero, going at it. That's what the bike is made for. But just cruisin' around and climbing sucks big time on that bike. I think the Tarmac was rebelling because I have been neglecting it.

My ride was followed by an easy 30min brick run. Nothing much here. I felt real relaxed through the first half, and was really enjoying the run. The second half was tougher than I wanted it to be climbing up Lombardy on the way back to campus.
ride num6ers: Garmin 705
bike: qroo (3825.7)
run num6ers: Garmin 310xt
shoes: ds trainers (70)


Wed: {3200}+(0)+6.12 -- {1:05:00}+(0)+45:40
pm - Pool fartlek session. Started with 300 free + 200 back with fins. Followed with 10 x 50 drill/swim by 25 on 10sr (stroke counts 15-16) and 8 x 25 on 30s as sprint odds, tempo effort on evens with stroke count (17). The main set was 3 x 600 pull on 60sr. Each 600 was split as 150 tempo effort, 300 of 50 hard, 50 easy, then another 150 tempo. These were fun and I like doing stuff like this because it's much easier to break up mentally and I think I end up going harder than if you just told me to swim a tempo effort 600 or something. Ended with a 200 choice cool down and some hot tub.

later pm (6:15-7) - Super easy evening run. Perfect cool weather. Perfect slow start. This was a nice run. I turned it into a bit of an extensive/intensive fartlek, starting with two slow miles, then a 7-min mile, slow mile, another 7, then a slow mile to finish. Something is jacked up with the HR data on the very last of the file.
num6ers: Garmin
shoes: ds trainers (76)


Thu: {0}+(31.12)+0 -- {0}+(2:07:11)+0
In the bike lab until 10:40pm last night replacing both shifter cables and housings on the Tarmac. For now, she's in great working order, shifting smooth and looking great! I'm glad I was able to get this done.

pm - Solid ride. I miss this bike so much. Good times cruisin' around San Marino, Sierra Madre and Altadena. I finally found Christmas Tree Lane which is AWESOME! What a beautiful street, lined with tall pines on both sides. It's like a whole new world. I didn't even feel like I was in Pasadena, let alone California. All the brown needles on the ground reminded me of Georgia and family and home.

num6ers: (via PowerTap) click on picture (top=entire ride; bottom=chantry climb)


bike: tarmac (2294)

So after looking back through old logs, I realized my time+HR combination up Chantry was outstanding. I pretty much didn't even break 150 today (except for briefly when I was standing). Here are some old times+HR and the date (most recent to oldest):
today - 23:15, 144bpm (151 max), 236 W
6/20/09 - 20:24, 172 (182)
6/6 - 23:59, 155 (160)
4/27 - 23:45, 164 (170)
10/22/08 - 27:03, 153 (160)...I've come a long way in a year!
9/16 - 23:11, 160 (164)
9/2 - 23:22, 159
8/7 - 23:46, 158
7/31 - 23:49, 158
7/22 - 23:27, 164
7/15 - 23:57, 162
Now that I have power on the road bike, it will be much easier to make comparisons.


Fri: {2800}+(0)+6.12 -- {1:00:00}+(0)+44:32
noon - Swim time. Felt fairly decent in the water today and it was nice to get this in before lunch. 600 free warmup starting as 200 slow, then 4 x 50 alternating 50 on and 50 off, then 200 easy again. More warmup included 200 pull+paddles, and 200 back with fins. Then a drill set of 6 x 100 drill/free by 25 on 15sr. These were split as 1 & 2 "sweet spot" drill (arms by side, looking down, on side kicking) with one each on the right side and left side. 3 & 4 were single switch and 5 & 6 were triple switch. Stroke counts were mostly around 16.

Main set was 8 x 100 at sprint tri effort on 1:45, doing my best to hold the same time WHILE maintaining good form/stroke count. These came in at 1:26, 1:26, 1:24, 1:26, 1:26, 1:27, 1:27, and 1:28. Stroke counts started at 16 for the first (maybe part of the second), with most around 17, and falling off to 18 at the end. I need to keep my stroke long (reach and complete pull) when I get tired. After this set was 4 x 50 max on 1:30. Clock told me 39, 35, 36, 33.

Finished off with an easy 200 mix cool down.

pm - Super nice evening run. Same loop as Wednesday but in reverse. Same structure too. For both, the turn at 3mi switches from a gradual downhill to gradual uphill, extending all the way back. So for each, one of the fast miles was downhill, and one uphill. Today's went significantly better than Wednesday's, faster pace (by :11 per mile, 7:16 vs 7:27) and lower HR (151 vs 155). Also, the two faster miles were a few seconds quicker (6:47 & 6:51 vs 6:59 and 6:59).
num6ers: Garmin
shoes: ds trainers (82)

Just looked at the elevation data for today's (and Wednesday's) run. It actually looks fairly accurate from the Garmin 310xt, which is normally unreliable.


Sat: {0}+(49.16)+0 -- {0}+(3:00:30)+0
am - Fantastic ride in the mountains today. I miss my long rides in the mountains. Today was filled with a bit of emotion because it was my first time up there since the fires. Angeles Crest Hwy is still closed, so I can't go check out the damage from the Station Fire which was devastating. Riding up the 39 and GMR gave me a glimpse of what it may look like since this area was burned at the same time by the Morris Dam Fire. The whole reason I haven't been able to ride (or trail run!) in the mountains is because of these fires. Some asshat thought it would be a good idea to set them, and he/she has taken the only true open space/green area/nature escape in the Los Angeles basin. People suck in general, and I especially hate dumb people. So I was joyed to be back in the mountains, anxious about what I would see, overwhelmed, saddened and angered when I saw the damage and thought about how much worse it probably is over on ACH. Here is a picture I snapped with my phone after descending only a little way of the frontside of GMR.

The shadow from the fried tree is creepy. The rest looks sort of like a charred moonscape of sorts. I thought it was neat how the fire totally burned some areas (like that tree) but sort of left some things alone (like the other tree on the right...it was burned but you can clearly see it still has old leaves).

Anyway, the ride went great and like all my other long rides, I felt much stronger at the end rather than the beginning. 230 at the end of my rides feels like 210 at the beginning. Does it take me that long to warm up?

num6ers: (via PowerTap) click on picture (top=entire ride; bottom [left to right]=interval0, encanto to e. fork on 39; interval1, e. fork between 39 and gmr; interval2, backside gmr climb to grr; interval3, finish gmr climb+descend to sierre madre; interval4, back to river trail via surface streets; interval5, sg river trail to santa fe dam and back w/ last 15min easy)


bike: tarmac (2343)

Let's compare the GMR climb with other times+HR in my old logs (most recent to oldest):
today - 30:06, 144bpm (151 max), 232 W
8/15/09 - 27:01, 161 (169)...I think this is when I rode with Oliver and felt like crap and tried to go hard up the climb
5/16 - 30:38, 162 (170)...I did 2x10min big-gear intervals on this one


Sun: {0}+(0)+8.07 -- {0}+(0)+1:05:02
1hr easy trail run on upper Arroyo Seco (yes, the Angeles Forest is still officially closed, but I ignored the two signs). These past two days have been surreal. Today gave me a glimpse of the damage from the Station Fire. Soon after starting up the trail, I could see damage from the fire and how far down it actually came. Scorched and blackened rock, burned trees, burned yucca plants, and areas where all the chaparral has been burned out. Parts of the trail were unrecognizable to me. Some parts were covered with debris slides, and the whole thing was littered with burned pieces of broken limbs and blackened rocks. There were several sites that showed significant damage.

The second wooden bridge, that had been constructed of huge railroad timbers, is nothing more than a few small charred pieces and blackened I-beams. Past Gould Mesa campground things get really bad. There are areas that are completely burned over. They look like a desolate blackened desert with a thin gray trail running through. Literally, you can see clear up the mountainside and all you see is nothingness. Char. Ruin. A real glimpse of the damage from such a devastating fire.

I used to feel so alive back here. So peaceful with nature. Nothing but the sound of moving water, the sound of your feet and your breathing, and the feeling that all nature was there breathing with you, sometimes in rhythm, sometimes not, but definitely breathing and definitely alive. Alive and silent. Sometimes green and sometimes brown and dusty. It was all different today. Still silent, save the sound of moving water. But it was a different silence. The kind that makes you feel so alone, like nothing is there. Everything around was so lifeless. Sometimes there wasn't anything around except black open space. The only encouraging sign was the small bits of green in the black. Signs of new life as small plants and grass initiate the long recovery of this small area of a much larger destroyed region. Their leaves peaking up through the burned fragments of tree limbs, sometimes the only sign that a tree even existed somewhere nearby. Hope at least. And sometimes hope is all we have. Here is an interesting description and some great before-and-after photos.

As far as the actual run goes, all of the Garmin data looks pretty fishy to me. There are lots of stops and water crossings, but I'm confident I was moving along faster than 8min/mi and that I covered more than 8mi. I know the old Garmins were pretty bad on covered trails with lots of turns. I suspect this is the case here as well. In any case, here is the data.
num6ers: Garmin


WEEK: {6000}+(113)+24.5=total distance 141mi -- {2:05:00}+(7:04:41)+3:05:17=total time 12:14:58

10/12/09 -- 10/18/09

HUGE week this week.

Mon: {3000}+(0)+5.18 -- {1:10:00}+(0)+38:10
noon - Pool time. Easy workout. Lots of short stuff.

pm - Super duper easy trail run up and around Brookside Park and the golf course with Scotty. Great cool overcast weather for a trail run. Good times for the body and mind. Scott says we averaged 7:22's for the run. We started very slow, so I'll take that.


Tue: {0}+(38.14)+5.54 -- {0}+(1:57:39)+41:44
am - Brick: vo2max interval session on the bike + intensive endurance run.
Memories of Halfmax abound today...After the warmup and build, during the 5min recovery spin before starting the vo2max intervals, it started raining. It rained a lot and drainage here sucks because it rarely rains. So Scott and I were spinning around the bowl (I'm pretty sure we were the only two people on bikes, which never happens!) and it's rainy and slick as shit and muddy. Oh well, I have some serious clean up to do now. I took the turns very cautiously so there are some drops in the intervals. It stopped raining during the last interval...so it only rained all over me during the interval set. Awesome.
Other than the rain, the intervals went good. I gave them what I had, tried to build through each one and build through the set. All and all I think I was very successful. I pretty much gave what I had left on the last minute or two of the last interval. That hurt.
ride numb3rs: Garmin 705
bike: qroo (3705)
The 40min running afterwards was probably the hardest post-bike run I've ever done, excluding one olympic distance race where I was cramping all over the place. I didn't cramp on this, but my legs are DONE. After the weekend, three days in a row of running, and following this bike, the legs weren't there at all for the run. It took forever to settle in, but my leggies were screaming the whole time. I ran this over some pretty hilly stuff and averaged low 7's. I don't know what was up with the Garmin in the beginning (maybe the cloud cover?) but the pace was jumping all over the place and I'm pretty sure I was running a steady ~7 or even 6:50 at the beginning flatter part of the run. For the run, it told me I averaged 7:10 but I'm willing to bet without that junk data at the beginning I was closer to 7. The last 3min of that thing is walking around.
run numb3rs: Garmin 310xt - first 5min elevation/pace data sucks; must not have had good satellite connection
shoes: 2130sienna - 325mi


Wed: {3450}+(40)+0 -- {1:15:00}+(2:20:00)+0
pm - Fartlek Pace Session in the pool. And it goes something like this:
Warmup:
400 free
6 x 50 drill/free on 10sr
- 1–3: down @ 10 kicks/1 stroke drill, back @ free with stroke count=15
- 4–6: down @ 10 kicks/3 stroke drill, back @ free with stroke count=15
300 pull free building to tempo by 200 mark. Maintain through 300. Stroke count=15-16
Fartlek Pace Set (repeat 3x with 100 choice on 3 min between sets):
4 x 50 free on 1 min @ 90% of max effort
2 x 200 free on 3.25 min @ tempo w/stroke count=16-17, all between 2:59-3:03
4 x 25 free @ max effort on 30 sec
Cooldown:
150 drill/free alternate 50 @ choice drill x 50 free

I pulled the last time through the set. My stroke counts are down a little, which is good, but I didn't feel that fast in the water today. Overall, I'd say today was a pretty successful swim.

a little bit later pm - 2.5 hour progressive ride changed (courtesy of JRM) to an Aerobic Fartlek Session since I had to tackle this on the trainer. But yes, 2+ hours on the trainer was ultimate suck. The fartlek went like this:
Warmup:
Minutes 1-10, gradually build from regenerative -> intensive, 80-85rpm
10-20, alternate 10s @ 1 leg/50s both legs
20-30, gradual build from SS -> high end of tempo by minute 9 and hold for final minute, 85-90rpm (I did the build way too fast, and ended up doing two 5min builds)
30-40, recovery spin
Main segment*:
15min, gradual build form 220 -> 250 by 10min and hold for next 5, 80-85rpm
4 x 5min, alternate 1min build 220 -> 230, 80-85rpm/1min standing bigger gear 240-250, 65+rpm
8 x 2min, 235-250, 85-90rpm (the original plan was 10x2min, 220-230)
* all with 3min recovery spin between intervals, and 5min spin between sets
Post set to 2:20 mark was cool down spin.

This went well. The build in the warmup was tough, but all the intervals were easy enough I could have done this all day. Boredom and hunger got to me by the end, and I wasn't sure if Janda planned this to be 2hr or 2.5hr so I just dropped the last two intervals and stopped at 2:20. I drank three bottles of fluids, and sweated a freakin' lake. So awesome, but so gross. For the most part, I couldn't even read the Garmin because it was covered in sweat.
numb3rs: Garmin
bike: qroo (3705) - haha, no miles, stupid trainer, but probably ~40


Thu: {0}+(24.85)+8.54 -- {0}+(1:32:37)+1:00:09
early pm - 1 hour run. Goal was to stay relaxed and log the time. I started fairly easy and quickly found a nice rhythm. My legs are tired and weak, but they actually came around nicely for this run. I forgot my HRM which was nice, but it would have been good to see what I was at today because things seemed to be going so smoothly. I tried not to run too much uphill or downhill all at once and kind of weaved around. A nice run, but it is significantly warmer here than the last week or more, with plans to get 90+ over the weekend. I marked the inner (0.41mi) and outer (0.61mi) loops at Lacy park with the Garmin. Stopped once in the park to go to the bathroom and get some water, then again when leaving to climb the big stair set. Ended with a 5min cooldown of alternating walk 15s/jog 90s.
numb3rs: Garmin - no HR data
shoes: ds trainers (53.5)


later pm - Finally a nice easy ride on the Tarmac. I miss this bike so much. 1.5 hours through South Pasadena, up the Arroyo to the RB, Linda Vista, Highland, Chevy Chase to Descanso. Back on Berkshire, Linda Vista to Holly to Green then some loops down San Pasqual in San Marino to fill out the time. Nice ride. Feels good to take some pressure off the legs.
numb3rs: (via PowerTap) click on picture

bike: tarmac (2262)


Fri: {2200}+(0)+0 -- {45:00}+(0)+0
Quote from my Yogi ginger tea this morning: "If you see good, learn something. If you see bad, learn what not to be."

pm - Chill swim. 1200 warmup, then 20 x 50 drill set. It was super hot today (98), so it felt nice to get in the pool. Big weekend awaits...


Sat: {0}+(0)+12.27 -- {0}+(0)+1:43:05
am - Already hot outside. HR is way up. It's about 30 degrees warmer than it has been the last two weeks or so (from 50-60 in the morning, to 80-90 now!) The sudden change in temperature is killing me. It's good to get these workouts in the heat, but I should be smarter about it and back off a little. Aside from the heat, I wasn't feeling all that great yesterday as I had a bit of a sore throat. That persisted through this morning.

Today's run started with a 3mi warmup, during which I felt terrible. The legs just aren't in running form this week, although Thursday was a solid run. So the warmup sucked, then I walked down Wilson to the track, did some striders and off I went on a planned 3mi @ 6:10 pace followed by 12 x 400 @ 1:25 with 50sr (on 2:15). I don't know if it was the heat, tired legs, combination, or whatever, but the 3mi threshold was a bit of a struggle. I started a little fast (which was dumb in the heat, but it wasn't over-the-top fast, I was still under control) and fought through 2.5mi @ 6:07 pace (15:19) before stopping. 5min walk between this and the 400's, then I was off again. These went a little better as I didn't have to fight my legs for too long. Times were 1:26 (49), 1:22 (50), 1:22 (51), 1:22 (51), 1:23 (53), 1:21 (50), 1:23 (51), 1:23 (50), 1:21 (55), 1:23 (55), 1:24 (this was actually faster, I just missed the lap button) (50), and 1:21 (51). Another 5min walk break after this, then 15min cooldown. I was hoping to nail this workout, but things just didn't feel good today. Splits and stuff can be found in the link below.
numb3rs: Garmin
shoes: ds trainers (65.8)


Sun: {0}+(88.33)+2.22 -- {0}+(4:12:25)+15:17
Yesterday was not a good start to the weekend. Maybe today will be better...

Another trip to Malibu for another big ride/small run. I decided I needed a little change of scenery today, so drove to Camarillo and rode the normal loop in reverse. This also let me attack the solid finish around the produce fields, which was HUGE. Unfortunately, the wind also decided to reverse this weekend and was blowing out of the SW at a solid clip. The first three hours of the ride were uneventful, and as time progressed I started to feel stronger. This was a slow build from extensive to high intensive, ending with a 15min spin out before the big hour. I averaged 202 for the first 3hr.
The next hour was originally 45min at SS (220-249) and 15min low-end tempo (250-274). Then we decided I would just give what I had since next week is a recovery week (Thank you!). Ended up being 45min @ 250 (low tempo) followed by 15min @ 270 (high tempo). I was surprised I was able to hold these numbers for the final hour of a 4hr ride. I did find it very hard to hold power into the wind. It was like the wind was just sucking the strength from my legs. Is this normal?
ride numb3rs: Garmin 705
bike: qroo (3793.3)
foods: 4sc-cafe latte Perpetuem (540) + 2x1.5sc-Cytomax (260) + refill each of those bottles with H2O + 1-Gu Chomps blueberry pomegranate (180) + 2-Gu gel (200) + 1-Endurolytes (taken with 1-Gu in transition) = 1180 = 262/hr
I got an ab cramp (middle, left side) when transitioning from bike to run. This is the same ab that always cramps! What gives? It happens when I put my running shoes on. Anyway, I took 1-Endurolyte, ate 1-Gu gel, took in the last bit of water I had, then I was off.
I felt terrible for the beginning of this run, to be expected after ripping my legs off on the bike. My calves felt like they were going to ball up and all I could think about was getting through it. After about midway to 10min in, I finally found a rhythm and coasted home. I need to remember that no matter how bad I feel, just back off the pace a little and I will find my groove. I feel like I started pretty slow (low 7's) and finished pretty solid (high 6:30's).
run numb3rs: Garmin 310xt
shoes: zoot tempo (67.2)


WEEK: {8650}+(191.3)+33.75=total distance 230mi -- {3:10:00}+(10:02:41)+4:18:25=total time 17:31:06

10/5/09 -- 10/11/09

Here we go again!

Mon: {3500}+(0)+5.9 -- {1:15:00}+(0)+43:33
am - Run this morning was just kind of blah. Didn't feel all that great. Legs feel slow and tired.
numb3rs: Garmin
shoes: 2130sienna - 320mi

late pm (4:50-6:05) - Fartlek pool session. I need to get pacing under control for the longer things. Any set involving 100 intervals I can smash because I focus really well. I let that all fall apart when the intervals get longer.
- Warmup drill set stroke counts all 15.
- 8 x 25 "sprint" set closer to 18-19.
- First 600 as 200 fast (stroke count 16) + 400 settle (18) - terrible. 9:20=1:33.3/100.
- Second 600 as 50 fast (16-17)/50 easy (17-18). 9:15=1:32.5/100.
- Last 600 broken as 4 x (100 fast/smooth (16-17) on 1:30 + 50 easy on 1:15) - I could do these all day long. 100's around 1:27. This last interval is exactly what I used to do, but I took less rest on the 50 (1:00). Maybe I should go a bit harder. I'm too worried about saving some energy for the bike...


Tue: {0}+(37.2)+0 -- {0}+(1:57:36)+0
Where'd that good feelin' go?
am - Epic failure of a FTP/vo2max interval bike session. I have nothing in my legs; no strength at all. I couldn't even hold 260 for the first few minutes of that 30. I couldn't find the right rhythm, or a good cadence as one gear was too light and spinning at 90+ and the other was too much for the condition of my legs and spinning around 80 was not good. I actually averaged lower wattage than the 40k TT I did a week before Halfmax. Embarrassing. I didn't even have the strength to get HR to 170, much less above it. What a disaster.
The vo2max intervals were 299, 306, 295. At least I finally found some strength at the end.
numb3rs: Garmin
bike: qroo (3561.2)


Wed: {2400}+(33.1)+0 -- {45:00}+(2:08:43)+0
Change of plans...
am - Because of my dead legs, the original plan for today (a 2.5hr progressive ride) was changed to an easy 2hr spin. If things were going well after the first hour, I was given the green light to revert back to plan A. I got a fantastic night's sleep, felt very rested this morning, and my legs felt great getting out of bed (and for the first time in 4 nights, the cat didn't sleep on my legs, thank God). But once again, when I got on my bike there was nothing there. I even broke out the road bike this morning hoping the slight change of angles might make a difference. Nope. Usually if I have tired legs, the rest of me is tired too. But my body feels absolutely fantastic and ready to go. It just seems my legs are lagging. They are dead. So today ended up being a pretty easy spin around some parts I hadn't visited in a while (Verdugo loop). I did test them late in the ride on a short little climb (about a 8min build from 175-225 - up Chevy Chase, then 8min at 240 - Linda Vista to Lida). They definitely feel better post ride than pre, so maybe they will come around tomorrow. Or maybe I just need to suck it up.
The good news is that my heart rate seems to have come down a lot for the same effort compared to recent weeks (like 10bpm). I can't believe it was so low today!
numb3rs: (via PowerTap) click on picture

bike: tarmac (2237)

pm - Pool session that I cut short. I cut out the 4 x 50 kick set in the warmup, only did 2 of the 6 x 100's and didn't do the cooldown (300). So I skipped 900. Not motivated or focused during any of this. I did get through the 1000 pull+paddles which went fairly well. The first 200 was build (3:05), the next 600 was hold (9:10 or so), and the last 200 was hard (2:51). My legs are completely zapped. This sucks.


Thu: {0}+(31.87)+6.73 -- {0}+(1:28:27)+50:00
Brick time!
pm - Finally a solid workout. Legs still not feeling that good. I actually sent this email earlier to Scott:
My legs feel like they're full of lactic acid. You know that feeling you get after a hard bike or something? Like swollen, tight, weak. I can't even walk up the stairs to my office. By the time I get to the top my legs feel so weak it is stoopid.
So anyway, once I started moving on the bike, things seemed to come around. After a short and easy 10min warmup, I hit a solid and consistent 80min around 220 (actually building from about 212 the first lap to 230 or so the last lap of 9). Very nice high-end intensive ride moving into low-end SS at the end.
ride numb3rs: Garmin 705
bike: qroo (3593)
This was followed with a planned 45min extensive/intensive effort run. I was feeling good, and ended up more like all intensive with a little SS on the second loop climbs. I was cruising the downhill sections. This felt so right. Again, very steady and consistent. 5k splits were 20:44, 20:37, and then followed by 4 x striders on the grass soccer field (shoes on).
run numb3rs: Garmin 310xt - look at how much the elevation data differs from the 705
shoes: ds trainers (28)

And in other news, here is some scary shit about white sharks in the area, but this sequence of photos is amazing!


Fri: {3000}+(0)+0 -- {1:00:00}+(0)+0
noon - Pool time. Today gave a chance to work drafting, and if nothing else, split up the boredom. A straight 2000 warmup. Split this per 200 with Scott, each of us taking turns in the lead. I tried to increase the pace of each of my 200's. I led the last 200 and rolled off a 2:55.


Sat: {0}+(73.7)+2.29 -- {0}+(3:31:49)+15:00
am - Today featured a 1hr progressive set on the bike, repeated 3 times. Then an easy half-hour cooldown spin before the little 15min transition run. I was a bit nervous, given my performance this week. But Thursday was a good sign, and today ended up even better. In fact, I...
Killed it!
I needed to smoke a workout like this after Tuesday's debacle. Thursday was good. Today was fantastic. Dare I say today was easy. I mean, I definitely had to put some effort into it, but I felt good and stronger as the ride progressed. I was actually ready to throw down a big run after this, but that will come tomorrow. I should have gone a bit harder on all the segments, but I was a little cautious from earlier in the week, and I didn't want to waste myself for next week. I tried to increase effort on each of the 20min SS intervals and hold the 10min tempo effort constant each time. With each progression through the set, I was more tired, but holding a higher power in the SS zone before the tempo part. I feel better after this ride/run than I did last week. Much better.
ride numb3rs: Garmin 705
bike: qroo (3666.7)
run numb3rs: Garmin 310xt
shoes: ds trainers (30)

In other news, events of today really made me think about my love/hate relationship with Los Angeles and the greater surrounding areas. The ride was amazing, again in Malibu and north into the produce fields. Gorgeous turquoise water. Dolphins jumping. Sea lions playing. The ocean was alive this morning, but I didn't see any breaching sharks. The WNW wind was there, but nothing like last week. Workers in the produce fields carrying baskets full of fresh vegetables. The smell of fresh cilantro along Las Posas. Yes these things are amazing, and on several occasions I just wanted to stop and take pictures. But then I am reminded of all the reasons I hate it here. I think 90% of the people here are retarded, or just plain selfish. They don't care about what's around them, and don't care all too much to respect it. I saw a dead coyote, and two dead raccoons on the side of the road. Just another reminder of the clash between us and them. And then I really got annoyed on the way home, sitting in 0mph traffic at 2:30-3pm on a Saturday. WTF!? Just too many people. Too many people that don't know how to drive. Too many people ruining what is good about this place. I can't get over that, and that is why I would never ever live here. Maybe that's why some people like it though. They can see through the negative. But I think they just don't know better, or they don't know any other place.


Sun: {0}+(0)+15 -- {0}+(0)+1:49:04
am - This run was tough. The paces weren't that agressive, but over the course of the long run it got tough, especially after yesterday's ride. I'm really going to feel this in my calves and hammys tomorrow. I think they're going to be pretty sore.
I did this on a 2-mile loop. First mile (6:20 miles) was about 1/2 slight downhill, 1/4 flat, and 1/4 little climb so the HR jumped at the end of each and I could really feel the climb in my legs each time over the loop. Second mile (7:00-7:10) was kind of all gradually uphill with a little roller about 3/4 of the way in. After the warmup, here are the alternating mile splits:
6:21, 7:12
6:22, 7:10
6:09, 7:14
6:17, 7:01
6:13, 6:58
numb3rs: Garmin
shoes: ds trainers (45)

I will more than likely go super easy tomorrow, probably on some soft trails and just run for about 45min (without regard for pace...just going easy). I only glanced at the new week of workouts, because I really don't want to know what I'm in for until I'm about to tackle it (otherwise I have to think about it all week!). All I know is it looks like a BIG week with a solid finish. Hopefully things start off better than they did this week, but I'm glad I finished up the week strong.

How about Crowie? I love him. He is so solid. I hate Macca. Love Faris. I would have put Llanos a little higher though. Chris Lieto is getting better on the run it seems every year. He is such a MONSTER on the bike.


WEEK: {8900}+(176)+30=total distance 211mi -- {3:00:00}+(9:06:35)+3:37:37=total time 15:44:12

9/28/09 -- 10/4/09

"I wanted very much to be a person of value and I had to ask myself how this could be possible if there were not something like a soul or like a spirit that is in the life of a person and which could endure any misfortune or disfigurement and yet be no less for it. If one were to be a person of value that value could not be a condition subject to hazards of fortune. It had to be a quality that could not change. No matter what. Long before morning I knew that what I was seeking to discover was a thing I'd always known. That all courage was a form of constancy. That it was always himself that the coward abandoned first. After this all other betrayals came easily." -- Cormac McCarthy (All the Pretty Horses)

I made some very bad decisions last week. Well, really only one bad decision. But it was bad.

This marks my first week with Janda.

Mon: {3300}+(0)+6 -- {1:20:00}+(0)+45:17
am - Easy 6 miles on trails along the Arroyo Seco. Nice cool overcast morning. A big change from the recent weather. My legs feel good but my HR was up quite a bit from not running. Note the 3 minutes of walking at the end of this to check out my recovery rate.
numb3rs: Garmin

late pm (5:00-6:30) - Pool session of solid drill set followed by 10x100 on 1:40 at tempo effort. I ended up doing these all in 1:25-1:27 with one closer to 1:30 when I lost focus. All I had to do was concentrate on a nice long stroke, good body roll, and the rest took care of itself. My stroke count went from 16 or so for the first 3, then 18 by the last 3. As far as the pace goes, I think I can hold this for another 10x100, as long as I stay focused.


Tue: {0}+(36.3)+6.71 -- {0}+(1:59:42)+52:11
am - Easy ride all over the place. Rear derailleur on the qroo is all jacked up. Daylight is getting limited these days; sun up about 6:30 or so, sun down about 12 hours later. It finally cooled off though, which is HUGE.
numb3rs: Garmin - check it out, apparently I went 800mph
bike: qroo (3403)

pm - Great pm run today. Nice gradual downhill on the way out for a couple miles, turnaround and climb back, then get into some rollers. Finished up with some barefoot striders and actually ran into Scott who was coming off the track. We high-fived and took a brief cooldown together. Nice pace before the rollers, they brought the average down a bit but good effort on those as well.
numb3rs: Garmin
shoes: new! ds trainers (6.5)


Wed: {3400}+(43.4)+0 -- {1:20:00}+(2:12:30)+0
am - First hard JRM bike workout. I'd be lying if I said I didn't have to put in a solid effort for this bike workout, but it didn't destroy me. I actually feel better after this than after yesterday's easy ride. Strange, I know. Anyway, getting on the bike this morning I can definitely feel the past two days of running in my legs. They were a little tired, and I always find it amazing how much harder it is to find strength on the bike with tired legs. I know if I take days off from running, I feel amazing when I get in the saddle. Anyway, I think the workout went very well. The increasing time intervals seemed daunting when I was in the warmup, just based on how my legs were feeling, but by the time I got to them it wasn't too bad. The 2 and 4 minute intervals were super easy. 6 was meh. 8 and 10 back to back required pretty good focus and effort. The part that hurt most was the last couple minutes of that 20 minute build. I ended up on the downhill section around the Bowl and had to drop the gear and go at it pretty good.
numb3rs: Garmin
bike: qroo (3446)

late pm - So, about that swim....
Perhaps I misinterpreted the workout, or Janda overestimated my paces, or a little bit of both.
My legs are feeling pretty used after the bike this morning. Typically, if I swim after a strong bike or run, I will do a pull set so that my legs don't cramp (I don't think it's ever a hydration/electrolyte issue, rather the residual lactic acid from the hard workout). I didn't cramp today, but I wasn't too far from it and I ended up pulling all the evens (2 & 4) in each of the 5 x 200 sets just to make sure I could complete the set. I also added 10 sec rest to the interval of the 4 x 100 kick in the warmup. I didn't want to start the workout off with cramps, especially with fins. Now on to pacing... Swimming the 10 x 100 yesterday and holding about 1:25-1:26 or so with 15 seconds rest seemed like the perfect tempo pace. I use the word tempo analogous to run and bike. It was a comfortably hard effort that gets uncomfortable by the end. Not gasping for air, but breathing heavy. An effort that requires a lot of focus to maintain good form, but not so hard that all you can think about is getting it over with (not until close to the end). I don't think I could have held that pace on 10 sec rest for any more than 10 x 100. But with 15 sec rest (on 1:40), I probably could have knocked out another 10 (the last several would have been tough).
Today called for 2 x (5 x 200) all on 3:10. The first set of 5 was supposed to be build to sprint tri pace by the second 50. I wasn't sure what sprint tri pace meant because here that can range anywhere from 150m to 1k or more. I didn't know if it was supposed to be slower or faster than tempo. I also wasn't sure if "build to sprint tri pace by the second 50" meant by the end of the second 50 (so build the first 100, and the second 100 at sprint pace), or if the first 50 was build and the last 150 was sprint pace...which doesn't make the first set of 5 all that different from the second set. Anyway, I was a bit overly aggressive and did the first set all around 2:55 (so I had 15 sec rest). Then 2 minutes rest. 1-4 of the second set were all dead on 3:00. Only getting 10 sec rest here was tough, and I couldn't find the grove to go much faster. Stroke count was 18-19. Another 2 min rest after number 4. Max effort on 5 was 2:46. I was pretty tired by the time I got here.


Thu: {0}+(22)+7.5 -- {0}+(1:30:04)+1:01:45
Legs feel pretty good today. Obviously a little worn down, but nothing extraordinary. I think they're right where they should be.

noon - Solid run at lunch today. It's upwards of 90 degrees out here, which sucks, but it looks like that will only be around for today and tomorrow. Most of my runs here start with an elevation loss and finish climbing back up, but there are lots of hills between. Anyway, that typically means the pace slows and HR goes up more than normal at the end. I held a pretty consistent pace today which means the effort was definitely higher on the way back uphill than the way out.
Also, that area around 40 minutes where the pace slows is a giant double set of stairs. It's pretty money for running repeats on. There are about 20-30 stairs, then a good climb on the sidewalk, then another set of 20-30. You can see it on the map if you zoom just north of Lacy Park, connecting Virginia and Park Pl.
numb3rs: Garmin
shoes: 2130sienna - 314mi - these are about done; I might switch to the cumulus or more ds trainers

pm - Legs feel 100x better after riding this pm. Nice. Swim tomorrow, then I'm looking forward to the weekend.
numb3rs: (via PowerTap) click on picture

bike: tarmac (2204)


Fri: {3400}+(0)+0 -- {1:15:00}+(0)+0
noon - Feeling good today, but this swim kind of kicked my ass.
The fatigue in my legs was definitely noticeable with fins on, but otherwise I wouldn't have thought too much about it. Stroke count in warmup drill set 15-17. Free set of 12 x 50 felt solid. Stroke counts around 16-17 for the evens at tempo effort and all around 43 sec or so. Things started to get hard in the pull/free set. 800 pull stroke counts started around 16, got up as high as 19, but I managed to bring that back in around 17 by the end. 12:24 for the time. First 200 right around 3:00, so I should try to start a little slower and maintain more consistent stroke count/form over the entire distance. Next time... 6 x 100 free all at 1:23. These felt pretty good and I can really focus over the length of a 100 and keep things together pretty good. Stroke counts around 17-18. 8 x 50 got tough to keep that nice long stroke and try to go fast at the same time. Stroke counts 18-19 and all around 37-40 sec.


Sat: {0}+(0)+12.5 -- {0}+(0)+1:41:16
pm - Tempo/over-under/cruise interval run. Been having stomach issues all day. I thought the run was going to be a disaster because of that, but it went well.
Good 10:00 warmup, solid middle intensive effort miles and build to tempo.
interval #1 was about as even pace as anyone could run. perfect splits all around. smooth, relaxed. 12:19. 2mi.
interval #2 took me a little to find the right paces, but I more or less got it. 1:32, 1:29, 1:36, 1:26, 1:36, 1:27, 1:34, 1:27. 2mi.
interval #3 good finish. I didn't feel like I was pushing it too hard until the last lap. this was pretty evenly paced per quarter. 5:49. 1mi.
I definitely would have preferred to knock this out in the morning to give more recovery for tomorrow's long ride, but the gym/track area was closed for maintenance stuff until 2pm. Then I waited for it to cool down a little more and to see if the stomach issues would subside. I'm stoked I didn't have a problem during the workout. I feel like tomorrow's ride is going to be tough/exhausting, but the weather should be nice.
My heart rate got as high as it normally does when I do vo2max mile repeats. For those I'm generally hitting 5:35 or so and taking 5:00 walk rest. So maybe it was the reduced rest/longer intervals that let it climb that high today.
numb3rs: Garmin
shoes: new! ds trainers (19)


Sun: {0}+(77.3)+2.2 -- {0}+(4:16:48)+15:01
am - weather.com for Malibu says wind from WNW at 23mph gusting to 33mph.
That about sums up my ride, and if those boys had to deal with anything like that down in LA for their race, hopefully it was a tail wind. I know their swim had to suck, because the sea in Malibu was as rough and choppy as I've ever seen it, as far as the eye could see, white caps all over the place. Actually, there were no more than maybe 5 people at the beach, and that NEVER happens here. It was ridiculous.

bike - Aside from almost getting blown off my bike on several occasions, the ride was super solid. For the same watts, I was less than 16mph average into the wind, and 31mph with it. I really started feeling strong about 1.5hrs into the bike. About 2.5hrs I had had enough of the wind and decided to go into the mountains. That was a bad decision. I think the gusts there had to be much >30mph. At points I thought I was moving no where, and the descent was super sketchy with all that wind. I don't think I've ever held onto my bike that tight in my life. Oh well, the ride turned out super and safe, so that's good.
numb3rs: Garmin
bike: qroo (3524)
foods: 4sc-cafe latte Perpetuem (540) + 1.5sc-Cytomax (130) + refill each of those bottles with H2O + 1-Gu Chomps blueberry pomegranate (amazing!) (180) + 3-Gu gel (300) + 3 or 4-Endurolytes taken at odd times (starting at 2:20) = 1150 = 270/hr
The Splits tab gives my warmup, then rolling hills/wind on the PCH, then the climb up Mulholland, then the descent on Encinal, then the cooldown spin. I don't know what that business about 187bpm max heart rate is in the warmup. I think I was getting interference from something when I got on my bike because the HR wasn't making much sense.

run - The run was ridiculous. I think the wind just kept getting worse and this was right along the coast so sand was flying everywhere, in my eyes, my mouth, etc. The run data is hilarious. It is quite obvious when I turned around and went from tail wind to head wind. That's about the hardest 8min/mi pace I have ever run. Up to 180bpm for 8min/mi should give you a clue what that wind was like. I felt good on the run though.
numb3rs: Garmin
shoes: new! ds trainers (21.2)


WEEK: {10100}+(179)+35=total distance 220mi -- {3:55:00}+(9:59:04)+4:35:30=total time 18:29:34
Damn Janda.