I've found myself a nice little mantra to provide that extra push to do a workout or to keep going hard if I start backing off the effort. I tell myself to "choose to win" today, and it works pretty well. Last week when it was cold, windy, and snowy/rainy, I "chose to win" simply by going out for the run. Then I ended up getting a PR on that timed run workout. Beautiful!
The point system I'm using now is providing some extra motivation, also. Instead of using hours to provide goals for volume, the point system is much better because it's a bit more objective...you either did the volume or you didn't...you can't cheat the volume by going slow and just putting in time. I haven't figured out how to create an intensity factor for the points yet, but I'm thinking about it. Something easy like using the base point system (100yds swim = 1, 1 mile bike =1, 1/4mile run =1) multiplied by a certain factor that includes intensity. So, a 6 mile hard effort run would be 6 x 1.2 = 7.2 points total instead of just 6. I'm not sure what to use for the intensity factor, though, and I would like it to be as close to "real" for my body. Honestly, a hard six miles is a bit harder on the body than an easy nine miles, so that hard run should be worth more than points.
Because my three key workouts for each discipline are hard/short, medium/medium, easy/long, I guess the medium/medium is the baseline point system. What ratio for the others, though? 1.2 for hard, and .8 for easy? That would put the six mile hard run at 7.2, and the nine mile easy run at 7.2, but the hard run takes more out of me and is definitely harder to recover from. Hence, my dilemma. Maybe just go with 1.3 for the hard and .8 for the easy. In any case, I'll need to figure out an easy way to update all my workouts in the spreadsheet to see where I'm at. I can see improvements, so I don't want to mess with my workout schedule right now...I'd do the updated points ratio just to see where everything comes out.
Waiting for the lake to fill so I can get the OWS in.
Waiting on good, steady weather for good biking.
Running is coming along very well, even with inconsistent weather. I hate running the track workout, but I really like the 6 mile TT run and the 9.7 mile easy run. Now I want to throw in some easy to moderate three-milers in the mornings.
I also want to start swimming in the morning to get used to that for the morning OWSs in May. So far, I'm completely out of the morning routine that I did all winter. Every spring, I get into a rut where I want to sleep in every day. I need to stop that, obviously. I do manage to get up for the nine mile run, though, mostly because I know it won't hurt like getting up to do a swim or bike workout will. It's simply difficult to get my heart rate and intensity up early in the morning.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
Slowtwitch points system = better scheduling and motivation
Well, just like last year, I started losing motivation a couple weeks after spring break. I really wanted to avoid that this year because I put in some hard training during the winter and made some good progress. But last week, I felt the motivation waning a bit. What better way to get some motivation than create some charts so that if do the work, I can see a nice chart?!
So I put together all the data in my excel spreadsheet and got some good charts using the Slowtwitch points system, This is a way of calculating volume and makes goal setting a bit easier, if not just something different to look at. 100 yards swimming is worth 1 point. One mile on the bike is worth one point. Each quarter mile running is one point. The idea is to be able to accurately equate swim, bike, and run workouts to provide a good relationship for setting volume breakouts each week. For example, if I wanted to focus on the bike, my bike points would be 60-70% of the overal points. If I wanted an even breakout, about 33% volume for each, then I my points would be equal at the end of the week. It works really well, and it's much better than just volume.
Added to that is that I've finally made a "workout menu" with prioritized, key workouts for swim, bike, and run. This is really helping with scheduling, especially now that I'm outside and the weather plays a part. I can look at the workout menu and easily plug-in the key workouts for good weather forecasts (or not in bad weather forecasts) or in accordance with family and work schedules. I found that it is really helping me hit the key workouts.
What are the key workouts? Swim, bike, and run all have three essentials: short and powerful sets, a race-length TT, and a long endurance (swim doesn't have a long endurance because of time, I'm making up for that by total weekly volume). Starting with the bike: one 40k TT, one hill repeats workout (usually a lunch workout) and a 40-miler for endurance. I also have a 15-mile recovery ride. For the swim: a 20x100, variable sets of 1x800, 1x400, 3x200, 5x100; a 3x800, and a 1x2000 (all short course yards cuz that's the pool I swim in). The run has track work (2x800 + 2x400 for starters, working to 4x800 + 4x400) or hill repeats, a 6.6mile TT route, and a 9 miler easy run. Run workouts also include easy three-milers to fill in the schedule when I need to take Paul with me.
My overall points goal each week is 240 now that summer has hit. In the winter, I was averaging about 150 with no swim. The charts make it really easy to see if I am doing what I want to be doing. Unfortunately, I haven't figured out how to put a chart from Excel into this blog (but I will figure it out!).
For an example of how this helps with scheduling....last night I looked at the weather forecast - supposed to be nice and sunny today and tomorrow, then rain and snow(!) later in the week with obviously cooler/cold temperatures. So I front loaded two of my bike workouts that I want to do outside and two of my run workouts I want to do outside. I won't have good recovery time, but I'll get the key workouts in. Prior to this method, I would have just figured out what I want to do the day prior for the most part, and probably change it when the time came (and then waste time getting my gear together!). It really does work well!
Pool today was 87degrees! Ouch. I did the 20x100 workout, leaving at 1:40 in that heat, and it nearly killed me. It definitely hurt. I finally dug through some of that pain and continued on, telling that voice in my head to "just go away, you're wrong, and you're stupid!" when it told me to just get out of the water cuz it's too hot. I think that little mental victory will go a long way in future workouts. Once you give in the first time, the second, third, and so-on are that much easier to give into.
So I put together all the data in my excel spreadsheet and got some good charts using the Slowtwitch points system, This is a way of calculating volume and makes goal setting a bit easier, if not just something different to look at. 100 yards swimming is worth 1 point. One mile on the bike is worth one point. Each quarter mile running is one point. The idea is to be able to accurately equate swim, bike, and run workouts to provide a good relationship for setting volume breakouts each week. For example, if I wanted to focus on the bike, my bike points would be 60-70% of the overal points. If I wanted an even breakout, about 33% volume for each, then I my points would be equal at the end of the week. It works really well, and it's much better than just volume.
Added to that is that I've finally made a "workout menu" with prioritized, key workouts for swim, bike, and run. This is really helping with scheduling, especially now that I'm outside and the weather plays a part. I can look at the workout menu and easily plug-in the key workouts for good weather forecasts (or not in bad weather forecasts) or in accordance with family and work schedules. I found that it is really helping me hit the key workouts.
What are the key workouts? Swim, bike, and run all have three essentials: short and powerful sets, a race-length TT, and a long endurance (swim doesn't have a long endurance because of time, I'm making up for that by total weekly volume). Starting with the bike: one 40k TT, one hill repeats workout (usually a lunch workout) and a 40-miler for endurance. I also have a 15-mile recovery ride. For the swim: a 20x100, variable sets of 1x800, 1x400, 3x200, 5x100; a 3x800, and a 1x2000 (all short course yards cuz that's the pool I swim in). The run has track work (2x800 + 2x400 for starters, working to 4x800 + 4x400) or hill repeats, a 6.6mile TT route, and a 9 miler easy run. Run workouts also include easy three-milers to fill in the schedule when I need to take Paul with me.
My overall points goal each week is 240 now that summer has hit. In the winter, I was averaging about 150 with no swim. The charts make it really easy to see if I am doing what I want to be doing. Unfortunately, I haven't figured out how to put a chart from Excel into this blog (but I will figure it out!).
For an example of how this helps with scheduling....last night I looked at the weather forecast - supposed to be nice and sunny today and tomorrow, then rain and snow(!) later in the week with obviously cooler/cold temperatures. So I front loaded two of my bike workouts that I want to do outside and two of my run workouts I want to do outside. I won't have good recovery time, but I'll get the key workouts in. Prior to this method, I would have just figured out what I want to do the day prior for the most part, and probably change it when the time came (and then waste time getting my gear together!). It really does work well!
Pool today was 87degrees! Ouch. I did the 20x100 workout, leaving at 1:40 in that heat, and it nearly killed me. It definitely hurt. I finally dug through some of that pain and continued on, telling that voice in my head to "just go away, you're wrong, and you're stupid!" when it told me to just get out of the water cuz it's too hot. I think that little mental victory will go a long way in future workouts. Once you give in the first time, the second, third, and so-on are that much easier to give into.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Strange week for sure
What a strange week! Monday morning, I got up nice and early only to realize that my body is still quite tired from being sick the few days prior....back to bed! I got my lunch swim in, 20x100 that is always quite difficult but I feel GREAT when it's done. Then I did my bike workout at night, not such a big deal other than when I bike at night I can't get to sleep.
So, I ended up with no morning workouts and all my bike workouts in the evening after 7:30pm when Paul goes to bed. Of course, in the evening I can dial up the intensity a bit more because I'm not groggy from just waking up. All my bike workouts were really great. And all my swim workouts were great this week.
Did I forget to mention running? No, because I didn't run AT ALL this week.
But I got in my weekly goals for swim and bike, 8,000 yards and 100 miles respectively. And I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have got in that volume had I added any runs. So now I'm at a point that I hit my increased swim and bike volumes but don't run at all. If I can just get my butt out of bed in the morning, I can get those runs in, and then at some point I have to add some intensity to the runs.
And then there was snow on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Great for spring skiing...not so much for wanting to get outside for biking or running. And I didn't even go skiing cuz of the darn wind (I really don't like wind over 30mph).
I got some Bontrager Race Lite tires on Friday. I wanted the Michelin Pro Race 2's, but they didn't have them in stock at the local store. I wanted to buy from them because they gave us a great deal on XC skis last week. I hope they do pretty well at fending off punctures.
I'm geared up at this point. I finally bought some bungee cord straps for my swedish goggles that I use in the pool. The plastic straps that come in the bag when you buy them only last a year, but the goggles themselves seem to last forever.
Looking for a good week this week. Maybe an OWS in Del Mar boat basin, doing the full 1,500m that I have mapped out if all goes well. Oh yeah, I guess I should do some running, too.
So, I ended up with no morning workouts and all my bike workouts in the evening after 7:30pm when Paul goes to bed. Of course, in the evening I can dial up the intensity a bit more because I'm not groggy from just waking up. All my bike workouts were really great. And all my swim workouts were great this week.
Did I forget to mention running? No, because I didn't run AT ALL this week.
But I got in my weekly goals for swim and bike, 8,000 yards and 100 miles respectively. And I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have got in that volume had I added any runs. So now I'm at a point that I hit my increased swim and bike volumes but don't run at all. If I can just get my butt out of bed in the morning, I can get those runs in, and then at some point I have to add some intensity to the runs.
And then there was snow on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Great for spring skiing...not so much for wanting to get outside for biking or running. And I didn't even go skiing cuz of the darn wind (I really don't like wind over 30mph).
I got some Bontrager Race Lite tires on Friday. I wanted the Michelin Pro Race 2's, but they didn't have them in stock at the local store. I wanted to buy from them because they gave us a great deal on XC skis last week. I hope they do pretty well at fending off punctures.
I'm geared up at this point. I finally bought some bungee cord straps for my swedish goggles that I use in the pool. The plastic straps that come in the bag when you buy them only last a year, but the goggles themselves seem to last forever.
Looking for a good week this week. Maybe an OWS in Del Mar boat basin, doing the full 1,500m that I have mapped out if all goes well. Oh yeah, I guess I should do some running, too.
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