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.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Into Build Phase
Now that spring break is over, I'm moving into my build phases. For me, that means I increase the intensity for some of the same workouts I've been doing while adding specific training, such as outside hills on the bike, race pace runs, and open water swims. Because of the weather, my schedule will be a mix of the winter schedule and the expected summer schedule for much of April. In May, the weather stabilizes for the most part, and the full-on summer schedule is in place.
At this point, my weekly goals are
- swim 8,000 yards
- bike 120 miles
- run 20 miles (will probably increase to 24 or 25).
Open water swims are out of the picture in Idaho til May. I might get one in at Camp Pendleton in April, and I hope to make that one a one-mile swim. I'm increasing my yardage now in the swim because that leg of the tri is still kind of in the base phase, as I didn't start swimming til mid-February. My current workouts are M: 20x100 on 1:40, T: 1x800, 1x400, 2x200, 4x100, W: 2x800, R: 1x2000, F: mix of whatever I feel like or off or makeup. The Mon-Thurs schedule gives me my 8,000 yards for the week, with an equal mix of short and long. This yardage is significantly higher than last year's average of about 5,000, and that's because I want to be able push the swim and still get out of the water not feeling tired; the increased distance should facilitate that. The goal for the race split in an olympic race is 20 minutes.
The bike is still kind of inconsistent for me, but I'm getting better. In February and March I had a couple of weeks that I got in all the workouts but not the mileage I was hoping for. In any case, I was increasing the resistance throughout the winter, so the mileage isn't such as great measurment. The month of April will be pretty much like the winter training, but I'll get in as many outside bikes as I can when the weather is nice. The early mornings are still in the picture, and will remain in the schedule during the summer. The goal for the race split is variable given the course, but in general I'm looking for 1:06 or less on a really good day with few hills and little wind.
My run is probably in the worst shape at this point. I've done nothing but easy runs for the past months, but my mileage is higher than it ever was last year. When I can add in the intensity, it should come along nicely fairly quickly. My race goal for the run is a 43:00 10k.
Notice that the race goals don't get me to the 20-60-40....yet. I think that is going to happen further down the road as my open water swim and bike improve. The run may never get to a 40:00 unless I'm under 170 pounds, which isn't somewhere I really want to be.
I think the winter training was good for me. I certainly have a good base for the bike and some decent easy mileage for the run. My swim will get where it needs to be eventually.
I signed up for the Cache Valley Tri on June 12 and the Janet's Tri (West Yellowstone) on June 19 this evening. That will help me get out of bed in the morning and give me something to focus on when the training gets difficult. The Cache Valley Tri bike course is half uphill and the other half downhill.
At this point, my weekly goals are
- swim 8,000 yards
- bike 120 miles
- run 20 miles (will probably increase to 24 or 25).
Open water swims are out of the picture in Idaho til May. I might get one in at Camp Pendleton in April, and I hope to make that one a one-mile swim. I'm increasing my yardage now in the swim because that leg of the tri is still kind of in the base phase, as I didn't start swimming til mid-February. My current workouts are M: 20x100 on 1:40, T: 1x800, 1x400, 2x200, 4x100, W: 2x800, R: 1x2000, F: mix of whatever I feel like or off or makeup. The Mon-Thurs schedule gives me my 8,000 yards for the week, with an equal mix of short and long. This yardage is significantly higher than last year's average of about 5,000, and that's because I want to be able push the swim and still get out of the water not feeling tired; the increased distance should facilitate that. The goal for the race split in an olympic race is 20 minutes.
The bike is still kind of inconsistent for me, but I'm getting better. In February and March I had a couple of weeks that I got in all the workouts but not the mileage I was hoping for. In any case, I was increasing the resistance throughout the winter, so the mileage isn't such as great measurment. The month of April will be pretty much like the winter training, but I'll get in as many outside bikes as I can when the weather is nice. The early mornings are still in the picture, and will remain in the schedule during the summer. The goal for the race split is variable given the course, but in general I'm looking for 1:06 or less on a really good day with few hills and little wind.
My run is probably in the worst shape at this point. I've done nothing but easy runs for the past months, but my mileage is higher than it ever was last year. When I can add in the intensity, it should come along nicely fairly quickly. My race goal for the run is a 43:00 10k.
Notice that the race goals don't get me to the 20-60-40....yet. I think that is going to happen further down the road as my open water swim and bike improve. The run may never get to a 40:00 unless I'm under 170 pounds, which isn't somewhere I really want to be.
I think the winter training was good for me. I certainly have a good base for the bike and some decent easy mileage for the run. My swim will get where it needs to be eventually.
I signed up for the Cache Valley Tri on June 12 and the Janet's Tri (West Yellowstone) on June 19 this evening. That will help me get out of bed in the morning and give me something to focus on when the training gets difficult. The Cache Valley Tri bike course is half uphill and the other half downhill.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Sick during recovery week
This week is supposed to be a recovery week, after a five week push of good, consistent training weeks. Now I'm sick. I normally end up taking one sick day a year, and today is the day. I'm not sure I'm actually recovering this week, but I'm certainly not working out. Beautiful day today, too....sunny and 60.
Last Friday's run turned out to be 11.6 miles in 1:23:30, that's about 7:15 miles. I didn't run really hard, but I pushed it a bit. This is supposed to be a long and easy run, but I ended up pushing because I felt so good....there's lot of air to be had at sea level!
Hopefully I can get over this cold/flu/whatever soon. I want to get in my last day of skiing on Saturday, and maybe a bike ride this weekend, too, if the weather holds.
Last Friday's run turned out to be 11.6 miles in 1:23:30, that's about 7:15 miles. I didn't run really hard, but I pushed it a bit. This is supposed to be a long and easy run, but I ended up pushing because I felt so good....there's lot of air to be had at sea level!
Hopefully I can get over this cold/flu/whatever soon. I want to get in my last day of skiing on Saturday, and maybe a bike ride this weekend, too, if the weather holds.
Friday, March 19, 2010
End of winter training...well-timed!
So, at least my plan is working out, even if I'm not working out the plan.
My annual training plan says winter training ends this weekend, timed with the beginning of Idaho State University spring break. Suprisingly, spring sprang this week with some really nice temperatures. And I got in my first open water swim today...not in Idaho but in California at Camp Pendleton, where it was sunny, 70 degrees, and little wind. Anyway...
The past two weeks provided a great transition period from winter training to spring training. I got the bike outside a couple of times, and I got in the OWS today. I ran in shorts and a t-shirt twice last week on one of the warmer days of 45-50 degrees. Woohooo! But I also ran in the morning with pants and jacket a few times because it's still cold when it's dark. I also did a bike race, one of the ICE 10k TTs on a Sunday afternoon two weeks ago...I didn't know it was a race until I got there....I thought it was just a group ride of some sort (which I've never done, either).
Anyway, now it's time to turn up the intensity. My dog isn't going to like that much, because she's getting old and can't do much faster than a 9:30 mile. Paul might like it because I'll start pushing him more outside; he loves being outside! I won't get to swim in Idaho until the start of May, although I'm thinking I might try it towards the end of April just to see how early I can actually do it.
The only problem I have now is that the sun still isn't up til 6:45am or so, so I can't ride outside in the morning. That leaves me on the trainer in the morning and then a possible afternoon ride. That means I'm screwing with the trainer alot, which I'm not particularly fond of because it's harder than it really should be to get on and off the trainer.
I really need to turn up the intensity on the running ALOT. I'm just been jogging along at 8:30 miles all winter. I might have endurance, but my lactate threshhold is sure to be fairly low. But I can feel the endurance increases from the 9-10 mile runs.
ICE TTs:
The Idaho Cycling Enthusiasts bike club hosts two very informal race series each year. One is a 10k TT on a nice fairly flat section of road, although the wind can blow pretty hard (30-40mph) on this section fairly regularly. There is also a hill climb up local Scout Mountain, about five miles and 2,500feet. I'm planning on doing alot of those races, as much as a "cost-to-race" money-saver as a training method. I also want to get to know a few more people who bike. I'm very much a lone biker, which is ok for what and when I train, but it will be cool to meet some new folks and extend my horizons a bit. Like I said, the races are very informal, almost a show-n-go type thing but with a manual timer and some results, and the results get tallied at the end of the series to see who won. I'm certainly not there to win; maybe I'll see if I can't get last while I learn something and meet some people.
I'm looking forward to a good, well-balanced summer of events. It doesn't include the races I really want to do, but I'll certainly expand my horizons.
My annual training plan says winter training ends this weekend, timed with the beginning of Idaho State University spring break. Suprisingly, spring sprang this week with some really nice temperatures. And I got in my first open water swim today...not in Idaho but in California at Camp Pendleton, where it was sunny, 70 degrees, and little wind. Anyway...
The past two weeks provided a great transition period from winter training to spring training. I got the bike outside a couple of times, and I got in the OWS today. I ran in shorts and a t-shirt twice last week on one of the warmer days of 45-50 degrees. Woohooo! But I also ran in the morning with pants and jacket a few times because it's still cold when it's dark. I also did a bike race, one of the ICE 10k TTs on a Sunday afternoon two weeks ago...I didn't know it was a race until I got there....I thought it was just a group ride of some sort (which I've never done, either).
Anyway, now it's time to turn up the intensity. My dog isn't going to like that much, because she's getting old and can't do much faster than a 9:30 mile. Paul might like it because I'll start pushing him more outside; he loves being outside! I won't get to swim in Idaho until the start of May, although I'm thinking I might try it towards the end of April just to see how early I can actually do it.
The only problem I have now is that the sun still isn't up til 6:45am or so, so I can't ride outside in the morning. That leaves me on the trainer in the morning and then a possible afternoon ride. That means I'm screwing with the trainer alot, which I'm not particularly fond of because it's harder than it really should be to get on and off the trainer.
I really need to turn up the intensity on the running ALOT. I'm just been jogging along at 8:30 miles all winter. I might have endurance, but my lactate threshhold is sure to be fairly low. But I can feel the endurance increases from the 9-10 mile runs.
ICE TTs:
The Idaho Cycling Enthusiasts bike club hosts two very informal race series each year. One is a 10k TT on a nice fairly flat section of road, although the wind can blow pretty hard (30-40mph) on this section fairly regularly. There is also a hill climb up local Scout Mountain, about five miles and 2,500feet. I'm planning on doing alot of those races, as much as a "cost-to-race" money-saver as a training method. I also want to get to know a few more people who bike. I'm very much a lone biker, which is ok for what and when I train, but it will be cool to meet some new folks and extend my horizons a bit. Like I said, the races are very informal, almost a show-n-go type thing but with a manual timer and some results, and the results get tallied at the end of the series to see who won. I'm certainly not there to win; maybe I'll see if I can't get last while I learn something and meet some people.
I'm looking forward to a good, well-balanced summer of events. It doesn't include the races I really want to do, but I'll certainly expand my horizons.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
First outside bike rides
I got in three bike rides outside this week. First was the Idaho Cycling Enthusiasts (ICE) time trial on Sunday. A 10k course, not exactly flat enough for around here, I completed in 17:16 with very tired legs and a "I'm here to see what this is all about" approach to the day. I thought it was going to be a nice 20k ride or so. I didn't know we were going to be racing! It was a great way to see if everything is workingon the bike, though.
Then I rode a 15-miler and a 24-miler on Thursday and Friday. Thursday was sunny and 48 with little wind. Friday was 48 or so, cloudy, and really windy. I figure I'm about where I was at last July, which is good and bad. Good in that I didn't lose much over the winter, and bad in that I thought I might have made some gains compared to where I was at the end of the summer. I really can't make a comparison right now anyway because I'm wearing a jacket and pants in the cold, both of which slow me down.
Snowing today! The streets just got swept, so hopefully there isn't anymore sand going down on the streets. Going for a bit of cross-country ski this afternoon with Paul up to a yurt with friends. I'm not staying overnight, though. I just want to get out and about with Paul.
This next week is the end of the end-of-winter training push, then I get a break going into my reserve drill weekend. My volume is up alot this week, but not exactly where I want to be yet, but preparing to be there for summer.
Then I rode a 15-miler and a 24-miler on Thursday and Friday. Thursday was sunny and 48 with little wind. Friday was 48 or so, cloudy, and really windy. I figure I'm about where I was at last July, which is good and bad. Good in that I didn't lose much over the winter, and bad in that I thought I might have made some gains compared to where I was at the end of the summer. I really can't make a comparison right now anyway because I'm wearing a jacket and pants in the cold, both of which slow me down.
Snowing today! The streets just got swept, so hopefully there isn't anymore sand going down on the streets. Going for a bit of cross-country ski this afternoon with Paul up to a yurt with friends. I'm not staying overnight, though. I just want to get out and about with Paul.
This next week is the end of the end-of-winter training push, then I get a break going into my reserve drill weekend. My volume is up alot this week, but not exactly where I want to be yet, but preparing to be there for summer.
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