Ahhhh, recovery week. Right on the heels of being sick I actually welcomed this. Here’s a look at how it all went down (apologies for the lack of photos this week):
Mon., 2/20: Swim/Run
I found an incredibly handy swimming pace chart that acts as my swimming gut check as I don’t know anything about swimming speeds. After each swim workout, I’ll enter my total swim time (including rest) into my online workout log and it spits out my average pace per 100 yards. I then hop on over to the pace chart and see what that would equate to if I could sustain that pace for Vineman or IMAZ. When I saw my pace for this week’s workouts, I had to triple check (I never claimed to be good with math). A 1:44 / 100 yards pace? What?!
I went back and checked the prior weeks logs and sure enough, there it was (average pace per 100 yards for the week’s total workouts, including rest):
Week 1: 2:41
Week 2: 2:41
Week 3: 2:41
Week 4: 2:38
Week 5: 2:18
Week 6: 2:19
Week 7: 2:19
Week 8: 2:10
Week 9: 2:16
Week 10: 2:02
Week 11: 1:58
Week 12: 1:44
Needless to say, I’m partly extremely excited about this as this means I’m increasing my speed over longer distances, but the realist in me is extremely nervous and skeptical. For example, today’s swim pace wasn’t near week 12’s average, but am excited as the potential of this great growth. I followed this week’s swim with a steady 45 minute run in zone 1-2.
Tues., 2/21: Run/Core
As much as training is physical, it’s also largely mental for me. To convince myself to keep in my true zone 1-2, I need to slow down…a lot. Thus, I kept within my zones this week for another 45 minute zone 1-2 recovery run and some core work.
Wed., 2/22: Rest
Switching up my rest days for work. Speaking of work, the amount of food that is starting to pile up is getting kind of ridiculous…
Thurs., 2/23: Swim/Cycle
I had to squeeze in both Thursday morning and of course, everything went wrong this morning and I had to cycle then swim, leaving me awkwardly flapping around the pool for 1700 yards. However, my cycling Netflix choice of the day is “Freakonomics,” anyone else seen this?
Fri., 2/24: Long Run
I love how my recovery long runs are 9.7 miles. The good ol’ legs weren’t feeling it that day but you gotta do what you gotta do: kept it in zone 1-2 for some good ol’ fashion aerobic development.
Sat., 2/25: Long Ride
56 miles through Calaveras – some pretty tough hills, sunshine and even my first cycling jersey sunburn on my back. I consider this winning! Oh, and of course learning how to deal with these fueling problems.
Sun., 2/26: Rest
Ahhhh….ready to dive into my next book:
I closed out week 12 with:
8 hours and 46 minutes of training:
3,400 yards swimming
67.8 miles cycling
21.7 miles running
15 minutes core strengthening
How long into your training cycle was it until you started noticing changes?
Happy Running!
I thought Freakonomics was just a book. And I’ve actually felt slower after starting my marathon training cycle. I can certainly feel a change in the daily mileage that I’m good with (it used to be 3, now I get in at least 5miles), but I just feel so slow.
I’m not sure when I start seeing changes — I’ll try to make note of that next time!
had no idea freakonomics was a movie! I loved the book.
It usually isn’t until the last part of my training cycle that I start realizing that I am getting faster. Its a slow process but its fun to see the improvement.
ooh, thanks for that swimming pace chart, how fun!
Check out this website:
http://www.bx3.com/phil/tri/tricalc.asp
I use it for my swim time pace calculations 🙂
Wow, great swimming results! I don`t really do swimming much anymore. Just Sunday I had a great running result. I don`t know any old mile times of mine, but I ran a 7:25 one, and for me that is really great! A little (or big) success always makes me happy.
That is some massive swim-provement! (I just invented that word)
Keep it up!
I hear you on the food. My co-workers constantly tease me about the vast quantities of tupperware I am carting around.
That swim calculator is amazing! Thank you for sharing. So the pool at the gym is in meters and I really had no idea what that meant for my swims but now it is all so clear! I thought I was a 1:40ish/100 yard swimmer and when I first got back into the pool I was swimming in the 150s but now it makes sense since meters are longer…. haha learn something new every day!
Your swim improvements is VERY impressive! You are doing great!! Keep it up!
looks like you’re doing something right in the pool! i have a really hard time staying within my HR zones, too. i just can’t slow down that much! seriously, zone 1 for me is walking : /
my coach has me do time trials every month to check for progress. this week i saw some significant improvements on the bike and swim, so hopefully that means all this training is working! also, do you do all of your midweek rides on the trainer?
Thank you, thank you, thank you for posting the swim pace chart! I love it!