I am an idiot. I was very careful to run too slow.

Today's run was supposed to be three repeats of 10 min @ 160-165 beats/min + 5 min recovery run.

Well… I’m an idiot.

Felt really good about today’s run. I had a good nap beforehand. I was rested and strong and enjoyed the run.

I was very, very careful to keep my heart rate as close to possible to 155 beat/min during the three 10 minutes stretches. I got home and uploaded the results only to discover that I was supposed to be running 160 to 165 beats/min. Sheesh. I even checked before leaving to go to Raj’s house. ADD brain set in I guess and by the time I started running I was sure it was supposed to be 155 beats/min.

Looking at the lap times, though, I am pretty happy with my pace relative to my hear rate.

First 10 repeat – pace 5:08/km at 148 beats/min

Second 10 repeat – 5:25/km at 150 beats/min (this was up the University Bridge thus the slower pace)

Third 10 repeat – 5:16/km at 151 beats/min

I like the Tuesday run because it leads in to my day of rest. I do nothing now until tomorrow night at 9 pm when I swim.

This week's training plan (12 weeks to go)

This morning I met with Coach Bruce to get this week's workouts. Much thanks to Bruce, he moved my appointment ahead so that I could get my swim in before meeting Trainer Lindsay.

I did get my swim in. 3 repeat of 300 m swim + 300 m pull buoy. I have not swam or swummed 1800 m in some time. Felt good but I have a long way to go when it comes to swimming. I timed one 300 m swim at 6:24 which is an 11:00 500 m which is an 88:00 4 km swim. I will be happy to come out of the water in 90 minutes at Ironman. I dream of 80 minutes.

My training schedule is goofed up because I am going to Calgary for a Fencing tournament. I told Coach Bruce that I could find an hour on Sat and Sun but could not guarantee more than that as I am one of two cars transporting Sask fencers to Calgary.

Here is this week's training schedule:

Monday: Swim 45 minutes. Heavy weights 60 minutes.
Tuesday: Run 3 repeats of 10 min @ 160-165 beats/min + 5 min @ < 140 beats/min.
Wednesday: Swim 45 min.
Thursday: Run 4 repeats of 3 min @ 165-170 beat/min + 3 min @ < 140 beats/min. Then I take a 10 min set break and do the same again. With warm up and cool down the total should be about 60 minutes total.
Friday: Nil (I am driving to Calgary).
Saturday: Run 60 min @ 140 beats/min.
Sunday: Run 45 min @ 155 beats/min.

A weekend away but I still squeezed in my runs

Race season in Saskatchewan must be getting close. Despite conditions exactly like you see here...


...I saw two cyclists on Highway 11 about 40 km from the city. I salute you! I am way too wimpy to ride until April.

Summing up my weekend, is my email to Coach Bruce and Trainer Lindsay:

Let’s start with the good news shall we?

Despite driving to Regina and back and generally having a disrupted weekend, I did get two runs in. This is good news. I am committed and, as much as possible, adjusting my life around my training.

Saturday’s interval run was warm up – 1 km @ 4:30 – walk – 2 km @4:30 – walk – 1 km @ 4:30 – walk – easy run for 1 km. The Garmin data is limited to heart rate and laps because the run was indoor at the Regina Fieldhous (I took Arthur to fencing early so that I could get my run in, what commitment eh?). Generally a good run. I miscounted laps on the 2 km run (I was not running 4:00/km pace). Nonetheless, all intervals were very close to the 4:30 pace.

Now the bad news…

Sunday was a disaster. I went and parked by the Mendal Art Gallery thinking that Meewasin would be a good, clear, dry option. Wrong! My usual route would have been better. And, Meewasin was littered with people walking their dogs causing me lots of delays as Hannah requires a lot of attention when meeting other dogs. Secondly I really struggled with focus. I was defeated before I started – I was tired and didn’t want to do it. At the 43:00 minute mark I decided to give up all hope of maintaining a 4:55 pace and decided to simply run at the easier pace of 5:30 (or a little faster) and get the kilometers in. I got back to the truck at the 70 minute mark and decided that was enough.

I didn’t like it. I couldn’t stay focused. And, my left hip is killing me. It has been some time since I have hip pain like this. I will be going back on the anti-inflammatory drug ASAP. Having said all that, looking at the Garmin data, it’s not THAT bad. When I was running it was between 5:30 and 4:50.

Here are this week’s mileage numbers:

Distance: 27.39 km
Time: 03:16:26
Avg HR: 146 bpm

I did also get in 2 hours in the gym, and 2:15 in the pool. I did not bike.

I also learned that my new Adidas Adistar Ride shoes needed to be tightened. I wear my shoes ridiculously loose. It turns out, they can be too loose. A modest tightening seems to have fixed the slight discomfort that was being caused. Love the news shoes.

Tomorrow I am going to swim at lunchtime since I cannot go in the evening and then put in an hour of weights.

My first hard interval run was... Well, OK I guess

marathon, ironman, training, runningI could not stretch my streak. As of yesterday I had done every scheduled workout for a personal best 4 days. Today, sadly, a hour before my swim coaching session with Paul he called it off because he is ill. I, of course, had a nap instead of swimming. Broken streak.

I did do my first hard interval of this training session. It was... hard. But not as bad as I thought and my confidence is restored. I have not lost as much as I thought. Although this would have been a much easier run back in November I feel that mostly succeeded.

4 x 6:00 at 4:10/km.

1st 4:12 @ 164 beats/min
2nd 4:19 @ 164 beats/min
3rd 4:16 @ 154 beats/min - I think I had a long traffic stop accounting for lower heart rate.
4th 4:25 @ 159 beats/min

I upload all of the information from my Garmin to "Garmin Connect" so that Coach Bruce can see it. This means I am no longer able to round off... Lots of info and even cool pictures are available for his analysis.


Good news on the 2010 racing shirt search. After extensive internet research I have discovered that you can dye polyester. This means that you can tie-dye polyester. This means that my dream running shirt is within reach... I have ordered the appropriate dyes and am searching for the right white shirt. Sugoi has one I like. I am going go see if they have it at Brainsport. Even if they have the same style I can ensure that I like the fit and then get Brian to bring it in for me. I always try to give my business to local people that I like.

Final preparations for racing - shorts, shirts, and toes

I must be feeling good about getting back into formal training as I analyzed all my clothing to discover what was lacking. I concluded I needed one more pair of shorts that I liked and that I was not comfortable with my existing tri-shorts. No problem. Buy stuff on the internet!

I really like De Soto gear so I bought a pair of running shorts (bringing my total to three pair that I really like). I like my De Soto tri-shorts (I have 3 pair) but they are all the low-rise version and for certain applications, like riding at the Fieldhouse, I feel like my butt crack is sticking out. So I also bought a pair of traditional fit tri-shorts.

I bought new Adidas Adistars last week (the only runners I have ever had and I think these must be my 8th pair?). Today I tried on and treadmill tested several pair of shoes that are between the Adistar and Racing Flats. After some contemplation I have decided to pass on that option. I think my running career is nearing an end. I have always been happy and healthy in my current style of shoe. Now is not the time to change.

The only things I am now missing is my 2010 racing shirt. Last year I did all my races in my blue Lululemon shirt. I love that shirt. I reserved it for race days. For this year, I would like a new race day shirt and the search is on. What I would really like is a shirt like this one, except in an appropriate running fabric:

I can't be the only person who wants a tie-dyed running shirt can I? Runners are a conservative bunch, I guess, because it's hard to find an outrageous running shirt. Anyone got any ideas? I am looking in to a couple of places that will custom make something but most seem to rely on decals which would be too hot.

And, as a final preparation, I had a pedicure today. The old talons were feeling pretty beaten up. Getting them sanded and smoothing seemed like a good idea.

Before:



After:


Smooth like butter.

OK... time to go swimming. This will the first time in at least three months that I have completed four consecutive days of planned training.

I surprised myself by enjoying today's run but then there was the BAD news

Good news and bad news on the training front today.

Good news: I didn't find today's run difficult. And, I actually enjoyed it. This is really good news because I was dreading it. I was worried that my fitness had taken a bad backwards slide. But, things look better than I expected. I only ran 45 minutes (instead of scheduled 60) but a 5:30/km pace was no problem at all and my average heart rate was 148 beats per minute. So, it looks like I haven't lost as much as I thought.

Bad news: After attending the Public Schools Indoor Relays where both of my boys were running, we drove through Wendy's and I discovered this bad boy... a problem because bacon and blue cheese are two things like I like. Some would say that I obsess about them actually.


Oh oh...

Week one training plan

Started the day really sore from yesterday's easy run. That's not good. I will blame this on two weeks of sedentary behavior.

Met with Karen (physio) who feels that my hips are as good as they have been. I concur -- relatively pain free and with as much mobility as I have come to hope for. I will continue to see Karen every couple of weeks. Maybe more often closer to races.

Then I met with Bruce for this week's training plan. He works around my schedule as much as possible.

March 1-7

Monday: 60 minute strength-weight workout, 45 minute swim.
Tuesday: 60 minute run at 5:30/km.
Wednesday: 45 minute swim.
Thursday: Interval run (4 x 6 minute repeats at 4:10/km with a 5 minute recovery in between), 60 minute swim.
Friday: 45 minute swim, 60 minute core-weight workout.
Saturday: 120 minute easy bike stopping three times to run 1 - 2 - 1 km at 4:30/km.
Sunday: 90 minute run at 4:55/km

There are some tough runs this week. The 4 x 6 minute at 4:10 will be awful as will 90 minutes at 4:55 (my Boston Marathon qualifying race pace).

Hannah the Dog remains happy and committed.

EDIT: I did both my workouts today. Good news on the swimming front, I swam 500 M in 11 minutes. Last year at Moe's Triathlon my 500 M time was 14 minutes. 11 is a personal best. I am starting to dream of a 1:30:00 swim at Ironman Canada.