My goal while away from home is to consistently stay more organized with my blogs. While I am with Chuckie it is easy to see progress and work with numbers and the programming. He takes all the important stuff and writes it down. He is quite organized, minus the few pitfalls he has with car windows open and papers flying out everywhere. He goes a bit APE-$#!&. Otherwise, he is generally a good coach to hang out with. This was shown quite well in the last couple of training days.
Tuesday - The day started with an easy 1000yard swim to get in the Tabata sprints (10 x 25-yard all-out efforts on 10-seconds rest) that I missed Monday (too tired). My numbers were comparable to my top end speeds that I attained a couple of weeks ago. The swim was a short 20minutes and then we got ready for the FIG - an epic 9mile climb at/near 9%. It has ups and downs but the locals usually tend to equate that to 9% of 9 miles. The ride started out with me feeling like total crap. I was ready to pack it in after 15minutes of riding. It was just one of those days that I was not ready nor wanting to pedal. Chuckie swayed me into trying a ramp test: 5 minutes @ 135HR and then 5 minutes @ 150HR. If the power was there or near what we have previously seen, then I am ready to go. Well, the numbers didn't lie. I was on my game, at least part of me was ready. We started the climb and I was angry that I was even on my bike. I have not felt so crappy before. Chuckie was pissing me off by making me get on the pedals and stay at my prescribe HR zone. He was getting angrier by the minute because APPARENTLY I was not riding in a straight line and running him off the road while he was on my wheel. (I kept thinking to myself - serves him right! I don't want to be doing this crap!). But then the negatives turned into positive and Chuckie helped me pedal by pedal up the hill. He encouraged me between his bouts of anger.
In the end, I was able to ride to the top and then back down the other side and up again. I ended up getting 1hr46minutes at a sustained higher-end aerobic zone. AND I managed to crack Chuckie from my back wheel the last six minutes! - which in fact was my whole goal in the end. I was pleased it was over (as was he!). We had a good laugh after - or at least I did from all the anger we had between us. It was funny. Anger works in your favour sometimes. I am assuming more days like this day are coming. Yikes.
The day then ended with an easy 25minute run and nice walk around a local vineyard. We then headed back to the Y for a 2000yard flop and finally - a nice warm shower. My day started at 7:30 and ended a 7:30, a long day to say the least.
Wednesday - One of Chuckie's former athletes, Jake Kelly, is in town now from Denver and will be here for the next couple of weeks. He joined us for a 4hr30min hike down Refugio Road up toward Broadcast Peak. Jake and I ran for a 1hour in the middle while Chuckie did what he does best - hiked. It was solid. All that walking made me realize just how much the structure can breakdown. We are going to try to incorporate more hiking in the schedule to augment my running, and hopefully improve my strength and structure for the long runs and racing. I have to say, I was ready for some real food and a meal afterwards. Chuckie was in his element while I was trying to pick up the pace the last 1hour. I was ready to get off my legs and sit. I wasn't quite successful with the increased speed. Jake and Chuckie had a pretty good conversation going on. The rest of the afternooon was pretty mellow: 1hr5min bike on my own (Chuckie had to get some coaching done), and a 2600yard swim.
Thursday (today) - Thus far the day has been good. We did a harder swim session that included more Tabata sprints, a 2000yard time trial (TT) and a set of 10x125s with flippers. The TT went well. I was about a second off for each 100 from my current personal best in the pool. The flipper set helped at the end of the TT to get an increased arm turn-over. At the end of this session I was hungry and came home and ate ALOT. Shortly there after we met Jake for an easy spin of 3.5hours on Foxen Canyon. I attempted the Tabata sprints on the bike but after my third attempt I broke down. Chuckie took out his anger face and tried to pump me up but I was beyond trying. We rested and tried two more times to see if I could beat my previous max wattage I did a week ago. I was off a good 40 watts. Tabata sprints are a good way to measure fatigue no doubt.
We just finished a good meal and am chillaxing. (Chilling and relaxing...I think I made that word up a while back - or stole it from somewhere). I will be running later tonight for ~45minutes.
It sure is nice training, resting and eating all day. And it is very easy to get the work done when you have Chuckie on your case. I sometimes find it hard to get myself out the door most days by myself and procrastinate often. Down here, the whole goal is to do what I can today so I can do more tomorrow.
Tuesday - The day started with an easy 1000yard swim to get in the Tabata sprints (10 x 25-yard all-out efforts on 10-seconds rest) that I missed Monday (too tired). My numbers were comparable to my top end speeds that I attained a couple of weeks ago. The swim was a short 20minutes and then we got ready for the FIG - an epic 9mile climb at/near 9%. It has ups and downs but the locals usually tend to equate that to 9% of 9 miles. The ride started out with me feeling like total crap. I was ready to pack it in after 15minutes of riding. It was just one of those days that I was not ready nor wanting to pedal. Chuckie swayed me into trying a ramp test: 5 minutes @ 135HR and then 5 minutes @ 150HR. If the power was there or near what we have previously seen, then I am ready to go. Well, the numbers didn't lie. I was on my game, at least part of me was ready. We started the climb and I was angry that I was even on my bike. I have not felt so crappy before. Chuckie was pissing me off by making me get on the pedals and stay at my prescribe HR zone. He was getting angrier by the minute because APPARENTLY I was not riding in a straight line and running him off the road while he was on my wheel. (I kept thinking to myself - serves him right! I don't want to be doing this crap!). But then the negatives turned into positive and Chuckie helped me pedal by pedal up the hill. He encouraged me between his bouts of anger.
In the end, I was able to ride to the top and then back down the other side and up again. I ended up getting 1hr46minutes at a sustained higher-end aerobic zone. AND I managed to crack Chuckie from my back wheel the last six minutes! - which in fact was my whole goal in the end. I was pleased it was over (as was he!). We had a good laugh after - or at least I did from all the anger we had between us. It was funny. Anger works in your favour sometimes. I am assuming more days like this day are coming. Yikes.
The day then ended with an easy 25minute run and nice walk around a local vineyard. We then headed back to the Y for a 2000yard flop and finally - a nice warm shower. My day started at 7:30 and ended a 7:30, a long day to say the least.
Wednesday - One of Chuckie's former athletes, Jake Kelly, is in town now from Denver and will be here for the next couple of weeks. He joined us for a 4hr30min hike down Refugio Road up toward Broadcast Peak. Jake and I ran for a 1hour in the middle while Chuckie did what he does best - hiked. It was solid. All that walking made me realize just how much the structure can breakdown. We are going to try to incorporate more hiking in the schedule to augment my running, and hopefully improve my strength and structure for the long runs and racing. I have to say, I was ready for some real food and a meal afterwards. Chuckie was in his element while I was trying to pick up the pace the last 1hour. I was ready to get off my legs and sit. I wasn't quite successful with the increased speed. Jake and Chuckie had a pretty good conversation going on. The rest of the afternooon was pretty mellow: 1hr5min bike on my own (Chuckie had to get some coaching done), and a 2600yard swim.
Thursday (today) - Thus far the day has been good. We did a harder swim session that included more Tabata sprints, a 2000yard time trial (TT) and a set of 10x125s with flippers. The TT went well. I was about a second off for each 100 from my current personal best in the pool. The flipper set helped at the end of the TT to get an increased arm turn-over. At the end of this session I was hungry and came home and ate ALOT. Shortly there after we met Jake for an easy spin of 3.5hours on Foxen Canyon. I attempted the Tabata sprints on the bike but after my third attempt I broke down. Chuckie took out his anger face and tried to pump me up but I was beyond trying. We rested and tried two more times to see if I could beat my previous max wattage I did a week ago. I was off a good 40 watts. Tabata sprints are a good way to measure fatigue no doubt.
We just finished a good meal and am chillaxing. (Chilling and relaxing...I think I made that word up a while back - or stole it from somewhere). I will be running later tonight for ~45minutes.
It sure is nice training, resting and eating all day. And it is very easy to get the work done when you have Chuckie on your case. I sometimes find it hard to get myself out the door most days by myself and procrastinate often. Down here, the whole goal is to do what I can today so I can do more tomorrow.
3 comments:
Angela,
You mentioned once that you have a cyclocross bike. Have you ever put road slicks on it? If so, does it perform half decently?
I am going to buy a bike next year and I am not sure what to do. I want a road bike for racing but the tires just aren't meant for potholes and sewer grates. I can't afford two bikes so I am considering cyclocross with a spare wheelset for racing tri's.
Angela -
First of all, I am glad to see you are back in Solvang training with CV by your side...
What's this about going up the fig, then down the fig, then up the fig? Holy crap! Looks like you are rolling along quite well.....You are going to rock at WF.
Brian- I did have a cyclocross bike but ended up selling it because I didn't use it that often. I found it difficult to get the same measurements as my road bike. I personally would go for a road bike.
Chris - thanks! It is grueling working with Chuckie. No giving up! :) We need to get you on another training camp again! Maybe Colorado!
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