1000M running intervals

Ran down to the water with 1000M running intervals by time (4 minutes, whic is actually a bit long).

Average HR 160 w/the intervals at 172. 35 minutes.

Recovery run

33 minute recovery run down to the water and back. Average HR 150. 7:45 first mile.

Excellent brick from the house

24 people came over this morning for breakfast then we headed out for a 42 mile ride (45 on one persons computer, you always pick the highest number the saying goes...) followed by a 4 mile run. The abilities of the riders were varied and it was a social ride. We stopped a bunch of times to regroup and also headed up to the peace pagoda in Leverett for a spell.

Jill, Jim, Brian, and myself ran afterwards.

Bike specs:

Ride 42 miles, average speed 14.4, max speed 48.2. Average HR 131 with a max of 174 (there was a really short steep climb).

Run stats:

4 miles, time: 31:34 7:53 minute miles. Average HR 173, max 187 Not too freakin' shabby...

Holyoke Catholic loop

Did the Hoyoke Catholic HS loop on the bike. 14.8 miles, average speed 17.9 average HR 149.

52 minutes, had to bring it on in so I would not be late for a meeting

1 hour masters swim in the evening followed by a couple beers at O'Driscolls. No tolerance anymore!! 2 beers had me buzzed pretty good...

Up to the tower...

Rode up to the tower with 4 x 30 second power intervals.

55 minutes average HR of 150, average speed 16.7. 935 feet of ascent. 15 miles

Recovery run

40 minute recovery run up the fire road off Old Enfield.

Average HR 155.

Ride and a swim

Did the Monday night recovery ride, Jill rode as well which was a treat! 27 miles with an average speed of 16 MPH. Felt good! HR was not working for the ride which was a bummer, but it certianly was not high!!

After the ride I went to the Y for a 35 minute swim to loosen up after the race.

Wrentham duathlon

Couldn’t have asked for a better day, sunny with temperatures in the high 50s / low 60s at the start. Historically this race is cold, and last year saw rain. I saw someone with a CTS jacket on before the race, I wanted to say hello but by the time I got set up / warmed up I couldn’t find him. The race was well attended with 307 participants. The Wrentham du is a 3/11/2 duathlon with the runs being flat and fast; the bike leg is fairly flat as well with around 400 ft of vertical with the majority of that in 1 climb and the rest in some rollers.

I arrived about an hour before race start, set up transition, hopped on the bike to run through the gears and make sure everything was clicking, then did a run warmup. Had a gel and shot the breeze waiting for the start.

And we’re off! I felt really good for the first run, being able to bring my HR up to 196 for a peak with an average of 185 for the 21:55. T1 was 1:30 and I’m off on the bike. Life is good until I flat at about mile 5… All of a sudden my fingers go away, I grow 10 thumbs and time slows down. Strip off the rear wheel, fix the flat, it takes 7 and a half minutes (arrgh!!!). The cool thing I guess is that I get to pass a whole bunch of people again… I refuse to use the excuse of a flat and go as hard as I possibly can for the final 6 miles. I round the final corner with about 1/3 of a mile to go. Flat #2, same wheel. I just ride it in on the rim (ouch!!). Upon later inspection, there is a piece of glass stuck in the tire that I missed on the initial change. My bike time minus the flat change (7:29) is 33:47. I remember not to point my toes taking off my cycling shoes in the attempt to put off the calf cramps, but it doesn’t work. The first ½ mile is pretty bad going until my legs get used to going front to back as opposed to around in circles. It gets easier and I’m able to put on the gas and run my HR back up into the low 190s and can pass a few people before the finish. Run #2 time was 16:18.

What I did right: My training and nutrition was good. Last year I posted the same finishing time (within 5 seconds) with no flat, so I peeled 7:30 off my time of a year ago. Some more hydration on the bike would have been nice to have… I’m used to racing this race much cooler so I could have used a full bottle. I felt really good aerobically, I was able to work at a pretty high HR for the duration of the race with no isses.

What I need to work on: Keeping my cool. I came apart at the flat tire. I also need to replay transitions in my head until they become automatic. I completely forgot this, with this being my first race of the season. Do more brick workouts (looking at my schedule these bad boys start this weekend (be careful what you ask for!!)) to get my legs used to the bike / run transition. I need to spend more time with hard efforts on the bike (multiple sets of PIs). Here it is 2 days after the race and the tops of my calves, and my quads just above the knees are still absolutely on fire.

I’m happy with the way the race went, and have a very good starting point and clear understanding of what I need to work on this season (apart from my swim of course). It’s all good!

Quick ride

Took a quick ride to the gate at Quabbin with 30 second power intervals in preparation for the Wrentham Duathlon.

40 minutes average HR 136

Recovery run

Recovery run to the gate. 3 miles 25:05. Average HR 154.

Recovery run

Recovery run to the gate. Average HR 155. 24:30 for 3 miles. First mile 7:27

Swim and recovery miles on the trainer

30 minute easy swim and 30 minutes recovery miles on the trainer.

Average HR on the trainer 121.

Run in Maine with 1000M intervals

Jill and I went for an awesome run in Maine with 4 1000M running intervals by time. By Jill's watch it was 7.8 miles in 1:11:00

Average HR 158 intervals at about 185.

Tempo run

Fastest mile ever!!! Did a tempo run and my first mile was 6:32.

Average HR for the run 169 with the tempo at 178. 40 minute run.

Trainer with power intervals

35 mi nute ride on the trainer with 3 x 2 minute power intervals. 34 degrees with heavy rain outside. After a couple times on the road, I am having a very hard time spending time on the trainer.

140 average HR, PIs were about 170.

1000 meter running intervals in NJ

1000 meter running intervals (by time) in New Jersy. Good workout up the hill in the back of the Honeywell campus.

40 minutes, 162 average HR with the running intervals into the upper 170s. Legs had a pretty good burn towards the end!

Spin class in NJ

Spin class in NJ. Was able to get in a few minutes early and warm up. Pretty easy class with an average HR of 152 over the 57 minutes or so. Max HR of 173. It's pretty funny as all of the instructors at the work fitness center really try to work me. May be the tri t-shirts I wear to the classes... Hasn't happened yet!!

Swim and PIs on the trainer

Swam 45 minutes and 45 minutes on the trainer with 4 1 minute power intervals.

Average HR on the bike was 136 with an average cadence of 82.

7 miler

Ran the logging roads to Quabbin with a few people. 7 miles in about 1:05 with an average HR of 161.

Fartlek intervals

Ran down to the water (plus a bit more) with 6 fartlek intervals.

Average HR for the run was 163 with the fartlek intervals in the 180 range

Swim and a recovery ride

Swam 45 minutes in the morning, and did a 30 minute reciverey ride on the trainer. With all of the hills around the house I find it very difficult to keep my HR down for a recovery ride.

Average HR 122 for 30 minutes.

Run to the gate

Endurance run to the gate. 7:43 first mile. 23:10 3 mile run with an average HR of 165

Trainer ride with 2 tempos

Cold out again today. Did 2 tempos on the trainer. My workout called for steady state but I could not maintain the HR so dropped it back a bit and was able to get a solid tempo, which is still better than nothing!!

138 average HR for 50 minutes tempos were at 153. Average cadence 78 high of 104.

Endurance run and a swim

Swam 45 minutes in the morning and an endurance run down to the water and back.

32 minute 4 mile run with average HR of 157

1000 meter running intervals

Headed to the track for 3 1000M running intervals.

Average HR for the 40 minutes was 153, with a max of 195