Super Happy Tabata Fun Day - Tri Resistance training Feb 29, 2012

The key workout for today was Tabatas, and running ones at that.  

For tabatas, it is very important to be good and warm, as you can hurt yourself quite easily, so a little longer on the bike to warm up, then we went around the track a few times doing various warm-ups.  First one was called Karioke, where you kinda hop sideways, back foot in front then behind the other, so you are twisting the hips.  Then butt-kicks for a length, then high knees, then the one where you bounce the knee straight up and then straight out the side...  That last one takes some coordination, and apparently more that we had, although Trainer Lindsay makes it look easy.

We slightly modified the protocol, thinking that Rob's knee pain from last week was not a good result, and that a full lap was more than 20 seconds.  So we did this as half a lap @100% effort, then quarter lap slow jog.  This was probably now too short for the running, and still too long for the recovery, but it felt closer to the way the Bike Tabata feels (where we have a timer to look at, so know we are right on the times).

After 8 repeats, Nic Wiggins comment still held true, "The running was all right, I just could not get my mouth open far enough".  Almost 2 hours later, I am still feeling the effect.

We followed that with some lighter exercises that we dont normally do
- Back extensions on the exercise ball x15
- Rear Delt Flys, 15lbs x20
- Rotator Cuff, internal and external rotation, using tubing, 15 each side.
 3 times through the set

Next we did
- Calf raises on the machine, 50lb weight, x15
- Lat Extension, where you lay back on the exercise ball, under your shoulders, hips raised, hold a 35lb dumbell straight up, and with arms held straight, lower the weight above your head and back up.  20 repeats
- more internal and external rotation while waiting for machines, etc
3 times through the set.

Last, we used the Ab Roller, to work those abs some more.  Lucky me, Lindsay made Paul do the pilates routines from Monday, and he had much the same comment.  As in, "Crap, those hurt".  If I ever thought that pilates would be easy, I dont anymore.

Did some foam roller work on the IT band, Quads and hips, and called it a fine workout.

Sick Day - Feb 28

Called in sick.  Bad Sleep.  After 6 more hours, felt better, but felt that doing a swim workout was not wise.

So I got my TV watching in.  Doesn't do much for the heart rate though....

Tri Resistance Training - Feb 27

Oh My God, we got worked like dogs today.

Training Buddy Rob and I were the only attendees today, and we are the advanced students, so that gave Lindsay free reign to work us.

First set - three times
- Medicine ball lunges on track.   So, holding the 5kg medicine ball, big step into a lunge, get low, hold medicine ball straight out, then rotate 45 degrees left, 45 degrees right, then straight, then lunge with other leg and repeat the length of the track.
- Bounding with medicine ball. Starting at start of straightaway on track, drive upward with one leg, looking for vertical height, down the track, round the corner, down the other straightaway.  Walk it off
- Hamstring curl, on machine, 110lbs, 15 reps
- jumping planks.  Start plank position on hands, bring one foot up so that it is next to hands.  Now bounce hips up and switch feet.  Get the form and distance correct, then repeat for a 20 count.

second set, 2 times
- Gliding side lunges, 12 each leg
- Box Jumps, highest platform, 15  reps
- Deadlifts, with 50lb dumpbells, 15 reps
- squeeze big ball between feet, lying on back on mat, and extend feet outward to engage core, 12 times

3rd set - some pilates stuff

- On your back, hold big ball between your feet, stretch out keeping it off floor, pull it back, pass to hands, stretch it out over your head.  Repeat
- hold ball between legs, one over one under, keeping lower heel off floor, now do crunches.  This one beat, me, I could not do it, so we just held it for 15 seconds, which was close to killing me as well.


Wicked, brutal and fun workout :-)

Sunday Long Run - Feb 26

Shortish long run today, did only slightly over 18.  Weather was ugly, cold windy, so at 6:30 AM, I decided that an additional hour of sleep was going to do me more good than an additional 8k.  Hope I am right.

We took the west route into fish creek to get out of the wind.  The groups kinda spread out a little bit more that it should of, so instead of 3 groups, we had like 5, with instructor and pacer (me) in the middle group.   Less than an ideal situation.

I got my extra couple of K's in by running back and picking up the last group, continuing to give them encouragement as we ran along.  I think that last group is running too slow, and by too slow, I mean well below their capabilities for a slow sunday run.  They could and should be running faster, while still keeping the heart rate down to an acceptable level.

Fartlek Fridays - Feb 24

Decided that I had to run at lunch, and take advantage of the acceptable weather.  It was chilly and breezy, but great to go hard.  I had no real workout thought out, other than some tempoing.

I spotted Jerry, who is one of the regulars at Glenmore Running Room ahead of me, and pushed harder to catch up the him and his running partner.  I then spent 10 minutes chatting and running with them, up to the crowchild bridge.  They stopped for a walk break (it was supposed to be a recovery run for them), so I decided to tempo again until I caught up to some people.  Put in a 4:28 km that felt nice.

I kept a good pace all run, with only one stop to re-tie a shoe, and another walk break at the princes island bridge.  Got my 8k run done in 38:12, so I think that the tempoing goal was met.

:-)

Triathlon resistance - Feb 22

Not the usual workout today.  Lindsay was delayed, so after a warmup, we decided to get started, and came up with what we thought would be a good first set, medicine ball throws on the wall, chest press on the ball, and crunches.  We had just started when Lindsay showed up and said "tabata day"

we had a choice of bike or run.  I dont think I was ready for the pain yet, so I chose bike, knowing that it always seemed a bit less painful.  Everyone else did it running.

On the first one, I was pushing 650 watts!  crazy.  Of course, after that, I had trouble pushing 450 watts.  I should have run it.

After a bit of cool down, we did
chest press on the ball - last set with 50 lb dumbbells
assisted pulls ups
Side crunches on the bosu (I think)

tricep extension, upright with dumbbell
!!! BICEP CURLS !!!
plank+crunch on the ball (feet on the ball, straight arm, plank, then pull knees up)

brutal but good workout

Swim Fit - Feb 23

So for tonights workout, we did relay races.  It ended up being boys against the girls, so Sebastian and myself took them on.  The first one was IM, which of course, starts with the butterfly.  and I was not allowed to wear fins for this butterfly either.  It was ugly.  By the halfway point, I was kinda doing a whip kick rather than dolphin, so that I could get some kind of forward propulsion.  And I had to do a flipturn/somersault before Sebastian could take off.   He then had to do 2 lengths, back-stroke and breast stroke, and I got to finish it off with freestyle.  It was a close finish, virtual tie.  Well done teams.

Next relay, we decided that we should use a hand signal for when to take off, and not have someone do two in a row, allowing us some recovery time.  This was an all-out freestyle race, and was a blast.  I dont know if we finished that close, but doesn't matter.

Third time was for fun.   We had to pick up rings off the bottom, which is very hard to do after you have been swimming hard.  We had to do 10 bobs at the end after a hard length.  fun fun fun.

next was 6x50 back then free sprint, on a pyramid.  First three get progressively harder, then last three get progressively easier.

Then 4x100 IM.  We did a length of butterfly, then one-armed on the way back, full again, one armed.  We were running out of time, so we just did 50s for the breast, back and free.

A quality workout, and lots of fun beside.

Hills x8 Feb 22

Tonight was a hill workout.  I had 8 on the schedule, and was ready to push hard.  Taz ran with me to the hill, and then I pushed hard.  Set off the heart rate alarm every time up the hill, and was able to push hard for that last piece at the top of the hill.  Taz ran the last hill with me, and set a good pace.

Hills can be such a tough workout, but they are what gives me the mental strength to say "No quitting till the job is done". 

And I was ready for sleep by the time I got home.

Swim Fit - Feb 21

Was kinda looking forward to the swim, but not holding high hopes for it to go well.  We did lots of kick and pull and drills.  We also did what are called windsprints.  This is where, one one breath, you sprint to the other end of the pool.  It really is a bit of a mental game.  Right on cue, when I passed the center stripe, my lungs started to burn, and I made it to the 2/3 point the first time, the flags the second time.  Coach Elody says that you really have to push yourself, close your eyes! if seeing the line makes your lungs burns.  just keep driving.  So the last time, I started blowing some bubbles at the half, then each time my lungs started to burn, I blew some out and drove on, and made it!

The fins never came out of the bag tonight.  very nice.  I think I am starting to understand the kick now.  You really have to snap your leg forward.   The kick you do in running and cycling is a kick towards the back, to propel you forward.  In the swim, however, you have to snap your leg forward.  If you dont do this, your legs sink, and you have to drag too much water. Like I do, or should I tentatively say, used to do.

I used what I called a 3-beat kick, and I think I am using that terminology correctly.  This is where I kick 3 times for each pull of the arm, and pause through the rotate. and it worked tonight. The strokes didnt feel like I was overworked, I was able to control the effort level while staying on the surface and not sinking.

It was fun.  and work.  lots of work.  but fun...

Tempo Tuesday - Feb 21

So after a loooong weekend, 4 days off from work with just 1 workout over the 4 days, I am ready to get back into the training and building.  On the plate for today, an 8K tempo run, around the crowchild loop.   It is quite windy today, westerly chinook wind making lots of noise through the building.

The first three K are into the wind, and the same feelings are creeping in (and they are not good).  Starting to think I am coming down with something, and tried to cough something up while walking under the crowchild bridge.  Now this is getting sucky.

Enough feeling sorry for yourself, and with the wind at your back, just take it easy and run.  It starts feeling good, and speed picks up, and next think I know, the heart rate is up, and I am solidly tempoing.  I keep this up for several K, and kept a 4:35-4:45 pace for the next 3 K.  I know I am wind-assisted, but the rest of the run felt great, and the sun on my face is wonderful.

Feels good to shake off that malaise, even if its just for a little while....

update: looking at the charts this evening shows me that my heartrate dropped by 37 bpm in the first minute the first time I stopped, and the second time, after a hard run up the ramp at princes island, it dropped from 177 to 126 in under a minute.  That would be 51 bpm....  Wow!.  

Sunday - LSD - Feb 19.

I have started training with the Shawnessy Running Room marathon clinic group.  Now, they are about 6 weeks behind where I need to be on the schedule, so I am trying some tricks to make this work.

On sunday, I was up an hour earlier for breaky, and then started my run from my front door, and ran for 50 minutes to the running room, which is approx 8k away.  Their scheduled run was 13k, so this gave me just shy of 22 k.  This made for a nice buildup.  I already know that I am a social runner, as the first 8k was kind hard, but once I was with the group, it felt much easier.  The first few with the group were nice enough that I started to think that I should just extend my run back home.

But my the end of the scheduled run, some common sense prevailed, and I took the train home.  My hamstrings felt tight, and I had spent a good portion of the run advising the newbies about getting to the starting line uninjured.  So I followed my own advice.

Thursday Swim - Feb 16

Swimming tonight was kind of sucky.  After the warmup, we started with sprints and IM, and I found that I was not recoverying, either quickly or at all.   I had not done a workout at lunch, instead taking the opportunity to spend it with friends at GeeGong.

So after a few more attempts, and really not feeling good at all, I switched to kick drills, and did about 300m of kicking, with lots of rest between.

Kind of a bummer, as usually, even whent the swim starts out bad, I push through, and end up with a really good workout.  It didn`t happen this time, and I will even admit that it may have been mental, and that I didn`t really have the desire to make it happen.

Friday is a rest day I think.  Need some recovery.

Wednesday night hills - Feb 15

Ran hills tonight with the puppy.  We had 7 hills on the schedule, but I ended up cutting it off at 6.  This was the start of a trend to not feeling good, early fatigue, lack of recovery etc etc.  The hills themselves were at a proper pace, and I was even pushing the pace at the top of the hill, like I like to run hills. But the breeze felt colder than it should have, the recovery not as good, and just not fun.

Funny story.  When we went to run the last hill, the puppy didnt want to run, and just stalled.  This usually means something in the foot or the fur.  I checked his feet, thinking that it was snow balls that were causing the problem.  He then reluctantly ran up the hill with lots of coaxing.  The run back to the store was slow, and kind-of a drag, with lots of encouragement required.  When we got in the store, one of the ladies saw him, and said "Oh you poor dog, you have a stick stuck in your fur" and proceeded to pull a big branch out from underneath him.....  I must remember to check closer when he balks.

Weights Feb 15

first set, 3 times each exercise

Bench press on exercise ball
Ham string curls on the machine
squat and press
Side crunch on bosu

Second set, 3 times each exercise 
Fencer lunges on track 15 each leg
Dead lifts
Bent over rows
Ball crunches

Extra Credit:
Pointers on bosu

Tuesday Swim - Feb 14

Baby's gotta spit the soother sometime....

So I went to the pool for the regular workout, still feeling kinda bummed out from the bad lunchtime run.  My intention was to see how it felt, and if it was not good, then just do a bunch of breaststroke to loosen up the legs, and sit in the hot tub.

Warmup
100m Pull
50m Kick
100m Pull
50m Kick - note, the kick was done on back, no fins

B/U
4x7m rotate(free, back, breast)

main
100m back fast/slow
100m breast fast/slow
100m free fast/slow

we were supposed to do that twice, but I was running out of time

400m endurance test.  it was supposed to be as follows
50m hard
100m easy
50m hard
50m easy
100m easy
50m hard as you can.

didnt quite work out that way, I took slight breaks each 50m, and did it in 10:11.  Now, this is way slower than the previous times, coming in at 7:20ish, but here is the key important difference.  I did this workout WITHOUT fins, and the previous times were with fins.  So way slower, but without aids.

Nice.

200m as cooldown, and then 20min in the hottub.  great workout

And the pool swim on May 9 is looking even better.

Tuesday Run - Feb 14

Run at lunch was disappointing.  On the schedule was an 8k steady run, just get out, loosen up the legs.  First 3K felt good, even though my thighs felt quite swollen.  This effect is likely from the weights yesterday.  But after a short walk, a stretch and a drink of water, it all went downhill fast.  When running, I was feeling really tired, my stomach was feeling queezy, and just felt all out of sorts.  I did several walk breaks, and did do some more running, but it never felt good again.

On the whole, not a good run.   Possible causes:
- fatigue from heavy weights and leg workout monday
- poor sleep, 6 hours or less is not nearly enough, especially with this training load
- poor diet? last nights supper was fried ground pork with a toasted slice of sourdough bread before curling, then 2 beers, chips, peanuts, a date, some cheese... OK, I was grazing once I got home.

no worries yet, unless this starts a trend

Monday Weights - Feb 13

First set, 3 repeats
Medicine ball squats x 20 (throw 5kg medicine ball high up the wall, catch at chest height and drop into squat, power out of squat to throw it back up)
Bench press 45lbx15
up&down planks x20

second set, 3 repeats
kettle bell squats  30lbs x 25
ab roller x 15
glider/skater squat x 15 each side. (one foot on glider disk, slid foot out sideways while dropping into a one legged squat)

third set, 3 repeats
side cable pull/rotate 15x22.5lb each side
Assisted pull ups, 40lbs assistance.

Weights - Feb 10

Went to Shawnessy YMCA to do weights on a day off.  A unstructured workout, so I did all my faves.

first set x 3
Chest Press on the ball 45lb x 15
bent over row 30lbs x 15
deadlifts 110lbs x 15

second set x 3
Roman chair, pike x 15
assisted pullup 40Lbs? x 15 (different machine, strange labels)

third set x3

squat&press 25lbs x 15
cable side twist - 17.5 lbs x 15 each side

Swim Feb 9 evening

So I jokingly complained on tuesday night that the workout had a disturbing lack of butterfly.

So tonights was all individual medley, with either drills and kick, or sprints. lots of butterfly.  I did good on tuesday without fins, but had to have fins to do butterfly. 

That kick will come eventually

Feb 8 evening workout

Hills Hills We Love Hills

Workout called for 5 repeats, and they were all good.   never set off the HR alarm, but did get the HR up to 162 for the max.   Interesting bit of note, according to the garmin, my heart rate will drop by 34 BPM (going from 162 to 128) in 45 seconds.  This is not bad I think...

Feb 8 workout

Weights

Do three sets of this
Side crunches on the BOSU - 15 reps per side
Side jumps, speed skater pose - 20 each directory
Chest press on the ball - 15 reps @45 lbs
Deadlifts - 15 reps @115lbs
 (note on the deadlifts.  Rob and I went to the other are to use barbells rather than dumbbells, as you can lift more on the bar.  I found that grip strength was lacking when using 50lb dumbells)

Now, do three sets of this
Hamstring curls on the ball, one legged, 15 per side
Squat and press - 30lb dumbbells x 15 reps.   Doing deep squats shows that we are getting ready for olympic lifting
Bentover rows = 35lbsx15 reps
Ball Crunches - 15 reps

Liking the chest press and deadlifts.  Overhead press is getting better.   All-in-all, great workout!