So I'm breaking tradition and writing this on Saturday, mostly so I can write about the first tri of 2011 without turning it into and epic post with the weeks training. Well this week, it's not been easy, 4 weeks of build have taken their toll.
Monday was a desperately needed rest day, I just didn't have the energy to do a thing, especially as we were shifting at work again. Oh how I love getting up at 4am to go to work, but at least I get extra pay to spend on triathlon for the effort. So Tuesday was an early start and Masters in the evening. I just didn't have the energy in the pool and spent the session at the back of the lane. Just to ensure I felt properly tired there was quite a bit of IM to start, 2x200m IM was not nice and almost had me quitting. Somehow I managed to carry on but it wasn't pretty.
Tuesday was also the day I had treated myself to a new pair of trainers. The worn out Asics 2150's have been replaced with the new 2160's. The gorgeous weather on Wednesday was just begging for me to try them out. So I gae them a 10K blast around The Common. OK, so blast may be a bit of an exaggeration, but given how hard it was to get running and how slow it felt it was actually not a bad time for a steady 10K session. Also on the new shoes I'd stuck my Greeper laces, I'd been saving these for the shoes I think will last until IMDE, well these might, but race season starts this week so I need some anyway. Having spent a while getting the lacing right they were actually quite good. Feel just like real laces but easier to get on. I'll reserve total judgement until tomorrow but initial impression is very good, not that I ever had a problem with Xentex laces.
Thursday was Masters again. This hurt, as it always does, but was slightly easier than Tuesday and I wasn't relegated to the back of the lane either so that was a bonus. a bit of IM in the warm up but then a freestyle dominant session, with less rest than prescribed to! The second 6x75m set was meant to be off 1:45, but an over zealous leader was going off 1:30 again. Still Made it through and that is what counts.
Friday is run after work day. I managed to get my way asking for a shorter interval set as I had a race, far better than the long run that was initially suggested. We ended up doing the same set we'd done a week earlier. 6x400m hard intervals with 500m jog recovery. I managed to hit 1:37 on the first one, 1s off my best from last time, second one I knocked out another 1:37, then a 1:38, then another 1:38. Sensing the end was nigh I managed to go a bit quicker and get a 1:36. Hmm all within +/- 1s, going pretty well here! Was getting pretty pleased with myself, got the pacing right and just holding out, also the secret to beating me in the run was found. I shall not disclose it, but needless to say there is a way to beat me on short intervals it seems. So that final of the 6, buoyed up by the fact they were all so close I wanted to hold that, and went out a little quicker, and held that pace, putting in a very strong finish I looked down at the watch and ... 1:33, damn, there goes the +/- 1s, but 1:33! 3s improvement over my previous one, and I wasn't feeling as strong either. I've come a long way from the 3:00+ it used to take when I was made to do 400m as my track event on sports day at school.
So today, well I was going to go for a swim, but umm, didn't. I'm resting before tomorrows race, or that is how I am justifying it to myself anyway. I've dug all the kit out, dusted off my number belt, cleaned and oiled the chain on the bike, packed my transition bag. Kind of hoping I have packed everything, can't think of anything I have forgotten but there is bound to be something. Going to have to leave at 5:30, so just like shifting this week then, up at 4am to get food in me.
Feeling slightly more nervous about this one than I normally do, I think it is down to the distance. It is in effect an Olympic distance, shorter swim, longer bike, 10K run. Is my fitness good enough to get me around? All this long steady stuff, do I have the speed? Is 10 mins too optimistic for the swim, or maybe a bit pessimistic? Argh, why do I always do longer ones at the start of the season, this always happens. It is like being a rookie again.
Anyway weekly roundup (so far) Swim, 2 hours (5250m), Run 2hr 09m (22.3km)
Mon - Rest Day
Tues pm - Swim 1 hour (2600m)
Wed pm - Run 52min (10.3km)
Thur pm -Swim 1 hour (2650m)
Fri pm - Run 1hr 16 min (12km)
Sat - Rest Day
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