Finally, a perfect week. My routine wasn't interrupted by alcohol or holidays for the first time in a long while! This feels great!! It helped that I took it easy on the first few workouts to allow my body time to recover from the horrible Blizzard Run. I made up for it in speed and intensity later in the week! Perfect!I'm reaching my limits though. I can handle anything up to -10 no problem but any colder than that and I'm thinking about the dreadmill instead. Luckily the weather forecast says it should warm up to -5 for the rest of the week. Thankfully!
Looking back at this week I think I should revisit my training plan outline. I'm going through the motions and getting my workouts in, but I need a frame of mind for how intense they should be. I see a need to pull back on my weekday runs. My running is getting slower, not faster and I think it's because I'm going too long on the weekdays. I'm going to cut the distance back and pick up the pace. I remember reading that noob runners make the mistake of thinking tons of distance equates to tons of speed, when it's the opposite that is the truth. I'm going to make sure I get quality distance through the week. I think one of my fears was that how can one do 10Km on a weekday run but then survive 20++Km on a weekend? It's disproportionate distance wise. I see that those running plans also expect that you run 5 times a week. Frequent fast short runs followed by a loooong run. I only have time for 3 runs a week so it'll have to do.
Moving forward, next week is a planned recovery week. I'll take it! Every month I have introduced a new peice to my training routine and February calls for strength training! I read alot of articles about how useless strength training is for endurance events. It's simply not needed, and the time spent on them is better off used for something else. I think I agree with this frame of thought, this comes from the 'experts' however I have an alternate agenda. Strength training to me will help sculpt a bit of the flab dangling in the mid section and maybe it'll work wonders for my noodle arms. Probably not, but hey I can try. I'm not taking anything away from my existing plan, I'm simply adding some extra sessions.
WEEK 14 TOTAL (Set 4, Week 3 - Base Build)
Swim: 1:45hrs
Bike: 4:10hrs
Run: 4:12hrsTOTAL: 10:10hrs
Expert or not... I beg to differ.
ReplyDeleteStrength training. Don't waste TOO much time on it but it is NEEDED. If you want to increase your running speed, strength train. Simple.
I am proof of that. Make sure you do core work religiously. That is a huge key. A little upper body mixed in can only help.
Do not however go for the Arnold look... THAT is where you get no benefit.
Trim up. 20 minutes is all you need.
Good luck man.
Watch your running times improve.
I ditto the core work. Pilates has really helped me in running and riding especially when I'm going long. Being able to maintain proper form (or something close to that) comes from a strong core. The most I run per week, by the way, is 4 times if I'm training just for a run race so don't sweat missing a fifth run. Recovery is better time spent often.
ReplyDeleteAh the age old argument, does strength training help or is it a waste of time? I'm in the camp that it is essential (for some). For me, its all about injury prevention. When I run a lot, my glutes shut down and my hammy starts working extra hard which will pull your quad and all of a sudden you have knee problems.
ReplyDeletesee my blog
http://petertakeda.blogspot.com/2010/08/whew.html
Oh yea, "I'm only good for -10" WTF???? Suck it up baby. I ran this morning and it was ONLY -20. I'll run until it gets around -33. What kind of Canadian are you????
To quote Matty......"Whhhhaaaaaaa, its cold, Whhhaaaaa I better run inside whhhhaaaaa"
SUCK IT UP!!!!!!!! or at least go to Mountain Coop and buy some cold weather gear. whhaaaaa
Congrats for your perfect week. I haven't had one for a long time but I'm still hopeful that I'll get my mojo back soon.
ReplyDeleteI believe, too, that strength training is very important. I remember reading about Lance's coach, Chris Carmichael, as being a passionate adept of strength training. One of his favorite sayings is: "You should be an athlete first and a cyclist second".
Well I'll put the strength training suggestions to the test. I'll put together a program that'll run about 90-120mins per week starting February. I'm thinking of doing that pushup/situp/squat challenge coupled with some core/back support.
ReplyDeleteOh FFS Peter's pullin' out the Matty-O card, OH NO U DID'NT!%!@#! Them be fightin' words. I'm determined not to take a ride in the Whhaaaambulance due to cold. I can't believe you just said that lol. U made me laugh, but it's ON NOW BABY!
U better not miss a day yourself. i'm gonna be trolling your blog looking for ammo against you lol :)
Poor Matty, he takes pucks to the head across many blogs lol. Keep up the good work everyone!! :)
I second Peter... well, with the whaaaaaambulance AND the training.
ReplyDeleteIT IS MAJOR injury prevention. Don't know why, just what I have experienced. And I may make fun of you for not running in the cold, but I don't do it. If running is not enjoyable, I won't do it.
Keep up the good work man.