The last week has been the hardest week of training that has appeared so far in my build up to Kona. Tipping the scales at just over the 25 hour mark it has not only been big in terms of volume but also intensity. My physical limits were pushed from the get go having finished the previous week of solid training with the concrete monster Waitakere run on Sunday I had to fire my running legs back into action at 4.30am the next morning – a pure battle of will power!
My cycling power output ranges have increased this week and my run interval target times have also been tightened up which have made my key bike and run sessions much harder. I hit a bit of a low mid week with a cold but continued to be able to get through the sessions thanks to the equivalent of pharmacy worth of drugs and cold relief potions!
I have managed to somehow fit 3 sessions into a day around my working week which has seen my alarm clock sound out for the first time well before the stroke of 4am – previously unseen territory but I have a feeling that it will soon become much more familiar over the next 6 weeks as I continue to juggle work around my training schedule between now and my departure for Kona.
I am now on a weekly weigh in schedule with my nutritionist to ensure that I don’t lose any muscle mass over the next 11 weeks as my training volume increases further. I am now lighter and leaner than I have ever raced at before having lost a total of 6kgs since April. The goal between now and Kona is to gain muscle mass and keep my body fat percentage sitting between 10-11%. The last 3 weeks have seen a slight drop in my muscle mass setting the alarm bells ringing that my fuel system has elected to burn muscle for energy rather than fat. This is the body’s natural response to hold onto fat if it feels under the threat of starvation. To correct this imbalance my nutritionist increased my calories to well over 4000 per day and gave me a target daily protein consumption of 150grams. Unfortunately this didn’t mean I could go out and consume the equivalent of my body weight in carrot cake….I still need to stick to a strict high protein, low fat and minimal carbohydrate diet ratio. Yesterday at my weigh in I had managed to lose 700grams of fat but gain 500grams of muscle mass in a week so I have managed to successfully kick my body out of a muscle eating state and gain some more muscle mass which will help with strength and injury prevention. The 700gram fat loss equated to a deficit of 800 calories daily last week, hard to believe when I’ve spent almost every waking hour of the day consuming some kind of high protein food!
Next week is my easy week of training, I roughly get one of these about every 5-6 weeks so I am really looking forward to more sleep and having a few more hours in the day to catch up with friends and life!
Monday, July 27, 2009
Saturday, July 25, 2009
40km Cycle Time Trial
Saturday 25th July 200940km Time Trial - Squad Session
Power File Attached :-)
Today was a 40km cycle time trial and my key test set for the week. The time trial was part of a squad training session and set up on indoor cycle trainers. The indoor cycle trainer time trials are pretty brutal. The trainer effectively removes the effects of outdoor elements and is a test of pure strength, speed and power. You have no idea how fast anyone else is going so the focus is solely on you and the speedo.
I decided to time trial on my race bike so I needed to change my back wheel over so that I had power data available to me. The powermeter on my training wheel provides information on speed, power, cadence and heart rate so that I recieve constant feedback on effort and cycling efficiency. I had a clear idea in my own mind what I wanted to achieve today in terms of speed, time and power output. I was a little unsettled by a sore throat and cold that I had picked up midweek but I woke up feeling considerably better than I had in days.
After a 10 minute warm up we got the signal from Tony to start and a room full of cycle trainers whirred into action. During the warm up my legs felt sluggish but I put this down to my over sensitivity to the task ahead. However, as I attempted to gradually build my speed up to a target average of 42-44km/hr I couldn't get past 35-36km/hr. My power output and heart rate were off the scale and my legs didn't seem able to rise to the challenge.
I played around with my gearing for a few more kms attempting to find a gear that felt more comfortable but no gear seemed to relieve the load on my legs. I began to run through all the possible reasons for my poor performance wondering if I had under estimated the effect of my cold on my body or if the early drop in my body fat to race weight proportions so far out from Kona had resulted in a large loss of strength. I found it hard to believe that either of these factors could effect my performance so significantly but as the kms ticked by at a much slower than anticipated rate I became more and more engrossed in the reasons for my shortfall which must of course in my mind lay with myself. At the 13km mark I signalled to Tony that I was in trouble, my heart rate was not settling and my power output was far too high for the relatively low speed that I was pushing out.
Tony came across glanced at my speed and asked if I had actually started! He then noticed that my power output was off the scale and immediately moved to the rear of my bike. In one swift motion my speed leapt up to 44km/hr, my legs were spinning easily and my power settled within target range. Tony reappeared at the front of my bike and told me that it helped if my rear bake wasn't locked on the wheel......effectively for 13km of the time trial I had been cycling with my back brake on full lock. He then said 'that would mess with your head' and walked away! I immediately realised that when I had changed my rear wheel over I hadn't adjusted the brake to compensate for the deeper wheel rim.
The rest of the time trial progressed as planned with an average speed of 42km/hr. I was none too impressed with my own stupidity and although I came in at a respectable and solid 1hr flat I knew that I could have done much better and come in well under this. I felt that I made a good recovery given the energy sapping start but learnt a valuable lesson to look both outwards and inwards!
I've attached the power file for the time trial, the blue line represents my speed. After a little warm up (2 squares) you can see the time trial begin and the release of my brake in square 7 when the blue line jumps noticeably!!
Monday, July 20, 2009
The Concrete Monster - Squad Run
Sunday 19th July 2009
Waitakere Ranges, Auckland – Squad Run 30km Run
Legend of Arthur Lydiard Training Route
Waitakere Ranges, Auckland – Squad Run 30km Run
Legend of Arthur Lydiard Training Route
Route profile attached :-)
The Legend is one of the great training routes of Arthur Lydiard – used to train his elite prodigies such as Peter Snell and Sir Murray Halberg. It is ‘fondly’ referred to amongst our squad as the concrete monster and gets most of us shaking in our trainers when it appears in a training block. It is a gruelling route but one that is equally inspiring as you imagine the journey of some of New Zealand’s elite runners that have gone before you.
We normally run this as a squad a couple of times before New Zealand Ironman and it doesn’t usually feature in our winter training blocks. However, as there are a number of athletes in the squad going to the long distance World Champs and me going to Kona Tony has decided that we should be running this route together at least once every 3-4 weeks – great idea coach! So my main focus was to firstly survive my first winter squad visit to the concrete monster and secondly to set a baseline for the next couple of monster dates.
We set off from Titirangi and the conditions were much better than we anticipated- the odd bit of drizzle and a cool breeze but not the forecasted heavy rainfalls – hooray! Immediately the pace was set at the front by Kelly who tore off into the distance. I decided to keep pace with Tony who was giving chase, aiming to try and get to the base of the concrete monster with him or at least with him in sight. An hour into the run we managed to catch Kelly and we ran as a 3 to the base of the climb – from that point on it was each man for himself.
Tony powered up the hill and I managed to stay with him for half the ascent – beyond that he gradually started to increase the effort and I decided it was time to run it at my own pace to ensure that I made it to the top. Once settled in my own stride I began to relax in the calm and tranquillity of the ranges - there is something about the concrete monster that allows you to empty your mind of life’s clutter and leave it there - offering you a rare moment of perfect clarity. Usually this comes as you emerge at the top and is greeted by a truly magnificent view.
My descent was relatively fast paced and despite a few gnarly hills I made it home in 2 hours 17 minutes, greeted by a few expletives from my coach who declared that it was me who ‘put the acid on’ at the start! I on the other hand maintain it was him!
So all in all a very good result and tough baseline to beat! Today my moment of clarity affirmed that no matter how hard the path to Kona is there is no other place right now that I would rather be.
We normally run this as a squad a couple of times before New Zealand Ironman and it doesn’t usually feature in our winter training blocks. However, as there are a number of athletes in the squad going to the long distance World Champs and me going to Kona Tony has decided that we should be running this route together at least once every 3-4 weeks – great idea coach! So my main focus was to firstly survive my first winter squad visit to the concrete monster and secondly to set a baseline for the next couple of monster dates.
We set off from Titirangi and the conditions were much better than we anticipated- the odd bit of drizzle and a cool breeze but not the forecasted heavy rainfalls – hooray! Immediately the pace was set at the front by Kelly who tore off into the distance. I decided to keep pace with Tony who was giving chase, aiming to try and get to the base of the concrete monster with him or at least with him in sight. An hour into the run we managed to catch Kelly and we ran as a 3 to the base of the climb – from that point on it was each man for himself.
Tony powered up the hill and I managed to stay with him for half the ascent – beyond that he gradually started to increase the effort and I decided it was time to run it at my own pace to ensure that I made it to the top. Once settled in my own stride I began to relax in the calm and tranquillity of the ranges - there is something about the concrete monster that allows you to empty your mind of life’s clutter and leave it there - offering you a rare moment of perfect clarity. Usually this comes as you emerge at the top and is greeted by a truly magnificent view.
My descent was relatively fast paced and despite a few gnarly hills I made it home in 2 hours 17 minutes, greeted by a few expletives from my coach who declared that it was me who ‘put the acid on’ at the start! I on the other hand maintain it was him!
So all in all a very good result and tough baseline to beat! Today my moment of clarity affirmed that no matter how hard the path to Kona is there is no other place right now that I would rather be.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Race Report - Run Auckland 10km
Sunday 12th July
Takapuna, Auckland – 10km Run Auckland Race
1st Age Group, 3rd Overall female
And so I find myself again lining up at the start of a race out of my comfort zone for a hard hit out. My coach is keen to mix up my training a little in the build up to Kona, throwing in the odd short sharp nasty to give my muscles a solid blast.
My entire sporting background before triathlon is running, yet as I’m stood on the start line I feel like an alien in unfamiliar territory. It feels strange to be stood on a start line in running shorts rather than a wetsuit, to be surrounded by runners talking split times and goal finish times. It is freezing cold and the wind is howling so I attempt to bury myself in the middle of the start line trying to steal some warmth! I spot a few fellow triathletes from squad and feel relieved to know that I’m not on my own!
The gun goes and we are off. I have seen one of the Olympic Distance triathletes from squad on the start line so I decide to try and keep pace with her initially. As we scramble up the embankment from the beach onto the road I tuck myself in on her shoulder and begin to wonder how long it will be before she drops me. We are less than 2kms in to the race and my legs are feeling surprisingly good, if not a little frustrated with the pace. I’m cautious that it is still early days but I decide to pass my pacer who gives me a curious glance as I power past.
I spot another squaddie, Deno, ahead and decide to try and close the gap between us. My legs seem to be relishing the pace and effort so I decide to carry on past Deno and to try and hold the pace for as long as I can. At the 7km mark we hit the beach and spend the next km running along the sand – my brain had skimmed over this detail when reviewing the route the night before so it is a little shock to both the brain and the body.
Once off the beach it is up a hill - only to run back down it and to find myself on the beach once again for the final km of the race! By now my legs have got the wobbles and have suddenly gone from relishing the fast paced challenge to screaming for mercy. Deno whizzes past me and I attempt to stay on his shoulder but his legs make short work of the sand and I drop off the back. The finish line is in sight so I put my head down and ignore the screaming muscles – instead focusing on the pink top of the girl just in front of me!
As I cross the finish I get a round of applause and learn that the owner of the pink top had just finished 2nd which put me as the third overall female and first in my age group. No time to hang around for prize giving though – it was straight home to start my long ride!
Takapuna, Auckland – 10km Run Auckland Race
1st Age Group, 3rd Overall female
And so I find myself again lining up at the start of a race out of my comfort zone for a hard hit out. My coach is keen to mix up my training a little in the build up to Kona, throwing in the odd short sharp nasty to give my muscles a solid blast.
My entire sporting background before triathlon is running, yet as I’m stood on the start line I feel like an alien in unfamiliar territory. It feels strange to be stood on a start line in running shorts rather than a wetsuit, to be surrounded by runners talking split times and goal finish times. It is freezing cold and the wind is howling so I attempt to bury myself in the middle of the start line trying to steal some warmth! I spot a few fellow triathletes from squad and feel relieved to know that I’m not on my own!
The gun goes and we are off. I have seen one of the Olympic Distance triathletes from squad on the start line so I decide to try and keep pace with her initially. As we scramble up the embankment from the beach onto the road I tuck myself in on her shoulder and begin to wonder how long it will be before she drops me. We are less than 2kms in to the race and my legs are feeling surprisingly good, if not a little frustrated with the pace. I’m cautious that it is still early days but I decide to pass my pacer who gives me a curious glance as I power past.
I spot another squaddie, Deno, ahead and decide to try and close the gap between us. My legs seem to be relishing the pace and effort so I decide to carry on past Deno and to try and hold the pace for as long as I can. At the 7km mark we hit the beach and spend the next km running along the sand – my brain had skimmed over this detail when reviewing the route the night before so it is a little shock to both the brain and the body.
Once off the beach it is up a hill - only to run back down it and to find myself on the beach once again for the final km of the race! By now my legs have got the wobbles and have suddenly gone from relishing the fast paced challenge to screaming for mercy. Deno whizzes past me and I attempt to stay on his shoulder but his legs make short work of the sand and I drop off the back. The finish line is in sight so I put my head down and ignore the screaming muscles – instead focusing on the pink top of the girl just in front of me!
As I cross the finish I get a round of applause and learn that the owner of the pink top had just finished 2nd which put me as the third overall female and first in my age group. No time to hang around for prize giving though – it was straight home to start my long ride!
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