So I just posted about the fire that’s in my belly right now…. And now… I can officially say my leg muscles are feeling the burn!!!
One word to describe this morning’s indoor ride: OUCH!
The plan was to warm up for 10 minutes (easy – I can do that!) Then do 40 minutes of zone 3-4 HR, which in my case is 150-157HR. Then end on a 10 minute cool down. On paper, or computer screen, it didn’t look so bad. Easy, breezy! Well, it was anything but easy!
Man, this workout was Hard – with a capital H! I didn’t realize how much harder it is to A. even get my HR up to 150 on the bike and B. to keep it there for 40 straight minutes! It is way harder than staying in zone 3 for running.
I started to sweat 8 minutes in, even with the 8 degree cold air blowing in from my window. I didn’t stop sweating til about 20 minutes AFTER I was finished. I was in a harder gear and had the resistance up to 3 on the trainer and my legs burned the entire 40 minutes! Boy do I have a lot of work to do on the bike! I’m itching like I have fleas and bed bugs to get outside. Saturday I’m scheduled for a 2 hour hilly ride so no matter how cold it is I’m getting my butt out there on those roads, across the GWB, and on route 9!!
On a good note, I had another killer swim workout last night. I had to swim at my threshold pace (1:37) plus a few seconds depending on the distance. I have to say, I was able to swim at my T-pace or under for Every. Single. Set. Even my 400’s were either at my T-pace or slightly above when I was supposed to swim them between 1:42/1:43. Sweet!
Happy Training!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Ignite Your Fire
My inner fire was lit July 2010 when I registered for Lake Placid. It's been burning ever since then. It's morphed from a small little amber and slowly getting brighter and bigger. What's fueling it? My desire, passion, enthusiasm & dedication. It's balled up into one big burning fireball. Every day, hour, minute and second I spend on swim/bike/run is being transformed into that burning feeling us athletes have. Sometimes that burning feeling can be your muscles screaming at you to stop, but that not what I'm talking about. **this time This burning feeling is the one of success. Week by week I am building up my fireball and getting ready to unleash it. It's hard to keep that all inside but I know that when 7am on July 24th comes, I will be ready to unleash!
How am I going to do it? Simply... follow the plan! My plan. When I'm scheduled a recovery week, I'm gonna take it. Even though I want to keep running long, biking longer and swimming harder, I know that my plan is to let my body rest. Soak up all the progress I've made and regroup for another block of solid training. Week 7 was my recovery week. On one hand it came at a good time when work was crazy but on the other hand I wanted more! I want more fuel for my belly!! **yes that means more food too I know patience is a virtue that I sometimes lack but when it comes to this, I will do my best to be patient! Happy Training!
Swim: 5600 yards in 1:50
Bike: 1 hour 40 minutes
Run: 10 miles in 92 minutes
Strength: 25 minutes
TOTAL: 5 hours 28 minutes
How am I going to do it? Simply... follow the plan! My plan. When I'm scheduled a recovery week, I'm gonna take it. Even though I want to keep running long, biking longer and swimming harder, I know that my plan is to let my body rest. Soak up all the progress I've made and regroup for another block of solid training. Week 7 was my recovery week. On one hand it came at a good time when work was crazy but on the other hand I wanted more! I want more fuel for my belly!! **yes that means more food too I know patience is a virtue that I sometimes lack but when it comes to this, I will do my best to be patient! Happy Training!
Swim: 5600 yards in 1:50
Bike: 1 hour 40 minutes
Run: 10 miles in 92 minutes
Strength: 25 minutes
TOTAL: 5 hours 28 minutes
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Double Whammy Weekly Totals
I promised it... and you're gonna get it! Don't I sound like a used car salesman?
Here are my Weekly Totals for 5 & 6.
WEEK 5
Swim: 6500 yards @ 2 hours 2 minutes
Bike: indoors all week @ 2 hours 7 minutes
Run: 15.59 miles @ 2 hours 15 minutes
Strength: 25 minutes
TOTAL: 6 hours 51 minutes
WEEK 6
Swim: 5000 yards @ 1 hour 33 minutes
Bike: indoors again @ 2 hours
Run: 16.5 miles @ 2 hours 34 minutes
Strength: 15 minutes
TOTAL: 6 hours 21 minutes
Consistency is the key here and I'm still on a 100% attendance roll - woop woop!
Things I'm looking forward to:
1. Biking outside hopefully soon!
2. Bike testing
3. Seeing more swim improvement
4. Seeing more running improvement
5. Dare I say it??? longer hours of training?!?!
Week 7 is a shorter week for me. I only have just over 5 hours of training to do. As you can see from my totals above that my strength has slacked a bit. Of course, that's the first thing I cut out when I'm strapped for time. Hopefully this week I'll get a solid hour in on strength since the s/b/r's will be shorter.
Only 161 days 'til PLACID!!
Here are my Weekly Totals for 5 & 6.
WEEK 5
Swim: 6500 yards @ 2 hours 2 minutes
Bike: indoors all week @ 2 hours 7 minutes
Run: 15.59 miles @ 2 hours 15 minutes
Strength: 25 minutes
TOTAL: 6 hours 51 minutes
WEEK 6
Swim: 5000 yards @ 1 hour 33 minutes
Bike: indoors again @ 2 hours
Run: 16.5 miles @ 2 hours 34 minutes
Strength: 15 minutes
TOTAL: 6 hours 21 minutes
Consistency is the key here and I'm still on a 100% attendance roll - woop woop!
Things I'm looking forward to:
1. Biking outside hopefully soon!
2. Bike testing
3. Seeing more swim improvement
4. Seeing more running improvement
5. Dare I say it??? longer hours of training?!?!
Week 7 is a shorter week for me. I only have just over 5 hours of training to do. As you can see from my totals above that my strength has slacked a bit. Of course, that's the first thing I cut out when I'm strapped for time. Hopefully this week I'll get a solid hour in on strength since the s/b/r's will be shorter.
Only 161 days 'til PLACID!!
Friday, February 11, 2011
Killed it!
Howdy! So I started this post way back Monday the 7th. Monday seems SO long ago. I’ve been wanting to post about so many different things related to my training but this little thing called work kinda got in the way. Argh… if only I was super fit & fast & awesome enough to do this Ironman thing full time!!
Anyways my swim test on Monday provided KILLER results! On my very, very first IM workout I had a swim test. It consisted of 3x300’s swimming at the highest average speed possible and keeping all 3 within 15 seconds of each other.
My times were:
1. 5:16
2. 5:14
3. 5:14
The ended up being a 100 yard average of 1:45. So I had the consistency gig down, but the speed? Not so much. I’ve never done a swim test before so I didn’t really know what to expect or how to pace myself. I will confess, I was huffing and puffing by the end of them.
Fast forward to this past Tuesday where I had to repeat the test. Guess who improved??
1. 5:00
2. 4:50
3. 4:46
Just 5 weeks later I have a 1:37 average!!! That’s huge in swimming! First of all, I’ve never thought I could break 5 minutes and I did. Then I smashed my average down and the kicker was that I wasn’t dying like the first swim test. Well, maybe the last 300 was pretty hard but still! I’m shocked at what I’m seeing myself do in the pool and I can’t wait to see my times come down even more!
My running efficiency test was also this week. Way back in week one I had to do a run 1.5 miles keeping my Heart Rate (HR) at 164.
WEEK 1 results: 1.5 miles @ 164 = 13:04
WEEK 6 results: 1.5 miles @ 164 = 12:28!
So another solid improvement! I was happy with this because I knew after all the long hours spent at work and the lack of sleep would probably make my HR higher. I think it did to an extent. My legs also felt a little heavy but after about 35 minutes (of course this was AFTER my run test) I finally started to feel like my running self. The only thing I’ve been having trouble with is running in a Zone 2 HR range. My HR should not exceed 149… but I was running a slow 930/minute pace and my HR was 152. This was even after a 1 minute walk break after the test. I don’t know if it’s my ego, but I’d rather not run 10 minute miles if I don’t have to! **I’m totally not saying there’s anything wrong with this. It’s just a personal preference for me and honestly, the faster I go the quicker I’m done!! I respect anyone who runs, walks, jogs, or crawls!!
So if you’ve noticed I haven’t talked much about my biking. I’ve been hitting every workout, trust me, but besides posting sweaty photos of myself (which are getting old) I don’t really have much to say about indoor trainer rides! I did check out Troy Jacobsen’s Lake Placid Course DVD….. he got kind of annoying after a while but it was a nice distraction from my ipod. This past Sunday I biked while watching Cash Cab. Love that show! So that kept me entertained and Simon approved of me “enhancing my brain instead of wasting it on the other trash I watch”. Yes, that’s his actual quote – hah! This past Tuesday I had another cadence session which I felt some improvement there as well. It’s just so hard to track improvement on the bike when you’re stuck indoors. But don’t worry, my Coach said she’ll be giving me biking tests once the weather clears up and it’s not 18 degrees out!!
I still need to post my Week 5 totals but I think I’ll wait til the end of this weekend. It’ll be Double Whammy Weekly Totals with 5 & 6!
Anyways my swim test on Monday provided KILLER results! On my very, very first IM workout I had a swim test. It consisted of 3x300’s swimming at the highest average speed possible and keeping all 3 within 15 seconds of each other.
My times were:
1. 5:16
2. 5:14
3. 5:14
The ended up being a 100 yard average of 1:45. So I had the consistency gig down, but the speed? Not so much. I’ve never done a swim test before so I didn’t really know what to expect or how to pace myself. I will confess, I was huffing and puffing by the end of them.
Fast forward to this past Tuesday where I had to repeat the test. Guess who improved??
1. 5:00
2. 4:50
3. 4:46
Just 5 weeks later I have a 1:37 average!!! That’s huge in swimming! First of all, I’ve never thought I could break 5 minutes and I did. Then I smashed my average down and the kicker was that I wasn’t dying like the first swim test. Well, maybe the last 300 was pretty hard but still! I’m shocked at what I’m seeing myself do in the pool and I can’t wait to see my times come down even more!
My running efficiency test was also this week. Way back in week one I had to do a run 1.5 miles keeping my Heart Rate (HR) at 164.
WEEK 1 results: 1.5 miles @ 164 = 13:04
WEEK 6 results: 1.5 miles @ 164 = 12:28!
So another solid improvement! I was happy with this because I knew after all the long hours spent at work and the lack of sleep would probably make my HR higher. I think it did to an extent. My legs also felt a little heavy but after about 35 minutes (of course this was AFTER my run test) I finally started to feel like my running self. The only thing I’ve been having trouble with is running in a Zone 2 HR range. My HR should not exceed 149… but I was running a slow 930/minute pace and my HR was 152. This was even after a 1 minute walk break after the test. I don’t know if it’s my ego, but I’d rather not run 10 minute miles if I don’t have to! **I’m totally not saying there’s anything wrong with this. It’s just a personal preference for me and honestly, the faster I go the quicker I’m done!! I respect anyone who runs, walks, jogs, or crawls!!
So if you’ve noticed I haven’t talked much about my biking. I’ve been hitting every workout, trust me, but besides posting sweaty photos of myself (which are getting old) I don’t really have much to say about indoor trainer rides! I did check out Troy Jacobsen’s Lake Placid Course DVD….. he got kind of annoying after a while but it was a nice distraction from my ipod. This past Sunday I biked while watching Cash Cab. Love that show! So that kept me entertained and Simon approved of me “enhancing my brain instead of wasting it on the other trash I watch”. Yes, that’s his actual quote – hah! This past Tuesday I had another cadence session which I felt some improvement there as well. It’s just so hard to track improvement on the bike when you’re stuck indoors. But don’t worry, my Coach said she’ll be giving me biking tests once the weather clears up and it’s not 18 degrees out!!
I still need to post my Week 5 totals but I think I’ll wait til the end of this weekend. It’ll be Double Whammy Weekly Totals with 5 & 6!
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Crime Scene Investigation
Case: Jill "aggie" Agresta vs. Olive Agresta-Plant
Plaintiff: Jill Agresta
Defendant: Olive Agresta-Plant
Plaintiff, Jill Agresta, is officially filing a domestic disturbance complaint with the defendant, Olive Agresta-Plant. The plaintiff claims that when she arrived home after a 10 hour workday and an hour swim workout, she found one of her lovely Bed, Bath and Beyond Ottomans chewed and ripped apart.
Evidence #1:
"The defendant had ottoman stuffing around her mouth and "looked guilty," said the Plaintiff. Since the local police can't charge someone, or something in this case, with a crime based on that logic, they decided to show the Plaintiff a line up.
Suspect #1: The 1 eyed butt monkey. While butt monkey was at the scene of the crime, he denies any wrongdoing.
Suspect #2: Humphrey the Camel. While the blind camel looks a little dodgy (don't ask him about it, he's a bit scarred from being chewed on for 6 years), he also claims innocence.
Suspect #3: Olive Agresta-Plant. Now tell me that little furry face doesn't say "I'm guilty! Yes, it was me! You left me alone for so long and I apparently acquired severe separation anxiety! All I wanted to do was get into the living room and sleep on the coach."
After reviewing all the evidence and questioning all the subjects, the court has no other option but to rule unanimously in fave of the Plaintiff. Olive Agresta-Plant, what you did was unforgivable. Please pay the plaintiff $75 for a replacement.
UGHHHHH! In the 6 years I've had Olive, she's never, ever, EVER done anything like this. I'm kinda getting to my wits end with her. Tomorrow, she's being punished by being gated in the kitchen where she can't do anything too bad, unless she can scale 4 foot counter tops.
Hope you enjoyed my non-tri related post..... but I gotta get some tri talk in here somewhere. Sooooo..... I "accidentally" swam 3500 yards tonight. Now, how exactly does one do this? I know it's quite daunting to swim 3500 yards when it's scheduled, but doing it by accident? Really Jill?? Yes, when I typed out my workout, I typed in an extra set of 2x300 PULL N/S & 2x50 FAST. I was wondering why it was taking me so long to swim 2800 yards! When I realized, I pulled a Homer Simpson, smacked my forehead and said DOH! Well, the good news is that I swam the 3500 yards almost 3 minutes faster than the last one. Sweet.
Plaintiff: Jill Agresta
Defendant: Olive Agresta-Plant
Plaintiff, Jill Agresta, is officially filing a domestic disturbance complaint with the defendant, Olive Agresta-Plant. The plaintiff claims that when she arrived home after a 10 hour workday and an hour swim workout, she found one of her lovely Bed, Bath and Beyond Ottomans chewed and ripped apart.
Evidence #1:
"The defendant had ottoman stuffing around her mouth and "looked guilty," said the Plaintiff. Since the local police can't charge someone, or something in this case, with a crime based on that logic, they decided to show the Plaintiff a line up.
Suspect #1: The 1 eyed butt monkey. While butt monkey was at the scene of the crime, he denies any wrongdoing.
Suspect #2: Humphrey the Camel. While the blind camel looks a little dodgy (don't ask him about it, he's a bit scarred from being chewed on for 6 years), he also claims innocence.
Suspect #3: Olive Agresta-Plant. Now tell me that little furry face doesn't say "I'm guilty! Yes, it was me! You left me alone for so long and I apparently acquired severe separation anxiety! All I wanted to do was get into the living room and sleep on the coach."
UGHHHHH! In the 6 years I've had Olive, she's never, ever, EVER done anything like this. I'm kinda getting to my wits end with her. Tomorrow, she's being punished by being gated in the kitchen where she can't do anything too bad, unless she can scale 4 foot counter tops.
Hope you enjoyed my non-tri related post..... but I gotta get some tri talk in here somewhere. Sooooo..... I "accidentally" swam 3500 yards tonight. Now, how exactly does one do this? I know it's quite daunting to swim 3500 yards when it's scheduled, but doing it by accident? Really Jill?? Yes, when I typed out my workout, I typed in an extra set of 2x300 PULL N/S & 2x50 FAST. I was wondering why it was taking me so long to swim 2800 yards! When I realized, I pulled a Homer Simpson, smacked my forehead and said DOH! Well, the good news is that I swam the 3500 yards almost 3 minutes faster than the last one. Sweet.
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