Today, today was a great day. The recreation department does an indoor triathlon every year where i work. I had always wanted to try it, but for whatever reason over the years didnt. I thought this would be a good test in my training to check in on how i was doing against other participants, to see if i was even in the game or way off in trying to make this a thing.
Leading up to this week i changed my work outs a little to gear them towards the times for each of the triathlon elements.
This triathlon was set out a little different in that you have 10 minutes to swim as many lengths as you can, 20 minutes to bike as far as you can, and 15 minutes to run as many laps of the track as you can. There are point values assigned to each for the distances you achieve and the person with the most wins.
So my training this week, while still keeping with the heart rate training that i started last week, went like this:
Monday: Aerobic Zone Training
Swim
5 sets of 250m with 100m hard kicking; 100m arms, 50m sprint
2x10min swims 450m and 500m
Tuesday off
Wednesday: Aerobic Zone Training
Bike 30 min + Run 40min
Thursday: Maximal Zone Training
5 sets of 250m with 100m hard kicking; 100m arms, 50m sprint
2x10min swims 500m and 550m
Bike 30min
Friday: Maximal Zone Training
3 sets of 250m with 100m hard kicking; 100m arms, 50m sprint
3x10min swims 450m, 500m, 500m
Saturday: off
Sunday: Indoor Triathlon Day
10 min Swim: 21.5 lengths - 530m
20 min Bike: 7.17 miles
15 min Run: 10.5 laps ( I didnt get the official count but this is my count)
So overall, i did great on my swim, i think one of the top in my heat, i did have to control my heart rate though, I took off like a shot and was really breathing hard by the 100m mark so i slowed down and got into a much better pace. After that i settled in and was pretty happy with my length count.
We had a 10 minute transition time, so i wasnt in a rush, got changed and stretched out a little, and off to the bikes.
Picked out my playlist, hoped on and within about a minute we were getting counted down to start.
I had a little trouble with my bike as i was not used to this stationary bike, but after a panicked 'help' one of the volunteers got me sorted and off i went, while still not going anywhere haha.
I played around with the tension level but lived comfortably around the 9-12 and kept changing them at 3 minute intervals. I did keep my heart rate steady between 150-155 and was quite comfortable doing so. I hit 7.17 miles and again i think i was near the top for my heat.
Off the bikes and on to the indoor track. There was only 5 minute transition time here, which was really only enough to get to the track, and off we went.
I have not run on anything but a treadmill since like October, so my shins were screaming inside the second lap. This was the toughest part of the day. I was lapped repeatedly by most of my heat, i never really mind this, and was happy with the pace i was keeping up for myself. It is always tough in anything like this to keep focused on not trying to race others, but keep in line with your own race goals, so i didnt let it discourage me when those young whipersnappers in my heat lapped me again, and again.......and again haha.
3 songs and a Nickelback rock anthem later and it was over.
Now while this is not a true triathlon in terms of distances, I came out of the day pretty pumped. I def had more in the tank after each segment and know that if i keep up with the training over the next couple of months i will be able to complete the sprint distance triathlons i plan on doing this summer.
What i really liked out of today though, was seeing a couple friendly faces also participating as you can see by the picture at the top of this post. From those that have looked at a couple of the other pages you will recognize the face as the winner of the October Half Marathon to raise nothing for nobody. This gal is a true champ and one of the great ones that i have met while working for the organization i work for. It was a great suprise to see her at the sign in desk this afternoon and to have her in the same heat.
All of this of course unlocked a #CigarSunday which i will post about shortly AND i got a T-shirt, and a water bottle and a towel so total win - win - win - win.
I have been in and out of consciousness most of the evening, so time to hit the hay as i am still exhausted haha, and its a new week of workouts next week whoot whoot!
Sean "BigBoyRunning" Ryan
Leading up to this week i changed my work outs a little to gear them towards the times for each of the triathlon elements.
This triathlon was set out a little different in that you have 10 minutes to swim as many lengths as you can, 20 minutes to bike as far as you can, and 15 minutes to run as many laps of the track as you can. There are point values assigned to each for the distances you achieve and the person with the most wins.
So my training this week, while still keeping with the heart rate training that i started last week, went like this:
Monday: Aerobic Zone Training
Swim
5 sets of 250m with 100m hard kicking; 100m arms, 50m sprint
2x10min swims 450m and 500m
Tuesday off
Wednesday: Aerobic Zone Training
Bike 30 min + Run 40min
Thursday: Maximal Zone Training
5 sets of 250m with 100m hard kicking; 100m arms, 50m sprint
2x10min swims 500m and 550m
Bike 30min
Friday: Maximal Zone Training
3 sets of 250m with 100m hard kicking; 100m arms, 50m sprint
3x10min swims 450m, 500m, 500m
Saturday: off
Sunday: Indoor Triathlon Day
10 min Swim: 21.5 lengths - 530m
20 min Bike: 7.17 miles
15 min Run: 10.5 laps ( I didnt get the official count but this is my count)
So overall, i did great on my swim, i think one of the top in my heat, i did have to control my heart rate though, I took off like a shot and was really breathing hard by the 100m mark so i slowed down and got into a much better pace. After that i settled in and was pretty happy with my length count.
We had a 10 minute transition time, so i wasnt in a rush, got changed and stretched out a little, and off to the bikes.
Picked out my playlist, hoped on and within about a minute we were getting counted down to start.
I had a little trouble with my bike as i was not used to this stationary bike, but after a panicked 'help' one of the volunteers got me sorted and off i went, while still not going anywhere haha.
I played around with the tension level but lived comfortably around the 9-12 and kept changing them at 3 minute intervals. I did keep my heart rate steady between 150-155 and was quite comfortable doing so. I hit 7.17 miles and again i think i was near the top for my heat.
Off the bikes and on to the indoor track. There was only 5 minute transition time here, which was really only enough to get to the track, and off we went.
I have not run on anything but a treadmill since like October, so my shins were screaming inside the second lap. This was the toughest part of the day. I was lapped repeatedly by most of my heat, i never really mind this, and was happy with the pace i was keeping up for myself. It is always tough in anything like this to keep focused on not trying to race others, but keep in line with your own race goals, so i didnt let it discourage me when those young whipersnappers in my heat lapped me again, and again.......and again haha.
3 songs and a Nickelback rock anthem later and it was over.
Now while this is not a true triathlon in terms of distances, I came out of the day pretty pumped. I def had more in the tank after each segment and know that if i keep up with the training over the next couple of months i will be able to complete the sprint distance triathlons i plan on doing this summer.
What i really liked out of today though, was seeing a couple friendly faces also participating as you can see by the picture at the top of this post. From those that have looked at a couple of the other pages you will recognize the face as the winner of the October Half Marathon to raise nothing for nobody. This gal is a true champ and one of the great ones that i have met while working for the organization i work for. It was a great suprise to see her at the sign in desk this afternoon and to have her in the same heat.
All of this of course unlocked a #CigarSunday which i will post about shortly AND i got a T-shirt, and a water bottle and a towel so total win - win - win - win.
I have been in and out of consciousness most of the evening, so time to hit the hay as i am still exhausted haha, and its a new week of workouts next week whoot whoot!
Sean "BigBoyRunning" Ryan