Training Week 1: 11/27/06 - 12/3/06

Training Schedule
Mon, 11/27: Bike = 1 hr 15 min, Run = 40 min, Strength= Core workout
Tues, 11/28: Swim = 3000 yds endurance swim, Run = 20 min, Strength = Plyometrics workout
Wed, 11/29: Bike = 55 min big gear power ride
Thurs, 11/30: Swim = 1800 yd time trial (assess fitness), Bike = 1 hr 10 min
Fri, 12/1: Strength = Stretching and core workout
Sat, 12/2: Swim = 4000 yds endurance swim, Bike/Run Brick = 1 hr 30 min ride, 35 min run
Sun, 12/3: Run = 1 hr 10 min

Monday 11/27/06 update:
I can't believe IM training is already starting! Where did the time go? I'll probably be saying the same thing on race day.

I am ready to start training. I took several weeks off (from SOMA until now) where I didn't do any training or racing unless I felt like it. I'm glad I did that. It has also given me time to read books and articles on IM training. And also time to clean the house. I wanted everything clean and organized so that I could just jump right into training and not have to worry about it and just do the "maintenance" type stuff.

I recently purchased a bike trainer and set up one of the spare rooms as the trainer room (which required cleaning). I also purchased some Spinervals DVDs (http://www.spinervals.com). They are like a spin class that you follow along with while on the trainer. So it's a structured workout, and I figure it's better than staring at a wall and spinning the legs with no focus other than to watch the clock. My training plan has a lot of 1 hr bike workouts that are meant to build skill. I think that will be easier and safer to do inside on the trainer than outside in the dark. By the time I get home from work in the evenings it is already dark out, and riding alone in the dark isn't my idea of fun. Plus, some of the drills like the one-legged pedaling drills are probably safer to do inside on a trainer. The long bike rides and the bike/run bricks (running right after biking) I will still do outside on the weekends.

The training plan that I am following is a 20 week training plan available to Gold members of BeginnerTriathlete.com. The plan was written by Coach Kevin Konczak of D3 Multisport (http://www.d3multisport.com). Through my Gold membership I'm also able to access a special forum on BeginnerTriathlete.com where I can ask the D3 coaches all of my training and racing questions. So far that forum has been very helpful!

Run workout: Got up at 5:30AM this morning and was out the door by 6. This was supposed to be a 40 min run in heart rate Zones 1-2, but I ended up in Zone 3 for a lot of it. Going pokey slow trying to stay in Zone 2 is tough! My heart rate (HR) got up into Zone 3 and just stayed there the whole time. And I really didn't want to stop and walk. Followed up the run with Core Workout #1 with the Fit Ball from D3 Multisport (http://www.d3multisport.com/articles/core1.html). Dang my core is weak! Hopefully that will improve with these workouts. I am definitely going to have to get up earlier for these morning workouts before work. I don't quite have everything in order and running like a well-oiled machine just yet. It always takes a few weeks to get there. I remember for my HIM training I would always have everything packed and ready to go in separate workout bags. So I need to re-assemble those bags.

Bike workout: First ride on the trainer with the Spinervals DVD tonight after work!

I will just keep updating these weekly threads throughout the week with my workout updates. My goal is to stay on top of this blog as well as my BeginnerTriathlete.com one.

Thursday 11/30/06 update:
I've been doing well getting the workouts in. The Spinervals DVDs are working out well. They are tough, but hopefully I'll get better.

I've lost some swim endurance over the last few weeks. I always have to be careful the first few swims in the pool after a break. It takes me awhile to get re-acclimated. If I over-exert myself I end up nauseous with bad bouts of cold sweats. So I take it nice and easy the first few times until I'm used to it again. I did a 1000 yd workout on Tuesday and a 1500 yd workout this evening (when it was 40 degrees out!).

My work schedule is changing, and I'll have to be at work from 7AM to 3:30PM. This morning I got up at 4:15AM to do my trainer ride, got cleaned up, and was in to work by 7. So I'll have to keep up the discipline if I'm going to get morning workouts in with that kind of schedule.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow! Just a stretching and core workout day, so it's sort of a "rest" day.

Lessons Learned this Week:

• I think getting everything cleaned and organized (house, car, etc) before training starts is a good thing. There probably won't be much time after training starts.
• The "mental rest" phase before IM training was a good idea. I took several weeks off after SOMA where I didn't train or race unless I felt like it. Now I'm ready to start the structured training from a fresh point of view.