A week in 'training'

I know all this training business makes us sound a bit serious but, well, some people really are into this bike lark so feel free to talk about all training & self improvement related topics in here

Re: A week in 'training'

Postby Toks » Sun Mar 29, 2009 7:50 am

[quote="Andrew G"]No need to shout Toks (THE CAPS LOCK), it just comes across as rude.
I didn't think it was shouting I was just trrying to clarify certain points. I'll highlight them next time :D
[quote="RobH"]The event specificness that Toks is trying to get across to you is what he's picked up from Doctor Andrew Coggan who writes on the wattage forum.
Wow I'm not sure how you've decided that and its definitley not the case. I first came across the term long, "Event Specific"/"Sports specific", before I started cycling when Arsene Wenger starting training the Arsenal Football team and cut back on all those long pre season runs the team use to do[quote="RobH"]

According to Toks Isolated leg intervals (ISL) are not event specific and are a waste of time. Perhaps Toks should do some EMG tests and come back to us and tell us what happen during these ISL's. Or point to a study? Then again there's been no study to say using a note pad is a waste of time
Whatever Dude :roll: How about you point to some peer reviewed research that demonstrates they're an effective way to train for time constrained amateurs.[quote="Mlocke"]
Event Specific. Lots of people mentioning this without too much of an explanation. I have two target previously mentioned. The tri, I am trying to build up to steadily and palace I want to be as ready as I can be by the time it starts.
Event Specific or Sport Specific to me mean reflecting the core demands of your chosen sports as accurately as possible. So if you're a Time Trialist riding around on a mountain bike will get you really fit but if you're going to be riding a TT bike that would be truly specific for that event.[quote="Mlocke"]

If I am honest I dont understand where all the three minute talk came from and why my cadence is going to be affected by the weight.[/
Thats ok, I gave an example that clearly didn't make sense to you - I'll leave it there for now and see how the debate develops :D
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Re: A week in 'training'

Postby mlocke » Sun Mar 29, 2009 10:54 am

Paul - Given that you have achieved a lot in the area of cycling & triathlons etc yours in one opinion that I would be pretty stupid to ignore.

On your point regarding my aspirations:
I wouldn't say that i don't have high aspirations I am just realistic. Given that 6 weeks ago I couldn't swim it is quite a high aspiration to enter a triathlon (even a sprint tri) in my opinion and if I can get points at Palace that would be a big achievement for me.

These are my targets for this year and then next who knows (well I have ideas of what I would like to do in the next three years but I'll keep them to myself for now).

On your other point on having found a training plan that suits me:
I think thats the problem - it hasn't been a training plan! The bike has got me to and from work for a couple of years,I have done a few club runs & the odd race. Maybe some point in the future a training plan would be an option but just now I dont think that I could follow a specific training plan. However I do accept some of the points made on here that my riding time could be used more effectively i.e by doing some higher intesity etc.

On Brick sessions:
Definately! Plan to do these in the near future

On Open water:
Definately! Plan to do this once my swimming is better (so I dont drown), once it warms up a touch (so I dont freeze) & once I get a wetsuite (cos I gotta get used to that too)

Are the weights affecting my cadence?

Finally, now now boys! Lets not turn this into a fact / old school pain debate. Keep it simple for us normal foke without a phd in whatever area it would fall into :)
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Re: A week in 'training'

Postby Paul H » Sun Mar 29, 2009 2:40 pm

[quote]I wouldn't say that i don't have high aspirations I am just realistic. Given that 6 weeks ago I couldn't swim it is quite a high aspiration to enter a triathlon (even a sprint tri) in my opinion and if I can get points at Palace that would be a big achievement for me.


Sorry - that didnt come across quite how I meant it. I was in the same position as you last year regarding my swimming (ask Jim B) and it was a big achievement for me to finish a triathlon. I would recomend you do a pool swim triathlon first as they send you off at intervals with swimmers of similar speed so there is no agro. My first was East Grinstead Triathlon [url]http://www.egtri.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=88:east-grinstead-triathlon-sunday-18th-may-2009&catid=25:the-tri&Itemid=56[/url] which I have entered again this year. The swim is relatively short compared to the bike and run so you will be surprised how well you can do as a lot of triathletes are rubbish at cycling (I was 265th after the swim but came 22nd overall).

[quote]On your other point on having found a training plan that suits me:
I think thats the problem - it hasn't been a training plan! The bike has got me to and from work for a couple of years,I have done a few club runs & the odd race. Maybe some point in the future a training plan would be an option but just now I dont think that I could follow a specific training plan. However I do accept some of the points made on here that my riding time could be used more effectively i.e by doing some higher intesity etc.


Youve listed what you do each day so it is a training plan - just not a very good one. Youve got to enjoy what you do - I would say its better to consistently do what you are doing now rather than follow a plan you do not enjoy and give up after a few weeks. A lot of my training is commuting - I like to use a Heart Rate monitor so I can see what benefit im getting out of the commute and I find recording what I do helps motivation.

I mentioned the weights as I find I can pedal at a higher cadence on my lighter bikes but that might not be the same for everybody.
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Re: A week in 'training'

Postby mlocke » Mon Mar 30, 2009 10:30 am

Paul - that triathlon looks good. My one concern would be if I could swim the distance by the time the event comes around so is it possible to enter on the day or nearer the time?


Today I am not on the bike but I plan to run at lunchtime - my 4 mile loop round Green & Hyde Park. Previously someone said I run too slow (I must have some slow work colleagues cos I kick there arses!). Today I plan to do my 1 mile warmup to Hyde Park gates then 1 mile of intervals between the lamp posts. For the second mile then maintain a reasonably high tempo and the final mile as a steady warm down.

This will be a weigth free zone today.

What do we reckon to that then?

My thoughts are that:
- its pretty event specific given that it is running about the same distance as the event in August
- I plan to go quite hard (for atleast 2 of the miles)
- its nice and sunny so would be rude to do nothing today

More honest opinions & ridicule of my ideas welcomed / expected

Cheers

Locky
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Re: A week in 'training'

Postby Ben » Mon Mar 30, 2009 10:56 am

Enter the event
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Re: A week in 'training'

Postby mlocke » Mon Mar 30, 2009 3:42 pm

OK well that was frustrating

Can only be due to the cold this morning but my chest was tight from the start (Asthmatic) - I am not using this as an excuse though and I still finished the session though I would have liked to have been able to go harder.

The plan before leaving was:
- 1 mile warmup
- 1 mile intervals between lamp posts
- 1 mile at reasonable tempo
- 1 mile warm down

The stats were:
Total distance 3.98 miles in 34m 28s
Av speed 6.98 mph av HR 148 max HR 175

The intervals were OK and I really did put in the effort during these to the point were I felt a little queezy at the end. I think in total there would be around 8 or 9 sprints but I will check from the download later.

After this is when my chest really tightened and no matter how hard I tried I was unable to get in enough air to run at any reasonable speed. As a result my 3rd mile which was supposed to be at a reasonable tempo (in my head was looking for around 9mph) was infact the slowest at 6.8mph.

Overall I am happy that I completed the run and the aim will be to complete on of these type of runs a week with another run probabaly on a Wednesday.

So, I know the figures sound bad but I know that I can do better.

So what do you think? What could my Wednesday session include?

Comments appreciated.

Cheers
Locky
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Re: A week in 'training'

Postby Paul H » Mon Mar 30, 2009 9:03 pm

Dont know what your running background is but it takes time to build up the various muscles /tendons you use. It is usualy recommended that you leave the intervals untill you can maintain a reasonable speed so be careful.

I would do 30min tempo run on wednesday.

You can enter the Triathlon a week before at the latest if it doesnt fill up beforehand which it probably will.
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Re: A week in 'training'

Postby Graham O » Thu Apr 02, 2009 9:41 am

Wow...this post is now massive and it appears that poor old locky's getting into some forum barnies....

[quote="mlocke"]OK well that was frustrating


I don't think this training malarkey is that complicated, once you start to think about it. If you keep pushing out of your comfort zone and ensure that you are recovering properly and be patient, things will come. I also think another aspect is consistency. If you do too much volume or push too hard, and have to take a break, or get pi**ed off with it, then you will take a back step.

I was thinking about your training and my feeble attempts to start triathlon stuff. I reckon the hardest challenge at first is to incorporate all three sports into your lifestyle in a way that doesn't kill you. I could never do this. It seems you have achieved this already.

Keep it up mate and you'll get there !!!
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Re: A week in 'training'

Postby mlocke » Thu Apr 02, 2009 10:00 am

[quote]it appears that poor old locky's getting into some forum barnies


Just getting some opinions on some of the training I have been doing. Your never going to get such a large group of people to agree on a personal thing such as the training they do. However I have taken some things onboard such as the specificity of training etc.

Indeed in this regard I used my commute on Tuesday as a hard ride. Average 18mph into central london (12miles) which was hard work given all the stopping and starting. This is even better due to the fact that my chain almost snapped about 3 miles from work so I had to spin without pushing the pedals too hard. Fortunately i had my chain tool which meant I could fix it at lunch.

Then Tuesday evening I had a good pool session. 20 lengths in half an hour of the 33.33 metre pool done in 4x2 & 4x3 lengths, before my lesson focussing on technique.

[quote]I reckon the hardest challenge at first is to incorporate all three sports into your lifestyle in a way that doesn't kill you.


Then I woke up on Wednesday sick as a dog and have today taken my first ever sick day today :(

I dont think it is because of the training - there has been a bug going round my work at the moment and i think i have just got it. That means there was no tempo run yesterday and I will not be making my final swimming lesson this evening. Hopefully will be better by Saturday for the CR though.
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Re: A week in 'training'

Postby Toks » Thu Apr 02, 2009 10:55 am

Sorry to hear you got sick Mark I hope you've recovered in a few days. On the fast commuting thing... I generally blast to work but take it steadier on the way back depending of course on how I'm feeling. I won't blast into work everyday of the week. I was telling Sean some time ago that perhaps go hard twice a week and perhaps on a third day if other training allows and you're feeling fresh. A 12 miles commute is I nice distance to get frisky with and it shouldn't leave you too shattered :D
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Re: A week in 'training'

Postby mlocke » Fri Apr 03, 2009 1:00 pm

Just to get my post back to the top for Sylv :D

My name is Mark Locke and I have been clean for 3 days!!

Yes I have not eaten for three days! I feel much better now and am back at work but I still dont feel like eating.

I have no idea how much weight I have lost but if I can stomach a decent meal to give me the energy then tomorrow should be a decent ride given my power to weight ratio must have taken a good bump up!

locky
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