Meltdown

Things are heating up here in Brisbane. I have experienced training in the heat during summer in the Blue Mountains and around Penrith but the heat combined with the humidity up here north of the border adds a new dimension to hot.

Looking at weatherzone for the last few days reveals just how pleasant running is around here.

Sun - 26.4C | 82% humidity
Mon - 31.4C | 54% humidity
Tue - 27.2C | 77% humidity
Wed - 30.5C | 60% humidity

Note: data recorded during training times

Training:

Training has also seen some changes with a reduction in total training time and volume and an increase in quality sessions. Last weeks training looked like the following:

Sat (8/12/12) - 5k warmup, 10k threshold in 38:36, 3k cooldown
Sun - 19k easy (around Mt Cotton)
Mon - 7k easy in 32:00 + strides
Tue - PM) Hill session 16x200m avg ~ 60sec (total elevation gained/200m = 30m)
Wed - 11k run (went out too hard in the heat and paid for it)
Thu - Run workout 4 x 6min (pace 3:37, 3:41, 3:43, 3:41) 5k warmup/3k cooldown
Fri - 7k easy run + 3-4hrs of walking around Brisbane (PM)

This week:

Sat (15/12/12) - 5k warmup, 5k in 18:37, 3k cooldown (planned to run sub 18 minutes but legs several things were against me - the heat/humidity, legs still sore from Tuesday's hill session and went out too fast in 3:30 pace for the first km and then tried to maintain it in the second km which included a hill)
Sun - 1h30 long run included 3km avg 3:38/k pace (legs felt recovered)
Mon - 7k easy + strides
Tue - AM) 42k ride (to work) PM) Track session 8x200m avg ~33sec + 20k ride in electrical storm
Wed - 11k planned easy but went hard and completed melted in heat

Remainder of the week looks like the following:
Thu - AM) Track session + ride PM) Ride
Fri - easy run
Sat - Run workout - long repeats
Sun - Long run

Planned races for 2013:
January 5000m track
Park Run 5km runs
Gold Coast Marathon
Ironman Cairns (probably not but ?)
Bridge to Brisbane
Noosa Triathlon

plan on racing more often next year...

The honeymoon is over

Ironman training has continued in some form or another for the last few months. Have had great expectations for completing epic training days and weeks but when it came down to putting the rubber on the road that’s where the romance ended. The honeymoon period lasts for about 2 hours on the bike before we start disagreeing about the state of our relationship and while I continue to hold onto the dream of our union I’m always thankful when we split up. Thankfully running has become my new mistress...

As far as training is concerned my typical week has become... actually I have no typical week so I'll just put down what I've done since I can remember (about 5 days back) and what I'm planning on doing through to the weekend.

Saturday: ride 90km steady (down Northern Road to Narellan and back) + transition run down to Glenbrook oval for some mile repeats - managed 6 this week 5:52, 56, 59, 6:02, 6:02, 5:54 on 7 minutes) - the last two were great but number 4 almost broke me. Think they were definitely too quick for the desired training effect.

Sunday: planned long ride but swam instead 3500m straight - arms too tired to pull myself out of the pool so just sort of rolled out

Monday: double run day. 12k run at lunch in 48:20 then four hours later 13.4k run in 56:46 - last half around 4:00/km pace feeling good

Tuesday: missed lunch swim but had a great lunch. After work managed a brick session of 40k ride with 3 x 10min hard (5min recovery) followed up with a run which included 2 x 2km repeats in 7:52, 7:06 - headwind one way, tailwind on the other (enjoying the run at the moment!)

Planned sessions for the rest of the week (subject to change)

Wednesday: lunch swim hopefully covering around 3000m. After work longish ride on the M7 for at least 3 hours with a short run off the bike.

Thursday: morning long run for 2hrs to 2h30 and a swim at lunch. After work might try and put in another run or easy ride.

Friday: ride and long swim day

Saturday: long ride 4-5 hours with either a longish run off the bike or mile repeats (8) like last Saturday. - better get up early for this one!

Sunday: another longish ride (maybe 3 hours) and a swim if time.