Stage 2 - 8 Days in California-Trainer Road

Surviving this 8 days is going to be a challenge, today was another hard climb with sweat pouring down and legs begging for mercy. The last sets of sprints and KOM were a beast, took everything in me not to quit but setting lots of new personal records. Trainer Road





Strength workout for today was RKS#16 which was 30mins of snatches but I only had time for 20mins so got in 20 rounds of 15secs right then left follow by 30sec rest. Done with this cycle of RKS moving on to Athlean XXX next week.

After work did today's session of Yoga on the go, which was actually an AM routine but didn't get a chance to get it in.

Also tonight completed my first Under Armour What's Beautiful Challenge not as graceful as most but feet is off the ground so yeah me. #IWILL

Recovery Week

Thursday and  I am back to 100%, had my first run since the race today and also made it an outdoor one, got in 3 miles around the neighborhood trying out my new scott running shoe, even thou it is 1 size larger is it  a tight fit so will be ok for run run but not for long ones without ending up with a blister.

Took Monday as a complete rest day, since the ankle was a complete mess, the blister was fine once I popped it and applied some oil to it. The ankle complete tape up with duct tape (love this thing) and interchange applying heat and cold.

Tuesday went to the rec center and got in a nice swim and that felt really good still not making any progress on the swim but I love being in the water so will just continue to get comfortable with it for now should click eventually.

Wednesday with the ankle feeling so much better and I needing a decent workout, got in a trainer road ride West Vidette which is 1x45m aerobic endurance interval ranging from 50-80%FTP



Afterwards did RKS#10 including cooldown for 34mins then ended up at the pool for a quick 20mins water play.

The rest of today's workout include Barry's Bootcamp Mission Specialist Upper Body Advanced-12mins this was a complete mistake since my arms were still quite fatique from yesterday's workout. After work got in a 20mins bike ride outside, beautiful perfect night for it.

TR:EPIC Vermont

Yesterday, did a fun and hard workout, Chris posted a challenge on FB and you really get to pick your own poison from the list to complete the 1000 reps. I pick
50 pushups
50 jumping jacks
50 situps
50 Burpees
50 jump rope  Repeat 4x

After the first round drop to my knee on pushups and the burpees really kick butt, was a complete sweaty mess when done.

being having some tightness in my left butt and with my "A" race coming up Saturday, I decided to do some yoga to stretch it out. Yogamazing:Yoga for Butt and Thighs

Today:
I think I am going to give running a break to let the left butt cheek and right ITB recover not sure what trigger the pain, so until after the race lots of swimming/bike/strength and the bike will be  on the sweet spot side.

Biking on the trainer today did EPIC:Vermont

Ride one of the best rides in the Green Mountains of beautiful Vermont. Climb 1,500 feet over legendary Appalachian Gap. Finish with a fast spin into the gorgeous village of Bristol!

Got a new 15 mins(179 to 181) and 20mins (175 to 178) PR on this ride.



RKS#9 afterwards which included a ladder of push press 1,2,3,4 repeat for 15mins alternate between the 15#, 6Kg and 12Kg kettle bell then that was followed by 1 hand swing L,R two hand swing repeat 2 times, Cool down.

Made it to the pool today and just decided to work on gliding and learning to stay slimline. No flippers, did a couple of laps on my back to under how to kick the legs and some fun other stuff, know the life guard was just wondering what the heck am doing.

A bit convern about the 24hour race, I haven't really done that much running especially on trail and I really will have to pace myself so as not to bonk and be able to get the miles in, really excited about it and so lookin forward to it. BRING IT.....  Goal 100 miles :)

TR:Beacon

With Beacon this morning that complete the Trainer Road Intermediate base 1 Program, so in total for this plan did 18 workouts, am planning on going on to Intermediate Base 2. Am not 100% sure what my cycling plan is for the year except to get better at it both indoor and outdoor, also learn to proper change tires and do simple maintenace. Still need to get it out to practice clipping in and out and schedule a bike fit.

TR:Beacon although all I think about is bacon

6x8-minute Steady State repeats with 4-minute recoveries. Work intervals are spent very close to FTP/FTHR without exceeding it. Cadence should be in the 85-95rpm range



Still quite a bit of residual fatigue in the legs from the HM, I guess it has been a while since I really pushed in a race for that long, hard time maintaing power as you can see in the graph. Stayed on the small ring for all the workout and didn't quite make the cadence range for all the interavls 80-89.

Continuing on with RKS, did workout 7 today basically half way into the program not sure am going to get through the 15 workouts this month, so will finish up in May before starting Athlean XX.

Squat/Press + 1 legged Deadlift ladder - 10mins 12kgKB - Got in 7 rounds
1 min rest
30sec tactical lunges +30sec swing+30sec rest, 5x-12Kg KB
1 min rest
30sec Russian twist+30sec plank+30sec rest, 3x 12kg KB
1 min rest
Cool down

Went to swim lesson last night and stayed an extra 30mins, I love being in the water and so determineto get the whole swimming thing, went into the deal end for the first time yesterday, just will need to learn to et go and relax. Did not attempt the diving, baby step. My whole focus will just be gettinghe kicks down, so confuse and how it is suppose to go but I know eventually it will click. I love teh Twinsburg pool and not crazy about the Solon one not much room for laps/adults.

Still going through the why for Boston, just still having a difficult time with that.

TR:Ebbetts

The legs are still not 100% from the race on Sunday and with the event in Boston still heavy on my heart I really just needed a very good workout, to celebrate living. Picked trainer road Ebbetts, just perfect to get the heartrate spiked with those anaerobic jumps.

4x8min intervals @ 88-94% (Sweet Spot) with 5-second Anaerobic Capacity (AC) tags at 150-180%. 4-minute recoveries separate sets.

This was just perfect, sweaty mess when done but just what the body and mind needed, not perfect since the legs are still fatigue.

 

After the ride, moved on to RKS workout #6, this was a circuit 40secs ON/20secs OFF, 1 min rest between circuit, using 12kg KB. Repeat 3x

 

2 hand swing

1 hand press, L for 20sec/R for 20sec

side to side lunges with KB

1 hand row 5/side keep changing till time

Burpees

 

Started PIYO #7 did the warmup but decided to fo swimming instead, got in 20mins of swimming before heading to work.

 

Still can't wrap my mind around what happended at the Boston Marathon, so senseless and the loss of life just makes it more painfully. Running is just such a beautiful/peacefull sport and to be tainted by this evil just seem unreal.  #prayfor boston

 

 

Testing Endurance- 8 days

Between life and Aunt Flo haven't been in the pool since thursday.


With the 24hr race coming up fast, I needed to get an endurance sequence going, I know running is going to be hard on my body for recovery so decided to give biking a try.

Goal: In a 8 days period go up/down a pyramid twice, only water during training and no recovery drink during training period. Maintain speed/power as much as possible. No naps , stay active beween training. Keep working out when tired but not through pain. Initial was planning 5 days but since I am biking and not running decided to try for 8 days.

Functional Threshold Power, or FTP is the maximum average power you can hold for one hour, higher is better. MY FTP = 182 from last test

Normalized Power or NP gives you an average power number if you would have ridden at a constant power output.

Training Stress Score or TSS is the amount of training stress generated from a workout. The higher this number the more potential fitness you earned from a workout.

TR = Trainer Road  SP = Spinerval


Day 1: Friday: TR: Tallac-60mins, NP=152 , TSS=69 Avg Speed=14.9

Day 2: Saturday: TR: Tioga-90mins, NP=152, TSS=106 Avg Spd = 14.0

Day 3:Sunday: TR: Clark-90mins, NP=152, TSS=105 Avg Spd = 14.9
                       1 mile all out run = 8:16 pace
                       TR: Goddard-60mins NP=141, TSS = 60, Avg Spd= 14.2

Day 4:Monday: SP Zoot Challenge-42mins, Problem recording on TR, avg speed = 14.7
                         1 mile all out run = 8:57 pace
                          RKS Wrkt #2 = 17 mins

Day 5: Tuesday: SP Sprinting Machine-60mins (made it that) did 1 plyo jump and stayed on bike for rest. Power stop recording 1/2 way what I got for the 30mins NP=134, TSS=55 Avg Spd for total = 13.6 way too much recovery between reps but boy did I need every bit of it.
1 mile bike ride Outside
45 mins walk with DH

Day 5: Wednesday: Ride Fit Warrior-34mins, 1st time doing ride fit and really like it.
                               RKS Wrkt 3 - 28 mins 8kg and 12kg KB

How do I feel - OK, but my immune system is compromised already picked up sore throat and cough so taking vitamin C, slight fatigue and aches but no knee, ankle or IT band pain.

Why am I doing it - Who knows, seem like fun

Hardest Day so far - Saturday, between work and life I couldn't get a workout in until after 9pm and I was already bone tired and just wanted to go to bed.

TR:Carillon + RKS

Started week 5 of the Trainer Road Intermediate Workout today, on the schedule Carillon "2 sets of 2x10min Sweet Spot criss-cross intervals where 1min surges are spent out-of-the-saddle; 1min rest between intervals/5min rest between sets of intervals." my speed is getting better at least I am now at the upper end of 14 or low 15 with the heart rate staying low.

For April I picked RKS for strength training and workout 1 was 20mins swing, 30secs ON/45secs OFF, did 10mins -8 rounds and called it a day using 12kg KB

Swim class starts today not really sure am looking forward to it, didn't get in the pool all of last week, oh well

Recovery day so 4 miles easy, I was really only going to do 3 miles but was stuck watching a show and also feeling great so tack on one more mile, still within my schedule had option of 2-6 miles just been doing 3 so wasn't over doing it for the taper week. Trail running is out for the next 2 weeks just to be on the save side, even though I have no issue trail running, just don't want to tempt faith.
Working on keeping lots of fruit, vegatable and water on hand, I keep a steady in take of food on hand during taper week since I do not believe in a big meal before racing, one of my local store have a good deal on nectarine and plum so I have been induging greatly.
After the run did 2 rounds of RKS #6, had to skip the last round since I was running late for my bus, may make it up tonight but I have been working on getting my son ready for back to college, goes back Saturday to start his junior year how time flies.

Great workout today, was able to get 4 miles in outdoors even thou it was cooler it was still very humid, tried out my new Puma Faas 500 even though the shoe worked out fine I need to come up with the best sock for it the one I wore today wasn't it and I also noticed that although this is a light trainer it is still built up a bit in the heel because my foot is dragging when I wear it. I think I am evn up just sticking with the Adidas they are just perfect for me.

Did RKS #5 after running, was able to use 12kg for the ladder press although I did drop down to 15#  for 2 rounds, for the one hand swing started out with 12kg but increased to 16kg use the anti monkey butt powder to prevent my hands from ripping and it worked great. Miss being on the trail this week, two weeks to Akron Marathon so starting to taper.

Still working on nutrition, just not getting it right, I do not eat junk but eat a lot of the good stuff and always seem to be hungry.

Sometimes everything just click and this week has just been like that, finally getting enough sleep, getting up on time to get workout in and being able to hit all the paces on my run, added back yoga and started RKS workout. Still struggling with nutrition but that is a work in progress, with Borders going out of business I picked up more running and nutirtion books a girl just can't have too much.

With a half marathon trail race tomorrow, todays was an easy day, so did disc 1 of RKS

Warmup
16x30sec -2 hand swing / 45 sec recovery - 16kg KB
Cool down