Training Diary: Week 3

Weekly Goals:

Simple – keep to the plan.

Monday.

Morning ride was simply glorious.  Sun up, blue skies, little wind and 10 * 1km intervals – what more could I ask for.  No seriously – does it get better?

Evening ride – paid for the morning.  It seemed like a block head wind the whole way.  BUT, at least it swung into a massive tail wind for one leg – crazy fast streak down Williamstown esplanade, speed limited by courage not legs.

Tuesday.

Love Melbourne but she made it hard tonight.  Bitterly cold and raining the whole night for run training.  Got through it but really, the less said the better.

Wednesday.

Another trainer session – just cant maintain momentum with the commute, too easily spun off plan.  Have to watch this (travelling next week to – will be even harder).  Had a hard look at training data and its clear why relying on the trainer is dangerous for me – others might be fine but my lazy arse doesn’t push hard enough.  Consistently 20 bpm down on trainer compared to road.

Thursday.

Run day, fun day.  No, not kidding.  I am loving training for sprints, short sharp little 75 minute session with more 1 km intervals.  Under 5 min pace consistently for the first time in ages and loving it.  I feel like I’ve just passed an important milestone.

Just realized I have never – not once in my life – run a sub 4 min km.  Ok, that’s a goal for this season – I don’t care if its 3:59.9 – I’m going sub 4!

Friday.

No training – read an interesting article talking about the “four horsemen of the existential apocalypse”: death, isolation, meaninglessness and freedom.  Realized that triathlon, blogging and photography are some of my main tools in defeating them, thought it was worth remembering.  Whats this got to do with training? - nothing but life is more than training.

Saturday.

Off to the hills!  First time in months – these sessions are THE thing that stand between me and another day I never want again, will move heaven and earth not to miss them anymore. 

Got an ego check early, dropped by people I could pace easily last year.  Still the session is about the climb not the commute and let them go.  Settled in for a long solo day and pulled it off.  Just the one climb of 1:20 but did it and the ride home.  There will be more and I will improve.  

Sunday.

How weird is this – loved my long run – really I actually enjoyed it and was a little sad (just a little) that it ended.  Running just felt ‘lighter’ I think.  Despite running more hills than usual pace was up a fraction, heart rate was down a little and rather than fading I was surging at the end – that’s good right?

Weekly Summary.

Week 3 done and actually pretty happy.  Not missing any sessions (though worried about the reliance on trainers that don’t do enough for me).  A little concerned about travel next week – fingers crossed its not too bad.