Training Update

Well, last week a four week cycle finished, and test week arrived.

First up was the pool - this time in a 25m pool, as I've given up with the ultra busy 50m pool, that is also further away.

I expected to be faster, 25m vs 50m is alway a couple of seconds per 100m faster, and I was fitter.

The test is always the same - 4x100m build to warm up, and then 3x300m @ 30s rest. Result is the average pace per 100m for the 900m set.

On the 13.12.2010 -> 1:58/100m

On the 11.01.2011 -> 1:53 /100m

And on 31.01.2011 -> 1:44 / 100m !! Another big improvement.

Each 300m was [05:10 / 05:14 / 05:14] - so pretty well paced - but again, I wondered if I could have gone a little harder.

One thing that is interestin is the speed vs effort - the 300m intervals were swam at a hard but not all out effort. If I go all out for 50m, I'm only a few seconds faster / 100m, which means I have some technique improvements to train!

But overall very happy with the improvement.

Onto the bike... and the FTP test. This also follows the same protocol, which is the Spinervals Threshold Test DVD. Warm Up, 3x30son @ 30s Rest, 3min Hard, 3x1min Hard @ 1min Rest, and then 20min all out. The power for the 20min - 5% = FTP.

On the 11.12.2010 -> 212W

On the 12.01.2011 -> 236W

And on 31.01.2011 -> 255W !!!! Held 267W avg for the 20min.

This improvement was totally unexpected - I was hoping to have ca 260W FTP come the Ironman in July, to be nearly there already is great. This was also a test where I could maybe have pushed harder. The two previous tests had almost exactly the same HR curve, this test was 4 beats lower almost all the way through.

Part of the problem is mind over matter - when you push intervals of 270W+ the mind says "too hard" the Heart Rate tells a different story.

So the testing results continue to shock.

Also good is the running. The ankle is still not 100%, but each time I run (which is always a transition run), it doesn't complain, and I always run at a settled pace 135 - 145bpm. I've been up 50min with no problems. Considering I've been running for just 3 weeks, and I'm always running after the bike, the speed has been better than expected - after an hours bike ca. 5:30/km. Longer tougher two hour bike (of crazy VO2max intervals) yielded 5:55/km @ 140bpm.

This is more than ok - I'd like to run 5:30 / km in the Ironman, and there's plenty of time before then.

The only downside to training is the ever increasing training Zones. The week after the test has been tough - yesterday the 2x20min @ 242 - 255W were very tough. Last Saturday, I actually had to stop for the first time in ages in a 3x6min VO2max set - I just couldn't hold > 280W in the third one.

The same with swimming - now Moderate intervals are 1:49 / 100m, and I don't really feel like there is any "Easy Pace" swimming anymore.

But! The first week after testing is always tough, due to the zone increase. The end of next week will give a better indication of how things stand.

However, my target training test times ready for the IM are

Swim: 1:40 / 100m (gives about 1:50 / 100m endurance pace)

Bike: 260W FTP (can then ride IM @ 180-190W comfortably)

Run: run bricks after endurance ride @ 140-150bpm and 5:30 / km

The swim and bike are already nearly there. Running is also on the right track.

Ciao

Richard

Testing, Training Update

A quick update on the training progress.

It's all good news, really.

on the 11.12.2010, my first FTP test after the Prep Period gave a result of 212W FTP.

Next test on 04.01.2011, and a massive improvement to 236W !! I was shocked at this, and had the feeling that during the test, I could have pushed harder, but hey, the result's good anyway.

The same with swimming - the first test of 3x300m @ 30s rest gave 1:58/100m, and on 06.01.2011, I averaged 1:53/100m, also a good improvement.

My aim for the IM is to have FTP 250W and 1:40/100m Swim TH. So far, so good.

In general, the best is swimming. I've always been an ok swimmer, and thus have never really trained a lot for an IM. However, so far in the first 8weeks of Base training, I've been 3 times per week, ca. 3km per workout, and the improvement is big - I get out of the water not feeling really tired at all.

Cycling is also good, although I've struggled one or two days. I don't do Z2 workouts - a week has these workouts:

2x20min FTP

60min VO2Max intervals

Endurance ride 40%Z2/40%Z3/20%SSpot

60min TH / VO2 max intervals

I don't have massive time to train, so seek to max out eack workout, and sometimes, I'm on the limit.

Running has finally started, and the ankle is holding up well. Having not run for sooooooooooo long, I was expecting a disaster in terms of speed, but it was ok. I have done 3x12min runs, all off the bike, all 6min/km with 138HR (Z1 for my running), which is more than OK for Zone 1. I need to be really careful here - next week, I'll do 4x12min, Z1 again, all off the bike to make sure the ankle is warm.

That's it..... for now.

Spinervals Review - 31.0 Endurance Booster

This review looks at the Spinervals 31.0 Endurance Booster DVD. It's one of the longer DVD's in the Collection (well, in my collection), at 1h45min ! A long time to spend on the trainer.

It's quite different from most of the others I have in the sense that it is a Zone 3 workout - during the Warm Up, Coach Troy specifically sets a target HR (or power) of above Z2 (classic Aerobic training) but definitely below LTHR.

What's odd here is that in some of the other DVD's, you hear the classic "Don't train in the Grey area - too hard on easy days and too easy on hard days" - and yet this DVD trains specifically in that grey area.

However, a quick dip into "Training and Racing with a Powermeter" by Coggan and Allen confirms that for endurance rides, Z3 is just the thing.... so no complaints there!

Before getting into a description of the workout, a quick description of the DVD - you have the normal Workout with Music on/off option, but one real negative point for me is that there are only chapters for the Warm Up, Main Set(s), Cool Down.

This is the case on all of my newer Spinervals DVD's, and I can't understand why. On the older ones, e.g the 3hr Tough Love, 5h30min Hardcore 100, 2h Have Mercy, you can pick and choose your sets if you don't want to do the whole workout.

So why not here?

Anyway... onto the workout.

Seeing as I was in week 10 of my winter IM training when I did this, a 1h45min ride was pretty much the longest I'd ridden, and thus I split the ride into Zones - 40% Z2 / 40% Z3 / 20% SSpot (for the curious, based on power, Z2 is 70-75FTP, Z3 76-85FTP, SSpot 86-93FTP) which meant the start would be easier than Z3 but the last 20min a lot harder. I tend to do all of my endurance rides with this split.

The workout itself is of the "Cadence and Zones are set, you choose the gear" type.

Ok, after just 2min gentle cycling we have:

a. The classic 3x30s @ 30s Rest WarmUp

b. 3min gentle

c. 15min Steady State Set.

At first, when you hear this, you thing "oh-no, boredom...", but actually, on these DVD's the 10-20mins reps are less boring than the 20x1min varieties. And this is no exception - it's well mixed up. ca.4min @ 80-85rpm, ca 3min @ 90-95 rpm, ca 3min @ 100 rpm and back down with a couple of minutes at 75-80rpm thrown in at the end. At regular intervals, says every 90-120s, you stand for 10s or so - which hurts at 100rpm!

As I train with power, there's a big effort difference for me between 190W at 85rpm vs 190W at 100rpm, which makes the intervals more challenging. 100rpm+ sends my HR sky high...

So, a time consuming active 15min that has you constantly checking power, rpm, standing and generally not looking at the clock.

d. 3min gentle

e. 15x1min@15s Rest, Odds Low Cadence (75-80rpm) Even High(85-90rpm)

Similar to c., but with a lot more rest. Upon reading, this should be a better set than c., but I found it a little more boring - the reps seems to crawl by, as there isn't much variation.

However, the set itself was good - the switching between cadence prevents you finding a groove, and the constant slow down and accelerate with each 15s rest also adds an extra spice.

f. 2.5min gentle

g. 10x90s@20s rest Odds Low Cadence (75-80rpm) Even High(85-90rpm)

More of the same as in e. but with longer intervals - 90s. You find a groove a bit easier here, and being Z3 effort, it isn't easy riding, and focus is needed at the higher cadences!

The 20s rest make a big difference vs the 15s rest in e., although I needed it as I'm not good with high cadence, and the Z3 power at 90+rpm was taking its toll (as you can see from the graph)

h. 2min Gentle

i. 7x2min @ 30s rest Odds Low Cadence (75-80rpm) Even High(85-90rpm)

During this set, I moved up to SSpot Power, so this became quite tough as it was my longest ride of the winter trianing so far, and never at my ideal cadence - either too low or too high.

I found 7x2min much better than the 15x1min stuff from earlier. Less starting and stopping, and you find more of a groove.

j. 2min gentle

k. 1x15min Steady State

Similar to in c. Regular changes in cadence, every 2 mins or so, and also periods of standing mixed in. Was tough going for me in SSpot, but the time passed much better than in the 15x1min stuff earlier...

l. Cool Down.......

So, that's the workout.

In summary, tough, doesn't need the 15x1min and 10x90s stuff (imho, of course), but good all the same. And infinitely better than doing 1h45min on your own. I enjoyed it, the time passed quickly, I didn't get bored, which is exactly what one needs. Pleased with the purchase.

..Oh, wait, one point.

The other cyclist... some of them clearly aren't fit enough, and don't put the effort in. There's even your token big guy with a massive IM tatoo on his upper arm.

The earlier Spinervals had much fitter groups.

I don't have a problem with whoever is on the videos per se, I just think the riders on the DVD should fit the workout. E.g in Tough Love.

Comments welcome.

Testing... testing

A quick update on training.

Prep phase of six weeks is complete - a really light prep phase seeing as it's been so long since I've done anything meaningful.

Finished with an FTP power test indoors on the bike with PoweTap, result 212W. Ugh.

Swimming test in a 50m pool 3x300m on 30s rest yielded a T Pace of 1:58 / 100m. Also Ugh. I could hardly move my arms in the third 300m rep.

Luckily there's a loooong way to go before IMDE next year.

Running still at zero - my ankle is almost 100% there, very rarely any pain, but I'm not in a rush, and don't want to risk starting back to early.

This week was the first Base, or proper, training week. After the test last Monday in the pool, I followed with two swim sessions of 3.3km and 2.9km respectively. I follow the workouts in the book "Workouts in a Binder: Swim Workouts for Triathletes". The book is a Godsend. Without it, swimming would be very, very dull.

Cycling saw one classic 2x20min FTP session, one VO2max intervals session, one 80min endurance (30min 70% 30min 80% 20min 90% FTP), One steady hour @ 75% FTP.

Next week is much the same at the start, but I fly back to the UK on Wednesday, so I'll be on the MBike until the 2nd Jan.

Spinervals Review - Dropping the Hammer

Dropping the hammer is category "Choose your cadence going at a hard to very hard effort". The workout lasts just over 60mins, including the warm up.

The workout is as follows:

a. 2.5min easy warm up

b. 3 x 30s on / 30s off, which is done as a further warm up, a sub TH effort.

c. 1 min easy pedalling

d. 3min of 10s on / 10s off. This is further warm up for the hard sets to follow. Normally the Spinervals DVD's get straight into the main sets after part 'b.' These are sub TH accelerations.

e. 3.5min easy spin.

f. The hardest set of the DVD - 3 x 6min @ 2min rest. These are meant to be over TH level - I did them at VO2Max 110%-120% Power. The choice of cadence is up to you, though. These were very hard - especially the third one.

g. 5min rest, during which you get off the bike and do 2 x 1min @ 30s rest of isometric squats. I stayed on the bike, pushing a hard gear and staying in Zone 2 @ 65 cadence.

h. 6 x 1min @ 1min rest - Going harder than the last set of 6min reps. I didn't find this so bad, as the rest period is long, althugh I was at 120% of FTP, should maybe have been a little higher.

i. 2.5min easy spin

j. 4 x 30s @ 1min rest where each 30s is 20s hard as you can seated / 10s standing sprint. This was a killer.

k. Cool down.

First thing to note is you do over 30min of VO2 max work in the hour - very hard workout.

From the production side, it's one of the better ones - the athletes look generally fit (some of the groups on the more recent DVD's are a disaster), the sound level is good, and doesn't vary, you can have with / without the cheesy music, and the workout is split into chapters, so you can start wherever you want from the menu (seems like a standard feature, but it's disappeared recently).

The sets are varied enough so that the time passes, and the coaching job is done pretty well. He keeps reminding about gearing, concentration, HR and power, to keep you distracted from looking at the clock.

All in all, a really good Workout, one of the better ones in my collection.

At the top of this post is the power file from the workout (My last FTP test was a lowly 212W)

Spinervals DVD's

Seeing as there aren't many reviews available on the web of Spinervals DVD's, I thought over the next few weeks, I'd add my thoughts, seeing as I have 16 of the competition series.

They are all interval workouts, that basically fall into three sub-categories

1. Choose your cadence going at a hard at very hard effort

2. Choose your effort at a specified cadence

3. Ride at specified candence and effort

Number 3 get's a bit crazy on some of them!!

The list that I intend to review is as follows (in no particular order):

Dropping the hammer

Hardcore 100

Have Mercy

Have Mercy 2

Tough Love

Extreme Threshold Training

Threshold Test & Suffer Fest

Totsally Time Trial

Time Saver 1

Endurance Booster

Muscular Endurance Plus

Aero Base Builder 1

Aero Base Builder 2

Aero Base Builder 3

Aero Base Builder 4

Aero Base Builder 6

If any anyone wants a particular review, let me know.

Prep weeks 1 - 3 Down...

... finally an update after a few weeks of preparation phase training.

Firstly the heel. Good news is that it has shown no reaction to the cycling or swimming. Walking is absolutely pain free - thanks to the Nike Free's + traumeel Gel (either genuine or placebo effect, I don't really care).

The only downside is that there is still a small sore spot when performing the "point toes and press" test.

But all in all, good improvement, an looking well when I start running the week before Christmas.

Regarding training, the first three of six preparation weeks are done, no running, just swim and bike.

The last two weeks were four bike sessions and two swim sessions (one swim session was missed though in week 2). The bike is ok - fitness and power are a disasterous as one would expect after so much time off. The positive is the improvement. The 30min sessions in Prep phase involve 5-6 x 3min @ 1min rest descending gears, holding a certain wattage. The very first session, I struggled to hold 180Watts for all intervals, with over 170bpm after the second interval. Yesterday, held ca. 200W for all intervals an hit the 170bpm's only in the last interval, which is good progress in just three weeks. Last week also had a 45min session.

Pathetic time when you think that in April a "60 min / 240min / 60min" "Swim / Bike / Run" session will be the norm.... but building slowly is key to prevent injury, no matter how impatient one gets to smash out 3hr+ interval sessions on the bike.

Swimming is also a disaster from the fitness point of view. Sessions are intervals totalling just 1000m of crawl in 25mins or so.... virtually nothing :).

The next three weeks of prep build up the volume a little (10 - 15% each week), with the last two weeks being on our holiday in Egypt, where the advantage of sleep, rest and food mean the training can be upped a bit - 5 sessions of swim and bike each week.

Then, all being well, the ankle will be 100% better, and I can start running, and enter the first Base training period!

Ciao

Richard