Mark's triathlon training diary #3
Posted on June 16th, 2010 by Mark, Metropolitan Police Sergeant
My race day/training brick sessions are getting stronger and I am learning lots from the experiences. I needed an open water swim today and Rich found a Aquathon at Liquid Leisure in Dachet. A bit pricey at £18 but good training for a open water mass start and a 5K run. I got my sighting lost a bit in the sun, this cost me some time (work to be done here still). I don't practise taking my wet suit off enough in normal training so this was quite good, you see people standing on them and ripping them off, i think no chance, I don't want to rip it (Rich calls me a girl after). I grab a gel coming out of transition and drink this on the first lap, for me quicker than trying to have a drink.
I like these events for training for lots of reasons, it's quick if you don't have a lot of time for training, you can work fairly hard as its a sprint and they have early starts so you can cover work family or girlfriend commitments!
I read an article in 220 about sleep/rest being just as effective. I am trying to change as i have previously been one of those who think the more and harder you train the better you will be. I am learning this is not true. (Sun Mon off then)
Tuesday and my friend Kai invites me to a cycle training session with his Triathlon coach Ralph HYDES in Richmond park. I have a bike fitting session with him before hand and then we set off. I have thought for a long time about a bike fit and what the benefits would be.
We set off and my arms on the handle bar position feel so much better, not reaching down to far like before. My saddle is a bit lower which initially feels weird and my saddle is forward although Ralph states this will give you the most from your Tri bars. Into the session and the 7 or 8 other guys there know what's coming, it's an all out effort in the hardest gear up a hill section. This is just over a 1 mile sprint but on the first one my throat is dry and I am already gasping. Ralph rides the second one with me and in some of his coaching tips I change the way I ride this lap (just pulling hard and pushing on the pedals seems simple and we all like to think we do this on hills but i wasn't) After 5 laps I am dead but know the benefits have been amazing. I am now seriously thinking about Ralph as a coach and will talk to him about the benefits for me. £80 well spent though tonight on the fit and session.
Work takes over now and the Police is a funny job sometimes, so I am busy till Friday. I am on a training course where i know they have a running track so take my stuff up with me and plan a sprint session. I run 4 lap's (1 mile) and my base zone training pace then sprint as hard as I can one lap. 2 min (one normal lap time recovery) then repeated another 2 times. This was a hard session i have used just water and a tracker bar beforehand although a recovery shake after.
Sat morning See's a Triathlon brick session with Rich where we do an easy 30 mile bike, 9 miles into the bike we are at Hampton pool for 42 lengths (1500M) once back to mine Rich pulls the "I really have to shoot off, don't have enough time for the run" cause you don't son! So i do an easy 40 min run again with one gel. I use a multipower cola gel, and although i like these, as i bite off the top to drink it the packet rips and i end up covered in sticky brown stuff :(
Sundays nutrition for a long bike is better and i take 2 ISO mixed up drinks in my bottles (really liking this stuff now and seems as good as the stuff i used to use. After almost 60 miles i am done, my thoughts turn to the crazy notion of a Thames turbo sprint tomorrow. Ben smashed me on the hills today, although on only 4 hours sleep after sat night work i know this is more through being tired. But still i now think god i need to recover, so a chocolate recovery bar one of the multipower (i think my favourite in the active range) and protein shake on the way home. I then have a power nap for 3 hours, hot bath more protein and an early night.
Bank holiday Monday, Stuart is calling me a hustler as i am telling him i ma too tired to race, he is going for it today and wants to beat me. I feel OK to be honest after an early night (just needed some sleep) i have a better than normal swim quick transition and pull out a 37 min 20K PB on the bike. 1.11 all together a PB (how does that work when i was so tired)
Rest now for the rest of this week apart form an easy 1500 open water swim and 40 min run on Wednesday. I have now had 2 lie-ins, as i could't take my trainers away for our break!
