Training Update: Week 8

Last week was the most succesful week of the training program so far. Before I get into it, so far, "Smurf", from Libby, is in the lead for the 'name my bike' contest. The contest end date is officially February 1, 2008, so it's not too late to enter!

I really built my volume in week 7, so I made week 8 a 50% reduction recovery week. That means my morning hour-ish spin became a 30 minute spin, 4000m swims became 2000m swims, and 4 hour rides became 2 hour rides. At the beginning of the week, my morning resting heart rate was 47, and this is a sign that I am over-reaching. By Saturday of week 8, the morning heart rate was down to 38, my normal, recovered heart rate. I felt tired, injured, and with low-motivation at the beginning of the week, and I feel rested, healthy, and rarin' to go now. After recovering for a week, it's fun to see the fitness I have built through weeks 1-8 showing itself in the beginning of week 9. My achilles feels awesome, too.

Key Run: I did this on Wednesday, since I skipped the Sunday long run from week 7. I will do my long run on Wednesday for the remainder of the program. Doing the long run the day after the long ride is supposed to teach the body to "run tired". I think it was just injuring me. I seem to get more out of seperating the long ride and the long run. This run felt nice, it was only 5 miles though... remember, 50%

Key Ride: Saturday, 48miles. I went 2 hours, 30 minutes, though I had only planned for 2 hours. I felt awesome though and it was a beautiful morning. I jammed my run orthotics into my bike shoes to see what it'd be like when my bike orthotics come (they'll be in on Feb. 2). Though they didn't fit, they did make the ride comfortable and pain-free. This is promising.

Key Swim: Friday - 5x200 fartlek. Felt good, this is 50% of 10X200.

I am really happy about my prospects. Here's my plan for the remaining 12 weeks:

9-11: Build volume to the highest level possible by extending key workouts.
12: recover
13-15: Introduce speed work. Continue to extend long, key workouts.
16: recover
17-19: Push speed work. Continue to extend long, key workouts.
20: Recover
21: Nail longest brick on the weekend of this week
22-24: Taper, race.

Tip of the week:
Pretend to know less than you do. For example, even if you're the most knowledgable trainee going, fain ignorance when someone tells you to do a 'fartlek run'. Not only will this psych out your competition (they'll think they can take you, you're dumb!) but it'll also allow you to see how knowledgable these other people really are. For example, you'll make them have to explain to you what a 'fartlek run' is, and you'll expose any weaknesses in their understandings.