Anyway, firstly, news of training. After my big bonk last Monday I actually started to feel quite strong. An easy swim and a steady treadmill session on Tuesday felt ok. So, on Wednesday, after a swim in the morning, I indulged myself and did a hard turbo followed by 6 x 400m run efforts with 30 sec recovery. I was aiming for 6 min miling pace on the 400s but settled into a quite comfy 5:40 pace. This is a good sign, especially as the recovery was short between reps. Hopefully the running is getting back to where I was back in April. The Achilles is still not right but it continues to improve by minuscule amounts each week!
I am swimming more and more now and. . . . wait for it. . . I am enjoying it!! This is partly because my good friend Mr Dave ‘Big Fish’ Lowe passed a few excellent and timely tips. Dave helped me immensely whilst I was at RAF St Mawgan and we still keep in touch. Anyway, body rotation is good but too much body rotation is not good. Beginners tend to lack rotation but I certainly feel better for reducing my rotation. Also, I have had a wee scan at the SwimSmooth website. There is some great stuff on there and tips that could help even the most experienced swimmer. There is also a virtual swimmer on there called Mr Smooth.
He is a cool swimmer! You can study him in slow motion and break the stroke down to any aspect you wish. He has zilch body hair though and that obviously helps him slip through the water; best I get down to Boots for a years’ supply of Imac.
6 comments:
Swimming ... yawn!
I thought this was going to be about shaved and waxed legs or a similarly stimulating subject.
Take it easy on the running mate, I don't want to be in a position of having to say "I told you..."
Sags,
I hope already you've noticed this but from your earlier blogging the training you're doing now looks remarkably like the stuff at the beginning of the year that probably brought on the achiles trouble ('just add water' and jump squats.) Don't shoot the messenger... :-)
Stay healthy for next year
Neill
I suppose it could be seen like that. But what should I do instead? Long slong stuff? Confused!
hi mate, i guess you are doing those efforts on a track??
that is notoriously bad for achilles injuries and did mine no good at all.
do you need to be doing efforts now? or should you be building a solid base for next seasons target races?
you can still do fartlek and efforts without using a track?
if you havent done so already, review last season and where and why it went wrong, or right in terms of the strong cycling and plan next season from there.
ok, i am off to listen to my own advice, consider yourself 'told off' ATB
Sags,
The training that you do could be deemed to be long course for MOPers.
Your swimming is around the 6mins for 400m. Hence, swimming more should equal faster not excessive focus on technique - we are too long in the tooth for any real breakthroughs. So hit the pool for 10k a week min. As I said, no need for excess technique work and you should thinking about good form happening on every stroke you take anyway. Much as I like Swimshack once you are down around 6mins there is not much he can do for you that you and a Masters swim group for motivation can't do.
You are a cycling ninja so keep it going but you may wish to reduce the number of hardcore sessions.
Running - until you feel bulletproof again achiles-wise, frequency is the key. Lots of eg 20-30min jogs think about cadence as you have been doing and if you really must finish off 1 or 2 sessions a week with strides to keep technique going. If you feel a niggle replace with aquajogging until it goes.
If you are staying 'short' next year your longest run (with the day after being off from running) only needs to be around an hour. If you are going long then build up to 90.
Remember with your athletic base if you do go long you only need 12 weeks to become an 'IM' speedster.
Keep any leg weight sessions well away from the long run and bike. Dehydration and fatigue (primarily shortening in the hamstrings are well known for bringing on Achilles probs.)
Hope that helps.
Cheers
Neill
I'm off to listen to Roy's advice but not when it has to do with IM nutrition. :-)
Thanks wise ones! I will take heed of the advice, but you may need to prod me once in a while and remind me that I am falling back into my old ways!
Ref the biking, I don't think I will be able to get the long weekend rides in throughout the winter, like I did last year. Hence I may have to revert o shorter and more often harder rides.
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