I entered the peak phase of my Ironman training a couple of weeks ago and I am really starting to feel how much of a commitment to the sport this really is.
Last week I ran 33 miles (well more like 36 - 37 if I include the warm ups), I biked 130 miles and swam about 10000 yards (if I include club swims). And this is just the beginning. I will ramp up the bike training a couple more notches as I approach the weeks leading to the event. This is so much harder than marathon training! Well it really is 3 times harder...
Last week end, I had a little fun with the Tour de Run race, a 3 stage run over 2 days. I finished 11th overall our of about 60 runner. There were some really fast runners (a few sun 16 min 5k runners) and the crowd was younger than your usual marathon running bunch.
It was a new and fun format for a run race. The first stage was a 5k race. At 7:30pm, it wasn't quite as hot as an afternoon run but the slightly humid air still retained a lot of heat.
Last week I ran 33 miles (well more like 36 - 37 if I include the warm ups), I biked 130 miles and swam about 10000 yards (if I include club swims). And this is just the beginning. I will ramp up the bike training a couple more notches as I approach the weeks leading to the event. This is so much harder than marathon training! Well it really is 3 times harder...
My ability to maintain and well.. increase that level of training is what will make or break my Ironman dream. I have about 8 weeks of hard training left before I subject my body to the 'day of truth'. Only on that day will I be able to see if this hard training pays off.
Last week end, I had a little fun with the Tour de Run race, a 3 stage run over 2 days. I finished 11th overall our of about 60 runner. There were some really fast runners (a few sun 16 min 5k runners) and the crowd was younger than your usual marathon running bunch.
It was a new and fun format for a run race. The first stage was a 5k race. At 7:30pm, it wasn't quite as hot as an afternoon run but the slightly humid air still retained a lot of heat.
I pushed this 5k pretty hard maintaining a 6min/mi average over the first 2 miles. I completed the rest of the race at 6:27 average slowing down just a tad, due to a climb at the end of the course.
I think I really gave it my all. My heart rate averaged at a whopping 186 maxing at at 192 (my actual max). This is a good sign I did not hold back.
My official finish time was 19:08.3, a new PR for me.
The next day, I attacked the 10k with a bit more caution. The course was a bit more hilly with a 2 mile climb so I started with a relatively conservative 6:34 in the first mile. The climb was tough but I tried to aim for just the same amount of effort, lowering my pace accordingly. Mile 2 was 6:57, then a slow 7:45 in mile 3 at the steepest of the climb. I finished the 10k in 41:10.0. Also a new PR for me, although on a flatter course I am pretty certain I can slip under 40 minutes.
Stage 3 was about 4 hours after the end of stage 2. Starting at noon, the direct sunlight combined with humidity, heat and tired legs made this stage the most difficult for me. It was a 4.35 mile stage which I completed in 29:02.
I felt the slowest in this stage and looking at my Garmin's data, my heart rate only averaged 175 with a very high perceived effort.
In the end I am happy with this little race. Just as with the Top of Zion relay, it gave me the opportunity to pepper my training with high quality intensity runs without inflicting too much damage on my legs.
The same week end, I biked 2 hours on Saturday, swam 1 hour in Utah Lake (my longest open water swim ever!) and biked 4hrs20 after the swim.
I wanted to do a brick run after the bike but felt too tired and not motivated enough for that.
Thinking about my goal of completing an Ironman, I will have to be a lot stronger than I am right now.. Luckily, I have a few more weeks to prepare...
I think I really gave it my all. My heart rate averaged at a whopping 186 maxing at at 192 (my actual max). This is a good sign I did not hold back.
My official finish time was 19:08.3, a new PR for me.
The next day, I attacked the 10k with a bit more caution. The course was a bit more hilly with a 2 mile climb so I started with a relatively conservative 6:34 in the first mile. The climb was tough but I tried to aim for just the same amount of effort, lowering my pace accordingly. Mile 2 was 6:57, then a slow 7:45 in mile 3 at the steepest of the climb. I finished the 10k in 41:10.0. Also a new PR for me, although on a flatter course I am pretty certain I can slip under 40 minutes.
Stage 3 was about 4 hours after the end of stage 2. Starting at noon, the direct sunlight combined with humidity, heat and tired legs made this stage the most difficult for me. It was a 4.35 mile stage which I completed in 29:02.
I felt the slowest in this stage and looking at my Garmin's data, my heart rate only averaged 175 with a very high perceived effort.
In the end I am happy with this little race. Just as with the Top of Zion relay, it gave me the opportunity to pepper my training with high quality intensity runs without inflicting too much damage on my legs.
The same week end, I biked 2 hours on Saturday, swam 1 hour in Utah Lake (my longest open water swim ever!) and biked 4hrs20 after the swim.
I wanted to do a brick run after the bike but felt too tired and not motivated enough for that.
Thinking about my goal of completing an Ironman, I will have to be a lot stronger than I am right now.. Luckily, I have a few more weeks to prepare...
The finish line of the 'Tour de Run'
