Base Build I week 3

Last week I was a little short on hours (approx 13), but fortunately I upped the intensity so I felt completely wiped out in the end. Most importantly, instead of logging hours biking or running, I made huge improvements in my swimming thanks to the tutorage of the amazing open water swimmer Erica Smith.

Let's just say that my stroke is BAD. Real Bad. Completely inefficient. It seems that previously I was working twice as hard in the water than my competitors, thus making me twice as tired getting on the bike. The good news is, that since my times were still competitive, and I was still in the race after the swim, I've trained a pretty crazy aerobic engine in the water. Imagine if you always had lead weights strapped to your ankles for 3 years of racing--the idea is that through swimming technique I'll be dropping those lead weights in the water. Even if I don't get 'faster', I'll be twice as fresh hitting the bike, where I do my real work. I'm very excited in my improvements and will be spending more and more time in the pool, not mindlessly swimming 1000's, but methodically working on my stroke efficiency.

This week I have a busy schedule so I'll keep the intensity up a tad incase I can't find the hours. The weight room is making a huge difference. I'm putting up much more massive stacks of weights with less effort. I'm psyched to see how that translate once I can get the bike on the road! I hate snow. I hate snow. I hate snow.

Monday

workout #1

swim 50 minutes....tech tech tech

workout #2

40 minutes. Max strength workout

Tuesday

Bike

2.00.00 (30 minutes tech: one leg, spring cadence, 4 x 10 minutes HARD alternating big gears)

Wednesday

6.2 miles on the biggest hills I could find. 48.28. Pretty hard tempo at times.

Thursday

Workout #1

Bike 1.30.00 (lots of drills with 30 min total tempo)

Workout #2

Swim 1.30.00 4000 yards ( with lots of drills in the mix)

Friday

Workout #1

Swim 2500 yards 45.00

Workout #2

Weight room. Maximum strength routine

Saturday

1.30.00 Trainer workout

Sunday

4.45.00 Brick

(3.30.00 hard on trainer, lots of tempo at LT, 1.20.00 run, 9.80 miles)