kfjatek's Winter Offensive

[kfjatek]

12/03/2013
Run: ca. 4.5km

Ran out with Mrs. Kfjatek but after about 2.5km it turned out to be a stop/start/run 30sec/walk 1 min exercise, as she got some weird abdominal pain. Logging just for the sake of it, as not really a session. She's better btw.

13/03/2013

Swim: ca. 2400m
Includes: warm-up (6L easy FC), sub-set (4L backstroke/breaststroke, 4L FC with fists/normal), main set (4 x 6L FC/pull, 4 x 3L FC/pull, all at 75%), cool-down
Calories: 695

Pretty good Wed night session. I've noticed over the last few weeks that typically around 70% (1500m or so?) into the set I start to lose form - stroke gets all wobbly and it takes lots of effort/energy to pull myself forward. Clearly a sign of lack of endurance. Been thinking of including an additional weekly swim session on Saturdays - maybe one focused on slow, long intervals to build my endurance up.

[kfjatek]

15/03/2013
Run: 10 km
Time: 52:21
Average pace: 5:14 min/km
Calories: 999
Average HR: 166

First 10k run for a looooong while. Rain, wind and cold - should've put on sth more than just shorts. First 4k or so was fine, light rain, but then it was time to start facing the wind and rain. Such fun. Still quite happy with the result - I'm convinced in better weather I would've pulled a sub 50min 10k - without really trying that much.

[kfjatek]

16/03/2013

Swim: 2600m
Includes: warm-up (200m + 50m + 50m + 100m FC), main set (pyramid 200m FC, 250m FC, 250m pull, 300m FC, 300m pull, 250m FC, 250m pull, 200m FC, 200m pull)
Calories: 773

First Saturday swim focused on building endurance - pyramid with pull-buoy work shadowing FC sets. All focusing on keeping good form vs. pace (which deteriorated as the session went on - as anticipated). With no-one to chase it felt pretty good throughout, which I'm quite happy about. I have a feeling these will happen more often and have really good effect on my form.

A bit of bad news too, though - at one of the push-offs my foot slipped and I smacked it against the top of the pool gutter thingy (is that what it's called?). Likely no hard tissue affected, but I think I might have sprained my ankle or sth as in some positions it hurts like hell. Ibuprofen gel and ice are in use, foot is elevated and resting, so hopefully it'll all be fine by tomorrow (unless it swells overnight, in which case I'll be out of play for a good couple of weeks..).

Don't want to push myself on the bike with the group tomorrow (can't be good for the injury), so if the weather's nice plan is to take Mrs. Kfjatek for her first proper ride into Richmond Park - let's see how it goes!

[ris]

the pool gutter thingy (is that what it's called?)

depends on whether the water is at the level of the surrounding tiles or set much lower, but it is often called a 'perimeter channel' or 'scum channel' by pool designers. or that 'bastard thing that i whacked my foot on' by swimmers.

[kfjatek]

I could swear it was the third one.

[CCS]

Ouch.... I've done that a few times... thought it was the preserve of the super-uncoordinated...

[kfjatek]

Ouch.... I've done that a few times... thought it was the preserve of the super-uncoordinated...

LOL clearly I must fall into that category

The foot didn't swell overnight, which is great. I now think I suffered two separate injuries - when my foot slipped I must have (lightly) sprained my ankle, which makes it hurt a bit when I walk. Then I whacked it against "that bastard thing" which has resulted in a bump on top of the foot.

Running's going to be out of the calendar for the next week or so I think, but swimming is still on and I think cycling should work too (no sideways moves of the ankle there). Weather crap today, so the latter didn't happen though - so still waiting for a spell of sunny weather to take Mrs. Kfjatek out on her first ride.

[kfjatek]

18/03/2013

Swim: 1300m
Includes: warm-up (200m), 6 x 50m off 1:20, time trial: 400m, recovery swim 100m, time trial: 200m
Calories: ??? (no Garmin)

Time trial night tonight - felt OK, although no fireworks. 400m came out at 6:52, which is exactly the same pace I did a month ago. 200m came out a bit faster - 3:12 compared to 3:17 in February.

Gaps in base endurance are evident - the last hundred in the 400m really felt awful. Taking up extra sessions on Sat night focused solely on that will pay back I'm sure. After all last thing I want is to come out of the swim in the races feeling I'm not able to give it all I have on the bike and in the run.

Foot has felt really good today - not planning to run tomorrow yet (lest I jinx it), but by Thursday I should hopefully be able to get out. Let's just hope the weather's at least a bit better than last time.

[kfjatek]

20/03/2013

Swim: 2300
Includes: warm-up 6L, 4 x 3L build up / down / easy, 5 x 6L @75%, 2 x 3L @80%, cool-down (I've clearly missed sth here...)
Calories: 670

Felt really good tonight, strong and for most of the session pretty solid form too. We'll see what the metrics are tomorrow when I upload the data to garmin connect.

Out for a long, slow jog tomorrow night.

[kfjatek]

21/03/2013

Bike: 36.9km
Time (moving): 1:18:39
Avg speed: 28.1 km/h
Calories: 1105
Avg cadence: 67
Avg HR: 144

Originally I was supposed to run today, but I sneaked out of the office early and given that for a change a) it wasn't raining, and b) it wasn't fecking freezing, I decided to jump on the bike and head off to Richmond Park to clock some loops before it gets dark. Managed to squeeze in three in the end, at a respectable (for me, anyway) pace too. Haven't sat on a bike for over two weeks, so felt pretty rusty at the beginning, but after 10km or so things started working again.

The easy long jog will now happen tomorrow lunchtime.