Saturday, June 4, 2011

Benchmarks

I'll start off with some pictures of my typical long run in Denver. It's a great running city, and I can pass through and around several large parks in the span of one long run. (I really should stop to shoot to avoid blur...)






The build to IM CdA is almost done. I'm taking a few days easy after an olympic race today -- report coming tomorrow hopefully -- then going pretty hard next weekend before commencing with a two week taper.

Here are a few benchmark workouts I've done over the past month:
-- Benchmark swims have been based solely on time and perceived exertion. I focused on very IM specific sets, such as 4 x 12 minutes with the evens at IM effort and the odds with paddles and a pull buoy. My goal here isn't so much to improve my swim time as it is to ensure I exit the swim feeling prepared for a solid ride and run.
-- Long ride 1: Warm-up, 2:45 at a bit below IM effort (21.6 mph average sans aero-gear over terrain a bit more hilly than CdA), and then 45 minutes of hill repeats up Lee Hill.
-- Long ride 2: A bit over 4 hours with 2:30 at a bit below IM pace on mostly flat terrain. In the 2:30 I covered 56 miles, again sans aero gear.
-- Long ride 3: The plan was 2 times up to Ward from 36 in Boulder, but I cut the ride short due to severe wind. Still, it was a noteworthy ride because I averaged a very easy 215 W at 135 bpm in the aero bars. Last year I did the same climb with a HR several bpm higher.
-- Long run 1: 45 minutes in the morning, 1:30 in the evening. The evening run included a warm-up, 3 times through 2 miles at IM effort + 1 mile easy. IM effort miles were in the 6:35 -- 6:50 range.
-- Long run 2: 9 miles at IM pace based solely on PE. Average pace was right around 6:50. I followed that up with a long steady hill climb and then a cool down for a total of 1:50 running.

So, things are coming along. Before the race I will post a detailed race plan, along with my fears for the race and solutions for those fears.

This week's song is a great listen on a sunny run.

(Jonsi, FYI, is the singer from Sigur Ros.)

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