Of Mice and Marathons

AM: 10.6 miles, averaged 7:44. HR 141. 

3x12' Subthreshold 

6:50, 6:44, 6:41 averaged. HR 153-155 avg. only hitting 162 max. 2' recoveries. Solid session.

PM: 5.9 miles, averaged 10:10. HR 128. 

6 x 8" Hill Blasts

I don't recall the last time I did hill blasts. 2019? Trying to get some power and turnover back. Aerobic engine is starting to redevelop and I have time to redevelop speed, but I want to work my power and form just a touch.

AM: 6.6 miles, averaged 9:40. HR 118. 

+ Bench press and 23' sauna. HR 100. 

PM: 4.3 miles, averaged 9:16. HR 123.

AM: 10.6 miles, averaged 7:44. HR 150.

10x1k Subthreshold 

4:09 average, or about 6:40 pace (6:46-6:34 pretty consistently). 1' recoveries. Legs didn't feel too snappy to start, which was odd because I felt pretty solid on the warm-up. Still getting used to doing workouts at 6:15, I guess. I might need more than 20' of warmup time, too. 

+ squats and 22' sauna. HR 98. 

Just did 90# and then 110# I think and 3 x 8 for some maintenance. Trying to do enough of these to stay strong and build some strength without compromising my workouts. I think I will do a full-scale off-season lift next winter. I have been trying to get into it for the last two years, but I am doing them on a semi-regular basis. 

PM: 4 miles, averaged 9:49. HR 121.

AM: 4.5 miles, averaged 10:03. HR 114. 

+ 26' sauna. 

PM: 2 hours 43'. 46.7 miles @ 17.2 MPH. 199W. HR 144. 

Thursday Night Dirt

Decided to do A group. Felt pretty good to start, then we went hard into a corner and a few people braked hard and I did too and thankfully didn't take anyone out or get hit. That shook me a bit. Got dropped on one of the hills on Hixon after than. Just can't seem to not let gaps open. I was pretty frustrated. Another group came behind me and then I got dropped from them, and really questioned my life choices. I was going to head home, but stuck with it and picked a few guys up, and pulled for them and felt better. 

AM: 11.2 miles on the treadmill. HR 143.

4x12' Subthreshold

Planned to do the workout outside but it was warming up and I am trying to limit my sun exposure here and there when I can. I was going to do a continuous run at marathon pace + 15-20" but ended up doing another subthreshold run. I tried taking lactate but numbers were way off I think because even though it was fairly cool and dry in the basement, I was sweating pretty hard. 

I started around 8.5, but that was too slow effort-wise but my legs felt like they were working too hard, probably because of fatigue from last night's ride. I worked my way doing to 8.7 and stayed around there for most of the work, and finished the last few minutes of the last interval at 8.8-9.0 MPH. HR 152, 153, 155, 159.

+ bench press

PM: off.

AM: 4.1 miles on the treadmill, averaged 9:46. HR 117.

Went to the bike shop to look at a bike as I got the new bike bug. I was going to wait until next year to sell my gravel bike, but given some of the upgrades and the sales on the outgoing models, it might be time . . . Didn't get anything today as I wanted to think it through a bit and get a sense of what I can get out of my current bike.

PM: Off.

Decided a very light day was in order.

AM: 3 hours. 52.1 @ 17.3 MPH. 206W. HR 141. 

2 x 20' + 4 x 2'

I was going to do the Coffee Ride, but wanted to sleep a bit, though I didn't sleep too late. I was going to do a 60' effort, but dialed it back and modified the workout and settled on a 2 x 20' session, which ended up going well. I paced fairly well, hitting the last 5' of each itnerval higher than the average for the first part (285 for the last 5' on the first one and 287 for the last 5' of the second). 266W @ 154 HR and 275W @ 159 HR. 360, 346, 334, 326.

Not feeling super bike-race-ready, but I guess I just need to rip the band-aid off next weekend, get a sense of where I am at, and keep plugging along. Running fitness is at least moving in the right direction. 

AM: 6 miles on the treadmill, averaged 9:55. HR 117. 

Cottonwood is driving me insane. 

PM: 4.4 miles, averaged 9:14. HR 128. 

AM: 8.5 miles on the treadmill, averaged 7:36. HR 143.

30' Continuous Subthreshold 

Decided to get a workout in, even being slightly short on time, so I did 30' continuous. I felt very good. Started at 8.5 MPH, and that was too slow, so I sped up here and there after about 3'. Moved to 8.7-8.9 for a good portion of it, and the last 15' or so I moved it up to 9.0, maybe it was the last 10'. but the last 5-7' I was running between 9.1-9.3. I could have run a good deal faster, but wanted to stay very controlled, around half-marathon effort at about the firmest. HR 159 BPM for the 30'.

+ 20' sauna. HR 100.

PM: 2.5 miles. Felt like absolute crap and very weak, so I stopped. 

AM: 6.2 miles on the treadmill, averaged 9:41. HR 116.

PM: Off. 

AM: 8.2 miles on the treadmill, averaged 7:53. HR 147.

3x10' Subthreshold

8.6-8.7 MPH, 8.7-8.8 MPH, 8.7-9.0 MPH

HR = 160, 162, 164

PM: Off.

Decided to skip TND as I have a race this weekend and although I could have done B group, I figured I had done plenty with a workout today.

AM: 60' on the trainer. 191W. HR 121. 

Openers

I did 30' of warmup and then did 3 x 3' @ sweet spot to threshold, and then did 3 x 30" pretty hard. Cow Pie Classic short haul in the morning. Goal is to get a decent race effort under my belt to start my bike season.

AM: ~2 hours 40'. 

I had an okay race. My power meter didn't connect after the warmup and I fiddle with my computer trying to get it to connect during the first part of the race, which was dumb as it cost me and I didn't really need it. I didn't look at HR, which was very helpful, something I would typically do in running race, but typically have displayed in a bike race. Lost contact with the lead group early, unlike last year when I lasted around 50-60'. I worked on catching people and trying to find a decent group. Managed to find one eventually and did a lot of pulling and tried to keep the pace up. I decided to break ahead of the group going through the farm section, and I went through that part pretty hot. I ended up braking pretty hard to make sure I didn't crash, and I overheated my brakes pretty good. Lesson learned. The last 4-8 miles or so, I felt extremely strong, which was frustrating as needed that energy earlier in the race. Probably need to increase my warmup a bit more. 

Felt okay about the race. It was a good rustbuster for the season. 

HR 166, peaked at 181, the highest I have seen on the bike in a while. 20.5 MPH average. 

27' up/32' down

Lunch: 4.1 miles on the treadmill, averaged 9:46. HR 119.

Did some maintenance on my brake rotors and calipers and got them ready to go again. Added a new maintenance skill to my tool kit, which feels good, as I am sure it would have been $60-100 or more for the service. 

Worked on putting together my new bike. Most of it was assembled, but I switched a few parts from my old bike that I just put some new parts on. I am really enjoying working on things.

AM: 10.2 miles on the treadmill, averaged 7:54. HR 147.

30' Continuous Subthreshold

8.5-9.0 MPH for the first 20' and then 9.0-9.5 for the last 10'. HR 163. Felt pretty good to finish around 6:18-6:20 pace. 

+ 20' sauna (HR 96). 

PM: 4 miles. 6 x 8" hill blasts.

Boys' first day of camp. Took them a bit to adjust. They don't like not knowing what to expect. They ended up having fun.

AM: 6.7 miles, averaged 9:41. HR 120.

PM: Off.

AM: 9.2 miles, averaged 8:11. HR 145. 

15 x 45"/15"

This is a Marius Bakken Special, and I quite like it. Recovery is very short, but the intervals are short and not too intense and this workout checked the box of running faster than my subthreshold work without doing gut-busting intervals. I started at a strong half-marathon pace and picked it up organically to about 5k pace. 

+ 20' sauna (HR 96) and weights (squats and pull-ups). 

PM: 4.2 miles on the treadmill, averaged 9:32. HR 115. 

AM: 4.4 miles, averaged 9:09. HR 127. 

PM: 90' on the trainer. 214W. HR 133. 

3x15' Sweet Spot

Skipped TND, but still did a workout. Power was about 242, 252, 253 I think. I didn't feel great. Legs weren't firing too great, but I worked through it. 

AM: 17.3 miles, averaged 7:19. HR 152. 

15-Mile Progression

Solid long run today. Sub-8 out of the gate and second mile was 7:30, so I just settled in around there and worked my way through the miles, progressing patiently. Felt very strong. 4-12 was 7:17-7:01. 6:49, 6:50, 6:25 for the faster miles at 13-15. The 6:25 was pretty hard, probably 10k effort. Definitely faster than threshold. I could have really cut it down if I wanted to.

I didn't fuel before or during, but more typically will be fueling as I have started doing more recently. 

AM: 4.5 miles, averaged 9:59. HR 113. 

PM: 3 hours 5'. 55.7 miles @ 18.1 MPH. 211W. HR 133. 

4 x 15' Lifts

This was a pretty solid workout. Did about sweet spot to low threshold intensity for 13' then 2' at threshold to Vo2. 261, 272, 269, 265. HR right at 150 BPM avg.

AM/Lunch: 3 hours 24' on the road bike. 66.3 miles @ 19.5 MPH. 194W. HR 135.

Road to Clarkston and did the Depot Ride solo. Enjoyable ride. Traffic wasn't too bad and probably the right time of week and day to go.

Had a good Father's Day, and it was our 12th anniversary!

AM: 7 miles, averaged 9:16. HR 124.

PM: 4.5 miles, averaged 8:52. HR 129.

AM: 12.1 miles, averaged 7:31. HR 148. 

3x15' Subthreshold

6:45 pace @ 160 BPM, 6:39 pace @ 162 BPM, 6:36 pace @ 161BPM

Solid session, though favorable weather. 

+25' sauna. HR 82.

PM: Off. 

Picked my sister up at the airport as she decided the other day she wanted to come out. Picked up the new bike with the new parts installed. It's amazing. Likely will want to drop the front end just a touch. 

AM: 6.4 miles, averaged 9:31. HR 125.

PM: 4.4 miles, averaged 9:04. HR 124.

Lunch: 7.7 miles, averaged 8:07. HR 144.

20 x 45"/15"

Slept in a bit and got out around lunch time. Katie stayed with the boys, and I got a short quality session in. Started around 6:40 and worked my way down to 6:20, and then around 6-flat and a bit under. Legs were crabby, but I needed more of a warm-up. 

Katie and I took the boys to see Toy Story 5, which was their first movie in the theater. Price for seats wasn't bad and the sound and picture were much better than I remember and the seats fully reclined. I don't think I have been to the theater since I lived in Indiana. I certainly haven't been since the boys were born and I don't think since we have lived in Michigan or when we lived in Philadelphia. It was a memorable experience for sure.

PM: 62' ride on the new bike to test things. 183W. HR 125. 

Bike feels great. I got it back out of the shop on Tuesday after picking my sister up.

AM/Lunch: 3 hours 40'. 64.3 miles @ 17.5 MPH. 204W. HR 129.

3 x 16' Lifts + 20'

251/284, 258/302, 260/286, 266

HR in the mid- to upper 140s average. Decided to get a decent ride in as the boys were at camp and I wanted to get a proper ride in on the new bike.

We went to the local Jubilee, which was basically a small fair. We took the boys on some rides. They did well. I skipped the Ferris wheel, but Megan went on with them. Another highly memorable day.

PM: 3 hours 26'. 58.1 miles @ 16.9 MPH. 192W. HR 128.

Solid endurance ride. Roads were in solid shape. I waxed my chain and it required 0 break-in time. The drivetrain is super nice. Went down the Oakland County section of the Polly Ann and then did a big loop through Dryden and Metamora. Dropped my sister off at the airport in the morning. 

AM: 4 hours 2'. 68.6 miles @ 17.0 MPH. 197W. HR 131. 

Mostly steady pedal pressure endurance, then a few threshold efforts late in the ride. 5-8' kind of unstructured and just where I could safely do them. 280-290 watts. Felt very good on this ride. The weather has been amazing the last few days. Going to be very hot next week.

Solid stacking of 3 longer bike days in a row.

AM: 7 miles, averaged 9:55. HR 119.

PM: 5.2 miles, averaged 9:39. HR 122.