Monday, January 31, 2011

January Totals: This is only the beginning?!?!?

If only I was riding outdoors, this could have been one of my most voluminous months on record!

My coach is pushing me already! And yet, I don't feel overwhelmed by it all. Strange, eh?

Swim: 35,300 yards / ~12 hours
Bike: 337.2 miles / ~20 hours (all on the trainer.....{face palm})
Run: 116.59 miles / ~17.25 hours

Never have I ever swam or ran that much in a single month. Never have I ever biked that much in a month on the trainer. Still not even close to what I did last May on the bike.

So my coach has me using heart rate on the run. Usually I go by RPE and sometimes pace depending on the workout description, but I discovered something VERY interesting yesterday as I was looking at January's 4 long runs. My average heart rate was the same, but my pace dropped (except for the last one, which was the longest run).

So the four runs break down as:
Jan 9: 1:30:48, 10 miles, avg HR 149 BPM, 9:04 pace.
Jan 16: 1:28:03, 10 miles, avg HR 151 BPM, 8:48 pace.
Jan 23: 1:30:08, 10.59 miles, avg HR 151 BPM, 8:30 pace.
Jan 30: 1:45:00, 12.17 miles, avg HR 149 BPM, 8:37 pace.

The first run was while I was on the cleanse, the other three were during a period that I was eating FOOD. Still, I am seeing progress there. Same heart rate, but faster paces and going longer.

Another thing that I am dealing with is that these long runs are at the very end of the week, so I am dealing with accumulated fatigue before I even start this run! This explained yesterday's longest run and slightly slower pace. Thank goodness for Mondays, as that is my "take it easy" day. This one day of "taking it easier" really sets me up for the rest of the week. This also makes me wanna rest up for a week and hammer out a Half Marathon and see what will happen.

So I can't believe that the first month of Ironman training is over with already! If I am putting up this kind of volume NOW, what the F am I going to be putting up in May and June when I am in the thick of Ironman specific training?!?!?!?

*GULP*

Oh and I need to give a shout out to James @ PowerMultiSport.com. He had the BEST quote that he snuck into a comment from yesterday's post.

"No one runs the marathon at the end of an ironman - you survive it."

14 comments:

  1. Whoa. I Respect those numbers. You're hardk0re!

    Bike and Run looks realistic but those swim numbers are insane! Keep up the good work! You're on a whole other level than me lol

    My numbers are sorta close, so my question to you - and I ask myself this all the time - is "Are we gonna burn out before Lake Placid?"

    I'm keeping on top of monitoring my energy level and motivation levels. But at this rate will we be spent come D-Day? Just a thought anyhow...

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  2. Holy training Jon! Awesome work... you can do it!!!

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  3. holy moly! I almost wanted to say calm down! hahaha. Keep it up!

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  4. inbcredible movement in one month on the longer run, same HR, faster pace.
    a w e s o m e training bro

    D

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  5. That's a super January, well done! I also run my long run at the end of the week. I believe it helps me with the "run on tired legs" training I need for ultras.

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  6. thats some serious milage.
    cant wait to see what you will be doing in like may or june! craziness!
    but i love me some crazies!
    keep up the awesome job, jon!

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  7. Great volume dude! You are already in great shape for MH70.3 in April. IMLP better watch out cause you toss it a smackdown!

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  8. Love that quote!

    Great numbers too! 300+ miles on the trainer??!?!? Crazy stuff!

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  9. I love the numbers! You are doing great and I can't wait to see how the IM training progresses.

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  10. Nice job with your first training month! You are doing awesome!!
    I saw his quote, and loved it too!

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  11. You are nuts. Its funny but I do the same questioning as JP. I fear starting too early for that burnout. Like you I burnt out hardcore after 9 months. The problem was I pushed through it to finish up the year and ended up with numerous stupid "preventable" injuries.

    be smart man.

    Great volume.

    Trust in the HR crap. I remember last year my pace dropped to 7:30 pace in my zone for my 20 milers. It DOES work. Just have to LET it work.

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  12. Wow. Pretty impressive improvement for only a month. I keep toying with using heart rate or RPE on runs but I'm scared that it would slow me down... but seeing your results makes me reconsider. Great job!

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  13. We'll drink a beer to that!

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