Week Training

What a solid week.

Swimming has been going great and same with the running and cycling.

Skipping ahead to Good Friday 10 miler. It was an awesome day! The weather was around 5 degrees a slight head wind coming up plains road and fast field. My goal was to go out and stay just under 6 min miles and try and get top 5.

I tapered on the Thursday and was feeling fast. I had a solid warm up and got my strides in. I was lucky to have my wife there and Lisa who gave me a little extra motivation! I started off a bit fast just to separate the field. I fell into 4th place and held it. I was feeling really good and was saving some for the 2nd lap. I was right on pace and hit 8km in 30min. I got passed by a girl..yes a girl, but I didn't feel that bad when I found out she is a pro marathoner..haha I stayed right on her and finished strong at 60min. I avg 6min miles and came in 5th place overall.

After a solid cool down I got onto the roller for 60min.

Today was a fun ride day. I didn't have to work in the morning so got to go out with the Mississauga Group ride. There was a ton of solid riders there including Jen and Krystal! Always fun to ride with people you know. The ride was a bit cruise but not bad at all for a 3.5 hour ride. Off the bike I did a nice little 30min run. Feeling good ready for tomorrow! Big Day

THURSDAY 14 Degrees

For everyone who has a real job I am sorry because today was amazing! 14 degrees slight wind heading east and sunny!

I met Brain, Bob, and Mark on 14th side road, which is a hilly little street on top of the escarpment. We decided to use a 5km loop, which is 14th side road to Appleby, then east on Steels then crank it down Bell school Line. All Hilly, all the time! Now the Workout:

1 loop warm up into 4 loops then off the bike a 4km run. Back on the bike! HARDER!
3 loops then off the bike a 3km run. Back on the bike! HARDER!
2 loops then off the bike a 2km run. Back on the bike! SMASH IT!

First loop was awesome. With Captain Mark trying to smash it off the start I was able to hold around 275 watts for the first for laps. Off the bike ran 14:14 for 4km. Which is around a 6 min mile pace!

2nd Loop was solid. Got fluid in me and threw down 3 loops at around 290 watts. Off the bike decided to run a mile out and mile back, which is just over 3 km. I held around 5:45 per mile. solid!

Final loop I put it out there! 305 watts for 2 loops then then ran like a mad man and threw down a 5:30 mile! killed it!

That night was a serious swim. I almost sunk but got it done!

(1100m) warm up

into 3 x 150 pull
2x75 backstroke
3x50 smash it!
(1350m)

Main Set

50 50 50 50 50 50 50
100 100 100 100 100
150 150 150
200

(1500m)

(150m) cool down

4000m I hurt..haha

Week Training

What a solid week it has been. I have had some issues with my knee but after a quick drop into see the physio I am good as new. Always need repairs!

Monday was a solid day with a 4000m swim then into a 2 hour bike. Was a windy day so kept it pretty aerobic.

Tuesday was insane! Got a ride in to work in the morning then got ready to ride! I met up with Mark and Noelle on Lakeshore before heading to Jen's house to pick her up. We then headed north to Bell School Line. This is where the fun began! The idea was 8 x 4min up Bell School Line, which is around 21% Grade! The same as the Beast! The Beast is a 600-foot climb in a stretch of highway 7/10 of a mile long with an average grade of 14 percent and a maximum grade of 21 percent! Want to be ready for St.Croix.

The workout was to speed up on 4 repeats then smash the next 4 climbs out of the saddle. OFf the bike run 30 min cruise. Let me tell you off the bike is difficult when you can't feel your legs..haha

That night we did a wicked swim with Masters. I can't remember the set but remember it hurt..haha

Wednesday was a light day. I had another physio appointment and got my leg sorted out. I decided to take Rufus out for an easy 6km run. He was very emotional on the run..haha I tried to swim that night but my pool was closed so ended up getting a latte with Shannon and resting!

Around the Bay Pics

Post Race Around the Bay

Today's weather forecast was supposed to be scattered showers and then sunny by 10am.  Let me tell you that did not happen at all!  The rain kept coming down and with Around the Bay, which started at 9:30am it was going to be an interesting race!

I have had a weird week of training.  I got injured, which took me out of running for a few days.  I believe it was the new pair of shoes I got because I have never had any muscular problems before.  Long story short, I have great physio's and awesome benefits, which got me in everyday to Sheddon Physio to resolve the problem.  Also it didn't make it any better that Steph wanted me to help him train for fighting.  I remember fighting now hurting that much.  I had a few bruises after that.haha

So after a week of getting beat up and physio, it came down to a last minute decision to do the race and I am glad I did.  I opted out of the 15km hill section just to make sure I didn't make my injuries any worse!  Jim was my partner in crime for this race and he was ready to go.  I was talking with his wife before the race and she said he has never been this nervous! 

My goal was to stick around a 18min 5km then build my pace up till I hit the 15km mark.  The rain didn't help much and made my feet feel like stones.  I got into a pack with Mike Hay and Mat Reid and we were around 1:30 behind the leaders..(Kenyans)...haha We got into a steady pace and came into the 15km at 55 minutes.  That is just under a 6min mile pace.  The scary part is I was actually feeling really good and could have kept going strong.  Glad I called it a day and let Jim attack.  The funny part about this was Jim was so excited he grabbed the chip and took off!  He forgot to mention where my clothes were, so for 15 min I was walking around in shorts and a singlet trying to find my bad!  I later found it on the 9th bus!  

Overall very happy with the run.  No pain and feeling fast!  St. Croix is just around the corner and can't wait to throw down a serious race!

I have to make a few honorable mentions to Mark and Mackenzie Parsons, who did a solid 2:18 30km!  Laura G, who went sub 2:30 and Brian M, who smashed his old record and went sub 2:20!

Awesome Work everyone and keep up the good work!

Hard training this week so be sure to check in and watch me get broken!..haha

Bed time

Weekend Training

The weekend: Well the weather is getting better outside, still cold, but tolerable. The workout on Saturday was a 1:45 run then bringing it just above race pace and hold around 6:20 mile pace. Nothing crazy just controlled. I was excited to get outside and back into Neyagawa, which is a 5mile loop of hills. Nothing nice about the run, just a ball of hurt! Jenn met up with me and her little brother Eric was there for support and fuel!

Like I said it is a tough route and Eric soon found out that riding up those hills would be tough. That is when I grabbed the bike and ran up with it. (Extra training) haha. After the first lap, Jenn and Ryan took it to the road and I attacked the loop again. I really wanted to find a nice pace and push the hills and recover on the down. That is exactly what I did and with my legs tightening up on every hill I got through the run!

An hour later I met up with Shannon and headed to the pool for a 3100m swim. Nothing Crazy, just swimming. Had to try out my new sable goggles: My new goggles from Sable were supposed to be in my hands two weeks ago, but long story short, a trainer at our gym forgot to tell me about them and pretty much hid them. When Sable called me to ask if I have recieved them I said no and later found out they have been in the gym for a week....Don't even get me started! Back on track the swim was great and really found a solid rhythm in my stroke. It's coming..no more Nemo swimming..haha

Sunday Workout: AM Club Swim, PM: 4 hours on the bike; build in the middle and be strong in the hills. The swim was great. Felt really strong and was holding around 1:23 per hundred. Feeling good! Next the bike. The wind was not nice and to be honest was done after a couple hours!. The goal was to make it to the coffee shop..Alive! We now call that route the Bob Rose Classic!

Monday is a well deserved off day, and back into physio!

Around the Bay in 1 week!

Thursday & Friday

Thursday was a solid day. After recovering from my massage I geared up for a ride on my custom Guru. The weather was a bit chilly, but the wind was crazy today. It was heading south and the workout called for 300 + watts on the bike...which made it easy to know which way we were going to head!

I called on Brian Miller, who is an age group athlete who is going to kill it this year at Ironman France! After doing a 60min roller ride we met up and warmed up. The goal was to recover with the wind and pound the crap out of ourselves with the wind! The workout called for 5min all out! Into 5min recovery x 8. It was so windy that I was only averaging 36km an hour and easily pushing over 300+ watts! The section of road we used was a 3km rolling section, which I can usually do sub 5 min. I couldn't even make it! Love the wind! Brian learned how to hurt today!

That night I was burnt out from work and riding and called it a night. I learned if the body says no rest.  I went up to 10 000 ft again to get the full benefits of sleep!

Today was a blast.  The goal was to feel fast and do 8x1km repeats with 1 min rest.  I called my wife and asked if she wanted to do a little run with me..  I made her a sweet deal and said I would take her out for Breakfast at Cora's.  She took my offer!

My Goal was to stick around 3:15km per km.  I was feeling solid and Shannon kept me going with some sweet music!  She did great and averaged around 4:20 per km!  It was a well deserved breakfast!  

....Just want to thank Sable Water optics for the sweet goggles and 2Xu shirt with  a great logo!  Time to get fast in the water!

Also I will keep everyone posted on the Retul I am doing on Monday.  Always trying to get an edge and Ian from www.youniquecycles.ca is keeping me ahead of the game!

Night time!