Ironman training week 9

Well this week ended on a bit of a high note!

Swim: 4050m

Bike: 211km (7:05 hours)

Run: 45.5 km

Monday: Much needed rest day

Tuesday: 2250m swim; 8k lunch run; TR Bird -1

Early morning swimming, still hard to get out of bed for, but so worth it when I do. I can't remember why I took a picture of the workout. I'm sure I had a reason, but Tuesday might as well have been 6 years ago for all the details I can now remember!

I overdressed considerably for this run, but got in the miles I wanted. I decided not to alter my training this week before the Chilly half marathon on Sunday, since the plan was to treat it as just a long training run. Well, sort of the plan. To be honest I didn't give it much thought overall.

And then of course everyone's favourite, VO2s in the evening. Tuesdays are such a fun day.

Wednesday: 10k run; weights

SUNRISE!!

Aiming to start bringing up the mileage on the Wednesday run, so I got up early to get in 10k. And was rewarded with an early peak at the sunrise! I know, the time change is coming up, so this won't last, but still. SUNRISE!

Weights in the evening since I figured that would probably be my only chance for the week. Although I didn't alter my training plan for the race on Sunday, I did decide to drop my usual Saturday weight training just because why make running a half even more difficult.

Thursday: TR Phoenix

I got out of bed to go swim and then just was like, no, I don't wanna. And went back to bed. It happens.

Phoenix was its usual mentally grinding self. 90 minutes of tempo work isn't terrifically physically demanding (it's a step up from an easy effort), but it's a mental effort to hold it that long with no breaks.

Friday: 6k lunch run; TR - Glassy

After the disappointment of not getting a snow day, at least the lunch run was kind of pretty! My Chilly race prep consisted of doing 6k instead of 8k. Not exactly much of a taper...

Saturday: TR - Allegheny

Allegheny is 3 hours and 15 minutes of aerobic riding. That was quite a few episodes of Dr. Who and a whole lot of levels of Wordscapes. 

I got a little loopy towards the end...

But really, this ride was pretty good. You have to get in the right headspace for these rides and just not worry about the time. Set up interesting stuff to watch and just grind it out.

Then I relaxed for the afternoon to completely my Chilly half 'taper'. I was going to go swim but various forces (children) conspired against that. And I didn't really want to anyway.

I did, however, eat this Buffalo 'chicken' cauliflower at dinner and it was so damn good.

Sunday: Chilly half marathon; 1800m swim

So, the Chilly. This one deserves a race report, so I'll write that up in the next few days.

But as a preview, a few facts:

• My half PB is 1:50:34, set at the Chilly two years ago (I've always had good luck at that race)
• I haven't done any specific pace training since getting sick last year, instead doing almost all my runs easy, other than running hard at tris in the summer and occasionally running a bit harder when running with friends. Oh and I did some 1k intervals once back in the fall. Basically, virtually no speedwork of any kind recently. Pretty much averaging 6 minutes/km for months now.
• My run volume this year is pretty similar to two years ago (a little lower, but not much), but two years ago I was doing loads of pace/tempo/speedwork
• I went into the race with no plan other than to run comfortably hard and figuring I'd probably be under 2 hours, and have an outside shot at 1:55.
• I had only the vaguest sense of what sort of paces would even be needed for sub 2 and 1:55.
• And of course that little 3:15 ride on the bike the day before. I've built up to that now over the last few months so my legs weren't tired after, but still. That's a long effort so I had to figure I'd be carrying some fatigue.

The result:

Oh this is a story. If I'm remembering right that would be my second fastest half marathon ever. Race report to come!

(Now we see this week if I have regrets about that race when I get to this week's VO2 workout...)

24 weeks until Ironman and I am feeling awfully pleased with things so far!