Another Decent Session Tonight

So I pulled a recovery day yesterday - well, as near as dammit. I did do a short rowing 'test', having discovered a way to capture my concept 2 rower data into to Zwift. It shows as biking but the power and cadence is valid and the type can be set to rowing afterwards. Going to be adding more rowing to the training from here.

Today I ran the longest of the 30/40 Zwift workout. There are three versions (with increasing number of intervals) and I ran the longest version tonight. 16 intervals of 30s effort, 40s tempo. It felt good. Hard work but I possibly had slightly more in the tank. I've planned the session in again for next week and I'll be increasing the difficulty facter slightly, ie each effort and tempo section will be a little faster...

Been a Good Few Days Training

So I hit my fifth day of running in a row - and it was totally planned. I set the alarm and got up before work for a crafty 30-minute workout on the treadmill. I repeated the Hill/Tempo session of a week or two ago but cranked up the incline a little (actually almost double) from last time while keeping the pace as prescribed. It was a good solid run.

Despite it being my fifth run in as many days (I ran 8km of tempo-ish intervals yesterday) I don't feel much fatigue. That suggests the five days haven't provided much training benefit but during each workout I've felt I've worked pretty hard. Some of the sessions definitely weren't a stroll in the park.

To finish the day's training, I completed a 55-minute group workout on the bike. That, too, was a good solid workout. My legs started to burn in the last couple of the repeats and I was glad of the recovery but again, I don't feel it was a session too far because it was hard but fair. I wasn't dying, just working hard.

I'll see how I feel tomorrow. I kind of want to keep the 'run' going but if I need a rest I'll take one. If not, I'll crack on...

Managed a Third Run in a Row

A group hill run. Legs definitely knew it was the third day but not sore just fatigued. It was a decent little jog. Could (and probably should) have slightly upped the incline a percent or two but my heart rate was well up there by the end so it was probably a good enough work out as it was.

On to tomorrow, it looks like I've picked a bit of a pants day for a day off with it looking rainy all day. We'll see... 

Didn't Think I did But I did...

have a bit of fatigue in the ol' legs. This afternoon's session was incomplete but a solid effort for as much of it that which I completed. Also gives me a target to progress beyond next time. I'm 'enjoying' the Zwift training sessions. They give me repeatability along with a good target to nudge things forward. Not sure what's up tomorrow. I guess we'll find that out...

Up the Ladder

...It wasn't a real ladder. Hard session on t 'mill tonight. Two sets of four intervals of 90s with 60s recovery. The pace increased for each subsequent interval. I was really hanging on in the last interval of each set, the recovery was tight. Pleased I held on to make it a good session. 

Hill and Tempo

So it was a repeat of the Hill and Tempo session tonight. Alternating incline interval followed by medium effort. I upped the incline a bit higher than suggested but even then probably the session did stress me into enough hurt. I need to make a note for when I run it again to up the efforts/paces.

The Michigan #3

So I've run #2 before, a shorter version. Decided to run the longer version today. It was pretty hard work and I had to tweak it back in the last quarter but completed. Tomorrow I'm attempting the final Le'tape ride. 20k and a frankly scary 1500m+ ascent. Not sure I'll make it to the top...

Half Century

...almost. Tonight's stage three of the zwift Tour de France was 49.5km with 260m ascent. I took it easy as I'm not feeling overly filled with vigour. Worked harder in a few places - read, slipped off the back of the group a few times and had to work hard to get back on. Also mustered for the sprint. I wasn't intending to as those around me went with a couple of k's to go but they never truly got away so from one kilometre out I cranked it up, caught them and sailed on past.

Yesterday it was a short sharp interval set on the treadmill. Wasn't feeling too energetic then either but wanted to do something rather than nothing.

Decent Enough

Did an interval session on the treadmill yesterday. Three sets of five 1 minute intervals off 30s recovery. I could have nudged the pace of the interval up fraction but I'll save that for the next time. I was sweating cobs by the end so it was tough enough to have ticked the good workout box.

Up today was the second stage of the the L'Etape event and a bit of a longer one in the new French world but without too much climb, 47km, 300m. The bad news is I have to repeat it for the fourth stage of the virtual tour de France in the coming week but it'll be good training time in the saddle. The even worse news is that the final stage of the L'Etaoe is a 1500m climb up the virtual Mont Ventoux. I've not seen what's in store for the final two tour stages but I'm praying it won't be a repeat 'cause I won't be doing it twice inside a month let alone a week.

Not Twice as Nice Tonight

So I rode stage 2 of the Zwift Tour de France tonight. Five minutes in I realised we were riding the same bastard hilly route as Saturday's L'Etape du Tour Stage 1. I didn't entirely enjoy the 600m+ climb on Saturday. I enjoyed it even less tonight. Twice inside a week was definitely not nice. It was 72 minutes of hard grind (apart from the supertuck from the summit back down). I hope the L'Etape and the Tour are not all going to be duplicates. That would get annoying...

Before the ride I took a gentle thirty minute jog on the treadmill. Didn't want to push anything as I had the ride planned. Planning a more effortful run tomorrow...

Twice As Nice

So I did a silly thing this morning. I got up at quarter past six and hopped on the treadmill for a thirty minute session before work. What was I thinking!! Seriously though, it was a good way to start the day. Then, after work, I followed up with stage 1 of the Virtual Tour de France. Four laps of the hilly route for 37k. It was a good ride with plenty of pushing on to the next group up the road throughout the ride. The legs didn't feel too bad but definitely had a bit of this mornings run in them.

That Hurt a Little Bit

Decided on a speed session today and I picked one I wasn't sure I could complete - I did but not without a smidgen of 'cheating'. I pushed it harder than I have for a long time and found myself struggling to keep on the treadmill - hence the slight cheating but better than than not complete. Despite it hurting, it felt good. To know I pushed out of my comfort zone. Going forward I'm going to keep pushing myself. I can see it's got to hurt if there's going to be a gain. Definitely going to repeat today's session and hopefully there'll be a little less cheating the next time....

The 2020 L'Etape du Tour Begins...

The tour has gone virtual and a ton of the real teams are taking part. In parallel with that the virtual L'Etape has also started and I climbed my way to stage One. I've not been up to riding the Classic KOM route for a while so it was a bit of a shock. The 600m+ climb was hard - but pleasingly satisfying. In all it was a 30k virtual ride of just over seventy minutes.

There's more tour for us to ride along with this week as stages 1 and 2 of the virtual tour are launched, followed by stages 3 and 4 the week after and 5 and 6 the week after that. Stage 6 culminating with multiple laps of the virtual replica of the Champs-Elysees. Some running tomorrow...

"Quick" Blast After Work

I wasn't feeling any after affects from yesterday's reboot so I decided to try my gradual pace ramp treadmill 2 miler. After a brief warmup I set the pace and jogged on... Managed a minute faster than my previous, set in the week before that which shall not be named. Pleased with that.

Finally, Mended Enough For a Run

Apart from one very gentle jog, I've not run for almost two weeks - since I decided DIY was a good idea. To be fair, I am pleased with the results of my DIY efforts so I feel the pain was worth it. It's definitely a sign I'm getting too old for that shit.

Back to tonight's run on the treadmill, it went pretty well. I was expecting to be utter pants. To feel beyond sluggish and generally struggle like f*(%. As it was I repeated one of my stock sessions and, rather than finding it hard going, I could actually have upped the tempo. I was well within myself. I could feel my hamstring just a little but nothing that I'm worried about. Overall I'm very pleased and ready for the next session...