Another Little Milestone

Okay, it was racked up on the treadmill, but today was my first non-stop 10k of running so far. I didn't exactly pelt it along, but I did run with a 2% incline to give some compensation to it being on the treadmill. I did also increase the pace little by little throughout but never really got to anything approaching fast. Every day is about making a small gain here, a small gain there, here a gain, there a gain, everywhere a gain again... drifted off on one there, for a moment. Those small gains will eventually sum to a big one.

Things are all still on track and more importantly, I'm still mad keen for it. And for the record, training since Wednesday has been a row and recovery ride, the first run session of the Zwift Tri-Academy, a hilly ride and some cardio yesterday and today's run, of course. More Tri-Academy coming up this week.

Broke The 3k Barrier

I was close last week, at 2.9k for the 15-minute run section of the duathlon. This week it was time to break that barrier. I didn't spare anything for the run, exactly matching last week's average power on the 35-minute ride. So, I was pleased when I did, in fact, break the 3k barrier. Overall, I scored 5 more points than last week, but with 30% less runners and riders, didn't quite make the top half. There's always another chance in the spring, when we get to do it all again....

Training wise, it's been a medium effort since last week's virtual duathlon. Two runs, three bike sessions and a 5k row. I was mindful of tonight's final duathlon, so wanted to come in with fresh-ish legs but still needed to log some decent training. Coming up over the next three weeks, I'm taking to the Zwifts Tri-Academy training plan, which I kicked off with the first bike session on Monday. The first run session should be Friday, all being well.

Going to feel at a bit of a loose end come next Wednesday...

More Than Enjoyed That....

Been waiting all day for it....  The Zwift Duathlon League race three. How bloody sad am I? - Don't answer that.

I took a complete training rest day yesterday in preparation. I was in determined mood and went for it. No holds were barred. Beforehand, I looked up my average power from last week and set this week's effort above and beyond throughout. That rewarded me with a big fat FTP increase of 3% or 6W. Then quickly off the bike and onto the treadmill. Again, I looked out my average pace from last week and from the gun set my pace a little higher.

As to the results, I very nearly, only a few places off, almost made the top half of my age category. Scoring 3.5% more points than last week. More than happy with that. Going to be hard to top that in the final race of the series next week.

Nothing If Not Consistent

It's been more good training this week. Up Wednesday was the second race of the Zwift duathlon race series and I managed to score an impress extra point as compared to last week's score. I was down on the ride, my legs were not feeling fresh, so I was surprised to make up those lost points plus one extra on the run. I might try and factor my rest day in for Tuesday next week, so my legs will be slightly fresher for race number three.

Friday was a good interval session on the 'mill. Above target 5k pace by 45s for 1 minute, laddering down to above target pace by 15s, for 2 minutes 30 and back up again. I set the pace +5% and the incline to 3% to really drive the effort. It was hard but maybe even then I had some more in me. I know the treadmill isn't like real running, but it really focuses me to complete whatever session is in front of me and although not real life, on every session I seem to go a little longer or a little faster - or a bit of both.

Today was a double header. Five 800m reps at ever increasing pace, starting just below 5K target pace for the first one, before hitting +15s above target pace, up to +25s above target. My legs, again, weren't fresh - getting to be a theme, and I know I need to have rest but I'm just so damn keen. Keener than I've been in ten years! I'm monitoring my resting heart rate as an indicator of fatigue and while it's staying level, I'm cracking on. After the run came a 35-minute recovery ride, albeit with five to ten minute of solid climbing effort in the middle, it was mostly lower intensity though.

Probably going to be more tomorrow (we all know that's going to be definitely more tomorrow) ...

Too Easy...

It was Zwift Academy 2020 workout 5 tonight and it was too easy. I set the treadmill to 3% to make it harder but it was still too easy. I didn't want to increase the pace as I wasn't sure if I'd struggle in the latter stages but in the end it didn't push me. It's definitely a sign I'm getting there. This session would've been hard going a month ago. Going to repeat with a 5% pace increase and see how it goes (but not tonight).

After breaking 26mins for the treadmill 5K on Saturday (with 2% incline), a good 70 minute recovery ride Sunday and a return to the Concept 2 for 20 minutes of steady rowing yesterday, I feel that the 25 minute 5k is almost here - and I mean a real one, not some trumped up treadmill effort!

Looking forward to tomorrows Zwift duathlon...

Academy Accomplished

After Wednesdays virtual duathlon and yesterday's hill reps I was expecting my legs to feel the worse for wear. Happily, I felt okay. Not exactly fresh but not too bad so I decided to attempt the finish ride and see if I'd made any improvement. I was confident I would beat my base ride. And beat it I did. Although I was a little disappointed with the improvement on the long segment, only making a 7% improvement, verses the 14% gain on the sprint and 16% on the medium. Overall, I'm happy. It's all still heading in the right direction...

Racing Again... Virtually...

Tonight was the start of a four race Zwift duathlon race series taking place over the next four weeks. Ride as far as you can in 35 minutes. Followed by a ten-minute transition to switch across to the treadmill. Then run as far as you can in 15 minutes.

After volunteering to clock 10000 steps a day, Monday to Thursday, for a work thing, my legs weren't feeling entirely fresh. I haven't been exactly pelting it on the treadmill to get the job done, but I have been doing it on a gradient to get some benefit. I can safely say, the legs are feeling even less fresh right now. Suffice to say tomorrow's planned Academy Finish ride is getting pushed back to Saturday, to leave me a rest day Friday.

Back to tonight's race pair and the start of the ride was less than optimal. I was merrily pedalling along in the start pen to get warmed up and, being on the trainer, didn't pay attention to the fact I was in the small front ring - ooh, er, matron! The race started, I cranked up the effort, realised I was in the small, changed to the big - and subsequently took the chain off. Cue 30s of faffing, off the bike, chain back on, me back on and away. That put me dead last but at least I had some rabbits to chase - and chase I did. I went at it hard, not sparing the legs for the run and sustained over 200W for the 35-minute ride. For my effort I triggered another FTP rise. Up by 4W (2%). Pleased with that. what with my less than fresh legs.

Without much pause for thought I was off the bike and onto the treadmill, setting things to run mode, and then ready for the off. I say ready, my legs were feeling a bit wobbly, but a few minutes of walking before the start helped. And before I knew it, it was time for the run.

It was a good run, but overall, I should have had more faith in how the trainings been going. I underestimated my pace and although I steadily increased my pace throughout, I finished with far too much left. I should have had more confidence and set the starting pace higher. I will not make the same mistake next week.... oh, I forgot to say, the racing... I bloody loved it!

Rest Day Tomorrow...

Training continued to pick up after a slow start to the week to end on a high note. Thursday was good, and for me, very quick short reps. Friday was a short blast on the bike with good power sustained for the duration. Yesterday was another session on the treadmill, workout number four of the 2020 Zwift academy. I knew I was working. It was hard but I stayed focused and was able to slightly increase the pace for the second set of two. And finally, today was the final workout of this year's Zwift academy on the bike. It was another solid session but maybe didn't quite push me as hard as it should have. A sign I'm still improving? Well, I guess we'll see if that's true after the finish ride, which I'm looking to do midweek.

Oh, and I almost forgot, because I had a bit left after the bike session, I decided on a cheeky treadmill race of 7.4km - that's a new Olympic distance category in case you were wondering - not. I wasn't really racing but it's good to have some rabbits to chase. After a hiccup at the start, namely, the grocery delivery turned up, I set the treadmill to my target pace and started chasing. Little by little I inched the pace up. Inch by inch I ran my rabbits down and managed to complete the last 5k in 26:40 which is over a minute up on my 5k marker of a week or two ago. And for the record, I used my now standard 2% incline to match outside effort more closely (or so they say).

I feel I'm making really good progress. I've still a long way to go but as I complete each session, I feel a little fitter, my pace a little faster, with more endurance and more power on the bike.

Twice In One Day Twice

Had a slight false start to the weeks training. Monday was a rest day after continued good training on the Weekend. Saturday, it was the second academy run session. Hard but fair. Up Sunday, the fourth Zwift academy ride in the morning and, still feeling energetic, a solid incline session on the treadmill late afternoon. Back to the week's slow start, the drive home Tuesday was horrendous. Got caught in two massive queue fests that added 45 minutes to the journey. By the time I got home I couldn't face it, and just chilled.

I made up for it today. I ran yesterday's academy session number three before work and completed the fifth ride after work. Only one more session to go on the bike and then I'll be all set for the finish ride next week. 

Going Well

Continuing on from the good work towards the end of last week, I completed Zwift Academy bike workouts 2 and 3. I've found them hard but manageable. Feels like they're doing me good. Around those two rides I made a start on re-running the 2020 Zwift Academy run sessions. I didn't complete the eight workouts back then, not sure why, but they're giving me a good workout here and now.

I can't remember what Tuesday's session was - that's old age for you - but I know it was a decent workout. As was today's session. A mix of alternating 4-minute repetitions and shorter, faster 2-minute reps, with the pace increasing a little for each subsequent pair. I felt good and actually increased the difficulty a few percentage points after the first pair as it felt just a fraction too easy, and I'm after maximum gains. I could probably have gone a tad more, but I knew I'd worked out come the finish, so it was a good session. I can feel that 25-minute 5k edging closer...

Back On Track

After a couple of weeks of less than excellent training, at least on the running front, I finally put in a decent session on the treadmill. 10 one-minute reps with 45s recovery. I set the pace for the first repetition at the pace I used the last time I did a similar session. It felt easy. Really easy. I increased the pace for each repetition. The final one was 15% faster than the first - and I felt I still had a fair bit more in me but having just come back from injury I wasn't going to be silly...

That is until an hour or two later, when I felt I needed to train a bit more and hopped on the bike for a race on Zwift. I didn't set off too manic but within next to no time I was cranking it out. It was a small field and I found myself riding solo, so it was more of a time trial. I could see I was averaging good power, right up to and a bit beyond my ftp. That was, until a couple of riders caught me. Now I know it's not real but when they reached me, they proceeded to sit on the wheel and didn't take a turn on the front. I know it doesn't matter but it irked me.

I put in a big effort and broke their draft. In Zwift that is when you get away by 5m or more. I eased back a little so as not to die in the saddle and after a few minutes they came back again and sat on the wheel as before. Hitting a short ascent. I went again, and for longer this time. A few minutes later and one of them was back, the other had blown. I went again, harder and longer than before - oh, er, matron. This time he didn't come back.

After a few more minutes I caught up to a bigger group. There was little chance of breaking away from that, so I bided my time, still putting out good power. At the finish, I welcomed in ftp increase splash screen. A 16W/9% improvement. Pleased with that. Won't be long before I reach my previous high...

Finally Managed It....

A run. An actual run. It wasn't fast, my leg was still sore, but it was definitely a run. That was Wednesday. I missed training yesterday and today it was the first of the six Zwift Academy structured training rides. It was a solid session without pushing totally into the red so I'm thinking my current FTP might have increased a few points since my last test. I'll see how the next one goes Sunday or Monday and maybe increase the training bias a few percentage points if I think it needs it. I want to get maximum gains from all this.

Up tomorrow, I'm the recovery driver for the Black Mountains fell race. I get to put the stragglers out of their misery - I mean exfiltrate them back to race HQ - if they're unable to continue or miss the road crossings cut off times. I might head there a little early and have a pootle up to Chwarel Y Fan and back before the runners come through now that the soreness in my left calf has finally subsided. It's taken two weeks. Definitely getting too old for this sh!t - but it ain't going to stop me.

Back to the Academy Sooner Than Expected...

With a repeat of the baseline ride - because Zwift f#(%ed the first one up. Apparently, they had various training session group dynamics switched on, meaning real world dynamics simulation wasn't correctly relating speed, power and incline (or some such nonsense). Upshot, it was a complete load of b#!!*(%s in terms of being a baseline to gauge improvement at completion of the academy and I had to ride it again - grrrrrrhhh.

So, with a big slice of deja vu, I rode it all again. With the proper dynamics, chasing people ahead was more realistic this time. That led me to increase my average power for the medium segment by 4W, the 'long' climb segment by a very surprising 15W and an unbelievable... exactly the same power, 467W, for the short sprint.

I'm gonna be Mr Angry if they got anything wrong with tonight's session...

The Zwift Academy 2022 Begins....

It's just as well my left calf muscle is still a little sore, as the Zwift Academy 2022 has begun. If I'm honest I am itching to get proper running again, but the calf is taking sooo long to recover. It's been nine days and counting and although the limp has gone, it's still too sore for proper running - oh the joys of old age! I don't think it will be too long now though. The only partial silver lining, more of a 'white metal' lining really, is that I almost can't feel it when I'm riding, and certainly doesn't interfere with things.

Back to the Academy, and it was the 'baseline' ride tonight, to set out your markers for short, medium and long efforts - almost saw stars completing the short effort. It felt like I'd put in a good solid performance though, based on my recent form. Then, over the next four week, there are six structured workouts to complete, followed by the 'Finish line' ride - to see how much you've improved... Obviously, you put in your own rides here and there as well and I'm going to be getting back on with the running. But, over the next four weeks the focus is going to be the Academy to see how much I can improve.