Week 2: Base 3 Continues

So for my first week of real 'training' and sticking to a plan, I ended up with 10.1 hours - 0.9 less than planned. In spite of not quite reaching that goal, I was very satisfied with how it all went given my time constraints and really adding a considerable amount of time to my week's training (went from about 6.5 hours up to 10!).

Additionally, in spite of adding more hours, I really feel quite good. I was definitely tired by the week's end, but muscle/energy-wise, I feel fantastic.

To review last week -

Wed - I followed through with a nice intense spinning session that focused on three major areas, which were speed, power and muscular endurance. It was really great. Then I went over and ran the treadmill for 35 minutes at a very nice slow, easy pace.

Thursday - I didn't have time to get the bike part in and ended up only getting 45 minutes of swimming in after work. Still, it was a good workout and I maintained discipline by putting myself in a slower lane and just getting some nice longer sets in that were slower.

Friday - I actually ended up with 2 hours because I got one hour of intense swimming in (about 3050 yards of shorter, more intense sets) in the a.m. and lighter spinning in the evening.

Saturday - GORGEOUS (but FREEZING) bike ride in the a.m. It was 3 hrs and we started from Healdsburg and headed north through the Alexander Valley up to Cloverdale, then turned west and back south via Dutcher Creek to Dry Creek until it hit Westside Rd and back into Healdsburg. In spite of the freezing temps when we started (literally), it warmed up about 20 degrees 2 hours into the ride, so we were fine. We had a great crew turn out to ride and we all went back to the Bear Republic Brewing Co. afterward where i had a pint of my most favorite beer in the world, Racer 5. :) The nice thing about this ride was that it was an easy 46 miles - nothing crazy - we averaged a nice slow 16.6 mph and stayed in the small ring (well...middle for those with triples) with the exception of the Dutcher Creek descent, where I HAD to kick it into the big ring and fly down! It really was the perfect Base Training ride.

Sunday - Went for a nice long run at Annadel State Park. I figured it to be right about 8 miles, and I ran a very nice slow pace of about 10:30/mile. Of course, this also had to do with the fact that I was on trails that went up, up, up and of course, one was very APTLY named "Cobblestone Trail." Definitely had to watch my footing. Still, I was very committed to not letting my HR fly out of control and just enjoying the beautiful scenery and focusing my thoughts.

Monday - So here I am. This is the 'rest' day but I still do some weights and swimming. It's freezing out but I'm going to go get out there. Brrrrr!! Did the weights this morning and that felt really nice. The deal with Monday weights is that it's really the 'Strength Maintenance" phase so you're not going crazy with them, just keeping the muscles primed and ready. :) However, given that I may be teaching spinning on Mondays, I will likely have to re-think my rest day - prob make it Tuesday.

This week will be interesting. I have a work trip over the weekend which really throws a wrench in the long ride/long run thing. Still, I may be able to make it work.

Here's the plan for the week (11.5 hours total):

Monday 1/21 (1:30): Weights (0:35), Swim (1 hr) - Drill and fins focus
Tuesday, 1/22 (1:15): High intensity, med duration run (0:45); Low intensity/duration bike (0:30)
Wednesday, 1/23 (1:30): High intensity, med duration bike (1:00); med duration, low intensity run (0:30)
Thursday, 1/24 (1:30): High intensity/duration swim (1:00); low duration/recovery bike (0:30)
Friday, 1/25 (1:00): Low intensity bike, low intensity swim
*This will be tough...I'm leaving for L.A. that morning and making a road trip out of it; it's possible I can fit in time that afternoon/eve to get some bike/swim time in or find a local YMCA, but we'll see....little nervous about that.

Saturday, 1/26 (1:45) The work I'm doing will be all day Saturday so the only 'long' thing I could conceivably do would be a long run after the workshop I'm doing. I've done that in the past and it usually works fine.

Sunday, 1/27 (3:00?) I am hoping to bring my bike with me and do a nice long ride while I'm down there. The alternative that i can think of is to find a gym/YMCA and get on a spinning bike and ride for 2 hours. Otherwise I may have to make Sunday a rest day and try to get a long ride in on Monday. Hm....

The nice thing is that with the work trip I have the following week, I'll be getting back on Sunday morning and could hopefully fit in a nice long ride in the mid-morning. Not ideal at all given traffic, but it will be the last time I have to deal with that maneuvering, THANK GOODNESS!

Off to go swim in the cold...