Training on vacation part 2 - 10by1min @32 - 20k mix - 6 by500m's

So Monday and back in the Power House Gym - as I had updated the firmware I could use ergdata :o) and set off on a warm up - the aim after that was controlled pace - the initial target was 334m (just under 1:30 pace) but as I went on I found a little pace - especially on the last one ;o)

On the Tuesday I wanted to put some meters in the bank yet still through a few minute sprints in so I rowed 29@18 on HRR 70% and 1 min @1:27.4 pace then two minute rest followed by two by 14@18 on HRR 70% with 1 min @1:27.4

Final day of training on the Wednesday  before heading off home on the Thursday  and I chose to repeat the 6by500's - these where tough again with HD' from the outset but I fought through and completed a pretty successful week of training to say I was on "vacation"

Bye bye ergs :-(

No such thing as a holiday from training - first 4 days in Lanzarote

Thursday -

 

So the first night on holiday and after a meal we went "erg hunting" the first place was the Fariones gym - I had a nosey in and spotted two model C's in the corner and spoke broken English to the trainer there - as you can see from the pictures below they happened to be in a bad way - one had an "out of order" sign on - the other should have had one - rusted chains - poor ergs - I went back two days later and offered to buy them - would have shipped them home and renovated them but - even though the gym was due a refurb in two weeks they said no ;o(

 

So then I popped down to the "Power House Gym" in Puerto Del Carmen and was lucky to spot the owner leaving after locking up - had a quick word and again in broken English arranged to pop in the next day. That night my left ankle started getting quite painful - I noticed during the week that I strained it - so put it down to ligaments/tendons and found some anti-inflame.

 

Friday -

 

Into the Power House gym and spotted the two model D's sat in the corner (which I had noted from a visit three years ago) and I signed up for the week €25 - bargain - until I got on the ergs and neither of the monitors powered up - feck - they worked fine once moving but figured the batteries in both ergs where gone - still I was able to get the monitor going long enough to set up the display into meters and set off on a warm up - then 29@20 and a final 1min @32 burst at 1:30 pace - cool down and planned my next visit - with laptop ;o) (that way it would power the monitor up so I could set up what I needed - also meant I could update the firmware)

 

Saturday -

 

Plan for today was 6by 500m @1:30 pace and 1:30 rest. Firstly I updated the firmware on both machines - also spotted that the batteries on the machine on the left where actually in the wrong way round (I brought spare batteries with me to use) so popped them in the right way and was able to use that machine as with the C-Breeze on it gave a higher drag -140 as opposed to the one on the right which had 120.

 

Race warm up done and into the session - the first 500m felt as tough as the 4th on a normal 8by500m so this was going to be a tough session to get through - but through it I got in reasonable form.

 

Sunday -

A day of rest ... TBC

Lay it on the line

And I was certainly laid out by the end of this

 

Q’s torture for today was 8by500’s – previous PB was 1:30.3 (from 26^th July 2013) – so I decided 1:30.0 would be a good target (I really wish I didn’t keep coming up with these brain waves) and so after a bit of mucking about at work I managed to get down a little later than planned and went through my warm up – actually felt quite good – legs still tired but not as bad as yesterday – so target in the head and of I set. First couple went well – as usual with my intervals they are all from a standing start (ie no pulls until the timer hits zero) but by the 4^th it was starting to bite a little and the thoughts turned to “how the hell do I get out of doing the next 4” the an answer of course is it that it’s the next 4 that will give the benefit for the training – in fact there is not much point doing the first 4 without the last. But it really started to bite :lol: the brain started to work out what splits I could hit and still PB – but the wulf in me stayed focus on the target – in the 5^th set I had a large lactic burn and so started upping the rate to try and minimise the damage – I knew if I could get to the last 2 I would be doing well – and also knew I could bully my way through the second to last – which I did – so final rep and it was time to leave in on the line – managed a small push at the end – over the finish line and I was slumped onto the floor – ahhhhhhhhhhh

 

You may spot that the rest meters on the first 4 are higher than the last – Q was encouraging us to row out the lactic which meant rowing for 30 seconds at the end of the rep – which I managed on the first 4 and I think it helped – I was too goosed after the 5^th to do that oops

 

Tough enough

Last week I think I set three new PB's in the 30min free rate (Monday night) - 6 by 1min on 1min off (Tuesday lunch) - 4by 750's (Thursday lunch) - oh and PowerErg 10by 1min @20 1min rest - so actually 4 PB's - come Saturday I was trashed but had one session left - another interval session - but due to lack of sleep throughout the week (Baby waking in the middle of the night) and the legs trashed from training after a 5k warm up and four attempts to get started I gave in and came in only to walk the dogs and promptly fall asleep :lol: Sunday I took as a rest day knowing my legs where still pumped and even today they feel like they are going to burst through the skin.

 

So what was on today’s training sheet - oh a 30min TT - joy! Down at lunchtime after another night of broken sleep last night - oh great left the Suunto watch at home! Still I warmed up - oh bloody brilliant my bluetooth speaker battery has gone - fine set the 30min and lets go - legs felt like lead but I wanted to give what I could so set off aiming at that magic 1:40 split - after about 5 minutes that started to drift as the legs started to protest - stupid legs - and then it was a case of ploughing through - watching the split getting slower is a hard thing to do for me and keep going - it's sooo easy to HD once that drift starts so in that respect I'm happy I got to the end and got the training benefit - that 9k will have to wait for another day ...

3by 20@18 HRR 70% - session 2

Managed to sneak in a second session again today - have to take the opportunity when it arises - simple 3 by 20@18 HRR 70% (146) bit of a slog but worth it :-)