As the title of this blog suggests, that’s what this week’s blog is about really. It’s the first week after test week where I am back to “proper” training. From what I’ve mentioned before this block up until my holiday is all about consistency and getting the sessions done.
Ray hasn’t put any intensity into these sessions and I feel I’m just on the foundation stage of training and just getting out and doing some form of training each day. And it’s working well. The sessions feel quite easy so far, especially on the bike as I’m using my new training zones. Which are quite a bit lower than I have used in the past.
For instance I did my 1 hour zone 2 ride yesterday and averaged 139w which is right in the middle of my current zone 2. Previous to this the session was completed at 163w. Now in the past I would feel really annoyed, fed up, think I’m useless and just dig myself into a mental hole of why am bothering with all this. Don’t get me wrong I am having feelings like that. However this time I’m looking at the big picture and realising this isn’t the time to dig myself a hole, train too hard so I don’t enjoy it, miss sessions or whatever.
Well as I said before this time I realise I’m not as good as the 260w 20 min power I’ve put out in the past, to be perfectly honest I still think my power meter was feeling generous as I’ve never been close to that since and then as I’ve trained of that power my sessions have been really tough! I feel if I train at the power, HR, pace zones that I’m currently at, that’s something I can build on, rather than the pipe dream and chasing numbers from the past and being disappointed when I don’t achieve them!
So what’s next?
Its 5 and half weeks till my holiday; I know it’s coming fast! Wahoo! So I still want to achieve the goals I set out to do.
Swimming and running I feel they are achievable if I lose the weight and just be consistent, yeah easier said than done with my track record, but definitely ACHIEVABLE.
Now biking, this is a tricky one and one I’m hoping to address with the same as above, losing weight and keeping the sessions ticking over consistently. However I feel I’m hindering myself on the bike by also not being in a comfortable and aero position on the bike. I’m getting aching shoulders, tight bike so I’m constantly moving around the saddle and to think I have to spend 2.5 hours on the bike this weekend my arse is feeling sore just to think about it!
I have been in touch with some local and some not so local bike fitters over my position and have sent over some videos to a local fitter that is a coach and really good age group athlete in triathlon. Just by looking at my videos and bike set up he has come up with some adjustments that could definitely get me in a better and more comfortable position. I am currently waiting for some parts to adjust the front end of my bike then I am going to be booking in to have the fit done in the next few weeks. I am hoping this will make me want to stay on the bike to complete the longer sessions but also give me more power in a more aerodynamic position that I can work and build upon over winter!
On that note, it’s back to work for me and to get my run done later in the day while the sun is still out. Thanks for reading and I’ll be back next week with how my training is going.
– Mike Catton
Mike is training for some triathlons and half Ironman in 2019. Check in next Monday for his next article about his training journey.
Check out last weeks article:
All his previous blogs are stored below :-
http://www.coachray.nz/category/client-stories/mikes-middle-distance-magic/