Fresh Start To 2014

The past 10 days have seen me decrease my training load and take several full rest days in order to freshen up the body to prepare for my final 3 week build towards the Geelong 70.3.

I had been feeling run down prior to Christmas after some big days at work combined with a heavy training block. So, from Christmas Eve until now, I had made it my rest phase and it has done its job. I am now feeling in great shape to tackle a massive 3 weeks of hard work to give me the best possible chance to do something special in Geelong.

I will be extremely focused on honing my race pace and technique over the next 3 weeks until Australia Day. I want to ensure I am extremely comfortable with the pace I plan to push on race day. Therefore, I will do key race pace sessions in each discipline throughout each week.

My sessions in each discipline, for the next 3 weeks starting Monday 6^th Jan, will be broken down as follows,

4 Swim sessions:-

Ø  Monday – 5km strength swim with hand paddles and an ankle band used for most efforts.

Ø  Tuesday – 2km of technique drills.

Ø  Wednesday – 3km of mixed work using fins. Focusing on kicking and fast arm turn-over.

Ø  Friday – 4km. Warm-up will be followed by 25 – 30 reps of 100 metres at race pace. I will also incorporate a lot of sighting in this session.

Friday is the key race pace swim session and the others are to cover various facets of the stroke and necessary specific strength.

6 Bike sessions:-

Ø  Tuesday – 2 hours big gear strength work. 2 hours 30 minutes during week 3. Can do on indoor trainer or on the road.

Ø  Wednesday – 60 minutes easy ride.

Ø  Thursday – 2 hours on indoor trainer. 30 minutes of alternating single leg work and the rest done as a Fartlek cadence session.

Ø  Friday – 60 minutes easy ride.

Ø  Saturday – 4 or 5 hour endurance ride. Some extended efforts at race pace and a few sharp hill climbs will be in there.

Ø  Sunday – 60 minutes easy ride.

Saturday provides the endurance so I will be able to handle the 90km distance on race day easily and combines the race pace practice with some hill work as Geelong is an undulating course. Tuesday and Thursday provide other fitness aspects of strength and high cadence which will both be needed at some stage on that course.

6 Run sessions:-

Ø  Monday – 30 minutes of drills and technique work.

Ø  Tuesday – 30 minutes at race pace on the treadmill after my strength ride.

Ø  Wednesday – Long run of 2 hours done on a hilly course below race pace but consistent.

Ø  Friday – 45 minute tempo run at race pace or slightly above.

Ø  Saturday – 30 to 45 minute steady run, on the treadmill, off my long ride.

Ø  Sunday – 75 minute Fartlek run.

Wednesday gets me used to running the necessary distance, plus a little more. Tuesday, Friday and Saturday helps to hone in race pace off the bike. Sunday trains the legs for changes of pace which will happen on the up and down run course in Geelong and Monday ensures I have a good range of movement and sound technique.

I will do core exercises on Monday and Thursday with Thursday being accompanied by a short, lower body weights session.

The third of the 3 weeks in this training phase will be slightly higher volume than the first 2 weeks with completing sessions to their maximum specification, ie: 5 hour ride and 45 minute run on Saturday. I will also take slightly less rest between reps in the pool to increase intensity.

Seeing it all written down makes it seem like a lot but my aim is on frequency, in this last phase, as much as anything. I want to train my neuromuscular system to be completely used to all of these movements and the pace needed to perform well on race day. It’s going to be a big ask and, as always, it will be difficult to complete all sessions without neglecting the other important parts of life but I will simply try my very best. If I miss the odd shorter session here and there, I will not be worried, as long as I am completing my long sessions each week and performing all sessions to the best of my ability and to the specifications required.

This will be the largest volume of training I have ever undertaken but I am confident in my ability to cope with the stresses associated with it. Nutrition will be as important as ever and that is something I have worked hard on in the past to find what works for me. I am confident my nutrition plan will provide me with the energy and recovery elements necessary while assisting in getting me to my desired race weight of 72 – 73kg, as I am currently hovering around 75kg.

2014 is going to be an amazing year.

Happy New Year to everyone and I hope you are also having an exciting fresh start to 2014.