Week 8: All in all a horrid week…

When you have a week when you feel tired or a little off on the first session of the week, followed by more training that is disturbed by poor pool etiquette, followed by feeling niggles before a 1 mile track time trial resulting in a really tight piriformis issue which forces needling to be done - it's NOT good. I decided to stay off running for a few days to let things settle so I missed Fridays session on the track. Just about everything this week was off and I still haven’t managed to get out on the bike (but this week it was a pool v bike decision and the pool won!) Sunday I went to Limerick to train in the 50 m pool that I will be racing in next week. All I can say is hopefully next week will be better especially as it ends with my first swimming gala since I was about 12 at the Limerick Long Course Masters championship. Totals: Swim 8k; Run 6.5k

Monday: Rest

Tuesday:  

Swim: 2000m

Main Set (1,500m)
	2 x	25m fast kick
	4 x	50m Finger tip drill
	4 x	12.5m sprint	20"SI
	1 x	200m concentrate on good recovery
	2 x	25m fly kick on your back
	4 x	50m Single arm, arm by side, breathe to non working side
	4 x	12.5m sprint	20"SI
	1 x	200m concentrate on body rotation
	2 x	25m fast kick
	4 x	50m ( 25m EVF Drill/ 25m EVF Freestyle with pull bouy)
	4 x	12.5m sprint	20"SI
	1 x	200m concentrate on High Elbow

Wednesday

Swim: 2500m

Main Set (1,900m)
	1 x	100m fast
	1 x	200m easy (75 swim/25 "B" stroke)
	1 x	100m fast (50m broken with 20" RI)
	1 x	200m easy (75 swim/ 25 "B" stroke)
	1 x	100m fast (25m broken with 10" RI)
	1 x	200m easy (75 swim/ 25 "B" stroke)
	10 x	100m pull with paddles	1' 45"SI

Run: 6.5km with 1 mile time trial involved. Not a big runner so I was happy with 7;43…still loads of room for improvement.

Thursday: Rest

Friday:

Swim: 1700m

Warmup (900m)
	1 x	600m (75m swim/ 25m IM order)
	4 x	50m (15m Sprint / 35m recovery)
	1 x	100m easy
Main Set (400m)
	5 x	50m swim @ 90% - 95%	3' RI
	3 x	50m "B" stroke @ 90% - 95%	3' RI
Cooldown (400m)
	1 x	400m easy

Saturday: Active Rest with kids and party for my baby boy who was 2!

Sunday: Swim: 1800m   - guesstimate. Training in Limericks 50m pool.

Week 7: Steady she goes….

I was happy enough with this weeks training save for the fact that I yet again haven’t got out on my bike! Sean, my husband took the kids to Dublin on Tuesday evening so I had the first night of unbroken sleep in ages. I felt good Wednesday luckily enough as I swam 3k that morning and ran over 13k in the evening….a lot for me! I decided to take Thursday as a rest day even though I usually get out for a nice run I decided I would let my body recover a little and do some much needed housework while the kids were still away. My sister was down Friday evening so I missed the track session but I sure made up for it Saturday when I managed to get 16k done…great prep for Craughwell 10. I am happy enough with my training these days…now if only the kids weren’t wide awake at 6.30pm on the mornings when I leave for swimming all would be fine! Totals: Swim total 7.2km Run total: 29.7km

Monday: Rest

Tuesday:

Swim 2,300m

Main Set (1,800m)
	2 x	25m fast kick
	4 x	50m Finger tip drill
	1 x	200m concentrate on good recovery
	2 x	25m fly kick on your back
	4 x	50m Single arm, arm by side, breathe to non working side
	1 x	200m concentrate on body rotation
	2 x	25m fast kick on your back
	4 x	25m EVF Drill/ 25m EVF Freestyle with pull bouy***
	1 x	200m concentrate on High Elbow
	2 x	25m fly kick on your back
	4 x	50m drill Catch-up breath every stroke
	1 x	200m concentrate on pull & push

Wednesday:

Swim: 3000m

Main Set (3,000m)
	10 x	200m swim	3' 30" SI
	10 x	100m swim	1' 50"SI

Run:  13.7km. 14 x 400m at 85% with a 400m lap of jogging in between each set.

Thursday: Rest

Friday:

Swim: 1,900m

Warmup (900m)				00:30
	1 x	600m (75m swim/ 25m IM order)		00:35
	4 x	50m (15m Sprint / 35m recovery)		00:40
	1 x	100m easy		00:45
				00:50
Main Set (850m)				00:55
	1 x	200m @ 95%		01:00
	1 x	100m Easy		01:05
	2 x	100m @ 90%	2' RI	01:10
	1 x	100m Easy		01:15
	2 x	50m @ 90%	1'30" RI	01:20
	1 x	100m Easy		01:25
	2 x	25m FAST	30" RI	01:30

Saturday:  

Run: 16km Long steady run. Weather was good and I felt very well throughout the run. 86mins so starting to get back to running at my pre kids pace!

Sunday: Rest

Week 6…...This week I was called a chicken!!

This was not supposed to be a rest week but as events transpired it kinda was…the week started fine with a swim Tuesday morning but I was feeling a little sluggish for no particular reason particularly compared to last week when I felt I had no obstacles. Tuesday night the kids were awake a lot during the night (there was a full moon) and I knew I had a big swim set Wednesday morning. I was feeling tired at the thought of it so when it hit 6am I decided it would be better off to skip it…and listened to my tired body and stayed in bed!! One of my swimming mates called me a chicken for backing out of a big set and she was right….sometimes when the mind is tired the body can still function normally. I often find this with races, I might be really tired before the start but when after the gun goes all is forgotten and I perform fine. Anyway I still went running Wednesday and completed the week regular training sessions. No weekend training this weekend as I was minding my niece and nephew (along with my own two kids). So once again I missed my bike session…..maybe next week. Weekly total: Run: 24.2 km Swim 4.3km.

Monday: Rest

Tuesday

Swim: 2,300m

Main Set (1,800m)
	2 x	25m fly kick on your back
	4 x	50m kick no board – body rotation, arms by side
	1 x	200m concentrate on body rotation
	2 x	25m fly kick on your back
	4 x	50m drill - 6 beat change-over (side-glide)
	1 x	200m concentrate on body balance
	2 x	25m fly kick on your back
	4 x	50m drill single arm (in front)
	1 x	200m concentrate on body rotation
	2 x	25m fly kick on your back
	4 x	50m drill catch-up
	1 x	200m concentrate on pull & push

Wednesday

Swim 3,400m (Missed)

Run; total:  9.82km., 8 x 400m at 85% with rest of 800m after 4 x 400m. The group were doing 12 x 400m this week but I missed the last few as I have to be home by 8.30pm Wednesday to let my husband go to swimming. Felt good and could have done 12.

Thursday:

Run:  7.72km easy

Friday:

Swim:  2000m

Main Set (1,300m)
	4 x	100m @ 85%	2' 30" SI
	1 x	200m easy
	6 x	50m  @ 85%	1' 30" SI
	1 x	200m easy
	4 x	50m  "B" Stroke	2' SI

Run: 6.68km. Continuous running of 400m laps 1 x 85%; 1 x easy; After the fast lap we did 20 lunges, squats or other exercise. Found session hard. I had some work done on my back on Friday morning and some needling (which I hate) and I was worn out from this alone so not surprised I was sluggish on the track.

Saturday: Rest (well minding 4 kids so active rest)

Sunday: Rest (same as Saturday)

Week 5 - Feeling Good….

After last weeks ‘taper’ or easy week this week training was back in full force. One thing slightly bothering me at this stage however is that I am not getting out on the bike. Since I punctured three times on my race bike, a Cannondale a few weeks ago and since I broke the hanger on the derailler of my winter bike, my Giant I have found myself bikeless. Ok – so just repair the wheels you might say but apparently (according to my husband) I need new tyres and they are ‘in the post’. Still I got six sessions in last week 3 x runs and 3 x swims so am really happy with that. I have found since I changed my diet on January 13^th 2012 (lucky for some) I have way more energy. I went to see a herbalist and was told I have an hereditary iron overload condition whereby the body absorbs excess iron from food. I was also getting some chest infections prior to Christmas. Bottom line is that I am now on a wheat free and dairy free diet. I also have cut out all beef, lamb and anything from a pig! I must also avoid acidic fruit such as raw apples, strawberries and oranges and I must avoid spinach and courgettes. No coffee or alcohol and only decaf tea. The list is quite long but I am now into my fourth week and it hasn’t been too hard really. I am on this for three months and I am determined to stick with it. Swim total for week: 7.5km and run total 27.2km.

Monday: Rest

Tuesday:

Swimming total: 2,200m

Main Set (1,700m)
	4 x	50m kick no board – body rotation, arms by side
	1 x	200m concentrate on body rotation
	4 x	50m fist
	1 x	200m concentrate on the catch
	4 x	50m drill single arm (in front)
	1 x	200m concentrate on body rotation
	4 x	50m drill flex-flex push
	1 x	200m concentrate on power & high elbows
	4 x	25m fly kick on your back

Wednesday

Swimming total: 3,000m

Main Set (3,00m)
	30 x	100m Swim	1' 50" SI

Run: 8k consisting of warm up and cool down and 8 x 400m at 85%

Thursday: Rest (was feeling pretty tired after yesterdays training

Friday

Swimming total: 2,300m

Warmup (1,000m)
2 x	1 x	200m swim
	1 x	100m "B" stroke
	6 x	50m (15m sprint/35m easy)
	1 x	100m easy
Main Set (1,100m)
	1 x	200m Swim 85%
	1 x	150m Easy
	3 x	100m Swim 80% - 85%	1' 30" RI
	1 x	150m Easy
	2 x	50m Swim 85%	1'         RI
	1x	100m Easy
	4x	25m sprint	45" SI

Run: 8.7km consisting of 4 mile temp run at 5.20-5.30 pace.

Saturday: Active Rest ! Swim with kids and childminding.

Sunday: Run: 10.5km in 55 mins. Nice easy run.  Weather was damp and there was a slight wind but I felt good save for small niggle in right ankle that has been present last few days. Was contemplating adding a 4km loop to the run before I went home but thought I would save that till next week!