Pheidippides’s BodyBlog

Swam 2500 yards today.  Started with moderate 500 yard warmup, followed by 500 yard time trial.  I was shooting for a pace that I thought was about the fastest pace I could sustain in a race for 1.5 K (1650 yards) right now.  I managed 8:12.  That translates to a per 100 yard pace of 1:38.4/100 yards.  For the race in June I will have to sustain a pace of about 1:31/100 yards, so I have a significant, but seemingly not insurmountable, amount of progress to make.

I noticed that my "time trial" time of 8:12 was not that much faster than the "warmup" time for my first 500 yard segment, which was about 8:35.  During that first 500 yards I was concentrating on staying relaxed and maintaining form.  The relatively unimpressive improvement in pace suggests that as I push to go faster my form deteriorates, negating the benefit of moving my limbs faster.  Obviously, I have to work on stroke technique.

For the third 500 yards I went easy, and then for the fourth set of 500  yards I swam 50 yards on the minute, trying different paces.  My fastest pace was just under 40 seconds.  I seem to really struggle when I try to go fast, and the weaknesses in form seem to put a ceiling on my time.

Finished with an easy final 500 yard set.

Overall, an O.K. swim workout.  It had been about a week since my last one, which is way too long if I want to improve.  8:12 for 500 yards gives me a bench mark.  I need to improve it to 7:40/500 yards in order to be able to achieve my 1.5K goal time of 25 minutes.

After two and a half months of significantly stepped up and regular weight lifting (several times per week average) and regular aerobic activity (swimming, biking, elliptical, and a little running four times a week or more) I have gained four pounds and .8% in bodyfat.  That translates to a gain of about 1.8 pounds of muscle and 2.2 pounds of fat.  Of course, my scale’s measurement of bodyfat percentage could be off, but even if it’s off a little it’s clear that despite significant strength gains I’ve gained very little muscle and have added a couple of pounds of fat.

I know I haven’t eaten as well as I should have, so it’s not that surprising, but I’m surprised not to have gained a little more muscle, and I’m mildly surprised that the bodyfat percentage has actually gone up.  Obviously, I’m eating as though I’m in a mild bulking phase, when my original goal was to lose just a bit over this period while trying to gain some strength.

The lesson I get from this is that I will not decrease my bodyfat percentage without concentrating on my diet and without losing overall weight.  I will not be able to do that and simultaneously add muscle bulk.  Since my goals at this point are, in descending order, (1) preparing for the triathlon, (2) losing fat, especially around my middle, (3) increasing muscular definition and leanness, and, (4) adding muscle, and since I’m only four and a half months from the triathlon, my fitness program emphasis needs to shift.  I’m going to push hard to reach my bench press goal (the last lifting goal left) before the end of February, and then my focus will be on triathlon prep and diet.  I will continue strength training, but with an emphasis on functional strength rather than adding muscle.  With careful diet and stepped up aerobic activity I’m confident I can reduce the bodyfat percentage once and for all.  If the different parts of my fitness program aren’t in sync I think I’ll feel like I’m running in place.

I hope to get to the pool today or tomorrow.  I plan to do a 500 yard time trial at an estimated race pace to track my current fitness level.  Before next week I need to assess where I am and draw up a more formal plan for preparing for the June triathlon.

Took a break from work to get workout in.  Went for the PR on the bench press, but foiled again.  Stuck at 10 reps.  I might have made 11 if I’d had a spotter, but no such luck.  Decided to go for some volume — 31 total reps at different weights.

Stationary bike: 35 minutes.  Upped the wattage from last time to 165, then 204 over the last 17 minutes.  442 calories total; 12.6 "miles".  HR = 141 sustained max @204 watts. Actually felt good.  My legs and heart seem to be getting in sync on the bike for the first time, so I can sustain a higher rate than before without burning out my legs too soon.  I’ve definitely seen some improvement on the bike performance.  I still need to build time and volume on the bike, though, with at least one hour plus workout per week.

Busy weekend. Yesterday morning ran 5.5 miles for the first time in a while, with a total time of 46:30.  Warmed up for first 1.25 miles, then ran 3 mile set, with negative split each mile — first mile in 8:08, next mile around 8 (didn’t keep exact time), 3d mile around 7:20.  Total 3 mile time 23:30, about 7:50 min pace.  Last 1.25 miles ran slower at cooldown pace.

HR at end of 8:08 mile was about 146.  HR at end of 3 miles was about 169, but I was going faster than 7:20 pace at that point so it was faster than threshold pace.  Based upon HR and pace I estimate my threshold pace to be about 7:35 right now, slower than it was in March 2007 but not too bad considering I’m not running regularly right now.

I estimate I need to get threshold pace to about 7 min/mile to be able to achieve my race goal pace of 45 min 10K at end of triathlon.

Bad news: some lingering Achilles tendon soreness.  Nothing terrible, but obviously have to be careful.

Later in the morning my wife and I dropped the kids off with my parents for an overnighter, and then we drove to SF for the Zinfandel festival at Fort Mason.  Great time with friends, drinking zin, eating sourdough and cheese of all kinds.  Not sure if the wine, bread, and cheese diet is "eating clean", but boy does it taste good.  Hung out at the hotel and had a great dinner at One Market, a restaurant I’d never been to.  Mahi Mahi with a chimichuri sauce, something I’d never had before.  Fell asleep last night to the sound of the steady rainfall, had a nice breakfast, and drove back home to pick up the kids.

Workout again this evening.  Goods news — reached 12 reps @90 pounds on the overhead press and achieved goal of 130 pounds 1-rep equivalent.   4 goals down, 1 to go (bench press — 2 more reps to go still).  Did a few other exercises and then hit the stationary bike for 30 minutes @149 watts. 10.8 "miles"; 312 calories.  HR never really got over 125 and averaged around 122, indicating my legs are stronger and I can’t reach a reliable aerobic level at 149 watts.  Have to go up one level on the bike for sustained cycling at 95-100 rpm (I am trying to keep it between 95-105).  Some improvement — that’s good.

Meeting exercise goals AND eating and drinking well - can’t beat that for a good weekend!

Gym workout this morning at 5:30 a.m.  Light workout, concentrating on upper body, then hit the stationary bike for 45 minutes.

Good news- finally reached 12 reps of biceps curls at 80 pounds.  I’ve achieved my February 28 goals in the squat, barbell row, and barbell biceps curl.  I’m two reps away on the overhead press and two reps away on the barbell bench press.  Getting closer. I’ll push to achieve all goals by mid-February so I can shift attention away from weight lifting goals toward endurance in bike and swim, and, tendon permitting, running.
The rest of the workout was unremarkable — 1 set each of overhead press, barbell biceps curl, decline crunches plus 20 pounds, captain’s chair, chest press machine, leg curl machine.  A maintenance workout.  I’m going to let my chest rest a bit for trying for my goal in the bench press.  I’m going to shoot for it during an afternoon workout when I tend to feel strongest.

Stationary bike: 45 minutes; 25 minutes at 149 watts and 20 minutes at 165 watts. Ave. HR at 165 watts around 133.  489 calories.  16.2 "miles" -whatever that means.  Average pace around 102-110 rpm.  Pace seemed moderate, relatively comfortable throughout.  It’s O.K. for now but I’m going to have to step up intensity.

Took a little post-lunch break to get in a swim workout — 3000 yards, my longest yet.  Took 56 minutes and 42 seconds to finish.  Maintained a moderate pace for most of it, with one set of 5×100 yards on the 2 minute interval, times ranging from 1:32 to 1:45.  Heart rate was at about 110 at the end of the final swim cool down, so I wasn’t taxing myself too much aerobically.

Yesterday evening went to the gym to lift and ride the stationary bike.  Concentrated on barbell bench press, biceps curls, incline dumbbell flys, dumbbell overhead press, and some ab work.  I seem to have hit a plateau in the bench press, which is frustrating, because I’ve really been concentrating on it in workouts.  I haven’t improved my lifting results in the bench press in a month.  I may try cutting back on the number of times per week I bench press and instead concentrate on greater volume and intensity when I do bench press.  The limiting factor is I don’t have someone to spot me when I do it so I can’t go all out to failure.

After lifting got on the stationary bike for 40 minutes.  Maintained a moderate intensity at about 100 rpm, 140 watts over the first half and 165 watts the second half, heart rate maintained at around 121-125, low end of aerobic range.  Burned 425 calories and went about 14.3 (virtual) miles.  Not much of a workout, just a maintenance-endurance ride.

Went to the gym this morning after two days off (work on Friday and the twins’ birthday party yesterday (the boys turned seven)).  Spent about 45 minutes lifting, the highlight of which was reaching a new PR on the squat (200 x 12 = 1 rep eq. of 288).  Tried for PR in bench press, but progress there is still stymied, even though it feels like muscles are growing in my chest.

Hopped on the stationary bike afterward and rode 50 minutes, lowest level 10 (167 watts) and maintained level 12 (204 watts) for about 25 minutes.  Sus. HR at 204 watts was about 141 at 90-95 average rpm.  Burned 609 calories on bike.  Total 18 miles over 50 minutes.  Level was well below threshold, but I was a little fatigued at the end of it.

Definitely making progress in my ability to sustain pace on the bike for over 30 minutes; my legs don’t burn as much.

It seems like I tend to end up at a pace around 100; I have to slow things down deliberately to get down to 90 rpm, and it doesn’t feel as powerful at that level as at 100 rpm.

Tomorrow, going skiing.  Forecast is for light snowfall, so I’m hoping chains will not be required, but we’ll see.

Decided to work out a second time yesterday at 8 p.m.  Went to the gym:

10 minutes bike warmup @ 149 watts — about 3.3 miles

15 minutes treadmill easy with two fast intervals. Interval 1: 3 min @7:03 min/mile.  Interval 2: 3 min@6:54 min/mile.

25 minutes additional bike.  20 min @204 watts  7.3 miles over 20 minutes, may 9 miles total more or less.  Ave. HR over 20 minute interval about 148.  Pace was moderately strenuous, below threshold, but not too much.  Modest improvement.

I don’t feel any residual soreness or swelling in my Achilles tendon from the running, which is great news.  Still have to be very careful.
Good news on scale this morning — down to 173.4 pounds, so I’ve shed most of my holiday bloat.

Mid-day upper body workout today at the gym, emphasizing chest and biceps but also triceps, abs, and back.

According to Bodyspace 1-rep calculator, I’m within a pound of my biceps curl goal, and a little bit closer to my bench press goal.  One more rep on the biceps curl and two more reps on the bench press and I’m there.

I’ve been neglecting my lower body a little this week.  I really need to get in a good bike workout of at least 45 minutes — if I can swing it with the family commitments tonight I might try to get away to the gym to do just that.  Also need to get in there and do some squats, although those tend to compromise the bike workout because they exhaust the quads.  Too many things to work on!

Good news is I’m almost there on the bench press and biceps curl, and then I’ll just have the overhead press to work on by the end of February.  I should reach all my lifting goals by early February at this rate.

Swam this morning before work.  Air was cold — probably no more than 40 degrees — but water was warm.

2700 yards, longer than I’d swam before.  Maintained a fairly steady freestyle pace through most of the workout, trying to push the pace slightly while concentrating somewhat on form.

First 66 laps in 28:48, which was a little slower than I expected based upon previous swim.  I finished 2500 yards in 44:35, however, which was faster than before, and completed the entire 2700 in around 48 something.

Overall I feel I’m moving better through the water, but I need to time myself on some intervals to find out for certain.  I’ll try another set of 10×100 on 2 minute intervals and see if I improve on the previous performance (where I averaged around 1:36).

I noticed other swimmers using fins, paddles of some sort, and buoys, so I might look into getting some and using them myself.