Sometimes Things Just Click

I typically don't have a game plan when I go for a swim.  I usually shoot for 20 laps (2 lengths of the pool per lap), or close to since I usually lose count.  Today was just another day, a lunch time swim.  But it turned out to be a little bit more...


I don't know what clicked but it seemed like I just all of a sudden learned how to glide through the water after each stroke, found my "bouy", and sunk into a nice smoothe rhythm.  I was feeling the water well with my hand/arm and getting really good propulsion every stroke that it was effortless to maintain momentum and avoid sinking the hips and legs.  I guess I was just feeling it today.


As I counted away at the laps I settled on completing the usual 20.  After 20 laps and realizing only 15 minutes had elapsed, I decided to go for 30.  Then I thought "a half-ironman is approximately 33 laps, let me go for 35".  Once I hit 35, I decided "heck, I can do 40, easily".  And so I did.  At the conclusion I was just barely breathing a little more labored but not completely sucking wind which is good because I never really feel spent after a swim.  It felt really good to swim with some minute amount of good technique.  Now let's just hope I can pick right back up where I left off.

Putting Together a Half-Ironman Training Plan

Alright, so I'm too cheap to purchase a customized training plan so I'm reading through my copy of 'The Triathlete's Training Bible' and utilizing it's suggestions for half-ironman training.  So far I've got the skeleton down but haven't decided on how to break down each day's workouts.  I'm going to be ambitious and attempt to hit the high side of the recommended training hours, partly because I usually complete about 1/3 of the recommended training (like running once a week in preparation for a marathon ;P) and also because I really need to lose about 25 pounds and what better way than to do lots of endurance exercising?

The Ironman 70.3 Texas (Galveston) is on April 1st, 2012 therefore this schedule will start the week of October 22, 2011.  Since I'm not exactly certain when the doctor will clear me to take up running again (worst case some time in February) so I'd imagine instead of running I'll substitute those workouts with the elliptical.  This will also give me the advantage of focusing heavily on swimming for the first few months.  Swimming is by far my weakest segment since I let the open water get to me mentally.

If I can accomplish the below hourly recommendation and can survive the swim portion of the race I'll venture on to training for a full ironman.

Ironman 70.3 Texas

PERIOD	WEEK	HOURS	SAT	SUN	MON	TUES	WED	THURS	FRI
Prep	All	12:00	3:00	2:00	2:00	1:30	1:30	1:00	1:00
Base 1	1	14:00	4:00	2:30	2:00	2:00	1:30	1:00	1:00
	2	16:30	4:00	3:00	2:30	2:30	2:00	1:30	1:00
	3	18:30	4:30	3:00	3:00	2:30	2:30	2:00	1:00
	4	10:00	2:30	2:00	1:30	1:15	1:00	1:00	0:45
Base 2	1	14:30	4:00	2:30	2:00	2:00	1:30	1:30	1:00
	2	17:30	4:30	3:00	2:30	2:30	2:00	2:00	1:00
	3	19:30	4:30	3:30	3:00	3:00	2:30	2:00	1:00
	4	10:00	2:30	2:00	1:30	1:15	1:00	1:00	0:45
Base 3	1	15:30	4:00	2:30	2:30	2:00	2:00	1:30	1:00
	2	18:30	4:30	3:00	3:00	2:30	2:30	2:00	1:00
	3	20:30	5:00	3:30	3:00	3:00	2:30	2:30	1:00
	4	10:00	2:30	2:00	1:30	1:15	1:00	1:00	0:45
Build 1	1	17:30	4:30	3:00	2:30	2:30	2:00	2:00	1:00
	2	17:30	4:30	3:00	2:30	2:30	2:00	2:00	1:00
	3	17:30	4:30	3:00	2:30	2:30	2:00	2:00	1:00
	4	10:00	2:30	2:00	1:30	1:15	1:00	1:00	0:45
Build 2	1	16:30	4:00	3:00	2:30	2:30	2:00	1:30	1:00
	2	16:30	4:00	3:00	2:30	2:30	2:00	1:30	1:00
	3	16:30	4:00	3:00	2:30	2:30	2:00	1:30	1:00
	4	10:00	2:30	2:00	1:30	1:15	1:00	1:00	0:45
Peak	1	14:30	4:00	2:30	2:00	2:00	1:30	1:30	1:00
	2	11:30	3:00	2:00	1:30	1:30	1:30	1:00	1:00
Race	All	10:00	2:30	2:00	1:30	1:15	1:00	1:00	0:45