SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 08, 2008

In looking at my 2005 training log to confirm if my swim times were finally back to their pre bike crash levels (it looks like they are), I recognized just how much less I have trained since I crashed.

These days, a typical week is:

Monday off

Tuesday swim masters, 4.8 mile run in the evening

Wednesday ride in the summer, off otherwise

Thursday sometimes ride spin the winter, track or roads workout in the evening

Friday swim masters

Saturday tempo run, long ride half the time in the summer

Sunday long run most of the time, long ride half the time in the summer

I am averaging about 6 hours training and 7 workouts a week.

My 2005 log shows (from January until Ironman I was pretty consistent with this schedule except for work demands and illness):

Monday recovery run before or after spin, spin

Tuesday sometimes run before masters, swim masters, 4.8 mile run in the evening

Wednesday in the summer, ride; in the winter, run before or after spin, spin

Thursday many times spin in the morning, track or roads at night

Friday often run before masters, swim masters

Saturday tempo run, long ride half the time in the summer

Sunday long run, long ride half the time in the summer

Before my crash I was averaging 10 hours training and 12 workouts a week. I had been doing that level of training from about 1997 on, adding some each year through about 2003, when I leveled out.

My training buddies wonder these days how I could have run a 20:09 5K in 2003. Or a ~72 minute 10 mile race with a 6:58 closing mile in 2005. Or an 11:49 Ironman or a 3:27 marathon, all when I was in my 50s. It was this kind of training that made it possible. I was in top shape.

I know my 7:09 in and out track mile was fine on Thursday night. For my age group it would place me well. But given the above (excepting being injured), I know I can do a lot better.

I'd like to get back to well under 4 hours in my marathons and in the 12:30 range in Ironman. To do that, the above shows me what I need to do.