Training Volume examined

Here’s what I wrote on my other blog today over at topstepfitness.com (TS Blog Train Like Me):

TS Blog (Train Like Me)

8/23/08

Ran  a couple of FAST miles y’day. Brett and I scaled back this weekend before we start our really long rides next weekend (5 plus hours). We did 1:40 on the bike this morning. I spent some time crunching numbers this morning as I really start to think about the Old Hickory Lake Triathlon. This will be my 5th time to race there…and I’ve yet to win my age group. I’ve placed 2nd a couple of times, 3rd, and 4th. I thought I’d examine my training volume from April to August since 2005 to show the lead in to the early September race date. I knew I had scaled way back on tri specific training this year, but the numbers are alarming. Funny thing is …I still feel just as fast…maybe faster because of the extra hours on the bike. Here ya go (cycling and running are hours, swimming is yards)

Swim:

2005: 80,330 yards (this is studly)

2006: 50,887 yards (big drop off)

2007: 40,050 yards (another drop off)

2008: 17,375 yards (did I forget how to swim?)

Bike:

2005: 59 hours

2006: 57 hours

2007: 64 hours

2008: 81 hours (so long Michael Phelps…hello Lance Armstrong)

Run:

2005: 41 hours

2006: 34 hours

2007: 39 hours

2008: 30 hours (gosh I hope all that H.I.T. training and plyo kept me in shape).

Total hours plus swim distance:

2005: 100 hours and 80,330 swim yards

2006: 91 hours and 50,887 swim yards

2007: 103 hours and 40,050 swim yards

2008: 111 hours and 17,375 swim yards

Let’s hope the extra bike hours keep me competitive. The good news is that swimming is the sport of the three that I’m most naturally talented in. I started scaling back my swim volume after 2005 because I noticed that I wasn’t slowing down any even with severly reduced training yardage. Running used to be a real weapon for me in triathlon. I could often catch the guys who passed me on the bike on the run. The real studs stayed away though because cycling is the key to winning in triathlon.  Starting last year I started really boosting my cycling hours and the difficulty of my rides, because it’s always been my weakness. I havent done a single tri yet this year, unlike other years when I normally do 5-8 by this time. My results at OHL will be a true mystery until race day. I’m headed to the pool in a bit (by the way Izzy is out of town otherwise I’d be spending Daddy time instead.)

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