This week I put 100% effort into doing ~50% of my training volume (7.5 hrs). It's not easy to only train half as many hours as you're used to, especially when the body begins to feel normal again. Although, my body didn't even feel normal until Friday evening when I did a trainer sess. I threw in some intervals of 300+ watts, and that's when I realized I was on the mend--and then I almost passed out. jk.Not only was volume cut in half, but I dramatically dropped the intensity too (minus the VO2max test, oops). However, my appetite skyrocketed--after all, what's a recovery week without some serious eating?! My body obviously needed it. I consumed tons and didn't gain an ounce. And I slept a ton, about 8-9 hours a night. Is it just me, or does anyone else sleep more the lazier they are?
So recovery week... what's the big deal?
Well.... My biggest problem last season was not resting enough. It's not that I was naive to the concept of rest. I knew why recovery is necessary, but my mind got the best of me: I couldn't handle the thought of sitting around while everyone else was training...Dumb!...I cheated on my recovery weeks...& Dumber! That ended up biting me in the ass. I learned.
This year will be different. I enjoy, welcome and respect the rest. Some friends threw in their two-cents too; that always helps me. Allen told me: "There is no such thing as over-training, just under-resting...let the body adapt!"
After my seven.point.fiver: 1) I got a crap load of real work done, and 2) I feel pretty fresh going into my next and *last* (gasp) big training block before Oceanside. Starting Monday, it will be three weeks of butt-kicking work, then I start a two-week taper.
Yea, two weeks! For some people that amount of taper may seem rather long for a 70.3, but I know my body's needs and I know that these next three weeks are going to leave me trashed. So the taper plan: gradual decrease in volume the first week, then major taper the week before the race.
I hope I get in an ocean swim before March 27!
good job on the rest week, i will be doing that next week, this week is big for me, 9.5 hrs plus my triathlon 101 camp this coming weekend where we have about 15 beginners coming. should be fun, at least i have the entire weekend to do nothing but train.
ReplyDeleteGreat job on the resting. That is an area that I really need to work on. Good luck with your volume this week!
ReplyDeleteOceanside was my first ever triathlon last year and I was bummed when it sold out so quickly. Looks like I'll be headed to Auburn in May for my tune-up tri before IMCDA.
ReplyDeleteAs hard as it is to rest, I am confident that you will make it happen and that you are going to realize your best 70.3 ever.
All the best,
Ron
Nice resting :) See you in a few weeks!
ReplyDeleteNice job letting your body rest. I think at our age we need more rest than a more mature athlete. The more rest I get the more my body can handle and improve. If I don't get enough rest my performance declines. Sometimes it's better to skip a workout for rest than it is to actually do that workout. We are all different, but I think Linsey Corbin is a good example of training harder and harder and not seeing huge gains in her racing performances. I think she learned that lesson this past year and is already seeing gains early on in 2010 :)
ReplyDeleteI like my rest. Having said that yes, there is that feeling that everyone else is training whilst I let my backside grow. Have a great training week.
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