Last weekend the schedule said: Fri swim 3 k and a gym session, Sat 4 h bike followed by 30 min brick run. Sun 28 k run.
This weekend the schedule said: Fri swim 3.5 k and 15 km run, Sat 4 h bike followed by a 45 min brick run. Sun 30 k run.
As you can see I’m building up to IM SA April 15th with a few key long distance sessions in end of Feb and beginning of March. Since it’s winter I do all biking inside on my Kickr, and brick runs are also done inside on a treadmill (due to minus 1-10 degrees outside…)
With 6/7 weeks to Ironman South Africa I’m of course keen to stick to the plan. Especially on weekends since that’s when these crucial long sessions are possible.
So, how did I do regarding training these two quite similar weekends? Very well! …In two totally different ways:
Last weekend started strong with a perfect early swim session Friday morning before a full day workshop (covering change management…), but in the evening I felt tired and decided to skip the gym. Saturday morning I still felt tired and not entirely well. After breakfast I decided to cancel the bike & run session, even though it was one of these key long distance brick sessions I so desperately need in order to prepare for Ironman SA. Come Sunday and I’m still not feeling ok. I.e. the 28 k run is converted into a 20 min easy walk (completely Lycra free!)
This weekend started of just as good with a 3.8 k swim (300 m extra yes, and 1.30/100) and a strong 15 k run in the evening (IM pace: 4.30/km). Saturday gave the opportunity to start the brick session in great company at O2 Konditionscenter, even though I was alone the last part of the 4-hour of biking and for the 10 k treadmill run… (4.25/km). The Sunday 30 k run was scheduled as “easy”, but I’d lie if I said it felt easy to get going. However, 2 hours and 27 min later I’ve covered the distance and I had done it as planned in zone 2.
I would summarize the training these two weekends as optimal. Not the planned or preferred last weekend, but optimal taken into account the circumstances. And if I have a good race in SA I will use these two weekends as a reference for future situations when I, or someone else, should realize that the planned sessions will serve their purpose best by being cancelled.
(But I would argue that if I don’t succeed in SA we couldn’t say that it’s because last weekends cancelled training. That’s simply a misinterpretation of casual relationship)
So – to get to the conclusion of this post:
Effective – when I adjust to reality and execute the right thing. The sessions that will serve my long-term goals best (which sometimes means the planned sessions, sometimes something totally different).
Efficient – when I focus and execute the session in the right way.
Optimizing my training would be a combination of adjusting to reality and execute the sessions focused and with good form. I.e. execute the right session in the right way.
I would say I did that – both weekends!
I hope you can find the strength to cancel the right session for you – and thus optimize your training and achieve the goals you’re striving for.
All the best
Calle
Hej! Vi bor bara en halvmil från varandra med liknande mål. Hör av dig om du vill ha sparring! Runar Höiom 0735165183
Nästa IM är Texas 28 april å sen Helsingör 1/2im👍😀