December 2012 Racing and Training Summary and 2012 Summary

This December I had one of the highest for biking and running, for the two combined it was the highest of any December.  This is exactly what I wanted to do.  I did alot of work at a high intensity, which is something else I wanted to do.  Jackie and I attended the LA Fitness Sunday morning spin group, and that was a very good workout.  I went in with some doubts, but it proves to be a very good workout.  The guy who runs the workout does a good job and is not too obnoxious.  I barely swam this December, which is fine, because I substituted with strength, which is what I wanted to do.  I will start Masters swimming again in Jan and hope to continue with strength work.
The "other" in the table is 30 minutes of elliptical.
We also did a "Boot Camp" workout at LA Fitness and that really kicked my ass.  A totally different kind of workout that I should do more often.  It is a mix of cardio work and strength, using body weight and small hand weights.  Most of the workout is done in place and you go from one exercise to the next in rapid succession. 
Below all my usual workout data tables is the comparison of 2012 to previous years.

Comparison of Decembers from Year-to-Year

Totals Since 2007 and Averages

Year-to-Date and Totals Since 2007

 

Comparison of Year-to-Year Totals

My year-to-year totals for swimming and biking were the lowest since 2007, running was pretty close to last year.  Running has been pretty similar the last 3 years.  As I have mentioned in previous posts, I don't think I need to increase time too much, would just like to keep intensity up.  I would like to see my swim about 90 hours, bike around 100 hours, and run above 60 hours.  While maintaining high intensity.  I am happy with my strength time and hope to continue to maintain into June, typically I quit strength in April or early May. 

In a few weeks I will put a post for my 2013 goals.  Overall, I am happy with what I have done this year, it might not be my best year, but I did a lot and worked pretty hard, which is what counts.  Now, on to 2013!

Race Totals Since 2006 (154 Races) and More Statistics

Below is a table with my race totals since 2006.  All races, running, TTs, triathlons, duathlons, and a little cyclecross.





Since 2006, I have raced a combined total of 154 times pretty decent amount considering my injury in 2009.

26 Duathlons

58 Triathlons (Since 2007)

38 Time Trials (32 of them Tuesday Night Time Trials)

28 Running Races (15 of them are 5K)

and 4 Cyclecross races

2008 was the most with 29 races total and 2012 was the least, non-injured, with 20.

 

I put together a table with hours and miles spent racing.  This combines all the race data I have, except cyclecross because I did not keep track of time or distance.

I also included my average pace, just divided the distance by the time.  Actually looks pretty good.

Just for fun, I used the average paces and applied them to an Ironman distance race to see what my time could be, it would be about 10.5 hours.  I have no desire to do an IM, and that calculation is not applicable, but I was just curious.

 

In my spreadsheet, I keep racing and training data together.  With the data above I can see the percentage of time spent racing compared total time, total training and racing.

Percent time Swimming = 3.7%, so I spend 96.4% of my time training to race the swim.

Percent time Biking = 18.4%, so I spend 81.6% of my time training to race the bike.

Percent time Running = 23.5%, so I spend 76.5% of my time to race the run.

Percent total time = 14.2%, so I spend 85.8% of my time training to race.

The running and biking is not entirely accurate since I did not keep track in 2006, but probably close enough.  I would like to increase my percentages for biking and running over the next few years, and decrease swimming.

 

Interesting to see how much total time spent swimming, compared to the amount of time is spent in a race swimming.  I have spent close to 575 hours swimming since 2007, but a total of 19.5 hours of race time swimming.  The bike and run make sense, compared to how much time is spend racing those two.

 

It is really interesting, and kind of fun, to break this data down and look at it.  There is a certain amount of satisfaction in looking at what has been accomplished and how it breaks down.  Data is fun.  Right?

 

Analysis of Swim Performance Since 2007 - Comparison of Performance to Training

I (re)started swimming in 2007, after not swimming since high school. I did duathlons in 2006 and then decided to try triathlons in 2007, so I started swimming in March 2007.  I have undoubtly gotten faster.  I hired a coach in 2008 and got swimworkouts that I did on my own, typically 3 days a week. I started Masters in early 2009, typically 3 days a week.  You can see significant yardage jumps from 2007 to 2008, and I have more or less maintained that yardage since then.  Something of a spike in 2009 and 2010, when I swam more due to my stress fracture.
I have shown improvement with time, but more or less flattened out.  Since the swim distance on swim courses is somewhat suspect, it is hard to determine really how fast you are going.  The only true test of improvement and how fast you are is in the pool, with a certified distance and controlled conditions.  Some swims have the timing mat immediately out of the water, some you have a decent run up before you get to it, so that is included in your time. 
I do know that when I started, it was 2+ minutes for a 100s in a set.  Now I am more in the area of 1:30, sometimes faster. 
I do not think I need to add yardage to get faster.  I think I do plenty of yardage for the distances I race.  To get faster I think I need to do more intensity and probably get a stroke coach.  I know that I require improvements to my stroke.  I drop my left arm, and my entry can get sloppy.  I try to work on those things, but I think it will take coaching for me to really improve my stroke.
Below is the data table.  My times in the table and the charts are in seconds/100yards because it is easier to plot.  The unusually fast time in 2011 is the Twin Cities Triathlon swim in the Mississippi.  In 2009, I only did two races, the reason for the narrow range, one was a relay and one was a sprint, where I walked the run.
I think the data plots really display the change in yardage, and time, and the change in my average pace.  There is a huge jump in yardage and time, and my drop in pace, and then everything is clustered at the end.  This is probably a good indicator that I need to change my intensity and/or stroke, since my improvement has leveled off.  It seems to be the same trend as my run and bike, I don't really need to do more, I just need to do more intensity and do it better.
My fastest times, are probably the 1:24/100yards - 1:29/100yards.
I have said it once, I have said it a thousand times, and I will say it again.  As a beginning triathlete, the best thing you can do is swim a lot and get conditioned in the swim.  I have heard/seen, so many beginning triathletes say they will just "get through the swim", barely do any swim training, do all bike and run, and then get to race day and have a bad/horrible swim, and up having the rest of the race be difficult because of it.  When the swim is comfortable, in the sense you can do it and it is not stressful, and you are conditioned for it, the whole race is "easier".

Swim Data Table

 

Comparison of Total Hours Swimming to Average Swim Pace for that Year 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comparison of Total Yards Swam to Average Swim Pace for that Year

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

November 2012 Racing and Training Summary

When I type this it is the second of December and I have done 8 workouts in 7 days.  3 bike, 2 run, 2 strength, and 1 swim.  I plan on not taking a rest day for another few days.  My off season has been pretty aggressive.  More aggressive than I thought it would be.  I have not put in as much time as in the past, but I have been putting in speed.
I thought I would take it a little easier, in terms of swimming and total time, I have not put in as much as previous years, for this time of year, but I am putting in the effort. 
Not much to say about the workouts this month, I have put in more strength, which is what I planned to do.  My strength workouts always consist of some core and back, then it is either some arm or leg work, or a little of both.  Basically, I do what I feel like doing when I am doing strength work.  Mostly,  I have been doing sets of 3x15 or 4x15, I have tried some 12, 6, 3, 1 where I increase the weight with decreasing reps, and then continue doing 1 rep and increasing weight until I cannot lift anymore.
My November run time is the most since 2008 and my bike time is about average.  I am getting that run time up, which I what I need to know.  Hope to continue in December.
I have start shopping around for new Masters swim program.  I would like to get back to swimming around 25,000 yards a month starting in January.  I am going to go to Facebook and see if I can get some triathletes to recommend me a place.

Comparison of Novembers from Year-to-Year

 

Totals and Averages Since 2007

YTD Total and Totals Since 2007