December 2013 Racing and Training Summary

Below is my usual training comparison for December.  No racing this month.  It was an above average December.
In January I will have to work on ramping it up above 20 hours.  I would like to be above 22 hours, with 8+ hours on the bike.
Today, the last day of December, I shoveled, then spin bike for 75 minutes, and then run on treadmill for 60 minutes.  In that order.  The long workout felt pretty good.  I just wanted to see where I was at, at the end of the year.  The 75 minute bike was a ramp up for 20 minutes, then alternate kind of hard for 5 minutes and then back off for 5 minutes.  I got off the bike and on the treadmill and ran the first mile as hard as I could, 7:45/mile.  Then every mile I alternated between hard and easier, easier no slower than 8:34/mile.  I wanted to run a 10K under 50 minutes, and I was able to go 49:45.  The last 10 minutes was a warm down.  I felt stiff getting off the treadmill.  I am probably going to be feeling it tomorrow.
This December the totals were greater than last two Decembers.  I biked and ran a little less than usual.  This December was a little different than previous Decembers, since we closed on a house and moved into a house.  Even with that I was able to get in some decent workouts.  I kept up my swimming this year, as I had planned to do.  My increased swimming from last year, and keeping up strength workout, made up the difference from previous years.
Off to start 2014.  My next post will compare totals from previous years and then post about my weight, as usual.


December-to-December Comparison

Totals and Averages Since 2007

 

YTD Totals and Since 2007

 

Kiefer Performer Swim Goggles - Product ReReview (Originally Product Review 27)

Back in January of this year I received a pair of Kiefer Performer Swim Goggles, from Kiefer, to review.  At the time I wrote up a little something about them.

My original post is here: http://nowiamdoingsomething.blogspot.com/2013/01/product-review-27-kiefer-performer-swim.html
The goggles are here: www.kiefer.com

I have used the pair they gave me for the whole year.  The only thing I did was replace the strap, because I accidentally ran the goggles through the washer and dryer and destroyed the strap.  I used a bungee cord type strap that worked fantastic.
Now that almost a year has gone by I wanted to comment on these goggles.
I used the goggles all year, both racing and training.  Amazingly, I did not lose them.  I have put about 250,000 yards on the goggles this season.
Also, they lasted the whole year without leaking, until about 2 weeks ago.  About two weeks ago they started to leak a bit.  Last week I ordered two more pair of the same goggles. 
These goggles are great for the price, and just in general.  They are 12 bucks a pair, about half the cost of the Speedo Air Seal Tri Mirror I had been wearing previously.  The Speedo goggles would last about as long.
Goggles are a purely personal choice.  Everyone has different size heads, different facial features, etc. that will affect how goggles fit.  Sometimes it takes years to find goggles that work well for a person.  If not years, then lots of money trying different goggles.  Luckily, I kind of fell into these goggles.
So, if you are out looking for goggles, I would recommend giving these a try. 

Race Totals Since 2006 (All Races) and Some Statistics

Since 2006 I have completed 178 individual races.  The breakdown by race type is in the table below
Triathlon = 66
Duathlon = 28
Running Races = 35
Time Trials = 45
Cycle Cross = 4

Race Count Table

My biggest triathlon years were 2008 and 2010 and my biggest duathlon years were 2006, first year racing, and 2007.  There are a number of years that I did 5 or more TTs.  My biggest run race year was 2006, when I started doing duathlons.  I replaced run only with duathlons, triathlons, and TTs, which makes sense.  This year I did do 7 run only events, which is the most since 2006.

I also added a chart to breakdown the races by month, just to get an idea of which months are the busiest and what type of races I do each month.  Being in MN it makes sense the busiest race months are going to be June - August.  June looks like the busiest overall.  Most duathlon are in May and September.  Most triathlons are in July.

Month-to-Month Race Count Comparison

I took the total distance I raced each distance, and the total time spent racing each distance, and then divided the two to see my average speed\pace at each.  By my estimate I have raced over 3500 miles and spent over 230 hours racing those 3500 miles.  I have spent over 1700 hours racing and training,so I have trained about 1500 hours.  The ratio of the time I spend racing to training is about 1:6.5, so for every hour I spend racing, I spend 6.5 hours training.  Kind of an interesting statistic.
My average 100 yd pace is 1:45, my average bike speed is 21.4MPH, and my average run pace is 8:31/mi.

Table of Total Time and Distance Racing, with Pace\Speed

 

 

 

I will post my total racing and training time for the year at the beginning of 2014, along with comparisons of totals for previous years.

 

November 2013 Racing and Training Summary

I am running a little late with this.  Busy, busy, busy.  Just closed and moved into a new house, so that is taking up some time that would normally be free for other things.  It is worth it.  The house is awesome.  We are setting up a training room in the house.  Basically, a room to put a bike trainer, maybe a treadmill someday, a place to store workout and race stuff, workout mats, with a TV and DVD player.
I did a 5K on Thanksgiving, in St. Paul, down by the river.  It was cold and it went ok.
5K = 23:47 (7:40/mi)

I got more swimming in this December than the previous two years.  Again, Masters is an ass kicker.  Run time down a little from previous years, bike time up from last year, and strength time down from last year.  Overall, my strength work for this year is the highest it has been since 2009 when I had the stress fracture.

In December I am going to workout when I can.  It is tough month with the holidays, and especially with moving into a new house.  I will see what I can do. 
In January I will have to start ramping up.  I have registered for two races already.  St. Anthony's in St. Petersburg, FL.  2014 will be the 7th time there.  The other race I registered for is Lake Minnetonka.  Once 2014 starts, I will probably start registering for more.  2014 here I come!


November Year-to-Year Comparison

Workout Totals and Average Since 2007

YTD and Totals Since 2007