September 2015 Racing and Training Summary (And More!)

The big news for this month.....we now have a son.  Charles David was born on September 23rd.  He was a healthy 9lbs and 1oz and 22 inches long.  All is well.  As people with children know, it changes everything.  Of course, he will change everything about training and racing, and life.  He will change everything about life for the better :)

I did get in two Salomon Trail Races this month.  It was pretty hot\humid both nights.  The distance for the first two runs is about 4.2 miles, the longer of the two courses.  The final two races are a shorter distance course.
4.18 miles = 36:30 (8:44/mi)
4.18 miles = 35:54 (8:33/mi)
These two times were slower than last year, by a fairly good amount.  My fastest time last year, on this course, was 34:11, so my fastest this year was about a minute and a half slower than last year.  My run has been slower this year than last year, so my results are not too surprising.  I have not been able to put a finger on why my run is slower this year.  Maybe, when I run, I have been pushing harder than last year, and not mixing in enough easier runs, like I did the year before.  I will try to do a little more analysis towards the end of the year.
I am going to try and do the last Salomon trail race of the year, 10/14.

With the birth of our son, my training has slowed, actually halted, a bit.  Not a bad thing.  I haven't taken time off in awhile.  As of this writing, Oct 6th, I have not worked out in over two weeks, maybe almost three weeks.  That is probably the longest I have gone without a workout in awhile.  I might try to go for a run soon.  See how that feels.  I think for the rest of the year, I am going to workout when I can, no real plan.  Probably the way it should be.

Below are the usual tables.  I am down a bit from previous years, to be expected. 

September Year-to-Year Comparison

 

Totals and Averages Since 2007

YTD Totals and Totals Since 2007

 

September 2014 Racing and Training Summary

No triathlons or duathlons in September, but the Salomon Autumn Trail Series did start, so there were two of those.  As always, those were painful.  New course, new starting point, from last year.  First two are 4.2 miles, second two are 5.5km (about 3.6 miles). 

The new course starts hilly, has a flat run through a prairie area for a short bit, and then finishes hilly at the end.  Maybe a little easier than last year's course.  Maybe.  Still hurts.  I contend it is more painful than Tuesday Night Time Trials.  Below are my results for the two nights in September.

9/3/2014 - 4.2 miles = 36:00 (8:37/mi)
9/17/2014 - 4.2 miles = 34:11 (8:11/mi)

I attribute my almost 2 minute improvement to running the first mile slower in the second race.  Same as last year.  I went out a little fast in the first one, and burned out in the end.  The second race I ran the first mile about 30 seconds slower.  Also, my friend Matt ran the second race with me and I think that was helpful.

On the Wednesday that there has not been a trail race, I have been doing a 40ish minute "hill" workout on the treadmill in an attempt to simulate the trail race.  Basically, I increase my incline every minute up to about 5% or 6% and then go back down to 1% or 0%, and I adjust my speed so that I am going fast, for me, but so I don't burn myself out.

I did a lot of running this month.  The last time I ran over 6 hours in a month was April of this year, and before that was July of 2013.  The last time I ran over 6 hours in a September was 2012.  My time on the bike has been slowly declining over the last few months, which is to be expected since time trials are done and racing is almost done.  Last race is Oct 4, Dousman Duathlon.  Swim is also down, but that is expected when the triathlon season is over.  I have started with weights again, and have put in over an hour in September.  Since I am starting up with weights, after taking about 6 months off, the amount I am lifting is low and I am doing reps of either 3x15 or 4x10 or 4x15, depending on how I feel.  Most strength work has been legs and abs, a little bit of arms.

Compared to previous years, this September has more hours than the last two years, and nearly as much as 2011.

I have already surpassed my total bike time from last year, I will surpass my total bike time from 2012.  I think might get to about the same amount of run time as last year.  I have said it before, and I will say it again, I think putting that extra bike time has helped me a lot, especially early in the year.

I have a trail run on Oct 1 and Oct 15, and Dousman duathlon on Oct 4th.  I will have to continue with some solid run workouts until after mid-Oct.  I will probably not swim that much, maybe average once a week or so through November\December.  Probably cut down on the bike time until December, and I will try to ramp up the weight lifting.

Year-to-Year September Comparison

Totals and Averages Since 2007

YTD Totals and Totals Since 2007

 

September 2013 Racing and Training Summary

In September I did one duathlon, Dousman Duathlon, and two Wednesday night Salomon Autumn Trail Series races (http://www.autumntrailseries.com/).  This year they changed the course and lengthened it.  Last year it was a single loop and 3.5 miles, now it is 4.2 miles with two loops.  It is a very hard run, very hard.  Tough hills.  Results for my first two are below. 
9/4 Trail Run - 4.2 miles = 37:00 (8:49/mi)
9/18 Trail Run - 4.2 miles =  36:25 (8:41/mi)
So, in two weeks I was able to drop 35 seconds.  In the first race, I ran the first mile in about 7:30ish, in the second race I ran the first mile in about 8:40ish.  Pacing is the key.
I started strength training in September, only got about an hour in before the end of the month.  I got a little more swimming in this September, when compared to last September.  My run and bike are down.  Last year I did not swim Masters in Oct-Dec.  I just swam on my own, mostly once a week.  This year I am going to swim Masters, but only once or twice a week.  Mostly once a week, until December and then pick it up in January.  I want to do a lot of strength work.  I have been saying that for a number of years, hopefully I can keep it up this year.  I would like to maintain bike and run throughout Oct-Dec.  I want to keep running up, and running hard through October while I am trail running.  In the winter, if I can keep 4+ hours of bike a month, and 4+ hours of run a month, with 4+ hours of swim, and at least a couple of hours of strength, that would be great.
As usual, September comparisons, YTD, and totals and averages since 2007.

Year-to-Year Comparison of Septembers

Totals and Averages Since 2007

YTD Totals and Totals Since 2007

 

October 2012 Racing and Training Summary

My plan is to do less swimming Oct-Dec, but I would like to keep up a decent amount of bike and run.  If not time, then intensity, also I want to add strength.  October has gone pretty much as planned.  I did as much strength work in October as I had done in the previous 9 months.  I mix up my strength when arms and legs, and whenever I do a strength workout I always do core work, because that is where I need it the most.  I have put in a little swimming, which seems like a lot more work since I have basically cut back to once a week for half an hour.  Sometimes that half an hour has seemed really tough.  My run and bike are good, with my run intensity kicked up a bit.  My plan is to take it a little easy this Oct-Dec, and then try to ramp Jan - May of next year better than I did this year.  See if I can do that.

I did something in October that I did not plan on doing, and I am happy I did it.  I did the last two runs, of four total, of the Salomon Autumn Trail Series (http://www.autumntrailseries.com/).  The races are at Hyland Park in Bloomington.  The race starts on the south end of the park, in the Quality Bike Parts parking lot.  The course is a great mix of flats and hills, grass, hard pack dirt, and pavement through the trees of the park.  I am definitely doing this next year, hopefully all four races.  I found out about it through a FB friend's facebook post.  Here are my times for the two 3.54 mile races.  I guess if I set a goal for next year, which I may or may not do, it would be to go under 8 minute miles.

10/3/2012 - 3.54 miles = 30:29 (8:37/mile)
10/17/2012 - 3.54 miles = 30:16 (8:33/mile)


Comparison of Year-to-Year October

Totals and Average since 2007

 





YTD Total and Total Since 2007