Another week, more miles

Another week, more miles

Another week down, more miles logged. Ok, not a tonne of miles were logged this week. I lost a run due to work and a nasty weather system that basically should have shut down the city. I wouldn't have even bothered to go out given I can work from home but fortunately my Professor decided that the weather only meant we needed to add time to our commute so we would be on time for our final exam. Exams and nasty weather are an awesome combination!

Aside from that though, the bike was good to me this week, three solid workouts including my first "race" on a course named Cyclefest Bear Mountain on CycleOps Virtual Training platform. The course was 14.12 miles and was basically a long climb up 1000 ft or so. It's actually pretty cool that you can race folks online, there were some lag moments though ie the icons indicating where people were and how far ahead of you were a bit jumpy. At one point I thought i was closing in someone struggling on the final big climb during a short steep inclined section and as I passed them on the screen, they suddenly jumped 1 mile and a half out in front of me. I had set a target on their back so closing in on them and then seeing them shoot ahead was discouraging in a sense. I buckled down and gave chase again but given they were on the far side of the hill and I was still slogging uphill at that point with two miles to go it was just a moving target at that point.

For a first bike race, it was fun. There were ten folks signed up but only 3 actually showed, something I have noticed with the online race option on Virtual Training, and the three of us shot off the starting line. I hung with them for about 2.5 miles, basically until the hills started and then just tried to keep the leader within a mile. By the end, I was ten minutes back of him though. But still, I had fun and it was good exposure.

The coming week brings more of the same, a long run tomorrow (just a 10k) and then a couple of five milers Wednesday and Friday. Thinking about trying out Trainer Road this week for my bike workouts but will be looking at two 40 minute ish rides and then a 25-30 miler on Saturday. Also, given I'm back at work all week this week, having to use up all of my leave every year and not carrying any forward means spring has alot of short weeks, I'll have some light strength building exercises post runs and at least one swim workout.

Dreading the swim workouts, it is by far my least favourite portion of the sport but I'm thinking thats only because its new and I don't swim much, ahem ,at all. I can swim just not far, nor can I swim regularly with my face in the water, yup, I'm a nose plugs hold your nose kind of swimmer. No idea, how I'm going to rectify that or if I'll try. Back in basic I could swim faster than the other guys in the pool even with my head above water so we'll see what happens I guess.

Below's some basic data from the week. (Of note, I changed the Power Zones in accordance with Training Peaks suggestions. The first Summary box immediately below is from last week and the second is this past week's. )

Thoughts and comments are always welcome!