BASELINE TESTING WEEK
16 week strength block; you've been great, but it’s time to stop looking in the mirror and start pounding the pavement. That said, my butt does look good ; )
A massive week of baseline testing and some very encouraging results. It’s speaks volumes for proper rest and the importance of strength training for Ironman. Lesson learnt!
Triathletes are becoming more and more consumed ‘by the numbers’ so I thought I’d share a few with you over my preparation for IM Cairns 70.3 on June 14th.
Baseline is exactly that, and I will disclose my numbers from w/c August 18th 2014 (Pre 70.3 World Champs). Numbers can mean squat, unless you have something to compare to.
Everyone has (or should have!) their own tests and here are mine to get a gauge on my progress. I then can set my goals and 4 week blocks to chip away, taper and race.
SWIM - 2 x 200M (1 min rest) & 1500M (25M pool swim)
BIKE – FTP Test (20 min version) & 60 Min Luke Harrop crit track effort
RUN – 10KM Time Trial
W/C 18th August 2014 (Weight 69kgs / 152 lbs):
SWIM – 2 x 200M at 1:29 & 1:31 / 1500M at 20:54
BIKE – FTP 304 Watts / 38.67km
RUN – 36:12
W/C 23rd February 2015 (Weight 71.5kgs / 158 lbs)
SWIM – 2 x 200M at 1:33 & 1:34 / 1500M at 21.29
BIKE – FTP 290 Watts / 36.98km
RUN – 38:18
WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN?? (Broadly Speaking)
Swim Summary
I’m down 3% at my baseline.
Bike Summary
I’m down 5% at my baseline.
Run Summary
I’m down 6% at my baseline
I could go into power/weight ratios, but I’m 1500 grams from my ‘race weight’. Who cares.
Whilst these results are very encouraging, I’m not aiming to just get back to where I was last year, I need to go past that point and constantly improve. There are 15 weeks until Cairns; I break my training into 4 week blocks (inc rest weeks). Essentially that’s 3 blocks, with taper.
I haven’t felt this good both physically and mentally in over 12 months; I learnt much post IM Melbourne and didn’t take the rest I needed for Kona. My body simply broke down in the final month.
I’d be staggered if I can’t make the gains I expect from myself over the next 15 weeks.
I have 2 programmed test weeks structured in my program and will share these with you. These then set the parameters for following blocks. If I used these baseline numbers for the next 15 weeks I’d certainly improve. But that’s a lazy and weak approach.
The foundation is set and the body and mind are healthy.
A massive week of baseline testing and some very encouraging results. It’s speaks volumes for proper rest and the importance of strength training for Ironman. Lesson learnt!
Triathletes are becoming more and more consumed ‘by the numbers’ so I thought I’d share a few with you over my preparation for IM Cairns 70.3 on June 14th.
Baseline is exactly that, and I will disclose my numbers from w/c August 18th 2014 (Pre 70.3 World Champs). Numbers can mean squat, unless you have something to compare to.
Everyone has (or should have!) their own tests and here are mine to get a gauge on my progress. I then can set my goals and 4 week blocks to chip away, taper and race.
SWIM - 2 x 200M (1 min rest) & 1500M (25M pool swim)
BIKE – FTP Test (20 min version) & 60 Min Luke Harrop crit track effort
RUN – 10KM Time Trial
W/C 18th August 2014 (Weight 69kgs / 152 lbs):
SWIM – 2 x 200M at 1:29 & 1:31 / 1500M at 20:54
BIKE – FTP 304 Watts / 38.67km
RUN – 36:12
W/C 23rd February 2015 (Weight 71.5kgs / 158 lbs)
SWIM – 2 x 200M at 1:33 & 1:34 / 1500M at 21.29
BIKE – FTP 290 Watts / 36.98km
RUN – 38:18
WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN?? (Broadly Speaking)
Swim Summary
I’m down 3% at my baseline.
Bike Summary
I’m down 5% at my baseline.
Run Summary
I’m down 6% at my baseline
I could go into power/weight ratios, but I’m 1500 grams from my ‘race weight’. Who cares.
Whilst these results are very encouraging, I’m not aiming to just get back to where I was last year, I need to go past that point and constantly improve. There are 15 weeks until Cairns; I break my training into 4 week blocks (inc rest weeks). Essentially that’s 3 blocks, with taper.
I haven’t felt this good both physically and mentally in over 12 months; I learnt much post IM Melbourne and didn’t take the rest I needed for Kona. My body simply broke down in the final month.
I’d be staggered if I can’t make the gains I expect from myself over the next 15 weeks.
I have 2 programmed test weeks structured in my program and will share these with you. These then set the parameters for following blocks. If I used these baseline numbers for the next 15 weeks I’d certainly improve. But that’s a lazy and weak approach.
The foundation is set and the body and mind are healthy.
