My reading in Time Saving Training for Multisport Athletes and Swim Speed Secrets inspired me to create a plan for a six week training plan to
- improve my swimming,
- keep my running solid, and
- just maintain some biking.
I am just finishing week 4 of this plan. I am a little tired some days, but making progress, some of it unexpected!
Swimming was to be my emphasis, since I agreed with the concept that it is exhausting and time intensive to make much progress in more than one area at a time. Key factors in how I set up my swimming routine:
- In Swim Speed Secrets for Swimmers and Triathletes
, she recommends committing to at least 3 times a week of swimming for 6 weeks if you want to see improvement.
- I knew 3 days was really the maximum I could get to the pool (maybe more once my own backyard pool is operating…). I chose Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
- I know that even with swimming, my aging body benefits from recovery time between specific types of workouts, but especially with increased effort.
Running goals were based on a combination of my husband’s coaching and the book Run Less, Run Faster, as well as all of the encouragement from my new friends over at The Barefoot Runner’s Society.
- one very comfortably paced, long run per week, usually on Tuesday
- one not-too-intense-of-a-tempo run per week, probably on Thursday
- one mostly goof-off, short, speed run per week on Saturday
- which day for which run could rotate depending on schedule, and overall feeling of what I wanted to do, like run with the family or dance on the weekend.
Biking would probably mostly be on the spinning bike. The bicycle is my weak link, for various reasons. I will need a time to concentrate on it later.
- For now, I just wanted to keep myself used to sitting in the saddle and retain some of my cycling power, such as it is.
- Plus, I knew it would benefit my running.
- I tentatively scheduled it for Mondays and Wednesdays after swimming.
This meant the overall schedule would be most taxing Monday through Wednesday, with a bit of a taper through to Saturday.
- Monday and Wednesday would be nearly two hours of exercise, but only those two days.
- Tuesday’s long run would be working up to just over an hour.
- Thursday could possibly be more aerobically intense than other days.
- Friday and Saturday would be easier, so I wouldn’t be completely conked out for the weekend.
I have managed to keep this schedule for 4 weeks, with a few minor variations.
- I biked to town on errands one Friday after swimming. Great fun. More on that later.
- I rode the spinning bike this Thursday after my tempo run.
- I skipped one speed run the second week because I would be dancing 3 hours that night.
- One of my first long runs turned into a series of Fartleks because I’m a nut.
The results of have been worth it.
- My catch/pull in swimming seems to be getting stronger, although I haven’t timed myself a lot. She said not to worry about speed at first.
- My running, about 99% barefoot, has improved unexpectedly and is getting more fun. How, you might ask? All of this relaxing seems to have benefited my form, which seems to lead to less work (or at least perception of work). Yesterday, I accidentally ran two fast miles in a row: 8 minute pace followed by a 7:55 pace. Then, I was able to continue for another two miles at an 8:30 pace. My previous training session “record” for sustained speed was an 8:20 pace for a couple of miles. That’s quite a chunk of improvement.
- I am still able to ride 60 minutes on the spinning bike without feeling overworked.
I am liking the 6 week plan and looking forward to the next 2 weeks! I think I will give myself an easy couple of weeks after this, then come up with a new plan that will concentrate on biking, and just maintain the other two areas. Of course, this time of year, my riding outside may be limited by weather, but there is a lot of potential to build my pedal power on the spinning bike. Since I’ll push my biking up to three days a week, maybe I’ll get to ride with the Nampa Cycling Group some, if they haven’t succumbed to winter. However it works out, I’ll be having extraordinary fun with my plans!