singapore biathlon 2010, 13 march 7am ECP – training for it?

another year, another race, another challenge.

there are many reasons you could be racing this time.
you could have signed up for it and it is just another race.

or you can do it with friends and maybe with a program.

And

maybe to raise funds for a charity of your choice or maybe mine.

i have written a 11 weeks program for this race.
it is a 2 swim, 2 run and 2 bike (for those training for triathlon and needed the bike foundation for coming Olympic distance race)
it is approximately 10-12 hours of training per week.

the tentative plan is to train together for
tues track session at Bukit Timah or CCAB track 6pm.
thurs swim session Mt Faber SAFRA (tentatively till i can find a more suitable location where most people can get to)
sat is reserved for swim/run or long bike session.

i hope you will not do it alone for just another race

6 weeks and CNY this week!

last week was an interesting week for training for me.
managed to run 3 sessions but with one that that i literally sightsee/run with 2 friends.
it is very different experience from trying to just catch my breathe and keep up with my training partners.

and i had my first long ride for a long time.
times like this, i truly appreciate the $180 italian saddle that i bought.

weather has gotten a lot warmer in early feb in this part of the world. global warming!
save the earth; run and bike instead of drive!
sorry wrong post!

this is CNY week that cross over the weekend to next week. if you are like me with little family commitment, it maybe time to clock in those long training sessions.
please let me know if you are looking for training partners!

swim 1 – intervals
2000m;
4×25m RI 20s
4×50m RI 30s
4×200m RI 15s

swim 2 – tempo
2400;
3×400m RI 30s

run 1 – intervals
6 x 800 w/1:30 RI

run 2 – long run
12.5 km. @ LT pace 21km;

bike 1 – intervals
25km;
2×200m RI 20s
2×400m RI 30s
2×800m RI 40s
1×10min big gear on aero bars

bike 2 – long
40k;
20km @ 85+ rpm
1x 20min big gear

7 weeks, counting down to CNY and RACE!

it was a low week for training for me as i spent time in the land of tom yam and power iced tea…
lots of grilled meat and with the CNY looming ahead…
it would be a good idea to workout more … go into the festive season with negative calories!

this week’s workout is rather similar to the last week’s due to increase in mileage. we are just getting into it!
swim 1 – intervals
2400;
8×25m RI 20s
10×75m RI 25m
4×200m RI 15s

swim 2 – long swim
2800;
3×300m RI 30s 1×1000m with sighting every 25m

run 1 – intervals
10 x 400 w/1:30 RI

run 2 – long
16km @ LT pace

bike 1 – intervals
40k;
4×30s hills RI downhill
4×5min hills RI downhill

bike 2 – long
60k;
4×8km RI 2min
30km @ 85+ rpm

8 weeks more! have you checked out the race route?

it was a bad week for training with an emotionally draining week and uncooperative weather.
only managed to get 2 runs, 1 swim and 1 bike in… and another gym session.
we have to asked, how can be make the most out of all these ’short’ sessions?
i have a friend, who trained very little for ironman with only 1 swim, 2 bike (including 1 spinning sessions in fitness club) and 2 runs weekly. he added an awesome training trip to fraser hill in malaysia.
and he managed to do under 12 hours for japan ironman.

he used a heart rate monitor, with power monitoring, systematic planning for each training session, and highly intense and purposeful sessions to achieve these goals.

how are your training sessions structured?
given that you have little time, are they inefficient?
are you getting enough recovery from these sessions, sleeping enough?

we will be increasing our mileage this week especially for the swim sessions.
please note that there will be no swim at Mt Faber Safra as i will be away for a short break from thursday to sunday.

swim 1 – intervals
2400;
8×25m RI 20s
8×50m RI 30s
2×100m RI 45s
4×200m RI 15s

swim 2 – long
2800;
3×300m RI 30s 1×1000m with sighting every 25m

run 1 – intervals
1600, 1200, 800, 400 w/400 RI
this is a longer run session.
make sure that you are running at targeted time.

Swim /run
2x (800m swim/5km run) 5min RI

bike 1 – intervals
40k;
4×200m RI 20s
4×400m RI 30s
4×800m RI 40s
1×30min big gear on aero bars

bike 2 – long
60k;
4×8km RI 2min
30km @ 85+ rpm

8 weeks more, time to plan for open water session!

last week once again was not too good a week…
seems to be a regular refrain…
hoping to break the pattern this week!

i am really feeling from not swimming for a while. the 2200m swim seems to be giving me pain on my left side. so for some of us who is getting back to training, it will be something we need to watch for; to push through fatigue with bad form or at this stage, reduce mileage or increase recovery to maintain form.
that we need to ask what is the purpose of this training? for strength gains or regaining form? from our objective we should adjust our training sets.

last tuesday, there was record number of people who shown up for session!
all come at different time but we managed to finished the set!

swim 1 – intervals (the beginning of longer session) 630pm SAFRA Mt Faber pool
2400;
8×25m RI 20s
8×50m RI 30s
2×100m RI 45s
4×200m RI 15s
remember to do the drills!

swim 2 – long (still planning where to swim but likely to be in CCAB pool after 6pm on fri)
2800;
1×1200m with sighting every 25m
4×200m RI 15s

run 1 – intervals (CCAB or NUS law faculty or bukit timah track 6pm)
4 x 1000 w/400 RI

run 2 – long
16 km. @ LT pace

bike 1 – intervals
40k;
4×200m RI 20s
4×400m RI 30s
4×800m RI 40s
1×30min big gear on aero bars

bike 2 – long
60k;
3×8km RI 2min
30km @ 85+ rpm

the bike sessions would be tough so press on!
and we should start planning for sentosa open water session next week…
please let me know if you are keen to come.

9 weeks from singapore biathlon and early bird discount almost up!

after 2 weeks on this training program, how are u doing?
i have been on and off the wagon for training due to work and my does not seems to go away nasal inflammation.

are you able to do at least 4 sessions per week out of 6?
if you can, you are on your way to a better performance just because you are approaching it more systematically with greater focus.

this is restoration week where we recap on the past 2 weeks of training and arrangement of schedules. if you find yourself looking for little pockets of time to sneak in a training or two, you are not alone!

location for training

run intervals would be run in CCAB or Bukit timah running track 630pm.
swim intervals for this week would be in Safra Mt Faber 630pm. please note that if you are not SAFRA member, you need to pay $3.20 by CASHCARD!

swim 1 – intervals
1200m;
10 x 25m RI 30s
4×50m RI 30s

swim 2 – endurance
1500;
1×500m race pace

run 1 – intervals
200 (200 RI), 400 (400RI), 600 (400 RI),
800 (400 RI), 800 (400 RI), 600 (400 RI),
400 (400 RI), 200

run 2 – long
15 km. @ LT pace

if you are only doing singapore biathlon, these 2 workouts are for u!
run 3 – tempo
7km flats;
15,10, 5min hard RI 5min jog

swim 3 – tempo
2200m;
2×500m RI 1min

optional for those who wants to keep up their triathlon training

bike 1 – tempo/intervals
20k;
2×10min big gear
5×2min fast pedal 100 rpm

bike 2 – long
40k;
1×25min big gear or continuous hill work

10 weeks more to Sing Bi 2010

how was last week’s training?
must be tough with all the partying and feasting to have time out to train…
and the weather was not too predictable for training.

i will be away for camp so can only conduct the tuesday run intervals at Bukit Timah and saturday morning bike ride.

most of the workouts are still the same and the only difference in the endurance cum TT session that will set the benchmarks of the workouts we should be doing for the rest of the season leading to the race.

swim 1 – intervals
total distance 2200m;
16×25m RI 20s
8×50m RI 30s

swim 2 – endurance
total distance 2800m;
3×300m RI 30secs
the average for 100m should be the threshold level you should be training at for 1500m swim.

run 1 – intervals (tues bukit timah CCAB 6pm)
2 x 1600 and 1 x 800 w/400 RI

run 2 – long
12.5 km. @ LT pace or 1/2 marathon pace

bike 1 – intervals
total 40km;
3×10min big gear 60 rpm

bike 2 – long (sat 7am ECP SAF yacht club)
total 60km;
3×10min big gear

after this week, we should start a more systematic core strength training.

first week of the 11 weeks program; base training 1

this might be a real tough week for all of you.
i said that for myself in particular since i have not worked out much since the marathon and it has been 3 weeks already!

this is base training week for swim and bike but not for the run.
we will be starting out with some intervals.
there will be core training following the main running sets.
there are drills for the swim sessions but the target is cover the distance.
sequence
warm up + drills + main sets + warm down = total distance

hope to see all of you.

and this week is also the new year week so we might not get all our workouts in due to festive season.
but do try to do the number of sessions even though you might not be able to complete all the sets.
at least get your body back to the rthymn of training.

swim 1 – intervals (thurs Mt Faber Safra 7pm)
total distance 2200m;
16×25m RI 20s
8×50m RI 30s

swim 2 – endurance
total distance 2800m;
2×500 RI 1min

run 1 – intervals (tues bukit timah CCAB 6pm)
5 x 800 w/400 RI

run 2 – long
11 km. @ LT pace or 1/2 marathon pace

bike 1 – intervals
total 40km;
3×10min big gear 60 rpm

bike 2 – long (sat 7am ECP SAF yacht club)
total 60km;
3×10min big gear

how was singapore standard chartered marathon 2009 for u?

after the race… after all the training and finally the race.
how did you do?
maybe you achieve your PB (personal best), maybe you just completed your first marathon or maybe it was just another race for you.

maybe something happened on race day and you did not achieve your target.

you could be ecstatic or disappointed.
and somewhat angry with somethings that happened at the race.

no matter how you fared, i hope you enjoy the journey, the training to get you there.
and the result of the race would be icing on the cake, the sign of the things to come or a painful lesson of things not to do.

but whatever it is.

i pray that you have rested from that exertion and ready to tackle another challenge.
whether it is another race or even a personal goal like driving, the experience of working towards this race will give you confidence that you have what it takes to do it again even in another context.

this is the week!

less than 7 days to race day.

u should be all excited, resting, dreaming about the race by now.

last week, i managed to do only 2 runs and some light swim.
not the best but it was ok.

how about you?
how’s ur tapering coming along?
train enough to not experience the de-training, and yet at the same time allow your body to heal from all the training.
everyone is different so note down how your body is responding to this taper and adjust it accordingly.

don’t just get enough sleep only on saturday night but try to get enough sleep the whole week.
address all the niggling aches, pain and strain. get a massage but make sure at least 2 days before race.
write a race plan, what to eat and drink before and during race.
what heart rate or effort zone you want to be at different point of race.
and last of all visualise, the process…
remember to smile and enjoy even the process of visualising the race!

for the marathoners and 1/2 marathoners
run 1 – intervals
6×400m, 400m RI

run 2 – tempo
5km marathon pace, 1/2 marathon pace

run 3 – RACE!!!