Weekend Workouts

The workouts this last weekend (2/28 - 3/1) weren't bad but a little confusing for me. Saturday was a brick workout and Sunday was another running test. For those who don't know, brick workouts are workouts involving two sports, with little or no rest between, stacked on top of each other like bricks. For example, this last Saturday was the most common type; a bike/run brick. Here was Saturdays workout:

Spin class with Team In Training
20 min run (10 min @ Z3 / 10 min @ Z4)

I felt really good coming off the bike but was really frustrated in the spin class. The computrainer classes have spoiled me and I now find it challenging to get comfortable on a spin bike and get a good workout in class. The computrainer classes are on my bike and are based on wattage not perceived effort. There's no faking wattage.

Sunday's workout was another run test. The original plan was to run in the Wacky 5K in River West (Chicago neighborhood just South of me) but between the wind, snow, and 20 degree temperature I decided to tough out another test on a treadmill. I admit to being a chicken with cold weather. The workout was tough but I have a problem with pacing on the treadmill and am not sure about the results of the test. According to my coaches: Don't sweat it...keep the same vDOT as before and keep training...test again when outside!

Date	Weight	Distance	Time	Pace	LTHR	vDot
03/01/09	180	3.1 miles	25:13	8:08	154	38
02/01/09	180	3.2 miles	25:19	7:55	159	39

Warmer weather can't come soon enough!

First Endurance Nation Workout

After some emailing back and forth with the coaches from Endurance Nation (EN) I received my "Out Season" plan.  Out season is just marketing for their off season training schedule.  It's to early to start really working on the endurance base but not to early to start getting fast!  Anyway, I missed the first week of the plan but decide to do the 5K run test yesterday to determine my run pacing, lactate threshold heart rate , and VDot number.

Maybe it was because I was on a treadmill, maybe it was the 5 minute warm up instead of the 15 minute warm up the plan calls for, maybe it was the lack of running for the last 8 - 10 weeks, or maybe it was the hangover.  No matter what the cause; I'm a lot slower than I remember.  Here are the results:

Date	Weight	Distance	Time	Pace	LTHR	vDot
02/01/09	180	3.2 miles	25:19	7:55	159	39

The good news is that I test again next month and will try to use a local 5K race instead of a treadmill.  Seriously, I feel like a hamster on those things!