Training Processes

I haven’t run consistently ( or really at all) since 2018. That’s nearly 4 years off running! I’ve been bike racing and riding a lot! In the past two years I went on one or two hikes. This gives you an idea where my body is at the starting point of this process.

I rode consistently between 15-20hours per week with fluctuating intensity and racing. No running, no strength training, no swimming. I had some good success over the two years racing well in bike races on the road and gravel.

After my MCC camp at the end of February I took 10 weeks off the bike except one ride a week where I taught my Velocity class. I spent this period of time getting strong again in the gym and building back in the run from ground zero. Unfortunately I’m one of those body types that when I focus on lifting I gain a lot of size. I get strong! I went from 0 to a 135lbs bench, 170lbs squat and a 245lbs deadlift. I also went from 130lbs up to 142lbs in body weight. This happened in a short 10 weeks time.

First 6 weeks back to running I did between 2-3miles 2-3 x / week and one 30min step mill session. At week 6 I started increasing one run to 4-5miles and then 6 miles, and in the now I’m up to 8. Each of these runs I do with no pace expectation, no watch, no intervals. I just hit record on my phone with Strava and log it after. Run completely by how my body feels that day. After 8 weeks I introduced swimming back in. At 10 weeks I introduced cycling back in more and have backed off strength. The run has progressed to 4 times per week. Still same approach, but now 3-5 miles each time and one where I’m building the long run in duration.

For the last 3 weeks the schedule is finally the shape of a triathlete again. My bike is taking time to build back uphill effort as my body weight size strips back down ( I can push the same watts I just go slower because I’m heavier and it’s more painful), swim is coming along and I primaraly focus on technique with aerobic swims or short speed with fast short reps. After 12 weeks I just did a 5 mile run at 7: 17 ave pace. I started those 2 mile jogs back 12 weeks ago at 12:00pace with walk breaks, then progressed to most averaging around 9:30-8:00 pace. Most days 9:00 was where I’d hoover.

On the bike when riding on flat road I’m able to ride close to the same effort as before but anything over 4hours or extended hard effort will take a few months to build back.

The last three weeks this is what things have looked like, 3-4 swims of 30-45min ( 2k averages and up to 3k). Bike 3-4 times per week of 2-3 hours either solo if I need to go easy or just ride with my fast friends, they kill me enough, and the one class I teach a week. Run 3-4 times per week with the details I’ve described above. Strength 1 time per week of deadlift, good morning, glute hamstring raises, and a quick upper body routine.

Lots of fun stuff. I hope you can take away maybe one fun thing from my jibber jabber notes here and have some fun building, evolving and playing with your own training.

Happy Training!

Marilyn