http://kevinmorice2019.blogspot.co.uk
Tuesday 1 January 2019
End of Year Review - 2018
So the most obvious place to start is with the targets I set for the year way back in January. Except I threw them out with the broken ankle rehab, and then didn't revise them properly when I went for my second surgery. The plan I did write in March can be found here.
Against those targets:
Targets by numbers
Represent GBR age-group at an international event. - World Aquathon at Fyn, Euro Aquathon in Ibiza.
Take part in a GBR age-group qualifying race for a 2019 European or World Champs. -
Swim 125.6 miles. - 114.4 miles
Swim under 6:15 minutes for 400m. - Gordonstoun 6:43.
Ride 1,622 miles. - 1,541.4 miles
Run 628.6 miles. - 513.1 miles
80 Yoga sessions - 20 sessions.
Qualify for the GBR Age-group team for the 2019 European or World Championships. - Pontevedra 2019
Medal at the Scottish Aquathlon Champs. - 5th.
Swim 138.2 miles.
Swim under 6:00 minutes for 400m.
Ride 1,784.2 miles.
Ride a 10-mile TT in under 26:00. - 30:25 for my only attempt
Run 702.5 miles.
'Run my age' for 10k. - Didn't race a 10k.
Swim 125.6 miles. - 114.4 miles
Ride 1,622 miles. - 1,541.4 miles
Run 628.6 miles. - 513.1 miles
Ride 1,784.2 miles.
'Run my age' for 10k. - Didn't race a 10k.
Run a 5k in under 19:10 or 10k in under 41 mins. - Didn't race a 5k or 10k.
And so to the great long text bit where I try to make sense of all of that:
Swimming
2018 was still my second longest swim year ever. I felt towards the end of 2017 that I was doing too many long slow sessions chasing miles instead of quality, so I had set my targets for 2018 at nearly 10% lower. I had even put in some allowance for rehab from my first surgery and adjusted through race season to make an allowance for tapering in to races.
Once I got back in the pool I managed to get back up to speed fairly quickly. Through Feb-Jun I was actually way above my targets and was closing in on my peak 2017 numbers, and it was working for me as well, as I was putting in plenty of quick times. Some of this might have been due to me spending little or no time on running or biking though.
I was still ahead of my plan right through into mid November, despite taking a very lazy 3 weeks off after Ibiza. I then didn't make any adjustment to the plan for the time I lost post-surgery. I should have put another 21 miles in from then to the end of the year, but instead I only managed another 10 and most of those at no pace at all.
None of the four races I did were reasonably comparable, either to each other, or to my targets, or even to previous years. Fyn (jellyfish) and Ibiza (choppy) were both open water wetsuit sea swims in very different conditions, Gordonstoun was a 400m in a short (~20m) pool, Stonehaven was a 400m in a long (~50m) seawater pool.
Swimming
2018 was still my second longest swim year ever. I felt towards the end of 2017 that I was doing too many long slow sessions chasing miles instead of quality, so I had set my targets for 2018 at nearly 10% lower. I had even put in some allowance for rehab from my first surgery and adjusted through race season to make an allowance for tapering in to races.
Once I got back in the pool I managed to get back up to speed fairly quickly. Through Feb-Jun I was actually way above my targets and was closing in on my peak 2017 numbers, and it was working for me as well, as I was putting in plenty of quick times. Some of this might have been due to me spending little or no time on running or biking though.
I was still ahead of my plan right through into mid November, despite taking a very lazy 3 weeks off after Ibiza. I then didn't make any adjustment to the plan for the time I lost post-surgery. I should have put another 21 miles in from then to the end of the year, but instead I only managed another 10 and most of those at no pace at all.
None of the four races I did were reasonably comparable, either to each other, or to my targets, or even to previous years. Fyn (jellyfish) and Ibiza (choppy) were both open water wetsuit sea swims in very different conditions, Gordonstoun was a 400m in a short (~20m) pool, Stonehaven was a 400m in a long (~50m) seawater pool.
Overall I am happy enough with my swimming numbers through the year.
Biking
The bike is more difficult to measure this year. Almost all of my cycling has been done as commutes to work. I lost nearly a quarter of the year to my two surgeries and ended with a number about 25% down on the last 6 years so there is no real surprise there.
I did a couple of bad time trials too early in my rehab, a third on my road bike after damaging the frame on my TT bike, and a triathlon on my mountain bike. Not exactly much to write about.
Running
So this is another weird section to write. It was always going to be difficult to get through recovery and rehab and get back to anything regarding a normal running year. But I want to claim a lot of credit here for getting to over 500 miles in the year.
I was in bed through January, aqua-jogging through Feb, onto the underwater treadmill in March, jogging a bit through April, finally did a real 5-mile 'run' in May, managed a full commute distance in June and then raced the World Champs in July. Then an almost normal August and September before tapering into the European Champs in October, a second surgery in November and half a month of rehab aqua-jogging and jogging in December.
In the 6-weeks after my second surgery I missed out on 108 miles of planned running. And since I hadn't put any allowance in my plan for a second surgery, it is no surprise that I come in just over 100 miles short of my plan for the year.
Triathlon
Most of the triathlon targets I set were around getting in to GB teams. I was at the World and European Aquathlon Championships this year. I also managed to qualify again for the 2019 World Champs in Pontevedra, Spain. Considering I only did 4 Aquathlon races, 3 cycling time trials (one of those on my road bike), 1 off-road triathlon, no swim races and no running races, I can't really complain about the results I took away.
I went to the Scottish Aquathlon Champs at Loch Lomond and came away with a fifth place. Third place went on to win the European Duathlon Championships, Second place was the defending (four time) champion and as I still struggled with my ankle I was 4 minutes down on run and 2 minutes down on swim times from the previous year. I intend to aim again for the podium next year.
I went to the World Aquathlon Champs and came 23rd.
I went to the European Aquathlon Champs and came 20th.
Others
I started my rehab again with lots of yoga. Every week from March through June. Then I got ridiculously lazy again.
With the weights and core sessions I was better in Q1 and Q2 than in previous years but from there I basically just stopped, again. I am terrible at this every year and not learning despite watching my performance levels drop off as soon as I start to let them slip.
----------------------
Other, Others
I was rubbish at quarterly reviews. Having dropped my monthly reviews last year I could just dump these as well but I should have some sort of periodic check so they stay for next year.
For 2019 I am going to write a plan from scratch for the first time in a while. Normally I adapt the previous year but last year was such a mess that it isn't worth copying, and from my current state to a World Championship in May is not just going to be a case of doing miles of commuting. I have to be smarter every single week.
Training Review - Week 52 - Dec 24 to 31
As always (barring a broken ankle) I am going to use my Christmas holiday for a massive training binge. Trying to build my fitness levels before going in to 2019. So it is pretty much run every day, swim every day when the pool is open, and maybe even get out on the mountain bike as well as a bonus if I can.
Targets - Swim 3.0 miles, Bike 42.0 miles, Run 18.0 miles.
Stretching session x1, Core session x1, Weights session x1.
Physio sessions x1. Yoga session x1
Monday - Jog with Dexter 3.1 miles in 36 mins.
Swim at bucksburn 1,000m in 26 mins.
Tuesday - Xmas day run with Dexter 3.8 miles in 52 mins.
Wednesday - Jog with Dexter 4.6 miles in 55 mins.
Thursday - Mountain bike at Kirkhill 4 miles in 34 mins.
Jog at bucksburn 0.7 miles in 10 mins.
Swim at bucksburn 800m in 16 mins.
Friday - Jog with Dexter 2.9 miles in 40 mins.
Swim at bucksburn 1,000m in 24 mins.
Saturday - Rollering session.
Jog without Dexter 3.1 miles in 29 mins.
Sunday - Swim at bucksburn 1,500m in 32 mins.
Jog with Dexter 3.2 miles in 42 mins.
Monday - Jog with Dexter 2.8 miles in 35 mins.
Actuals - Swim 2.7 miles (3,300m). Bike 4.0 miles. Run 24.2 miles.
0 short core, 0 short light weights and 1 stretching / rollering session. 0 mins of yoga.
Physio exercises x 0.
Cumulative actual, (Cumulative target), [Cumulative Stretch target]
S 114.3, (125.6), [138.2],
B 1,541.4, (1,622.0), [1,784.2],
R 507.1*, (621.6), [683.8].
Core - 39, (52)
Weights - 34, (52)
Yoga - 20, (32)
*Includes aqua-jogging and estimate treadmill values.
Targets - Swim 3.0 miles, Bike 42.0 miles, Run 18.0 miles.
Stretching session x1, Core session x1, Weights session x1.
Physio sessions x1. Yoga session x1
Monday - Jog with Dexter 3.1 miles in 36 mins.
Swim at bucksburn 1,000m in 26 mins.
Tuesday - Xmas day run with Dexter 3.8 miles in 52 mins.
Wednesday - Jog with Dexter 4.6 miles in 55 mins.
Thursday - Mountain bike at Kirkhill 4 miles in 34 mins.
Jog at bucksburn 0.7 miles in 10 mins.
Swim at bucksburn 800m in 16 mins.
Friday - Jog with Dexter 2.9 miles in 40 mins.
Swim at bucksburn 1,000m in 24 mins.
Saturday - Rollering session.
Jog without Dexter 3.1 miles in 29 mins.
Sunday - Swim at bucksburn 1,500m in 32 mins.
Jog with Dexter 3.2 miles in 42 mins.
Monday - Jog with Dexter 2.8 miles in 35 mins.
Actuals - Swim 2.7 miles (3,300m). Bike 4.0 miles. Run 24.2 miles.
0 short core, 0 short light weights and 1 stretching / rollering session. 0 mins of yoga.
Physio exercises x 0.
Cumulative actual, (Cumulative target), [Cumulative Stretch target]
S 114.3, (125.6), [138.2],
B 1,541.4, (1,622.0), [1,784.2],
R 507.1*, (621.6), [683.8].
Core - 39, (52)
Weights - 34, (52)
Yoga - 20, (32)
*Includes aqua-jogging and estimate treadmill values.
Monday 24 December 2018
Training Plan - Week 52 - Dec 24 to 31
Nothing serious on the plan for this week as I try and restart some sort of schedule over the holidays.
I have Dexter for the week so hopefully I will at least get over 500 running miles for the year.
I have Dexter for the week so hopefully I will at least get over 500 running miles for the year.
Training Review - Week 51 - Dec 17 to 23
Monday I was still dying of the cold. I went in to the office to grab my laptop but only for long enough to take it home so I could wrap myself back up in my duvet and load up on painkillers while I coughed my lungs up.
Tuesday I managed to spend the whole morning at work before going to the doctor in the afternoon. She thinks that I just had a cold / viral sinusitis but gave me a delayed prescription for antibiotics anyway. When I asked what the chances were of being clear, or at least non-contagious, before seeing my dad at Xmas she said to start taking them immediately as a precaution that it might actually be bacterial.
The rest of the week was much the same as I coughed and spluttered my way through work.
Dexter came to visit at the weekend and that at least got me out for a jog on both days at the weekend.
Targets - Swim 3.0 miles, Bike 42.0 miles, Run 18.0 miles.
Stretching session x1, Core session x1, Weights session x1.
Physio sessions x1. Yoga session x1
Monday - Cold
Tuesday - Work and cold
Wednesday - Work and cold
Thursday - Work and cold
Friday - Work and cold
Saturday - Jog with Dexter 2.8 miles in 31 mins.
Sunday - Jog with Dexter 3.6 miles in 46 mins.
Actuals - Swim 0.0 miles (0m). Bike 0.0 miles. Run 6.4 miles.
0 short core, 0 short light weights and 0 stretching / rollering session. 0 mins of yoga.
Physio exercises x 0.
Cumulative actual, (Cumulative target), [Cumulative Stretch target]
S 111.4, (121.6), [133.8],
B 1,537.4, (1,566.0), [1,722.6],
R 488.9*, (603.6), [664.0].
Core - 39, (52)
Weights - 34, (52)
Yoga - 20, (32)
*Includes aqua-jogging and estimate treadmill values.
Tuesday I managed to spend the whole morning at work before going to the doctor in the afternoon. She thinks that I just had a cold / viral sinusitis but gave me a delayed prescription for antibiotics anyway. When I asked what the chances were of being clear, or at least non-contagious, before seeing my dad at Xmas she said to start taking them immediately as a precaution that it might actually be bacterial.
The rest of the week was much the same as I coughed and spluttered my way through work.
Dexter came to visit at the weekend and that at least got me out for a jog on both days at the weekend.
Targets - Swim 3.0 miles, Bike 42.0 miles, Run 18.0 miles.
Stretching session x1, Core session x1, Weights session x1.
Physio sessions x1. Yoga session x1
Monday - Cold
Tuesday - Work and cold
Wednesday - Work and cold
Thursday - Work and cold
Friday - Work and cold
Saturday - Jog with Dexter 2.8 miles in 31 mins.
Sunday - Jog with Dexter 3.6 miles in 46 mins.
Actuals - Swim 0.0 miles (0m). Bike 0.0 miles. Run 6.4 miles.
0 short core, 0 short light weights and 0 stretching / rollering session. 0 mins of yoga.
Physio exercises x 0.
Cumulative actual, (Cumulative target), [Cumulative Stretch target]
S 111.4, (121.6), [133.8],
B 1,537.4, (1,566.0), [1,722.6],
R 488.9*, (603.6), [664.0].
Core - 39, (52)
Weights - 34, (52)
Yoga - 20, (32)
*Includes aqua-jogging and estimate treadmill values.
Monday 17 December 2018
Training Plan - Week 51 - Dec 17 to 23
I don't have a plan. My cold has turned into a chest infection and I am out of doing anything at least until it is fixed.
Dexter is coming at the end of the week for his Xmas holiday. Hopefully by that point I will be able to get out and do something with him.
Dexter is coming at the end of the week for his Xmas holiday. Hopefully by that point I will be able to get out and do something with him.
Training Review - Week 50 - Dec 10 to 16
I did nothing this week.
Mostly because I have had an absolutely hideous cold.
Targets - Swim 3.0 miles, Bike 42.0 miles, Run 18.0 miles.
Stretching session x1, Core session x1, Weights session x1.
Physio sessions x1. Yoga session x1
Monday - Holiday
Tuesday - Holiday and cold
Wednesday - Travel day and cold
Thursday - Back to work and cold
Friday - Work and cold
Saturday - Cold
Sunday - Cold
Actuals - Swim 0.0 miles (0m). Bike 0.0 miles. Run 0.0 miles.
0 short core, 0 short light weights and 0 stretching / rollering session. 0 mins of yoga.
Physio exercises x 0.
Cumulative actual, (Cumulative target), [Cumulative Stretch target]
S 111.4, (118.6), [130.5],
B 1,537.4, (1,524.0), [1,676.4],
R 482.5*, (585.6), [644.4].
Core - 39, (52)
Weights - 34, (52)
Yoga - 20, (32)
*Includes aqua-jogging and estimate treadmill values.
Mostly because I have had an absolutely hideous cold.
Targets - Swim 3.0 miles, Bike 42.0 miles, Run 18.0 miles.
Stretching session x1, Core session x1, Weights session x1.
Physio sessions x1. Yoga session x1
Monday - Holiday
Tuesday - Holiday and cold
Wednesday - Travel day and cold
Thursday - Back to work and cold
Friday - Work and cold
Saturday - Cold
Sunday - Cold
Actuals - Swim 0.0 miles (0m). Bike 0.0 miles. Run 0.0 miles.
0 short core, 0 short light weights and 0 stretching / rollering session. 0 mins of yoga.
Physio exercises x 0.
Cumulative actual, (Cumulative target), [Cumulative Stretch target]
S 111.4, (118.6), [130.5],
B 1,537.4, (1,524.0), [1,676.4],
R 482.5*, (585.6), [644.4].
Core - 39, (52)
Weights - 34, (52)
Yoga - 20, (32)
*Includes aqua-jogging and estimate treadmill values.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)