Background:
I am competing only in sprints this year and will race a few Olys in 2012.
500m swim time ~7.5min, recent 18.6mi TT on a rolling course (no wind) ~50:30, stand alone 5k 19:45 and 21:15 after a hard bike.
My current regiment is not very structured. I typically swim 3x per week for around 6-10k meters (total for the week).
Bike workouts have dropped off lately. After a year of cycling, I’ve had several close calls with cars in the past weeks that have put enough fear in me to purchase a Computrainer, which should arrive this week. Call me a sissy, but riding on the roads with the psychopaths in my area does not represent a risk I am willing to take any longer. I expect to be able to put in an hour or two every morning starting at 5am on the Computrainer, this represents a decent increase in training load.
I have begun focusing more on the run as I want to go sub 18 in a 5k someday. Right now, I’m knocking out 30-45 miles per week with some track work and typically a 13 mile easy run (8:05/mi pace) on Sundays.
My question: For the decent 30-34 AG with all the family and professional responsibilities the age implies, effective time management is of utmost importance. I have, at most, 8-10 hours per week available to train. Weekly pool trips (including travel, workout time, changing clothes, etc) eat probably 4 hours out of my week.
Is that time better spent focusing on the bike/run? Maybe cut swims back to one early morning, mixed session on Saturdays? Obviously I won’t get faster, but am just trying to maintain form.
It seems to me that taking 2.75 of those 4 swim hours, redirecting them towards the B/R would yield better results. I don’t mind dropping time in the swim if I can pick it up elsewhere.
Before anyone says “get a coach,” I’m planning to do so next year when I get “serious.”
Thanks in advance. This board is awesome and I really respect the knowledge many of you freely share.
do you waste time at work and/or socialize at work?
my point is to try to optimize your life as a whole, not just the 8-10 hours you have to spend training. That being said I’d cut swimming down to two sessions a week and use the time saved for biking.
OTOH, you’d have to be trying very hard not to get 10 hours of training in during a week if you’re getting up at 5am. I’m similar to you, have responsibilities. Train from 5:30-7:30 am M-F, a swim session at 6:30 on Saturday followed by a 3 hour bike. Sunday off mostly, unless I sneak a run in. I also sneak a swim in at lunch now and then. That’s at least 10 hours consistently without encroaching on family or work.
Also, the Computrainer is a powerful tool, not just because of the power readings, but because it’s always there. Any spare moment you have at home you can jump on it and get a great workout in, even if it’s 30 minutes, just because it is there. it is always there. no commute, no logistics, no bother. Just keep the thing in proper working order.
Definitely cut back on the swimming. I assume you come from a swim background of some sort so I would focus on the bike. And if your 13 mi run is easy @8:05 pace then you are running too slow. What do you hope to accomplish by running long slow distance workouts when you are training for sprint races and a sub 18min 5K? Honestly you need to be doing more tempo days and threshold workout. If anything the long run is just making you slower.
40 miles of running = 5 hours
80 miles of biking = 4 hours
3500 yards of swimming = 1 hour
For me the biggest bang for the buck is running and swimming is the least (especially for wetsuit legal events). Make sure your running includes a weekly speedwork session at the track and I recommend mixing threshold miles in your long runs in 2-3 mile spurts.
I expect to be able to put in an hour or two every morning starting at 5am on the Computrainer
I have, at most, 8-10 hours per week available to train. Weekly pool trips (including travel, workout time, changing clothes, etc) eat probably 4 hours out of my week.
That 8-10 hours is eaten up pretty quickly by those 7-14 hours on the Computrainer. Did I miss something?