Editor’s note: Ian Murray is using Zwift to train for the International Triathlon Union Long Course World Championships held in Odense/Fyn, Denmark July 2018. His weekly Zwift Insider series discusses the previous week’s training and the plan for the upcoming week.
This was my last week of work in the Dominican Republic before we pack up and move to the DC area. When I originally built this week, I thought, “Self, you will have time to train, as you are way ahead of the curve regarding preparations.” Isn’t it nice how you often lie to yourself? Yeah, I may have been way ahead, but that only meant that I gave myself more to do. Grrr.
The Non-Recovery Recovery Week
This week was supposed to be a recovery week. However, due to work and preparing to move, I was not able to accomplish everything in the previous two weeks. Thus, I figured that I would just add a little to recovery week, making it more like a maintenance week. I planned on doing some Endurance Lab workouts along with an ODZ Cat & Mouse race on the bike and a few runs and swims. Monday was ok but not great. I had some systems issues, so I couldn’t get all of the workout done before making an appearance on the ODZ Chat and Chill ride for a Q&A with Endurance Lab coaches. I got the required work in despite the issues, so I felt that the week was off to a good start. Tuesday’s swim actually went better than I thought it would go. I wasn’t as fast as I would have liked, but my slower 100s were faster than expected, and I did not need the recovery I thought I would. Unfortunately, my strength workout didn’t happen. I worked straight through lunch, as would be the trend for the week. On Wednesday morning, our first packing appointment meant that I didn’t have to go into work. So, I got in a quick ten-miler before getting cleaned up for the first round of movers. Thursday was another solid swim, where I turned out pretty good times for the 400s and the 800, getting faster as the workout progressed. By Friday, I was feeling pretty hopeful. I was still one swim short of my plan and I had not gotten any of my strength work done. But, I planned to get some extra work during lunch and maybe after work. As you can probably guess, that did not happen. Not only did I not get everything done, I had to stay pretty late at work before coming home to get things moving on the packing front.
The weekend didn’t provide much relief. On Saturday morning, I did a lot of work as a domestique for the B group in the ODZ Goats & Bears race, where we did the Volcano Climb route twice. That was a lot of fun, and it was good work. Basically, I sat at 4.1 w/kg for about an hour driving the pace from the front of the group. On the second lap, halfway up the volcano, I hit the gas, throwing a grenade into our already small group. After whittling it down to two teammates, myself, and one other rider, I told the other two ODZ riders to get ready. I surged one more time, bringing the pace to 5 w/kg. Within seconds, we dropped the non-ODZ rider, and I told the other two to get read to launch. About 100 meters before the crest of the climb, my legs blew up, but we had a gap. My teammates took off, and I sat up, trying to recover briefly before hopping on the back of a small group on the descent. With the luxury of teammates up the road, I simply sat on, calling out time splits to them. After watching them go 1-2, I tried to close out the podium but didn’t have the sprint to do it. I was shot. The week of late nights and early days had caught up with me.
After getting off the bike, eating, and cleaning up, I got to work tearing down the bike room and disassembling the bikes. We worked until about 10 PM getting the house ready, only breaking to eat some food. Sunday morning rolled around, and we had not made enough progress. So, I skipped training and went back to work. I could barely keep my eyes open, I was so tired.
Planned TSS – 733; Completed TSS – 569
Moving Week
Technically, I’m not moving this week. Monday through Wednesday, though, we’ll have movers at the house early. After that, I’ll pretty much be reduced to running and swimming until June 6. By then, we will have access to our place, and I’ll be able to get the bike put back together. I just packed her up, and I already miss her.
Planned TSS – 389
In the end, the TSS looked like a recovery week, but it sure didn’t feel like one! I’m ready to get this move done, so I can get back to my routine. Being that I move quite a bit, I should be used to it. That is not the case, though. Well, time to suck it up and push through. Unfortunately, I will be pretty much all outdoors until race day, so I won’t be able to see anyone on Zwift. I’ll be here, though, posting away. Until next time, Ride On!
