Swimming: increasing speed

Due for a new swimming-session tonight. My goals for todays session was to continue my work on improving my technique when it comes to front-crawl. I've managed to established a more efficient stroke by using less strokes to cover the same distance. I do that by deliberately streching out when pulling a stroke and twisting the body a bit at the same time to reduce the resistance in the water. I've been doing laps of 20 m each with a break of 45s in between. Today I reduced the break to 30s. By doing that I need to focus even more on executing good technique. My goals long-term is to relax more in the water, move forward with less use of energy(less resistance)and be able to swim at greater distances without pausing. Earlier on I needed 7 strokes to cover 10 meters. Today I need 3-4 strokes. That's good. At the end of the session I got a bit tired. Experiencing that it's even more important to force myself to focus on executing good technique in order to save energy.
Next time I'll be covering 30 metres without breaking up. In the mean time I'll schedule session no 2 starting next week. It'll be on Wednesday in a pool with a length of 25 metres. That'll be a new challenge. I need that in order to develop my swimming-skills.

Swimming: Vestli school in Oslo, length of pool is 10m
-35 reps of 20 m-total of 700 m
-Total time spent: 40m 30s  

SK Vidar-Running groups: workout 1

From todays workout

Due for the first session of many leading towards the race Oslo marathon next autumn-25th of Sep-11.
The goal for this first session was to get to know the participants, inform about the training programme and carry out a light endurance session.
The training programme overall will be based on periodization with basic training in the fourth quarter in 2010 and firsth quarter in 2011. Further on a period of building and peaking for a test race in the second quarter 2011 and a period of building and peaking for the main target-Oslo marathon at 25th of Sep-2011 in the third quarter-2011.
The basic training in the quarters will be divided in three different periods. The first one will consist of training endurance and technique. The second period will consist of traning running-strength and muscular endurance.
The third period will be like the second period, but the workouts will be more demanding.
In the building period the training will consist off running-strength, muscular endurance and speedwork.

Some of the participants

Three weeks before the race there will be a tapering period were volume is down and the workouts in question is endurance and muscular endurance. The last week before the competition the workout in question is a racelike workout.
Todays workout consisted of a light endurance run around the lake Sognsvann and a trailrun in the woods.
Weather was lovely, sun a few degrees below zero and no wind.
The next workout, at the 14th of Nov will consist of an endurance-session in the woods north of Sognsvann. It will be mostly on trails. Starting at Sognsvann, running towards Hammeren on gravel roads and heading northwest towards Ullevålsæter after 1,5 km on trails. Running to Ullevålsæter and returning back on a different trail afterwards. Estimated length: 10-12 km.

Tecnicals:
-Distance: 6,47 km
-Time: 1h 03m 11s
-Average pace: 9:46 min/km
-Average moving pace: 7:29 min/km
-Elevation gained: 74 m(11,4 m/km).
-Calories: 405 kcal.
-Average heart rate(max): didn't measure
-Shoes: Addidas Supernova Sequense
-Weather: Sun, clear skies, light, -1 degrees celsius, no wind, medium humidity in the air

Running: endurance session of today

Mizuno Wave Inspire

New endurance session. My goal with todays session was to carry out a light session and monitor the injury in my knees. Before the session I made efforts to check out my pronation pattern once more as I headed out to buy a new pair of shoes. By carefully monitoring my pronation pattern on video it is clear that the right foot has a light overpronation. The left foot seems to have a normal pronation pattern. I tested out Nike Lunar Swift. The shoes was light, provided a good feeling while running, but didn't provide enough support. It's suppose to provide some support if overpronation is present. Apparently not for me. I then tested Saucony Jazz Grid. Not enough support there either. The shoe I finally decided to buy a pair of was Mizuno Wave Inspire. The shoe appeared light, but steady. I received support without being prevented in my pronation pattern. Heading out for todays session I have nothing ells but good feeling for the shoes. They're light, but steady and gives sufficient support. The knees then? No pain in the left knee, but increasing pain in the right knee. Anyway, I was more than capable to finish my session without any difficulties. In the coming weeks I'm going to use Addidas Supernova Sequense and Mizuno Wave Inspire. They both provide support for light overpronation. I suspect the former a bit more than the latter. The session was light. I still feel that fitness is good and if the pain in my right kne disappears during the next week Bislett 24h race is within reach. Next week will definately be an exciting one.



Tecnicals:
-Distance: 7,98 km
-Time: 44m 36s
-Average pace: 5:35 min/km
-Average moving pace: 5:33 min/km
-Elevation gained: 68 m(8,5 m/km). Below 10-ok
-Calories: 563 kcal.
-Average heart rate(max): didn't measure
-Shoes: Mizuno Wave Inspire
-Weather: clear skies, light, 4 degrees celsius, breeze, medium humidity in the air

Monthly report: Oct-2010

Thueholmsøen-Albertslund

This month has consisted of one week of transition(40), one week of preparation(41) and two weeks of basic training(42 and 43). In addition I've participated in an ultra competition-6h race in Copenhagen, 30th of Oct.
The first week in the period was good. I did one session in each sport with low intensity and felt ready to start the basic training the week after that. In the first week in the basic period(42) I noticed pain in my knees again-especially at the end of my long run on Saturday. By taking measures such as days off and extensive use of ice I managed to reduce the pain to such a degree that I thought I'd dealt with the problem once and for all. It appeared later on that I hadn't. At the end of week 43 I participated in Copenhagen 6h race and had to back off after 3h due to severe pain in my knees. It's evident that I the cause of the pain is still present. The pain is just a symptom that something is wrong. The cause is of biomechanical nature. I need to adress it in that way. This is critical. In order to be able to train in future I need to correct this-preferably as soon as possible.
Apart from running I've carried out the training programme pretty much as planned.
My first measure when it comes to adressing the injury is to buy a new pair of shoes that corrects a mildly form of overpronation. After two sessions I'm not utterly convinced that this is the right measure. The shoes seem to prevent my natural pronation. I appears that I have a normal pronation. My next measure then is to buy a new pair of shoes that adresses this and try them out. In addition I think it's a right measure to reduce the amount of running compared to what I've planned in the fourth quarter. Most important to me now is to get injury free as fast as possible and no later than the end of this year. The amount of running was fourth times bigger in the second quarter and third quarter compared to the first quarter. It may be that progression has been to rapid. In addition the amount of cross-training was very low in both the second and third quarter. I also introduced lighter and more race-like shoes and used them extensively. It may very well be that my bones and ligaments hasn't been able to catch up with this increased workload.
Besides a par of new shoes my approach in the month to come will be to reduce the number of running sessions and only run light endurance-sessions. I'll start out with three sessions. If that works out I'll add another and so on till I reach five. After that I'll start quality-sessions, and finally increase the duration of the long run. I'm afraid my scheduled race at the end of this month is off if nothing special happens in the week to come.

 
1. Total activity:
-Workouts: 21, including 1 b-priority competition
-Distance: 231,9 km
-Time: 32h 6m 54s
-Verticals: 2.306 m
-Calories: 14.720 C
-Days off: 8 days of 31(26 %, one week is transition period).

2. Running:
-Workouts:10
-Distance: 200,57 km
-Time: 25h 06m 54s
-Verticals: 2.172 m
-Calories: 13.733 C

3. Bike:
-Workouts: 2
-Distance: 29,73 km
-Time:  1h 20m
-Verticals: 134 m
-Calories: 987 C

4. Strength:
-Workouts: 5
-Time: 2h 40m

5. Flexibility:
-Workouts: 1 (sportsmassage)
-Time: 50m

6. Shoes(as of 31th of Oct):
-Mizuno Wave Ronin (purchased 8.4.10)     : 522 km
-Puma Concinnity (purchased 30.4.10)        : 220 km
-Montrail Masochist (purchased 14.5.10)     : 415 km
-Mizuno Wave Aero 8 (purchased 28.7.10) : 219,3 km
-Saucony Kinvara (purchased 9.9.10)          : 137,5 km
-Puma Trailfox (purchased sep 2006)          : 85,5 km

Running: technique session of tonight

Lillomarka-Oslo

All set for another session of running tonight, anxious to learn if my knees had improved the last days. My goal besides that with this session was to work on improving my running-technique. My approach was to run short laps with high cadence and high stride. Speed is of no improtance in this session. The important thing is to get those knees up and maintain a high cadence. Initially I didn't feel anything close to pain in my knees. After a couple of km I felt a growing pain in my right knee. The left knee was painfree all the session. After 4 km the pain in the right knee didn't grow any worse, but I could clearly feel it. With 1 being no pain and 10 being unable to walk because of pain I would rate the pain in my right knee to 5. I was able to run, but I would say that it affected my running to a certain degree. The shoes I'm using is in way a bit restraining. It's like my normal pronation-pattern is restricted. I'll monitor this closely. Tomorrow I'll buy a couple of running shoes with normal pronation-Saucony Jazz Grid.

Tecnicals:
-Distance: 6,96 km
-Time: 41m 03s
-Average pace: 5:53 min/km
-Average moving pace: 5:45 min/km
-Elevation gained: 51 m(7,3 m/km). Below 10-ok
-Calories: 489 kcal.
-Average heart rate(max): didn't measure
-Shoes: Addidas Supernova Sequense
-Weather: clear skies, light, 4 degrees celsius, breeze, medium humidity in the air

Strength-training

Magerøya-Norway

Another session with strengt-training. I'm still working out with the same level of load as it has been in this micro-cycle(basic 1). In addition this week is a recovery week with less volume, but same level of intensity. Volume is down when it comes to endurance sessions in running, but everything ells is the same.
The body feels more adapted and I feel ready to increase on the load next week. On seated rowing I'm increasing to level 4, on squats I'm starting at 37 and working my way up to 62 kg. On deadlift I'm increasing to 67 kg.

-Warm-up: no need-started with seated rowing
-Seated rowing: 15 minutes, ligth load(level 3); 3.385 m (Consept 2-Rowing machine)
-Squats: 1 set/6 reps/ 32 kg(52 % load), 1 set/4 reps/37 kg(60 % load), 1 set/4 rep/42 kg(68 % load),
1 set/4 rep/47 kg(76 % load), 1 set/4 rep/52 kg(84 % load), 1 set/4 rep/57 kg(92 % load)
-Deadlift: 4 set/4 reps/62 kg(92 % load)
-Stretching: 6 minutes
-Workout time: 33 minutes.

Weakly report: 43/10

Another week has passed-the third in the basic-period. My big goal this week was Copenhagen 6h-race on Saturday. I felt fresh and well prepared for the race, but it turned out that my knees were non-cooperative. After just over 3h and 31 km it hurted tremendously in both knees. I was afraid of permanent injuries and decided to stop racing then. Apparently I've been putting to much strain on my knees. This may be because of using the wrong shoes or some other biomechanical fault that demands orthotics. It's also possible that I've been training to hard the last two quarters. Anyway, I'm dealing with this issue now. My first measure is to buy a pair of new shoes that correct a mildly form of overpronation. If that doesn't work out I'll try orthotics. My training-programme is revised to adress this new situation. I'm still hoping to be able to attend my next planned race-Bislett 24h at the end of the month. Besides this I feel fresh-very fit. I've marked progress both in strength-training, cycling and swimming. I'm very satisfied with that. I've decided to add another weekly session of swimming-starting at the middle of November.


Technicals: 

1. Total amount of training since 1th of January: 
268,9h/ 7,3h pr week(Running: 211,4h/1.957,6 km) 
Verticals: Not monitored before 6th of June 

2. Total amount of training since 10th of Oct: 
22,6h /7,5h pr week (Running: 16,8h/ 154,8 km) 
Verticals: 1.581 m( Running: 1.447 m) 

3. Total amount of training this week:
6,5h(Running: 4,7h / 45,7 km)
Verticals: 234 m(Running: 234 m) 

4. Body weight: 71,2 kg
(Sunday morning) 

5. Shoes:
-Mizuno Wave Ronin (purchased 8.4.10)     : 522 km
-Puma Concinnity (purchased 30.4.10)        : 220 km
-Montrail Masochist (purchased 14.5.10)     : 415 km
-Mizuno Wave Aero 8 (purchased 28.7.10) : 219,3 km
-Saucony Kinvara (purchased 9.9.10)          : 137,5 km
-Puma Trailfox (purchased sep 2006)          : 85,5 km