My Tuesday workouts consist of riding my bike to the pool, doing my planned swim workout, and following that with my planned bike workout. I arranged my training plan this way on purpose to save gas money. It costs me $6 in gas to get to my pool =:O
Here are the details of today’s workout:
1:00 CHS4:
7x1min hill repeats (2)
…actually rode for 2:30 total, because I like to ride my bicycle!Swim:
300 WU
8×25 drill (10)
9×100 mod (5)
300 CD
1700 total
Swimming always makes me so darn hungry. I don’t understand it. My heart rate never gets beyond zone 2 when I swim. So, why so hungry? I can’t possibly be burning very many calories.
Last week, I was so famished during the last 45 minutes of the bike portion of this swim/bike workout that I started chanting “hunger, food” in my head. It’s all I could think about until I got home…”hunger, food, hunger, food, hunger, food”. I had brought plenty of Gu and water laced with NUUN, but nothing substantial to quell my hunger pangs.
This week I brought along 1/2 powerbar. Here’s something I learned: I cannot eat solid food while riding my bike. I get a stuffed up nose whenever I exercise. So, I can’t breathe thru my nose. Try chewing on a powerbar sometime with a stuffed up nose. Uh, not easy. The first few bites I found myself holding my breath while chewing. You can only do that for so long, especially while spinning at 90rpms up a gentle incline! I eventually did get it down to a system where I took a very small bite, let it soften in my cheek (while still breathing), chew it a bit, drink some water, swallow. Still, this isn’t really doable while trying to ride at a good clip.
From a hunger point of view, the 1/2 power bar did help. I was still kinda hungry 30 minutes after eating it, so I ate a Gu. I had plenty of energy for the hill repeats. Kinda petered out on the way home afterwards, and once again started thinking about FOOD! No chanting this time! I probably could have used the whole power bar, instead of just half.
One of my lake swimming buddies is a ultra endurance runner turned triathlete. She’s now training for IM Wisconson – Go Jennifer! She said she takes Ensure during her ultra long running races. I asked her how she carries it while running, because it comes in a can. She said she’d stash it somewhere along the course ahead of time, or for her ironman, will just take it during transitions. Seems like a good idea. I’m going to try some Ensure next Tuesday.
When I just do a bike ride, or even a bike/run brick, I don’t have this level of hunger. Gu is plenty. But swimming really tanks me. This is turning out to be a great workout in preparation for the Duke monster, which has a tough swim course (very choppy). One of the mistakes I’ve made in that race in the past is bad nutrition and hydration.
PS: A woman at the pool came up to me and asked me if I was Carol from the blog and swimming videos. I met her once before at the pool while filming. We had a nice conversation about triathlon and life in general. Hi Janet!
Back again. Love your site!
Ensure does work well for quick calories and something in the tummy. Like your friends, I’ve used it in a drop bag during an ultra.
You might also try Clif Blox for some calories and to give your belly something to digest. Margarita flavor is good as it also contains a slightly salty taste and electrolytes.
Keep up the great work! You inspire us! 🙂
great site. i love the nuun too for my electrolyte needs, especially when it’s hot. you can also put some ensure in a water bottle with some ice and drink as needed. i have never done this, but it seems like it would work, however with the protein in it, it might go bad sooner than you’d think.
i’d suggest something like clif shot drink mix for calories on the go (in a bottle) and nuun for your electrolytes.
Matt,
Very interesting tidbit. I’ve never heard that before. Thanks, Carol
Hey i just found this post today searching for some training tips, and figured I could offer a piece of knowledge. I read somewhere that swimming in a cold pool (or any water thats below your body temp) triggers the body to get hungry to create heat from digestion. Just a little tidbit I retained that might help to explain your hunger.
Thanks. BTW LOVE your site.
I like olympic training plans best because they give me the workout volume I like for weight control and endorphin needs! I think I actually like sprint races best, tho. Level 5 sounds good. I like how the book shows several levels on the same page, so you can look at the others and determine if you want to go up or down. Plus how they are grouped by x workouts per sport per week. That made it easy to decide that anything above 8 is too much.
I haven’t settled on one just yet. I’ve been browsing through it trying to decide. I’ve done 3+ sprints and I would like to do an olympic this year. Maybe oly 5?
Hi Karen, Funny you should ask. I started out with the level 10 olympic plan, even tho I can’t look in the mirror without laughing and say those words! Anyway, it was just too much time and I was too tired doing two workouts a day. So, I dropped back to the level 7 plan. 3 workouts per week per sport is just right for me. The plan is geared for my pinehurst oly race in early october. I will be increasing the running a bit to get me ready for the Duke monster 1/2 iron that I talk about, which is in september. Plus, I always do a 50 mile bike every week anyway no matter what, so should be okay bikewise for that race. I’ll probably up that to 70 for the Duke.
Which plan are you doing? Carol
Question, Carol. Which training plan are you following in Matt’s book? I have the book and was just curious. Thanks.