A long overdue update.
tldr; a second bump in the road but overall we're doing well.
In my last post I mentioned getting sick in December. Unfortunately two weeks into training I got a nasty sinus infection. It took seven days for the doctors to okay some antibiotics and then another seven to heal up. I won't get into it in detail but thankfully, it was just the base training block and the second week was mostly an active recovery any way. So I lived and it was fine.
The second training block was solid. It was hard but it was good. It really stepped up volume in every area. The first week of the block was really tough coming off an illness but in general it felt really good to push myself again.
It's always nice when a recovery week comes and it feels like it's much needed. I did some testing during the week so intensity got up there some but the volume was much lower than usual.
Here were the results of my testing which inform my next blocks of training
Run: 30 min threshold: 8:28/mi
Bike FTP: 218 watts
Swim: CSS: 1:28
I improved in every area. I did decide to put lighting on the back burner for now. I'm doing 12 hours per week and adding another 1.5-2 hours is just not possible at the moment. I still have to be a parent, husband, and product manager. I think it will be ok and I'll just have to benefit from strength work when I have the time to do it.
I'm in block 3 or Build Phase 2 right now. Again it's a step up from the last block. With the results of my testing, I'm now pushing harder than I may have ever in the sport of triathlon. The best part of the process is staying relatively injury free. Unfortunately my weight hasn't changed but I'm not worried about that. I'm just trying to improve and I'll let the weight come down as it needs.
Upcoming is a trip to Arizona. I'll need to sort out how I'll get my workouts in. Fortunately a lot the workouts will be the shorter, speed type and so I won't need to plan a ton. I just need to lug my bike out and trainer out there. I could probably figure out a way to do it some other way, but I don't like changing my plan too much, if I can help it.
There's a ton more I could write, I'll just say that my 5:00 goal will be close. In very 3 hour ride on the trainer I've just been at or around 56 miles. It will be much different on the actual, road. I'll need to be as close to 2:30 on the ride as possible to give myself a chance.