Ironman 70.3 Training Weeks 19 & 20: Murph Challenge, Bike Wake-Up Call, and Swim Progress
I’m getting to the home stretch of my training with the race just over a month away. I’d like to work more on my biking and swimming in the next couple weeks, but feel like I at least maintained in the past 2 weeks, despite a wild schedule.
Monday: Memorial Day Murph workout
This was my first time doing the Memorial Day tradition of a “Murph”, which is a 1-mile run, 300 body weight squats, 200 pushups, 100 pullups, and another 1-mile run. I completed the workout with a group at a local gym and finished in about 46 minutes.
Nutrition: I had a banana before the workout in the morning and then a protein shake for lunch before grilling chicken and steak for dinner.
Tuesday: Outdoor run
I was sore from the Memorial Day workout, but mostly my upper body, so I went for a run outside and did 6.5 miles at an 8:03 pace.
Nutrition: I had a protein bar late in the morning, eggs and toast for lunch, and then brats on the grill for dinner.
Wednesday: off day
It was a coworker’s last day so we had a celebration breakfast and then a happy hour after work so I used that day as my rest day for the week.
Nutrition: my breakfast was french toast, eggs, bacon and potatoes, I had a piece of cake in the office and then had a couple drinks at happy hour before a protein shake for dinner.
Thursday: Outdoor cycle
I finally got new brakes on my bike and rode outside for the first time, and it was a rude awakening. I have barely ridden a bike outside in the last few years, and never for a workout. I was expecting the speed on the stationary bike to translate, or at least get close. It did not and I’m just over a month away from the race. I rode 20 miles in 1:23:26, which is significantly slower than I was expecting.
Nutrition: I had eggs and a protein shake for lunch, protein bar for a snack in the afternoon and then flank steak for dinner.
Friday: Outdoor run
Still ticked off by my biking time and potential issue for the race, I had a friend drop me off 12.5 miles from home so that I had to run back. I finished the distance with an 8:23 pace, which at least feels good to be in a good spot with the running portion.
Nutrition: I had leftover chicken from the grill for lunch followed by a protein shake in the afternoon and a pasta dish with meatballs for dinner.
Saturday: Yard work
It wasn’t a heart pumping workout, but with a time crunch before going to a wedding, we did about 3 hours of full fledged mulch loading and unloading on Saturday.
Nutrition: I had a donut in the morning on the way to pick up the mulch, protein shake on the way to the wedding and then the wedding dinner was short ribs, mashed potatoes, and vegetables. I had a couple cupcakes at the dessert table and some drinks during the reception.
Sunday: More yard work
Saturday we loaded and unloaded the mulch, Sunday I actually spread it all when we got home from the wedding. I did some body weight exercises at night, but was pretty spent physically.
Nutrition: I had a muffin in the morning, protein shake around lunch, turkey sandwich a little after that and then pizza for dinner.
Monday: Swim and golf
I swam during my lunch break and did half of the race distance in about 25 minutes. I had golf league at night.
Nutrition: I had a couple cookies during the work day in the office, but also had a protein shake for lunch and then Maddie made a chicken dish for when I got home from golf.
Tuesday: Outdoor cycle and HIIT workout
I went for a ride outside in the morning and covered 11.3 miles in 52:38, which is way too slow, but I’ll blame the 25+ mph winds. I did a 30 minute high intensity interval training workout in the evening as well.
Nutrition: I had a protein bar in the morning at the office, chicken for lunch and then skirt steak for dinner.
Wednesday: golf
My body was a little sore and I had a long day at work, so I played a quick 18 in the evening on a perfect night outside.
Nutrition: We met friends for lunch where I had a pulled pork sandwich and fries. I had a protein bar in the afternoon and then made chicken for dinner.
Thursday: pool swim
I swam 50 laps (84 is race distance) on Thursday morning in 32:49. I’m feeling a lot more confident in the water, but want to make sure I do at least one open water swim before the race.
Nutrition: We had lunch with a new colleague at a local brewery, so I had wood fired pizza. Then I had a big work dinner where I had 2 old fashioneds and steak with potatoes. When I got home from what ended up being a 12 hour workday, we went and got ice cream just for fun.
Friday: None
It was a massive day for work with our Board of Trustees in town so I was spent after another 12 hour day.
Nutrition: Most of my day was at work, so I had some fruit from the catered breakfast, pulled pork for lunch and then we picked up pizza when I got home around 7pm.
Saturday: outdoor run
I went for a quick 2.3 mile run just to get the heart rate back up after a long couple of days at the office.
Nutrition: I had some fruit in the morning before a protein shake at lunch and then going out to dinner with some friends and getting a chicken sandwich with fries. We had our first fire of the summer with s’mores at night.
Sunday: outdoor run
It felt good to move with a full workout again and not be flying from thing to thing. I got 5.5 miles in at a 7:47 pace. With the race about a month away, it feels like my running is in maintenance mode while I’d like to spend some time in the next couple weeks finishing my build for bike and swim.
Nutrition: We made protein pancakes with friends in town for breakfast with eggs and bacon. Because of that I wasn’t hungry for lunch but had some watermelon as an afternoon snack and then salmon on a salad for dinner.