G8r80's training / dieting / cycling / log
- Thread starter g8r80
- Start date
Had Thanksgiving dinner with my sister and her family, my brother, and my family. After dinner, I was running around with the kids and got soooooooooooooooo winded!
Today, I swam. I did 650m in 25m legs, but found myself having to catch my breath for almost 1 minute after each leg! I was so depressed. I thought, "d@mn, I'm not in better shape than this?!"
Then, I remembered my blood donation Wednesday and researched exactly what I gave (I probably should have done this before the donation, but that is not my style.
I made an ALYX donation, which means I gave 2 units of red blood cells versus a typical 1 unit whole blood donation. Since a typical human has about 16 pints of blood, I gave away 12.5% of my red blood cells, which should impair one's performance. I usually feel minimal effects after a whole blood donation, but this one is tough.
I think I'll get back on a more regular whole blood donation schedule.
By the way, I have donated almost 5 gallons, which is enough to provide about 15 heart bypass surgeries.
Today, I swam. I did 650m in 25m legs, but found myself having to catch my breath for almost 1 minute after each leg! I was so depressed. I thought, "d@mn, I'm not in better shape than this?!"
Then, I remembered my blood donation Wednesday and researched exactly what I gave (I probably should have done this before the donation, but that is not my style.
I made an ALYX donation, which means I gave 2 units of red blood cells versus a typical 1 unit whole blood donation. Since a typical human has about 16 pints of blood, I gave away 12.5% of my red blood cells, which should impair one's performance. I usually feel minimal effects after a whole blood donation, but this one is tough.
I think I'll get back on a more regular whole blood donation schedule.
By the way, I have donated almost 5 gallons, which is enough to provide about 15 heart bypass surgeries.
After I sheared off my rear derailleur during the Horrible Hundred, I have fixed the Klein and will keep it as a backup or maybe a time trial bike and decided that after 17 years it was time for a new bike.
After looking around, I bought the Orbea Onix frame that the local bike shop had for sale for a great price. I am gonna build this up with Sram Rival components and Mavic wheels and maybe put some aero bars on it. I will have less than 2K into it, which will be a good deal for an Orbea carbon fiber bike that should last 10+ years.
After looking around, I bought the Orbea Onix frame that the local bike shop had for sale for a great price. I am gonna build this up with Sram Rival components and Mavic wheels and maybe put some aero bars on it. I will have less than 2K into it, which will be a good deal for an Orbea carbon fiber bike that should last 10+ years.
Because of my temporary lack of cardio from the ALYX blood donation on Wednesday, I decided to not ride today with the moderate speed group and I didn't think I would get anything out of riding with the slow crowd, so I slept in, didn't ride and went to gym instead.
Rode mountain bike to gym - 7 miles roundtrip
BP: 135 x 10, 155x5x3 - ugghhh!!!
Pullups (parallel bars): 5 x 3
Lat pulldowns - narrow grip, palms facing in - chinup style: 160 x 10 x 3
Lat pulldowns - wide group, palms facing away: 160 x 10 x 3
20 minutes on exercise bike
Squats: 135 x 10 x 1 (winded after 1 set)
Swam 400 m, resting after each 25m leg for 30 seconds. Felt much better than yesterday when I needed 1 minute after each leg. Concentrated on form and breathing, using bilateral 3stroke rotary breathing pattern. I am getting more comfortable on left hand breaths, which for a right-hander like me is the uncomfortable side, according to coach.
Tonight, ran 5K,then, without resting, rode 12.6 miles on mountain bike around neighborhood. Although in reverse order, these are two of the three legs of a sprint triathlon plus the 400m I swam earlier.
I felt much better this evening than I did this morning and am improving substantially each day. By next week, I will be fully replenished with red blood cells.
Rode mountain bike to gym - 7 miles roundtrip
BP: 135 x 10, 155x5x3 - ugghhh!!!
Pullups (parallel bars): 5 x 3
Lat pulldowns - narrow grip, palms facing in - chinup style: 160 x 10 x 3
Lat pulldowns - wide group, palms facing away: 160 x 10 x 3
20 minutes on exercise bike
Squats: 135 x 10 x 1 (winded after 1 set)
Swam 400 m, resting after each 25m leg for 30 seconds. Felt much better than yesterday when I needed 1 minute after each leg. Concentrated on form and breathing, using bilateral 3stroke rotary breathing pattern. I am getting more comfortable on left hand breaths, which for a right-hander like me is the uncomfortable side, according to coach.
Tonight, ran 5K,then, without resting, rode 12.6 miles on mountain bike around neighborhood. Although in reverse order, these are two of the three legs of a sprint triathlon plus the 400m I swam earlier.
I felt much better this evening than I did this morning and am improving substantially each day. By next week, I will be fully replenished with red blood cells.
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I am about at 95% full strength now, so I decided to ride with the fast boys. I hung on just fine, even pulling without slowing for about 1/2 mile, with a brisk pace of about 23. Then, at the first minor hill everyone takes off, accelerate to 25 - 26 and I am unable to keep up. My legs are fine but I am winded. I think I could have kept this pace at full strength.
I ride back by myself. Total for this morning: 16.4 miles at 19.0 mph. A short but brisk ride.
I've been thinking of this alyx donation and now I'm thinking it's a good training tool, not unlike athletes who go to high altitudes to train. If the body cannot get enough oxygen it either dies, in extreme cases, or learns to live more efficiently on a low oxygen budget, right?
I ride back by myself. Total for this morning: 16.4 miles at 19.0 mph. A short but brisk ride.
I've been thinking of this alyx donation and now I'm thinking it's a good training tool, not unlike athletes who go to high altitudes to train. If the body cannot get enough oxygen it either dies, in extreme cases, or learns to live more efficiently on a low oxygen budget, right?
Today was a sweet and sour workout day.
The sour: Swam 500 meters. Still struggling with cardio - whether from the ALYX blood donation or swimming technique, or, more likely, both - I have to catch my breath after every 25 meters. Very frustrating. I am hoping I will see quick improvement here as I improve and my red blood cell count goes back to normal.
The sweet: Set out to run 5K but after 1 lap (1.4 miles), the stars were aligned, I was breathing easily, my legs were only bothering me a little, so I set out to see what I could do. Ran 5 laps, 7 miles total in 1:11 for an average of just over 10 min miles. This was a personal best distance for me, my previous best were some 10Ks I ran in my 20s at 9 min mile pace.
The sour: Swam 500 meters. Still struggling with cardio - whether from the ALYX blood donation or swimming technique, or, more likely, both - I have to catch my breath after every 25 meters. Very frustrating. I am hoping I will see quick improvement here as I improve and my red blood cell count goes back to normal.
The sweet: Set out to run 5K but after 1 lap (1.4 miles), the stars were aligned, I was breathing easily, my legs were only bothering me a little, so I set out to see what I could do. Ran 5 laps, 7 miles total in 1:11 for an average of just over 10 min miles. This was a personal best distance for me, my previous best were some 10Ks I ran in my 20s at 9 min mile pace.
S
sparrow
Guest
Nice run, great job! For the record with swimming,the breathing thing is very common for those starting to train in the water. Swimming is a whole different bear. You can be in GREAT shape as a runner, biker, bball player, ANYTHING but the pool is an equalizer, it makes even the most strong, weak for a while. For most people who come out to swim with me as beginners (to the pool only, these are mainly awesome marathoners or distance bicyclists) their number 1 complaint is being winded and not feeling like they can get enough air in with each breath. They instantly feel like they are in "bad" shape and get mad that they have to stop so often. It just takes time and patience. It'll come. Good job on the bilateral breathing
For those of you who don't know this, I had an angioplasty and stent implant last year, almost to the day. Although I have been working out and told my cardiologist, I did not know if I had told him the extent of my workouts, including the spinning sessions, the Horrible Hundred, the Sunday rides with the bike racers, etc... I had my quarterly appointment today and told him what my typical and max workout heartrates are and he didn't bat an eye. And he said I look noticeably thinner this year and more muscular.
Swam 500 meters, resting for 30 seconds after 25 m and 1 min after 50. That sounds pathetic and I feel that way, but while I may be old, fat and slow, I am not a quitter. Then I went inside:
Bench press: 185 x 5 x 3
Pullups (parallel bars): 5 x 3
Lat Pulldowns: 10 x 3
Too tired to do anymore
Bench press: 185 x 5 x 3
Pullups (parallel bars): 5 x 3
Lat Pulldowns: 10 x 3
Too tired to do anymore
Swam 600m. Changed at the halfway point from bilateral every third stroke to right side only every other stroke and it helped. Was able to go 50m without needing a rest. I think I'll stay with single side breathing but swap right and left sides at different times.
Bench press: 135x5, 155x5, 165x5, 175x5 185x4
Pullups (parallel bar): 4, 4, 3
Ran 5k in just under 30 minutes.
I called the blood bank today about something else and asked a seemingly knowledgeable person how long it take for a person to get back to the same level of athletic performance after an ALYX donation and he said about 2 weeks, so I guess I have a few more days to go, but the end is finally near.
Bench press: 135x5, 155x5, 165x5, 175x5 185x4
Pullups (parallel bar): 4, 4, 3
Ran 5k in just under 30 minutes.
I called the blood bank today about something else and asked a seemingly knowledgeable person how long it take for a person to get back to the same level of athletic performance after an ALYX donation and he said about 2 weeks, so I guess I have a few more days to go, but the end is finally near.
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this is a typo right? ahhahaahah
see ya saturday.
You are a machine. Heart and backbone! alot of times is better thanheart and legs! Actually, I will take heart and backbone over any other combo!
namaste
FF
Yes, I meant to say I ran a 5K in just under 30 hours...:biggrinsanta:
Swam again today 400 meters. This swimming stuff sure is taking away a lot of time and energy from other endeavors that would show more immediate gains, but I can't blow anyone away on the bike portion of a triathlon if I drown.
At this point, I am back to bilateral breathing and to focus on my technique, as weak as it is, I am recovering after each 25m length before resuming. Typically, this is takin 45 seconds, but I am hoping that will drop soon.
Inside, did 10x3 dumbbell curls before the wifey told me I had to go...
Hey FF, I was a little flat when I rode 40 miles on Wednesday, but I am planning on bringing it Saturday.
At this point, I am back to bilateral breathing and to focus on my technique, as weak as it is, I am recovering after each 25m length before resuming. Typically, this is takin 45 seconds, but I am hoping that will drop soon.
Inside, did 10x3 dumbbell curls before the wifey told me I had to go...
Hey FF, I was a little flat when I rode 40 miles on Wednesday, but I am planning on bringing it Saturday.
Like sparrow said, swimming is a totally different animal!
When I started, I could only do 2 laps without an 8 breath rest (I was in very bad shape and overweight), but the improvement you will see can be amazing if you keep at it. My biggest problem now is having enough time to swim as much as I really want to.
I'm doing full laps at 50 seconds per lap, and swimming non-stop for 45 minutes until I just have to get out due to time or one of the elderly peoples classes begin. And I am a poor endurance runner.
I don't know the jargon when it comes to breathing, but I breathe on every third stroke, so every breath is on the opposite side from the previous. For me, it seems to help keep my form consistent.
I just wish there was some easy way to count laps...it is very easy to lose count and get off by at least one lap per ten, then I don't know what my pace is anymore...not a big deal, but it's the way to keep tabs on progress.
FWIW, there are 2 older ladies (I am 40) and 2 older guys, and by that I mean around 50-55, that absolutely blow me out of the water, and for just as long. Only one of them wears those webbed gloves.
Now if I could just master a flip turn without forcing water up my sinuses, everything would be sweet.
Great results in your training gr8! I know what it's like to go through the plumbing fixes, at least to a degree. My cardiologist did an angiogram, expecting to install a stent, but he decided after looking at the bad pipe that I need to change my ways, or it will just get plaqued over, so he came back out without doing anything. Since then, I've been doing about what you are doing, with similar results.
What are your blood lipids doing?
When I started, I could only do 2 laps without an 8 breath rest (I was in very bad shape and overweight), but the improvement you will see can be amazing if you keep at it. My biggest problem now is having enough time to swim as much as I really want to.
I'm doing full laps at 50 seconds per lap, and swimming non-stop for 45 minutes until I just have to get out due to time or one of the elderly peoples classes begin. And I am a poor endurance runner.
I don't know the jargon when it comes to breathing, but I breathe on every third stroke, so every breath is on the opposite side from the previous. For me, it seems to help keep my form consistent.
I just wish there was some easy way to count laps...it is very easy to lose count and get off by at least one lap per ten, then I don't know what my pace is anymore...not a big deal, but it's the way to keep tabs on progress.
FWIW, there are 2 older ladies (I am 40) and 2 older guys, and by that I mean around 50-55, that absolutely blow me out of the water, and for just as long. Only one of them wears those webbed gloves.
Now if I could just master a flip turn without forcing water up my sinuses, everything would be sweet.
Great results in your training gr8! I know what it's like to go through the plumbing fixes, at least to a degree. My cardiologist did an angiogram, expecting to install a stent, but he decided after looking at the bad pipe that I need to change my ways, or it will just get plaqued over, so he came back out without doing anything. Since then, I've been doing about what you are doing, with similar results.
What are your blood lipids doing?
I found slow blow of bubbles out the nose and lift my chin just a touch fixed this.
Flip turns are just one more thing for me to think about while swimming so I don't do them.