As the title says, I think this has possibly been my best training week so far! Building confidence and distances from previous weeks.
Firstly the weather has been amazing, after a few weeks of unseasonable cold... we now have unseasonable warmth... summer is here early and it's a lot easier to train in!
three sessions made it the best week of the training schedule so far, a brilliant long run, a brilliant outdoor swim and finally the bike course recce on Saturday.
In recent weeks my long runs have either been cut short by small injuries or fatigue, which is why I moved the run to the middle of the week, to take it away from my busiest training times. Wednesday night, although very very warm, I ran 30km again, for the first time in a few weeks, again in a pretty decent time considering the heat. Hopefully I can keep this up and in the next two weeks run a couple of 32km runs (about 20 miles) and that should put me in a good position for the race.
Then on Thursday night after another boiling hot day I went open water swimming again. I was really looking forward to it this week as I knew the water would be a lot warmer than the week before, and it was, I completed 5 laps, totalling 3750 metres (just 50 metres short of race distance, in 65 minutes, which I am very happy with. I didn't push too hard either so this was a great time and the first time I have completed race distance in a continuous swim. Again another great confidence builder!
Finally, on Saturday, we went to Nottingham to recce the course. The ride was planned to be a steady slow pace and just get a feel of the course so we got no surprises on the race day. The weather again was brilliant apart from some wind, but by the end of the day we were thankful of this as it took the edge of the burning heat!
And the heat was burning, I have the tan lines to prove it! If only my navigational skills were as good as the weather! we added about an extra 10km to the race course over the day due to missed turns. They really should put more road names out on the country roads, to make it a lot easier for us lost cyclists! thankfully due to the GPS on my phone we managed to muddle around the whole route.
The bike course was great, very good roads through most of it, that were fast and easy to ride on, only one noticeable hill which was no more than 3 minutes long and quite early in the bike. So this all put me in a good mood for the race on the day, we also ran for 30 minutes by the river Trent, as the run course goes.
The ride on the course has made me feel more confident about completing the bike leg in 6 hours as I have hoped from the start of this journey.
So after a confidence building week, I have 5 weeks training left, with 2 of those weeks being 20 hours each, and then the taper begins.
Sponsorship is back on track and going great too! we have passed the £400 mark now which is amazing. But you can still donate (link in the top right) The money I'm raising will be helping a lot of sick people in their final days, the donations made by you on my behalf will certainly help me on those last few miles of the Ironman when all I want to do is give up... so, thank you all who have donated so far, and are planning to soon.
Originally a story of me becoming an Outlaw... What will happen after? Stay Tuned...
Monday, 28 May 2012
Wednesday, 23 May 2012
6 Weeks Left! Finally Open Water Swimming
Well... less than 6 weeks to go, and only 3 weeks before the taper starts for the race, so now really is the business end of the of this training schedule.
Last week was much better than the previous weeks training, it took me a few days to get back into it after doing very little over the weekend, but I was soon up and running with some good energy again.
Thursday night was my first open water swim of the season, after putting it off for about 3 weeks. The Top Barn lake in Worcester opened the last weekend in April, but even i knew it was too cold for that... forward 3 weeks later and even though it's still not warm, I decide to take the plunge.
It wasn't as cold as I expected, but it was still freezing cold. Anyway after a few moments getting used to the water I set off on the first lap. Within about 2 minutes I got chronic "ice cream headache" from the cold water. But I soon got used to it and swam for 2250 metres (3 laps) and decided that was enough as I couldn't feel my hands anymore. I managed quite a quick time still so feel pretty good about my swim. Plus I find swimming a lot easier in my wetsuit due to the buoyancy holding my heavy legs higher in the water.
The drive home wasn't much fun trying to get the feeling back into my hands. Hopefully with the weather being better this week the water will be warmer and I can do the full race distance and enjoy it a bit more!
Sunday afternoon I did a long ride on my TT bike. Mapped out quite a hilly 51km lap and completed it 3 times in just over 5 hours for the 154km. Apart from it being long, it felt good. Which replaced the confidence I lost last weekend.
Plans are to do a ride of the course in Nottingham this Saturday coming. To avoid any surprises on the day. The weather is forecast to be great all week, so it should be a good training week.
I have next week off work to properly concentrate on my training, and also the Monday and Tuesday Bank Holidays in the week following (which is my peak week) to ensure I have time for the training as I want to get 20 hours in both weeks doing full distance on the bike and 20 mile runs.
Busy weeks ahead! Almost there now and still feeling good overall.
As usual the sponsorship link is available in the top right hand of the page. Thanks for reading!
Last week was much better than the previous weeks training, it took me a few days to get back into it after doing very little over the weekend, but I was soon up and running with some good energy again.
Thursday night was my first open water swim of the season, after putting it off for about 3 weeks. The Top Barn lake in Worcester opened the last weekend in April, but even i knew it was too cold for that... forward 3 weeks later and even though it's still not warm, I decide to take the plunge.
It wasn't as cold as I expected, but it was still freezing cold. Anyway after a few moments getting used to the water I set off on the first lap. Within about 2 minutes I got chronic "ice cream headache" from the cold water. But I soon got used to it and swam for 2250 metres (3 laps) and decided that was enough as I couldn't feel my hands anymore. I managed quite a quick time still so feel pretty good about my swim. Plus I find swimming a lot easier in my wetsuit due to the buoyancy holding my heavy legs higher in the water.
The drive home wasn't much fun trying to get the feeling back into my hands. Hopefully with the weather being better this week the water will be warmer and I can do the full race distance and enjoy it a bit more!
Sunday afternoon I did a long ride on my TT bike. Mapped out quite a hilly 51km lap and completed it 3 times in just over 5 hours for the 154km. Apart from it being long, it felt good. Which replaced the confidence I lost last weekend.
Plans are to do a ride of the course in Nottingham this Saturday coming. To avoid any surprises on the day. The weather is forecast to be great all week, so it should be a good training week.
I have next week off work to properly concentrate on my training, and also the Monday and Tuesday Bank Holidays in the week following (which is my peak week) to ensure I have time for the training as I want to get 20 hours in both weeks doing full distance on the bike and 20 mile runs.
Busy weeks ahead! Almost there now and still feeling good overall.
As usual the sponsorship link is available in the top right hand of the page. Thanks for reading!
Monday, 14 May 2012
The Lost Weekend: Panic Sets In!
This blog has been quite positive so far, and I imagine (if anyone reads
it!?) people are thinking "ah he's finding this easy; he's not
struggling at all". Well the weekend just gone changed all that.
With a plan of around 10 hours training planned for Saturday and Sunday... I managed 3 hours.
If I had written this blog on Saturday afternoon after my 5 hour bike was reduced to 2 hours, I would have been full of doom and despair, thoughts of "I can't complete this!" and "I'm nowhere near ready" were racing through my head, and the panic of how close the race was became very real.
After some confidence building words from friends and family, I realised that one bike ride would not really make that much difference, and I started to try and find the reasoning behind it all.
After quite a bit of thought I'm still not sure what caused it, I was very lethargic and tired with no endurance at all, the speed was fine but couldn't keep it up. I imagine it was fatigue or over training?
I am not dwelling on it now though, it had to happen at some point, and I'm glad it happened now, rather than in 3/4 weeks time when I will be reaching the peak weeks of training that maybe even more damaging for my confidence.
As I enter a new week I am happy I ditched the weekends training and rested up, I feel ready to go again tomorrow and have put the 'lost weekend' behind me.
Maybe one positive out the weekend, the 2 hours I spent on the bike on Saturday (that should have been over 5 hours, but forget that bit) were good, getting comfortable on my TT bike on the bars and even in some tough winds.
Time to refocus, look forward and forget about the week gone by, one lost week in 30 will not ruin a race and I'm still confident of my abilities and goals.
No real lesson learnt from it all though, maybe a limitation learnt??
As an ending I have to say thanks to all the people who gave me those positive (balanced) views when I was panicking. You have helped throughout this training; the balanced and outside view has helped a lot and won't be forgotten
Promise to bring more positivity next week.
With a plan of around 10 hours training planned for Saturday and Sunday... I managed 3 hours.
If I had written this blog on Saturday afternoon after my 5 hour bike was reduced to 2 hours, I would have been full of doom and despair, thoughts of "I can't complete this!" and "I'm nowhere near ready" were racing through my head, and the panic of how close the race was became very real.
After some confidence building words from friends and family, I realised that one bike ride would not really make that much difference, and I started to try and find the reasoning behind it all.
After quite a bit of thought I'm still not sure what caused it, I was very lethargic and tired with no endurance at all, the speed was fine but couldn't keep it up. I imagine it was fatigue or over training?
I am not dwelling on it now though, it had to happen at some point, and I'm glad it happened now, rather than in 3/4 weeks time when I will be reaching the peak weeks of training that maybe even more damaging for my confidence.
As I enter a new week I am happy I ditched the weekends training and rested up, I feel ready to go again tomorrow and have put the 'lost weekend' behind me.
Maybe one positive out the weekend, the 2 hours I spent on the bike on Saturday (that should have been over 5 hours, but forget that bit) were good, getting comfortable on my TT bike on the bars and even in some tough winds.
Time to refocus, look forward and forget about the week gone by, one lost week in 30 will not ruin a race and I'm still confident of my abilities and goals.
No real lesson learnt from it all though, maybe a limitation learnt??
As an ending I have to say thanks to all the people who gave me those positive (balanced) views when I was panicking. You have helped throughout this training; the balanced and outside view has helped a lot and won't be forgotten
Promise to bring more positivity next week.
Tuesday, 1 May 2012
Rubbish Weather and April Update
After hearing an announcement that April was the wettest month in the UK since records began (100 years ago) I swore under my breath.
As we now enter May, the weather is still terrible, wind and heavy rain is really testing my resolve to get outside and train. I'm sure it would all be a million times easier if we had some sun!... Please!
Well today is officially 2 months to go until race day, and everything is getting more and more real by the day, and the distances I am doing and the time I am training is raising each week.... also the nerves seem to be increasing on a daily basis!
The last week I have found it hard to organise my training to fit around everything else, dreaming of 5 minutes I can sit on the sofa and watch TV! But I am trying to keep telling myself its only 8 (and a bit) weeks to go now, and 3 of those weeks are tapering weeks... so I just need to get my head down for 5 weeks and I will have made it!... But during that time I still need to get quite a bit of training in.
Didn't go open water swimming at the weekend, I will probably go next week now, my swimming distances are fine, so I think a few weeks getting used to the open water and my wetsuit again and I will be fine.
Completed another long brick session on Saturday (155km bike followed by a 10km run) again I felt good throughout the bike and, although sore my legs felt pretty strong. I also ate while running to get my stomach used to it.
Once the wind and rain dies down a bit (very soon hopefully) I want to get more longer rides in on my TT bike, just so I can get used to the different position for long periods of time, with two of the longer rides being on the actual race course. So I don't get any surprises on the day. Running out of time to do all this thinking about it! Need to get more organised!
Just writing a list of the key sessions I want to complete before the taper starts. Have to makes sure these can be fit into the next 5 weeks no matter what. Including the bike on the actual race course as mentioned above.
Here are my total times and distances for April and Overall so far since the start of the year. Slight increase on last month, but with less run hours after having a sore ankle for a few days.
April
Swim 10 hours 33 minutes 31.2km
Bike 34 hours 29 minutes 1044.6km
Run 10 hours 38 minutes 147.3km
Total 55 hours 40 minutes 1223.2km
Daily Avg. 1 hour 52 minutes 40.7km
Overall Totals
Swim 39 hours 23 minutes 114.3km
Bike 116 hours 25 minutes 3502.2km
Run 46 hours 17 minutes 635.3km
Total 202 hours 3 minutes 4251.9km
Signed up for the Ballot for London Marathon for next April, I don't think I will get in because its the first time I have entered but we will see.
Sponsorship page is still available, link at the top right still! Thanks to those of you who have donated this week.
As we now enter May, the weather is still terrible, wind and heavy rain is really testing my resolve to get outside and train. I'm sure it would all be a million times easier if we had some sun!... Please!
Well today is officially 2 months to go until race day, and everything is getting more and more real by the day, and the distances I am doing and the time I am training is raising each week.... also the nerves seem to be increasing on a daily basis!
The last week I have found it hard to organise my training to fit around everything else, dreaming of 5 minutes I can sit on the sofa and watch TV! But I am trying to keep telling myself its only 8 (and a bit) weeks to go now, and 3 of those weeks are tapering weeks... so I just need to get my head down for 5 weeks and I will have made it!... But during that time I still need to get quite a bit of training in.
Didn't go open water swimming at the weekend, I will probably go next week now, my swimming distances are fine, so I think a few weeks getting used to the open water and my wetsuit again and I will be fine.
Completed another long brick session on Saturday (155km bike followed by a 10km run) again I felt good throughout the bike and, although sore my legs felt pretty strong. I also ate while running to get my stomach used to it.
Once the wind and rain dies down a bit (very soon hopefully) I want to get more longer rides in on my TT bike, just so I can get used to the different position for long periods of time, with two of the longer rides being on the actual race course. So I don't get any surprises on the day. Running out of time to do all this thinking about it! Need to get more organised!
Just writing a list of the key sessions I want to complete before the taper starts. Have to makes sure these can be fit into the next 5 weeks no matter what. Including the bike on the actual race course as mentioned above.
Here are my total times and distances for April and Overall so far since the start of the year. Slight increase on last month, but with less run hours after having a sore ankle for a few days.
April
Swim 10 hours 33 minutes 31.2km
Bike 34 hours 29 minutes 1044.6km
Run 10 hours 38 minutes 147.3km
Total 55 hours 40 minutes 1223.2km
Daily Avg. 1 hour 52 minutes 40.7km
Overall Totals
Swim 39 hours 23 minutes 114.3km
Bike 116 hours 25 minutes 3502.2km
Run 46 hours 17 minutes 635.3km
Total 202 hours 3 minutes 4251.9km
Signed up for the Ballot for London Marathon for next April, I don't think I will get in because its the first time I have entered but we will see.
Sponsorship page is still available, link at the top right still! Thanks to those of you who have donated this week.
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