Putting in the hours now!

Well, the training has really ramped up now and things are going well.

The first four-week rotation is nearly complete (three increasing intensity weeks then one lighter week) and its certainly a sea-change from anything I've done before. It's surprised me a bit. I thought that I did a reasonable amount of training in general for a hobby Triathlete, but really er ...... not! Any previous 'vision' of training before this Long Distance stuff was just mild delusion I think. Now that I'm in a structured program (albeit chop and change from day to day to counter the odd work commitment etc), I've noticed some slight performance improvements and I actually LOVE distance training, but by far the most noticeable change is ......... I can't stop eating. Now, I know that’s to be expected considering all of the energy being burnt etc, but I've never been a big eater. It's just bizarre.

Other things I have noticed:

• I have muscle ache where I didn’t know I had muscles.
• I can sleep ANYWHERE at ANY TIME
• Did I say I can eat a horse?
• Weight seems to be slightly down on when I started (78Kgs at the moment - calculated race weight should be 74Kgs given my height, but I am not going to try and achieve that).
• Training late into the evening means I struggle to 'switch off' some times, so not many early nights!
• Family is being VERY understanding (but the Missus is busy preparing for the new Kitchen (to be started once the race is over)
• I cannot stop thinking about the race - all good thoughts though
• Seeing what some other Team Mates are doing scares me ....... note to self - You are NOT competitive!
• I'm looking forward to the Swim
• I'm looking forward to the Bike
• I am going to struggle on the run
• My race time expectations are slowly extending

Training:

Swimming is going 100% to plan. Slowly building distance now. Open Water swimming has started and I still have a little trouble navigating for the first 5 minutes or so. Just a couple of pool swims a week now. One short, one longer, then one O/W swim (until closer to the race). No info to show you on this. You'll just have to take my word for it.

Bike is also looking OK. Pace remains the same. Can’t see that increasing, but I'm happy with the build-up in distance and how I can control the effort. Tan-line are coming on nicely too :)

Below is a screen shot of my Strava page. 93 hours in the saddle so far this year!

 

I did a couple of evening Interval sessions on the TT bike in the last couple of weeks, but an intended longer ride rattles a couple of screws loose and one fo the TT bar extensions (holding the gear lever!) fell off. That'll be mended this week and all systems will be officially GO! That’s the need for 'shake-down' rides right there!

Running is going well too. The injuries look like they are curing just in time for me to find some running legs again.

Given that I have done nowhere near the volume of running that I had anticipated over the winter (allowing a build-up in technique, stamina etc), I'm using the new-found enthusiasm to just run. There are only 8 weeks to go now. ........ (shit!), so I'll just use the next couple of weeks to get back to feeling comfortable about running, then try (!) to slow down and pace myself to finish, not go too fast. The lower legs are still the point of interest for me, but it seems to be the typical muscle soreness following a longer run and not any specific injury now.

I'm currently at a fraction under the 8 minute mile pace and can hold that for about 9 miles, BUT I'm fully aware that this is when I'm fresh (ish) and not when I've just been sitting on a bike busting my proverbial for 6+ hours! Brick sessions will come soon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

East Grinstead Tri - ATC Club Championship 2014

So, each year ATC gate-crash the East Grinstead Sprint Tri and use it as one of our Championship events (with the support of EGT - we don't just party-on down!).

With a standard tri, when you enter you supply your predicted swim time so that they can allocate start times roughly in accordance with competitors of a similar ability and minimise the hold-ups cause with different swim speeds.

EGT allow all ATC members to start towards the rear of the start list, thus allowing us to start at about the same time and race together. Champion!

I'd not looked at this as a race, merely additional training with a lot of friends - I think about 40 ATCers in total.

I felt really good in the swim, but as expected with the group of varied ATCers swim speeds, was held up a few times and I'm sure I did a couple more laps than I should have (maybe my mistake, but the Lap Board certainly wasn't displayed). My swim time was bizarrely 10% longer than I swam last Friday evening. Coincidence?

Swim to transition run:

 

 

Transition was fine. Socks slowed me down, so I think for shorter races I'll do without in future.

Bike was a mixed bag.  Again, settled in to the bike much quicker than I did last year. Not too cold to start with and got some great speed out of East Grinstead.

Those of you eagle-eyed will see that I completely bottled the TT Bike (should have been a grand first public display). That weekend there were 20 / 25 mph winds with gusts up to 50. Yes, I am a chicken (as can be seen from the Chicken Wing 'elbows out' running style). The Road bike was much more controllable.

The bike route was 26Kms, so not bad. A couple of hills (don't mind them). I had four stops to a dead halt (Roundabout / Traffic Lights and 2 chain-offs). Most frustrating.

 

 

 

Felt good off the bike and into Transition. Quickly through and onto the Run.....

Not sure what I smelt, but it must have been bad!!

 

 

So, I typically wasn’t expecting anything special in the run.. I always take a time to get in to a rhythm, so 5K isn't a very good distance for me. The run route is a 2-lap affair through the town High Street. Bizarrely on the first lap I didn't see another runner. Felt a bit like I was the only burk in Lycra. At least there were Marshalls on every corner so I couldn't have taken a wrong turn..... could I .....Well actually, no, I didn't.

For the intro into the run phase the legs were good. Injury only slightly evident (usual when I've just jumped off the bike) and legs felt OK. It’s the breathing and heart-rate control that I do struggle to be comfortable with, hence the slow run start. I'll stick to that excuse for now I think.

At the end of the first lap I turned in to the Leisure Centre and ran past Transition to commence the second round of torture (Lap2) to the cheers of ATC members, only to be out-shouted by the cheers for a certain Blond Team Member catching me hand-over fist. Nice running J  Typically, I have NO change in pace, and she breezed past me right down the High Street. Classic! Consider 'Dust' well and truly eaten!

For the remainder of the run I was happy to concentrate on the technique / breathing / heart-rate control that I'll need for the 26.2 miles (Holy Crap) of the Outlaw run, so wasn't surprised or disappointed to see other team members bounding past. There was also no aggravation to the sore calf issues. Only the expected level of suffering. Onwards and upwards as they say.

 

 

 

Total time for the race was 1:27, which was a 4+ minute PB. Given that I'd not concentrated on training for short distance, I'll take that.

Rock on to more training!!

W.

Off To A Cracking Start

So, 1st May and the training plan really kicks into gear now.

Since September I've been concentrating on the building the base endurance, technique work and injuries based on a typical schedule of a couple of swims a week, bike work at the Weekends and a mixture of core exercises / odd runs.

It was a little more than I had been doing before I entered Outlaw, but nothing extreme.

The training plan that I am basing my build-up on was found on-line. There are loads available. Some you pay for, and are quite specific on exactly what to do on any given day (even to the extent that it'll tell you what heart-rate zone to work in, what type of run session you do). Mine was just an indication of what discipline to do, general duration and 'type' of work-out (specific distance to cover or interval set). This gives me a little more freedom to add variety to the sessions - mix it up a bit.

So, basically I'll be following a course as follows:

Monday REST

Tuesday - Swim AM (before work), Short bike in the evenings

Wednesday - Swim AM - Run in the evening

Thursday - Short run or CORE before work - Open Water Swim after work

Friday - Swim in the Evening

Saturday - Mountain Bike for a couple of hours, then into short run

Sunday - Longer bike.

As I've probably mentioned before, I'm not fusses about dropping or changing sessions around day-to-day depending on how I feel (Read this as 'if I can RUN!!'), but work commitments will also be a factor. I'll try to limit the amount of time away from home, but I've already got a day-trip to Aberdeen to contend with. That'll effectively knock out that day and the next morning!!

So, the last Bank Holiday weekend gave a great start, with a Charity Ride for the local Pilgrims Hospice - 100 miles. Weather was great, company was great, longest ride yet and no saddle sores. Result!! Only downer was that Stef (ATC member and fellow Outlaw wannabee fell off and broke a Collar Bone. Really disappointed for him. With a major chunk of time to recover, he's withdrawn from the event. Get Well Soon Stef.

Almost perfect day. Sunny - not too warm - very little wind. Nice.

 

Bank Holiday Monday had more good weather, so a nice run in the lanes - 9 miles :). I figures that I'd go out in the sun to start to acclimatize a bit. Running in the sun is my worst nightmare as I feel my core temp rocket skywards. Guess I should have chosen a different event given this one is late July!!

Although the air temp was a reasonable 18 degrees, I went out while the sun was high in the sky offering little in the way of shade. Given the ride the day before, pace was OK, and I stopped a couple of times to have a chat with people along the way. Although you'd think this may be counter-productive, I'll always use these as simulation of food-stops (without the food!!) and an opportunity to test the legs. Try persuading the legs to get going again when tired. I literally have to talk to them. A strange sight of I'm in the middle of the High Street!

As you may have figured, the leg injury is doing good. I find the more (harder) I cycle the day before, the better the leg problems are. If I take a couple of days rest, the 'twinges' return and I struggle to get going again. I just wish I didn't walk like a 90 yr old when I get out of bed in the mornings.

Happy Days.

 

W.