18.04.11 - 24.04.11
'If you fail to plan, you plan to fail'
This was a week where I failed to plan and the saying is oh so true as this week wasn't the success I had hoped it would be. I am being a bit to hard on myself as the sessions that I did were brilliant however I didn't manage to do all the sessions or the hours. Work was a little up in the air with timings and so I thought I would just do my exercise when I had the chance... I only got one bike ride in and unfortunately it was a dismal failure as my legs were so sore from all the running I had done that as soon as a little breeze came my way I could barely power myself forward... (so a little exaggeration, but that s what it felt like).
The running this week went really well and I managed 44.5kms over 3 runs, the 2 longest were stupidly back to back just before my long ride. My pace on the run seems to have come back and now I just need to find the balance between riding and running so that one doesn't become weak. This happened this week as I didn't manage to fit in a ride during the week and then on the Sunday I only managed 2 hours, which was very painful.
The swimming session was coached by an outside coach with the nickname of Evil Dave and you knew you were in for a rough session when the warm up was 1500m followed by 1000m of just kicking... I got out the pool exhausted with arms hanging limply at my side.
So like I said, it wasn't a great week but neither was it a terrible week, it was a week that could have been better.
W
Wednesday 27 April 2011
Tuesday 19 April 2011
The First 15
So below is a summary of the first 15 weeks of my training plan which will give you and me an insight into what need to be done over the next 15 weeks.
Swimming: I started the year struggling to swim any distance, my first swim was really painful and after much gasping for air and really sore arms I managed 2.5kms in an hour and a half. I felt slow and felt like I was sinking in the water, I couldn't breath properly and felt nauseous and after a while I felt like I was making no progress what-so-ever. I was worried about swimming the 3.8kms in 2 hrs 20 in IMUK, however through coaching by the Tri club coaches I have now smoothed out my style so that I am more of a swimmer and less of a splasher. I am now confident that I will be able to do the swim in under an hour and a half and am aiming for the hour mark. I think this is a doable goal if I look back on what I have done over the last 15 weeks. A good indication is my 30 min TT which is now 1725, which even if I dont improve too much on that I will still manage 3500 in an hour and with another 300 taking about 5 minutes or so I will be on track for a sub 1:15 swim. Open water swimming is starting soon and with that I will be able to concentrate on distance as well as see how a wetsuit and the added buoyancy will benfit me. I will still be going to one or two pool sessions to concentrate on speed development.
Cycling: My cycling started off as average but not a good enough average to give me a good time in IMUK and as it's the longest leg of IMUK and the one just before a marathon I was aware that that needed a lot of improving. I started off with averages on the flat of around 24km/h after just an hour and have ended up with 28km/h over 4 hours and a 30km/h over 2 hours. I am a lot more comfortable on the bike now and that took a really long time to happen. The biggest thing to help my cycling is summer and the sun and longer days. I feel that with a bit of work I can get to the 30km/h avg goal and if I put in a little more I should get past that. I will just need to be careful and see how much energy I have after a good solid 6 hour ride prior to IMUK.
Cycling: My cycling started off as average but not a good enough average to give me a good time in IMUK and as it's the longest leg of IMUK and the one just before a marathon I was aware that that needed a lot of improving. I started off with averages on the flat of around 24km/h after just an hour and have ended up with 28km/h over 4 hours and a 30km/h over 2 hours. I am a lot more comfortable on the bike now and that took a really long time to happen. The biggest thing to help my cycling is summer and the sun and longer days. I feel that with a bit of work I can get to the 30km/h avg goal and if I put in a little more I should get past that. I will just need to be careful and see how much energy I have after a good solid 6 hour ride prior to IMUK.
Running: I struggled with running to begin with but as it was the only discipline I felt comfortable doing at night, I soon got better at it and ended up running a Half Marathon in 1:55. Since the Half Marathon I haven't been running nearly enough and as such my pace has dropped down by a good 30 seconds/km however I am still able to run for long periods of time. I need to start running 3 times a week again and this will help get my pace back up to the Half pace and combine that with the long runs I've been doing, should see a vast improvement. I feel my running will com back quickly as long as I put the hours in and hopefully it will see me run a 5 hour or faster marathon at the end of IMUK.
So at the halfway point these are my new goals (which I feel are achievable over the next 15 weeks)
Swim 3.8km - 1 hour
Ride 180km - 6 hours
Run 42km - 5 hours
These combined with good nutrition, on and before the big day, a clear focused mind and everything else going my way should see me do IronManUK in 12 hours.
Things that I have to change
1. Eating properly on a daily basis
2. Getting up earlier to make sure I fit in all my training sessions
3. Fitting in all my training sessions no matter what or how I am feeling
4. Training a little more cleverly to make sure that every second counts
5. Balancing out all the disciplines so that one does't become stronger at the expense of another
Watch this space and feel free to comment or advise, after all I am an IronMan novice ;-)
W
So at the halfway point these are my new goals (which I feel are achievable over the next 15 weeks)
Swim 3.8km - 1 hour
Ride 180km - 6 hours
Run 42km - 5 hours
These combined with good nutrition, on and before the big day, a clear focused mind and everything else going my way should see me do IronManUK in 12 hours.
Things that I have to change
1. Eating properly on a daily basis
2. Getting up earlier to make sure I fit in all my training sessions
3. Fitting in all my training sessions no matter what or how I am feeling
4. Training a little more cleverly to make sure that every second counts
5. Balancing out all the disciplines so that one does't become stronger at the expense of another
Watch this space and feel free to comment or advise, after all I am an IronMan novice ;-)
W
Week 15 - Half Way
11.04.11 - 17.04.11
I started this week with very open eyes, trying to get a feel for how much I had changed, improved and progressed and at the end of it I was very happy, Sure there were some aspects that could have been better, but they aren't so bad that I cant fix them in the following 15 weeks. So the week...
I signed up for and actually managed to attend the swim session at Rosenblatt Pool. I saw the set list and it involved a fair amount of kick and pull drills, which aren't my favourite, and wondered what I had got myself in for. However Ian and Claire, the coaches explained that they didn't believe in using swimming aids to help get through these sets and they then explained about engaging your core to provide the stability and buoyancy. I wasn't convinced and the prospect of taking of loads of water as I splashed about like a drunk in puddle seemed imminent... But I got it and after an exhausting session I felt that I had actually managed to improve my position in the water and that made my stroke that much more effective.
I had to work an evening shift on Tuesday and this left me time in the morning for a nice ride. it was really wierd watching everyone head off to work while I was cruising by on my bike. I set off for a 2 hour ride and came back on top of the world. I had once again set a average speed in excess of 30km/h and felt really good at the end of the ride. This is my ideal race pace and with he time remaining till IMUK I feel that I will be able to build on that and possibly even surpass my previous goals for the ride.
Wednesday is always my favourite day as its the long swim and this evening it was the 30 minute Time Trial. I felt a little stiff in the shoulders from Mondays swim session and the fact that I had been shifting a load of heavy chairs in the afternoon didn't help. The warm up soon sorted the stiffness out and soon it was TT time. I tried to employ all that I had learnt on Monday and as I got into the swim I could I was gliding through the water better. I finished with a new PB of 1725m, the 3rd furthest out of the session. I felt awesome as I continued with the remainder of the sets, I was a bit hesitant when I was told I would need to move lanes soon but I figured I would cross that bridge when I got to it..
I was very glad when Thursday rolled around as I was knackered and it was a rest day. I enjoyed just chilling out and relaxing but a little part of me was still eager to do some exercise.
Friday was another swim session and by now my arms were feeling very heavy and more than a little stiff in the shoulders. I got into the middle lane and was having a bit of a laugh with some of the other guys as we swam our warm ups, when I suddenly heard my name being called... Thanks Vicky. Vicky is one of the best swimmers in the club, organised the 30 MinTT and had just told the coach of the fast lane that I needed to change lanes. It was tough, good but tough! We were swimming 400m sets and I was struggling to keep up with Mark who was leading the pack, i was pushing so hard that I kept on clipping the lane divider so hard that bythe time the session was over my hand was bright red and now 3 days later is still bruised. We did however manage to swim 400's in around 7 minutes which is fairly quick. I got out the pool and for the first time in a long time I felt like I had actually had a workout, so Thanks Vicky! I was so amped by this session that I went home and spent a solid hour on the turbo trainer working up a pretty hefty sweat... I slept well!
The weather on Saturday was perfect, sunny with a little breeze just to take the edge off the heat and I set off for a quick 45 minute ride and then a 2 hour run. (Note however that this is the first run session this week) It was a good run, I went and did a little exploring found some new parks on the outskirts of Oxford, Got a tan (I had to take my t-shirt off as I didn't want to end up with nipple rash again) and was feeling tired by the end of the run. However I had run less than a half marathon and had been struggling to keep my heart rate down... Lack of running for sure! Running needs attention.
The good weather continued though to Sunday and I set off fairly early for a 4 hour ride. I am beginning to really enjoy these rides as its an opportunity to explore the countryside at a pace slower than speeding along in a car. I spent most of the time in the aero bars which is good training for IMUK as I plan on spending 6 hours hunched/tucked down. The ride was fast and I was pushing it a bit but not going crazy as I knew I had a longish ride ahead of me and wanted to make it home in one piece. I managed to cover 104kms in 3:41 and set an average spped of 28km/h which I was really happy with especially for that amount of time. I did get home with jelly legs, but was up and about walking around in half an hour. I now know what needs to be done over the next 15 weeks and feel confident that I can easily get to 30km/h over 6 hours.
So the week was successful and I managed to cover a fair few hours and kilometres,
Hours - 13
Kms - 239.2
So week 15 done, first half of the training plan done - bring on week 16 and the second half.
W
I started this week with very open eyes, trying to get a feel for how much I had changed, improved and progressed and at the end of it I was very happy, Sure there were some aspects that could have been better, but they aren't so bad that I cant fix them in the following 15 weeks. So the week...
I signed up for and actually managed to attend the swim session at Rosenblatt Pool. I saw the set list and it involved a fair amount of kick and pull drills, which aren't my favourite, and wondered what I had got myself in for. However Ian and Claire, the coaches explained that they didn't believe in using swimming aids to help get through these sets and they then explained about engaging your core to provide the stability and buoyancy. I wasn't convinced and the prospect of taking of loads of water as I splashed about like a drunk in puddle seemed imminent... But I got it and after an exhausting session I felt that I had actually managed to improve my position in the water and that made my stroke that much more effective.
I had to work an evening shift on Tuesday and this left me time in the morning for a nice ride. it was really wierd watching everyone head off to work while I was cruising by on my bike. I set off for a 2 hour ride and came back on top of the world. I had once again set a average speed in excess of 30km/h and felt really good at the end of the ride. This is my ideal race pace and with he time remaining till IMUK I feel that I will be able to build on that and possibly even surpass my previous goals for the ride.
Wednesday is always my favourite day as its the long swim and this evening it was the 30 minute Time Trial. I felt a little stiff in the shoulders from Mondays swim session and the fact that I had been shifting a load of heavy chairs in the afternoon didn't help. The warm up soon sorted the stiffness out and soon it was TT time. I tried to employ all that I had learnt on Monday and as I got into the swim I could I was gliding through the water better. I finished with a new PB of 1725m, the 3rd furthest out of the session. I felt awesome as I continued with the remainder of the sets, I was a bit hesitant when I was told I would need to move lanes soon but I figured I would cross that bridge when I got to it..
I was very glad when Thursday rolled around as I was knackered and it was a rest day. I enjoyed just chilling out and relaxing but a little part of me was still eager to do some exercise.
Friday was another swim session and by now my arms were feeling very heavy and more than a little stiff in the shoulders. I got into the middle lane and was having a bit of a laugh with some of the other guys as we swam our warm ups, when I suddenly heard my name being called... Thanks Vicky. Vicky is one of the best swimmers in the club, organised the 30 MinTT and had just told the coach of the fast lane that I needed to change lanes. It was tough, good but tough! We were swimming 400m sets and I was struggling to keep up with Mark who was leading the pack, i was pushing so hard that I kept on clipping the lane divider so hard that bythe time the session was over my hand was bright red and now 3 days later is still bruised. We did however manage to swim 400's in around 7 minutes which is fairly quick. I got out the pool and for the first time in a long time I felt like I had actually had a workout, so Thanks Vicky! I was so amped by this session that I went home and spent a solid hour on the turbo trainer working up a pretty hefty sweat... I slept well!
The weather on Saturday was perfect, sunny with a little breeze just to take the edge off the heat and I set off for a quick 45 minute ride and then a 2 hour run. (Note however that this is the first run session this week) It was a good run, I went and did a little exploring found some new parks on the outskirts of Oxford, Got a tan (I had to take my t-shirt off as I didn't want to end up with nipple rash again) and was feeling tired by the end of the run. However I had run less than a half marathon and had been struggling to keep my heart rate down... Lack of running for sure! Running needs attention.
The good weather continued though to Sunday and I set off fairly early for a 4 hour ride. I am beginning to really enjoy these rides as its an opportunity to explore the countryside at a pace slower than speeding along in a car. I spent most of the time in the aero bars which is good training for IMUK as I plan on spending 6 hours hunched/tucked down. The ride was fast and I was pushing it a bit but not going crazy as I knew I had a longish ride ahead of me and wanted to make it home in one piece. I managed to cover 104kms in 3:41 and set an average spped of 28km/h which I was really happy with especially for that amount of time. I did get home with jelly legs, but was up and about walking around in half an hour. I now know what needs to be done over the next 15 weeks and feel confident that I can easily get to 30km/h over 6 hours.
So the week was successful and I managed to cover a fair few hours and kilometres,
Hours - 13
Kms - 239.2
So week 15 done, first half of the training plan done - bring on week 16 and the second half.
W
Tuesday 12 April 2011
Week 14
04.04.11 - 10.04.11
I haven't been looking forward to writing this blog as this week has been awful and I can mainly blame it all on myself and my stupidity.
I recently had a short chat with my mother where she asked if I was following a nutrition plan and I assured her that I was, however last week saw my food intake falter and badly. I didn't eat very healthy, I didn't eat enough and I didn't drink enough water... I struggled to get through work and then once home I just just wanted to go to bed, I was extremely grumpy through out the week as I was lacking enthusiasm and energy and was just generally tired. The swim session that I went to was exhausting even though it wasn't a tough set and I ended up doing less laps than the previous week where we had the same set list. I went for a run and barely lasted 20 minutes before I had to stop and walk home, WALK home... But for some reason I just couldn't see what I was doing wrong. I must thank my girlfriend, Laura, for pointing out the obvious on Thursday eve when she asked what I had had for lunch and I hadn't had lunch or even breakfast, but not as a conscious decision, I was just not concentrating on eating properly.
So Friday came and I had a small bowl of porridge in the morning and then at lunch time I had a chicken wrap, some salad and an apple. I had signed up for a swim session and was determined to make up for the slack week. However mid afternoon approached and with it came really bad stomach cramps, nausea and a headache... I managed to leave work a little early and as I was driving home I had to stop and the chicken wrap, some salad and an apple all found itself on the side of the road. I was feeling awful and as such cancelled my place in the swim session. I spent the rest of the day sipping water and sulking... I made a decision to take my own lunch in from now on as I would know that I had food to eat and that it wouldn't give me food poisoning.
Saturday and I was feeling a little better and so set off on my bike for a short ride (after a large bowl of porridge), I had a great 2 hour ride and for the first time I managed to finish with an average speed of 30km/h. This is the speed that I want to complete the bike leg of IMUK in and now knowing what that feels like I can aim to do longer rides at that speed. I had also mounted my clip-on aero bars onto my bike and so this was the first ride in the tuck position.
Sunday was my long run day and after the awful run on Thursday, I was a bit hesitant, however after a few slices of toast with strawberry jam, i was off. I took a water bottle with me as the sun was already quite warm and it was only 8am. The run was fantastic, I loved every minute of it and I managed to do 11 miles , however as I haven't run much since the Half my pace was way off what I want it to be, but this can be fixed.
So with yet another lesson learnt I close the chapter on this week and move on to a productive week with enough nutrition and hydration to see me through all my sessions.
W
I haven't been looking forward to writing this blog as this week has been awful and I can mainly blame it all on myself and my stupidity.
I recently had a short chat with my mother where she asked if I was following a nutrition plan and I assured her that I was, however last week saw my food intake falter and badly. I didn't eat very healthy, I didn't eat enough and I didn't drink enough water... I struggled to get through work and then once home I just just wanted to go to bed, I was extremely grumpy through out the week as I was lacking enthusiasm and energy and was just generally tired. The swim session that I went to was exhausting even though it wasn't a tough set and I ended up doing less laps than the previous week where we had the same set list. I went for a run and barely lasted 20 minutes before I had to stop and walk home, WALK home... But for some reason I just couldn't see what I was doing wrong. I must thank my girlfriend, Laura, for pointing out the obvious on Thursday eve when she asked what I had had for lunch and I hadn't had lunch or even breakfast, but not as a conscious decision, I was just not concentrating on eating properly.
So Friday came and I had a small bowl of porridge in the morning and then at lunch time I had a chicken wrap, some salad and an apple. I had signed up for a swim session and was determined to make up for the slack week. However mid afternoon approached and with it came really bad stomach cramps, nausea and a headache... I managed to leave work a little early and as I was driving home I had to stop and the chicken wrap, some salad and an apple all found itself on the side of the road. I was feeling awful and as such cancelled my place in the swim session. I spent the rest of the day sipping water and sulking... I made a decision to take my own lunch in from now on as I would know that I had food to eat and that it wouldn't give me food poisoning.
Saturday and I was feeling a little better and so set off on my bike for a short ride (after a large bowl of porridge), I had a great 2 hour ride and for the first time I managed to finish with an average speed of 30km/h. This is the speed that I want to complete the bike leg of IMUK in and now knowing what that feels like I can aim to do longer rides at that speed. I had also mounted my clip-on aero bars onto my bike and so this was the first ride in the tuck position.
Sunday was my long run day and after the awful run on Thursday, I was a bit hesitant, however after a few slices of toast with strawberry jam, i was off. I took a water bottle with me as the sun was already quite warm and it was only 8am. The run was fantastic, I loved every minute of it and I managed to do 11 miles , however as I haven't run much since the Half my pace was way off what I want it to be, but this can be fixed.
So with yet another lesson learnt I close the chapter on this week and move on to a productive week with enough nutrition and hydration to see me through all my sessions.
W
Monday 4 April 2011
Week 13
28.03.11 - 03.04.11
The rest week did the trick, I didn't manage all the hours but only by an hour so I am very happy, and this week saw me turn a year older... I have however managed to hang onto my boyish good looks, wit and charm...
After a nice relaxing week I was back in business and Monday saw me splashing about in the pool as I led the lane at a 'challenging' pace, according to the coach. I now have to move up a lane so that I continue to improve and thats a good thing. I felt really comfortable in the water but did feel as if I was pushing, the arms felt like they had worked, and this came back to bite me on the ass on Wednesday...
Tuesday was a brilliant day and so in order to kill two birds (increasing petrol prices and bike fitness) I rode into work. The route is fairly flat and fast as well as being on quite roads and this made for a great start to the day. I made it to work in a little over an hour and still felt fresh for the remainder of the day. On the way home I managed under an hour (just) but felt good enough to go for a 30 minute run straight after. I could feel straight away that I hadn't been doing any brick sessions recently as my legs started to cramp up from the sudden change in motion. I have therefore decided to include more brick sessions in a week and the best place is on the weekends. Riding to work is great way to start the day as well as being cheaper than a car.
After a quiet Wednesday at work I was looking forward to my long swim, that was until I got into the pool and started swimming. My arms were killing me and the water felt like a mixture of concrete and jelly. I struggled through the session as it was also a kicking session, so combining knackered arms and uncoordinated kicking, I just about prevented myself from drowning... I was oh so glad to get out of the pool, although driving home proved a little challenging...
Thursday rolled around and although I was going to ride into work, I was shattered, my arms were dead and I could barely lift them enough to wash my hair. I was exhausted and so decided to make Thursday my rest day! Happiness all round this was also made possible by only having a half day at work...
Friday (My Birthday) and I started the day off with a nice hour long run, 34 didn't feel half bad now that it was here... The run was great, it was my first proper run since the half marathon. I also tried a negative split, which just meant running an out and back route, with the return route being run quicker than the out. I managed it, which was great. I was meant to swim on Friday evening, however as I was having friends round for a little party I had to miss it due to time/preparation constraints... My arms didn't mind so much, surprisingly... I had a good party, with good friends and good food. I also had my first birthday ever since I turned 18 (cough cough) without having any alcohol... It was a decision I had made that I wasn't going to drink like crazy, but the evening went by without me thinking of drinking. I must also thank my friends on this one, as none of them tried to pressure me into drinking, so "Thanks Guys!"
Waking up after a party feeling as right as rain and smelling of daisies is a good thing. I was going to brick it today and Saturdays has now become my long run day as I want to start riding with the Tri Club on Sundays. I jumped on my bike and headed off for a quick short ride just to start the brick session. I flew around the 20km course with an average of 31.5km/h and once home, slid into my running shoes and hit the road. The weather was brilliant and my legs felt like machines, I couldn't help feeling I had forgotten something, until I spotted a club member, Luke,running. My eyes flew to the water bottle in his hands and it all became clear. I could picture my bottle on the kitchen counter, looking refreshingly cool with condensation drops clinging to the side of the bottle. I was suddenly thirsty.
The last half hour was hell, my heart rate was up, my legs were starting to ache, my feet were hurting and I felt like I was boiling over. I stopped for a few minutes in the shade of a massive tree and cooled down a little. I knew I had twenty minutes left to run, how hard could that be... I shot off and just concentrated on trying to keep my heart rate down. I eventually got home, drenched in sweat and the first glass of water felt like magic. It was a new high pace for 10 miles and when I saw this I suddenly felt fantastic, although the lesson had been a tough one and hopefully I shall never be a forgetful idiot like that again.
I woke up expecting to feel sore legs but they were fine, no stiffness, no pain, no hint of any exercise at all... I had overslept a little and so missed the Tri ride, but still, Sunday was my log ride day and seeing as I was going for a hilly ride and was going to combine it with a short run after, I decided to just aim for 3 hours. The weather wasn't great and I needed a long sleeve jersey, I also decided to pack my raincoat as well, just in case... I jumped on my bike, made a final check on drinks and nutrition and pedalled off.
I was feeling AWESOME and the first big climb came and went in what I think was my fastest ever ascent of it. I shot over the other side and just decided to explore and have fun, while cycling hard. I pedalled merrily round a corner and came face to face with a 10% incline that was wet and muddy and that made for a hole lot of fun. I needed to get out of my saddle to get up the hill, but when ever I stood up, my back wheel spun out on all the wet mud. I eventually made it to the top after being overtaken by a tractor... He had an engine alright... I looked across the land and saw hills left right and centre... Right, I wanted climbs, I got climbs!!
I eventually saw a sign to Aylesbury (where my brother lives) and as it was only 18kms away I turned towards it and a few more climbs. I got as close as I could before hitting a very busy road and choosing to turn back, I suddenly realised that each one of those downhills on the way here, had turned into uphills on the way back. I had a great ride exploring the countryside and flexing my climbing muscles but my legs were dead by the time I got home, it took all the will power in the world for me to climb into my running shoes and go for a run. It was the first time I had run on very tired cycling legs and the feeling was really bizarre. After a few minutes they suddenly remembered what to do and I was off. It was only a 15 minute run but I feel that it did me the world of good.
Looking back, its one of those weeks I am very happy with.
I exercised for 10:35:43 out of a planed 12 and
I covered 187.61kms.
That was week 13 and I survived, bring on no. 14.
W
The rest week did the trick, I didn't manage all the hours but only by an hour so I am very happy, and this week saw me turn a year older... I have however managed to hang onto my boyish good looks, wit and charm...
After a nice relaxing week I was back in business and Monday saw me splashing about in the pool as I led the lane at a 'challenging' pace, according to the coach. I now have to move up a lane so that I continue to improve and thats a good thing. I felt really comfortable in the water but did feel as if I was pushing, the arms felt like they had worked, and this came back to bite me on the ass on Wednesday...
Tuesday was a brilliant day and so in order to kill two birds (increasing petrol prices and bike fitness) I rode into work. The route is fairly flat and fast as well as being on quite roads and this made for a great start to the day. I made it to work in a little over an hour and still felt fresh for the remainder of the day. On the way home I managed under an hour (just) but felt good enough to go for a 30 minute run straight after. I could feel straight away that I hadn't been doing any brick sessions recently as my legs started to cramp up from the sudden change in motion. I have therefore decided to include more brick sessions in a week and the best place is on the weekends. Riding to work is great way to start the day as well as being cheaper than a car.
After a quiet Wednesday at work I was looking forward to my long swim, that was until I got into the pool and started swimming. My arms were killing me and the water felt like a mixture of concrete and jelly. I struggled through the session as it was also a kicking session, so combining knackered arms and uncoordinated kicking, I just about prevented myself from drowning... I was oh so glad to get out of the pool, although driving home proved a little challenging...
Thursday rolled around and although I was going to ride into work, I was shattered, my arms were dead and I could barely lift them enough to wash my hair. I was exhausted and so decided to make Thursday my rest day! Happiness all round this was also made possible by only having a half day at work...
Friday (My Birthday) and I started the day off with a nice hour long run, 34 didn't feel half bad now that it was here... The run was great, it was my first proper run since the half marathon. I also tried a negative split, which just meant running an out and back route, with the return route being run quicker than the out. I managed it, which was great. I was meant to swim on Friday evening, however as I was having friends round for a little party I had to miss it due to time/preparation constraints... My arms didn't mind so much, surprisingly... I had a good party, with good friends and good food. I also had my first birthday ever since I turned 18 (cough cough) without having any alcohol... It was a decision I had made that I wasn't going to drink like crazy, but the evening went by without me thinking of drinking. I must also thank my friends on this one, as none of them tried to pressure me into drinking, so "Thanks Guys!"
Waking up after a party feeling as right as rain and smelling of daisies is a good thing. I was going to brick it today and Saturdays has now become my long run day as I want to start riding with the Tri Club on Sundays. I jumped on my bike and headed off for a quick short ride just to start the brick session. I flew around the 20km course with an average of 31.5km/h and once home, slid into my running shoes and hit the road. The weather was brilliant and my legs felt like machines, I couldn't help feeling I had forgotten something, until I spotted a club member, Luke,running. My eyes flew to the water bottle in his hands and it all became clear. I could picture my bottle on the kitchen counter, looking refreshingly cool with condensation drops clinging to the side of the bottle. I was suddenly thirsty.
The last half hour was hell, my heart rate was up, my legs were starting to ache, my feet were hurting and I felt like I was boiling over. I stopped for a few minutes in the shade of a massive tree and cooled down a little. I knew I had twenty minutes left to run, how hard could that be... I shot off and just concentrated on trying to keep my heart rate down. I eventually got home, drenched in sweat and the first glass of water felt like magic. It was a new high pace for 10 miles and when I saw this I suddenly felt fantastic, although the lesson had been a tough one and hopefully I shall never be a forgetful idiot like that again.
I woke up expecting to feel sore legs but they were fine, no stiffness, no pain, no hint of any exercise at all... I had overslept a little and so missed the Tri ride, but still, Sunday was my log ride day and seeing as I was going for a hilly ride and was going to combine it with a short run after, I decided to just aim for 3 hours. The weather wasn't great and I needed a long sleeve jersey, I also decided to pack my raincoat as well, just in case... I jumped on my bike, made a final check on drinks and nutrition and pedalled off.
I was feeling AWESOME and the first big climb came and went in what I think was my fastest ever ascent of it. I shot over the other side and just decided to explore and have fun, while cycling hard. I pedalled merrily round a corner and came face to face with a 10% incline that was wet and muddy and that made for a hole lot of fun. I needed to get out of my saddle to get up the hill, but when ever I stood up, my back wheel spun out on all the wet mud. I eventually made it to the top after being overtaken by a tractor... He had an engine alright... I looked across the land and saw hills left right and centre... Right, I wanted climbs, I got climbs!!
I eventually saw a sign to Aylesbury (where my brother lives) and as it was only 18kms away I turned towards it and a few more climbs. I got as close as I could before hitting a very busy road and choosing to turn back, I suddenly realised that each one of those downhills on the way here, had turned into uphills on the way back. I had a great ride exploring the countryside and flexing my climbing muscles but my legs were dead by the time I got home, it took all the will power in the world for me to climb into my running shoes and go for a run. It was the first time I had run on very tired cycling legs and the feeling was really bizarre. After a few minutes they suddenly remembered what to do and I was off. It was only a 15 minute run but I feel that it did me the world of good.
Looking back, its one of those weeks I am very happy with.
I exercised for 10:35:43 out of a planed 12 and
I covered 187.61kms.
That was week 13 and I survived, bring on no. 14.
W
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