Ironman Update #10

Crikey...10 months! 10 months I've been doing this all building up to one day in 8 months time...that's a long time away surely it'll be a piece of cake by then I'll walk through it...no it won't, I reckon I could do one now, it would just take me a few days! Anyway I wasn't going to do an update this month as I always jinx myself, however by popular demand (I think that's what they said) here it is: -

Swim: - 11.3 Miles, 6.9 Hours............Year: - 76 Miles, 48.1 Hours
Bike: - 165.3 Miles, 9.8 Hours...........Year: -1574 Miles, 99.7 Hours
Run: - 68.4 Miles, 10.6 Hours...........Year: - 601 Miles, 103.4 Hours
X-Train: - 23 Miles, 6.1 Hours..........Year: - 49 Miles, 11.3 Hours

Total:- 268 Miles, 33.33 Hours......Year 2300 Miles, 263 Hours

Swim: -

Another continuous month of good solid swimming, not really getting faster over the short distances but I'm getting more efficient and consistent which means I can put more power in to it! Over the longer distances I'm getting faster and my aim of an hour for the 2.4 miles is looking acheivable! Obviously all swimming is in the pool now which is fine, I don't have a problem getting up and going two or three times a week early doors and meeting other triathletes helps with mixing up the sessions!

My favourite session is 6*500 metres (20 lengths) alternating using my float between the legs, but to mix it up I sometimes to some sprint sessions one of which involves a warm up of about 300 metres then 25 metres fast, 25 slow, 50 fast, 50 slow, 75 fast, 75 slow etc right up to 200 fast/200 slow and then the same back down! Its pretty brutal and you get loads of shoulder burn but it feels goooooood once done!!

Bike: -

This has just been about getting on the bike again and putting in some base endurance work, I go purely on my heart rate averaging it at 70% of max (about 130bpm) for a couple of hours each weekend so nothing special to write about but it will stay like this for a few months just building up the time in the saddle!

I have used my turbo trainer (indoor contraption that you put your bike on to work out indoors) a few mornings but the heat it generates shreds my tyres so I am reluctant to use it till I can afford a proper turbo tyre!

Did have a rather odd experience last weekend, I had been out my tri-bike for about 75 minutes nice and steady, when I was sick...just that no warning, no strange feelings, I wasn't pushing it...just sick! Shook me a bit (I don't like being sick!) so I headed home - no other effects other than a bit dizzy - I think I went out too soon after brekkie and being bent right over in the aero position and drinking lots of water meant it had no where to go! Sorry to be gruesome but its all part and parcel of training!

Run: -

Another solid month, which is good having built in the bike work - I have to spend some time on my foam roller to keep my knee in check but I think I can stay on top of it!

I started off slowly and then really built up the running in the last two weeks, with week 4 a 30 mile running week! My final run on Sunday just gone was a 13.73 run from Salisbury over the hills to Fordingbridge and then on through the New Forest to Hyde Garden centre for some brekkie! This is the furthest I've ever ran and I felt great the whole way, it was faster, smoother and better than I have ever ran before! In fact I could have kept going for another 6 or so without too much trouble providing there weren't to many more hills! Most pleasing was that my 9 min/miles were easily comfortable over some big hills and the offroad trails! Guess I'll have to push it next weekend....

So overall I am really pleased with the progress this month, I have lost a lot of the weight I put on in September and removed the doubts I had about my ability to stay motivated, reduced intensity and increased hours are the name of the game for the winter to get that base endurance! No jinxing myself this month...nope nope nope!!

Trying to plan my races in the build up to the Ironman next is proving difficult, there is a marathon I want to do on May 1st then a half-ironman two weeks later, then the full thing 6 weeks later...hmmm maybe pushing it in order to recover in time! I'll play it be ear a bit on that front!!

P.s. having cut all my hair off it turns out I don't swim any faster....whoops!

oh and if you haven't then please sponsor me...I am so close to £1,000 across the two charities that it would be a massive boost to break it before Christmas!!

Thanks a lot to Everyone!!!!!!! Woohoooo!!