This week.....
9 hours on the bike
3 hours swimming
4.5 hours running
16.5 hours it total notched up, helped largely by 6 hours in the saddle yesterday for 120km on "Mad Jacks Audax". Why do they call it "Mad Jacks" well. There's the real story about a guy who turned up for the event every year until he died, then there is the more interesting one about you being barking mad if you want to do it!..
It's 7000 feet of climbing on some of Sussex's steepest, within 10km my thighs were burning. However the best was yet to come because the downhill sections were perilous, it didnt stop raining all day so they were slippery as hell - made 10X worse by horse manure on the road and evaporating brake blocks. After a short while brake blocks got worn by a combination of the wet and gritty lanes which turned into a wet and dry sandpaper paste on the wheel rims. JP in particular had to use the soles of his feet on his front wheel to stop!!!
Before long I wished we were back climbing the hills again as the cold had seeped through my wet gloves, my fingers and toes felt like they were going to drop off. The last thing you need at this stage is 3 punctures, yes, we had them! one after the other - by the time we got to the 3rd one the pensioners were passing us on their penny farthings. So it wasn't a fast time, almost 6 hours, but a great piece of training for time in the saddle and endurance in tough conditions, it wouldnt have been bearable without the rest of the Team Lifestyle Ironman team and some spare inner tubes!
I was greeted with a nice surprise back home. We havn't been abroad as a family on holiday for about 5 years - 1st experience with children in North Africa was not the best. I think Emma has secretly wanted to go abroad for a while and with the Ironman training she saw her opportunity. "Booked us into club La Santa, it means you can carry on training while we are on holiday" she says. Can't wait, and the timing will be perfect in June for some of the heaviest blocks in the training plan.
A full days rest tomorrow I think......
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Roll On Sunny Weather
Along came Saturday and time for a long run - I wanted to step it up a bit this week. Key to keep disrupting the body a bit more, increase the stress and fatigue then rest and the body should adapt. That's the theory anyway, and if i say it enough I may even convice myself I know what I am talking about!!.
Only thing I am finding is as I am getting "fitter" The training sessions need to get longer and I am running out of time.
I need the lighter mornings and evenings to start riding to work again...........
Anyway, I decided to use the "walkman" today (yes walkman!!) choice of music, "Foo Fighters" first lesson of the day was always to check behind you as the boy coming up behind me almost parked his BMX in my arse!
Pace was storming, hardly breaking sweat and holding 4.35 per km with a HR of 140. Something had to be wrong. Then it hit me, turnaround point 13km from home and I started heading into the tsunami. All of a sudden it was 5.50 per km and my quads were overheating. Then, "long road to ruin" comes on the walkman and I start doubting why I am doing this....
Sunday starts with the usual swim and a good hours session, the training group are organising the usual bike ride after. Following the previous days experience involving high winds (and noticing the wind and rain outside) I decide to opt for the turbo trainer instead. A good 3 hours on the turbo in the garage, followed by some leg weights. It's tough doing pickups whilst wetting myself watching American Pie. But, a good workout, heavy legs afterwards - time for a few afternoon beers round the outlaws !!!!
Normally Monday is a day of rest but I have to be in France with work on Tuesday so I decide to train Monday and switch the days rest to Tuesday. An hours run in the morning and a half hour swim at lunchtime do the trick.
Tuesday - rest day and a long work day, presentation dropped on us for a 7am Wednesday meeting, at 10pm on Tuesday night - a late night working to prepare. I decided the best way to wake up after 3 hours sleep was to go for a moderate hours run. So off around the Eiffel tower at 5am I go, watching the drunks roll out the casinos and bars. Pleased with the level of commitment I seemed to have developed to keep the training going.
Back to an hours turbo, some weights and a swim session today.
It will be a lower volume training week this week (maybe 9 hours compared to the last 2 weeks that have hit 14hrs) we are away this weekend at a family 50th birthday - then going to the Tri Show in Sandown Sunday on the way home. If we are lucky we might be offered a cup of coffee at the Team Lifestyle Stand!
A few hours on the bike I think Saturday morning followed by a run from the hotel on Sunday morning. Catch up next week...
Only thing I am finding is as I am getting "fitter" The training sessions need to get longer and I am running out of time.
I need the lighter mornings and evenings to start riding to work again...........
Anyway, I decided to use the "walkman" today (yes walkman!!) choice of music, "Foo Fighters" first lesson of the day was always to check behind you as the boy coming up behind me almost parked his BMX in my arse!
Pace was storming, hardly breaking sweat and holding 4.35 per km with a HR of 140. Something had to be wrong. Then it hit me, turnaround point 13km from home and I started heading into the tsunami. All of a sudden it was 5.50 per km and my quads were overheating. Then, "long road to ruin" comes on the walkman and I start doubting why I am doing this....
Sunday starts with the usual swim and a good hours session, the training group are organising the usual bike ride after. Following the previous days experience involving high winds (and noticing the wind and rain outside) I decide to opt for the turbo trainer instead. A good 3 hours on the turbo in the garage, followed by some leg weights. It's tough doing pickups whilst wetting myself watching American Pie. But, a good workout, heavy legs afterwards - time for a few afternoon beers round the outlaws !!!!
Normally Monday is a day of rest but I have to be in France with work on Tuesday so I decide to train Monday and switch the days rest to Tuesday. An hours run in the morning and a half hour swim at lunchtime do the trick.
Tuesday - rest day and a long work day, presentation dropped on us for a 7am Wednesday meeting, at 10pm on Tuesday night - a late night working to prepare. I decided the best way to wake up after 3 hours sleep was to go for a moderate hours run. So off around the Eiffel tower at 5am I go, watching the drunks roll out the casinos and bars. Pleased with the level of commitment I seemed to have developed to keep the training going.
Back to an hours turbo, some weights and a swim session today.
It will be a lower volume training week this week (maybe 9 hours compared to the last 2 weeks that have hit 14hrs) we are away this weekend at a family 50th birthday - then going to the Tri Show in Sandown Sunday on the way home. If we are lucky we might be offered a cup of coffee at the Team Lifestyle Stand!
A few hours on the bike I think Saturday morning followed by a run from the hotel on Sunday morning. Catch up next week...
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Sunday - The Church Of Hard Knocks!
Sunday - A day for religiously long bike rides. Now, these rides have been fairly non-eventful to date. No real accidents, how that was about to change......
The ride was a great 102km in the Sussex countryside, taking into account two key climbs over beachy head and some beacon i forget the name of! It was at this point the trouble started, the slopes shaded from the sunlight were coverd in ice. Of course we are "Macho Ironmen" (sorry Sarah) "Macho Ironpeople" so after wheelspinning up it we decided to ride down it. Simon was the first to hit the deck. Fortunately it was early on the descent so his pace wasnt too high. However, he still laddered his tights!
Cuts and bruises bandaged up and on we went towards Hailsham. As we were approaching a junction the first cyclist went, the call came back "Maybe" i took one look "No" i thought and slammed the brakes on "Yes" thinks Sarah behind me as we have the inevitable coming together. Fortunately pirouetting (still attached to bikes) across the grass verge rather than into the junction. I'm sure it looked worse than it was to the cars that stopped to help untangle us.
The it was onto the cafe to get hot chocolate in for Alan, apparently bonking behind us!
Rest day Monday - Heavy legs but no soreness from the ride which shows i am making good progress.
A good couple of days training since with a turbo session, weights, couple of swims and an hours run for 12km with an extremely low 130HR which i was very happy about. Another run tomorrow, will try to raise pace a bit, still keeping HR140 and see where it takes me.
The ride was a great 102km in the Sussex countryside, taking into account two key climbs over beachy head and some beacon i forget the name of! It was at this point the trouble started, the slopes shaded from the sunlight were coverd in ice. Of course we are "Macho Ironmen" (sorry Sarah) "Macho Ironpeople" so after wheelspinning up it we decided to ride down it. Simon was the first to hit the deck. Fortunately it was early on the descent so his pace wasnt too high. However, he still laddered his tights!
Cuts and bruises bandaged up and on we went towards Hailsham. As we were approaching a junction the first cyclist went, the call came back "Maybe" i took one look "No" i thought and slammed the brakes on "Yes" thinks Sarah behind me as we have the inevitable coming together. Fortunately pirouetting (still attached to bikes) across the grass verge rather than into the junction. I'm sure it looked worse than it was to the cars that stopped to help untangle us.
The it was onto the cafe to get hot chocolate in for Alan, apparently bonking behind us!
Rest day Monday - Heavy legs but no soreness from the ride which shows i am making good progress.
A good couple of days training since with a turbo session, weights, couple of swims and an hours run for 12km with an extremely low 130HR which i was very happy about. Another run tomorrow, will try to raise pace a bit, still keeping HR140 and see where it takes me.
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