Run - 10,2km in 1hr.
Knees feeling much better thanks to some stretching. Not a fast run but nice and steady. The running is going fine, not great, just fine. I was hoping that by now it would feel really easy, and be a bit quicker...but alas, not. No need for panic though, still 10 full weeks to go.
This week will also be a race week. 8,2 miles on Sunday. I know it's not going to be fast, so best resign myself to that now. I plan to start out steady, HR of no more then 147, then just take it from there...If I feel ok on the way back to Kingston, I may step it up a bit, but no heroics. (And don’t snigger Pip’s, I mean it !!) Depends on the HR and the knees really.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Week 9 - First Race
Monday - Run6,7km in 40min
Not a great run, knees were killing me. Think it's time for new trainers. But I'm also going to try doing more stretching, hopefully that helps too.
Tuesday - Swim
3500m in 1hr30
There are 2 swimming sessions on Tuesday's one at 7:30 and the next at 8:30. I usually make it there for the second half of the first session and then stay for the second session. I am really enjoying the second session these days. It's a lot quieter, there are usually just 2 or 3 of us in my lane, and we are of similar speeds so the going is good and we usually get through the whole set. The first session is usually quite crowded, with up to 8 or 10 in a lane, and the difference between the fastest and the slowest is quite noticeable.
Last night I wore my heart rate monitor to the swim session. The aim really to figure out what my swim heart rate will be on race day, I need it to be similar to my bike heart rate, found this gem of information in my training plan (I've actually started reading the notes at the bottom of the plan...finally). And to quote:
'For athletes in their late twenties to mid thirties, try to keep it closer to 150. The idea behind this method of training is to prepare your heart rate for the bike ride upon exiting the water during a race. The closer your heart rate is to your bike training rate, the better the outcome of your entire race.'
Great...well, we did some speed sets yesterday which pushed the HR up to over 150, so I think 150 will be a sustainable target for the swim. Great!!!
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
End of Week 8
Thursday – Swim
About 1700m in around an hour.
Last week really went to pot…I was still suffering a bit with my shoulder and just lacked the motivation to train. Not good at all…On top of this, we were away in Belfast for a long weekend. The hotel we stayed in had a small gym so I took my trainers and intended to fit in some treadmill runs, but this just didn’t happen. Mainly because I was so shattered at the end of the day from running after my very active toddler and also because I had an early dinner every night at Leo’s Great Grandparents house. By the time my dinner settled, it was too late and I was too tired…
Ah well, what can you do….no point getting angry about it, so will take on week 9 as best I can, and hopefully fit a bit more in!
About 1700m in around an hour.
Last week really went to pot…I was still suffering a bit with my shoulder and just lacked the motivation to train. Not good at all…On top of this, we were away in Belfast for a long weekend. The hotel we stayed in had a small gym so I took my trainers and intended to fit in some treadmill runs, but this just didn’t happen. Mainly because I was so shattered at the end of the day from running after my very active toddler and also because I had an early dinner every night at Leo’s Great Grandparents house. By the time my dinner settled, it was too late and I was too tired…
Ah well, what can you do….no point getting angry about it, so will take on week 9 as best I can, and hopefully fit a bit more in!
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Week 8
Tuesday - Swim 2400m in 1:05
Wednesday - Bike 40km in 1:10
Wednesday - Bike 40km in 1:10
Run 9,1Km in 54:43
Well week 8 was a bit slow getting off the ground, but seems to be up and running OK now.
Swim went well on Tuesday, shoulder managed ok, so all good there.
Yesterday I helped a student out by being a test case for his dissertation. I had to do a 20km ride followed by a 2km run. It all went a bit pants though as some equipment he required was in he wrong place so the set up took forever, then the silly electrodes started falling off once I was up to speed on the bike…
But the training for me was pretty good, ended up doing a ½ Hour speed session on the bike, followed by a hard 1km run. All at threshold heart rate. I thought I’d not make it, but it actually went well. Managed to do the bike bit at 200watts with a HR at 162 or there about and then maintain that on to the run. The poor chap thought I’d blow up somewhere along the line, but I was really fine.
It’s the first bit of speed work I’ve done so a bit of a taste of things to come….
But the training for me was pretty good, ended up doing a ½ Hour speed session on the bike, followed by a hard 1km run. All at threshold heart rate. I thought I’d not make it, but it actually went well. Managed to do the bike bit at 200watts with a HR at 162 or there about and then maintain that on to the run. The poor chap thought I’d blow up somewhere along the line, but I was really fine.
It’s the first bit of speed work I’ve done so a bit of a taste of things to come….
Monday, March 19, 2007
End of Week 7
Saturday – Bike 75,5km in 03:09:00.
Sunday – Run 12,6km in 01:18:00
I ended up taking two rest day’s back to back last week…felt a bit guilty about that but couldn’t really be helped. I’ve managed to pull a muscle in my shoulder and it hurts like hell. Still does today, think I might have to have it seen to…
Still managed a bike ride on Saturday, Pip and I went to Richmond Park to do laps. Laps of RP can be really boring, but doing them with someone makes for a much easier ride. We also changed direction, so 2 laps counter clockwise, then 2 clockwise then one more counter clockwise. Definitely breaks it up and makes it bearable. After 5 laps , Pip needed to head off, so I did one more lap before heading home. Mainly because I was halfway through the lap anyway and also because I wanted to avoid the really short sharp hill. So six laps in the end, a new record!!! Pip was going great guns, that girl is much stronger and faster then she thinks she is…just needs to be prepared to hurt a little…
Saturday’s run was painful, the knees and shoulder were giving me hell, I was a bit short on the run, but not the end of the world. The weather had also turned into a real mare which made for tough going. But I’m glad I did it…
This week is going to be a bit all over the place as Bronson, Leo and I are heading to Belfast for a long weekend. Bronson is going there on business but as his Granddad lives there we are combining it with a family trip. We are staying in a real posh hotel that has a gym, so will hopefully still get a decent amount of training in.
Sunday – Run 12,6km in 01:18:00
I ended up taking two rest day’s back to back last week…felt a bit guilty about that but couldn’t really be helped. I’ve managed to pull a muscle in my shoulder and it hurts like hell. Still does today, think I might have to have it seen to…
Still managed a bike ride on Saturday, Pip and I went to Richmond Park to do laps. Laps of RP can be really boring, but doing them with someone makes for a much easier ride. We also changed direction, so 2 laps counter clockwise, then 2 clockwise then one more counter clockwise. Definitely breaks it up and makes it bearable. After 5 laps , Pip needed to head off, so I did one more lap before heading home. Mainly because I was halfway through the lap anyway and also because I wanted to avoid the really short sharp hill. So six laps in the end, a new record!!! Pip was going great guns, that girl is much stronger and faster then she thinks she is…just needs to be prepared to hurt a little…
Saturday’s run was painful, the knees and shoulder were giving me hell, I was a bit short on the run, but not the end of the world. The weather had also turned into a real mare which made for tough going. But I’m glad I did it…
This week is going to be a bit all over the place as Bronson, Leo and I are heading to Belfast for a long weekend. Bronson is going there on business but as his Granddad lives there we are combining it with a family trip. We are staying in a real posh hotel that has a gym, so will hopefully still get a decent amount of training in.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Wednesday - Week 7
Wednesday - Run - 10km in 1 hour.
Well, this has turned into a bit of a nightmare week. I missed my swim
on Tuesday, thanx to South West Trains breaking down all over the place,
B didn't make it home in time for me to go swimming...Usually I'd just
rearrange my schedule and swim on Thursday but B has a work function on
Thursday so no-can-do. What a mission. But I'm not too worried,
because a) I can swim okish, b) on race day, only 10% of my time will be
spent on the swim...so no use stressing about it.
The other reason that this is a nightmare week is that I've been going
to the gym. There was a promotion at one of the gym chains near where I
work, so a friend and I got a 5 day pass to the gym. So I've been doing
40 min workouts during my lunch break. I haven't done a gym weights
session in ages, and I am soooo stiff and sore it's disgraceful!!! I
used to be quite the gym bunny in my youth, well, that's gone out the
window....funny how middle-age just sneaks up on one!!!
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Week 6 to Week 7
Friday
Run – 8,3km in 53 mins
Saturday
Bike – 73km in 3hr15min. Went out with Sharon and Pip again…went a slightly different route to the Surrey Hills. Ended up on Box hill where we caught the tail end of the Ballbuster Duathlon. Was quite chuffed with myself as I passed 3 competitors coming up Zig Zag rd that takes you to the top of the hill. Me overtake people on a hill is unheard of!!!
View from the top of Box hill, overlooking Dorking (I think).
Pic taken on the move, that's the Pipster in her Tritalk Gear....and my rather large looking right ear!!!
The road ahead, as we head off Box hill towards Leatherhead.
Sunday
Run around 30 mins of running, don’t know how far. Bit of a disaster i.t.o. running, but a fun morning out anyway. I wanted to do the Richmond park loop with Leo, but I was finding the running and pushing of the jogger hard on the knees, so decided to take a short cut back to the car. We took a cross country trail to Pen Ponds, I then had to cross a huge muddy section where we both nearly got stuck. My trainers and legs where caked in a mixture of Deer poop and mud. Great!!!!
Not great for running, but hey, sometimes you just have to say, to hell with it and rather go jumping in the mud with your toddler!!!!
Week 7
Monday
Turbo – 22,5km in around 45min, 7km Run in 43min. After chatting with a fellow club mate who did his first HIM last year, (or was it the year before???) I decided to try a wee brick to see what the knees would have to say. So I did a 22,5km (15 mile Turbo and the tootled out for a run. It was slow and a bit painful to begin with but not half bad. Think I’ll try a few more of these in the near future, maybe a run after my long bike ride…gotta get the legs used to the pain!
Run – 8,3km in 53 mins
Saturday
Bike – 73km in 3hr15min. Went out with Sharon and Pip again…went a slightly different route to the Surrey Hills. Ended up on Box hill where we caught the tail end of the Ballbuster Duathlon. Was quite chuffed with myself as I passed 3 competitors coming up Zig Zag rd that takes you to the top of the hill. Me overtake people on a hill is unheard of!!!
View from the top of Box hill, overlooking Dorking (I think).
Pic taken on the move, that's the Pipster in her Tritalk Gear....and my rather large looking right ear!!!
The road ahead, as we head off Box hill towards Leatherhead.
Sunday
Run around 30 mins of running, don’t know how far. Bit of a disaster i.t.o. running, but a fun morning out anyway. I wanted to do the Richmond park loop with Leo, but I was finding the running and pushing of the jogger hard on the knees, so decided to take a short cut back to the car. We took a cross country trail to Pen Ponds, I then had to cross a huge muddy section where we both nearly got stuck. My trainers and legs where caked in a mixture of Deer poop and mud. Great!!!!
Not great for running, but hey, sometimes you just have to say, to hell with it and rather go jumping in the mud with your toddler!!!!
Week 7
Monday
Turbo – 22,5km in around 45min, 7km Run in 43min. After chatting with a fellow club mate who did his first HIM last year, (or was it the year before???) I decided to try a wee brick to see what the knees would have to say. So I did a 22,5km (15 mile Turbo and the tootled out for a run. It was slow and a bit painful to begin with but not half bad. Think I’ll try a few more of these in the near future, maybe a run after my long bike ride…gotta get the legs used to the pain!
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Wednesday – Week 6
Run 40 min – 6.7km I ended up working from home yesterday as Little Man needed to be collected early from the minders, so I decided to squeeze a run in…It was also a lovely sunny day so wanted to take advantage of running in the warm sunlight rather then the cold dark!!!
So strapped Leo into the jogger and opted for a riverside run, out for 20 mins and then back again.
Made two mistakes. Firstly, I did a bit of a ‘Pips’, i.e. I didn’t check the tire pressure on the jogger, they were quite flat, so made for hard work pushing Leo along.
Mistake number two was that I didn’t know it was Spring Tide, ad to this all the rain we have had recently, this meant that the river started flooding exactly halfway through my run. So ended up with a laughing baby as we went whoshing through the water, and wet trainers!!!
So strapped Leo into the jogger and opted for a riverside run, out for 20 mins and then back again.
Made two mistakes. Firstly, I did a bit of a ‘Pips’, i.e. I didn’t check the tire pressure on the jogger, they were quite flat, so made for hard work pushing Leo along.
Mistake number two was that I didn’t know it was Spring Tide, ad to this all the rain we have had recently, this meant that the river started flooding exactly halfway through my run. So ended up with a laughing baby as we went whoshing through the water, and wet trainers!!!
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Tuesday - Week 6
Swim - 3000m , Don’t have a clue on the time, probably around 1hr 30 mins, but there were quite a few stops and interruptions. Decided to not kill myself on the swim like last week because I paid the price the next day.
Swim was good, but I need to spend more time thinking about technique…boring boring. I’ve signed up to do a swim analysis with Swim for tri who sponsor our club, you swim in one of those endless pools and they film you and then break your stroke down and give you pointers to work on. They also give you a DVD to take home to remind yourself of what you need to work on.
Quite cool, so I’ll be sacrificing my swim session that week for this…but maybe with a bit of pleading I’ll get to the Thursday session instead...will have to speak to the boss man!!!
Swim was good, but I need to spend more time thinking about technique…boring boring. I’ve signed up to do a swim analysis with Swim for tri who sponsor our club, you swim in one of those endless pools and they film you and then break your stroke down and give you pointers to work on. They also give you a DVD to take home to remind yourself of what you need to work on.
Quite cool, so I’ll be sacrificing my swim session that week for this…but maybe with a bit of pleading I’ll get to the Thursday session instead...will have to speak to the boss man!!!
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Monday - Week 6
Run- 8,3km in 50 min. Did this as a bit of a recovery run as the legs were still hurting loads from Sunday's bike. I just kept thinking, man I've had more then 24 hours recovery, how am I going to run straight off the bike on race day???
Week 6 off to a good start, though I'm very tired....4250 m swim is not going to happen tonight, I'll see how much I can manage.
Monday, March 5, 2007
End of Week 5
Wednesday
Turbo – 15km in around 45 mins. I just couldn’t do it…no motivation….PLEASE, bring on the summer….I’ve even thought about cycling in Richmond park in the dark. Drastic I know, if it weren’t for the Deer, particularly the pointy bits on one end, I’d be there. But I just think it’s too much of a risk. One hard fall and then that’s my season over, and of course, who will look after Little Man???
Friday
Run – 10,2km in 1hr01min. I took Friday off as we were heading up to Oxford for the night. So I did this run in the morning before heading up to Oxford. I ran a new route that takes in a portion of the Kingston breakfast run which I’m due to run on 1st April. The traffic was manic at that time of the morning, but otherwise a great run.
Sunday
Bike – 88km in around 3:45, I think. I was so trashed when I got off the bike that I forgot to check the time on my bike computer. It will be saved so will check it out . Was a great ride all considering. The weather was really wet, by the end of the ride, I had puddles in my shoes!!! The route went from Hampton, through Esher, to Cobham, then on to Leatherhead, then the back roads to the top of Box Hill for a much needed tea stop.
The group decided to head back to Hampton via the same route, but a club mate Nigel who is training for IMUK (UK Ironman) needed to extend his ride, so he was heading to the top of Staples Lane via Ranmore common. I decided to join him, mainly because I hadn’t done a decent Turbo session this week, but also because Nigel paid for my hot choc and slice of bread pudding, so I couldn’t leave him to finish the ride on his own.
It was tough, it had started to rain just outside of Cobham and it was getting heavier and heavier. Going really fast down hill when you can’t see is not fun. The roads where also in a terrible state, heaps of sand, mud and foliage in the roads, besides the huge puddles, often hiding potholes etc. There are some real yuck hills, and we were basically riding against the current as mini rivers flowed down the hills.
But we made it, and I was pretty chuffed with the distance and time.
At the moment I’m a little short on the run and the bike, but not by much, so no need for panic just yet…hard not to panic when I think that my epic bike ride of yesterday was slightly short, and I’d have to get off the bike and run a half marathon….best not to think about it!!!
Turbo – 15km in around 45 mins. I just couldn’t do it…no motivation….PLEASE, bring on the summer….I’ve even thought about cycling in Richmond park in the dark. Drastic I know, if it weren’t for the Deer, particularly the pointy bits on one end, I’d be there. But I just think it’s too much of a risk. One hard fall and then that’s my season over, and of course, who will look after Little Man???
Friday
Run – 10,2km in 1hr01min. I took Friday off as we were heading up to Oxford for the night. So I did this run in the morning before heading up to Oxford. I ran a new route that takes in a portion of the Kingston breakfast run which I’m due to run on 1st April. The traffic was manic at that time of the morning, but otherwise a great run.
Sunday
Bike – 88km in around 3:45, I think. I was so trashed when I got off the bike that I forgot to check the time on my bike computer. It will be saved so will check it out . Was a great ride all considering. The weather was really wet, by the end of the ride, I had puddles in my shoes!!! The route went from Hampton, through Esher, to Cobham, then on to Leatherhead, then the back roads to the top of Box Hill for a much needed tea stop.
The group decided to head back to Hampton via the same route, but a club mate Nigel who is training for IMUK (UK Ironman) needed to extend his ride, so he was heading to the top of Staples Lane via Ranmore common. I decided to join him, mainly because I hadn’t done a decent Turbo session this week, but also because Nigel paid for my hot choc and slice of bread pudding, so I couldn’t leave him to finish the ride on his own.
It was tough, it had started to rain just outside of Cobham and it was getting heavier and heavier. Going really fast down hill when you can’t see is not fun. The roads where also in a terrible state, heaps of sand, mud and foliage in the roads, besides the huge puddles, often hiding potholes etc. There are some real yuck hills, and we were basically riding against the current as mini rivers flowed down the hills.
But we made it, and I was pretty chuffed with the distance and time.
At the moment I’m a little short on the run and the bike, but not by much, so no need for panic just yet…hard not to panic when I think that my epic bike ride of yesterday was slightly short, and I’d have to get off the bike and run a half marathon….best not to think about it!!!
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