TWTWTW IMFF Week 2

Monday 31st October 2011

That Was The Week That Was

Week 2 completed
Hours Trained: 5H20Mins
Swimming: 3.2K (2 Miles)
Cycling: 36.19 Miles
Running: 8.83 Miles

Week 2 and all has gone to plan this week again - thankfully.
The old calf pain from last week disappeared pretty quickly and didn't bother me this week at all.
The only ailment was a sore foot on Thursday but that went quickly again.
I have started to notice that my calf muscles are pretty tight and would be prone to the odd twinge - certainly nothing like a cramp.

Here is the week ahead. Training time goes up a bit this week.

Wine(ing) about a sore head.

Sunday 30th October 2011

Cycling
01:10:00 -18.46 Miles (15.8mph / HR 144bpm Z2 80% of Max HR / Cadence 83rpm)

To be fair this was never going to be my best cycle - given the poor preparation from the previous night round at the B-I-L and S-I-L's house for a Halloween party.
The night started with the obligatory Cider and rapidly moved on to some very tasty wine. i can thoroughly recommend the All Out Merlot (one for the Cricket fans - with W G Grace on the label)



Anyway, the effect of all of this was that Sunday morning was less than perky - even with an extra hour in bed with the Hour going back.



But in true Ironman style I went out anyway for just over an hour.

My head was sore the whole way round but it started to ease off about 2 miles from home!!  Woo Hoo.

Cycle felt OK apart from the sore head and I was happy enough with the pace and HR control given that it was quite a windy day.

Week 2 of IMFF training done.

Just r(one) for the road.

Friday 28th October 2011
Running
00:45:00 - 4.28 Miles (00:10:32) per mile / HR 150bpm Z2 83% Max)

I found this pace sooo slow but still struggled to get the HR under control for about 2 miles - Very frustrating indeed.  No idea why it was like this but got it done anyway.

The prospectof a cold cider was incentive enough to get back up the road again.

I cycled, I swam - That's it.

Cycling
00:30:00 - 8.27  Miles (16.5mph / HR 137bpm Z2 76% of Max HR / Cadence 102rpm) - Turbo Trainer

A Spin session again - keeping a high cadence.  Nice half hour in the company of Jack Bauer.

Swimming
1600M - 00:53:16 in 25M pool at Lisburn Leisureplex - Graduates swimming club.

Although this was slow tonight, it felt pretty good and I feel like I am getting bit better on the drills - but I really hate the leg kick drill.  It is so difficult and tiring on the legs.  I suppose it is meant to be!!

Warm up 200M (WU 200)
8 X 50 M Drills (Kick only / Swim fist / Doggy Paddle / Arms only) (8X50 Drill)
20 X 25M with 10 secs rest between intervals (20X25@10secs)
8 X 50 M Drills
100M cool down (100M CD)
Total 1600M

Run of the Mill.

Wednesday 26th October 2011

Cycling
00:30:00 -9.46 Miles (18.9mph / HR 132bpm Z2 73% of Max HR / Cadence 88rpm) - Turbo Trainer

A half hour session on the Turbo in the garage followed up with a short run to make a Brick session.
This went well and the distance covered compared to last week was quite a bit better.

Running
00:15:00 - 1.50 Miles (00:10:00) per mile / HR 145bpm Z2 80% Max)

A short run straight off the bike on the treadmill - distance is an estimate but I am pretty sure that it was min 1.5 miles OK.  This felt really easy tonight but I don't like running on the treadmill at all.

Breaking the Ice

Tuesday 25th October 2011

Swimming
1600M - 00:47:39 in 18M pool at Gym

Warm up 200M (WU 200)
8 X 50 M Drills (Kick only / Swim fist / Doggy Paddle / Arms only) (8X50 Drill)
2 X 250M with 30 secs rest between intervals (2X2500@20secs)
8 X 50 M Drills
100M cool down (100M CD)
Total 1600M
Early swim before work this morning and the pool was freezing cold.  How can it be cold - it's not like they just turn on the heat in the morning for it - or do they? Anyway it was "stimulating" getting in to it but I warmed up fairly quickly.
Really started to feel things coming together at the end of this session today - although I am really beginning to hate the leg drills - they are such hard work.

Running
00:30:00 - 3.05 Miles (00:09:41) per mile / HR 148bpm Z2 82% Max)

This run felt really easy.  HR was a little elevated for the first mile, but I am beginning to think that this is just it getting up to speed, and then it drops back below 80% after about 1 mile.  i felt like I was able to get a bit quicker and stay in zone tonight.  Don't get me wrong it is still SLOW at 9.41 per mile - but a slight improvement.

TWTWTW (TW3)

Monday 24th October 2011

That was the Week that Was

Week 1 completed
Hours Trained: 6H45Mins
Swimming: 3.2K (2 Miles)
Cycling: 51.12 Miles
Running: 12.86 Miles

The week went well and all to plan.  I just seem to have picked up a slight soreness in my right calf muscle - but I think it was from the cramp going on to the run from the bike in the race on Saturday.  I'm glad I had a rest day today.

Here is the week ahead.

Two new training partners.

Cycling
01:30:00 -23.30 Miles (15.5mph / HR 145bpm Z2 80% of Max HR / Cadence 85rpm)

A really enjoyable ride this morning - just befor the weather got pretty nasty - stayeddry until about 4 miles from home - so quite lucky to get away with it.

As I was heading out the driveway one of my neighbours rode past and asked if I fancied joining him.
I havenever spoken to him before but seen him out on the bike, and he would be what I class as a proper cyclist - a Club cyclist.

We had a really good ride and I hope I did not hold him back too much but we seemed to be ticking along OK.  It is good to meet up with a new training partner, especially one who is very kowledgable and is definitely better than me, so I hope to improve by riding with him.

The day then took a very different turn this afternoon as we went to get me another training partern.

Meet Darcy.

10 weeks old Westie X Scottie X Bichon Frise X Collie cross breed.  Vey cute but I am not sure about her athletic ability yet!!

The Brownlee Challenge - What a day!

Saturday 22nd October 2011

The Brownlee Challenge

**Provisional results**

Run 2 Miles - 00:14:34

T1 - 00:01:10

Bike 10.5 Miles - 00:35:27
T2  - 00:00:39
Run 2 Miles- 00:15:48
Total time - 01:07:39

The day finally arrived when the current World Triathlon Champion (Alistair Brownlee) and the U23 and Sprint Distance World Champion (Jonathan Brownlee) got to race with me at the Brownlee Challenge Duathlon.

I had been looking forward to this so much and the event turned out to be every bit as exciting as I hoped it would be.

The Brownlees were more than happy to pose for photos and sign autographs and were so relaxed and down to earth - just a nice couple of young lads.

The event was based on a 12.00 start for the Women, 12.03 for the Men and 12.06 for the Brownlees to start and catch people up.

My aim was not to be caught in the first mile by them - which was a real possibility as they run at about 5 minute per mile pace, and I usually am around 8 min per mile pace. (Alistair regularly does 10k at the end of the Triathlon in 29 minutes - Flippin' Quick)

The start was blistering and I can't remember running so fast in a race ever before.

I went through the first mile in 06.58 - which is almost certainly the fastest mile I have ever run.

I was being pulled along by my friend Jim and we were together pretty much through to the end of the run.

The good news was that they didn't catch me until about 1.2 miles - I am claiming this as a victory for the common man.  I finished the first run leg of 2 miles in 14.34 which is lightening quick for me.

I got on to the bike and the course was great - 2 big out and back loops and not too hilly - just a bit of a drag back up to the turnaround point.  It was pretty windy however and that made things a bit slower - but my time of 35.27 was very pleasing - especially as I did not get passed by anyone on the bike.

I could not however catch my friends Paul and Donald, both of whom had destroyed me on the run, and I couldn't eat in to them but just maintained the gap.

The 2nd Run leg started with me taking a small cramp in my calf muscle, so I stopped and stretched for a few seconds and then just ran on through it.  I picked off a few people on the run and did not get passed by anyone here either.

The last mile of my run was 07.44 - so I am well pleased that I paced myself well and managed to knock out a fast (for me) mile at the end.

Well done to Mags who was doing her first Duathlon, and I imagine she will have caught the bug.

After the race we were standing admiring the bikes of Johnny and Non Stanford (British Female Duathlon Champion) and they came over.  Johnny was more than happy to have a bit of a chat and he was a really nice guy - and Non is a bit of a looker.

On the whole a great day and well done to all the competitors and especially my fellow Up and Runners who all had a great day out.

The Up and Runners Gang - Me, Paul, Jim, Donald , Mags

Alistair eating his shoe after he found out he is racing me.

Alistair , Non and Johnny with a couple of the organisers.

Steady does it.

Friday 21st October 2011

Running
00:45:00 - 4.41 Miles (00:10:10) per mile / HR 151bpm Z2 83% Max)
Nice run at steady pace and much happier with the HR control on this run - all nice and steady and consistent.

Spin Doctor

Cycling
00:30:00 - 8.63  Miles (17.3mph / HR 132bpm Z2 73% of Max HR / Cadence 105rpm) - Turbo Trainer

A Spin session tonight.  The purpose is to get the legs spinning at a cadence of over 100 RPM (Cadence is the rate of turnover of pedals)

This is a good session because it gets the legs used to turning over quickly whilst staying in the optimum HR Zone for training.

Very pleased with the way things went in this one.

Swimming
1600M - 00:48:58 in 25M pool at Lisburn Leisureplex - Graduates swimming club.

Same session as the one on Tuesday, although a bit slower in the 25M pool compared to the 18M pool at the Gym.

Warm up 200M (WU 200)
8 X 50 M Drills (Kick only / Swim fist / Doggy Paddle / Arms only) (8X50 Drill)
5 X 100M with 20 secs rest between intervals (5X100@20secs)
8 X 50 M Drills
100M cool down (100M CD)
Total 1600M

Wednesday 19th October 2011

Cycling
00:30:00 -7.69 Miles (15.4mph / HR 140bpm Z2 77% of Max HR / Cadence 84rpm) - Turbo Trainer

A half hour session on the Turbo in the garage this evening followed up with a short run to make a little Brick session.
Turbo trainers are great things but can be the work of the Devil as they cause you to sweat like you have never seen before.
It was made more bearable by hooking up the laptop to an old monitor and watching Episode 1 of Day 4 of 24.  I love 24 and really want to be Jack Bauer.  The weekly Turbo sessions will give me a chance to watch plenty!!
Keara sneakily took a picture of me - lucky it was my best angle - BEHIND!!

Running 
00:15:00 - 1.56 Miles (00:09:41) per mile / HR 146bpm Z2 81% Max)
A short run straight off the bike.
I was very happy with this as the Heart rate stayed well under control - unlike last night!

It may seem a bit daft just going for a 15 minute run - but the purpose is to get the legs used to running straight off the bike.  I have to say that I felt very comfortable tonight on this run.

Swim Fist

Tuesday 18th October 2011

Swimming
1600M - 00:46:18 in 18M pool at Gym

First swim training session of IMFF programme.  Got to the pool early and got it in before work this morning.  A pretty miserable and cold morning - but I will need to get used to that I think.
Session made up of: (abbreviations are used for all the workouts)

Warm up 200M (WU 200)
8 X 50 M Drills (Kick only / Swim fist / Doggy Paddle / Arms only) (8X50 Drill)
5 X 100M with 20 secs rest between intervals (5X100@20secs)
8 X 50 M Drills
100M cool down (100M CD)
Total 1600M

*Swim fist is swimming with a closed fist rather than an open hand - quite hard to do - not some kinky sex thing!!*

I was happy enough with the session even though it is a lot slower than I would usually do for 1600M, but I expected it to take around 45 mins because of the drills and rest sessions between sets.

Running 
00:30:00 - 2.89 Miles (00:10:21) per mile / HR 154bpm Z2 85% Max)

This was a bit of a novelty as the training programme calls for runs to be based on time and not distance.  I have never used this approach to training as I have always been a bit of a mileage junkie and enjoyed logging distance rather than time.
The idea is to run for a specific time in a specific aerobic Heart Rate zone.
Mission accomplished - just about!!

The Heart Rate monitor was bonkers for the first mile - registering me at over 100% of HR even though I was moving pretty slow and not even breathing semi-hard. Suddenly at 1 mile it just dropped to about 75% and pretty much stayed between there and 80% for the rest of the run.
I knew it was the monitor and not me that was broken.

It is dawning on me that it is quite tricky to run well within yourself in this HR zone as my natural pace feels a bit quicker and I feel like I am trying hard to slow down.
I have to trust the plan.

That being said - if I could sustain the pace from this run - 10.21 per mile for the Marathon in IMFF, that would give me a 4h30m Marathon - which is pretty much what I run for my other Marathons anyway.  So, with 9 months training at this pace or hopefully better maybe things will work out.

"A Journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step" - Mao Tse-Tung

Monday 17th October 2011

A significant day

Today marks the start of a 37 week training programme to get me to Ironman Frankfurt on the 8th of July 2012.

I am sure that I will have lots of ups and downs, highs and lows, triumphs and failures, injuries and improvements along the way, but I will try my best to achieve all that I can and to do the best that is possible.

I will be reliant on the support of family and friends on this mammoth undertaking and I feel grateful for it as I know it will take patience and sacrifices from them too.

Keep tuned in for the usual updates.
As a taster, here is the schedule for this week. It is a nice easy start with today being a rest day, so it is great to say that Day 1 has been a total success and I achieved a new PB in terms of resting.

I'm Punctured.

Friday 14th October 2011

Cycling
8.02 Miles - 00:30:38 (15.7mph / HR 144bpm Z2 80% of Max HR / Cadence 82rpm)

Only half of what I was meant to do.
I was cycling in to work and was meant to cycle home too - BUT - I checked my bike at  Lunchtime in work and discovered it was punctured!!  Bollocks!
I couldn't be bothered to repair it at work, so left the bike in work and got the train home.

It was a pity as I was looking forward to a decent ride home.

Went to Chainreaction Cycles today to get some more inner tubes as I am going through them like crazy at the moment.  This latest puncture is my 3rd puncture in 3 rides and less than 30 miles.  I am getting really pissed off with it!

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/

I also bought some tyres for my Triathlon bike for winter training as the ones on the bike are Slicks - and it gets a bit scary when the road is wet.

Here are the new ones. 

A bit bling but should look pretty good on the bike and give me a bit more grip. 
 It is a bit sad to be excited about new tyres.

Swim like a bitch!

Thursday 13th October 2011

Swimming
1500M (I think) - 00:51:50 in 25M pool at Lisburn Leisureplex - Graduates Swim Club

I am not totally sure how far I swam tonight as I decided to take a slightly different approach to the swimming club tonight.
I did a 300M warm up  - although I never really understand a warm up in swimming becasue I really only have one pace and that is what I do the whole way through - but I went through the motions of calling it a warm up anyway.

I then asked the Coach for a bit of advice as I am due to start the IMFF training programme next week and all of the swimming sessions in it involve drills.  These are technique based exercises intended to improve your overall standard of swimming.  The problem is that I have never really bothered with these and just plough up and down the pool trying to work on my own technique based on my extremely limited knowledge.

So  - she tells me that doingsets of Doggy Paddle is a good drill to perform.  Initially I thought she was taking me for a bitch. ( Dog - Bitch, do you see what I did there?) Anyway it turns out she was serious.

Bloody hell doing this version of doggy paddle - which involved doing your full stroke without breaking the surface with your arms is really hard work.  I can see how that will work.
I then did some sets holding the kick board and just using my legs. I honestly thought I had stopped dead in the water - I clearly have no kick worth talking about and have identified another area to work on in order to improve my overall stroke.

On the whole not quite the workout I had expected but I am pleased with it anyway and could feel how the drills affected my stroke immediately after doing them - so I am sure that sticking with it for the next 38 weeks will pay off.

I'm off now to have a bowl of Pedigree Chum and lick my own bum.  Ruff!

Ho Hum!

Tuesday 11th October 2011

Swimming
1000M - 00:23:40 in 18M pool at Gym
Not much to say really - it was a swim. In the pool and it took 23 minutes.  Ho Hum! 

T.D.F.T

Monday 10th October 2011

Running 
5.01Miles - 00:49:13 (00:09:50) per mile / HR 154bpm Z3 86% Max)

Nice easy run today. Nothing really to note about it.  Marginally outside of my desired  HR Zone by 1%. I will just have to run a bit slower to stay in the zone - you would think that is easy!

Today marks exactly 1 week until the official start of a 38 week training programme for Ironman Frankfurt.  Hereafter it will be referred to as IMFF.  I like giving things easy names to remember. AAH (abbreviations are handy)

Saw a great little cartoon which I thought was quite apt as I head in to this monster training plan.

That'll do for today.

It's a family affair. Runher 09.10.11

Sunday 9th October 2011

Runher 09.10.11

The rest of the family were all being active today and I was marshalling at the event.
First up was the kids 1K race.
Ben was defending his title as winner from the last race in June.
The good news is that he won again and with probably about 30 metres to spare.  He did really well and led pretty much from the start.

Erin had decided she wanted to give it a go as well and fancied she would take Ben down.  She didn't quite get him but did well and realised running is not all that easy.  I am still very proud of them both for doing so well and trying very hard.

Next up it was Keara's turn in the 5K (she is on the left).  She ran very well on limited training and came in at 29.30.  What was really impressive was that her mile splits went from 10.30 to 9.30 to 8.30.

Overall a really good event and it was good to see lots of familiar faces and people of all abilities giving their best.

Swimming and a very late night.

Thursday  6th October 2011

Swimming
2250M - 01:01:51 in 25M pool at Lisburn Leisureplex - Graduates Swimming Club.
It was all I could do to drag myself out the door to go to the Swimming Club.  It was a cold, dark and wet night and keara had the fire lit at home and it was so cosy inside.
Also I have some rather tasty German Beer lurking in the fridge that was screaming my name in a German accent.

But - I decided to get off my arse and go.

I'm glad I did because I set the goal of doing 90 lengths (2250M) and achieved it - a bit slower than I would have hoped for, but the lane was quite full and once again I started to get cramp in my foot around the 70 lengths mark.  Apart from that I felt good and without the sore foot could have probably done 100 lengths. That will be a real milestone.  Maybe next week.

On another note. . . .

Ironman World Championships - Hawaii 08 Oct 2011

I had been looking forward to this for so long and it did not disappoint at all.  I managed to get to bed around 3.00AM after watching this straight though (more or less except for X-Factor) from about 5.30PM.

My predictions from a couple of weeks ago were not too far off.
the great Chrissie Wellington put in the most amazing gutsy performacne to win the title and confirmed my pick.  In the Mens race my Pick Andreas Raelert came 3rd , behind Luke MacKenzie and the winner in a new course record Craig Alexander.
It was incredible to watch and those pros are so fast, but it is amazing to see how much they hurt aswell.  Some of them were collapsing across the line just like the ordinary age groupers.

Mind you - Alexander ran a 2.44 Marathon and Wellington a 2.52 Marathon - not bad after a 2.4 mile swim and 112 mile bike in 80+ degree heat.

I disappoints me that these amazing athletes get so little mainstream press coverage or recognition - and to think that Chrissie has just won this for the 4th time - never been beaten over Ironman distance and holds the world record - but will barely get a mention at the Sports Personality of the year and some illiterate idiotic brain dead 19 year old footballer getting £150K per week will probably be hailed as a hero.  Ridiculous!

Absolutely inspiring stuff and I can't wait to get to the start line (and more importantly the finish line) in Frankfurt - which at the time of writing on Sunday 9th October is exactly 38 weeks and 6 days away - but who is counting?  Gulp!!

Lunch is for wimps!

Wednesday 5th October 2011

Running 
3.00 Miles - 00:23:35 (07.52 per mile / HR 166bpm Z4 92% Max)
Short run at lunch time at work. Nice little route around the Lagan and Ormeau Embankment.
Very happy with the pace even on a windy day.  I'm glad I went because looking out the window it looked a bit miserable and I was in two minds.

He's only 10, how fast could he be?

Monday 3rd October 2011

Swimming
1000M - 00:22:01 in 18M pool at Gym.
This was a time trial to see if I had improved over the month of September in my 100M time.
So . . . here goes
30th August 1000M 00:22:47.  Therefore a speed improvement of 46 secs.  Which equates to around 3/4 of a second per length of the pool.
Not dramatic but an improvement nonetheless.

Running
1.75 Miles - 00:14:06 (08.06 per mile / HR 157bpm Z3 86% Max)
Went for a bit of a run with Ben this evening as he has Cross Country starting up again at school and he wanted to get  bit of training in.  He did really well last year, and with any luck will make the team again this year and improve on a very successful season last year.
We took it at his pace and set out to do 1 mile.  He knocked it out very comfortably in 7.35.  Not just as comfortable for me though - definitely a bit faster than my usual pace.
He felt really good, so we decided to do a little bit more but at a slower pace to cool down. His cool down pace turned out to be 08.42 per mile - still quick enough especially as a good chunk of it was up hill.
I would love to see what he would be capable of with a wee bit more training - then again he is 10 years old and weighs about the same as my right leg!!
I really enjoyed running with him and it felt like a decent wee work out after pushing it on for the swim today.

Easy does it!

Sunday 2nd October 2011

Cycling
34.86 Miles - 03:04:10 (11.4mph / HR 129bpm Z2 71% of Max HR / Cadence 72rpm)
Cycle with B-I-L Nick.  Nice route out to Comber and back through Moneyreagh and Carryduff to Drumbo and Lisburn.

Not the fastest ride in the world but we stayed dry and i think this is a nice route that could be used again.  A steady session in a very low heart rate zone.

I think Nick now knows the meaning of Glycemic Defecit.  Not the best!

Slippery when wet.

Saturday 1st October 2011

Running
5.00 Miles - 00:39:39 (07.55 per mile / HR 167bpm Z4 92% Max)

A really pleasing run in the heavy rain.  I loved it - getting soaked but not cold.  Good music on the ipod - AC/DC and Bryan Adams - old school but brilliant.

Delighted with the pace and really cracked on to make sure I came in under 8 min miles.  What was even more pleasing was that the 2nd half of the run which is up hill was faster than the 1st half.  A Negative split as it's called in the business.

Wet one but a Nice one.