The Iron Training weekend. A 4K swim, Squirrel running, 100 mile bike and the best Fathers Day present ever.

Friday 15th June 2012
Swimming

01:44:32- 4000M

My longest swim ever today - 4K.  This is longer than the Ironman distance but I wanted to get this under my belt so that I had the confidence to now that I can go longer that I need.  It was all very comfortable but mighty boring - there are only so many things you can think about during 160 lengths of the pool.  Towards the end most of the thoughts are - "just get me out of this bloody pool."

Running 01:00:00 - 6.75  Miles (08.53 per mile / HR Zone 2 / 81% Max)

Running in the horrible weather on Friday.  Not much fun but a really well paced run and the feeling of strength continues.  The Mighty Thor syndrome.


Saturday 16th June 2012
Running
02:56:26 - 18.17   Miles (09.42 per mile / HR Zone 4 / 93% Max)

Ignore the dodgy Heart Rate - bloody thing on the blink again.(The monitor not my heart.)
This was my last scheduled long run before going in to taper.  I tried to push the pace on a little bit from last week's long run but still stay comfortable.  To that end it all went to plan, and I genuinely could have gone on to finish off the Marathon distance and probably keep the same pace.

A pretty amazing thing happened on the way round.  I was running along a country road, and a little Grey Squirrel ran out on to the road in front of me and he kept running about 10 metres ahead of me for at least 150 metres up the road.  It was really cute and pretty funny seeing the little bushy tail bouncing up and down.  It was nice to have a bit of company.

Sunday 17th June 2012

Cycling

06:14:41 – 100.24 Miles (16.10 MPH / HR Zone 2 / 71% Max / Cadence 78)

The big weekend finished off with another long ride. This time I incorporated the Bangor Coastal Challenge in to the ride.  I rode the 20 miles down to Bangor for the start and then hooked up with my regular riding buddy Jim.
We then went round the 60 miles of the Ards Peninsula loop. I would then ride home to round out a 100 mile day.

The weather was reasonably kind to us today.  The promised rain more or less stayed away, but there was a bit of a cross wind  most of the way, but nothing too bad.

Poor Jim was struck with his usual curse of punctures.  This time 2 of them on the way, and this was after he already fixed 2 at home the night before and also before he even left the house this morning.  it is the worst puncture luck I have ever seen.

I really enjoyed the ride today.  It is a good route, a nice bowl of stew at lunchtime with a Mars Bar for dessert and good company.

I am delighted to get another 100 mile under under the belt and I am feeling a lot more confident about the Ironman bike ride than I was a month ago.

When I got home Keara and the kids gave me my Father's Day presents as I left the house early before they were all up.
They had made a video for me and it is honestly one of the best fathers Day presents I have ever had.
Check it out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Acs8DGBDeLM