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.