Welcome

I started this blog in 2010 when there were 11 weeks to go before my next Ironman triathlon. People have found it interesting (mainly my Mum!) so I continue to write.
The Ironman is a long distance triathlon; Swim 2.4miles, Cycle 112miles, Run 26.2 miles (marathon). I have competed in one every year since 2004. I hope this blog can help others see what is involved. I find the process of writing it makes me more accountable and motivates me to do the harder sessions when i'm not feeling like it!

Saturday 17 March 2012

Run - Track

6 x 1200m on 90seconds

My last track session was 3 weeks ago. I'd like to go more often. That session was 800m repeats so I increased it to 1200m toady with more recovery and kept the pace the same. Happy overall as I held my pace which means i'm in under 3hr marathon shape. I'd really like to improve my biomechanics, i'm very aware of where the errors are but can't seem to shift them.

The plan will be to do 1600m next time before repeating the cycle. Ideally i'd like to do 10km worth of work each time but that needs building towards if i'm to stay injury free.

I mistakenly had the average heart rate displaying instead of current - I thought i'd had an amazing increase in fitness!

Friday 16 March 2012

Run
9km In the near barefoot vibrams. I'd forgotten how good it feels to run in these. I seem to have pulled a muscle in my left leg. The plan to go to the track was postponed.

Core
Stopped off on the run and did 30min + some eccentric calf work for the achilles + shoulder exercises.

I've found a good training guide for swimming 10Km by the Outdoor swimming society. It's 10 weeks away and the advice is to add 500m a week building up to 8Km maximum.

Thursday 15 March 2012

I did a presentation today for some John Lewis employees (they are actually called partners - as it's a cooperative) at Marylebone physiotherapy. They are going back to the departments they work in to champion running in an attempt to get all the staff fit for the olympic year.
The main thread was sports psychology and techniques you can use to enhance performance. When I tidy the blog up i'll put a link to it. 

Swim

3.4km (with 1.5km of tumble turns, a new best for me)

I thought i'd up the distance seeing as the 10km swim is in 10 weeks. I'm not sure what sort of training I need to do for this, especially what maximum distance to do beforehand. 

Sally said the yoga must be working as my usually rubbish legs were apparently "perfect"! It's nice to have some encouragement. 

Yoga

"yoga monks" session! Again the dodgiest person there was yours truly. 

Wednesday 14 March 2012

Turbo (am)

Warm up 10mins
Set 2 x 20min x 260W x 85rpm on 6min recovery
Cool down


I can't quite get my head around the heart rate graph. Being in the high 150s for the last 20 mins is somewhere I never go on the bike - it was surprisingly bearable. I can see now that i've spent all these years building an aerobic base with work in these higher zones pretty much banned (for cycling). The VO2max sessions i've been doing seem to have given me another gear.

Yoga (late evening)

- 30mins of those difficult wrap your leg round your other leg etc, (I was the dork in the class who couldn't do it and kept falling over)
- 30mins of "yin" yoga - basically putting your legs up on the wall - very relaxing.

Tuesday 13 March 2012

Rest

Another rest day - really busy with the kids. There was a 5 on the clock when we woke up. By the time they went to bed there was no energy left for exercise. Bed for me at 8pm.

Monday 12 March 2012

Weigh in 70.2kg

Yoga

Otherwise a rest day. The big drop in weight is surprising from 71kg last Monday - it must have something to do with the long run on Saturday. It'll probably creep up through the week.

My right ITB is painful at the moment - more rolling required.

Sunday 11 March 2012

19 weeks to go
Swim

Easy aerobic, just 45mins.
500m Warm up
500m With tumble turns (new for me)
500m 5 strokes/breath
250m Single arm
100 Back stoke
250m Pull buoy
cool down