Back in the pool

It's been over a week since I was in the pool as I was sea swimming in Lanza last week so I was slightly apprehensive about how I'd get on with my 3k timed swim.  The target was 1hr and 2 min and I was bang on!  I think I could have been slightly faster as I "went to sleep" in the middle but I'll get faster in the coming weeks as I get back to swimming 3 times a week.
Tonight I will either be out on my bike or running for a couple of hours.  It just depends on when my meetings finish today.
Tomorrow morning Mission Ironman will be talking at an Institute of Directors meeting in Glasgow so I am looking forward to spreading the work on how you can achieve things beyond your wildest dreams.  It really isn't as difficult as you think and certainly my experience in Lanzarote last week reinforced that message.  Remember every journey starts with a small step.  Why not make one today?

Chaos

At the end of a 12 hour day I was looking forward to my swim.  But due to a chemical problem (probably someone did a number 2 in the pool) it was cancelled.  So I adapted my training plan and went for a run.  However my Garmin computer decided to play up and for the first 12 minutes it didn't record any data.  And as I type this blog it is refusing to transfer any data to my website.  So that's one more task for tomorrow as this is such an important time in my training that I cannot afford to have no Management Information / feedback.
The run however releaved the stress of the day and it made me think how difficult it is for weekend warriors to train and work.  Last week in Lanza had been easy by comparison as I had a full week of training and rest without having to think about work or domestic duties.  Things don't always move smoothly in daily life and you have to continually adapt.  It would have been easy tonight not to have trained but it had to be done because there is a lot riding on Lanzarote Ironman in 65 days and I mustn't lose sight of the money I will be raising for Maggie's Cancer Caring Centres.  Having a goal that means something makes it easier to be focused. 

More work to be done

After a hard week in Lanza training, yesterday was a day off.  However it still involved a sports massage with my new smooth baldy legs - what a difference that made.  Almost worth the ridicule from my wife of having "chicken legs" - I'm sure she means tasty!  So the bald legs will remain till the Ironman on 19th May which is only 66 days away.
I then had a meeting with my coach to review last weeks performance and structure this week based on the feedback.  Starting today I have an exceptionally tough week ahead as we continue to increase my fitness, endurance and strength.  Long swim sessions, mind (and bum) numbing bike rides and longer distance runs are all planned with particular attention to my heart rate.  This is vital as in the race I will be pacing myself with my heart rate as a key performance indicator as if you get that wrong on any one discipline you are risking the unspeakable - I can't even bring myself to write it but I'm sure you know what I mean.  I've also entered a 100 mile bike race around the Trossachs in April as it has an ideal profile for my preparation - you guessed it, very hilly.  So more work to be done but I am really feeling the benefits of it and mentally am starting to look forward to the event.

Home sweet home

Travelling home from a week abroad is always a drag. But today the flight took off early and landed early. Everything went to plan. But stepping off the plane in Glasgow in a damp grey day having left blue skies in Lanza. But I got off the plane fitter and more confident of my bike ride in Lanza Ironman. There is 9 weeks to go and I am now completely focused on the race.
I am also reading Chrissie Wellington's autobiography (4 times Ironman world champion) and it is so inspirational to see how she approaches races. Even world champions go through the same process as us "weekend warriors". Their fears / doubts are the same.
So tomorrow I am meeting with my coach as we start to fine tune the training for the final 9 weeks. I will also be getting my recovery sports massage which will be the first with my new shaved legs! Yes I gave in to the pressure and tomorrow will confirm whether or not it was worthwhile! It's so good to be home.

Lanza day 6 - it´s all over

Final days training today which started with a one mile sea swim.  It was beautifully calm and it was good to get some more experience in the sea swimming with the fish which can sometime give you a wee surprise.  After that it was a full English breakfast and then back to the apartment for a rest and some rehydration which is so important in this heat.
After my rest I went out for my final run.  I made sure it was fast and hard as I knew when it was finished I had no more training to do.  There was the option of a bike ride but after yesterday I didn´t want to push the limits any more - there was nothing left to prove on the bike after that epic day.
So tomorrow we fly home.  The ATHelite team of Gareth, Graeme and Dawn all a bit browner, fitter and tired.  It´s so good being part of a team when you are pushing yourself because they help you when you need it as you do them - thanks guys.  Gareth and I will be back out for the Ironman event on May 19th and there´s a lot more training to do before we arrive here.  We´re on schedule and feeling good.  I think we deserve some good food and a few extra beers tonight!  Tomorrow is a rest day. Looking forward to getting home and seeing the family. :-))

Lanza day 5 - best day cycling EVER!

What a difference a day makes.  Today was blue skies, 32.5 degrees and a lightish wind (it´s all relative in Lanza!).  We were going to tackle the big climbs and the frightening descents as the conditions were good.  We started with the Tabayesco right up to the top where the cafe is, a 6km climb.  Then we descended fast to Teguise only to climb back up after a burger and a coke for energy.  This was followed by a steep descent with hairpin bends with 1,000 ft drops on the other side - it was awesome but would have been impossible the day before.  We worked our way up to the highest point, Mirador del Rio and then flew down the other side.
In total we climbed over 5,000 ft in the 4.5 hours we were out and the scenery was breath taking - literally.  When I got back I went for a 20 minute run off the bike to the beach and a quick swim in the sea.  It´s amazing how much I have learned about bike handling skills in the last five days but I´ve always been told it´s about time in the saddle and miles in your legs.
Tomorrow we will be going for a more leisurely ride and probably a longer run.  The the bike will be packed away and Sunday will be spent travelling home.  I´m not sure how I will react to the drop in temperature especially when I am next out on a run or the bike.  Now for some food - I´m starving!

Lanza day 4 - the road to hell

The weather forecast today was for a 10 mph wind.  So we intended to do the 112 mile Ironman course.  The first 1.5 hours was brilliant.  Then someone turned on the wind machine.  It was horrendous.  At one stage the wind brought us to an almost standstill.  One rider had to get off.  I was two yards ahead and had just about stopped but turned my wheel and the wind caught me a hurled me down the road.  We spend a large part of the day riding at an angle.
It was too windy to take a hand off the bars to reach for food.  The road around El Golfo took every inch of courage I had to stay on the bike but all I did was focus on my heart rate and cadence and I got through it.  When we reached "death valley" we made the decision not to complete the 112 mile course for safety reasons.  I had to take my contact lenses out as there was a sand storm - it was as close to cycling through the desert as I could imagine.  Yet we kept going.  Gusts of wind would either take your bike into the centre of the road and oncoming traffic or towards the rocks.
In the end we completed 75 miles in 5 hours and 15 minutes.  The average speed was low at 14.1 mph but that didn´t matter.  I finished the ride strong and having kept within a heart rate and cadence range I could easily have gone on.  My worry about a speed wobble have disappeared as I have fought side winds that could upend you at any time and stayed on the bike.  This was an epic ride but only cause I survived!  It was the road to hell but I hope tomorrow we can take on the high points in the island again in relative safety.  Bring it on!