MIS

My Management Information System (MIS) is down.  With 13 hours to go I am finalising my preparations for tomorrows Highland Fling - cross country half marathon.  My foot pod which gives vital information to my watch about my pace had been playing up and I was hoping to sort it but it's beyond fixing.  Well at least I've got my watch and heart rate monitor but the read out on the watch is fading in and out......bugger.  Looks like I'm going to have to run a route I've never run before, off road which I've never done before and pace myself based on how I feel.

I have mentioned in the past that measurements are important as they help you measure your progress.  But occasionally you need to ignore the readings and feel how you are doing and tomorrow I don't have any choice.  So I will be entering new territory with a positive frame of mind.  It's only 13 miles so I'm going to give it my very best.  I'll report back on Sunday as I am away all day supporting my three team mates who are doing the other stages.

Anyone for a Highland Fling?

Yesterday I spent 17 hours in hospital with my son who was getting an operation on his ankle - so he's now out of action for 3 months.  I was thinking how frustrating that must be not being able to take part in exercise when I jumped out of bed this morning for a quick and short run, just to make sure the legs were working for the weekend - more of that in a minute.  At 6.06am it was 4 degrees outside but the sunniest day this year, it was beautiful.  But the last couple of miles were slightly uncomfortable as I'd forgotten to go to the loo before leaving.  Palates on the move (cheek clenching!) I call it but fortunately I made it, just!
I also received a call yesterday to say my services were needed for the Highland Fling on Saturday.  This is a 53 mile ultra marathon on the West Highland Way, Milngavie to Tyndrum.  I am part of a four man relay team therefore doing a half marathon cross country.  Not exactly the preparation I would have put in had I known I was definitely doing it but it should be fun.  I am running the last section (Ben Glas to Tyndrum) which is stunning scenery so I am really looking forward to it.  So another easy day tomorrow to conserve my energy.

Mans best friend?

Yesterday I skipped training and played golf with my son as its his last game for a few months as he is going in for an ankle operation tomorrow.  It was fantastic weather again and the golf was slightly better than the day before which shows the benefit of practice!  So when the weather continued I took the opportunity to go out for a couple of hours on the bike in the early evening - the benefits of this time of year.
I avoided the busy roads and travelled 50 km through beautiful countryside.  The birds were singing, the lambs running riot in groups and then there was a bloody sheep dog.  I was approaching the top of the hill when I was ambushed by the dirty mutt.  It chased me for 200 yards and my heart rate shot up from 150 to 165 in an instant.  I suppose practicing sprints is good for the fitness but I don't want teeth marks on my ankle or to crash and get injured.  I'll be ready for it next time although I think it will be tougher than the Jack Russell I had a run in with before.

Golf - a mind game

Longish lie as it was my day off training and we had been out for a very late dinner with loads of liquid carbs - if you get my meaning!  Watched the Old Firm match and if I was in a habit of biting my nails, which I am not, I'd be down to my elbows by full time.  It's difficult to explain.  Then on to my first game of golf of the season.  Best described as mixed and the intriguing thing about golf is that it is a game played between your ears.  My triathlon friends don't understand it but aiming at a stationery target can be very difficult.  If you don't believe me then try it.
Now off to eat birthday cake as my son Ali is 14 today.  Chocolate cake and double cream, now that is  good carbs which will help me in training tomorrow.  Yum, yum

Rainy Easter

Should have know better that the good weather wouldn't last.  A rainy 12km run was the order of the day.    Felt lost without feedback from my Garmin but my overall time was in line with expectations.  Once I stepped out the shower the sun came out - that's Scotland for you.  Out tonight so long lie in the morning and no training.  Watching the Old Firm match and hope that everyone behaves themselves, then off for my first game of golf of the season - that should be fun!

Good Friday - great Friday!

Took advantage of the good weather and the quiet roads and cycled 83 km today.  Best conditions this year.  The countryside was beautiful but full concentration was required as the potholes are lethal as you swerve to miss them and the certain drivers are less sympathetic than others.  Perfect build up for the Etape in May which is 81 miles and will test my fitness.  In June I face an even bigger challenge with the UK 70.3 Ironman which has a very tough bike course and run - hilly.  So this is what I'm working on while keeping the swimming going.  Feeling fit!  Have a good long weekend.

Working smarter not harder

Early morning 11km run to the sounds of the birds singing was a great start.  There is something about running that allows your mind to wander and I was reflecting on last nights swim session.  We were doing 8 x 100m with the first 50m steady and the second fast, a 15 sec rest and then onto the next one.  I started at 2 minutes for the 1st 100 and by the forth was frustratingly at 2min 15 sec.  So the coach suggested I relax more by doing 75 m steady and 25 fast.  Guess what my time came down by 5 sec.  By putting in more effort I was getting worse.  By working on the efficiency of the technique I got better.
The reason I thought of this was that as I ran longer more commuters started to take to the road.  As time went on the more stressful they looked and that's before they get to work!  So today I am going to have an easy start by taking the kids to school and when I get into the office, working smarter not harder.  Enjoy your day.

The "f" word

A friend of mine has set herself a year of challenges and her biggest one was an 80 mile costal run in 24 hours.  Unfortunately she didn't make it and naturally she was beating herself up over it.  But by setting such stretching goals you can always fall short but she has still raised the "bar" to an incredible height.  Here's what Michael Jordan has to say about failure http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45mMioJ5szc . Why not risk "failing" every once in a while - come on get out there!

Active recovery

It was such a beautiful day I couldn't resist going out on my bike tonight even though I had promised my self a rest.  My legs were stiff from the duathlon so the bike ride was to loosen them off - which it did.  A quick 46km felt great.  The hard work in Lanza has really paid off.  The hills seemed small and the bike seemed at one with me, especially when I was flying down the hills.  The confidence is back on the bike and I'm lovin it!  A few big rides in store over the long weekend as I build up for the 81 mile bike race in May.

Recovery

Following yesterday's duathlon I was in the pool at 7am but only for a recovery session i.e. trying to stop the legs from cramping.  As we enter the pool there are kids that have been training since 5.30am!  These are the future commonwealth and olympic stars and some stay on longer while their coaches bark out instructions and shout times at them.  They look extremely fit, they are extremely fast but will only get away with wearing those "budgie smugglers" (speedo's - see Fosters advert for an explanation) for a few more years!  It's great to see that not all teenagers have long lies in the morning and spend too much time in front of the telly or play station.  Day off tomorrow as I prepare for the coached Wednesday swim session which will be a killer.

Duathlon report

Today was a beautiful sunny day and the location of the event was beautiful, a country estate with a river running through it.  Yesterday I set out my game plan so here's how it went:
I completed the first 5km run at my target speed of 4.45 mins per km - this was a miracle as my Garmin watch wouldn't give me an average read out as it should.  The course was hilly and tough.
The bike ride was 22km not 20km as advertised - my average speed was 27.06 kmph, quicker than my target speed.
The second run was very tough, especially the hills.  I had aimed at 4.30 min per km but slipped to 4.87 per km.  Being my 1st duathlon I learned that it is all about the legs.  The good thing about having a plan with targets is that you can reflect on them and measure your improvements in the future.  Without a plan it would just have been an event.
As with every event you learn from your mistakes.  I forgot a towel so had a "Glasgow shower" afterwards (deodorant), I forgot my tribelt to attach my number to so had to pin on the number.  Doesn't seem too bad but shouldn't have pinned it on before I needed a pee - that raised a few laughs in the gents and it was a close call.  On the bike I managed to squeeze my energy gel, miss my mouth and cover my groin area - that got a few odd looks at the finish line but fortunately I had a spare gel!
All in all the event was a success and I am pleased with the result.  I did end up on all fours at the finish line but managed to avoid serving up a pizza, if you know what I mean!  Next time I'll be better prepared in every way.

Game plan

Tomorrow I am taking part in my 1st duathlon at the same time thousands of people will be completing the London Marathon.  While I will be finished a lot quicker than them there are two things we will have in common.  The first is we will have a game plan.  Mine is simple; in the first 5km run I will run at 4.45 min per km which is slower than my race pace for 5km - treat it like a warm up.  On the 20 km bike I am going to maintain 26.5 km per hour, a good speed as it is over a relatively short distance and I have another 5km to run when I get off.  Then I step into the unknown.  I am aiming to run the last 5km at 4.30 min per km.  That is my game plan and having established the plan it will be easier to focus during the event and after I can conduct a more meaningful review.
The second thing we will have in common is at the end we will be knackered.  If I am not on all fours trying to keep my breakfast down and gasping for air then I haven't pushed myself to the limit.  Where ever the finish line is. 1km, 10km or 100 km, you need a plan that sets the pace to give you focus.
All that is left is to execute the plan.  I'll let you know how it goes but for now I am resting (part of my plan) watching Andy Murray battle with Nadal - come on Andy and good luck to all those taking part in the London Marathon!

Obssession?

Yesterday someone asked if my training had become an obsession.  I pondered for a minute and replied "no, it was now a way of life".  It was only afterwards I thought more about my reply and realised it really was a way of life and this was a better frame of mind to be in rather than I must train for this event - it's now more enjoyable.  This view was underlined this morning as I stood in a queue for the swimming at 6.50am.  In front of me were at least 12 people and 10 of them must have been over 60.  Their "way of life" is walking up and down the pool or going to the gym 1st thing in the morning - they've got it right.
And I know time is the issue for those that work but try analysing your time for a week and see how much of it we waste.  I am sure there is a couple of hours in a week where you could squeeze in a walk, run, swim or cycle.  Make fitness a way of life and you'll enjoy it all the more (life that is!).

6 weeks to go

More yoga this morning as I recovered from yesterdays swim - I was tired but the early morning yoga session energised me.  Tonight I was out training with Neil, seeing how he was progressing as his novice triathlon is only 6 weeks away.  We went out for a run (power walk / jog) and he knocked another 2 minutes off his time - unbelievable.  Can't say he enjoyed the session and he's probably still sweating but his determination to succeed is driving him on.
He's raising money  for http://www.friendsofthebeatson.org/ which he benefitted greatly from when going through his cancer treatment and if you want to support him then please go to his just giving site  http://www.justgiving.com/neil-sutherland .  The next 6 weeks will be very tough for him and he will need all the support he can get.  So post a comment when you get a chance.  Thanks.

Happy bunny!

No the title isn't linked to Easter, it's linked to the fact that today I crossed a mental barrier in relation to my swimming which I have been battling with since coming back from the flu.  The session was a 4km swim for those training for Ironman and as I am not doing it this year I wasn't.  But I was challenged to swim continuously for 1hr instead.  Having set this challenge I prepared my mind for what would be involved including the pace I should go at.
After 500 m I'd normally be happy to take a wee rest but it was easy.  In the end I did 3 km in 1hr 12 min and could have continued as I wasn't tired at all.  Had you suggested that to me two weeks ago I'd have laughed as I was struggling to do half that distance with rests.  The secret was preparing mentally and getting the pace right for the goal.  I am now a happy bunny but I am determined to keep up with swimming so that I do not need to go through this pain again.  Happy Easter!

Taking health for granted

I am so lucky.  With the exception of 5 weeks when I had a bout of flu this year I am in great health.  But when I had the flu it made me realise just how healthy I was and how we take it for granted.  Getting up a flight of stairs left me breathless but now I am almost back to where I was before the flu - it has not been easy.
This time last year Neil (Mr Baldy to you regular followers) was battling with cancer and now is swimming, cycling, running  - getting ready for his first triathlon in June.  A year ago when I first suggested it to him, as a way of giving him something positive to plan for, he wasn't exactly receptive to the idea - understandibly so.  But it shows you what is possible when you have your health.  Healthy doesn't mean fit.  Real fitness comes with effort, sweat and determination and Neil has that in bucket loads.  Everytime a friend says "there is no way your going to do that" it just makes him more determined.
So if you've go your health, why not get out in this good weather and improve your fitness.  Better still choose a worthwhile charity and get involved - that way everyone wins.  Have fun!

Giving up!

Having stayed up to watch the Masters last night, getting up at 5.40 for the swimming wasn't easy.  The swim session was tough and I considered giving up at least 3 times as I hauled myself round the pool.  However as with anything, if you can just get past a certain point the pain or tiredness seems to reduce and that is exactly what happened.  So I managed the full session which totalled 2,500m and felt I had crossed a barrier in my road back to fitness in swimming.  On Wednesday they are planning a 1 hour continuous swim so that will be another physical and mental challenge.

Time trial

I took part in my first time trial today - a 25 mile timed event where you are seeing how fast you can complete it.  It doesn't matter what the other cyclists are doing as it's all about your peronal time.  Mine was 1hr 27 min with an average speed of 28.2 kph - that's a 10% increase on my best ever speed so the Lanza training has paid off.  I'll repeat this TT during the summer to have something to compare against.
Talking of summer how beautiful is the weather.  I might have to clean the BBQ from last year!

Hard work starts now

Today I had a brick session (20km bike / 5km run) despite excellent weather.  In normal circumstances I would have gone on a long bike run but with the Time Trial and run tomorrow I wanted to take it easy.  I followed the session with more yoga and according to my wonerful teacher (my wife) she can see improvements!  I am certainly feeling better as a result of it.
So fed myself a large plate of pasta and fish, ice cream and chocolate to top up the calories and now I am going to relax and watch The Masters.  Great to see the young guns doings so well and to anyone who doesn't play the game it must seem strange to see the difficulty they are facing with short puts.  It must be like putting on a glass top table!  Sport at the highest level - it doesn't need to be all lycra and sweat.

Yoga to the rescue

A mid-week break with the family was just what the doctor ordered.  My ankle was slightly swollen and tender so I didn't run until Thursday - it was ok but took a while to feel normal.  But I did three days of yoga practice with my wife putting me through my paces - it was hard but I feel great.  Taking today off and the real training starts tomorrow.  The next three months are going to be tough but with events to look forward to it will keep me focused.

Fresh legs

Couldn't believe how good my legs felt in the pool this morning.  Swimming after a hard run normally helps them recover quickly but they felt great.  My ankle benefited from the non load bearing workout and I am going to give it some LTC over the next few days.  Surprisingly my arms felt tired.  Kept it to a short but hard session, now I'm going to take a couple of days off for good behaviour!  Should manage a couple of short, fast runs this week and I have a 25 mile bike time trial on Sunday followed by a run.  That will be my last brick session before the duathlon.

Close call

Today I went for a longer than normal run to get some mileage in my legs as I am potentially running a half marathon for a team taking part in the Highland Fling at the end of the month - I'm the sub runner.  So I completed a hilly 20 km (13 miles) in 1hr 38 mins and was happy especially as I had a wee accident with 5km to go.  I was running on a narrow B road and there was two cars approaching from opposite sides.  I moved over to the side of the road and went over on my ankle landing straight in a puddle at the side of the road - 2 grazed knees and a grazed hand.  If that wasn't bad enough it was in full view of a double ironman and a 2 time completer of the Marathon De Sables!  They ran the next 2 km with me before they went off into the wilderness as they were out for a long run.  It just goes to show how easy you can be ruled out with an injury and how you must concentrate all the time.  The ankle seems fine but I will switch to swimming for the next couple of days to give it a rest.

Brick session

Brick sessions are good but hard at any time, but as I prepare for my first duathlon they are essential as it prepares my legs and my mind.  I ran for 2.64 km with a reasonable average pace, then cycled in really windy conditions for 20.25 km at around my average speed but good considering the wind.  I then got off the bike and ran 5.75 km a fraction slower than my fast run on Thursday so this was real progress based on what had gone before.
The mind part is for when you get off the bike with heavy legs, or at least that's how they feel as you start to run and from my house it's straight up hill!  But the marker is now down.  Longer run tomorrow then possibly a swim on Monday before leaving for Centre Parcs.  I'll be concentrating on my running when I'm there along with relaxing and the odd glass or six of wine as I relax with my wife.  I don't expect to see the kids for most of the break as they will have their friends to hang out with, unless they want fed or need money - nothing changes there then!

Time passes

What a busy week this has been as I try and get my fitness back to a decent level.  Wit h the Duathlon 2 weeks away my focus has changed to running and the bike.  On Tuesday I ran 10km, 1st real run in 3 months, in 48 minutes which for a starter on a hilly course is ok.  I am aiming to get much closer to 45 minutes by the time I do the UK 70.3 Ironman as the speed training will help my half marathon time.  I was then travelling for two days but when I got back I pulled on the running shoes and did a fast 5.7k run and felt good after it - progress.
Today was a 2,500m swim including 2 x 800m.  I am a few weeks away from getting back to my swim fitness.  I picked up my rear wheel which was being repaired so weather permitting I will be doing bike/run sessions.  It's great to have an even to aim for as it concentrates the mind.  Hope you're all out this weekend making giant steps towards your goal as our Neil is.  I'll catch up with him when I get back from a weeks holiday where I'll be working on my running.  By for now.