The red eye

Hope you all had a great Easter.  It was nice to have a long weekend but that didn't meant extra time off.  In fact last week I had three consequitive 5.30am starts so that's the first refernce to the red eye heading.  The schedule seems to be one double training session followed by a single training session however that gets mucked up when we have to reschedule around work.
I've had some long tough swimming sessions and these haven't been helped by goggles that chose when they want to work.  Two days in a row I've swam with one eye submerged in water which gets you funny looks later as you have one red eye.  I really need to get this sorted as I can't have the same problem in the race.
I was meant to be going into the office on Easter Friday but the weather looked great which was a pain as it was a day off training.  However I was meant to be cycling for 4 hours on Saturday with a 30 minute run off the bike and the weather looked hellish.  So I made an executive decision (it's my business anyway) and selfeshly took the day off and went cycling.  While it was sunny there was a strong wind blowing and I was trying out my tri bars which I hadn't used in a few years.  They certainly helped make me more streamlined.  I met a cycling pal out in the wilderness and he kept me company for a few hours which was good.  I very nearly came off my bike as I was climbing a steep hill with gravel on a hairpin bend.  My back wheel spun three times on the gravel before it caught and there was no way I could have unclipped based on the steepness of the hill.  Just a little reminder that accidents can happen and would be a set back to my training schedule.  The run off the bike was at a good pace so feeling good on my brick training.
Saturday it pissed down so while I felt good about the decision I made I had to catch up with work, while I ate everything I could lay my hands on.  This increased training is certainly affecting my food intake as I burn off the calories.  Less than 100 days to go and some tough sessions ahead.  I can't wait.

When the going gets tough....

I felt a bit like a circus performer this week with all the juggling that went on to fit in my schedule.  It wasn't helped by travelling to Birmingham at lunchtime on Tuesday so that meant a 1 hour turbo session at 5.30 followed by a one and a half hour run.  Despite it being a tough leg session in big gears on the bike I was flying on the run. A busy day delivering a workshop to CEOs on Wednedsay mean no training so another double header (1 hour turbo and 1 hour run) and I couldn't reach my target heart rate on the bike - probably still tired from my travel which just shows the strain this has on my body.
Saturday was a big day with 106km on the bike in beautiful weather condition. Couldn't say the same for the diabolical road conditions - glad I've had my children if you get my drift.  A road rage incident early on left our "team captain" once again explaining the Highway Code to an idiot. Whilst he might have had a loud horn, when challenged ie his route was blocked so he could be educated, he went quiet!  It was a new tough route with some horrible hills and you had to be on constant watch for the potholes.  As soon as I finished the ride I was off for a 30 minute run - a brick session they call it.
For the first few minutes your legs and brain are arguing but then they settle down and get on with the job.  I was pleased how I felt through the the run and my pace was good.  The rest of the day was spent eating, eating, eating and resting.  Today was a long lonely swim on my own.
But tomorrow the level of training steps up and I really am going to need to bring my "A game". Based on the length and intensity of the sessions I will really need to manage my rest time and my food intake carefully. It's getting serious now so when the going gets tough, the tough get going.  The startline isn't too far away and there is a lot of hard work to be done.  They don't call it IRONman for nothing but as Eddie Izzard proved today in completing his 27th marathon in 27 days, you can achieve great things if you've got a good enough reason - well done Eddie.

Marathon des Sables

This was a light weeks training.  It happens every four weeks and my body enjoyed the break but before you think I was putting my feet up I swan 10.8km, cycled 3 hrs 45 mins and ran 24km and that included two days business in London.  A light weeks training.  But I know over the coming weeks it's going to get tougher, next weeks schedule is already challenging.  But that's what needs to be done to get me in shape - 111 days to go.
Today I have been resting following my tough swim session and at the same time working on a presentation for a talk to students on MdS.  They are looking for the science behind it and I had to dig through my records to remember all the "stuff".  It's amazing what you can forget in 3 years and MdS 2016 is less than a month away and I can see the nervous anticipation of the participants.  I even went back to my daily blog and the memories came flooding back.  I found the emails from friends I had received in the desert and these were a lifeline for me - contact with the outside world.  Support and encouragement meant so much at the time, as it does now.
Nelson Mandela once said, "it always seems impossible, till it's done".  Bring it on!

Diverting from plan

What I am really enjoying is having a plan to follow and a coach holding me accountable for the results.  Writing the weekly blog also helps because I know I have you to answer too as well.  It keeps me going when on a long mind numbing session that I can think about how to convey those feelings in my blog as I want you to share in my journey.
I've trained before without a plan and you don't get the same results.  It's too easy to skip a session and if there are no measurements then there are no penalties right?  Absolutely not.  Having the measurement means you know what you are aiming for and how you are progressing.  My ultimate target may be 118 days away but every session counts.  However there are times when you have to divert from your plan and sometimes it's a difficult choice to make.
I had a morning and evening session on Tuesday but due to other commitments I swapped the evening turbo session for a run.  The following day I went to complete the turbo session from the day before.  After my first hard effort in the main set my heart rate shot through the roof, way over my maximum.  At first I thought it was my garmin malfunctioning but I felt my heart thumping on my chest so I slowed my pedalling down to recover.  2 minutes later there was no difference so I stopped and the high heart rate continued.  I binned the session as a precaution and it was only after a further 5 minutes when I lay down that my heart rate settled.
On instruction from my coach I took my resting heart rate in the morning and it was 49 which I was pleased with.  Went a steady10k run, no problems.  But when I got in at 8.30pm and hadn't had any dinner I decided to move my 1.5 hour turbo session to the folling day.
Friday came, resting heart rate 50, and I did a 3k swim.  That night I lasted 12 mins on the turbo trainer.  I couldn't get my heart rate up high enough and my legs were screaming.  So reluctantly I took the decision to bin the session and live to fight another day as I had a 4 hour bike ride scheduled for Saturday.
Saturday was cold, light wind and sunny blue sky.  96 km of brilliant riding with my heart and legs behaving themselves.  Sometimes you have to "listen to your body" and devert from your plan while keeping the goal in mind.  I'm putting the heart rate down to a heavy work load and heavy training schedule.  I will be paying close attention to it but after a days rest today, I feel good.