Sunday 20 November 2016

End of season blog

2016 has been a challenging year but I achieved the objectives I set. In 2015 I had a couple of injuries which meant the race I wanted to do in 2016 would need to be postponed till 2017.  But to keep my training going I entered Ironman Frankfurt and started the training in October.  I chose this race because 7 other club members had entered it and it would be good to have some company for a change while training for the same target.
The Swashbuckler half ironman was in May and would give me a good indication of how my training was going.  I smashed my previous PB for a 70.3 and it was looking good for Frankfurt.  But an infection and a tweaked hamstring meant my training in the last 5 weeks was severely compromised (no running!).  But with my coach we worked out a plan which led to an 11 hour 50 min PB although had I been properly fit a much quicker time would have been possible as I had a very poor 4hr 33 min marathon (followed by the medical tent!) - I was aiming for 3hr 59 min.  I had announced my retirement from IM well before the race so now my focus is on the goal I had to postpone - Grand 2 Grand.  170 mile in the Grand Canyon carrying your own gear in 6 days.
Following IM Frankfurt, the post IM blues set in and the challenge of continuing to eat what I was while training led to the weight going back on which was good because I looked very under weight.  But not training wasn't a problem.  I regained a social life, caught up family and friends and my chosen hydration was wine rather than a protein drink!
Now I'm dipping my toe back into training.  I have no set plan, that starts in January, but am running 3 to 4 times a week albeit slow.  However yesterday I tripped at Chatelherault and my hamstring didn't appreciate it. Today I was running on icy roads and a slip could set me back weeks so I need to be careful.  Fortunately my wife has just taken up running and we had delivered a treadmill which I will use on the cold dark nights.
So 2017 is approaching and I have my goals firmly set.  I'm repeating the Swashbuckler half ironman and this will keep up my cross training.  But that is there as part of my plan for the Grand 2 Grand.  Before that we have the festive period to look forward to.  So on that note I am signing off for the remainder of the year.  I'll be back in January and hope to have good news to report which will be that my weight is lower than it is today as running with a "front rucksack" is not my idea of fun!  All the best to my fellow triathletes who are all getting ready for smashing their goals in 2017. Merry Xmas everybody and thank you for following my blog.

Sunday 13 November 2016

1+1=3

My training plan starts in January but between now and then I am slowly getting back to exercise if nothing else than to halt the expanding waste line!  16 pounds gained in 4 months.  Some say I look healthier but carrying the surplus weight around is not my idea of fun.  Yesterday I looked out a picture I'd taken the night before ironman as I was putting on my number tattoo.  I looked in top condition but I know I'll get back to this shape when the real training kicks in and my diet gets back to normal.
Yesterday 3 of my team mates joined me for the usual Chatelherault run.  What a difference it makes to have company when you are training.  It motivates you to perform at a higher level which leads to better results.  As long as you agree on the objective before you start I.e. No racing and a level pace then everyone benefits.  We kept the pace steady but in the last kilometre began to increase it slightly - no something I'd find easy to do if on my own.  In the end a very satisfactory training run and in the months to come the 10k will extend to 20 & 30k and I'll be wearing a weighted rucksack.  Before that I will have to work on my core strength but I'm limited just now because of my shoulder injury.
Today I went out with my coach for a longer pacier road run.  It's a tough undulating route which is 13k.  Doing back to back runs helps because you get used to running on tired legs which is something I need to train for.  In the canyon I'll be running 6 days in a row so it's something I need to get my mind prepared for.  That's right, my mind and not my body.  The mind always gives up before the body because it has an inbuilt safety switch which is set way to easy and you need to learn to ignore it.  But even today on a couple of the long inclines my mind was saying it would be nice walk for a short while which obviously I will do in the canyon.  But not on a 13k run.  Having company also stops you from taking it easy and in the last km she put in a couple of short bursts to make sure I didn't relax.
I believe training with the right partners who have similar objectives for the session will bring out the best in everyone hence 1+1=3.  If your training partners are going to fast as they are training for a 10k when you are training for a marathon, then find someone who's goals are more aligned.  Happy training folks.

Sunday 6 November 2016

Learning from Andy Murray

Tomorrow Andy Murray will become the World number 1 tennis player.  What an unbelievable achievement in an era dominated by Djokovic, Nadal and Federer.  He's only the 4th man in the last 13 years to climb to the no 1 position.  So what lessons can we take from this incredible achievement?
I had the privilege of working with Andy Murray creating 3 promotional DVDs for David Lloyd Leisure to extend the 3 x 3 hour sessions they had of his time into a years worth of material.  It's not the type of work I'm normally involved in but they wanted my tennis (I used to be a pro tennis coach) and marketing experience.  He was an absolute joy to work with and the way he gave his time to kids, while keeping Sky Sports waiting, showed his class.  But back then in 2007/8 he was number 11 in the world when I first met him.  5 months later he was 4 in the world and nobody (including John McEnroe and Peter Fleming) thought he'd get to number 1 never mind win Wimbledon.  But Andy believed he would and has worked tirelessly to achieve that seemingly impossible goal.  It took him another 8 years with some big set backs along the way but he did it.
I was thinking about Andy's achievement as I was out running today.  Building it up slowly with a 10km trail run and improving on my time by 2 minutes from the day before - incremental gains!  However if I was to think about my main goal next year which is a 6 day staged race in the Grand Canyon (Day 1 30 miles, Day 2 30 miles, Day 3 53 miles, Day 4 26 miles, Day 5 26 miles, Day 6 7 miles) with the heat, the altitude and the physical climbing, it seems nearly impossible / improbable.  But understanding what Andy Murray has done to achieve his number 1 world ranking is inspirational as he's beating all the odds.  In a small way I intend doing the same!
So while I'm running short distances around Chatelherault, I will be thinking how these are the building blacks to my main goal.  I'm working on my breathing and controlling my heart rate so that when the distance starts getting longer, and I'm running with a weighted rucksack, I won't be wasting energy breathing inefficiently which reduces my chance of success.  I'll be getting my head into "Andy's mindset" which is you can achieve whatever you want if you have the desire. 
I'll leave you with one of my favourite quotes; "a goal without a plan is just a wish".  Get planning!