Total wipe out (almost!)

Change of routine this weekend and as I was having a day off work I went for an early morning 3 hr cycle.  I decided to stick to the "B" roads which were quiet and the threatening grey/black clouds didn't dump on me as the strong wind chased them away.  The tri bars I had fitted have made a real difference as you present less of an obstacle to the wind and therefore go faster however it does make you slightly less stable on the bike which is tricky in the wind.
Add to that some more resurfacing work and it was very close to total wipe out as the ball bearings were 2 inches deep and it was like riding on punctured tires.  You know you are close to coming off when you start speaking to yourself - aloud! 
On my journey today I was thinking that it's hard to believe that I have now been riding for 2 years with my first sprint triathlon in Nairn in September 2008.  What a journey and there's more to come - thanks for sharing it with me and supporting my efforts to raise money for Maggie's Cancer Caring Centres.  If you haven't had a chance so far then there is a link on this site to my charity page.

What happened to summer?

I slipped out this morning at 6am on a grey, wet and windy morning - but it was warm!  I like the rain when I am running (in the summer) especially when you are going under trees and hear the noise as the rain bounces off the leaves.  Everyone else was sensible and stayed in bed but I was joined by a herd of cows as they jogged down the field tracking my progress or at least that is what I thought until I saw the farmer preparing their breakfast.  Ah breakfast, the porridge is on and I am starving, need to go.

Buns of steel!

I went to bed at 9.30 last night as I was shattered following the swim but it was probably the weekends efforts that were still in the system.  I woke at 5am intending to go out for a 1.5 hour bike ride at 5.30am.  I felt rested but couldn't be bothered so I had another 75 mins in bed then had chocolate muffins and tea before my cycle - good energy!!!
As you can tell I wasn't in the mood but needs must so I decided to make the most of the time on the bike and thought through a conference call I have this morning.  Great use of time as I came up with a few angles I hadn't considered before.  That was set aide as I pulled into a B road that had been resurfaced and riding for over a mile on ball bearings certainly keeps your cheeks clenched as your chance of coming off the bike are very high - it's the horrible crunching sound as you go over them that sends a shiver down your spine.  But the benefit is you end up with buns of steel - who needs palates anyway when you can ride a bike and get the same benefits but with fresh air!
Back home for some porridge and decided to have a few more muffins washed down by coffee - now bring on the world, I'm awake and ready!

Riding the waves

Early morning swim was busy.  Plenty of waves and turbulence as too many people squeezed into the fast lane so my 1st 600 m was done in a record time.  This might sound good but it made the other two more difficult as you are meant to start off slower.
Swimming isn't that sociable however during the short breathers between laps it's great listening to, and joining in with, the group of 70 year olds that are there every day doing between 800m and 1,500m - good on them, what an example to the couch potatoes.  To these guys it's a way of life and a great way of staying fit and keeping in touch - I am full of admiration for them and hope if I reach that age I can swim as well as they do. I will miss them when I go back to the 50m pool at Tollcross which is better for my swimming.

Day off

As you know Monday is my recovery day.  Many people training for Ironman never make the start line because they get injured as they don't let their body recover.  So what do I do on a day off - eat, eat and eat.  I'm just back from a lovely Italian restaurant with my wife, who is sacrificing a social life with me during the 11 months of training.  So when possible we try and take advantage but we don't go over the top as I will be in the pool tomorrow at 7am - another 2,600 metres concentrating on my technique to allow me to exit the water in Copenhagen after 2.4 miles fit to cycle 112 miles and run a marathon.

Hottest day of the year!

Today was always going to be tough following the 5 hours on the bike yesterday, but add to that the heat and it was always going to be challenging.  A brick session was in store today which is a one hour bike followed by a 75 minute run - strong winds added to the challenge but kept the temperature down.  My legs felt great on the bike and I practiced my feeding on the bike which is so important.  During the run I was staying hydrated and feeling good but towards the end my legs could feel the effort from the weekend.  This doesn't concern me as it is all about your mindset - mine today was set for the task which was completed in the appropriate time and on 15 August the mindset will be on the three aspects of the event.
Plenty food to follow and even a couple of pints of Guinness (which contains iron!) as tomorrow is a day off.

Pot holes & punctures

Today was my 5 hr solo ride (120km) and I was all geared up for it - 4 drinks (fitted a rear mounted holder last night as I need to carry more refreshments as the distance increases), 3 protein bars, 2 gels, 2 turkey rolls and a banana).  It didn't get off to a good start when I had to bunny hop over a pothole which resulted in 2 drinks crashing to the ground and one container smashing - I'd regret that later.  Travelled through fabulous countryside and was enjoying the ride when I hit 5 small pot holes in a cluster resulting in my first on road puncture.  Being utterly useless with my hands I always carry a special canister of foam that is meant to sort punctures without having to strip the tyre.  It worked, for a full 5 minutes and then I had to pull over and replace the inner tube - new personal best it only took 15 minutes and great practice for Copenhagen as it could finish your race.
Finished all my food on the bike which is necessary as I am practicing eating without stopping however in the last 30 minutes I could have done with my water as 3 bottles of carbohydrate drinks leave you wanting more refreshing.  Got home and refueled with salmon and lots of salad - I haven't deliberately changed my diet but my body has started craving salad and vegetables and the volume of food intake has increased.  Washed that down with coke, coffee and chocolate while I watch Wimbledon and no doubt will probably end up having a wee snooze!
Tomorrow will be the tough day as my tired legs will be facing a 60 minutes bike (warm up) followed by a 75 minute run - 1 step closer to Ironman.