Acclimitisation & the snake!

Have you been missing me?  This is the first chance I have had to report back.  On my first run I left at 7.45am to miss the worst of the heat - it was only 25 degrees!  While trying to focus through the sweat I almost ran into a snake!  I would have broken the world distance record with a hop, skip, jump and a few swear words - turns out the snake was dead.

Some excellent swimming sessions but the hardest session was my 1 hr 45 min run which was really tough as I started at 4pm in 35 degrees of heat in order to get close to the Copenhagen conditions.  The toughest part was the mental side - keeping going when the heat was just full on.  No side effects the following day when I rested.

Back home to the Scottish weather and my tapering programme when the body gets more rest in preparation for the main event.  This has been a great trip combining training and holiday.  The acclimitisation has been essential and the experience of running in the extreme heat had been a valuable lesson - I will need to be so tough mentally to cope with the conditions.

Heat training

Europe is currently going through a heat wave and I need to prepare for temperatures of over 30 degrees while I am swimming 2.4 miles, cycling 112 miles and running 26.2 miles.  I will be on the go for up to 15 hours and the temperature in the UK at the moment does not help with my preparation.  Today I decided not to go out into the rain and wind and started my turbo session at 6am.  I continued for 75 minutes and practiced my hydration as when you are outside in the wind and rain you are not so tempted to drink - indoors when the sweat is poring off you drinking is much easier.  Tomorrow I go to my "training camp" abroad and will concentrate on my running and swimming but I will keep you informed as to how I am getting on.  Hope you get some better weather while I am away!

Turbo driven

Had a long lie, 6.30 am, as I was tired from my double session yesterday.  The weather and work meant I got on the saddle at 6.30pm for an hour on the turbo.  Turbo bike sessions do not replace real cycling on the road but I should now have enough miles in my legs for Ironman and the turbo being indoors means I get to work out in the heat.  One more bike session tomorrow and whether it is turbo or road will depend on the weather.  Then on Saturday I am away for 1 weeks swimming and running training abroad to acclimatise for Copenhagen.

Real men in Speedos!

The constant training is tiring and you have to listen to your body so without any guilt I had a "power nap" in the office for 20 mins in preparation for my swim tonight in Loch Lomond as my 12 km run this morning was telling.  I had arranged with a pal of mine to meet me there for a swim and he turned up with his swimming partner - they are part of a team that's swimming the channel.  He had said the water might be cold due to the rain however I wasn't expecting to see them wandering into the loch in Speedos!!!!!  You are not allowed to swim the Channel in a wetsuit.  I felt a complete wimp in my wetsuit and this wasn't helped by the fact they are good swimmers.  However they kindly nursed me round the choppy 900 m course and while I dried off they went back for more! Real men in speedos - I'll stick to my wetsuit.

Mount Kilimanjaro

Billy Connolly once said there was nothing wrong with our weather it was just we were wearing the wrong clothes!  Well this morning as the wind swept the rain horizontally towards me I was glad I had remembered that comment before going out for my 12km run - dressed more for winter running.  I also bumped into some friends at 6am who had rucksacks on their backs and were off training for their charity trip to Mount Kilimanjaro - well done boys and keep up the hard work.   You see it's not just me on a mission, loads of people are doing it in their own way.
Tonight, weather permitting, I will be "rubbered up" in my wetsuit dipping my toes in Loch Lomond as I need the open water practice.  However if there are white horses on the loch tonight I think I'll reconsider and let Billy Connolly know we may have the right clothes but you can still drown!

No rubber ring required!

As we draw closer (32 days) to Copenhagen Ironman my coach Steve focus's alters my training regime to reduce the endurance element as the hard work is "almost over" and increase the intensity of the sessions i.e. get the pain over quicker.  Todays swim involved 5 x 100m warm up, a 35 min continual swim (about 1,500m  if I counted right but can't be sure) and 8 x 50m warm down.  I was asked to leave out the pull buoy which keeps my bum higher in the water like a wetsuit would, and obviously this makes the swim harder.  So I did and yes it was harder but I tried to maintain my stroke throughout - apologies to the Athelite Triathlon Club swimmers who had to keep overtaking me!   The rest of the week will involve two bike rides, one run and an open water swim before my training camp in the heat the following week.

Rest day - on the golf course

I managed to combine business, rest and golf all on the one day.  My first 18 holes of golf this year and it was great fun.  However I forgot all my ironman training and didn't take water or nutrition on the course so I was slightly dehydrated and hungry when I came off - still won the money!  When the ironman event is over I will cram in three medal rounds to retain my handicap before the season ends but today was fantastic seeing the course in brilliant condition and enjoying the company of my friends.  A slight change from the loneliness of my current training regime but that's the only way I can be prepared for ironman!