Short and fast

Back in the pool after 2 hot days in London - the "rest" did me good as it allowed the body to recover from the hard weekend training.  I had asked for some advice on how to get my cycling faster and was told it's the same as swimming and running.  Basically you do shorter sessions but faster and this makes you faster over longer distances.  So after a 500m warm up we did 18 x 100m in a set time for each 100m which includes a short rest (between 5 - 30 secs depending how quick you do it).  Tough session but good and I am to adopt the same method in the bike which I really need to get quicker on, but not in the pool!  I won't be using this technique in the running as my left hamstring would go on strike as it always does when I try and run too fast.  My run time is acceptable anyway so I'll just work on the stamina. There's is always something to work on in triathlon which keeps it interesting.
Neil's enjoying the bike but I hear the walk/running has slipped so I'll be having words later.  He's not in this for enjoyment!  Great news is he has exceeded his charity fund raising target and thank you to everyone who supported him.  If you haven't there is still time - www.justgiving.com/neil-sutherland .

Building on the foundation

Today I felt, for the first time since IM last year, that I was building on a solid base of fitness.  The hard work has started to pay off.  Following yesterdays 63 mile bike I ran 13 miles today in my best time ever; 1hr 36 min 42 sec and this is on a hilly course.  There are much faster runners around by I am concentrating on what I can do as there is little point in competing against real athletes or ones that are 15 - 20 years younger.  Today the hills seemed smaller so I will continue in my journey which is mapped out before me and strive to achieve my goals.

It's all about the bike

I took advantage of the good weather today and did a 4 hr, 60 mile session.  Average speed of 15 mph is ok but considering the wind I came back into I was pleased with it.  I felt tired and stiff getting off the bike but within 15 minutes was moving around fine.  The thought of doing 112 mile bike then running a marathon, having swam 2.4 miles, doesn't compute but I don't need to concern myself with that till May 2012.  My focus is on 19 June UK 70.3 IM and after the Etape 81 mile race my training will involve a lot of brick sessions i.e. bike then run.
As I've said before "a goal without a plan is just a wish".  If you've got things you want to achieve in life then get them written down. 
Sadly we lost Seve Ballesteros today at the age of 54.  We've one life, live it and don't postpone things you wan to do or achieve saying "I'll do that when I get there".  There doesn't exist, it keeps moving.  Adios Seve.

You are what you think!

You may get what I mean straight away but it may be a bit early for some. The swimming group have not been at their best in the last couple of sessions and certainly my last one was tough.  So today our main set was 2 x 1,000m which is a fair distance but with UK 70.3 IM coming up I will need to do 1,900 m without a break so its a reasonable session.  One of the group had a bad session but explained "I knew I was going to be rubbish today", well they achieved their objective.  We all have bad days but the secret is trying to take something good from it - not always easy I know.
With a large number of them doing IM Switzerland in July the nerves are beginning to show and doubts creep in e.g. my swimming's isn't good enough, how will I manage the marathon etc.  This is completely natural and achieving an IM is not easy as so many things can go wrong in the build up and in the event.  But it's keeping the mental side together that will see you through it. 
Every time I go in the pool and the good swimmers glide by me I have a choice.  Curse them for being so good, curse me for being so bad or realise that we all have strengths and weaknesses.  The beauty / challenge of triathlon is that we test ourselves across three different disciplines and I have yet to meet anyone who doesn't feel they are weaker in at least one area.  Therefore if you believe "you are what you think" lets put difficult challenges into perspective and enjoy them.  We are so privileged to be fit and healthy that even though it is physically and mentally tough, how good is it to be doing it?  Have a great day and take time out to smell the flowers which is being helped by a little shower here and there.

Bad weather forecast

I've been travelling for the last 2 days but before I flew off I did a quick 10k run in the morning to try and sort my legs out or to be more accurate my glutes as they were complaining after my bike ride.  So at 5.50 am on Wed I set off in a beautiful sunny day but had to wrap up as there was a frost on the grass and mist down by the river.  I also knew that the good spell of weather was going to break so I had to get out there.
The glutes felt great but my quads knew they had worked hard so they were grateful for the day off today.  Back in the pool tomorrow as it's not warm enough for open water swimming which they tried out last week.  Apparently the extremities were a bit nippy!
Neil's been out on his bike and managed 6km - great effort for his first real go on the bike.  He needs to cycle three times a week to build it up and with the start of his triathlon 31 days away there is no time for slacking!

A day of 2 halves

A phrase borrowed and slightly amended from football.  I said the training was going to increase so this morning took to the pool at 7am for my first swim in 13 days, and it showed.  The group were all tired so we went for an easy session.  Including my warm up, which was slightly more as I got in first, we did a total of 2km and it wasn't fast.  I got out feeling totally drained, light headed and feeling sick.  Fortunately my 5.40 am porage didn't make a reappearance but I didn't feel good.  An hour later two coffees and a fruit scone with jam and clotted cream boosted my sugar levels and I began to feel human again. 
Later on in the day I went our for a 45 mile bike ride.  The first half was great but then I realised the way home would be into wind.  My average speed was 15.3 mph which is the norm and I can't seem to improve on this but will over the summer.  This is more like the training I need to get ready for IM 70.3 UK.
I'm now showered, fed, watered and watching the football but my bum is complaining - it had better get used to it as there is more pain to come!
Neil's going out on his bike tonight so I'll report back on how he got on.

Watch out Lance!

Dropped off Neil's bike to him tonight and he took to it like a duck to water!  Garreth from the tri club kindly supplied a slick road bike and they can be a bit twitchy to a less experienced rider.  So now Neil has one month to finalise his training for the big day so I'll be drawing up a revised programme to help him.  He has managed most of the training on his own which shows he is determined to succeed.  This is helped by the support from the head coach Maz (his wife) and everyone who has sponsored him - he's raised over £900 so far for Friends of the Beatson http://www.justgiving.com/neil-sutherland .
Tomorrow I'm back in the pool having taken a few days off to recover from the Highland Fling.  I have a lot of work to do between now and the UK IM 70.3 .