7am in the pool for a good session - only 2,000m but testing enough to make me go home and have a couple of poached eggs on brown toast with coffee and then off for a 1 hour snooze. You have to get some recovery in when you can!
After lunch I went out with my daughter who was having her first ride on her new birthday bike. Now that was a pace I enjoyed. After 45 mins I went off on my own for a 20 mile time trial i.e. going as fast as you can. Difficult in the wind but not as bad as it was yesterday. I need more of these sessions to improve my speed but it was an added bonus getting in two good sessions today. I've got my mojo back!
Monday, 30 May 2011
Sunday, 29 May 2011
Lacking motivation
The weather recently hasn't encouraged me out to swim (open water), bike (turned back early as almost got blown of yesterday) or run. So today I struggled to get out and watched the Grand Prix instead. But I had to do something so I went out for a 10k run just to "tick over". Within 20 metres I realised that cycling would have been a non starter and running was unbelievably difficult.
I met up with my friendly (not) Jack Russell but managed to jump the other side of a pick up truck to avoid being bitten - it almost got flattened as it was intent in having a slice of my ankle. One day it will meet its match.
I didn't feel motivated at all as I battled with a headwind that slowed me down to a snails pace. When it was behind me it was almost pushing me over. I'm behind with my schedule for 19 June but even when not feeling like it I still need to get out there and do something. People who seem to be motivated sometimes have periods where they have to work very hard to stay on target. I need to get a move on.
Neil's big challenge is next weekend and he has had very little input from me, which is a good thing. That means he has driven himself and his little infection scare has set back his training. However he has now had the all clear and will be sorting out his final preparations this week. If you can face up to and beat cancer, a triathlon is easy by comparison. It's just a question of belief which is the same for us all.
I met up with my friendly (not) Jack Russell but managed to jump the other side of a pick up truck to avoid being bitten - it almost got flattened as it was intent in having a slice of my ankle. One day it will meet its match.
I didn't feel motivated at all as I battled with a headwind that slowed me down to a snails pace. When it was behind me it was almost pushing me over. I'm behind with my schedule for 19 June but even when not feeling like it I still need to get out there and do something. People who seem to be motivated sometimes have periods where they have to work very hard to stay on target. I need to get a move on.
Neil's big challenge is next weekend and he has had very little input from me, which is a good thing. That means he has driven himself and his little infection scare has set back his training. However he has now had the all clear and will be sorting out his final preparations this week. If you can face up to and beat cancer, a triathlon is easy by comparison. It's just a question of belief which is the same for us all.
Saturday, 28 May 2011
Plan B
This morning TEAM SAM took part in "It's a knock-out" to raise money for St Andrews Hospice. We got exceptionally wet and covered in foam for anyone who remembers the game from the 70's. Unfortunately it was also cold and windy but we survived and came third!
So my training was put off to the afternoon. My plan was a 2.5 hour ride but I should have known what to expect when I wore my winter gear. Within 10 minutes of leaving a shower came through soaking me right through. The head wind was tough but when it turned to a cross wind it became dangerous - I was almost blown off the bike a number of times. But I decided to press on but then the storm clouds started to look really black and I headed home - plan B required. Plan B was bike handling skills and to forget the distance and speed which was a non starter due to the wind. The storm caught me on the way home and when the hailstones started I ended up with a facial - painful one at that! I arrived home to sun splitting the sky. Sometimes you have to alter course during life so having a plan B is essential. It needs to be meaningful and for me although I was disappointed to have turned back for safety reasons, I made the most of the time on the bike.
So my training was put off to the afternoon. My plan was a 2.5 hour ride but I should have known what to expect when I wore my winter gear. Within 10 minutes of leaving a shower came through soaking me right through. The head wind was tough but when it turned to a cross wind it became dangerous - I was almost blown off the bike a number of times. But I decided to press on but then the storm clouds started to look really black and I headed home - plan B required. Plan B was bike handling skills and to forget the distance and speed which was a non starter due to the wind. The storm caught me on the way home and when the hailstones started I ended up with a facial - painful one at that! I arrived home to sun splitting the sky. Sometimes you have to alter course during life so having a plan B is essential. It needs to be meaningful and for me although I was disappointed to have turned back for safety reasons, I made the most of the time on the bike.
Friday, 27 May 2011
Introducing the "wetronome"
Today was a relatively short session in the pool as I had to get home for my daughter's birthday and some cake - it was delicious! It was a pyramid session which is never easy and as I was nearing the end the coach put a "wetronome" under my swim cap. Basically it beeps every time you should put your arm in the water and therefore you can pace yourself easier. What a fantastic piece of kit. I only used it for 100m but it certainly seemed to smooth everything out including my breathing.
In the next few weeks we will be getting filmed under water and our stroke analysed. I have had this before and the "video nasty" is tucked away in a dark corner of my mind. We all have an impression of what we look like in life whether walking down the road or swimming. Seeing it close up in slow motion can shatter that illusion, it did with my swimming, but again the secret is mindset.
I don't kid myself on in the pool. I only have to watch the swimmers overtake me and leave me for dead to realise my stroke is not as efficient as theirs. But that doesn't mean I can't work at improving my stroke so that I exit the water having exerted less effort and therefore have more energy for the bike and the run - remember in Ironman that's a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and a 26.2 mile run!
Perhaps this is something we should all do in our life i.e. step back and reflect on what we are doing, why we are doing it and is it taking us in the direction we want to go? That of course assumes you know where you want to go. My motto is "A goal without a plan is just a wish" - reflect on that as you go through your day. Have a good one.
In the next few weeks we will be getting filmed under water and our stroke analysed. I have had this before and the "video nasty" is tucked away in a dark corner of my mind. We all have an impression of what we look like in life whether walking down the road or swimming. Seeing it close up in slow motion can shatter that illusion, it did with my swimming, but again the secret is mindset.
I don't kid myself on in the pool. I only have to watch the swimmers overtake me and leave me for dead to realise my stroke is not as efficient as theirs. But that doesn't mean I can't work at improving my stroke so that I exit the water having exerted less effort and therefore have more energy for the bike and the run - remember in Ironman that's a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and a 26.2 mile run!
Perhaps this is something we should all do in our life i.e. step back and reflect on what we are doing, why we are doing it and is it taking us in the direction we want to go? That of course assumes you know where you want to go. My motto is "A goal without a plan is just a wish" - reflect on that as you go through your day. Have a good one.
Thursday, 26 May 2011
The long & the short of it
Last night I ran in the Land O'Burns 10k race. I was aiming for a PB of 45 mins as it was a fast course but that's before I turned up to a very wet and wind swept Ayr - Scottish summer at its best! I knew what I had to run each km in to beat my time and was looking to get under 45 so was shocked when my watch read 45.56.99 sec as I crossed the line. Confused, wet and miserable I left but once I got home and dried off I checked the data and according to my watch I had run 10.91km! That means I smashed my PB.
I checked with another couple of runners and one confirmed that according to his watch the course was 10.6 miles but that as there was an area of trees the reading might be slightly out.
The official times are not out yet but out of interest I may write to the organisers and ask what the actual distance was.
No matter what the result I gave it everything and considering I had to take the weekend off with a head cold I am pleased with the result, what ever it was! Now down to the final preparations for UK 70.3 IM on 19 June.
I checked with another couple of runners and one confirmed that according to his watch the course was 10.6 miles but that as there was an area of trees the reading might be slightly out.
The official times are not out yet but out of interest I may write to the organisers and ask what the actual distance was.
No matter what the result I gave it everything and considering I had to take the weekend off with a head cold I am pleased with the result, what ever it was! Now down to the final preparations for UK 70.3 IM on 19 June.
Wednesday, 25 May 2011
Marathon des Sables 2013
It's been a couple of really important days as far as my "journey" is concerned. For those of you familiar with my blog you will have seen my stated goals from the beginning of the year. Yesterday I secured a place in the worlds toughest Ironman, Lanzarote and today entries opened at 10.30 for Marathon des Sables - "the toughest footrace on EARTH"! The UK entries are taken up within 30 minutes and I managed to secure on! OMG!!
One of my favourite quotations is from TS Eliot who said "Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go". I put that to the test with Ironman last year and it triggered something in my head that said "why not?" MDS will be an unbelievable task but one I am looking forward to preparing for.
But let's get the focus back to the present day; tonight I am aiming for a PB in a 10k race, then I will switch my thinking to the UK 70.3 IM on June 19th. The key is know what you want to achieve and why you want to achieve it. I hope you will follow and support my journey.
One of my favourite quotations is from TS Eliot who said "Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go". I put that to the test with Ironman last year and it triggered something in my head that said "why not?" MDS will be an unbelievable task but one I am looking forward to preparing for.
But let's get the focus back to the present day; tonight I am aiming for a PB in a 10k race, then I will switch my thinking to the UK 70.3 IM on June 19th. The key is know what you want to achieve and why you want to achieve it. I hope you will follow and support my journey.
Tuesday, 24 May 2011
Big Day Today!
In a years time I am looking forward to reflecting on this post. In my opinion setting goals is important if you want to get the best out of yourself and out of life. How do you know if you have achieved anything if you can't measure it and to be really worthwhile it needs to be challenging. So today the entries opened for the toughest Ironman competition in the world and I entered as I said I would.
Already I am being told I am mad. Lanzarote has heat, hills (9,400 feet of climbing) and wind which destroys you on the bike. Out of the three disciplines my cycling is my weakest and this was one of the main drivers for entering it. Now I have 1 year to improve.
In the western world we tend to work on our strengths but from my karate training I was always taught the eastern method of working on your weaknesses to make you stronger. As I sit down to my dinner the challenge seems extremely difficult but then again so did my first Ironman. Lanza is in a different league so bring it on.
Tomorrow will bring more big news but you'll have to wait till then. In the meantime, sent me your comments to support the cause. Mission Ironman has started in earnest!
Already I am being told I am mad. Lanzarote has heat, hills (9,400 feet of climbing) and wind which destroys you on the bike. Out of the three disciplines my cycling is my weakest and this was one of the main drivers for entering it. Now I have 1 year to improve.
In the western world we tend to work on our strengths but from my karate training I was always taught the eastern method of working on your weaknesses to make you stronger. As I sit down to my dinner the challenge seems extremely difficult but then again so did my first Ironman. Lanza is in a different league so bring it on.
Tomorrow will bring more big news but you'll have to wait till then. In the meantime, sent me your comments to support the cause. Mission Ironman has started in earnest!
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