Aimless

To spread the work of Mission Ironman I am aiming to attract conference speaking engagements which are designed to help the audience achieve results beyond their wildest dreams.  Quiet a claim but one I really believe in and know if people take the lessons from Mission Ironman and apply them then they will succeed.
So on 9 Feb I will be delivering the message to an audience at the Belfry in Birmingham.  While preparing the presentation I reflected on how I felt after my first Ironman.  After the high of crossing the line it was like falling off a cliff.  There was no purpose in my training.  Why bother?  The training had no structure, I was going through the motions - aimless.  So tonight when I was at swimming training one of the athletes mentioned he had no goal this year, no event to aim at, it reminded me of post Ironman.  The message is you don't need to be competing in Ironman but in life having worthwhile goals makes everything more interesting, more focused and more fun.  So come one, commit to a goal, set out a plan and get on with it.  Enjoy!

Easy week

After yesterdays hard bike ride and a heavy training schedule the previous week I was looking forward to my "easy week".  This is built into the programme every four weeks to allow your body to recover.  So a long lie till 6.45am and then I noticed I had a 10km run - no problem there but my coach had asked me to do a personal best time!  Not sure of the motive here but as she wasn't well today I went out when I got home and gave it everything I had.  Turned out that wasn't enough for the PB but I was delighted to have been able to make the effort following yesterday so although physically knackered, mentally I felt I'd visited the hurt locker (again) and survived.
So tonight will be a stretching session to make sure the muscles are recovering.  I am going to try and get a sports massage tomorrow before our club swimming session in the evening.  Now you might be thinking, didn't he say an easy week?  Yes that means only 6 hours training instead of 12!  Surely you didn't think it meant "easy"?  You should know better by now!  You don't play triathlon.

Playing with the "big boys"

Today was important in my training schedule as I was going to go out with some real cyclists.  Guys who eat raw meat and take no prisoners (all they do is cycle and they take it seriously) so I was apprehensive about doubling my mileage from last weekend.  Add to that there's been quite a bit of ice on the road and we were going to Perthshire where we'd be high up so it was a possibility.  It was a beautiful  day with snow capped mountains but it was a biting wind so if you fell out of the peloton it hurt.  The 2.5 mile climb in the middle was very tough. 70 miles later I was exhausted but satisfied that I had survived.
This ride tested me physically and mentally but I needed to do it as it was a test to see if I am on track for Lanza.  The pain melted away with a hot bath, good dinner and a glass of red wine.  Easy training week next week as it's only 6 hours - bring it on.

Expensive day off

I needed this day off following yesterdays heavy workload.  So I took the opportunity of going shopping with my wife - should have gone training as it cost me a small fortune!  Granted the items were needed for the house.  I'm now relaxing so I'll be refreshed for tomorrows long bike ride.  I hope the wind has calmed down as if it remains like this I won't be cycling outside as it would be too dangerous.  Now for a nap - I could get used to this!

Toughening up

The training is building and today was one of the toughest so far.  This morning was a 3km swim - it's amazing how you can organise your day will swimming up and down the pool.  I got home early so I could complete a 50 minute run before it was dark and then went on my turbo trainer for an hour.  Tough shift but I feel great.
Tomorrow is a day off and it will give me the opportunity to catch up with the family!  I'm even hoping to go shopping with my wife which will include a nice lunch.
On Sunday I am scheduled to go for a 70 mile bike ride but the weather may mean this converts into an indoor turbo session followed by a run.
It's not called Ironman for nothing and the training is only going to get harder.

Nothing is guaranteed in life

I was touched by the failure of the British Rhythmic Gymnastic team to qualify for the Olympics - really I was this isn't a wind up.  They missed the benchmark to qualify of 45.223 by 0.273.  The athletes had sacrificed everything over the years including their parents remortgaging their homes to fund their daughters ambition of taking part in the year the Olympics were in the UK.  How heart breaking for them.  I'm not a fan of rhythmic gymnastics but it demonstrates the small margins between success and failure.  However despite their disappointment they took part in the final the following day and improved their score by 2 points beating 2 teams that had qualified for the Olympics.  Now that takes real mental strength following the disappointment from the day before - well done to the girls and their coaches.
They have 4 more years before the next Olympics and I am sure that this experience will have made them stronger and more determined to succeed whether it be in their sport or in life.  When I said that nothing is guaranteed in life it isn't quite true.  If you don't step up to the line, you'll never know the joy of success and the lessons from failure (which is just 1 step closer to success).

Raising the limits

In the tri club we have members of all standards and some people are good at one discipline but struggles with another.  So you could find yourself being passed easily in the pool yet you'll fly past the same person on the bike or the run.  As a result everyone gives encouragement as nobody is perfect.
My coach is trying to get my heart rate up when in a turbo session as she is pushing me, raising the limits.  It's tough at the time, physically and mentally as it gets very uncomfortable as your heart rate gets close to and above 75% of your maximum rate.  But I know that each time I complete a session like this it takes me one stage closer to the fitness level I need to get to in order to complete Ironman Lanza.  In the heat, the wind and the hills "normal limits don't apply" so I need to keep this level of effort up and then some more.  Tomorrow is a day off so I am looking forward to a long lie and a relaxing evening - life's good!