Lanza day 3 - Risk Assessment

I could hear the wind howling as I slept and when I got up this morning it didn´t take long to come to the conclusion it was too risky to ride.  So we decided instead to go out for an early morning run along the front.  That was a hard enough battle with the wind and we realised had we gone cycling someone would have got hurt.  This was reinforced when we finished our run and watched two wetsuit clad swimmers in the "sheltered" cove swimming.  The breakers were coming in and they had got knocked about on their way across the cove but decided to go back.  We watched in horror as the waves took them towards the rocks - these were strong swimmers but mother nature generally wins.  They were in serious trouble and couldn´t swim their way out but fortunately for them someone climbed down the rocks and managed to help them in.
We were considering a swim but again decided this wasn´t wise.  So for the rest of the day we are resting, reading and eating.  Later we will go out for a second run followed by some stretching and dinner.  Tomorrow, subject to wind levels, we will tackle the full Ironman 112 miles around the island.  We´ve cycled 95% of it and all of the tough sections but want to imprint the route on our minds before the event in May.  As in life everything is a risk but some are more certain and the consequences dire so give consideration before taking them on.

Lanza training day 2

Another tough day in the windy island of Lanzarote.  We upped the mileage from the day before by 50% to 67 miles with over 3,000 ft of climbing.  Two really tough climbs to start before we hit "Fire Mountain" which is one long never ending slog.  Again the downhills were "challenging" with the cross winds but I used my experience from yesterday.  I felt strong and spend plenty of time on the aerobars to reduce my resistance to the wind.  However the cross winds had me getting onto the droops bloody quick otherwise you could end up being blown off the road.
A small disaster at lunch when the most delicious pitza arrived and to my horror was covered in garlic - no mention of it on the menu.  I had to settle for banana cake and ice cream as there was no way I could have eaten it and kept it down with the journey ahead.  The end of the ride was really tricky with guess what?  You guessed it, a strong cross wind.  A poor German who was sheltering from the wind by sneaking up my inside got a facefull of spit because I didn´t see him and he should have let me know he was there,and taken on some of the workload.
We did a short run off the bike and it felt good, even after 4.5 hours in the wind and sun.  Straight into the pool to cool the legs off which is the equivalent of an ice bath.  Then for a recovery snooze.  Now for dinner, I´m starving!

Lanza training camp day 1

What a day.  Sunny skies but the wind is incredibly strong.  We cycled to the highest point on the island and the Ironman route.  On the final climb there is a drop of over 1,000 ft on the left side of the road and the wind was really blowing - lower down one of our group was avtually blow off the road but wasn´t hurt.  If that was scary then the descent was even more so.  I fought the side wind all the way down and had to use some techniques I had read about to stop the speed wobble which is also know as the death wobble.  Kept my speed to 34 mph max which was enough for me.  I am hoping at the end of the week to have improved my confidence at cycling in these conditions.
Then for lunch followed by a swim in the sea.  We found a protected area as the waves were crashing in at other points of the coastline.  I hadn´t swam in the sea properly so you have to get your head around the fish that are accompanying you.  They were fine but the jelly fish (1) did cause me some panic.  Swimming in the sea is easier than a pool because you are more buoyant and have a wet suit on however the waves that did get through need to be handled in a certain way.  I came out feeling good and confident.  Off for a big dinner and early night.  Tomorrow will be another adventure!

Hills, wind & heat

Yes tomorrow I am off to Lanzarotte for 30 hours of swim, bike & run training.  The plan is for 2 disciplines a day with the bike being the main feature.  I want to be sure of the hills I will be tackling on 19 May and also confident on the descents which are fast and tricky with side winds.  I need to get used to swimming in the sea which will be a first for me i.e. 2.4 miles in the sea rather than run in and run back out screaming!  I will also be testing out my nutrition and hydration which is critical to my success (and health!).
Yesterday was a rest day but I had a meeting with my coach to go over my previous weeks results.  In addition I needed a sports massage as my glutes were playing up again giving me lower back pain - not ideal before a hard weeks training.  However they are now better but my wife (and yoga teacher) will be giving me some exercises to help while I'm away.
Today is all about packing including the most important item, the bike.  It takes time to get it into the bike box and you have to be so careful with these carbon framed bikes.  It's a relief when you get it to the other end and it's still in one piece!  This afternoon I am giving in to 3 years of pressure and will be shaving my legs so I can pretend to be a real cyclist.  It will certainly make the sports massage easier but I have no idea how good it will look! I'll blog while recovering after a hard days training but if I don't have access to the Internet then you will need to wait till I return with my tales of woe.  Now where did I put that razor.....ouch!

Sacrifices

I remember the first book I ever read about triathlon.  It was called "How Ironman ruined my life" - at that stage I had no idea I would be taking part in Ironman as it sounded near impossible.  It was about a guy whose first triathlon was Ironman and it was an amusing read, but there was a lot of truth in what he said especially around the amount of time required and how this impacts on family life.  Fortunately my family support what I am doing especially as it raises so much money for Maggie's Cancer Caring Centres (www.justgiving.com/Derek-Stewart0).  However I do try and plan all the activities in such a way as to minimise disruption but winter training makes this difficult with the limited daylight.
This morning was a 3k continuous timed swim - another PB.  Tonight was a 1hr 15 min run at three different paces.  I ran most of it with three other runners which is unusual for me but it certainly increased the pace.  However when they had finished I still had another 20 minutes to do on my own at a faster pace than we had finished, but I made it.  Now home for some protein and rest.  Two days off training before I travel to Lanza for an exceptionally tough week of training in the heat.  Bring it on.

Day light

It's amazing the impact lighter mornings has on me and I am sure everyone else.  Not only does it put a spring in your step, but it just makes everything better.  So I set off slightly later this morning for an hours run and having not enjoyed my last run, this one was fantastic.  The scenery was beautiful and my target times were achieved so I felt fantastic.
I also picked up my bike from the mechanic having had it serviced before going off to Lanzarote.  I had a short, sharp, hard turbo session wearing my new shoes.  You might not realise the importance of cycling shoes but if my feet are going to be "cooking" in them for say 6.5 hours, I want them coming out "healthy".  In my first Ironman I had 4 black toe nails when I came off the bike and still had a marathon to run.  So tonight they were tested and there will be more testing of my shoes and my nutrition while in Lanza.  Nothing is left to chance.  Enjoy lighter mornings and longer nights by getting out there and doing something.

The mental game

Experience Ironman athletes will tell you that at least 50% of the effort required is mental and the balance physical.  So every training session I do I keep that in my mind.  So tonight there were 7 swimmers in 2 lanes going through their paces.  I was the slowest but I've realised that what the other 6 are doing isn't important to me.  What mattered was my time and on reviewing the data I had hit all the targets so being slowest didn't matter.
In the other 2 lanes are less experienced swimmers and I know they are keeping an eye on us and wishing they were faster - I know I started there.  So which ever "lane you are in on life" it doesn't matter if someone is "going faster", as long as you know what you want to achieve and take the measured steps you need to take to get there.