Targets

Targets are funny things which don't always inspire people to greater performance.  It depends on your mind set.  This morning I knew I had a big swim but rather than look at the totality of the target I stuck with the breakdown; 300m warm up, 100m fast, 3 x 500m, 3 x 400m, 2 x 300m, 100m warm down - all against the clock.  It is natural to count the laps and in the first 500m my mind started thinking, "well that's 6 lengths only 4 more to go but then it tried to work out the total lengths I had to complete the total task.  This doesn't work for me because it would tire me out and in the end, what good would that thinking do anyway?
So I forced that though to the back of my head and focused on the task in hand; finishing the first 500m.  Then I started the next stage and by approaching the swimming this way I performed extremely well (for me).  It was only after completing all the small tasks that I totalled the swim which was of course 3,800m.  Had I entered the pool thinking about the magnitude of the total I don't think I would have performed so well.  So when faced with a stretching target, break it down into manageable pieces and enjoy yourself!

Rest day?

I have been in Bristol for the last two days so when I got back tonight I was too late and too tired to fit in a training session. So I will have missed one session this week which I will feel guilty about because I really don't want to miss any training 'cause it plays on your mind. But I know that there is lots of hard work "in the bank" so I have to accept that two days away is tiring and sometimes it's best to take the rest.
Tomorrow I have a tough early morning swim so it will be back to business as usual. A long bike ride on Sunday with a run off the bike will set me up nicely. So tonight I'll enjoy the rest and get an early night

In the dark

Adapt is a word I use often along my journey.  You need to constantly adapt to your circumstances and environment like a downhill skier - they don't stop when they get knocked off balance, they just adapt.
So my plan this morning was for a 1 hr 35 min bike ride up and down hills.  I set my alarm for 5.50am hoping to be away by 6 however when the alarm went off it was pitch black outside!  I didn't fancy riding with lights on the country roads but didn't have time if I delayed it till it was light.  So I adapted - switched my schedule and went out for an hours run.
The sun may have been shining but the frost on the grass made me take an extra layer and I am so glad I did - it was very cold on the extremities!  But a great workout so I was able to ease my guilt at not making the scheduled session.  My running times are very good at the moment and I hope to keep this up, but will need to invest in new running shoes due to the wear and tear.  That's me up to 4 pairs a year now which comes in about £400 - and that's just for shoes!  Still it's worth it.

What a difference....

....time makes.  3.5 years ago I struggled to swim 40 metres without requiring assistance from a life guard.  My goal back then was to swim 750 m in my first sprint triathlon and I was so chuffed (relieved) when I exited the pool after 21 minutes.  Tonight we did a time trial over 750 metres and I managed it in 13 mins and 30 seconds.  Quite a difference especially when you consider that before doing the time trial I had completed 1,200m.  But there are no short cuts and it has involved a lot of blood, sweat and literally tears.  I still have a lot to improve on my swimming technique and once again I couldn't complete a kicking exercise tonight because after 12 metres I seem to grind to a holt.
So today's theme is perseverance, you'll get there if you keep trying but as I always say - you need to have a reason to keep persevering.  After all, what does it mean to you to reach your goal?  If you "aren't bothered" about the outcome then you'll never reach the goal.  Something worth considering next time you consider taking on a challenge.  My goal is firmly set and my focus couldn't be greater as Lanzarote Ironman, "where normal limits don't apply", approaches.  I'm lovin it!

Back with a bang!

I've 2 weeks of really hard training to look forward to. Started this morning with a 3k swim which included 20 x 100m laps. Felt really good but later I had a 2 hr 15 min run. It was 19 degrees so I decided to try out my Lanza two piece Tri suit. Who would have thought this would be ok in March in Scotland?
Got a few funny looks from the locals but it didn't deter me completing almost 17 miles at a good pace for me - 8 min miles.
Not training till tomorrow night when I'm back in the pool so that will give me a little bit of recovery time.

Day of rest

Sunday was meant to be a day of rest and that was what was scheduled for today.  So up at 7.45am, which converts to 6.45am the day before, for my son's football.  Back at 11.30am and watched the GP before the Old Firm match.  It was a beautiful day and so many of my friends we out riding their bikes in various races but I was under "orders" to rest.
Tomorrow starts a 2 week schedule which is extremely tough; the last of the overload before my training starts to tail off.  But these two weeks are really important and will require every ounce of energy I have, physically and mentally.  The start line is in sight but there is still a lot of work to be done before then.

Time trial

To measure progress I complete time trials in all disciplines. Today it was 2 x 10 miles on a monotonous road - out and back. So much is dependent on the conditions and today it was foggy with a light wind. In time trials you want to leave nothing "in the tank" at the end so I went for it. 34 min 24 secs on the way out which is an average of 17.5mph. 28 min 26 sec on the return, an average of 21.1 mph. This is my best time trial ever.
When I got home I ran 3.25 miles averaging 7 min 19 per mile. All this data tells me I'm getting fitter and faster but without these measurements I wouldn't know. What measurements / benchmarks do you have in place to measure your progress?