Friday 31 August 2012

Racing!

So the first race since Celtman has come around! Helvellyn Triathlon.

A 1 mile swim in Ullswater, and 38mile bike that includes the famous 'Struggle' to Kirkstone pass and a 9 mile run. The run visits Red Tarn, Swirral edge and the summit of Whiteside before descending to Glenridding. A tough course that has been named as a must do race in the magazines and one of the best triathlons in the country!

The field will be very competitive with over 700 entries but the atmosphere should be amazing. Decent weather is forecast (fingers crossed) which will make a change.

I decided to enter pretty last minute as I felt I wanted some more race practice before Wasdale. As I have said in my previous posts training has felt a little unbalanced and inconsistent. I have been training hard but just not in my usual routines. I felt wasted a couple of weeks back and was glad to hit a rest week. After an easy week with light training my legs seem to have really picked up. On a 35 min run tonight my legs felt snappy and holding a tempo seemed easier. There is definatly a race in my legs somewhere!! So I am not really sure how it will go.

A big part of me wants to go out and race hard from the start. It is a fast race and I am keen to see how my body will handle the intensity. This plan may mean a meltdown later in the race but at least I will have learnt something. Nothing to lose but everything to gain!

I plan to swim tomorrow morn then take it easy for the day. Kit will be sorted tonight. Nutrition is sorted thanks to Mulebar. Bring it on!!

Proper Psyched!


Sunday 26 August 2012

A Weeks Training

Thought I would post a summary of my weeks training on here.

Taken from my training diary that is now full of over a years worth of entries. A really useful resource when things crop up. Helps build an idea of patterns etc.

Sun-

AM- Run- 45mins. Road loop. Bit of tempo on flats. Legs still sluggish.
PM- Bike- 2hrs 30- 45miles on TT Bike. Mostly steady but 10 mile TT on Levens course. Within 26mins. Feel good on bike but cassette worn out so skipping when climbing.

Mon-

Easy Bike to work-1hr

Tues-

Brick-1hr30-TT home (37.31 Ambleside to Kendal) then road loop on run. Found a nice rhythm on run, better than recently.

Wed-

AM-Bike to work easy-1hr
PM-Bike to work easy-1hr

Thur-

AM-Brick-3hrs 30. Bike, Run, Bike. Pedal out to Kentmere Avg heartrate 150BPM. Run Kentmere Horseshoe. Concentrated on pushing uphill. Took it steady on way down. Easy bike home. Felt good running hills and flowed a bit better on flats. Cadence better.

PM-Swim-45mins. Drills at pool. Easy session.

Fri-

AM- Swim- 1hr- 300 warm up, 4x100 drills, 50 backstroke. Main sets 300,200,100 decreasing rest, increasing effort. 2 sets. 100 breast stroke, 50 Backstroke. Hard session, good work out.

PM- Bike-2hrs-TT bike. Bit of a sloppy ride really. Bike not working and felt a little un focused and tired.

Sat-

 Swim- 30 mins- Rydal about 1 mile total. Feel faster and stronger in water once warmed up properly. Bit choppy, challenging conditions. Very positive session.

Sun-

AM- Bike to work- 45mins. Pushed a bit on hills.

PM- Bike- 2hrs30. Hills after work! 3 climb loop around Hawkshead and Langdale. Pushed hard on climbs and bit of TimeTrialing on way home. Hard Session. Tired Now! Rest Tommorow!!

Total Hours- 18hrs

Last hard week before Helvellyn. Rest week till race then 1 more hard week till taper for Wasdale. Perked up last 3 days.

Tuesday 21 August 2012

Over Trained????

A good friend once said if one man calls you a horse, call him a fool. but if three do buy yourself a saddle!

A few friends have commented that I look a little tired lately. I feel it!

Consistent, balanced and progressive training has been hard recently. The miles have been getting put in but other stresses have risen and it has been hard to maintain a balance. I have had to bike allot more than I did leading up to Celtman. As a result my biking has improved and my legs seem to have grown. Have been riding the TT Machine quite a bit and I am definitely getting faster. However my run has suffered. My cadence is slow and my legs feel a little dead. Easy fix, bike less run more? Not really possible as I have to get to work, or get to the fells to run or the lake to swim. As a result I am getting pretty tired and losing a little motivation. The logistics of getting to and from training and getting adequate recovery are just not adding up. I keep ploughing forwards though. Things will have to be rebalanced. A little more rest and relaxation is needed and the training volume and intensity will have to drop.

The Stealth TT Machine. Old School!!


 I love the feeling of training well and consistently. The gradual improvements in skills and those sessions when you feel rested and strong. Running in the mountains feeling fast with a seeming effortless cadence. I am looking forward to racing Helvelyn in a couple of weeks. One of the reasons I decided to start triathlon was a feeling that I wanted to race, having avoided competitive sports since quitting football in my teens. Hopefully things will improve with a little more rest.

I suppose the part of you that allows you push to your limits and beyond, train hard or finish a tough race is the very same part that can lead you to exhaustion and ultimately destruction. But without that trait we would just plod on never really exploring what we could achieve. I think that would be more of a shame than failing to finish or not achieving a time you feel you are capable of . As long as you give it your all who cares!

Quick thank you to Mulebar for producing amazing fuel for training, racing and recovery. Fast, simple and natural energy. Will be writing a little more on this in the future. Have been trying out some nutrition strategies in training.

Check out this video. Pure motivation from Macca and Andreas. Stick with it!


Wednesday 15 August 2012

Tri-ing Hard

Back on the Struggle. This time my heart rate is pegged above 175BPM. A time trial effort, devised to cook my legs before spinning into Glenridding and running the Helvellyn Tri route. As I pass a group of cyclists walking I wonder if I too will have to stop. It would be easier and the pain would stop. My heart rate is now above 185BPM. My chest is heaving, I am pouring with sweat but somehow I keep moving forward, the pedals keep turning. I will not stop. I reach brow and finally get a chance to recover. I made it but only just, my pacing was wrong, my bike heavy and lacking gears for efficiency but the effort was there. The satisfaction that I get from extreme efforts creeps in. I also found out a little more about how far I can push my body and keep moving. Useful for recalling when things get tough.

Into Glenridding and onto the fell there is little chance to get into easy running rhythm. It is straight uphill. My goal is to run it all at a reasonable speed, just off race pace. I carry on and soon am running across Red Tarn heading for Swirral Edge, stretching my legs before the final ascent. I fill the water bottle and soak my cap in the beck. I love moving fast and light in the mountains. The descent feels tough so I reign in the speed and take short breaks from the fast descending. Lots of time to be gained here on race day, if you can shut out the pain. Not a bad time for a training run around 1hr 35. I arrive back in Glenridding and hit the shop for some calories. I have to climb Kirkstone pass once more to get back home to Kendal!

Another epic training session. Ideally would have skipped the second lap on the pass but there you go.

Swim time trial in the pool this morning was very positive. 6min 21 seconds. 24secs faster than two weeks ago. Better pacing, technique and other factors more than being fitter I think. A big jump. More time trials will allow a more accurate measure of how things are going . Good signs though. An hour easy spin on the bike this evening will hopefully help recovery from yesterdays efforts.

Feeling a bit tired and honestly not quite as psyched as when training for Celtman. But still getting out there and putting the effort in. Still seeing the improvements too. It has been a long journey since starting training back in December.

Looking forward to hitting the top of Helvellyn and Scafel Pike in the next races.
What an awesome thing to do after a swim and bike!

Monday 13 August 2012

Good times at the 'Pool' and adjustment

The Pool. Rydal water
The first week of a three week block of hard training is out of the way, bit of a shock to the system if I am honest! No car at the moment has meant lots of cycling or time getting to places, leaving less time for recovery and chilling out. Also have just started a new job (Bike shop) so extra energy is being poured into that. I am finding it pretty hard to adjust really. My routine has been messed with! I don't like that :). Adjusting to life's twists and turns has never been a strong point of mine, but I suppose this is another reason training and taking on challenges allows us to grow in different ways.

All good though.Amazing sunshine in the lakes has warmed up Rydal enough for non wetsuit training sessions! Amazing fun, really refreshing and a bit of a harder workout. Like an outdoor pool session with beautiful views and fresh air.So lucky to live here. My swim is improving slowly. Last 400metre time trial was 6mins 45 secs. I can feel my speed improve if I get my position right and remember my points to work on. This position just needs practice and stress proofing so I slip out of it less.

The Cougar! 
Still thrashing about on the steel training machine! Only problem is the calf's and quads seem to be continuously growing! The extra weight is probably not so useful for the run or swim!

Days off now so hopefully get a couple good days training in. A short, sharp hilly bike to fell run brick session is on the cards. Helvelyn and Wasdale both involve running up mountains after a very hard bike so best get used to this! A pool 400metre Time Trial, 10 mile bike TT and an open water swim are also planned.

Just wanted to mention a massive well done to everyone  who took part in the Lakeland 50 and 100 ultra races a few weeks ago. Inspiring performances from some close friends! Its great to be a part of a psyched and friendly community. Another reason we do this I suppose. Also psyched for fellow Celtmen who took part in The Norseman! One of the races that inspired me to get involved in triathlon and a race that is high on The List. I watch this video all the time! Enjoy and Train hard!



Thursday 9 August 2012

Hills, Hills, Hills!

Struggling to get enough air into my lungs, my back feels like it is going to explode. Legs are jellied and at one point I am sure I was seeing stars. Welcome to Wrynose Pass from Langdale on an old steel bike without enough gears! A hard training session for Wasdale Tri.

Sure this is not ideal training all the time but bottom line is that it is my only choice at the moment. Just have to get on with it. Bit of Rocky mentality required! I know it gets my legs strong and come race day on a lighter bike it will defiantly pay off. Will not do workouts like this very often (once every two weeks max) as they defiantly take a while to recover from. Good fun though!

If your keen for a quick blast with some steep climbs and fast flats between check out this route on my Map My Ride account. 2hrs 30mins from Bike Treks (Ambleside) to Kendal. Fueled by Mule Kicks  Gels and Salls power flapjack (thanks!)

Enjoy!!


Tuesday 7 August 2012

Fell Running again!

Not me, but the scree slope on Celtman. Fell runners Territory!!


Feels like a long time now since cruising through the Coulin pass and sliding down the scree slope on the descent of Beinne Eighe during Celtman. Despite the leg injury I ran well, a time split within the top ten showed this. Regular laps of the mighty Loughrigg Terrace had done the trick, a little bit of minimalist running shoe work (New Balance 110) had helped increase my cadence and efficiency and plenty of stretching and rolling (Heads up to the COACH, top man!) had meant no major injury's.

My other regular training session were the Fairfield and Kentmere Horseshoes. Although fairly short (10.5m and 12.2m) they provide a variety of terrain, ups and downs, accessibility and most importantly very runnable ground. Sometimes I would work hard on the ups and recover in between, take more technical/rocky routes to work on leg speed or really let it go on the down-hills to give the quads a good thrashing.

Combined with  longer runs up Scafell Pike and some long, fast trail runs (Probably only three or four runs over 16miles) it seemed to do the trick.

So after a few weeks plodding round the terrace and a couple of longer runs last week it was time to head back onto the fell. The leg injury seems fine although a little caution is still needed. Decided to run Fairfield.

My goal was to run all the way to the top, although I thought lack of running would make this a tall order. Turns out going uphill feels ok, not quite as fast as pre Celtman but it is still there. Good signs. Felt a little tired heading round to the descent, lack of mileage recently probably but a Cafe Cortado gel helped me on my way.

Down hill was interesting!! It felt hard and I realised how much it takes out of your body to descend quickly. My head could remember but the legs and core were not quite up to it!! I eased off a bit, careful not to over stretch on the first outing. I do love coming down hill though. The descent of Fairfield has to be one of the best in the lakes! A little sticky in the humidity but lovely views on the tops and a light breeze to cool off a little.

Best of all the run can be started and finished at Bilbos cafe and Lakes runner. Coffee before run and a pint of tea and flapjack after! Super friendly, knowledgeable staff and great home baking.

Great to be back running on the fells and things seem to be coming together for Helvelyn and Wasdale Tri's in September. Biking is going well and swim seems to be getting a little faster thanks to Kendal tri club's amazing coaches. All good!!

Looking back out over the Horseshoe

Sunday 5 August 2012

Inspiration


Not the best video but an amazing race to watch. Had me on the edge of my seat. Mo destroys the field and runs a perfect race!




Wednesday 1 August 2012

Motivation, Inner Voices and Sticking with it

I had one of those moments this morning when you wonder what it is all about. Why am I walking to the pool at six thirty, getting soaked to the skin, battling through life's other day to day issues?  Why do I feel the need? Its not like I get paid to do this but I probably put in enough hours to warrant it. Surely it would be easier to just sack it off, sell the bike and buy a Playstation?

You probably get the picture by now.

The feeling that things seem to be conspiring against you or things have got interesting and new challenges have been revealed.

Those negative thoughts. Weather walking to the pool, battling into a headwind soaked to the skin on another long bike, injury, broken kit, etc etc etc. Just quit, sack it off, you don't need to do this.

But there is always that little voice that says NO. Push on. Keep trying. Fight. It will all be worth it.

Try your hardest to be the best you can be.

Funny thing is, after the pool things seem a little clearer. I have completed the session I set out to do.

 I can always look back to that long bike ride and think at least its not that bad.

Struggling through that workout builds strength in the future.

When things get hard there is an amazing opportunity to learn just what we are capable of, discover things about ourselves we never thought existed. We grow in many ways. As long as we are willing to suffer a little discomfort along the way.

That is part of the reason I walk to the pool. As well as the inspiration of others and future challenges.

I can be such a moaning, winy git at times!

This video always gets me psyched. Stay strong, keep moving forward and enjoy the journey!