Newbury Sprint Triathlon

Last weekend I took part in the team kennet Newbury sprint triathlon. This race was very much my arch nemesis having entered it twice before and not taken part due to nerves.

This time Im glad to say I hit it very much head on!

Early start and drive down there, met up with Jamie (his first tri), got setup and chilled, the venue was at a leisure centre with a heated outdoor pool. The race started about 8am with 2 people setting off every 30 seconds until around 10:15am my start time was 10:10.

I was super excited to get this race going, being my first proper triathlon since IMDE I was keen to show myself that I could hit the short distance hard and PB!

The swim was 300meters consisting of 4 laps of the pool, as soon as I started I knew I felt good having quickly left the guy I started with and overtook 2-3 people in the process

Had a great swim with an overall time of 00:04:59 - 11th overall on the day (wanted top 10 :()

straight out into transition with my tri suit on and the no sock option I made quick work of it but almost made a huge school boy error in grabbing my bike before putting my helmet on, that wont happen again!

T1 - 1:16

Out on the bike my heart rate was sky high but I knew it was only 13 miles so I knew I could push hard as it was flat (apparently according to Jamie)....... Well flat wouldn't be the way I would describe the course,I`m actually not sure they could have put more hills in there even if they wanted, reminded me of Wimbleball in Exmoor. I pushed and pushed and averaged around 20.3mph through the course which I was very chuffed with having been so hilly. I was only overtaken by 2 people who were clearly decent triathletes.

I pulled my feet out of my shoes for T2 at about 12.75 miles however the course was unexpectedly longer so I ended up having no shoes on for about 10 minutes which was`nt ideal. I raced hard into T2 and a quick change into trainers and I was good to go.

Bike time - 40:00

T2 Time - 0:00:39

Out on the run I knew it was going to be a slog as I had worked so hard on the bike, my heart rate was through the roof but I knew it was only 5k and I could push through it. The run was all offroad trial through twists and turns and a few hills, it seemed to go super quick and again was only overtaken once or twice. I continued to push hard and could feel my ITB tightening but nothing was going to stop me finishing this race strong, I pressed on and eventually came into the final half mile, I was overtaken by a guy who was behind me at the swim start, we had abit of banter then pressed each other for the finish, I was spent, he started extending his lead and I tried to keep up but my knee said no. I finished strong and used everything I had.

Run Time - 21:14

Overall time - 1:08:09 - 26th position overall out of 350+ people

The guy who overtook me at the end beat me by 7 seconds overall

Looking at my overall times, I think my swim is still very strong, bike very acceptable but my run seems to let me down, think to get better at the short game my 5k needs to come down to 17minutes Im a long way off that!

Great event tho, will be entering again next year! very well organized and great fun!

Monster Middle 18th Aug 2013

Had a fantastic race yesterday in ELY Cambridgeshire for the Middle distance relay event.

I did the swim, Stu did the Bike, Attila did the run!

Overall amazing day with some great stories



Had a cracking swim with a time (I think) 28:42 which was a PB by nearly 4 minutes over the middle distance.

Stu had an amazing bike split of around 2:42 and Attila had an incredible 2 hour half marathon bringing us home in around 5:15 and finishing 3rd overall in the relay standings!



Overall amazing day with amazing friends!

Ironman Frankfurt Race Report

Firstly apologies for the delay in writing this final race report, Ive been very busy lately and feeling abit down about the race being over and wanted to wait until I felt good to write an honest decent report rather than just rush it to get it over with.

So with the event over and done with now its time that I share my experiences of the race that I have been training for for over 6 months so grab a cup of tea, sit back and enjoy.

Thursday 4th July -

Went and picked up the hire car for the journey ahead of us, myself and co-pilot Jamie were about to drive 450 miles across 3 countries and was very much a venture into the unknown as neither of us had ever driven abroad but guided by the trusty sat nav we arrived at the hotel at around 6pm. After researching parking around Frankfurt prior to leaving I knew that it was going to either difficult, expensive or both. Jamie the eagle eye spotted a space right outside the hotel so we parked up and went in to see if we could leave the car there all weekend. The receptionist advised it was free from 6pm-8am and from 6pm Friday - 8am Monday, amazing luck knowing the car parks were around 20 euros a day but the bad news being you had to pay by the hour and only for 1 hour meaning 1 of us would need to go back to the car every hour to put in 2 euros on the friday.... step up Jamie who done me the biggest favour of doing this.

Friday 5th July -

I met up with Paul from tritalk forums who I had been chatting to about the race online before hand and knew we were in the same hotel, Paul and his wife had both done the race multiple times before and were a wealth of both knowledge and definitely helped calm any nerves I had on the Friday. Thanks to Jamie I was able to go out all day to register and see transitions etc without worrying about the car getting clamped or towed, I can imagine going out to the meter every hour from 9-5 was not fun!. I went and got registered and got the race day band put on and all of a sudden it became abit more real, seeing the finish line being built made me think that not finishing was not an option. Evening dinner and a beer and an early night as I knew this would probably be the last proper sleep id get before race day.

Saturday 6th July -

Woke up nice and early and had breakfast, I was keen to get all the bike racking etc done as early as possible so I could get off my feet and watch the all important lions game. We went down to the bus stop and climbed aboard with my bike and bike bag for transition. Typical German efficiency ensured we arrived in good time and before I knew it the bike and bag were racked. I wanted to go down to the swim start to see the venue/buoys and get a feel for race day, I also used this opportunity to go for a dip in the water, the temperature was around 22 degrees so wetsuits were optional for race day. After about 15 minutes swimming I exited the water and decided there and then to go non-wetuit for race day, I had been having issues with tightness in the wetsuit shoulders and did`nt want to risk my arms gassing out after 2k, also I knew that I had swam the full distance without a wetsuit many times before in the pool. We jumped back on the bus back to Frankfurt to find a pub to watch the lions game, seeing so many people on there way down there around 2/3pm I realised what a great decision to go early and relax for the afternoon. That afternoon my 2 good friends Tim and Helen arrived and had driven over from Oxford to come and watch me, that evening all 4 of us went out for an early dinner so that I could get a decent sleep. I went to bed around 10ish and think I got to sleep around 11ish.

Sunday 7th July - Race Day

Woke up at 3:30am and think I slept straight through the night which was good as I read alot that before a big race many people get 1 or 2 hours if that. Black coffee,porridge and a coating of factor 50 p20 once a day sun oil as it was predicted hot then went down and into reception to meet Paul and another guy we had met over the past days. We walked down to the intercontinental hotel where all the coaches were lined up ready to take the athletes to the lake to start this epic day. On the coach I was lucky enough to get a seat (thanks Helen) and as we drove along in the dark morning there was`nt much talk, just a sense of anticipation of the day to come, looking around I could see people visualizing their race or listening to their Ipod getting into the zone (like I was myself). The coach stopped and before I knew it we were out and it was bands only area so it was time to say goodbye, a quick hug with my amazing supporters and that was it... I was on my own from then on.
I found my bike where I had left it yesterday and all the worries of my wheels being stolen or eaten by a bear were put to rest. I borrowed someones track pump and pumped up my tyres (always good to let them down if the night before race as the cool/hot air change expands the air and bursts the tubes). I put my ipod on and then just started walking about busying myself for the hour I had before we started, I found myself walking around just wasting energy whereas I should have just sat down and relaxed. I bumped into lots of people I knew racing from Watford which was nice considering there were 2600 people I think I saw them all at least once, small banter and some good lucks and then it was the call for the first wave down to the lake. I was in the second (mass) wave at 7am start but that meant I only had 20 minutes to hand in my white bag (finishing clothes) and head down to the beach. I only say 2 others without a wetsuit and did get some funny looks from people walking past asif I hadnt heard the "optional" word in the build up... not to worry, I headed down and stood on the shore watching the elites get into the water, once 6:45 arrived the gun started and the race started, I now had 15 minutes to compose myself and really get into the zone. I met up with fellow backfish Helen on the beach and we stood together chatting and calming each others nerves, it was at that point I decided not to be at the front of the swim and to just go at the back and relax it was going to be a long day.......

The swim - 2.4miles - I walked into the water at literally the last minute and bobbed about, 2300 athletes all bobbing next to one another, all ready to race 140 miles for different personal reasons, mine was to prove to myself that I could do it, nothing else. Its a strange feeling being in there before the gun on a race like this, everyone is silent, ready to go, focused. The commentator then announced 1 minute to go and people started to get excited all wishing each other good luck and thumbs up, even to people you didn't know there was just a nod of appreciation of you and them both being there. 10 seconds to go and then the countdown 5,4,3,2,1....... The gun goes off... This is it...
We all started swimming and it was amazing, so many people all unison swimming together! I could still her the commentators g`in the crowd on to cheer louder and louder and it was a great sensation, After a few hundred meters it was down to business and I had that buoy in my site. I have done a few mass starts now and its always pot luck to weather you get some free space to move or get constantly cut up and bettered by everyone, unfortunately on this occasion.. mine was the latter. I was constantly getting kicked about by people doing breaststroke and trying to swim over me but did eventually find some clean water and was nearing the first buoy, when I arrived to my absolute disgust there were people cutting the corner and despite the marshals shouting and waving they just seemed to carry on, me on the other hand cut everyone up and swam horizontally across just to ensure I went round it properly, I could never call myself an ironman if I didn`t complete the full 140.6 distance. I know it was only probably 10 meters gained but its not the point, I dont know how people can train for that long only to cheat themselves, o well rant over..
The swim was going well and I had found some decent space and someone to draft off this kept me safe through to the Australian exit where we ran out under and arch over a strip of sand then dived back in for the second (smaller) loop, this was a really nice touch as it gave my legs a break and I knew I was over half way there. The second loop I found harder as without the suit my legs were sinking a little and conscious not to pump them too hard to waste energy to just powered my arms through the last few hundred meters as hard as they would go. I got out the water and then ran up the steep sand back into T1.

Swim time - 01:17:39 - was a little disappointed with the time but without a wetsuit I was never going to break any records.


Transition 1 - After running up the steep beach I swiftly found my bag and decided to use the porter loo, I went in and couldn't decide if I wanted to go or not, after around 2 minutes I eventually decided I did`nt need to go and went to the change tent (what a waste of time). I sat down and toweled my feet as they had sand all over them from the beach. I found myself just going at my own slow pace and taking my time here, I knew what 112 miles felt like and the last thing I wanted was to be uncomfortable in anyway. I put some bib shorts on over tri-suit and ran to my bike for the start of the bike.

T1 - 09:09

The Bike - 112 miles - After 1hr 17mins swimming I was actually very happy to be on the bike as I knew that id done the course and was confident that I could put in a good time. The first 10 or so miles are on a motorway style road that I remember being very quick the last time I rode it, then I realised that there was a big difference... the wind. When I came out in May I comfortably averaged 24mph across this stretch of road as its smooth and swooping however looking at my garmin I was struggling to maintain 19mph and was conscious not to fight myself and over exert too early on or I would definitely pay later on. The bike course is fantastic in Frankfurt, smooth fast roads with lots of opportunity to sit on TT bars in aero with a few climbs to keep it interesting, the heart break hill climb is tour de France style atmosphere with crowds closing in with only enough room for one bike at a time.. amazing . The first lap seemed to go very very quick and I just maintained a steady pace throughout conscious that I had a whole lap to go. When I eventually got to the end of lap one I was struggling, I saw Vicky (a fellow jogger) around 70 miles who shouted encouragement to me but I knew I didnt have much left, my speed had dropped to around 14.5mph, my legs felt heavy and I felt tired, not bonked tired as I knew I was eating enough but I think the heat of the afternoon was starting to take its toll on me. I carried on in the smallest gear I could find on each climb just concentrating on cadence and forgetting my speed, I used every aid station I could find to pick up water and bananas, this turned out to be great strategy as I accidentally picked up a bottle of flat coke instead of water (he said it was water), this was a game changer as the sugar loaded me up I began to feel good again, not amazing but a world away from where I was mid way through. During the bike course I saw lots of people off their bikes at the side of the road looking for some shade and rest, 112 miles is taxing on its own but bring the heat into play its a whole different game.

I was probably 20miles from the end and my feet were absolutely killing me, my shoe soles are carbon so theres no flex or give and after 5 hours this starts to really hurt, I had no option other than to take my feet out of my shoes and pedal on the top of them for the remaining hour or so. After the final assault on heart break hill I knew it was all downhill from then and I went for it as hard as I could knowing that I could make up some lost time, I probably averaged 26mph back into Frankfurt and by now the full force of the sun was out for all too see!

Bike Time - 06:21:10 - 6 hours was ambitious but given how rough I felt mid ride I am really happy with that time.. could have been alot worse.

Transition 2 - off the bike with my coke bottle and gave it to one of the support crew members who were fantastic the whole weekend, I trotted into T2 and picked up my run bag sat down and just gave myself a minute to think. I joked with the guy next to me "only a little run to go now" he didnt look impressed.. I was burnt slightly under my arms but had packed chamois cream + sun cream for this reason. I opened the chamois cream only to find that the usual paste had turned into a melted ice cream in the pot so I threw it back and opted for some factor 50 for the run, visor, knee support and trainers on and I was good to go.

T2 - 06:06

The Run - 26.2 miles - So with keeping with the previous trends I was happy to be running and to never see my bike ever again, with all my previous issues and ITB problems I knew it would be a matter of survival and do the best I possibly can with what Ive got left in the tank. The run course was hot.. very hot 4 laps of 10k, it felt like we were all running in some tropical country many miles away, I was conscious of staying hydrated and fueled as best I can without feeling sick so I opted for the same strategy at every aid station 2 cups of water, 1 cup of ice cubes (i read holding them cools core temp) and 2 sponges to put under tri-suit and keep me cool.

The first lap or 2 were not to bad, I am so lucky to have had the support of Helen Tim and Jamie out there on the course with me, they had positioned themselves perfectly to see me twice every lap so I knew it was only 5k until I would see them again, a massive massive motivator. I was comfortably pacing around 11.5 min miles which felt good up until around 13 miles when I saw Paul from the hotel, he was walking as he had calf issues. Soon after that the wheels just seemed to fall off, its very demoralizing seeing others with 2/3/4 bands on their arms knowing they are that many laps ahead of me but this is where I really had to start digging deep. My feet were really sore and swollen, my shins were aching and I could`nt run anymore, I tried to run as much as I could but the pain was simply too much to bare after a while. At around 15 miles I was pushed to powerwalk but this was good as I had been practicing it during training because of my knee, staring at my Garmin I was walking ~ 12.30min miles, this seemed to work for about 2/3 miles then my feet finally said no more. I walked the last 10 or so miles as quick as I possibly could, I was shuffling along trying different techniques to see which hurt less, this passed the time in between seeing my support guys each lap. At around 24 miles Helen from team blackfish (standing on the beach with) overtook me looking very comfortable, I said hi and tried to run at that point to finish with her but it just did`nt happen - my legs were cooked.
The last band was on my arm and I was determined to finish strong, I pushed the pace for the last 500 or so meters to ensure there was no-one around me so I could have my own finish line moment, I made that final turn to the finish chute and high fived everyone that I could lay my hands on

I turned the final bend and could see the finish line there in front of me, I ran across to high five Jamie, Helen and Tim who were all ecstatic as was I at that point, I will always recall Jamie Shouting "you`ve F*****G Done it!" as I ran towards the finish line euphoric relief came over me as I crossed the line to the words "Robert Bissland - You are an Ironman" - Works that Ive been longing to hear for many years

Run Time - 5:30:51

Total Race Time - 13:25:05

So Ive done it, the task I set out to do around 18 months ago that people just laughed at the words "marathon after bike". After a much needed holiday around Europe sampling some of the finer beers in life I am now back to reality which is ... normal life.

I got home from my trip and collated my thoughts of what had been and gone and the journey along the way, the picture below sums up the journey quite nicely

My three main races that have got me to where I am today. So the after thoughts.......


Firstly the Ironman was an amazing day, great support throughout and a very well organized event, I will always look back on that day with fond memories and am proud of myself for actually going out and giving it my all on the day to the very best I could have done. I know I could have done more training, I know I could have worked longer in the pool, I know I should have been following my plan to a tee.... but I did`nt, life gets in the way and injuries really do happen (from experience now). I think if you are going to tackle one of these races you dont need to be an elite athlete of any type but you need to have that mental strength that says "I will not quit or give up" at any stage, being able to dig deep mentally I believe is far greater asset to have than to do so physically. I had heard so much about "that finish line feeling" from everyone else and how it was the most amazing thing ever etc... I think for me personally it was more relief to make it in one piece and known that i`d done it, wimbleball gave me a feeling I have yet to feel again which I`m not to sure if it was because it was my first proper race or just the occasion of it all.

So what now...

They talk about Ironman blues and I must say since race day there have certainly been some empty holes in my life, nothing to train for and no goals set is quite a strange feeling. I have been driven by this race for almost a year and now its done I`m not sure whats next... another ironman? more halfs? something different? Who knows! I only know that I need something to aim for and work towards for next year, many others have entered another IM for next year, me personally its still too soon as the pain memories of the run still etched in my head, maybe once they go ill be better placed to decide to tackle another. I think in going into the unknown you have a slight mental edge as you dont know whats coming until it gets there however knowing what an IM marathon feels like now definitely puts me off doing another.

I keep thinking about tackling wimbleball again as I really enjoyed the race and it was challenging enough and besides now I have a PB to beat....

Ive got a monster relay half in 2 weeks which I am the swimmer which should be good and then a sprint distance with a mate in September.

Ill keep posted what the next adventure will be.....

Half Iron
Ironman?
Double Ironman? - ha!

Tomorrow I leave...

So its finally here, tomorrow morning I pick up the car to drive over to Frankfurt to attempt to complete my first Ironman.

Some things have gone to plan others have not, through injuries and everything else Ive managed 168hours of training which isnt really that much in terms of volume but hey what can I do? if my body says "im injured" then I have to rest it.

those 168hrs are broken down as

15:30 swimming
99:30 Biking
54:00 running

My plan said 320 hours which obviously I am wayyyy off.

Ive rested for the past few weeks and its really against everything Ive read in terms of taper and peaking for race day, I had a decision to make as to whether I got to the start line fully trained and injured or slightly under trained / rested but with hopefully minimal niggles. I opted for the latter.

This week has been rather stressful trying to organise the logistics of the journey including packing/car hire etc but i`ll be glad once I get to the hotel tomorrow evening to start relaxing ahead of Sunday.

Phantom niggles are starting to appear which I read is very common leading up to a big race, massage this evening to hope iron them out.

i`ll update again once in Frankfurt.

7 days from now

Ill be 13:30hrs into the race and hopefully close to finishing as its been a long day let alone exercising since 7am..

So since my last update I have`nt really done that much, I`ve enlisted the help of a sport masseuse who has been beasting my ITB and calves weekly now at a shot of making them better for race day. I`ve been on full rest pretty much for 3 weeks now which obviously is no ideal but as ive been advised its better to go into a race slightly under trained that either injured or tired because of over training.

Since I haven't been doing much ive found myself to be very tired which from what ive read is common dropping volume and intensity.

I ran 1.2 miles yesterday and the knee felt ok, I used a knee support which I plan to use race day which felt ok.

I tested my new wheels out this week on a short 15 mile stint to test my bike which was completely stripped down and built back up, its now got the original frame and thats about it, its weighs a nice 8.5kg`s and seems to be very fast and responsive. Annoyingly on taking the bike down an unknown track which turned into pretty much off roading I got a puncture and split my brand new vittoria cx tyres. On getting the puncture I was initially happy as it gave me a chance to test changing a tyre at the side of the road using my co2 cartridge and trying to take my time, splitting my tyres was not a good part of it. With a small (tiny) blemish in each tyre paranoia steps in and ive ordered a brand new set from germany (another £58). I guess I cannot justify risking everything Ive trained for for the past 6 months + because Im too tight to buy decent tyres.

Looking forward to getting out there now and relaxing into the hotel, once the bike and bags are racked I can relax and think about the race. I feel I owe it to myself to do my best and although injury amongst over things have been mainly on my mind I cannot get side tracked from what will hopefully be one of the best days of my life.

I will put updates this week and try and blog pre race morning :)

heres a pic of the bike almost fully built with my new wheels :)

One week to go

So in 7 days time ill hopefully be on the bike somewhere on the course feeling good and enjoying the day.

The cobbled streets below is a fantastic bit of the bike route. Updates to follow!

That dark place.....

After training regularly each week for the past 6 months my knee decides now (2 weeks out) to tell me that its not going to run anymore and its had enough.

Last night I went for a short 4 mile run/walk just to get some regular small distances in leading up to race day, after 3 miles of running I had to walk home. This is becoming a regular occurrence over the past months and I am very much in the middle of no-where now. I can`t really train for running as its just too sore and ill just cause more injury however I can`t really rest as with raceday almost 2 weeks away I need to taper correctly to ensure I`m in good shape on the day.

Ive been regularly stretching and doing strengthening exercises everyday to improve glute/hips as from everything Ive read leads to my knee issue. I bought a ITB band support which I tried last night which did`nt really seem to help in anyway shape or form.

So what now.....

I go to the physio, get told Ive got what I already know Ive got and get told I need 20 days off from training with stretching everyday? not ideal.

I don`t go to the physio, I keep doing my stretching and strengthening exercises and hope that in 2 weeks i`ll be strong enough to run at least some of the marathon. again not ideal but at least with no running I can concentrate on my swimming and cycling until race day and if I have a reasonable swim and bike I should be able to jog/walk the run within the cut-off.

I go to the physio to get refereed to get a cortisone injection

"Cortisone is a powerful anti-inflammatory medication. Cortisone is not a pain relieving medication, it only treats the inflammation. When pain is decreased from cortisone it is because the inflammation is diminished. By injecting the cortisone into a particular area of inflammation, very high concentrations of the medication can be given while keeping potential side-effects to a minimum. Cortisone injections usually work within a few days, and the effects can last up to several weeks. "

This could be the answer to get through the run with actually running some of it.

Its amazingly frustrating to think that less than 3 weeks ago I PB`d the outlaw half by 1hr 10mins and PB`d my half marathon by almost half an hour run/walking with no pain or niggles, now with almost no real running since I cannot run 3 miles without agonizing knee pain forcing me to walk.

decisions to make

4 weeks to go

So yesterday saw the 4 week to go mark pass by rather quickly, I have kept my training up but have had a few extra days off last week due to the half Ironman on the Sunday.

Wednesday - 2.5 mile run - nice and easy to ensure my legs still worked after the race, had slight groin pain so did walk some of it.

Friday - 2.4 mile swim in the pool ~ 1.20 easy pace - used my tri suit for the first time and it did feel very comfortable,

Saturday - 100 mile ride - good ride with fellow IM Frankfurters with some decent elevation on the trip

Sunday - 9 mile run - Steady run as legs still felt the bike from Saturday but must ensure I maintain my run walk strategy as when I reached around 8 miles I felt my ITB tighten so had to walk the last half a mile to ensure I don`t damage it.

So almost 10 hours training last week which on the back of a race Im quite happy with, I want to ensure that Im consistent with my longer sessions from now and get the last big ones in this week as I will begin my taper from a week today.

I am quite keen to spend some more time in the pool as it allows me to do some good exercise without any impact whatsoever which is great.

Im still in 2 minds about what to wear race day but am going to continue to train in the one piece tri suit until Im 100% sure that its comfortable. The swim and 9 mile run were both done in it and it did feel very comfortable and I didn't notice any chaffage whatsoever.

This final week of long training will probably be the biggest, I am planning my long bike Saturday which will be around 100miles and then my Long run will either be Sunday or Thursday (to give rest before bike). I am hoping to do around 14-15 miles in the run which will be my longest of the year, still a long way off 26.2 but with injuries etc its not something I can just push through the barriers as this will equal certain injury. The rest of the week will be filled with a medium bike ride (30-40 miles) and hopefully a couple of swims, this will bring my training total to around 14 hours this week.

Race List for the year

So I`ve just received the email Ive been waiting for

"Dear Robert,

there are only 30 days left to your personal „longest day of the year“. Preparations are being made, important training sessions need to be done and race day will come more and more into focus. This newsletter will provide important information about the Frankfurter Sparkasse IRONMAN European Championship 2013 "

"Race Number (BIB-number) and Start Times

On the website of the Frankfurter Sparkasse IRONMAN European Championship 2013 you´ll find your personal race number and the start time of your wave.

Race Number (BIB-number) and Start Times 2013"

Start Time - 7:00AM
Bib number - 0918

Very Very real now :)

So I thought I`d jot down my race list and potential race list for this year

2nd June - Outlaw Half - 5:33:42

23rd June - Penn Seven Run - confirmed

7th July - Ironman Frankfurt - confirmed

27th July - Midnight Man Half (if feel good after Frankfurt)

8th - 11th August - London to Paris (maybe)

18th August - Ely Middle Distance relay (swim)- confirmed

1st September - Newbury Sprint Triathlon - confirmed

8th September - Diamond Olympic Triathlon (maybe)

14th September - La Ronde Picarde sportif (maybe)

5th October - Ironman 70.3 Lanzarote (maybe)

12th October - Oxford Half Marathon - confirmed

Certainly a busy 6 months ahead!

4 weeks Today...

4 weeks today we pick the hire car up and drive over to Frankfurt, lots of miles to cram into those 4 weeks but after the outlaw half I`m more confident.

So since Sundays race I have`nt really done too much, I wanted to have a few days recovery and just roll the calves out and stretch off abit. I went for a short run last night to get the legs ticking over again but felt my groin slightly strained from Sunday so more running rest on the cards.

Since Sunday Ive realised that there are certain areas where I can make up time which will really help get a reasonable time in Germany, don`t get me wrong I know its my first IM and everyone says I should just enjoy the day but I don`t want to get over the line in 14:59:59, I mean yes it would be amazing to finish such a great race and it is a huge achievement but I feel with all my long hours Ive put into training I owe myself something respectable. Also if I decide to never do another full distance event that time I want to look at proudly and know I gave everything I had.

Simple things from looking at my statistics from Sunday I see that I spent 10 minutes total in transition, now if I could somehow cut that time down to say 2-4 minutes combined that could have the same time benefits of going an extra 0.4-5mph average on the bike for 112 miles. I`m not thinking Brownlee style transitions but just abit quicker than fumbling around putting bits on etc that I really should have planned better before hand. Now anyone who cycles longish distances knows that to average an extra .5mph for free would be something worth looking into.

This has also got me thinking about clothing. Every triathlon Ive done so far Ive always used a baggy cycling jersey with shorts, and after racing Sunday Ive realised that the drag my jersey makes just isn't helping anything so I think a tri-suit is the way to go. I purchased a 2XU one at the tri exibition at the start of the season but haven't used it yet because it was a little tight and I thought it might be restrictive but now Im thinking the opposite. If I wear the Tri-suit it will save me minutes in both transitions for not changing clothes and potentially will be much more comfy than jersey and shorts, I will start training in it and find out.

I am also looking into an aero helmet which next to tri bars is the greatest time saver before spending the big cash (wheels & bike), anything that I can save time-wise for a little cash will be greatly appreciated and hopefully when the race comes I`ll be able to do my training justice.

I`m cutting back my weekly training slightly to incorporate some longer sessions into my plan, each week I plan to swim at least 2.4 miles (one session), cycle 100mile+ (one session)and continue to up my run/walk by a mile each week bringing me up to around 15/16miles before race week. Even with just those 3 training sessions I will still be looking at 11-12 hours a week before I do anything else.

Check out my Mo-Bot from the video for my finish line picture.. which I never got :(

http://www4.marathon-photos.com/scripts/event.py?event=Sports/CPUK/2013/Outlaw%20Triathlon%20Half&new_search=1&match=343

The Outlaw Half - Race Report

So yesterday saw me complete my second ever half iron distance and my first race of this year, the Outlaw Half. The event is new for this year and being the smaller brother of the always popular outlaw it looked like a cracking race to enter. I entered this race around November last year and have been looking forward to it since, with Frankfurt literally round the corner this was the perfect chance to practice everything for the big day.


So go make a cup of tea, sit back and read my report on what was a fantastic day.

The race would take place on Sunday 2nd June

Me and Kay drove up to Nottingham on Saturday morning arriving around 1pm, the venue reminded me of Dorney lake Windsor with a vast rowing lake in the center surrounded by greenery and grandstands. We parked up and went to registration to get all that out of the way, visited the expo, bought a few souvenirs and had a general browse around the world of carbon and neoprene. Registration was simple and quick (about 2 minutes), and with my wrist band on and time chip in hand I was ready to race. They had various championship races on that day which we watched from the grandstand, lots of junior competitors racing hard with all the gear, I would have loved to be racing when I was 15-16, I went off to the race brief and got an idea of the race day ahead. The weather was hot on the Saturday which was a little concerning as of my complete meltdown at Dorney lake last year (although 20 degrees is well off the 32 I raced in then).

We left the venue and drove to find our hotel for the evening, a local travel lodge (classy). As we arrived we saw plenty of other triathletes all with bikes going into the hotel which was a welcome relief not to have to leave my bike in the car over night (we are in nottingham!), gear in the room with bike we relaxed and got ready for dinner that evening.



We drove into Nottingham to a restaurant I had pre booked, it was an Italian as I wanted to have pizza the night before the race. The reason for this was my best long training runs and bikes have come after an evening of eating things like pizza and I love pizza :). We parked up in possibly the most expensive carpark on earth (think it was £8:00 for 2 hours?) I mean where are we dubai?! and walked to the restaurant, after wondering around abit thanks to some shoddy satnav work and bad directions from a local we eventually found the Italian. The restaurant was very nice, called the Savai http://www.italian-restaurant-nottingham.co.uk/, reasonably priced with freshly made pizza and garlic bread yum!. completely stuffed we left the restaurant around 8:10 conscious of time because I didn't want to be back late before the race the next day, on the way back I was told we needed coffee and milk for the morning so needed to find a shop... ok so you think center of a city surely its easy to find a shop or petrol station that sells that? obviously not, we drove what seemed to be for 30mins looking for somewhere to buy this stuff, how can there not be a petrol station anywhere? Watford seems to have one every 50 feet! time was ticking and I was keen to get back to the room to shower and go to sleep, We eventually found a SPA which did the job and then finally we could get back to the hotel, got back around 9:15.

Got back to the room and checked my kit for the 15th time that day, tire pressures and nutrition etc, I pinned my race number onto the belt and set everything out for the morning. At around 9:30pm I realised that I hadnt even prepared my goggles for the race, I snapped mine 2 weeks ago in the lake and I was borrowing Kay`s this weekend. I was paranoid about them being too tight or loose so I adjusted them put my swim hat on and sat there watching TV with them on to check tightness or looseness.

I went to bed around 10pm and slept well with only a few wakeups in the night (Kay was woken up multiple times by drunken yobbos in the corridors). I do seem to sleep well before races even if I`m a little nervous which is a good thing as I read that many people before big races don`t sleep at all. 3 alarms set for 4:30am and kit checked a 16th time its bedtime

Race Day

Awake at 4:00 with excitement and slight nerves, black coffee and porridge pot on the menu and I`m good to go, cleared the room out and took my bike to the car, hilariously as I was taking my bike downstairs some guy was coming up the stairs stumbling everywhere off his rocker, no time to chat tho I had my bike to pack. All packed up we left the hotel around 5:20, a little later than planned but still got to the venue in good time. As we arrived it was a great site to see 1200 athletes checking their bikes into transition and getting ready for a day of racing. The check in was very efficient (running trend this weekend) so within 5-10 minutes I was at my transition area racking my bike up and prepping my gear, even though Ive only done a few races I have a good idea of what I need when and organise myself accordingly. I had been having issues with my wetsuit being too tight around the shoulders in training and gassing my arms out so was keen to get into my suit early to ensure a proper fit for comfort. As I`m in my own little world I hear the call "can the blue caps please proceed to the water as we are soon to start", O dear, Kay had my wetsuit and I had approx 8-10 minutes before my race started, just what had I done with the past 30minutes? A frantic wave to Kay to bring it over with my swim hat and goggles, by the time I got my wetsuit the other wave was counting down the start so was a little rushed to get it on and get ready (exactly what I did`nt want). The blue wave then started which meant I had approx 8 minutes to do my final prep and get into the water, A quick toilet stop and then I heard our wave being called into the water - this was it. The water temperature was around 15 degrees which was actually pretty warm compared to the lake Ive been training in these past months, you can hear people saying "this is my first open water swim and its freezing", I don`t understand why you would train for a race and not even once get into a lake of some type.

The Swim - 32:52

The Wave was separated into two bays (one being faster swimmers and one slow), I knew in my head that I was going into the left bay (the fast bay) but did want to double check that I was in the right bay. I spoke to a few individuals about their swim times to get an idea of placement in the start (I always screw this up so wanted this time to be good), the first guy I spoke to said he was looking for a 45min time and this was the slow bay, ok a little worrying, had I misread the info pack and gone into the slow bay? I asked a second guy who was going for 29 minutes! ok im sticking near this guy! The one minute warning went and everyone prepared their starting position, I was keen to be near the front as I always seem to place myself at the back and have to swim over people. The final countdown proceeded 5,4,3,2,1 and the horn sounded, we were off! The first 100 meters in any mass start is always interesting, imagine being in a washing machine with a bunch of limbs, thats what it like! Jostling for position I found some open water and quickly overtook the 29minute man (now either he was lying or I`m going way too fast). The course was a straight up, 2 right turns and back down so it was just a case of staying in a straight line which was easy enough. The sun was glaring down in front of us which made it near impossible to see the bout up ahead, we continued straight and past a few buoys before we finally got to the turning buoy (I don't remember 1900 meters being this far!) 2 turns later and we were on the home straight with the big red arch in sight on every head lift, by this time I had some clear water although had some guy drafting off me the whole way back to the finish, I only know this as every 5 seconds he would touch my feet! fair play to him using me to save himself energy. We had about 400meters to go and no-one was anywhere near me and then Bang! some guy veers off course and smashes me in the face and nearly took my googles off! a little taken back as I was`nt expecting it I tried to not let it phase me and continued to the finish, the last 300meters all I could think was "I wonder if I grabbed his wetsuit cord and yanked it anyone would notice". I exited the water and began the jelly legged run into transition. Time 32:52 (26 seconds slower than last year)

T1 - 5:01

Jogged through the transition area and gave Kay a wave and the proceeded to try and get my stuff sorted, I felt really dizzy by the time I got to my bike but felt pressure of everyone watching so did`nt want to just sit down and have a minute to compose myself. Wetsuit off and bib shorts on, o wait Ive put them on back to front so took them off and start again. I tried to put my cycling jersey on which with a wet torso is difficult at the best of times let alone while dizzy and conscious about the clock ticking, pulling the jersey down my stomach I heard a rip, o dear I thought but no time to worry about that, I dried my feet and put socks on which again took more time but this was more a practice for Germany rather than a race, number belt/helment and glasses on and I was good to go. I took my time waking my bike in my cleats to the mount line and got on the bike and went. Overall not to bad considering.

The bike - 2:54:50

As Ive been doing lots of cycling the past months with some long rides (112 last weekend) I was confident about the distance and was more conscious about nailing the nutrition on the bike to ensure I don`t "bonk" later in the race, bonking is a term used for when you hit zero energy and have used everything in your body, I`ve done this in training and never want to experience it again. So out on the bike 56 miles of countryside with quite a few road closures I was just going to enjoy the ride and concentrate on eating and drinking when I needed to. The first part of the course was around the lake (just like Dorney) before exiting into the main loop, a quick check at my heart rate, 155, not bad but would want it under 150 really, speed check 19.6mph... ok wayyyy to fast, need to ease the speed off and slow it down, its easy to get carried away in the early stages of a bike. I was just about to exit the lake and felt my heart rate strap come undone, now its a fiddly clip to get it on which either meant getting off (not happening) or trying to go no handed and risk ending up in a bush or on my face, I opted for option 3, take it off and put it in my pocket, the joys of cycling jerseys!.

The bike course was fast, the roads were pretty good condition overall, a few rough bits but that`s expected as we do live in Britain, I decided to turn my garmin screen to show me only the elevation, it seems to work in training so I don`t get hooked on the numbers too much, its easy to get carried away with average pace and current speed and you end up beating yourself up for maintaining a certain speed. The ride was amazing, im not sure if it was the occasion or the weather (or both) but I really enjoyed it, I worked hard on the descents and practiced on my new aero bars that I bought and strapped this week :). The aero bars allowed me to change my postion when I felt like it to get my arms a rest and to get some decent speed into the straights, I remember at one point on a flat section looking at my speedo (29mph on the flat!) zooming along. I did`nt worry to much about the pace as I wanted to exhaust my legs so that when I got to the run it would feel like Ive biked 112 miles rather than 56. The ride seemed to go so quickly as I was taking in all the scenery and watching all the expensive machine wizzing past me, although being a good swimmer is a plus when you get on the bike its always hard as it seems like hundreds and hundreds of people pass you. The course only had one hill (if you`d call it that) a short and sweet 12% which was`nt much effort to get up at all, slightly different to wimbleball last year. My nutrition plan was to eat half a power bar every 30minutes and drink every 15minutes, this worked very well for me, I stuck to the plan and picked up one bottle from the aid station (should have got 2 as they were nice bottles). Before I knew it my Garmin announced that it was 50 miles done, oh only 6 miles to go then? My bike felt a little strange so I asked the next guy in front of me to see if my back tyre was flat, he said it wasnt.. pheww! 6 miles left! by this time all the fluid had gone through me but I did`nt want to stop on the bike as to wreck my bike split (great idea). The last mile or so was through gravel tracks and a manor estate which was great to see but so dangerous as it would be so easy to fall off or puncture. I did`nt look at my average speed until I saw the final turning into the lake 19.6mph... sorry what? yes 19.6mph now for some thats normal but for me who usually averages 16-17mph that was amazing and I felt great and was looking forward to the run.

Time - 2:54:50 My target was 3-3:15ish so to go sub 3 hour was great

T2 - 4:22

When I got off the bike I decided to take my time and not rush in this transition, after I dismounted from the bike there was a walkway which was single file, there was a guy who got off at the same time and was obviously keen but as I was in front walking with my cleats on he couldn't get past (sorry!). I got to my number and racked my bike up, turned on my running watch and put my vest/ hat and trainers on then eyed the toilets! a quick pit stop and then realised that I should have put some sun cream on my shoulders after I got pretty burnt last week, I went back to my box and smothered my shoulders and picked up some gets and block shots also. On to the run!

The Run - 1:54:37

Now Ive been abit worried about this run over the past weeks with all my knee issues etc and was conscious that I could not break myself (or knees) ahead of Germany on this race, it was`nt worth the risk. As I began the run my legs felt really good, considering I have`nt done much off the bike (brick) running in training I was happy that I was feeling good! I have been practicing a run/walk strategy in training that I was keen to test out, 9min run 1 min walk with my watch beeping at each interval. The run was 2 loops of a part trail part tarmac surface with parts being single file up to a turning point on the trail part. My pace was quicker than in training but I told myself that if I felt pain I would ease off, I was running around 9min/mile and felt good, I started working out my rough splits to see what kind of finish time I could possibly get, I started dreaming of a sub 6 hour which would be a huge improvement on last year, little sums like this make the miles just drift by one by one. The aid stations were located every couple of miles and I decided to only have water as my stomach was starting to feel abit ikky after all the power bar and high five throughout the day, this seemed to work well and I stayed hydrated and kept myself feeling good. The run walk strategy worked a treat, the only frustrations are that when you get into a good rhythm and find someone of the same pace to run behind you break that cycle with walking and then inevitably when walking people assume you are struggling and offer support which is great but as you haven't got time to say I`m doing a walk strategy I just smiled and said I`m fine thanks. The run seemed to go quick and I managed to see Kay on each laps which was great to look forward to as it was starting to get warm! The final part of the run goes round the lake and much like Dorney lake there are no reference points so it feels like you aren't actually running anywhere. The final few hundred meters I can see the finish chute and all the crowd cheering and as I entered it it reminded me of last year at exmoor, I took my time on this occasion to savor it and as running up the chute I high fived all the kids and people as I went saying thank you to each and every one! I crossed the line and couldnt resist the mo-bot pose for my finishers picture (can`t find it yet), walking through the finish line to receive my finishers medal and t-shirt! medium the lady says handing me the packet, I reply small please :) knowing they would probably be big anyway! Walked up a set of stairs (how thoughtful) to get out of the finishers section to meet Kay.

Overall Time 5:33:42 - 1 hr 10mins faster than last year, really chuffed.




I was surprised on crossing the line how fresh I felt and how my training is clearly paying dividends, the race itself was fantastic and I`m sure ill be back for maybe even the double next year (outlaw half and outlaw full). Overall great event, very well organized and a great atmosphere throughout, I tried to say thanks you to all volunteers on the way round as without them the race would`nt happen and they are giving up their time for it.

So with Frankfurt fast approaching this weekend had provided me with more of an idea as to where I am physically and how important my race plan is going to be

Swim - I need to get some time in the lake over the next few weeks to loose the rust and improve my technique
Bike - Keep the high mileage and keep working on my pace consistency
Run - Continue my run walk strategy and look to slow it down again for Frankfurt, I would like to be up to 15-16 miles before Germany.

3 weeks solid training left and then a 2 week cut down taper before the main event, will keep my training updates going!

Outlaw half - Ready to go

Night before race, gear ready!

Spot of dinner before early night

Big day ahead tomorrow, race report to follow

The outlaw half

So this weekend sees my first race in almost a year since Wimbleball - The outlaw half

New to this year a half iron distance from their very popular full outlaw which coincidentally falls on the same day as Frankfurt.

The course looks good with a 1.2 mile 1 lap swim followed by a 1 lap 56 mile bike ride through the Nottingham countryside then a 2 lap half marathon.

As the event will be running alongside smaller distance triathlons they have opted for transitions by the bike so it wont be a perfect practice for Frankfurt but i`ll have to make do with my box.

This is a great opportunity to test out my training over the past 5 months or so and see how I get on in regards to pacing and nutrition.

I have done barely any swimming in the past 6 weeks (once I think) so not sure a good time will be on the cards, I need to make sure my wetsuit is comfortable also as the past couple of times Ive put it on I think Ive rushed it making it seem tight under the arms.

The bike I am looking forward to, having done 112 miles last weekend the distance is not an issue, its more how shall I pace it as to get the best for Frankfurt? I think steady and IM race pace would be best although I think it will be tough to reign myself in once I get out there, part of me does think it would be beneficial to push harder on the bike to mimic 112 feeling when I start running but I will just have to see how I go.

I have been doing a fair bit of run/waling over the past few weeks and am starting to really get into it, 9 min run / 1 min walk gives my knees a good rest before the next segment, this allows me to break the run down into smaller chunks which physiologically Im sure will be a big advantage in the late race stages. I`m surprised how much a run/walk does not effect the run time, over a gentle paced 10k its only 6 minutes (if I stopped completely) but I`m walking (fast) for the minute so the losses are minimal.

The predictions:

Its seems so strange that last year I training 6 months for this distance and it was my main A race of the year, this year I treat this as a dummy run so I will not be pushing for any particular time especially on the run as to ensure my knees are kept uninjured.

Swim - Happy with under 40mins as lack of swimming
Bike - The course looks reasonably flattish so I am hoping for 3/3:15 or so
Run - Run/Walk the whole way (no exceptions) @ around 9:45/10min mile pace @ 9min run / 1min walk so should bring me out around 2:10

5mins each transition

Anywhere around 6 hours would be great.

I did 6:43 at Wimbleball last year which I went into with no pacing strategy or idea on times, it was very much do it on the day.

I`m hoping this race will be a little more structured and organized by myself to get me ready for the big one in a little over 5 weeks

Race report to follow

The long weekend

So with race day a little under 6 weeks away now the training is really cranking up for the final 4 weeks before my taper kicks in and I bring back the mileage and recover ready for race day.

Last weeks training looked like this

Tuesday - 8.3mile run/walk (with 10min run / 1 min walk)
Wednesday - 50mile ride
Thursday / Friday (off preparing for weekend)
Saturday - 112 Mile (IM distance) + short run straight off the bike
Sunday AM- 10mile run/walk (with 9min run / 1 min walk)
Sunday PM - 25 mile recovery ride.

That was 14.5 hours training last week and I really should have gone to the pool or lake to keep my swimming going but am going to ensure I swim at least once a week from here on out as although my swimming is good I want to get out feeling half decent ready for the bike.

The 112 Mile ride on Saturday was a huge milestone in all my training, when I think back to Feb 2012 when I went out I struggled to cover 12 miles, now completing almost 10 times that. The course I took was somewhat as a obstacle that I needed to overcome, the route took me down to parents by the sea, The last time I did this route (march 2013) I found myself really struggling and had to rest multiple times on the trip and my legs were very very sore when arriving. It just goes to show that training really does pay off as this time round not only did I do the 68mile trip I also added on an extra 44miles for good measure cover 3,500 ft on elevation in the process.

I did around 50miles before meeting my mate Stu in Billericay, we then did around 35miles around the countryside before he went back and I continued on solo to reach my 112 target. The last 15 or so miles were tough but come race day ill know that is coming, I managed to average 16.8mph with 80 odd miles of that riding solo with a heavy backpack on the whole way, still more work to do but knowing the distance is in the legs is a huge boost ahead of Frankfurt in 6 weeks.

On Sunday morning the 10mile run/walk was another big milestone for me, with all injuries and setbacks over the past months to get to 10miles without any pain or niggles is great. The run/walk strategy for 9min run / 1 min walk seemed to be the best combination and found myself comfortably maintaining around 9:45 min pace which seems good to getting me along without hurting myself.

Heres a pic from my sat AM ride

Few pics of Frankfurt Weekend

Recce Weekend

So this weekend me and some mates took the long drive to Frankfurt for me to see the course and the city to get a feel for the race day, cracking weekend overall with really nice weather and abit of a chill.

We got down to Frankfurt on the Friday late afternoon and decided it was best to set off on the Saturday.

6.30am me and one of the guys got up and went for a run (walk) along the footpath through the countryside, really great weather and a good chance to work on the run/walk. 1 mile run + 1 min walk managed a 54min 10k without too much effort which was a great test.

quick spot of breakfast and then onto the bikes for the day.

We left the campsite and headed to the lake (around 15miles) sorry guys :)

The roads were perfect tarmac and really straight and fast. We then joined the IM course from T1 and began to ride to the city, The lake to Frankfurt is fast and flat and with no traffic is a great opportunity to get some serious speed up before you get out of the city. Once through the city a left turn takes you into the middle of the country with fields as far as you can see with long sweeping roads (the kind that you see in TDF!)

The course goes through various villages and there is plenty to look at on the way round.

The climbs -

First climb is rather short and bends round through a small town and has a good descent coming out of it through various villages.

Second Climb is probably the biggest of the course and is not so much steep as long, small ring for me to just cruise up and save energy, after this climb is a 4-5 mile descent which is really really fast on these perect roads.

3rd climb (heart breakhill) not really sure what all the fuss is about, again not steep but long, little ring again for me with a really fast descent after back into Frankfurt town centre.

There are a few other smaller climbs but momentum takes you through them.

I have to say the road surfaces are incredible, its a very open course with straight never ending roads, perfect for tri bars.

We did 82 miles overall on the Saturday comfortably averaging 16mph stopping at it must have been 50 sets of lights and junctions.

On the Sunday me and one of the guys went back out to do the course again but only from the start of the loop once round which is about 45miles, we pushed a little harder as the wind was against us for the 20 so miles out but was with us coming back to Frankfurt, overall average of 17.2mph.

The course is incredible and I only hope that my continued training I can improve to really put in a good effort on race day.

Ill continue to update this blog with race reports as I go.

Long time Overdue

So its been many many months since I last updated this blog which obviously is`nt ideal to keep notes of training and everything else going on.

So where am I now?

Over the past months It seems like I have been more injured than not injured although that is not the case it certainly feels that way, various knee niggles have somewhat restricted training but with various physio sessions and alot of stretching I am improving day by day to get my body ready for whats around the corner.

So next Sunday will be my first proper race of the season, I completed the Berko 5 mile fun run some months back but this will be my first proper test. The out law half, Ive been looking forward to this race all year as its the first year they have ever done it and will be a great test for pace and effort for Frankfurt.

My training has been going steady although clocking in no-where near the hours that my schedule has advised I feel that with all my niggles overtraining would not have been the best bet.

So far since my plan started ive stuck in 130hours in 24 weeks including xmas and nearly 4 weeks off due to injury. that averages at 5.5 hours a week so far but with 6 weeks to go and 10-11 hours a week at the moment it will be more like 6 hours average a week for 7 months, not amazing but with all the issues Ive had im happy to be still training.

Im currently developing my run walk strategy for Frankfurt, I always believed (naively) that everyone ran the marathon all the way and pushed through the pain, im sure alot of people do that but I am for sure not one of them. Im currently testing out run 9min walk 1 min and do this consistently over training runs, I will use this in Nottingham next week to see how it actually goes and adjust accordingly.

Recce report to follow

The Plan Begins

So its been about 6 weeks or so since my last post, During the #Turbovember I only managed around a pitiful 16 sessions out of the 30 as colds/boredom kicked in and wrecked it, I did try and keep spinning once a week to keep the fitness.

So this week saw the start of an 8 month plan which should hopefully take me across the line running rather than crawling in July, hurting either way I`m sure.

I am following the Don Fink intermediate Ironman training plan starting at around 6 hours a week and peaking around 15 next year in the peak stage of the training. After 4 months without swimming I have certainly been thrown in at the deep end with the 2 weekly sessions starting at 2500meters a session with a mixture of drills and various sets. I have managed both this week but can see the only way to stay motivated and get them done is to go early mornings of which today was the first. 30 min 100RPM steady spinning followed by 80 minutes of swimming equally 2500 meters.

My running is continuing to improve and I am now up to 50 minutes on my long run improving by 5 minutes each week until I peak around 3 hours mid May time. There are lots of brick sessions within the plan teaching my body to get used to running after a ride which if you`ve never done it, is harder than it looks.

Me and Kay completed the Autumn challenge with a challenging 5 mile off road run with plenty of mud and hills, we finished in 54:36

The diet has been completely cleaned up and alcohol all but cut out now, I do plan a few over the xmas period but come January it will aim to cut it right back to improve my workouts the following day. I guess having a weekly rest day on a Monday means no drinking Friday or Saturday evenings as ill have work to do the following days.

My weight was 169lbs (12stone 1 lb) @ around 20% BF on the day I started my plan and I hope that I can get that down to around 155-158 14-15% BF by race day to give me less weight to carry on the run.

I will actually try and keep this updated now with updates on sessions and diet stuff.

If anyone fancies a health kick in the new year and wants someone to go running with or go to the gym with let me know! My current running pace is 9min miles but will happily slow down if others want to come running.

#Turbovember

Wasn`t going to attempt this challenge but now Ive come to think of it, I may aswell as many others from TriTalk are taking part it will be some encouragement along the way.

So what is #turbovember....?

Linked from - http://www.dragonironman.blogspot.co.uk/

The goal is to hit that turbo for the 30 days straight that is the month of November 2012.

This will bring huge rewards on the path to improved cycle speed/endurance/fitness.

"Rules"

A minimum of 30 mins must be ridden on a turbo-trainer, on every day in November 2012.
Within the 30 days, the following must be ticked off -

At least x3 turbo-run brick sessions (minimum 45 min turbo, then minimum 20 min run)
At least x3 90 min turbo sessions.
At least x1 120 min sesh.

Other points of note.

As this is a turbo based challenge, the aim is to do just that, but if there is a very good weather window, then a maximum of 3 sessions out of the 30 can be done outside.
If racing during November (duathlon, sportive etc..), this is permitted as one of the 3 outdoor rides.
Gym/spin bikes are permitted, but only if 'timecrunched'. ...tho a gym brick set is a good pose, and usually puts other spinners to shame.

This does sound achievable and rather fun.

My running is steadily improving having done a 30 and 35min run within the past week or so, I plan to increase the time by 5 minutes a week up to 2 hours.

I completed my longest ever ride this past Sunday completing 70miles past Alyesbury and back, This is a great motivator to keep doing one long ride a week over the Winter to try and get to 100 miles by March time.

I am planning to enter the Dragon Ride for June 2013. It sits a week after the Outlaw half and 4 weeks before Germany which is a great time to get in a final 120mile grueling ride.

It boasts 120miles through south Wales going 3,500 meters up (around 10,000ft) I think this would be great for the mental edge in Germany only elevating 3000 ft throughout the whole 112 miles.

http://www.wiggledragonride.com/

I am also entering the Watford Jogger Autumn Challenge which is a 5 mile run off road around Cassiobury Park. This takes place in a couple of weeks and I should be just about ready for that distance when it arrives!.

Season Taking shape

So its been about 6 weeks since I last posted but I will start to make entries more frequently as my plan begins to take shape

I have just entered the Outlaw half for next season as good preparation for Germany. The full outlaw race is based in Nottingham and is fast becoming one of the most iconic races on the calendar. This is the first year of them doing a half distance and is set to sellout within hours. The entries have been open for about 2 hours and already over a quarter of places have gone but Im in :).

The race takes place June 2nd 2013 which is exactly 5 weeks before Germany which will be a great dry run to test pacing / nutrition and that still gives me time to work on bits before my 3 weeks taper commences mid June.

My biking has come on leaps and bounds having kept my spinning up to 2/3 times a week and doing long hilly rides at the weekends. I am sure that if I can do a 50mile ride with over 3000ft of elevation in a good time then I should be very confident in doing the same elevation over double the distance in Germany in a better time.

I have taken up Body Balance classes at the gym also to strengthen my legs and core. I am hoping this will prevent injury when I start my running training for Brighton.

So next year the plan so far looks like this

14th April 2013 - Brighton Marathon
2nd June 2013 - Outlaw Half Iron
7th July 2013 - Ironman Frankfurt

I do plan to do some longer riding events e.g London to somewhere and also plan to do a half iron relay with some friends later next year.

Training starts 10th December