Slow long ride - Boxhill, Surrey.

Today was the first of the Tri London winter rides, it was led by a very competent Triathlete in the club call Steven Lord. We set off from Blackfriars bridge at 7.30am and head south to Box Hill. Box Hill is used for many triathlons and is probably one of the best hills in the area (although doesn't compare to those I have ridden in the South of France) so it was nice to travel down there and experience it, no doubt I will be heading down there when my full Ironman training starts for long rides and some hill repeats.

The weather was ok when I set off at 7am but when I had got to the bridge it was slightly raining. We all met there, there was 12 of us so quite a big group... nice to meet some new people and put some names to faces.

It took us about 2 hours to get out of the busy roads and traffic of London but once we had got to Box Hill it was a nice place, did a couple of loops around which is good climbing experience for Monaco 70.3. I doubt I will look forward to riding down there n the future. At the top of Box Hill is a nice little cafe, the other riders got a coffee and big slices of cake but I kept my discipline and resisted..... they did look sooo nice though!

Couldn't face riding back through all the busy traffic back to London so I let the train take the strain and followed a couple of guys to Dorking station and got a train back to London.

All in all I was out for 5 hours+ and didnt cover a massive distance (about 65km) but it was nice to get out and meet some new people. I was very nice to get home though! 3000 cals burned, nice slice of cake??

Here is the route CLICK ME!

I also want to make a quick comment on SKINS. I have a pair of leggings and they are brilliant... BRILLIANT. Nuff said.

TFI Friday

Slept horriiiibbbblllyyy last night so enjoyed a sleep in till 730. Went to the gym tonight and did another steady row (to replace the missed swim) for 30 mins followed by lower body/legs weights. Nothing exciting.....

Thursday turbo

After being away for a couple of days up north for a family matter and wasn't able to train Im now back to it.
Was up at 6am this morning on the turbo by 630 and did an hour. I concentrated on technique and did a few drills too.

Single leg drills, 20 revs on each leg, 5 times.

High cadence with arms out concentrating on whole stroke and core strength

Remaining time I did high cadence aerobic work, no high itensity work for me!

Tonight, after work, I headed to the gym to work on some upper body stuff. 30 mins rowing at steady pace = 7100m and some weights work on chest, back, shoulders and arms.

I should be able to put a list of my races up here soon, just need to finalise a few things.

oooooh 50 views so far.

Yet another turbo Sunday

I was going to head out on the bike today, just a 2 hour steady ride with my coach but he had to bail last minute so I stuck the bike on the turbo and did a steady hour keeping HR with zone 2. This will probably, depending on the weather, be the last time I use the turbo on a sunday for a while. I think my future weekend rides will be out on the road getting the miles in at a low intensity.




Looking forward to xmas, I'm heading to France for xmas with my in-laws. Also get to see our beautiful Golden Retriever, Toffee. He is a massive boy now. He gets his balls lopped off this week too....

C'est pas tes oignons

Went on my 'long run' today although not too long, just an hour at a steady pace which I can hold for the whole duration without slowing. This is about 5:35/km. Starting next week I will be following my new plan.

Is anyone reading this blog?

Lazy days

I haven't posted for a few days, that's because I haven't done anything! Unfortunately some bad news knocked me this week and lost my concentration. Also, I started a new job so less time in the day too... need to get a routine back!

On the bright side though I have received my first week plan from my coach and will start that next week. He is still gathering all the info he needs about me but the first plan is a good start.

I will hopefully get myself out for a run tomorrow...

I thought I'd attach a couple of the bikes I drool over..... mmm Felt

We have the Felt AR3 and Felt B2, unfortunately both are out of my budget.... at the moment! My father-in-law has one and he loves it, so thats good enough for me. Not to mention they look the business.

Fell Running

Im up home this weekend which means getting some fell running in. I went for an 8k run today, all up hill out and all down hill back. My trails took me to Top Withens, made famous by the Bronte's in Wuthering Heights. A beautifully quiet run and a massive contrast to the city that is London.

Ill go out again tomorrow.....

It's getting colder...

Up at 5am today to go to the weekly run session. As always its a 4k run out, do the session followed by a 4k run back, well, it was more of a run/walk back as I hard a crippling stitch and couldn't run it off.

The session consisted again of running a 1km loop doing 'x' amount of 'strides' then doing some circuit training in the middle of these loops.

The circuit training exercises are aimed at strengthening the core muscles by doing step up exercises, plank exercise and explosive jumping exercises.
The session was a lot harder today, harder circuits and harder running, but all very worthwhile.

Also, the temperature has taken a nose dive. I don't know what the temp was but it was very cold; at one point I could see steam coming off my head and face. Winter is coming.

4k run out

Run/Circuit Training Session

4k run/walk back

Didn't write yesterday because I didn't do anything..... weigh in though - no change, 77.3kg - thats depressing.

Turbo day tomorrow and heading up north so will get some trail running in whilst I'm up there.

Turbo Sunday

Did a turbo session following a Chrissie Wellington favourite that was in 220 mag a while back.

Its a pyramid session, totalling an hour, aimed at strengthening the legs.

10 min spin W/U
4 x 1 min in big gear at 50-60rpm - 1 min rest spin
3 x 2 min at 60-70rpm - 1 min rest spin
2 x 3 min at 70rpm - 1 min rest spin
1 x 5 min at 75-80 rpm - 1 min rest spin
1 x 10 min at 80+ rpm - 1 min rest spin
1 x 5 min at 75-80 rpm
10 min spin W/D

Hers is a bit longer though.....

Talking of Chrissie Wellington, she won at Kona....again! 3 times in a row, World Ironman Champion! She won with a time of 8:54:02, beating the previous record held by Paula Newby-Fraser.

Philip Graves fought hard and finished in 9:16:02, a brave effort. He had an excellent swim then led the whole race up until about 60km, then, I think, the heat got to him.... he finished 41st.

Maybe one day Ill make it to Kona.....

Ironman Saturday

Saturday = long run day.

12.5km run today. I ran along the canal side which is very nice but full of people who walk 4 people wide so you can't get passed... considered dumping a couple of them into the canal but didn't think the ducks would like it so I just yell and grunt so they move... oh, it took me 1hr 15mins.
The purpose of my long runs over the winter is to increase the time I can run, and to keep the heart rate low to teach the body to use fat as fuel, so 6min/km is what I pace myself at. Apparently, sometimes you have to go slower to go faster....

Had the Ipod in, Fake Blood Essential Mix from Radio 1... absolutely brilliant.

Its the Ironman World Championships today in Hawaii, it will start about 5pm-6pm BST. Im hoping Chrissie Wellington can make it 3 years on the trot, that Philip Graves, the 20 year old from York who won Ironman UK this year, will surprise everybody and possibly take the win?! He is a powerhouse on the bike so I wouldn't put it past him - the conditions in Hawaii are slightly different to Yorkshire though, and finally that the members from Tri London who are competing there have excellent races.


There has been news that Lance will be competing in Ironman next year and hopes to do Ironman Kona. I think he will be a force to be reckoned with, he has a history in triathlon before his cycling career and his time trialling is second to none.... watch this space.

Coach

I had a nice long chat with my prospective coach today, I think with him on board I will make some significant improvements. He should have some sort of plan drawn up before end of next week and the real training can start - exciting. This is all assuming I can afford him, I hope so.

Run Run Run

Today I was up at 5am, no sleeping in for me. I headed out at 530am, 4k run to Millfields park for the run session, 6am-7am. The session included explosive stretches and a harder circuit training course than last week. It comprised of a 1km loop with stops around it for core work, different exercises at each station. Then a 4k run back where I got soaking wet through as the heavens opened.

4k run out

Run Session

4k run back

Where has the sun gone?

Miserable Weather

The weather was pretty good yesterday, some hard winds but pretty good. Me, being the lazy git that I am didn't take the opportunity to get out on the bike, I laid in bed until midday instead. So yesterday was a lazy day.

Ive had further emails with my potential coach, I should be meeting up with him this week to discuss whether we are compatible.

Today, I wake up and its wet, cold and all-round miserable - not conducive to train outdoors or getting up early. I slept very badly last night too, the flat was baking hot and we had the window open.... so I didn't get up for my early swim session. Bad boy. I jumped on the turbo this afternoon and did 1hr following a Spinervals (http://www.spinervals.com/products/item14.cfm) DVD I have. Its a good workout and at least I know I might be doing something correctly.

Weighed myself, not much joy. 77.3kg.

Slow and steady

Looking further into a coach and have been swapping a couple of emails, by next week or so I should have a proper training schedule split into mesocycles aiming towards the Monaco 70.3.

1 hr long run today. Carrying the extra weight slows me down... Ill have a weigh in on Monday to see if ive lost any. Covered about 11k, trying to keep heart rate down.

Break it down

No major news today. Its been a slow one.

Skipped the early start and decided I'd hit the turbo again instead of swimming. Jumped on for a steady continuous paced 1 hour session, keeping my heart rate around 160/165, just below my lactate threshold - I think.

Just a quick note, for those who don't know what an Ironman or any distance triathlon consists of I will list them below.

Super Sprint - 400m swim, 10km (or sometimes 20km) bike and a 5km run

Sprint - 750m swim, 20km bike and 5km run

Olympic - 1.5km swim, 40km bike and 10km run

Half Ironman/Middle - 1.9km swim, 90km bike and 21.1km run (half marathon)

Ironman - 3.8km swim, 180km bike and 42.2km run (marathon)

These distances may differ slightly depending on the race, but these are the standards.
So as you can see, it is no easy task... I need to be more disciplined with getting out of bed.

Virgin London Marathon....whatever

I had entered the ballot for the London Marathon for next year and just received the mail telling me I have been unsuccessful, bugger. They did give me a big red rain jacket with 'Virgin London Marathon' plastered on it, obviously I can't wear it as I haven't bloody done it. Maybe Ill find another way in. All the charity places want minimum amounts raised and they are normally around the £1500 to £2000 mark... doubt I could raise that. If not, Ill try again next year and maybe enter a less popular marathon instead.


Hopped on the turbo this morning and had a hard 1 hour session, I was planning on it being a steady 1.5 hour but once I was on there I notched it up a gear or 2.
I was hoping to go to circuit training tonight but when I reviewed the gyms class times I realised they don't even do it on a Thursday - what a dollop.

Ill have to change my weekly training plan, spin thurs and weds over as circuit training is on on a Wednesday.