Week 37 Training Log

Ticking along quite nicely with the training this week.
Eased back on the cycling this week to focus a bit more on the running and swimming.
The runs are getting stronger, easier and longer, still need a good warm up but I'm working on reducing the warm up time. It's not the end of the world if I can't do that because on race day I'll have about an 8 hour warm up. It would just be nice to go run training without having to add fourty five minutes of power walking to the session.

This weeks sea swim was a bit of a disaster. Changed beach for the sake of taking the dog for a walk but the breakers were about four feet above my head. I think it was a valuable lesson though. Swimming through the waves you soon learn that your only submeged for a second and you come straight out the other side.
Between the waves I felt more comfortable with my swimming and more able to maintain a steady stroke, then SPLASH DOLOP. Start all over again. Once I realised that I wasn't going to die, it actually became fun.

Week 36 Training Log

A Long 3 hour ride on a foggy Monday morning was the start of my week 36. Got vey lost but still produced the same milage that I set out to do. (50 miles)
My speed walking seems to be going quite well, Every now and then I break into a little run just to test the knee. I don't do this until I've had at least an hours warm up. I took the waliking to the mountains on Tuesday to get some hill work done.

After 1.30 hrs of speed walking, it was off to the pool for an endurance swim of 1 hour.

Relaxing rest day on Wednesday with just Yoga.

Thursday, Strength and Muscular endurance session on the bike. A shallow hill of about three quarters of a mile is a good training ground. Stick it in a big gear, stay seated and grind away up the hill. This was followed by another 1.30 hr power walk, on flatter ground this time.
Friday was a tough day. I packed the bike in the car and headed off to the local pool. An hour endurance swim straight into a two hour strength hill climbing session. Unlike Thursdays shallow hill, Fridays hills were real hills. The kind that make your legs shake when you get near the top. Broke a spoke about four miles from the finish.

Managed 15 minutes in the sea this week. Got myself some ear plugs which stopped the dizzy period when leaving the water. The problem was apparently cold water on the inner ear.
Hoping to reach twenty minutes next week.

Week 35 training log

I am 2 weeks into the build period of training, and this week I have mostly been building my cycling.
Monday and Friday were dedicated to endurance rides 5.15 hours between them, over some pretty hilly terain as well. I seem to be learning a lot from my rides at the moment. I think it's because I'm always looking for improvements in all areas. Thus my mind is occupied and the miles fly by.

As running is off the menu for the moment I decided to try my hand at speed walking.
Apparently a combination of running and speed walking have produced sub 2.30 open marathon times, pretty impresive. Either way be it running or walking I have to get round a marathon course, so the sooner I learn about speed walking the better.
Because of the possibility of not running the marathon, I have had to put any ideas of finishing times firmly behind me and just focus on getting round. I may be able to put in a stirling bike leg and walk the marathon but I'm still going to be looking at a 7 hour marathon. Ouch!!

Worked on skills and strength in the pool this week and did some strength training on the bike in the wood up in the mountains.

Sunday March 11th 2012 saw me get in the sea for the first time this year. First time with the wet suit and probably first time in the sea before June. Ever!
I only swam for about ten minutes but it was more a suck it and see exercise. For all I new I may of hit the water and bounced straight back out again. It wasn't as unpleasant as I had expected. Yes it was cold but the suit kept my body nice and warm. Only my hands, feet and face were cold. My feet went numb so I didn't have to worry about those any more and my hands were coping just fine. There was a point on my forehead, just between the eyebrows that felt like someone was pushing an ice cube into my head, that was painful. Next time I'll try Vasaline on my face.
The other issue I had came when I stood up to come back into shore. Oh my God, I've never felt so dizzy, and a bit sick. Quite a common thing apparently, something to do with the ears and your hearing. By all accounts ear plugs will sort it out, but wow that was not nice.
I have lots of work to do with regards to sea swimming but I'm pleased that I've made quite an early start.

Week 34 Training log

A week of two halves this week.
The first half of the week I was a little down, I had booked an appointment to see the sports massage guy on Thursday. So untill then I was a bit worried about what he may find and tell me. All sorts were going through my mind, from, "Your running days are over, or, You wont be competing in Ironman this year with knees like that". surgery, six weeks of complete rest.The list goes on. Of course what I wanted to hear was. " Ahh no problem here, I'll just manipulate this muscle here and you'll be back on track in no time". Well I can dream.

Monday I went to the pool and carried out one hour of pull, tough on the arms and sholders but upper body is all I can do at this stage.
Tuesday I spent fourty five minutes in the gym, again working on my upper body, mostly swim specific exercises.
Took Wednesday off to rest the arms which mentaly was the worst thing I could have done because it gave me time to think about what the specialist might say tomorrow.

Thursday came around. I packed a bag to go swimming after. At least if it was bad news I could suburge myself in water after.

So, I'm laying on his table and I'm telling him the story of the knee and what I think the problem may be from things I've read on the web. Internet self diagnosis is a terrible thing. I had just about every knee injury under the sun. He then poked about and rolled a few lumpy ligaments around, asked some more questions then gave his diagnoses. "Nothing too serious" he said. The knee had travelled sidways during my off roading, which knees are not built for and they don't like it.
I have strained the ligament where it attaches to the Tibia. He can't be 100% sure but strongly suspects that to be the case. He gave my knee a really nice massage while he told me how I should be going on it. " Go steady with it" he said, " Keep it moving and try to keep it going in a straight line, ie not twisting to the side".
I can carry on riding, which was my biggest worry. I can even run on a treadmill if I concentrate on the positioning of my leg. the only thing he strongly advised against was strength training for the legs, so no squats or leg presses.

All in all a far better result than I realisticly expected. The running on a treadmill I can live with, I'm just so greatfull that I can run at all. I just need to start low and slowly build up the distance before taking to the road. Swimming and cycling arn't effected at all. BRILLIANT!!!

Even though he hasn't actually fixed anything it feels much better knowing what to do, and that I don't have to rest. If it starts to hurt during exercise, stop.

I went to the pool on the way home and did another hour of pull. I wanted to rest the legs because I had decided on the way back from the specialist that Friday I was going on a long ride to celebrate.
Friday. 3.20 hrs endurance ride. Fortunatly any ride around Pembrokeshire over an hour will consist of different types of training, endurance because of the time spent on the bike, muscular endurance for all the long shallow graidients in a big gear. Strength training for the steep hills of which there are many. Pembrokeshire really is a fantastic bike training ground.