Week 49 Training Log

Week 49 was always intended to be a bit of a rest / recovery week, but this has been ridiculous. There's no doubt that over the last year I have become incredibly fit compared to recent years. I think last weekend has proven that. As I have spoken about in previous logs, my powers of recovery are amazing. I mean, a whole marathon the day after a 112 mile ride. That was the stuff of dreams twelve months ago. When you look at these incredible people that complete consecutive marathons like seven in a row it does go to show that anything is possible if you try hard enough. The down side to this level of fitness revolves around the immune system. If you remember, the week leading up to the long weekend I adopted a bit of a cold. A real nuisance considering what lay ahead, but it was just a sniffle, nothing too serious. At each stage of the Long course weekend I new the cold was there, but it didn’t really effect my performance, as far as I’m aware anyway. It seems now though that the cold was just waiting in the wings to pounce, waiting until I’d finished the Swim, the ride and marathon. Waiting until my immune system was at its lowest point. The cold then put on a pair of Dr Martin boots and kicked the crap out of me. So during week 49, I have done nothing except blow my nose and drink hot lemon. On the plus side, the time has given me a chance to reflect. I’ve looked back at the course and seen where I can make improvements for September, I’ve noted mistakes I’ve made on the ride and I know that I can resolve them and I’ve worked out the outline of the training programme that will get me up to four weeks before the Ironman. This programme gives me the increase in cycling that is so desperately needed, strength work in particular. It also gives me the increases in running distance and again leg strength. In the marathon just gone I don’t feel there were any problems, after all it was my first marathon and it was a particularly tough course. In my mind the only thing to improve on is the time, although saying that, if I can pull out a 4:30 marathon on Ironman day I’ll be fairly happy. Throughout the marathon and even at the end I felt aerobically good . I didn’t struggle in that sense at all. I took the marathon at a fairly relaxed pace and even walked the hills and feed stations. This was because I didn’t want to lose the use of my legs half way round. I kind of knew that the legs would give before I became exhausted. So I need to spend the time available working on my leg strength and muscular endurance so that I can run more and walk less, therefore bringing down the time. The same applies to the bike leg where I’m looking to take off a good 45 minutes from my time but still not be exhausted. It’s going to be a tough call. Looking at the weather outside, it’s not great, it’s a pretty good week to stuck in not training. I’ll have to get back to it Monday regardless, I’ve built in a warm up week before I hit the high volume and intensity stuff, the warm up must start Monday if I’m to make my targets before the four week taper in the middle of August. I’m looking forward to the Triathlon club Coastal triathlon on the 7th July in Broad Haven, Olympic distance so it’s a 1500mt swim 40 K ride and a 10 K run. The tempo is going to be fast so I’m bound to get swept along and it should make for a good aerobic training session. Rather annoyingly for my family, partly due to frustration, I have spent parts of this weekend saying “This time last week I was…..” or “I’d just be coming in for the second loop about now.” I’ve been getting a lot of rolled eyes, and quite rightly so. Like I said I’m just frustrated and need to get back out there. It reminds me of that great Andy Williams song…Born free, as free as the wind blows, as free as the grass grows……….. Apologies to my family, and well done Laurie on a magnificent run yesterday, that looked like a great come back from the halfway point. Very well done mate.