The 2008 Triathlon season is not yet over; however, my thoughts are drifting towards 2009. I am not getting any younger. In fact, I move up an age group and join the 45 - 49 OAPs (no offence Turbo Man!). Now I was a late starter in triathlon and have always been placed in the Vets category! A dilemma associated with age is the question: how can one continue to make improvements as the body degenerates? I am no coaching guru and make up my own training routines (I did have a spell when JC - not 'the' JC...that would be so cool.....coached by JC!!!...sorry, rambling a bit there - yes, John Crewe helped me enormously by providing sensible training schedules that I tried to follow).
I have decided that all the trend for long distance triathlon is not for me: too much of drain on family time, not enough intensity to feed my lust for pain and the recovery period after long races does my head in! So, I need to shock the old bones by trying something totally different - I am going 'short' for the 2009 season. This tactic will give me more quality (bike base mileage is history!), in terms of training intensity and family time. I have a schedule mapped out, due to commence late Sep 2009. Basically, for the bike and run there will be more rest, yet increased intensity over shorter distances. The swim element will take precedence and technique will be the emphasis. However, overall, the building blocks will be laid in the form of total body conditioning to build strength - especially bike specific power. The planned training is very different to anything that I have done before; hence, I am my own guinea pig and I am looking forward to the change and this blog will take on a new focus. I hope to create links to each month's training schedule and the resulting sessions, when completed.
That's the future. For now, the focus is on the World Long Course Champs in Holland, which are scheduled for 2 weeks 21 hours and 7 minutes.....give or take a few seconds! Following my whinging and complaining about not being able to recover from the Trentham Half IM, I have had a good week this week. I am finally feeling strong again. Kelda has already berated me for taking advantage of my new found energy 8-( She is experienced over the longer distance stuff and I had better listed to her and back off with the intensity. Before I do that, however, I must confess.......yesterday I sneaked a cheeky 2 x 20 mins at 290W on the turbo and followed that with a 5 mile run at 6:45 per mile. I will go easy now though Kelda - today was just a swim....Kelda, it was a Thursday swim; how did you go? Sorry everyone else. Not good form to start directing a post at individuals! My swim was the best water session that I have had in a long time. Maybe I should just bank the feeling of today and not touch the H2O before Holland!?
This weekend sees Turbo Man attack the hills at the Aberfeldy Half IM Triathlon. Go for it T Man and run negative split please! Jase Walkley races at Wolverhampton Olympic Distance Triathlon. The course should suit him well and I expect a scorching bike split from him. His swim has improved so much that, if he can string a half decent run together, I can see him making the top 5 overall. Daz 'fast man' Sharpe came 5th at the correctly described hardest triathlon in the UK! An awesome result and he should go well in Holland - he deserves (and is good enough!) a top finish at the World Champs after a miserable time earlier in the year with health problems.
That's enough from this guinea pig. Stay well bloggers.
4 comments:
I'll see you at Ironman France then Sags, as they say your not a triathlete until you've done an Ironman or as phil woulds say unless you've done a double Ironman. Also I thought you were coming up north to do the Wensleydale big cheese in August!
See you there!!!!!
Interesting decision, so when you say short I assume you mean Olympic/Standard distance?
It's still a 2hour 10 minute or so race so you will still need endurance, but you are right to aim to increase your power, but it is an increase in power at threshold, not ultimate power, that is important.
If you're interested, I'm sure I can work out some devilishly hard sessions for you to try out and we can see how you go on the bike.
I will retain my 'novice triathlete' standing Daz! No Ironman for me dude.....and my passport does not permit me to travel anywhere North of Stoke-on-Trent so no Wensleydale either!
T Man - yep, Olympic Distance and below for me. You are correct, an increase in power at threshold is the aim..that means that the turbo will be taking a beating this winter. Happy days! Can't wait!
Have you considered investing in a new turbo?
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