Tick . . . . Tick . . . Tick . . .

1 Week down. Hot, dusty and not much training completed. Update to follow.

4 Months Training Camp

Let's go . .

Reverse Brick Training

Most people call a run off the bike brick training. However, it's called brick training because you build the session like stacking bricks - bike/run/bike/run etc. These sessions are amongst my favourite, mainly because I am convinced that these efforts train one to run off the bike at a decent pace. True, the legs still feel like jelly; but you can run fast!

With duathlon being my focus now, I have been doing what I term as reverse brick sessions. I am sure that someone has called this type of sessions something different already! In triathlon, we want to run well off the bike. Whilst we also want to run well off the bike in duathlon, you could argue that it is more important to ride well after the first run. In the duathlons that I have raced in the bike leg feels terrible after the first 10k. It makes sense to me to, when training for duathlon, mash the legs by running; then mash the legs on the bike! That's what I have been doing - boy the bike (all turbo) is hard. Today I ran 10 miles pushing the hills - and the hills are monsters - followed by 30 mins of efforts on the turbo (no warm up required). Let's add some conditioning sessions and we should have the basis of a plan!!

Up the Du. 8-)

Let the 2 Year Plan Begin

As the Easter Bank holidays commenced, my last day at my current work position slipped by. I have had a great 2 years at Cambridge; however, as is the norm with RAF postings, it's time to move on again. Remaining with the triathlon focus of this blog, let's' quickly recap on the past 2 years - then, it's time to plan the next 2 years.

I started the 2010 season on the come back, following a season of just cycling due to an achilles injury. True, this helped my cycling! But I wanted to get back to running. A programme of eccentric loading finally sorted my achilles out. If anyone from work is reading this, the eccentric loading is the exercises you will have seen me doing on stairs - nope, I wasn't doing ballet!

So 2010 racing went well and I was running again - just not that quick. 2011 went even better and I ran well off the bike. I'll ignore the poor Ironman race due to injury! Yes, I over-trained! Not like me really!!

So what of the next 2 years? I mentioned in an earlier post that I was planning a focus on Duathlon (run/bike/run). That's the plan. And it starts when I move to my 4 month work placement. I will start with a conditioning phase to set a healthy base. I hope to set the exercises that will stay with me perminently in everyday training. This will include running drills; something I have never done before, but I need to in order to keep the injuries at bay. During this conditioning phase I expect my race form to dip. But, in the long run, I hope to at least maintain my current speed into the next age group.

I completed another Park Run yesterday. That was my 3rd Park Run and I really enjoy the relaxed atmosphere. This time a gave it a good effort and then joined JJ and Jueby on their second lap. The course at Hanley is really nice but there are a couple of small climbs that bite and throws your pace out. I managed 17:57 for a course age group best. However, I didn't feel that good and I reckon 17:30 is possible. Oh well, won't be doing another Park Run for a few months!

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