Today is 16 Oct 22. Time to review the purpose of this Blog - again! It is 2 years since the last review. 🤕 2022 was shaping up well and I was on track for a decent middle distance Duathlon race. Then COVID hit me! I tried to salvage the race season but never felt strong or healthy. Looking to 2023 now and focussing on being healthy and some sprint Duathlon racing mixed with some bike TT fun on the Canyon CF






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Tuesday 22 April 2014

Taking Stock

Well, as normal the start of the season is coming one instant. Then all of a sudden it feels like ground rush, with the key races suddenly just round the corner. I always start running all manner of things through my head: my training has not been structured, i have missed key sessions, I don't have the endurance, I missed the speed work. . . . . And on it goes? But recently I stopped all this nonsense and just thought in simple terms. I have a training diary and a look at that revealed that I have probably had the most consistent training period over the last 6 months that I have ever had. True, I have not done any true speed work. But I don't need to as my focus is on Ironman racing. Plus my recent duathlon race yielded a 36:47 10k over an accurate course. Not bad and certainly showing that I have all the speed I need. So what about running strength and endurance? Well I have completed a number of 2 hour runs - no speed aim; just a plod to complete the time. Also I have completed a couple of runs of the TT bike. The biggest one being 52 miles averaging over 20mph followed by a 10 mile run at 7:38 mile pace. What about swimming? Compared to last year I am way ahead of where I was in 2013 - not difficult! But I have completed a few (only a few 3k plus swim sessions. To be honest, if I am going to miss a session, it is always the swimming. I am confident of swimming 6:20 for 400m and my last CSS actually produced a 6:08 swim. More work needed on the swim but I know I can get through an IM swim. How much productive time to commit to the swim training is always a quandary for me. I am where I am and it would take so much time in the water to get faster that it is just not worth it. Although my biking seems ok, I am not confident of being able to ride for 5 hours and produced a decent Ironman bike leg and feel 'fresh' to start the run. The answer? more specific long TT rides with key effort zones building the distance. I have time to get these done. . . . . Overall I am in a good place I think. The test will be the National Middle Distance Champs on 8 June as I take on the Grafman at Grafham Water, which is my old stomping ground near Huntingdon. I received a couple of pics from Triathlon England today from the National Duathlon Champs. Quite an artistic shot, I think!

2 comments:

Abi Bagshaw said...

Enjoying the blog Sags :) keep it up!

Sags said...

I struggle finding the time to keep the posts up to date but I like the history that builds up! Keep yours updated whilst in Mallorca and make us all envious!