Winter Training

Since September, when I carried some very good form out of The Outlaw, trianing took a dip as I was deployed on exercise for 2 weeks. So it was time to regroup. So the focus through October has been starting overall strength and conditioning. Then building on that start through November. To be honest cycling and running with tired and achy legs has been quite tough. But I am getting stronger. Last Thursday I flipped my normal strength session by completing some run efforts prior to the gym work. Normally I include running within the strength work as gas feet treadmill or 2 mile run efforts outside. This time I completed 2 x 2 mile tempo runs with 3 mins recovery. I hit 12:07 for each rep, both with a negative split. With no speed work at all I am quite happy with those times. Then I completed my strength work and ran another 2 miles with wobbly legs in 12:45. A long run today felt ok, although my legs were still aching from Friday. So the running seems to be going well. With a cross country race at Cosford on 26 Nov, I hope to go full effort for the first time in a while. Cycling is going ok but no real distance or efforts. But I do kick in with some fartleck commutes to and from work. I will wait until I get to Saudi before really hitting the swimming big time!

That Was 2014 - Part 1

Well, the race season has come and gone. We seem to wait an age for the season to arrive, battling through the cold dark winter. Then, when we finally get to race in some sunshine the season seems to be over in a flash. Quite depressing really. Looking back at the year, can I call it a success? Let's review the year that was 2014! As normal for me the season opened with the Dambuster Duathlon. Having raced at Rutland Water many times I kind of lack enthusiasm for a race that is early in the year and just too cold for my old bones! A second place finish in my Age Group qualified me for the 2015 European Duathlon Champs. I have to remember that I had done no speed work at all in a quest to stay injury free. So a 38:30 run split was ok.

The next triathlon was The Clumber Park Duathlon, which was also designated as the RAF Duathlon Champs. This was sprint distance, which was far too pacey for me! There was no way I was going to get near Mal Rose and he easily won the RAF Vets race, with me a distant 2nd off my long distance training (3rd age group on the day). April Still rather cold for me, the Inter-Services Duathlon Champs were held 5th Apr over the Sprint distance again. A third place finish in the Vet category was surprising as my lack of speed work really showed and I had not eased down. Next duathlon venture was the English Champs up in Yorkshire

The sun did shine for this, although it was rather chilly. A really pleasing first run split of 36:40 set me up well here for a Silver medal

Happy enough with that result off minimal run speed training. So the early season duathlon training races were over, and I was glad to get the cold races over with. Time to focus on some swimming for the first triathlon of the season. . . .