3 Weeks In. . . .

I say 3 weeks in meaning into Outlaw Iron Distance training. My head is focused on this race but I seem to be forgetting that I have an aim to compete at the World Du Champs or the ETU LD Du Champs that will be held in conjunction with the Dutch Powerman event

The ETU event actually suits better as it is earlier than the Worlds and longer. It could be good prep for the Outlaw. It will be held on 13 April 14, which is the same day as the National Du Champs - not great planning but there you go; can't have everything. The niggling hamstring/glute injury is healing slowly and I am still having treatment. But I am getting plenty of low intensity training as base work. Today`s long bike with Newcastle Tri Club was not really low intensity though. At 85 miles the distance alone makes it tough. In these group rides you sort of have to go with the flow and there is no way I could keep a lower intensity and remain in the group. It is a trade off and I know that I would struggle to ride that long on my own. On the plus side I trialled some new nutrition today in the form of home made rice cakes. I had been feeling jaded towards the end of long rides and I wanted to try this recipe. So an extra 20 miles with a lot more food and drink seemed to do the trick. Still going well at 70 miles though at 80 I started to feel the distance - that is probably my just conditioning. So the secret recipe may well form the fuel for the Outlaw 8-)

Time to get Back to Normal

Well, as I sit watching a recording of The Outlaw Triathlon I am so wondering how next year will turn out. After taking the longest training break I have ever had! I still have some of the injury problems with the hamstring tendonitis but it is easing. My problem is do I stick with longer distances to aim at or go full out for Standard distance triathlon/duathlon? Long Distance training is far easier on the hamstring but I still want to aim for the World Duathlon Champs in Spain. Now there is also a chance of racing at the European Long Distance Duathlon Champs in April. For now I will focus on building the training slowly. I have managed a run of 6 miles easy and am now building the cycling. Training details to follow!

Progress?

After 3 weeks of continuous rehab on this pesky hamstring/glute problem, I am just now starting to feel some improvement. I was getting rather frustrated as the pain was getting worse. However, now it is starting to ease. I have started very light cycling and running for no more than 20 mins. The improvements only started when I really started hurting myself (in a good way!) when completing the rehab exercises. This sounds strange but it was the same when I had my Achilles problem on 2009 - Improvements came when I really got stuck into the eccentric loading. So, I am getting excited, having entered the Outlaw Iron Distance Triathlon, which takes place on 27 July 2014. I have unfinished business with this distance after crawling round Almere Iron Distance event in 2011 with an injury. I managed a 11:38 clocking there, with a painful 4:54 marathon. With a sensible approach this time, I want at least sub 11 hours. I know I should aim for just a finish with a good race based on getting nutrition right; however, I cannot help but aim for some kind of finishing time! I suppose that is just the way I am wired!

RAF Cranwell Sprint Champs

The race is done and I am 1 week into total rehab - no training whatsoever. The race did not go too well. However, I finished 5th overall, which was surprising seeing as I completed an extra 50m in the swim and crawled round the run. The result was probably all due to a decent bike split of 36:51 for 3rd fastest of the day. The run was actually 8th fastest of the day but I certainly was not firing as I know I can - or could! The really good thing about the day was my buddy Si Evans completed his first triathlon. At 16 stone, he is built for power! But he had no expectations and after a couple of swim sessions to try and train to complete the 400m swim, he had managed 12:05 in training. On race day he did it in a fantastic 9:30! I reckon he will do more triathlons. So now it is time for rehab and more rehab. I need to start training for The Outlaw on 1 December! I need to be healthy and build up slowly to get in shape for 27 July 14 - looking forward to it!

Let`s Do Rehab - Again

I have had the results from my scan. The prognosis is good and bad. Good in that a problem was found; bad in that recovery may take while.However, I have time - I just need to be sensible! I have upper hamstring tendinopithy. There are specific exercises to combat this condition. I had already been doin some of these. But I had also been doing some exercises that aggravate the condition. Basically, fast running is not good - anything that stretches the hamstring over the pelvis insert is bad. Cycling can aggravate the c condition because of the position you lock into. So what is good? Strengthening the hammy is a must; but it must be done in a prone position. My plan is to complete Cranwell Sprint Tri on Wed 18th Sep. I will not race this! We have a team of 4 from Stafford (TSW), which is great because we only have 200 people on the Wing. So it's a social race then rest up and rehab. When I say rest up, I mean tick over. Doc recommended maintaining some form of exercise to keep blood flow and strengthen the hammy. Watch this space - I 'll be back!

Last Ride in the Peaks for 2013?

A day off and a recovery ride in the Peaks, with a coffee stop. Some me time and a nice route - most enjoyable. That could have been the last ride in the Peaks for 2013. With some down time and injury rehab coming, it could be 2014 when I next get to venture out into these hills again. I have a scan on Thursday at Stafford Hospital. i so hope that it reveals a problem that can be resolved! I won't know what to do if all is clear!!

I completed 3 miles of run drills and some light conditioning before venturing out. A relaxed day - oh to be a full time triathlete!

2013 Stoke Pro Tour of Britain Sportif

I have not competed that much this year. This is mostly due to injury; but also because I wanted to just ease back into racing after 2012 and focus on 2014. Well I had not envisaged easing into the racing quite so much! It feels like the season has gone before it ever started! I entered this event as it is local for me. I had completed the same event in 2010 with Jase Walkley and enjoyed it. The route skirts very close to my house and takes you into the lovely Derbyshire Peaks. Needless to say, the route gets very lumpy! Although I was looking forward to it, I had not completed any long training rides. Hence I was slightly apprehensive. Pete Norris was taking part also; he would be my ride buddy. Now Pete had been clocking some major bike miles and had recently clocked a very decent bike split at IMUK. We met at the start and were quite chilled. Pete's girlfriend, Emily, was riding the Challenge distance of 50 mile. Still a very lumpy route and she would certainly feel the climbs. Me and Pete drifted to the start and were slightly bemused by the fact that we were the only riders rolling up to the start line! Groups of 50 were being released at 5 minute intervals. It turned out that everyone had departed already! We wern't late; just the last! So our peleton of 2 set off in pursuit!

We twisted round the barriers (as you can see) with me ahead of Pete. This would be one of the last times I actually headed Pete. He was an absolute monster and eased up many times on the climbs to allow me back to him. I felt ok as we cruised along the first 30 miles towards Utoxetter. There were no real climbs of note but my idea of hiding in a big group and saving myself for the bigger climbs was never going to happen now! We started to see riders ahead and we generally rode straight through. Some jumped on our wheels but when the road went up, they disappeared! There was an RTA near Rocester that held us up a while. It looked bad but it was not cyclists. Once we goot going again we missed a turn to the feed zone and had to back-track. We only stopped for water and were soon on the roller coaster road towards Okemoor - the first real climb of the day. We had a mean headwind too and the average speed of 20mph + was falling fast. But we were eating up riders and spitting them out very rapidly.

Once into the Peaks proper, the hills just kept coming. The routine fell into place - Pete drifted off the front, as I tried to pace myself, scared that I would not manage the distance. At 70 miles, I hit a bad patch and thought that I may totally blow. However, I perked up and began to feel better. At 90 miles, the mental boost of knowing that I could get to the finish no matter what seemed to give me revitalised energy. Maybe I should log that mental feeling for the entire ride next time?

Towards the finish and Pete kicked in some real pace through Longton to Trentham. We picked up a rider who managed to hang on to Pete's wheel and the finish was ours in 5:35. Gold Standard was 6:00 for me and 5:45 for Pete. So we were comfortably within those times. There were a few Pros riding and they were around 5:19. No doubt Pete could have been up there if he was not weighed down by me! A great day out. Thanks to Pete for making it so enjoyable. It would have been a lonely ride without him. I think he could have just kept riding all day! Emily really enjoyed the Challenge Ride, despite some saddle mechanical issues!