Outlaw Training

Well today is the end of Jan 14. I have noticed that the days are getting slightly longer - though the weather seems to be getting colder - and this always makes me feel as though the race season is coming! This season, however, I want to do things differently. For the past 10 years I have always started to add lots of intensity at this time of year as prep for the early season Duathlon races. Not this year! This year is all about hitting targets at the right time. So Jan has been a month of building volume and staying healthy Has this been achieved? Well mostly! I had a couple of health glitches that really brought my running totals down for the month. Firstly, I picked up a calf strain. Not sure why but new trainers may have caused this. Then a bike crash really halted training. My hip was badly bruised and I feared serious injury. But normal training seems to have resumed this week - phew! When compared to Jan 13, Jan 14 has seen much increased volume: Jan 13 38:30 Jan 14 59:20 I am starting a new phase in Feb, with some key sessions to complete over a 2 WEEK period: Long Du Bike/run, Long easy run, Long bike, Short Du Bike/run, Long tempo run. All these sessions can be completed indoors, though I would rather not! I will also continue to condition myself with the bike rollers - it`s going ok but it will be a while before I am totally proficient. Happy training oh there.

Nearly Feb - Building Continues. . .

So Christmas is a distant memory. After an easy week training has ramped up and a small calf tweak that hit me early last week has subsided. Yes, for a change, I rested from running and I can now return to training. I also made sure that the long run today was reduced - I can get back to the long run build gradually without any impact to the long term goal. This week I will complete 3 swim sessions, over 10 hours of cycling and 4 short distance runs (the long run was reduced to 8 miles). That is a tasty week of training - all at low intensity. Well, not all of it! I try and include a tempo run session once every 10 days. This week I completed 4 x 1 mile tempo with 60 seconds rest. After a 7:01 rep, the remaining 3 reps were between 6:31 and 6:39. All were comfortable and no problems with injury. Talking of the injury situation, the results from the MRI on my glute/hamstring showed slight fluid build up but no muscle damage. The specialist advise was to continue with the rehab by adopting a new dynamic stretching routine. At least 20% of my training is now rehab and conditioning! That is the price if I want to remain healthy. But it feels good and I wish I had completed more conditioning at a younger age! Onwards and upwards. . . . In a controlled manner!

"Grafman" Triathlon England National Middle Distance Championships 2014

Training has continued and I have maintained long weekend rides with Newcastle Triathlon Club. It has been a while since I have strung together a sustained period of long rides. I hope that these will form a good endurance addition to the endurance that I have built over the years. Then, come July the Outlaw Ironman race will be undertaken with confidence. I have also found the perfect build up race: "Grafman" Triathlon England National Middle Distance Championships 2014. It is on the 8 June 14 - perfect timing for a build race. So happy days. Although I have maintained consistency, I have had to take a few days off running due to a 'tweak' in my left calf. I am taking no chances and the rest from running seems to have been wise. Today I returned to running with a 4 mile run commute to the pool. It is much better, but I will take a couple more days run rest to be sure. The training on the rollers is going well, though it will take a while before I become proficient! No tumbles yet but that is because I am only on rollers beside a wall! Another update soon!

Christmas Break Straining

Over Christmas the normal routine of work, family and training gets a severe bashing. It can be difficult to train and plan - luckily I rarely plan more than a week ahead and have to be very flexible to get the training required. The best options seems to be train with big volume days followed by rest days to fit in with family stuff. This seems to have worked well so far and the last 3 weeks of training amounted to: 12 hours 10 hours 10:51 (with 3 rest days) So far so good then. The long run is up to 11 miles, though I fear that I will struggle to find any speed at all when I need to! The hamstring is holding but not entirely better. Hopefully the results of the MRI will direct a course of treatment that will get rid of the pesky problem once and for all. I am still riding with Newcastle Tri Club and have completed regular rides in excess of 60 miles. In January I am going to bin the cafe stop and either run while the group eats chip buttees or ride for an extra 30 miles mins. I have also purchased some of these babies: Yep, I have moved into roller world! These should be far easier to transport to work when time is tight - no worries around with setting up the turbo which is pretty bedded in at garagville! I can Complete specific efforts on the turbo and grab spinning and recovery endurance sessions on the rollers - once I master the technique! Should be fun! More to follow. . . .

Achieving Consistency!

The old grey matter was chugging along yesterday and I realised that I have managed to grab 6 weeks of consistent training - building up with low intensity of course. I even have meticulous record of this training - well, sort of meticulous! I have the cycling up to a reasonable distance (max 85 Miles so far) and long run up to 10 miles. I am concerned that I am not doing any speed work but I dare not risk the injury regressing at this stage. Talking of the injury, I went to Sutton Coldfield for an MRI this week. I should get the follow up visit in Jan and find out if there is anything bad still going on in the hamstring. I still have time to get some faster running in. This delay is better too as I am now leaning towards going for a place at the World Duathlon Champs in Spain on 31 May.

Even swimming is going ok, off very little pool time. I completed the Swim Smooth CSS test and managed a 400m in 6:06 and 200m in 3:00. Happy enough with that! If I an build endurance and hold this technique I am hopeful of a 1:05 I'M swim at the Outlaw in July. Received an email from old pal Roy Brunning the other day. He has suffered badly from injury over the last few years but he is back training for IMUK. Go Roy; good to have you back.

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!