The Race to get Race Fit

Time has inched forward since my last brief post that confirmed my arrival in KSA. Yet again, there have been numerous ‘stressful incidents’ that have prevented our settling in to any type of routine. As normal, I will not detail these aspects as this is my triathlon journey. Whilst it is unavoidable to not be affected by personal and domestic ocurrences, I will remain true to the training and racing focus of this Blog. So where am I now with my triathlon ventures as we draw towards the end of March 2015? Well I am training regularly and have now received my bikes from the UK via the shipping company. Thankfully, no damage to anything. So I have 3 bikes here now: the old Caygill, which is permanently on the turbo, the Holdsworth road bike and my trusty Specialized Transition Pro TT race bike. Now that I am here, I wish that I had brought my single speed out also. It would have been ideal for riding round the compound. The only outdoor road riding I can do is round the compound, which is a 2.7 mile circuit, complete with speed humps that can be missed by sticking close to the curb. The circuit is totally flat; hence the single speed would have been ideal. It can be dusty here too; so the low maintenance on the single speed would have been well suited. Anyway, I am pleased to have my bikes and commenced regular pedaling! I had been off the bike since mid-Dec14! Now it is a race to get some bike legs back! I am building outdoor rides to around an hour and a half currently. But the bulk of bike work is on the turbo. I have some sufferfest sessions that I never seem to tire of and these are a great help to make the time fly by on the turbo. I am also maintaining strength and conditioning work in the gym, but always mix this up with tri specific sessions. For example, the last session was as follows: 25 min turbo build warm up 2 mile tempo run (6:30 mile pace) Strength and core 2 mile tempo repeat 12 min turbo efforts 2 mile tempo repeat Strength and core repeat 2 mile tempo effort 10 min turbo efforts 2 mile half IM pace run to cool down So you bag 10 miles of running with shredded legs!! My running is in a good place and far ahead of where I was this time last year. Despite the chaos of moving and regular ‘life trials’ I seem to have maintained consistent running and that has paid off. Last week I managed to get to a local 10k race at a different compound and somehow ended up winning it in 36:59. Whilst his is not a fast time, and the standard of the local running may not be strong, I was happy to be running at this pace at my age! With no speed work completed I am confident that a sub-36 min 10k is possible. However, and it is a big however, I have just thrown my name in the hat to race at The Outlaw Ironman again! This is back in the UK on 26 July 15. The big question is can I gain sufficient bike fitness over that distance to be competitive? I am confident that I will be in good run shape as long as I stay healthy. I have a good endurance base built up over many years and I am hoping that this fact will enable me to keep the bike sessions around 2 – 3 hours max completed at a decent pace. That should enable me to cruise a 5+ hour bike ride at the Ironman. Only time will tell if it works I suppose! As for swimming, I am totally spoilt for pool access! I have a 25m indoor pool that I can use whenever I want. I also have an outdoor lagoon pool that is not heated but ideal for wetsuit swimming, with a 50m stretch to complete laps. I am swimming every day and feeling good in the water. But I am concentrating on technique and I am not particularly fast in the water at the moment. I am banking on getting faster nearer to the race. Looking further ahead, I really want to race Challenge Bahrain in December. This is a half distance race and could be more suited to my abilities. I can drive there from my location and that greatly helps the logistics of traveling with bikes and equipment. So onwards and upwards! I have a 5k handicap race on Friday and would like to run around 17:45 if the course is fast. It will be the weather that is the deciding factor I reckon as the heat is building now as the year progresses. I must get some pics recorded on here; so stand by for that.

I am Alive!

The move to Saudi is complete-ish! Still no unaccompanied baggage, which means no bikes 8-( But the swimming is great here. Numerous pools to choose from that are no more than a short walk from my villa. . . . yes, it is a villa. I will sort some pics and get some training updates underway - in case anyone remains in Blog Land! Liking Saudi and getting used to the driving habits. My problem will be when I go back to the UK! I will have to be more considerate!

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. . . .

Drifting Along

Well the final event last weekend has come and gone - The Tour 100 Ride, based on the Staffs Moorlands Tour of Britain stages. This means loads of hills. Actually, for me, it was The Tour 47 Ride 8-( Disaster struck at 47 miles when my rear mech hanger and chain both snapped! What happened I am not quite sure. There was a clunk and then everything flat apart. I was riding steady on the flat so I can't blame my immense power output for the failure. The day started cold but bright and dry. Along with Mat, Reg and an Army pal of Reg`s we were doing ok. But at barely half way I have to say that I was not feeling great. The truth is I suppose that I was not in shape to hammier round 100 hilly miles. The others did well to complete the ride off limited training. As luck would have it I was only 3 miles from home so with my new scooter I bimbled home rather Fed up. It really feels like I have been drifting along with training and that never feels good. After recovering well from The Outlaw I had 2 weeks away on exercise playing soldiers. Then I became ill for 2 weeks. Then recovered and crammed some late pointless riding to try and get some form for the tour 47. And now it is mid October and I am wondering what to do. I fly to Saudi with my family in Jan 15. Then it is settle in time and see what 2015 racing can be done. So the immediate issue is what to do between now and Jan 15. I want to build up some strength work in the gym in order to keep injury at bay. Plus tick over cycling and running. Swimming will have to wait until Saudi where I will have unlimited pool access. All this sounds ok. But why do I feel unhappy with that? I think I need a goal. Last year I had the Outlaw and some key races along the way. I won't have any of that. It is strangely unsettling.

Inspiration Needed

Quite a lot going on to do with posting, moving and what to do with children in my life right now. Need some inspiration and focus. . . . . I was surely in better shape back in March when this photo was shot! As I mentioned in my last post, it feels like a real shame to waste the form that I had. Yes, I know, let it go man!! So the last event that I will take part in for 2014 will be the Tour of Britain Sportif on 5 Oct 14: After the 2 weeks away playing soldiers with work I picked up a bug and have been off training for a week. So the feeling of being totally out of shape is compounded. . .. . .More whinging, I know 8-( I just hope that I can enjoy the Tour Ride with Mat Stephenson knowing that I have not really been able to maintain fitness. The course is mighty hilly and a measured effort - just like The Outlaw - will be required. Today was the first time out on the bike after illness, though I have been on the rollers a couple of time for easy spins. I really enjoyed the rollers and aim to get really proficient over the winter. It is right what is said about this training tool: it makes you a smoother rider. I actually feel better when I return to the road after being on the rollers - certainly more stable and confident. More detail on my posting to follow but I am off to Saudi Arabia in Jan 15. I know that anything can happen with postings - and invariably has for me - but let's see what this brings. I am looking forward to being reunited with my buddy Martin Ball, who has been out there since 2007!! Wealways said that we would compete an Ironman together; so hopefully we can do that in the future.

Goodbye Form 8-(

Without doubt I had been feeling good after recovering from the Outlaw Ironman. I had been searching for a race and planning to attack the UK Duathlon Champs in October. However, the RAF certainly threw a spanner in the works by sending me to Pembrokeshire on exercise foe 2 weeks. I really wanted to race the Vitruvian middle distance tri which was also the inter-services middle champs. Alas, it was not to be and I could not be released. Grabbing 4 hours sleep was a good day and now that I am back I feel totally wiped out. It feels a terrible waste of form. So what's next? Not sure really. I intend to ride the Tour of Britain Sportif on 5 October but any hope of racing late season duathlon has evaporated - I just don't feel in decent shape any more and the travel and expense would be a drain. Oh well. Time to regroup!