New Training Focus

 At the risk of repeating myself, it’s now time to try and transition my strength focus - 6 months progression in the gym - to make use of what I hope is a stronger base to build run and bike speed. I’ve been adding more intensity to bike and run sessions but nothing too crazy. I’ve had one pure run interval session outside and it was ok - the feelings were definitely that if power and potential to turn strength into speed. 

The weather has been pretty bad the last couple of weeks has been icy and cold. So my increased intensity has been in the form of turbo short workouts followed by treadmill hill sessions straight off the bike. I’ve maintained the strength work though; focusing on single leg Plyo work. 

So, with the weather due to warm up a bit next week, I aim to commence track sessions again😎👊🙌. I’m really looking forward to this as I’ve always been really at home on the track . . . Takes me back to my youth running at Leicester 🏃‍♂️ But I do need to ease into track work. It can be pretty heavy on the old bones. The trick is to run at 85-90% effort. Let’s see how it goes. . . . 

Life Stuff

I have always focused purely on racing and training when posting in this Blog. That certainly was appropriate in the first few years but recently, as virtually nobody apart from me actually reads the posts I am thinking that I should bring in more general life stuff. The reason for this is to build a more comprehensive story for me to scroll through when I am old and no longer able to swim bike run. What a horrible thought! Maybe my girls will treasure the record if my exploits when I am gone?  I know that I would have loved to have something similar from my parents. So here goes. . . Hello future me. Hello JJ and Ceebie. 

This morning I completed a Zwift group ride with NTC (local Tri Club). This was very enjoyable and fitted into my need for an easy spin after yesterday’s HIT bike/rolling hills treadmill session. I find that I need these life goals to look forward to. That means the small daily and weekly goals, as well as the longer term race season goals. It’s only 5 months until my main race goal - the Darley Moor Sprint Duathlon. This is a draft legal European AG Champs qualifier. I’m confident that I can be competitive but let’s see how it all pans out🤓. Track sessions should commence start of Feb. I’ve always liked track running; it takes me back to my youth. With the strength focus seemingly paying off I have high expectations. Let’s hope I’m not disappointed. 

Work is busy but enjoyable in a weird way. I feel very fortunate to be working for Leidos. It’s a good company and the work with the MOD suits my experience well. Working from home has been great - saved my whole domestic crumbling situation back in 2020 really. With Ceebs going to Uni in Bristol it has been a period of adjustment for me and Julie. Sometimes it’s nice to be just us. Other times it’s too empty and we miss the girls. 

But for now I am reflecting in Starbucks, thankful that things are not really too bad. But I do need the focus of training for a goal - even the I am approaching the big 60 🫣

So there we have it; a bit of training stuff, some family stuff and some domestic reflection - Note to self in 20 years🥸

Key Sessions

As I progress with converting the gym strength into run and bike strength I’ve done my normal stumble across the best format with no real strategy. Running has taken the form of controlled treadmill hill sessions completed as increasing incline every 0.5k increasing and then pyramid back down. This type of session is done off a short harder bike Zwift session (not full gas). Overall this is a decent strength session.

 I’ve also completed an outdoor hill circuit of around 8k in length. I’m really hoping to start track run sessions in February. But I’m mindful of trying to cram too much into training. I want to maintain the gym work, which always leaves me fatigued and sore. But the soreness is much less now than the start. As long as I maintain a gym session once a week I’ll be happy. 

Anyway, into 2023 and all still controlled! Oh, and a potential 10k race on 12 Feb near Congleton. I suppose I could just do a parkrun but I kind of fancy a race with a number pinned on. I’d do this race as a below max acceleration run - so no expectations but a decent effort to gauge some fitness. 

Until next time. . . . Tumbleweed. . . 

Into 2023 - Into Specific Strength Phase

 1 January 2023 and the first session bagged focusing on strength for bike and run. This is the next phase (1 month) to build on the gym work completed over the last 4 months. Feb 23 will see the gradual introduction of speed work to ensure I’m ready to be competitive in May 23. 

Today was  bike/run session as:

Zwift bike warm up with Robopacer 20 min

Then a Zwift workout with building 39 sec efforts up to 250W with 30 sec recovery. This was a short but cheeky set as the recovery intensity increased as the 30 sec efforts yoyo’d. The aim was to bring in more intensity without full gas efforts that would be a shock and impact the run set to follow. 

Off the bike for a hill circuit that is about 1k with 2 short rises. Inbetween the rides I pushed a relaxed stride. The recovery was a circuit round the park but I managed to tick along nicely around 4:36 per k. This is good but probably helped by the Nike Tempo Next% shoes. They felt amazing and also seem to protect the legs from the pounding. Can’t wait to race in the Alphaflys that I have stashed for race day! 

I may have a leg tester at a 10k road race event on 12 Feb 23 at Congleton - as long as the weather is friendly! Either way I’m happy with the current training and fitness state. I’m just where I want to be and seem to be teasing progression well, rather than over doing it. 

Updates to follow but looking forward to 2023 racing. 😎🏃‍♂️🚴‍♀️🏃‍♂️

2023 Approaching

It’s 31 December 2022. Another year ticked off. Not a great year of racing or performance really. COVID really did mess up my main goals. But let’s park the old and look forward. My winter training has been going well, focusing on strength to May a better foundation for racing in the summer. I’ve put together a decent 4 months of strength, cycling and running endurance. January will be upping the strength for bike and run to try and convert my gym work into specific activities. Then, in February, I aim to start track running and build some intensity into the bike too. The main goal is the Darley Moor Sprint   Duathlon on 28 May 22. This is a 2024 European Qualifier. And I’ll be shooting for a slit in the 60-64 age group! Sounds very old but that’s the fact - 2023 will be my last year in the 55-59 AG. 

I also want to test the run speed at 5 and 10k. It will be interesting to see if the strength work in the gym can turn the clock back a year or two! The Clayton 10k is a goal again. I ran 39:24 last May. Can I dip Uber 39 min in 2023?  As for the 5k I think I’ll test the speed at the local parkrun on The Wammy. But there is an option to try the Trentham parkrun too. This is a new course but not sure how fast it is. 

After May I am thinking of switching to a bike focus to aim for some 50 mile TTs down in Cambridge. I would prefer the local A50 TT course but the events seem to be drying up on this course.

Anyway, all looking ok at the moment. I need to stay healthy to hit any of these goals. So keeping injury at bay will be key. 

Deep Winter - Doing Things Differently

It’s been 6 weeks since my last post. I thought well not much going on; nothing to report. But actually, thinking deeper about this winter’s training build, this is the first time since . . . Er. . . Ever, that I have totally stopped hard efforts during the winter, dialled back the training intensity and volume and REALLY focused on strength and conditioning to set a strong base to build into the intensity later to peak for the summer. Last year I completed 2 Zwift Racing League seasons before and after Christmas. I was cycling really well but lots of run injury niggles. But by February I was over cooked and not feeling so great. The summer ended up being a washout, with an injury in and off and then a covid illness that lingered for 3 months. So the season never got started. 

Back to the present. So I spent 3 months building conditioning with my kettlebells and sandbags in my pain cave. I’ve just completed 3 months training at the local JD Gym focusing on compound lifts and single leg Plyometrics. As it stand now, I’m feeling strong, recovering from intense weight sessions quickly and looking forward to see how the conditioning benefits my run-bike-run racing. I’ve also consistently built up my running with strides incorporated whenever possible. Cycling volume has been lower than my normal but that’s ok - I’m doing things differently. 

Recent weather has been freezing and I’ve mostly ran treadmill indoors. And now I’m fighting off illness. Hope it’s nothing long lasting. After Christmas I intend to maintain the conditioning but start a phase of strength relating running and cycling. So some hill running and sweetspot cycling sessions. 

I posted that my evo2max had an updated cockpit. New bars and stem. The bars are narrower and the stem slammed. This is ready for draft legal Duathlon racing in May 23. After a few rides and some turbo sessions I’d definitely say the position is more aero. I tend to get some lower back aches if I ride above an hour. But that may be the ride on the turbo. I need more road rides to see if the position needs tweaking, especially when riding full gas. 

Nike Alphaflys - Mega Run Shoes

 A while back I bagged the Nike Tempo Next % from the Nike Outlet store at a deal price of £80. Expensive for sure but actually a decent price for these shoes considered to be the training version of the Nike Alphafly Next%. My runs in the Tempo version have shown that these are on another level when it comes to carbon plated bounce energy return in run shoes. But the race version Alphafly are lighter and supposedly even more energy return. So I found a deal and the pic above shows my new super shoes. And they do really feel incredibly bouncy. I’ve ran a couple of times in these; some strides with easy before and after. It is so easy to run at 4:30 per k pace. I’m quite excited to see how much faster I run with these shoes. Of course, it will be difficult to gauge if I’m actually running faster but I have no doubt that there will be an advantage wearing these shoes. 

On the subject of new kit, wiggle had a flash DHB sale and this aero lid was a real bargain at £30. It is very comfy and accommodates sunnies better than any other helmet I have. 

Another training month ends as November approaches. It’s still really mild and I managed another outdoor ride. But the main focus remains strength and I have taken the plunge to join the local gym to take the strength work to the next level. The JD Gym is great and the first session yesterday proved what massive potential there is to increase my strength. Compound exercises like squats and deadlifts are now possible. Excited for the race season in 2023.