August Stats!

 I can safely do this mid-day on 31st August because, quite frankly, I have a hangover and the only exercise I’m likely to do today is to walk to the shops for some chips to have with dinner!

So currently I’m not following any specific triathlon plan whatsoever .. my “training”, well exercise, is to do some strength, some yoga, kind of following a Garmin 10k plan (have a 10k end of Sept) and then some biking and swimming whenever I feel like it.

Sport	Count	KM	Minutes
Swim	4	6.5	207.29
Bike	10	285.55	782.8
Run	10	37.55	279.24
Strength	5	-	153
Yoga	5	-	155
Walk	22	55.34	712.56

I’m recording walks mostly because I think it’s good to do them.. expect this will decrease as the rest increases but I also tend to add a walk at the end of my runs.. that will no doubt end as the weather gets wetter and/ or colder… we also go on walking holidays so walking counts in my exercise book even if I hopefully won’t be doing too much of that during actual triathlons!

Yoga - I have two go to sessions from the guys at DoYogaWithMe who I’ve used for years, even as far back as when I first started this blog! So at least I’ve managed weekly yoga - well done me!

My strength has taken a bit of a back seat this month to be honest - I’ve been doing 10-14 sessions of 30min each a month this year … mostly because that has been the foundation on which I wanted to start building before I decided to do anything more substantial. I’ve kind of “made up” for that by actually doing some swimming…

Swim:  Without a word of a lie that’s the most time and distance in the pool since January 2020 !!! I’ve enjoyed getting back in the pool - substantially helped because the local leisure centre got demolished during the pandemic and is now a really nice pool to be in! Although I was a bit surprise to see how busy it was last Monday morning on a bank holiday! I’ve had my swim filmed and have a couple of things I want to work on. I’m also having some osteo treatment every other week to help with left sided tightness (for want of a better word). It’s helping is all I know

Bike: Totally unstructured, some of these have been short trips around the local area or zip into town (to go to the gym).. I did go on one really long ride one Tuesday coming in at 80k over 4 hours and lots of climbs.. it was a glorious day and was second longest ride this decade (!) and only slightly shorter then the longest which was in May 2020 pre surgery. No wonder I was bloody knackered for a day or so after, but I was really surprisingly happy from the ride… both being able to get up the hills as well as the distance.

Run: As normal my running is tricksy… my calf was problematic coming into the month so I was trying and failing to run… but with some patience, tape and rehab I’ve got back to running and kind of following the program…however, because I’m doing other things, I’m basically trying to make sure I get 2 runs of the 4 from the plan each week (I missed some of that at the start of the month). My “race” is at the end of Sept so 4 or 5 weeks out - I’m looking forward to it as long…. Just hope I don’t pick up any injury whilst on our walking holiday! 

PLAN FOR SEPTEMBER

There isn’t one! Other then do the Windsor 10k at the end of the month and be adequately prepped to be able to finish it. It’ll be a decade PB as long as I finish 😹 …

Like Slim Shady - I'm back

 Well I think I'm a kinder and nicer person the Slim to be fair but like the song says - I'm back.. back again...

WHAT'S UP! 

Getting back into tri?

Where do I start? Ok for anyone who is new or likes to read waffle...  let's summarise previous journey/ timeline.

Unfit at the age of 36 I wanted a new start - whilst watching the London Marathon I was blown away by the quantity and variety of people running and couldn't imagine myself running that far. Some how these two things combined to be setting myself a 4 year BHAG to enter and complete and Ironman triathlon for my 40th birthday. At the time I didn't own a bike, could barely swim 25m (I did at least think I knew how to do front crawl, I was wrong) and was confident I could run 5k.

My journey started and on the way I somehow managed to represent team GB at olympic distance at the European champs (note I'm definitely not that good - there weren't many people racing and qualifying back then).. I did a few half ironman, a marathon and got to do my IM in 2010. Through that race I managed to qualify for team GB once again for the ITU long course worlds in 2011... that one was fun in Las Vegas! 2012 was set to be an epic year but I ended up having abdominal surgery that pretty much ruined my peak fitness but that was ok because I had the happiest of times getting hitched in late 2012. We had a wonderful 6 month honeymoon adventure in the southern hemisphere. Once home I got myself a job and started to vaguely self-train again and went into a half ironman very underprepared in 2014..... it was a horrible experience and taught me a lot..... so I got myself a coach at the end of that season and started training proper... In 2015 I a did a good half ironman but then had to reduce training with another surgery hanging over me... my medical issue resolved itself so I trained in earnest for IM Vichy in 2016. It was hardest of training but the best of races ... I really enjoyed it (despite the feeling like I may drown in the swim which was by now my strongest leg - suffice to say the swim didn't go well)... we had awesome weather, a brilliant (flat!) bike course and an excellent run course around the town. The only thing about the entire trip which was sub-optimal was the accommodation!

Since then I have stop start fitness due lack of motivation, minor illnesses, occasionally injury and a bit of stress inducing self flagellating workaholism ..... 

But now ... The come back is officially ON (something I've been wanting to say since Jan 2021 post my surgery).. now I'll confess...  the comeback is nothing more then feeling fit and healthy enough to train consistently and hopefully, probably, enter(*) and complete a race or two... I don't have any ambition for racing other than sheer enjoyment ... train to enjoy races is the mantra... so the days I don't feel like training I am just going to get on and do it because I want to race and want to enjoy them (that's my why)... I get a thrill (well used to) from getting on the lycra and prepared at the start line. Time will tell. 

So here we are... I'm not on a plan yet .. I'm still enjoying doing pretty much unstructured training.. just getting out swim, bike and running with a deep knowledge that strength training and flexibility are my new foundations for success (unlike years of past where I literally ignored the need for both as I was fine with getting stronger just by swimming, biking or running). 

Here is my footnote of injury/ illness since I was last serious about triathlon...not that I'm making excuses (ok ok I am)

Injuries: torn ankle ligaments (right 2018, 4months out), injured rotator cuff (left 2018 2months out), probable meniscus tear (left knee 2023 4 months completely off)

Illnesses: post IM labyrinthitis (2016), unknown virus that gave itchy blotches (2017), whopping cough (2017), most likely something covidish (2020 and 2023)

Major surgery: complete hysterectomy so no more hormones for me in late 2020.... nothing like over sharing but it provides some context as that really walloped me for 6

So here I am mid-50s very menopausal... getting myself back into shape and hoping to tri again sometime next year... (*) indeed I got a bit carried away and tempted by an early bird offering I've actually entered a race ... holy shit