June Stato

 June: It came and went in a blur

I feel like I began to get back into a rhythm of sorts during June having taking a short amount of time to recover the second half of May after the race.

I have started strength training again - well done me - 🤣 … although currently without weights (!) … but body weight resistance seems to be enough to give muscle aches and I don’t want to go too cra cra… I haven’t been swimming much, mostly because I didn’t do much at the start of the month. I’ve stopped being frustrated about my pacing but happy with being back in the pool with a focus on technique and swim css fitness (I can confidently say that after 3 whole sessions in July.. lol.. but I enjoyed being in the pool so feels like starting again with an element of realism about it all - I can only improve)

Whilst I didn’t saddle up too often I did get a couple of longer rides in which were excellent and have now started running longer too. Honestly given where I was a year ago I was dreaming/ hoping/ aiming to see if I could get back to where I am today. So I am chuffed. Aim now is to stay healthy and fit and carry on extending both bike and runs. Once I’ve done more work on core and flexibility I’m going to put in more interval type sessions to everything, although I have my Petersfield training plan (thanks Gemini) with some functional strength sessions that I’m kind of following may or may not include those, I enjoy intervals so will have a “chat” if they are not in the plan. 

I’m expecting July to be about the same, maybe slightly down on June in some places, as we have a couple of weeks R&R where the focus will be R& Yoga & R

Here’s the June stato not in a table or screen shot as I’m on my iPad away from home so keeping it simple:

Swim: 3 for 4.58km and 2hrs 15mins (down number, only 2mins in time (weirdly) and 1.5km in distance .. go figure)

Bike: 12 for 252.1km and 10hrs 47mins (up, number time and distance)

Run: 7 for 78.3k and 9hrs 3mins… down in number but up in time and distance (running longer)

Yoga: 6 and 2hrs 52… same number but slightly less time

Strength: 3 and 1hr 48… up (because the previous 2 months had been zero!)

Walk: 21 64.8km and  13hrs 44… slightly down 

Overall happy with June.

Focus for July - enjoy Popey La Pope’s 50th birthday celebrations, do some yoga…. Then carry on swim technique, LSRs, clean the bike and get out on that a couple of times. OH yeah and of course Strength 💪, well definitely core. 

Feb-Mar-Apr-May.. STATO

 Oh dear - I seem to have missed a few months... much has been going on so there's a summary below - being lazy with a little cut and paste from Garmin :D

So what happened exactly ... welllll...

February I caught a really nasty bug that settled in my sinus' and quite honestly I haven't felt as rough for so long from a bug since I don't know when - all in all the thing went on about 5 weeks... sinus', eyes (conjunctivitus * 2), ulcers on the roof of my mouth, a sore throat... and all that just rotating around and around.. it was crap. The saving grace really was the amount of yoga I did 🤣 you can see the big uptick in March.... great but not terribly conducive to either the 10k run I had randomly suggested to a neighbour for the start of March, or the 16k run I had entered with some friends mid-March. The 10k was a DNE (did not enter!)... but I was feeling good enough (and it was a nice day) to walk up and support - well it was being held at the local craft brewry so a pint of medicinal beer was the order of the day... and the neighbour did great as well. One for the calendar for next year!

The 10miler mid-march was seriously in doubt and the week before as I lost my voice again I was like - there's no way, not only have I not done enough training but I feel like crap.. however I started to feel a bit better by the end of the week so 2 days out I ventured out for a long walk that ended up being 16k, so I contacted the organisers afterall the weather forecast was set to be ok, and maybe I could walk it. I looked at the route and figured there were several places I could turn to the finish line early.... anyway I'll see about writing up a mini race report - as I ended up completing the distance (!!)... having recovered from that I headed towards April with my return to triathlon race in Mid-May beckoning... But not before my return to hockey after about 20 years (!) ... a 2020 reunion (postponed for you know what) was set to take place - and it was great fun.... really great seeing some people I've not see in decades although my hockey skills were a little to be desired. It was a great work out and I ached for days in weird places, but it was worth it. Obviously by the start of May I had pretty much commenced panic training, knowing I could do the run and bike distance I got myself into the pool and bashed out 1500m to see how "bad" my time would be - immediately letting go of comparison to IM Fit Karen who could swim like a swimmy fish. Anyway panic wetsuit swimming then commenced in a rather chilly local lake and soon race day was upon me. Definitely owe a race report for that - I approached it really chilled, no expectations, definitely none of previous years extreme stress over pre-race nerves as the only thing that counted was doing it and finishing it having enjoyed it not suffered it. ANYWAY I did have a great time and did surpass my expectations... it's great to feel back to my old fit self... no not IM fit BUT at Easter 2024 I had a vision of me being able to swim, run or bike with a spirit of freedom and comfort over a mile (swim), an hour (run) and hours on the bike. I am so happy to have achieved that aim I can't put into words how the last 4.5 years post surgery has been, starts, stops, stress, injury, a lot of pain... but now I finally feel like I'm back!

What next - well I've already started a plan (with help from AI of course - we are in that era) that should get me to a run distance of 36k for my off road event in November. I'm excited for that - knowing I've got to do a lot more strength and yoga then I've done in earlier years to keep me as injury free as possible... and yes strength took a back seat in April and May but has already made one 30min appearance in June... phew..  Here's to the rest of 2025!

Here's the training volumes this year from Garmin

SWIM:

 

BIKE:

RUN

STRENGTH:

YOGA:

January Stato

 Fanfare.....

January saw me halting running AGAIN for the right niggly calf... I wasn't impressed and have now wholly blamed my asics gel cumulus shoes... I turned back to these in late 2023 as New Balance, my sted fast running shoe brand from my training in the 2010s no longer did what I used to wear and everything I read felt like I didn't like any of their new versions (too tall, too squishy or too expensive). So I turned back to the brand previous to that and got my self some asics cumulus (as asics still did that, just version 561... ok maybe just 20 something), and then also got myself a pair of asics tri noosa.... now I won't go into all the specifics but one point of difference is the heal to toe drop - the old new balance were about 6mm, the tri noosa are about the same and the cumulus a whopping 10mm... so basically I'm blaming my calf strain issue on that 4mm difference - as I only get the strain after running in the cumulus - which I've happened to do slightly more of this winter because the noosa are a bit chilly (ie colder in cold weather - poor toes).

Anyway - long story short, I got less running in during January then ideal given I have a 10mile run coming up mid March... but at least by the end of the month I was running again AND I think I've found a new trainer to go alongside my Noosa's which, after one run, I already love (fingers crossed).. 

... Hello pretty 😍 

Anyway - the top of the post said stats - so here they are for Jan

December Stats and Happy New Year

It’s already 11th Jan (and bloody freezing I may add!)…. So high time I posted the December stats! 

Sport	Count	KM	Minutes
Swim	2	2.8	94
Bike	1	20.0	51
Run	7	37.0	254
Strength	8	-	247
Yoga	7	-	180
Walk	11	36.84	433

….. the good being the yoga and strength training…. The bad being the one solitary bike ride!! No real excuse other than the older I get the more I’m a fair weather and warm environment cyclist!…. Although having seen the stats I attempted to sign up for club rides the last two Saturdays but the weather has had other plans for us! Last weekend it was forecasting lashing rain and possible snow this weekend it’s not got above 0 and an ice rink outside! Whilst I phaffed about last weekend I did actually manage to get on my bike in the garage for a 2 hour turbo (with buff, gloves, thermal top and full legs I may add!)

I also actually managed a couple of swims in December, still not entirely sure what’s going on with my shoulder it’s not quite right but no worse ….. and pleased to report this far I’ve swam more then I did in January the last few years (I’ve been to the pool once so far this year,… ohwl!)

Now whilst I had already got my Olympic distance race in the diary for may I thought I’d find something beforehand to keep me interested…. I contemplated a half marathon but I think that’s a bit far at the moment …. But found a local 10miler in the middle of March….. suggested it to my friend leanne and before I knew it she had entered us…. She should have read the small print though as she thought I’d said 10k … ha ha… anyway the aim is to have fun, it’s a nice looking route on country lanes and bridle paths. Somewhat hilly in places so my plan is to walk them. I’d like to do the event in under 2hours …. And I’d like to give myself a local flatter 10miler (ie home made!) to see if I can do a time between 1.40-1.50…. But in order to do that I have to look after myself better as I’m currently nursing a calf strain…. This started last weekend when I went out for a run and had to high knee leg it through a big puddle (why the high knees I don’t know - my feet still got soaked!) anyway I think that was maybe the first niggle…. I irritated it last night doing the same whilst running through what I thought was frozen tundra but was a crusty bog (I managed to avoid wet feet somehow with this time!)… anyway I’m an idiot and currently it’s sore. So I need to rehab that before running in the cold again (ie once I can do some calf raises!)… sigh… 

Anyway! Life is good, the new year is here and I’m excited for the year ahead, let’s go 2025!

W y

Belated November Stats

 Late but here are the rather random November stats…. I didn’t get back to the pool because of that shoulder problem I manifested when during/ after Covid. Despite a visit to the osteo then chiro neither helped, my clavicle was oddly feeling in the wrong place. So I tried a yoga session I’ve done before years ago and despite the pain I actually felt a nice glide and thunk and what felt like my clavicle back in the right place. But it took a while then I kind of lost the desire I dunno.

Sport	Count	KM	Minutes
Swim	0	0	0
Bike	5	218	550
Run	5	30.6	215
Strength	5	-	166
Yoga	5	-	169
Walk	10	28.97	416

Longest bike was a tidy 83.9k, longest run not so tidy but ok 8.8k

I did get back on the strength bus in November which kind of made up for lack of swimming (cough maybe)… overall time was pretty much the same as October just spread differently.

December thus far has been a really, I don’t know what the best word is, I’ll settle for “weird” month. Somethings have gone great but my heart has been heavy as well…. At the start of the month the sudden death of my Uncle Pete, a family stalwart, a protector and my Godfather who not only stood in for my Dad a few times but also taught me so much in my formative years…. I was blessed in my 1970s / 80s childhood to have had Uncle Pete and Auntie Penny so influential in my life. Rest in peace both of you now you are back together. I still can’t quite believe you are not both up the road and I often hear your voices in my head calling me Kaz …. 

The same week Uncle Pete died a neighbour also sadly passed away suddenly overnight. Whilst I didn’t know her terribly well, we mainly only exchanged messages about our lunatic cats, it was a really shock. She was only in her early 40s and such a brilliant mum, lovely neighbour and overall good ‘un. There is no sense to life and death sometimes. 

In a weird way I think grief is a blessing for a life lived well, I don’t know if that makes sense.

Sigh

Anyway Christmas season is now upon us and already next week we will be greeting the new year 2025 seems a nice number (both 20 and 25 being divisible by 5 just feels nice)…. So I’ve got some days to get my December stats in slightly better order as they are quite shocking at the moment barely been on the bike, not swam yet  …. But I do have a cunning plan brewing… well at least a rough “training plan” to get me to the start line of my first triathlon in 8 years! Onwards!

October Stats

Here we go… so I ended up losing about 10 training days to covid and wanted to come back cautiously .. so basically my training plan of what it was went to kaput half way through the month.

Still having got my excuses in I am at least happy to have got swim, bike, run, strength and yoga in during the month so did kind of get a more balanced portfolio… ok i know I’m reaching!

Sport	Count	KM	Minutes
Swim	1	2	58
Bike	7	171.14	420
Run	4	31.75	227
Strength	1	-	31
Yoga	10	-	261
Walk	15	37.56	519

I did get a club ride in which was great and I did manage one strength training but boy oh boy could tell I’ve not done any in too long - despite backing off the weights my glutes were on fire for days after with severe doms!! Given I didn’t then do anymore I think I’m just going to reset and start the program again tomorrow (it’s a monday) and this time take all the weights out for leg day - at least for the first time out.

I’ve not swam since the start of the month either…. Somehow managed to mash my shoulder either from coughing or being up on a pillow sleeping when I had the bug - I think it’s on the mend and actually weirdly 3.5hrs on the bike on Saturday seems to have helped it (oddly)

So… still playing it all a bit by ear but do have a plan ish of sorts for November - so will see what happens this month … I have already walloped my biking out of the park Saturday with an 83km club bike ride … I was a tad knackered from that but if the weather holds and I can get a few more 60k rides in this month it’ll be great. If I can swim once a week, shoulder permitting, and run up to say 12k for long runs I think that will be trucking on well enough. .. it’s all about getting in harmony with my new body that doesn’t recover the way it did 10 years ago which was already a lot slower to recover to 10 years before that!! Everything is relative and the aim is simply to be happily active and strong!! Of course strength and yoga absolutely will feature! I’m happy with my October yoga ing so will try and keep consistent with that (injury prevention is better then cure!)

So all in all October was ok and I feel recovered well from the virus … let’s go November let’s go!!

Training and Autumn bugs

 Nothing like calling a complete halt to training when you get a bug - be that the common cold, flu or covid virus… last year we managed to get one virus swiftly followed by another vicious beast… hopefully that won’t repeat itself because both of us were pretty rotten for the best part of 8 weeks!!…. This year was a quick dose of covid - for me it went like this

Thurs evening …  tickly throat -> streaming nose (I’ve never ever woken up with one leaking nostril before - it was gross) -> temperature -> full on cold like symptoms -> sore throat -> productive cough (this was now Sunday) -> all the above plus upset tummy (this was Monday when I decided to do a covid test)…and I felt absolutely exhausted… by the next weekend feeling much more spritely. All the cold symptoms more or less gone just a feeling of queasiness and quite a bit of dizziness and ears remained stuffed up. Also pretty tired out.. I definitely couldn’t even think of exercise last week. Although did attempt some yoga come the end of the week but literally ended up on my arse as I tipped over in downward dog 🤣 🐶 … how I managed that I don’t know but as I said still a bit dizzy! At least I was close to the ground and bounced into the soft side of the sofa bed.

So I’m now on a return to exercise protocol - mindful that I don’t want a repeat of last autumn!! I also need to start dosing myself up on asthma preventer as typically post any kind of virus my asthma flares up and so getting ahead of that is a good prevention measure!

All of this has meant it’s been 2 weeks since I ran or biked and I don’t even remember if or when I last swam… getting my October stats excuse in early 👀😂

At least October was more or less prep month - although I have been kind of following my plan from 2014, whilst not being rigorously sticking to it, it’s provided a schedule of sorts so taken the thinking out of the equation. It’s much easier training when you have a plan (even if it’s an outline one) to follow.

Having said that my plan for this week involves easy bike and a run walk to see how my body reacts. I can hear my Mum and Dad’s advice in my brain telling me to take it easy - and this time I will heed their advice… only because it’s the right advice post virus (not because “you’re not getting any younger” which is also true although part of me refuses to believe it). 

Onwards!!

A Welcome Back to Winter Riding?

Return to organised tri club riding happens every Autumn. TVT club rides were something I used to be consistent with, and which I have been very much less so since I have been on my tribatical... So much so I've become known as the "Lessor Spotted", like a rare animal seldom seen in the wild with a group of other similar beasts.

Anyway.... the first winter club ride was organised and set for Saturday the 10th October... a new booking system was put in place and obviously I missed the email and the deadline so was disappointed to see the rider groups were full last Wednesday .. sad times.. Nevertheless I added myself to the waiting list and low and behold more slots opened up.... No excuse then - a return to winter ride for TVT and me ... 🤨

I got my kit out Friday night and checked through the bike (reducing the risk of either things going wrong with the equipment or other kit malfunction delaying my departure... thus reducing the risk of a no show excuse and increasing the chance of me getting off my arse and making the meet time)

I woke up in plenty of time for a harty breakfast and a bit of procrastination before leaving on time and even arriving early (well, early for me - I got in a good 5mins before the 9am bell chimed on the village green)... 

As we gathered the biggest talking point was had we chosen the right layering system for the days weather!... It was 9 with a real feel of 7, possible rain... it was a quandary I can tell you!

What a fine gathering - Image curtesy of Liz - I'm lessor spotted at the back

My final decision was an underarmour summer long sleeved top with my TVT winter jacket... bib shorts and leg warmers... mostly I was ok but definitely in danger of overheating (the zip was hald down for the climbs and almost up for the most part)

Split into three groups we all headed out in different directions - the group I was in headed out West before looping back, slightly south of our start and then stopping off at a local coffee shop in Arborfield where we were looking to meet up with the other rides. Particular nice for me as that meant I could finish the club ride there as it wasn't too far from home.. so need need to get back to the start only to ride back.

The ride itself was fab, we had a mixed group where I was most definitely the weakest rider and was put through my paces - just about holding the wheel on the first uphill I definitely was pushing it. Managed to remember to drink my water and eat a bar during the ride, then was so excited/ relieved to be near the end I pretty much missed the break as the team really pushed on up the last mile towards the coffee shop! I definitely got dropped then but somehow (i think they slowed either for me or a roundabout), I managed to get back on for the last little bit... phewy

The club ride (including my home to start leg) came in 58.5km at an average speed of 26kph.... not bad and probably my fastest group ride since I did my ironman in 2016... I got over the 60k mark with my short poodle back home... and it only just started raining as I got to my doorstep...  so all in all I was super pleased with the efforts and being out with the clubt.. happy days!. .. but boy was I totally knackered after!! Whilst I didn't get a coffee and cake at the stop I went home and decided a cake was in order so went to my even more local cafe and rescued a couple of slices!

Sunday was then declared a rest day with just a bit of much needed yoga and a loving Sunday Roast put on by my parents!

September Stats

 Ok ok .. nearly a week late so let's keep it brief...

I'll get my excuses in early and say we did go on a lovely walking holiday for a week in Scotland during the month. It was EVERYTHING I dreamed of... amazing weather, great food, lovely beer. We had amazing walks!

The only vague plan I followed was the final bits of my Windsor 10k program

.. both of these facts are somewhat poor excuses for some of the low's and no's.... 50p justification fine Dory

Sport	Count	KM	Minutes
Swim	2	4.0	115.88
Bike	0	0	0
Run	7	52.68	359.81
Strength	0	-	0
Yoga	8	-	264.13
Walk	23	132.89	2774.83

Obviously this month I won't be doing so much walking, my aim is to get a more balanced portfolio of swim, bike and run.. I want to make sure I keep up with the yoga - as that helps the knee and injury prevention, mostly I use yoga for stretching). I also want to get back into my strength training as this for sure has helped me get back in to shape and able to do the more aerobic/ anaerobic stuff I love to do.

I've already done 2 swims and more metres in the first week of October, and also got on my bike twice this week as well as 1 yoga sessions.... so not a bad start. 

One race is in the diary for a standard distance triathlon in May, I'm eyeballing a potential half marathon in March but I want to see how my body responds to more distance first. I'm not sure going beyond the 10k will work or not.

Onwards and upwards - welcome Autumn my old frienemy.

Windsor 10k Race Report!

 "Race Report:" Well I never thought I'd be typing that again - dare I dream - yes I do.

Anyway... Windsor 10k was last weekend!

I'd done a bit of semi-structured training for that - in that I kind of followed a Garmin 10k program. I don't think I actually completed a full week of all the 4 run days prescribed because, well (a) I like to do other things and (b) my body doesn't seem to like running more then 3 days a week (I am still hugely paranoid for my left knee that got injured 18months ago)

Race Day!

Despite a month load of rain in the preceding few days we woke to a pink then very blue sky. Exactly what you wish for in a late season, dare I say early autumn run.

I prepared like days of old having some porridge for breakfast and a coffee ... not sure the porridge was so wise as I've not eaten the stuff for a long time and something gave me stomach pain later on in the day ... could have been the oats, the race or just a bug... who knows... but I digress

Three of us were car pooling to the venue so I left just before 8 to head to the RV. Short trip down the M4 and we got to the race venue in plenty of time... not quite too much but enough to not have to stress for anything. The event was held in Windsor Great Park and if you know the area it's towards the bottom of the long mile. The venue was a bit wet under foot but nothing too dramatic and a well organised kit drop area and very clean porta-loos.... It's actually the same place for the Windsor half marathon held the next day.

Anyway. After a bit of phaffing about we piled in all our excess layers into my bag and I dropped off - got suddenly jumped on by my friend Vida who was down there with another group - we hugged said hi and then bye and as it was 0945 and we had to go to the pens.. ... the three of us had signed up for the sub 70min group but Leanne and I had chatted in the week and agreed I'd head to the front of the pen whilst she and Beth stayed towards the back - they are used to running with each other and I wanted to run at my own pace... all good! Took a couple of pics and a selfie with the sub70min pacer (I don't know they manage to run with those big flag things strapped to the back)... a few more tunes and suddenly the count down began and we were off! 

Now I did this race before (with Vida actually!), in 2019 and I did remember the first hill... so my plan was to pace myself through the first 3k, to not go out too fast (which would be anything under 6:30/ km pace) and be ok with the second km being 7min... the sun was hot the sky was blue and I did manage to kerb my excitement but bloody hell that hill around the 2k mark .. oomppffff...

Anyway... I recovered and was happily around the 19:30min for 3k so about on track... we had a water stop - it was actually surprisingly hot by now so I needed some water but the water was freezing!! So, as I didn't want to create a problem for my tummy, I sipped and had to keep the water in my mouth to warm up before swallowing - this created a little of a breathing problem however .. ha... still through the 3k and we got a nice whizzy down hill... wooo hooooo... didn't remember this but I ran like a dog enjoying it until I looked up... swearing quite considerably I saw a somewhat steepish climb (relatively speaking - it felt like a mountain) an unexpected hill up towards the 5k mark... it was actually about 1k up... gah... There were some people up there stopping to take a picture (or maybe just stopping to recover)... but honestly the views were amazing - to the left is a statue of Queen Elizabeth II on horse back and to the right was a view all the way down to the Windsor Castle. It really was amazing ... I thought about stopping for a pic but I really wanted to get in under 1:05 so frankly I took in the sights and got my breath back before beating on.... because I knew that we must be now nearing the top top and it should (hopefully be down hill all the way!) .. yippee... Time for my new unicorn shorts to give me wings and fly down back to the start line!

Around the 6k marker we had another water stop and you could see that everyone ahead was down on a downslope... I had got to 5k in a surprising 31:34mins ... so I knew, failing injury or totally blowing up I would be able to get in my aspirational 1:05... woohoo... I began (momentarily) to wonder if I could actually get in under the magical hour... but figured there was little to no chance of running a sub 28:30 5k even with the down hill... so I decided that I'd start to take a few pictures instead! 

Running down I was just really chipper - I couldn't stop grinning - I really never thought after the last 4 years of stop start, of trying to get used to what I call my "new body" (menopause sucks), I rarely thought I'd be up for "racing" again... but here I was like a dog in the fox poo loving it... then we got to 8k where some magical little hill snuck up and walloped me in the face .... yes some swearing happened... but it was short and then the down started again.. turning left to go down the long mile was brilliant - what a view... so great I took a picture with a marshal and then woo-hoo'd my way down the hill... the end was in site!

..... god it went on and on and on... 

..... like the longest home straight...longer then that 400m at the end of the London Marathon.. I was still gleeful when I got the 9k marker... where I definitely thought bloody hell... but carried on in my own very happy way - my watch clicked through 10k as we got towards the finish line.... people sprinted past but there was nothing left in my tank, I rarely had a turn of speed in the good old days so I just grinned, and raised my arms in victory -  I crossed the line in 1:01:29 !!! Like OMG

Stats:

5k:          31:34

10k:        60:52 < Yes a negative split, well done me - thank you hills!

10.14k    61:29... I was clocking every km from the start about 100m before the km sign. I think the race runs slightly long.. honest guv

Photo's on Insta: 

I'm recovering well - could walk absolutely fine Sunday but my knee growled at me Monday due to lack of any kind of stretching activity... I've swam and biked a bit this week and looking forward to seeing how my running legs feel tomorrow!

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

Back to Day 1

 I’m not talking about the op rehab nor Covid

I quick search of my blog I found I’ve only mentioned the word “Iraq” three times so it’s clear I’ve never really mentioned it and maybe that’s fine - this blog originated as a means to diarise my journey in triathlon after all…. But you know I may not have even started doing anything to do with triathlon as it was being holed up in a German Garrison on the way back from Iraq that I discovered this sport and decided I’d give it a bash and commenced my original 4 year journey towards my first IM

And now here I am some 16 years after my call up, and 15 years since I got back talking about day 1

Yes day fucking 1 .. AGAIN

When I first got home from the conflict I’d say every day for the first 3-4 months was a day 1.. the first day of counting when I didn’t feel under threat, ready to run, planning escape routes, ready… just ready to act. Every day, every single day for the first few months my brain couldn’t compute that I was safe. I was certainly primed for fight or flight. Over time the days did start joining together and they eventually became months.. often with a reset to day 1 after bonfire night, fireworks became my nemesis 

As years have gone I’ve got fine with them. As long as I’m inside. Or if outside, as long as I expect them and I’m in the dark. I have no issues.

My last day 1 was probably 2.5 years ago when I was on a bus coming home from work (trains had problems so my last let home was a hour on the bus!), and someone threw some sort of banger firework at the bus. I was in the light, I was not expecting it (even though it was firework season). It was a mere moment but I got home and simply cried. It really shook me up - I don’t know how I stayed on the bus and can only remember the light of the bus when the bang when and the darkness of the street when i got off near home and ran like my life depended on it.. the bit in between must have taken at least 20mins but I’ve literally no idea.

The thing is I can’t explain to you anything really. It makes no sense … like none at all. Every single bit of me goes into hyperdrive and I want to act but my conscious brain knows I’m safe, knows this isn’t a problem (I mean it certainly shouldn’t be), but every single instinct in my body gets wired and wants to act, i guess adrenaline is involved somewhere.. I can’t describe the inner conflict - the will it takes just to sit still and convince yourself it’s ok - whilst literally you want to run for cover.

I don’t know where the tears come from after these things … I’m not sad, at least I don’t think I am!! I am not frightened, I know I have no need to be… . I shouldn’t feel ashamed but part of me does.. it kind of feels how I’d feel i think if i suddenly pissed my pants without having control (and I can assure you i don’t do that!! LOL)…. 

Fortunately, and I am fortunate… I have such a brilliant partner in life. She is just amazing. I would feel so lonely if I weren’t able to talk to her - she knows this reaction is so irrational, which confuses my brain so much given I seek logic in everything …and this whole shitshow is so illogical it infuriates me…. Importantly she doesn’t try and rationalise (even when I do), she just listens and helps as she is a presence of calmness.

For the first time today I actually went on line to the combatstress website. It turns out (like no shit Sherlock) that it has some really useful self help resources around anxiety and ptsd. By coincidence I have a lot of their suggestions in my armaments so I’m doing ok today (I’ve meditated, done some light exercise and here’s some reflective thinking)…. Honestly there self help pages are spot on and having a framework to process what happened has really helped.  I often feel like I shouldn’t go on these resources, because I wasn’t really in intense danger, i don’t think it should apply, my conflict wasn’t so bad. .. but at the end of the day I went from a civvy pencil pusher one moment to donning body armour and helmet in a conflict zone the next. We all came under indirect fire (hence fireworks are shitty), no one I knew personally died, there was one close call with one of the guys I hung out with but that was it. Road moves and helicopter rides were tense. Sometimes I feel like a fraud that I react in the way I do - I don’t know how folks who had far far more difficult tours then I did every get over it. 

So last night I was in the light, surrounded by a derelict Abby on a warm and steamy night… first it was some boy racers with backfiring exhausts, i was vaguely ok kind of in control but then the fireworks started. It was exhausting for what felt like an age but was probably a couple of mins where i held on to reality.

I’m not writing this blog for any other reason to say then to just get it out.. and say  hey ho.. here we are back on day 1… I see you .. I know you and whilst I feel you Mr Flight or Fight, you are not required. Please do one. 

4 years later...

 .... a lot can happen in 4 years .. or not.. here’s a summary of my swim/bike/run adventures since...

Well since Vichy I’ve done 1 sprint tri ( yes just 1) and a half marathon (yes just 1) .... 

The year after Vichy 2017 was a bit of a write off due to virus’ and a new job .... but I supported well that year! I did sneak in the sprint on little to no training but that was it race wise (did also manage to run multiple parts of the Kennet and Avon canal which was some fun)... and we headed to Italy for a walking holiday and some spectating of IM Italy!

2018 I was beginning to get into a training rhythm having entered reading half, that was cancelled because  of snow but still I had also entered a local 70.3 ...then I fell down the stairs and tore ankle ligaments... so that race was a no go and saw me back to couch to 5k in the early summer .... I did enter a 10k swim .. only to do in a rotator cuff 10days out... so that buggered that up.. but i spectated well for that too...

2019 well I had thought about entering Vichy 70.3 but the race got full before I got my arse in gear... I did manage to do Reading Half Marathon in a personal worse but at least I got something done ... I got a new job and just decided that it would be my focus and so just some occasional swim, bike or run randomly .... did do a sportive with Team Twinkles so I did at least get a medal!

I had plans for a few races and sportives this year... I mean I’d even entered some!.... but than Covid came to town and everything went to shit .... 

It’s now September.... there’s kind of some point to planning events for next year but other than my postponed Luxembourg 70.3 there is nothing to actually enter BUT I had been getting back into the rhythm of some running, some bike and a little open water swimming (when that was allowed again)... was beginning to feel good about my fitness levels coming back... I mean I may be 50 now and so a lot slower but you can still get fit right?.. and I have to say the last year without races saw me put on a few kg ... so I was getting into good baseline shape again by end of July... having hit my Fit @ 50 (FaF!) goals which weren’t about speed but just getting out and about with my weight and body fat in a good zone... anyway... it’s now Sept and Aug was a bit craperony because a niggle that’s been niggling pretty much all year really flared up... so it turns out I’ll prob be having surgery next month which will wipe out all swim/bike and running for the rest of the year... of course me being me need a plan and something to aim for .... so ideally I would like to be able to be walking by the end of the year and as an outside goal depending on how it goes maybe I’m going to be starting a couch to 5k plan again and maybe could be cycling... but I’m just going to have to be patient and see what’s what.... I think Luxembourg 70.3 was perhaps never meant to be!!... but assuming it goes ahead Covid allowing and all... I’m sure I’ll enjoy being a Sherpa!!

[edit the surgery happened - it ended up being a 4.5hr complex surgery - nothing life threatening but messy]

Ironman Vichy Race Report

Take 2: App crashed and take 1 was lost - this will probably benefit the reader mind you; less waffle I reckon 2nd time around!

Having arrived in Vichy the Wednesday evening before race day it was quite apparent that, well, it was bloody hot. It then came as only a little suprise to hear this would be a non-wetsuit swim... That despite me reading somewhere in recent weeks that Vichy has always been with wetsuit as whilst it's a dammed lake, it has flow.... So I was actually a bit put out, along with about 4000 other athletes participating in weekends events (70.3 on Saturday and IM on Sunday). Still it was what it was a lucky I'd packed a swim costume.

So despite the prospect of extreme heat and no wetsuit I felt kind of good come race day. Excited. I had a plan, I had my own personal sponges for cooling on the run, I had my lower back and shoulder taped up. I was ready (as ready as I'd ever be).. If we were lucky the weather looked like it may break at some point during the run.

SWIM

So my aim was to take it easy to steady given the non-wetsuit... Having discussed it with my roomies we all decided to seed ourselves in our original swim time, my thought was this would be somewhere between 1:07 - 1:10 swim with wetsuit so that's where I went to queue up. With 2 people jumping in every few seconds the rolling start was underway. Jumping in I sank a lot more then I expected (remembering "oh yeah I won't float up without a wetsuit".. Well, despite this being a rolling start to less busy... The first quarter up river felt like I was in a washing machine; I got pulled, hit (accidentally) and scratched.. It was a bloody nightmare and probably when I consumed the most water!! Going back down river felt better, more space at least but by now I was swimming wide. The swim is split into 2 out and backs, so apparently at half way I clambered out, stopped to tighten my timing chip which was loose and jumped back in, this time hitting my legs on the bottom of the ramp which caused the first small bout of toe cramping (more to come on that).... I'd seen my watch at 42mins but it felt long and Garmin said 2.4k so wasn't worried about time.. But did think a bit of wtf, and thought lap2 must be shorter... Ha ha ha... Off set for lap 2.... Not so much bumping but was definitely swimming wide again, not sure when the really bad leg cramp, from knee to toe,  started but remember on the way back up right leg went completely and I thought if the other goes I'm done for!!! And for a moment imagined how pissed off I'd be if I had to be rescued and not even finish the swim.. Lol.... So I carried on with anchor leg and it finally swam itself out. Concentrated on good catch and felt easy.... Turned top buoy for home then got poked by someone and so left leg cramped up so that was shit, "swam" with another anchor for a while before it eased and I staggered up right, took me a while to get my balance before shuffling ... Was rather dismayed at the time 1:29:something but tired positive thinking and figured it was what it was and hadn't died and figured it was probably long and same for everyone... And anyway regardless it was my longest swim ever time wise and I had drank that much I figured I was at least starting hydrated!! Lol...

Took time in T2 out of swim costume into bike gear, applied sun cream grabbed shoes and trotted off.... Wasn't fast but wasn't pressured... Time to ride.... 

BIKE

Straight out on the bike trying to put the swim behind me, it didn't take long to realise that I really REALLY needed to pee... Being on the Aeros can do that to you ... Having not yet learnt how to pee on the bike and having learnt from the race in Exmoor then better to go sooner then later, I gratefully found the special needs feed station just being set up a few km out from transition. Phew. Long wee 1 done... Back on my bike and into the swing of things, the usual then happened with streams of people coming past... given the volume maybe my swim wasn't as bad as it had felt... Happily on my bars with my wattage and HR zones written on some tape on the top stem, I concentrated on NOT pushing it and really enjoying the countryside. The first 50-60k went pretty quickly, for some time during this I had the person known as "orange socks" (because they were wearing long bright orange socks) ahead of me - for some time actually... They overtook, pulled ahead but then the distance remained the same about 300-400m up the road... And then I started gaining (this never happens on the bike)... During the orange sock distraction, club mate Jamie Rossiter arrived at my shoulder, which was great to see.... I think he started after me on the timing mat and we lamented about the swim. I consider Jamie and I to be similar swimmers (I may be off with that but think so) and so when he said he'd taken about 1.5hrs as well it I guess helped reaffirmed the positive for me (I had still been fighting the demons). Off he whizzed as I carried on my stalking of orange socks. MUCH to my surprise before aid station 2 or 3 (probably the 3rd one), I overtook orange socks - as I said much to my surprise. My joy was short lived however as I needed to pee again so stopped at the aid station for a welcome emptying of the bladder... lol... I really did drink a lot of the lake water!! Orange socks sailed by and I never saw them again! Back on the bike everything was going smoothly.. And then I got GRUMPY... really grumpy.. This was probably at the aid station just before the only real hill on the course, and as I was grumpily going up the hill that's when 349a Team mate Jules cycled to my shoulder. Apparently I wasn't happy (he told me after), apparently I was having a horrible time... I know this was in my grumpy zone and during training this was always an indicator to stop with solid foods and move only to gels. That decision was easy, gels only from now on it was and pedal on we go! The rest of the loop was entertaining, a bit more rolling and pockets of very supportive villagers. The drop down into the village were the course split into 2nd loop or return to T2 was very exciting and loud... HOWEVER with no signage and hence no knowledge of the split being so imminent it suddenly became a confusion of cones and whistle blowing Gendarme. Without a clue which way to go and not understanding anything I was being shouted at by the gendarme (partly because I couldn't hear him and partly because my poor brain coudn't cope trying to steer the bike avoid the cones, break the bike, stop the bike, AHHHH don't fall off get foot out just in time... And listen to him and translate what he was saying... ).. Effectively I headed for the middle just avoided crashing into cones and gendarme and falling before realising I need to GO RIGHT. A sign would have been useful I lamented. Bursting with adrenaline I clicked back in and started off again, thanked by my fellow racers who had been sufficiently behind me in the chaos to work it out based on what I was doing - so they whizzed by and my adrenaline fueled body decided with all that excitement.. Yes... I needed another wee,... Sigh... Stopping again at the special needs station (this time a kind volunteer held my bike), I was sufficiently calm enough to decide to take a painkiller for my now aching lower back and shoulders (injury 4 weeks out before race) and set off for lap 2. 

The second lap was so totally enjoyable I can only remember smiling :) Not sure if that was the painkillers or from the adrenaline or what. But I loved it. I was zipping through the countryside, HR and power completely in control. I was even catching and overtaking people, as well as people still coming past me, although by now the field was most certainly more ahead of me then behind. The drizzle which had happened on the first lap, about 2/3rds around the course had turned into a proper shower by the time I got back to the same area. The crowds were thus less, and the roads thus more slippy (I certainly had one rear wheel slippage moment going around a corner which was exciting). I had a bit of a sing song (as you, well I, do) and just took in the scenery - it was lovely. Coming back into the split area or course I knew which way to go and was excited to be nearing T2. No stops in lap 2 meant a negative split for the bike (not that I knew that at the time), and I eventually came in to T2 around 6hrs 20 - which was actually about 15-45mins faster then I thought I would. Really happy - just the little prospect of a marathon to go. Arriving back to Vichy it did indeed feel like someone had left the oven door open.... into the heat we went...

THE RUN

Honestly when you get to this, with all the training done it's not worth thinking "Can I?" But more like "I CAN!" ... my mental approach was to do lap one as a city sightseeing tour of Vichy in preparation for a half marathon (I can do a half, no problem, and this was flat compared to exmoor)... so once that was done, it was just a 10.2k run... no problem. Cough. No point dwelling, well apart from in transition to get changed and make sure my blistered feet (no new blisters just old ones) had some tape on to hopefully prevent deterioration and off I go. My plan (well my coach's plan!) was to go very easy, HR firmly under z3 (i.e. Up to not over 131) and only in z2 throughout. Instructions to eat if it started peaking, or in this case as it was like an oven, to try and cool down. So that somewhat dictated the pace and to be honest I had had some very happy very slow off road runs at home so put myself in the countryside at home mode and trundled off. For whatever reason I stopped at the portaloos at the first aid station after about 2k. I didn't actually need to go but was paranoid a little from my bladder issues in Exmoor and the experience I had had in Barcelona.... so I guess I thought better safe then sorry as I didn't know when the next loo was... needn't have worried whatsoever... so left there and started to trundle again and what was this DISASTER... my Garmin had stopped!!! Actually surprisingly I wasn't that bothered and figured I'd know my pacing was too hard if I started "mouth breathing" .... so let my Garmin have its own meltdown and settled in.... it did actually come back to life so a couple of k later I restarted and then got my cadence and HR back. Happily trotting along at about 6:30-6:45k pace with walk breaks through EVERY aid station... I wasn't really taking much aid in these but these were an appropriate place to get water on my head and cool down  ... much appreciated showers!!! Approaching the bridge and aid station at about 8k I had a HR spike and figured it was probably about time for some extra salt... weather it was the chewable from saltstick or the gel or the cooling water I don't know... but HR came immediately down and back in control.  Lap 1 was good and steady with this run/ walk strategy working well. Saw Alison which was fab to be told Anita and Jules had been seen and looked in good shape.... fully expecting Anita to lap me i was happy to see her as I completed lap 1, she was burning up the turf and on her way to second in our age group and a spot at Kona (awesome)... for a short while we had a natter .. she stopped under a shower but soon came back past me again. Super stuff from the Jones! I honestly have little memory of my half marathon, all a bit of a blur... basically heading aid station to aid station with the boast of pacing through the finish semi circle of joy each lap. I was consistent with nurtition, water, walk breaks and cooling. I had had a truly awful metric ironman 26k run in training and felt somewhat elated to have passed that point with no real bother!! With little idea of my actual time on my penultimate time through the finish arena I looked at the main timing clock and figured I was amazingly still inside my refurbed ultimate goal of sub 13:30 (i.e. Under my Barcelona time, days before I thought was out of the window and certainly after the swim).... Joyously I picked up band 3 (you get a different coloured band for each lap), so full of the joy of the rainbow on my wrist I headed out... the sun was beginning to get low but there was an outside chance I'd make it back before it was dark which was another unspoken aim. So off... only 10.2k to go. Now honestly I don't quite know what happened in lap 4. I kind of let myself off a bit. In Barcelona I had little choice but to walk all of the final lap. I could barely shuffle by that stage and I was in much better shape... except my feet. My feet hurt. Not terribly but enough.... and for WHATEVER reason (there was no reason not even wind!) I stopped in the portaloos at three different aid station. I have no idea what that was about. As Richard the wise said, it was probably because I knew I'd get to the finish inside my time... that and bad tummy issues before so paranoid was all it needed. So I did walk at times outside of the aid station on lap 4 which is why it was much slower. The crowds around Vichy were thinning but there was a group of English girls (think they'd done the 70.3 the day before) who were still by the riverside and adding to the atmosphere .... one of them even decided I should be running so got me jogging along again whilst she jogged with me carrying her pint - without spilling a drop! It was impressive stuff!! As I got slower the people around me also seemed to be turning into mush as I still passed people who had blown themselves up earlier in the day and were simple down to a shuffle of a walk... but still heading in the right direction. Coming to the last 4K I found myself walking for a short while with a couple of chaps, both English. So we chatted for a bit and one by one they left me... so there I was walking alone when someone came running past me. They only had 1 band, they had 2 and a bit laps to go. They weren't go fast but they were going... so bugger the blisters I thought, if they can I can. So jog started again and I started taking people again. Met the two chaps at the penultimate aid station as we walked up the slope to the bridge I asked if they were going to join me as I was going to jog the last k in..... Fin (I got to know his name later) duly said yes and so we jogged in the last k together, he disappointed with his day, 5th ironman and a worst for him... me extremely happy with my day (after what I still regard as an awful start!)... we entered the arena with another guy who whilst going much slower well we didn't pass as that just felt rude. So the three of us finished in diamond formation... with the guy then Fin and I together crossing the line at the same time. Unfortunately this completely confused the clock so my name never popped up! BT huge smiles, no idea what my time was but the sun was setting behind me. I counted it as daylight even though it was most certainly more like the gloaming! 

For once I felt utterly ok at the end, no wobbles! I grabbed my medal, had some pictures taken... took my tshirt and headed to the athlete area where my after bag had wet wipes, change of clothes, protein shake and most importantly my phone so I could text the best most supportive Sherpa in the world, Alison and arrange a rendezvous. Unlike my previous foray into this distance I also felt immediately hungry and filled my face with melon and pretzels. Met up with both a Jules and Anita and eventually got us all out there to meet up with the now long suffering best Sherpa in the world. To drop bike off with the "shipmytribike" guys as well as my bag of smelly kit and back to out B&B for pizza!!!

13:13:08 Ironman Vichy done.

Post Race thoughts:

I entered this ironman as a year ago, faced with major surgery (which I ended up thankfully not needing), I had a chat with myself which went along the lines of if I could never do an ironman again would I regret having only done one... the answer was yes... and so the desire to do another was formed. You always need a reason and I'm pleased and proud to have achieved IM number 2.... that should be enough...

I said about 4 weeks out before the race, when I was at my most tired ebb that I never ever want to do one of these again. I asked Alison to shoot me if I ever suggested it. I even said this during one of the laps "this is so stupid" and certainly at the end in texts "NEVER no NEVER again"... of course then comes the day after and I go... well maybe one more... maybe Roth should still be on my bucket list. But not yet, maybe never but f I were going to say yes to one more that would be it.

Second thought is this was the first triathlon I think I've done where I had what I'd like to call an inverse experience... typically I come out ahead on the swim get overtaken by hundreds (it fills like) on the bike, then by anyone who hasn't already got me on the bike, gets me on the run. This one was the complete opposite. Which was actually quite a nice experience. Whilst I still dropped in my age group during the event I did start taking people on the bike (a first!) and seemed to be taking people on the run (whilst also being overtaken myself) ... so this was a really positive experience!

Third thought.... practice practice practice your nutrition. Certainly a major difference between racing in Barcelona and Vichy is my nutrition strategy (incl water and salt not just fuel) was much more nailed down. This was done through trying a lot in training and getting to something that worked really well for me

Fourth; running slowly is fun and amazing... I really enjoyed my long runs and rambles in the countryside during my training. Somehow the experience transferred itself mentally on race day. Weird but helpful all the same.

It really was an epic day.... but it isn't just about the day but the journey of the months of training beforehand. Having the support of your family is a must, the Pope has had to put up with a lot these last months (ok years), she is amazing. My patient (and oh so wise ) coach who sets my plans only for to never have a green week.... sorry rich... one day!

Next year: not sure yet. My "A" race though is actually a holiday in a Greek island, date tbd.... my races will revolve around that :)

Pain Misery Agony or Honor Glory Victory?

Actually a bit of both....

From this Saturday 6th I shall be participating with up to 3500+ (I think!) other individuals on the annual Tour of the mythical land of Sufferlandria (ToS)

This is a not so mythical tour (because it most certainly is a physical one) around the mythical land of Sufferland where Grunty von Agony (GvA) shall be whipping us on our way.

“Give me your tired, your oxygen deprived,
Your huddled minions yearning for the end of the interval,
The shelled remnants of your teeming peloton.
Send these, the quad-blasted, grovelling wretched to me,
And they will wish they played it safe and stayed outside.”

(From the Poem, “Suffer, Little Minions” by Grunter von Agony)

Over 9 days I will be attempting to complete numerous indoor turbo workouts; some days multiple workouts back to back... and then there is the day of double revolver - I can't articulate my fear of this - every time I think of doing this workout, twice, brings me out in a cold sweat (or maybe that is just the lack of central heating at the moment)

A fellow Sufferlandrian has done a good graphic of what the tour entails:

It will be epic... and I hope I make it through to the end... I've done over 3 hours on a turbo before now so the length of time on any one day is not the issue; but the repeated efforts days in a row will be new to me. It's definitely going to be a test, especially the last 2 days.... assuming of course I survive the first Sunday (double.. gulp... revolver... wth!)

BUT WHY DO THIS TO YOURSELF? 

Well yes it's going excellent training - but there's more to it then that. Anyone can participate in this event from anywhere in the world which is great and creates a fantastic online community for support... but there's more then that.... the event is sponsored by several companies creating a pool of goodies, then the riders who can afford to (min is $10) "enter" the Prize Tour by donating to The Davis Phinney Foundation... which makes them eligible for a virtual ticket in the prize draw. Here's something about the Davis Phinney Foundation them;

"The Davis Phinney Foundation was founded in 2004 by Olympic medalist and cycling great, Davis Phinney, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2000 at the age of 40. Today, Davis is both a role model in the cycling community and an inspiration to the estimated 1.5 million Americans and estimated 10 million worldwide who are currently living with the disease."

Their missions is simply put "to help people living with Parkinson’s to live well today "

So there is more to this event that myself and many are doing; there will certainly be Pain Misery and Agony on the way but we, as a community (both those whom can afford to donate to this cause and those that can not, we are in it together), shall embrace the event and do our best to finish. We ride together, virtually speaking, as a community of cyclists supporting one another for a great cause close to the hearts of many in the cycling fraternity. 

Many sufferlandrians having "entered" are asking for sponsorship either for the Davis Phinney foundation or other causes close to their hearts which is a great thing. I could at this stage ask for further sponsorship - but that isn't the intent if this post - I'm fortunate that having donated my company has also matched the donation.  I will be doing a lot of endurance events this year and will at some point make a post about what I may wish for from you.... as I said, right now I just wanted to tell you what this lunacy is about over the coming week!

                 HONOR! GLORY! VICTORY

                  IWBMATTKYT

January training

Time for review of January.... This year I'm aiming to be an epic one having entered my second ever ironman, some 6 years after my last and enough time to have forgotten all the training involved. One of the things I enjoyed doing last time around (when I was a far more consistent blogger), was to reflect on the month gone and think about some short term, next month goals... Keeping some short term aims helps the journey to the bigger picture. 

So with that said below is a summary from sports tracks of most of my training ... Differences between mileage/ sped on for biking on strava is mostly my indoor rides I sync Zwift to strava (which shows more km the Garmin records)... Some strength sessions also missing below... But think it will provide a starting point at least!

Summary of January:

On the surface nearly 27 hours of training in the month feels like it's heading in the right direction, however scratch at the surface and we see a bit of a start/ stop/ start/ stop month. Start of the month at work (start of the half/ end of the last) always presents known time constraints... Which is fine and once I'd have felt some sort of training guilt with that but now accept it is what it is. I then had a good consistent block of about 10 days... Then 5 days ago I got this sore throat thing doing the rounds so have missed the last 5 days which is less the ideal....

Swim

Well I'm happy with having done a couple of swims over 3k. I'm happy that at the start of the month (after a few swim weeks off over Xmas) that my form went from feeling like jelly to fell like it was coming back together a bit. I know 2 swims a week make a big difference and know I will get stronger with consistency.

Still having some ear issues but combating that with trying different ear plugs, the olive and tea tree oil ear drops also seem to help clear the water out (when I remember to put it in before). Anyway I'm enjoying my swim at the moment and a little frustrated with only one swim last week (shortened by issues with too many people in the pool!)

My aim for February is to gain some consistency; I'm hoping to be over the bug to participate in the Tour of Sufferlandria but will hopefully squeeze in some recovery swims in that time as well as the tour rides. I want to continue getting a better feel for the water and stronger.

Bike

Whilst I biked quite a bit in the virtual world in January (largely zwifting) I did, err... No rides in the real world... And to be honest I'm a bit disappointed with myself with that! Once I swapped for bad weather which is fine but once really just disorganised so ended up doing a tempo indoor session rather then long easy outdoor session. Strangely strava has me over 300kms ... 

Overall I'm happy with the time on the bike during January (despite lack of any biking in the last week), I'm enjoying the mixture of sessions the coach has been setting this month and really the only complaint with myself I could have is to get out more. Ironically then I won't be going outside from 6-14 Feb as I'll be suffering indoors with my fellow sufferlandrians... As we are away the last weekend of February I'll say now a wish for good weather the weekend of 20/21st and pledge for a ride outside!

Run

Well I'm surprised to say that I'm quite enjoying my run at the moment and I've finally found a pair of trainers which don't give me a blood blister for starters which is probably helping matters! I've probably been most consistent with running over the last 4 weeks and have even done an "easy" 16k which whilst wasn't easy actually wasn't absurdly horrible either. Should have been doing another 16+k run today but throaty thing has stopped that. I'm still slow and don't expect that to change but the consistency has certainly got me faster (for me in my mid 40s!).

I expect my running for Feb to be slightly less overall as the ToS will likely have an impact. Looking forward though to a race at the end of Feb, although originally supposed to be half marathon looks like we are relocating our weekend so will be 15k.. So will have to race harder then to make up!!!

On top of the above there has been a couple of entertaining strength sessions, although I confess these are the more likely sessions I miss. I think next month I should also post some stats on missed sessions... More red the green in Training Peaks is never a good thing! 

First and most important thing for February though is to shift this bug properly and then get into the swing!.... Vichy VIchy VIChy......

Giving 10%

Whilst we were lucky enough to be heading off on our last holiday - a fantastic time in Italy - the news continued to report on the increasing numbers of displaced people, refugees, trying to enter Europe by various means largely to escape war in their home land.

It shocks me every time I hear cynical people effectively stating "not on my door" and "they should stay or return home"..... Without considering how utterly desperate people must be to leave and attempt to travel thousands of miles to a place they believe will be a better place to raise their family.

Who would not want that basic need to have security and safety?.... Did countries close their borders during WW 1 and during/ after WW2 ?... Did thousands of people not seek "a better life" only centuries ago as they left on boats to new lands, be that America, Australia or New Zealand...(read from the header "Departure from Liverpool", the second paragraph is as pertinent today as it was then)......   Sadly, particular now it seems, there are always the unscrupulous who will look to profit from this.

My partner wrote a very balanced and much more articulate post on the matter.

Whilst watching this  news we appreciated the safety and opportunity which we live in. We are fortunate to be able to afford holidays - and appreciate not everyone who has this safety and security can do that. We decided that whilst considering spending on holiday or sports gear or clothing we should also consider those less fortunate then us... and with that have pledged to not spend until we've saved and donate 10% of the cost to charity.

We're not set on any specific charity but do want to give to a persons charitable fundraising,  local, national and international charities. If we can afford stuff we can afford this. We are grateful for what we have and the opportunity life presents us - whilst I don't think I can do one big thing for the homeless, for those fighting cancer, for those fighting poverty or crime, those so desperate to leave their home for safety elsewhere;  We can do many small things by donating when we can afford it. If we can afford a holiday we can afford a bit more - we may just need to delay the joy of that holiday, which is no bad thing when you think of the instant gratification Amazon can give... - so I'm grateful for the opportunity to be more thoughtful and do something little in the scheme of things.