50 miles on the bike Saturday, which is the longest since the Outlaw and took in the Trent via Brigg, returning through Kirton Lindsey and Brandy Wharf.
Yesterday, I ran 6 miles back from son-in-law #3's farm, and felt reasonably good, so all in all a good weekend's exercise.
Not much else to say here, so it's goodbye from me.
Tuesday, 26 August 2014
Thursday, 21 August 2014
Sole Provider
I'm not sure if it's a bruised foot, or something more sinister like Mortens Neuroma. It feels like a bruised foot, but I've never had it before so I'm automatically thinking it's worse than that.
It started towards the end of my 7 mile run on Tuesday and although it has eased off today (Thursday) it still bothers me a bit - physically and mentally.
Mortens Neuroma (or similar) is something to do with your bones not having enough to room in the shoe, and can be attributed to wearing high heels, but also from wearing ill-fitting running shoes. In my case, I'm fairly sure it's not the high heels and my shoes are definitely not squeezing my feet, so despite my pessimistic view it much be some sort of bruising/ache/pain.
It's slightly interesting how one's mind wanders on to 'worse case scenarios' in cases like these, but then rational self interjects and makes you sleep a bit better.
If it's not raining I plan on a bike ride tonight, keeping off the feet for a few days.
It started towards the end of my 7 mile run on Tuesday and although it has eased off today (Thursday) it still bothers me a bit - physically and mentally.
Mortens Neuroma (or similar) is something to do with your bones not having enough to room in the shoe, and can be attributed to wearing high heels, but also from wearing ill-fitting running shoes. In my case, I'm fairly sure it's not the high heels and my shoes are definitely not squeezing my feet, so despite my pessimistic view it much be some sort of bruising/ache/pain.
It's slightly interesting how one's mind wanders on to 'worse case scenarios' in cases like these, but then rational self interjects and makes you sleep a bit better.
If it's not raining I plan on a bike ride tonight, keeping off the feet for a few days.
Monday, 18 August 2014
Hunger pangs.
Is hunger all in the mind?
Bit of a silly question really, as all feelings are in the mind to a greater or lesser extent, but the question is really - what drives you to feel hungry? ..and I'm not sure of that one.
Since the Outlaw I seem to have eaten much more than I used to, and worse than that, a great deal of it is the rubbish, processed, unhealthy stuff that any self-respecting athlete should avoid.
That said, I have now acknowledged the fact, so I should be on my way now to a more healthy approach. Its been 3 weeks since the Outlaw so I should have replenished my glycogen reserves etc by now. I read an article on iron distance recovery that calculated (after inputting some arbitrary data) that my recovery time would be about 44 days, so I'm half way there.
Did a good 90 minute cyclocross stint yesterday in what were quite windy conditions. Nothing too difficult, but a few miles of it was along part of the Ancholme that I have never explored before, and now I've been there, I won't be rushing back until they have cut the nettles. My shins are still tingling.
Bit of a silly question really, as all feelings are in the mind to a greater or lesser extent, but the question is really - what drives you to feel hungry? ..and I'm not sure of that one.
Since the Outlaw I seem to have eaten much more than I used to, and worse than that, a great deal of it is the rubbish, processed, unhealthy stuff that any self-respecting athlete should avoid.
That said, I have now acknowledged the fact, so I should be on my way now to a more healthy approach. Its been 3 weeks since the Outlaw so I should have replenished my glycogen reserves etc by now. I read an article on iron distance recovery that calculated (after inputting some arbitrary data) that my recovery time would be about 44 days, so I'm half way there.
Did a good 90 minute cyclocross stint yesterday in what were quite windy conditions. Nothing too difficult, but a few miles of it was along part of the Ancholme that I have never explored before, and now I've been there, I won't be rushing back until they have cut the nettles. My shins are still tingling.
Wednesday, 13 August 2014
Letters hope Bertha has gone away.
Just a reasonably quick 5 miler round the village last night. It decided to rain quite hard half way round but I dried off soon after due to the wind. The weather has not been so good the last few days with momentous rain at the weekend and high winds due to the remnants of hurricane Bertha. Given that every hurricane is named alphabetically throughout the season, then this must be quite an early one.
I wonder if they ever run out of letters?
I wonder if they ever run out of letters?
Tuesday, 12 August 2014
Decision, decisions...
Training since the Outlaw:
1 x 26 mile road bike (no probs)
1 x 7 mile run (painful)
1 x 10 mile CX bike (no probs)
1 x 5 mile run (no probs)
And another 5 miler planned for this evening, so I think I can start moving on now - it was just over 2 weeks ago so just have to watch the distance.
The debate I'm having with myself though, is what to target for next year? They don't get much bigger than the iron distance, at least not without some serious running distances (and they're not for me I'm sure) so do I do some quality shorter ones? I can understand why people keep entering iron distance though, it gives you a real focus a long way off. Shorter distances need less preparation and therefore I wouldn't have one big target, but a few smaller ones.
I probably just need to get my head round it, get some entered and plan accordingly.
The cyclocross season starts towards the end of September, so that will keep me occupied until Christmas, and there's 3 x off-road duathlons I could enter if I find a few quid (they are £40 each!), and that even leads me into wondering if to try a few duathlons instead of triathlons. That would alleviate the swimming pressure.
..and then there's the Olympic distance triathlons that would probably suit me quite well now that my cycling is up to speed.
Watch this space.
1 x 26 mile road bike (no probs)
1 x 7 mile run (painful)
1 x 10 mile CX bike (no probs)
1 x 5 mile run (no probs)
And another 5 miler planned for this evening, so I think I can start moving on now - it was just over 2 weeks ago so just have to watch the distance.
The debate I'm having with myself though, is what to target for next year? They don't get much bigger than the iron distance, at least not without some serious running distances (and they're not for me I'm sure) so do I do some quality shorter ones? I can understand why people keep entering iron distance though, it gives you a real focus a long way off. Shorter distances need less preparation and therefore I wouldn't have one big target, but a few smaller ones.
I probably just need to get my head round it, get some entered and plan accordingly.
The cyclocross season starts towards the end of September, so that will keep me occupied until Christmas, and there's 3 x off-road duathlons I could enter if I find a few quid (they are £40 each!), and that even leads me into wondering if to try a few duathlons instead of triathlons. That would alleviate the swimming pressure.
..and then there's the Olympic distance triathlons that would probably suit me quite well now that my cycling is up to speed.
Watch this space.
Tuesday, 5 August 2014
Ouch
5 miles run last night - not a very pleasant experience. My left thigh felt like it had been dead-legged and was as stiff as a lump of wood whilst the rest of my lower limbs were not impressed with having to move.
When I had finished, the knee also started to complain and the remainder of the evening was quite uncomfortable. However, today everything seems to be back to some sort of normality but I'll not be trying that again until the weekend.
When I had finished, the knee also started to complain and the remainder of the evening was quite uncomfortable. However, today everything seems to be back to some sort of normality but I'll not be trying that again until the weekend.
Monday, 4 August 2014
The End.
11hrs 41mins - I never predicted that except in one of my dreams. It earned me 3rd in the 55-59 age group, 240th overall including 30 teams, so distinctly above average.
Last year that would have got me 1st age grouper, but I'm not complaining, I still got a nice bit of Outlawized Perspex for the mantelpiece.
I haven't done any exercise of course since Sunday, and I have eaten quite a lot of junk without going too over the top. I'm planning an hour on the bike at the weekend then I might venture out for a jog on Tuesday or Wednesday. I even got a bit of gardening done last night.
The swim, as you might expect, was bedlam at the start. 1200 wet-suited swimmers all vying for a fairly narrow channel and I was knocked and buffeted for at least half an hour before clear water started to appear in front. It was only when I turned the buoy at the half way point that I would say I had some space.
I emerged from the water in 1:14, at least 5 minutes better than my best expectations, although I didn't get my time until I had finished, I really had no idea how fast/slow I was and with the argy-bargy at the start I assumed it was fairly slow.
Towards the end of the swim, I began to feel quite emotional. Good job I was wearing goggles.
The best think about finishing the swim though was not feeling tired. My plan was to exit the water as if I hadn't done it, and it worked.
Transition 1 was not as quick as I would have liked. I didn't like all my kit being stuffed in a bag, and getting socks on despite a dry off with a towel was not easy. However, I emerged after about 5 minutes which was nowhere near the fastest, but I reckon some people showered they were so long.
There was a bit of a back wind for the first 15 miles or so on the bike, and my planned 'keep in HR zone 2' was easily maintained whilst managing a much faster than expected 20+mph. I hit a maximum average of 21.3mph towards the end of the first 35 mile loop, and thereafter bounced up and down from 20 - 20.9mph.
There was a nice bit of downhill as the Northern loop joined up with the Southern, and I got back up to 21mph again although I was starting to stray into zone 3 for quite a lot of the time. Anything above zone 2 is eating into reserves, so in theory I should stay out of zone 3.
The 15 miles or so back to Holme Pierrepont was into what was now a fresh breeze, so I finished at 19.7mph average for a time of 5:47.
Getting going on the run took a while to kick in, and after the first mile or so I settled into what was far too quick a pace at around 8 mins/mile. My HR was also far too high so I had to consciously slow down and relax to try and bring things under control. It was only as I was well past 5 miles that I felt like I was going the right pace, but by then it was probably too late.
As I passed by the finish at the half way point the winner was arriving, but I trudged on, getting slower and slower.
At around 16 miles I was approaching 'survival shuffle' stage and I knew that dropping into that was worse (efficiency-wise) than walking, whereupon I started what was to become a continuous walk/run for the remaining 10 miles.
I had some decent running spells, but there seemed to be nothing in the tank and a brisk(ish) walk every half mile or so seemed to perk me up a bit and kept me going.
The final finishing straight was greeted with a broad smile, and some relief as the marathon ended at 4:31. Not such a bad time considering what preceded it, but I was hoping for nearer 4hrs.
So, all in all quite a successful day and didn't feel too bad at the end. No collapsing in a heap, and able to negotiate going down stairs quite easily.
I will not be trying it again in 2015, but I'm not saying never again. Watch this space.
Last year that would have got me 1st age grouper, but I'm not complaining, I still got a nice bit of Outlawized Perspex for the mantelpiece.
I haven't done any exercise of course since Sunday, and I have eaten quite a lot of junk without going too over the top. I'm planning an hour on the bike at the weekend then I might venture out for a jog on Tuesday or Wednesday. I even got a bit of gardening done last night.
The swim, as you might expect, was bedlam at the start. 1200 wet-suited swimmers all vying for a fairly narrow channel and I was knocked and buffeted for at least half an hour before clear water started to appear in front. It was only when I turned the buoy at the half way point that I would say I had some space.
I emerged from the water in 1:14, at least 5 minutes better than my best expectations, although I didn't get my time until I had finished, I really had no idea how fast/slow I was and with the argy-bargy at the start I assumed it was fairly slow.
Towards the end of the swim, I began to feel quite emotional. Good job I was wearing goggles.
The best think about finishing the swim though was not feeling tired. My plan was to exit the water as if I hadn't done it, and it worked.
Transition 1 was not as quick as I would have liked. I didn't like all my kit being stuffed in a bag, and getting socks on despite a dry off with a towel was not easy. However, I emerged after about 5 minutes which was nowhere near the fastest, but I reckon some people showered they were so long.
There was a bit of a back wind for the first 15 miles or so on the bike, and my planned 'keep in HR zone 2' was easily maintained whilst managing a much faster than expected 20+mph. I hit a maximum average of 21.3mph towards the end of the first 35 mile loop, and thereafter bounced up and down from 20 - 20.9mph.
There was a nice bit of downhill as the Northern loop joined up with the Southern, and I got back up to 21mph again although I was starting to stray into zone 3 for quite a lot of the time. Anything above zone 2 is eating into reserves, so in theory I should stay out of zone 3.
The 15 miles or so back to Holme Pierrepont was into what was now a fresh breeze, so I finished at 19.7mph average for a time of 5:47.
Getting going on the run took a while to kick in, and after the first mile or so I settled into what was far too quick a pace at around 8 mins/mile. My HR was also far too high so I had to consciously slow down and relax to try and bring things under control. It was only as I was well past 5 miles that I felt like I was going the right pace, but by then it was probably too late.
As I passed by the finish at the half way point the winner was arriving, but I trudged on, getting slower and slower.
At around 16 miles I was approaching 'survival shuffle' stage and I knew that dropping into that was worse (efficiency-wise) than walking, whereupon I started what was to become a continuous walk/run for the remaining 10 miles.
I had some decent running spells, but there seemed to be nothing in the tank and a brisk(ish) walk every half mile or so seemed to perk me up a bit and kept me going.
The final finishing straight was greeted with a broad smile, and some relief as the marathon ended at 4:31. Not such a bad time considering what preceded it, but I was hoping for nearer 4hrs.
So, all in all quite a successful day and didn't feel too bad at the end. No collapsing in a heap, and able to negotiate going down stairs quite easily.
I will not be trying it again in 2015, but I'm not saying never again. Watch this space.
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