Joint Concern

 Knees.  Quite important if you want to move without any mechanical aids.  Very important if you want to move fairly quickly without mechanical aids.  When it comes running/jogging your knees take quite a hammering (along with many other joints), so I suppose it's no surprise that mine are giving me a bit of grief at the moment, especially when lying down in bed.  I think it's something to do the slight lateral movement caused by lying on my side, but whatever it is they needs to calm down a bit.

Train On Track

 So, 2 x 5 mile sessions on the rollers and I'm feeling 'back on it'.  10 miles is, of course next to nothing in the cycling world, but at least its better that nothing.

I'm in a bit of a quandary over which training plan to follow for the triathlon.  Don Fink has a 'Just get round' plan, an 'Intermediate' plan and a ' Competitive' plan.  In 2014 I did the full on competitive option and managed to just about keep up with it, finishing 3rd in my age group.  In 2019 I kept with the same plan but was down on all parts if I remember rightly, not excessively short, but definitely not what it needed.  The bike was cancelled that year of course so who knows what I would have done although my 6th in what was a swim/run was disappointing, but not unexpected.  Cycling is my strongest part.

I'm tempted to 'drop down' to the intermediate. I stand more chance of sticking to it which would stop any 'lack of training' anxieties as the day gets closer.  I'll update the spreadsheet and compare.  Watch this space.

Spending Time.

8 days since my last bit of exercise, partly down to being in recovery mode after the marathon, but the last few days I've had a snotty cold that is now only just receding.  ..so this note is designed to give me a metaphorical kick up the backside to get on the bike rollers tomorrow morning.  Possibly even this evening, although I have some painting in my diary that I need to start.

Went a bit mad at the weekend, ordering a towel radiator for the utility, a wifi enabled switch for it to connect to and a 'silent' pull switch for the changing room now that it's dark enough to need lights on in the morning.  All three of these things have been on the list for a number of years.  It's a bit odd that sometimes I am quite impulsive, then procrastinate for weeks/months/years before diving in such as yesterday.  I call it prudent, others call it tight.  

For Better or Worse

 3 days after the marathon and my legs have just about recovered.  I'm contemplating getting the bike on the rollers tomorrow and ease myself back into the saddle - its been almost 3 months since I last rode.  The last Outlaw I did, I didn't get enough cycling in (or running, but that's another story) compared with my first.  I had a very satisfactory bike leg then, so I need to emulate that to make up for my slow running leg.  I'm expecting the swim to be as bad as before - no worse, no better. 

Bad Timing

4hrs 45mins for my marathon.  I'm a bit disappointed I didn't get the target 4:40, and I really thought I could get 4:30 so that's brought me done to earth a bit. Could have been worse I suppose.  I had forgotten how much you can suffer when the wheels fall off, and that happened around the 18 mile mark.  8 miles of walk/shuffle is not much fun.

Anyway, onwards and upwards and I can start thinking about the Outlaw now.  I originally planned to enter the Outlaw after this marathon to see how I felt, but don't think it would have changed anything.  My disappointing time is not bad enough to put serious doubts, and in fact is just reinforces the fact that longer runs are important to improve stamina so it's a lesson learned (although I already knew it!). 

No Entry

 5 days to the marathon and my feet are feeling a bit sore.  It's probably nothing, but its enough to make me think about resting a bit more than I planned.  There's also a few folk with colds blowing their germs around the office so another thing to up my worry levels.  Not that I'm a big worrier, despite what my other half says, but I do like to minimise risk wherever I can, and where I can't, well, I worry about it.  

I still haven't told anyone about the triathlon plans, I'll have to let that one out of the bag in a crowded room although she's probably guessed I've entered. 

Rise and Shine!

 I managed to turn my alarm off this morning, and wake up 2 hours later.  Not too remarkable, I know, but quite rare for me.  I can only assume that my body needed the extra 2 hours.  My early alarm call was set so that I could go for a run this morning having missed the last 3 days, so unless I go out this evening (very doubtful) it will be 4 days and with the marathon 12 days away its not the best prep.  We will see on the day I suppose, and I what is done, is done.  Or not done in this case.

Right?

 I haven't felt 'right' this weekend.  I'm not sure what that means, and I can't quite put my finger on what makes me say that.  One of my theories is that a feeling on 'not right' follows a period of 'right', but I can't be sure if that's the case or not, especially as the definition of  'right' in the first place is not really understood (by me, at least).  All I know is that I have felt quite satisfied with most things recently, and I do have a few unsatisfactory musings, but nothing out the ordinary really.  By unsatisfactory, my list includes an aging mother that needs/wants attention; a car that needs an MOT booking (and passing, hopefully); a lack of running for 3 days when the marathon is 2 weeks away; a niggly knee that wakes me up now and again at night, brought on my too much running.  Righto.