Two Months In …

Things are going well at the moment. I am managing to maintain consistency. I am enjoying my training. I am still varying my training due to it being my off season. And I am improving (a bit).

As stated above I have been varying my training.  This includes the use of pieces of gym equipment that I rarely go near. This includes the Versa Climber and the Concept 2 Rower.  I normally go on these bits of kit after a spinning session and set myself the target of, by Christmas, managing to do an hour on each. Well I managed to achieve this target this week: Monday I got up to the hour on the Versa and Tuesday an hour on the rower … well chuffed with that :)

On the weight front I have now lost a total of 15lb … this is making a massive difference on the bike. I am averaging higher speeds … getting close to the magical 20mph average for my 60mile ride. And climbing much better … something I never thought I’d hear my self say (or type in this case)

The Stats...

WEIGHT	197lb	(14st 1lb)(89.5kg)	Total Loss = 15lb
BODY FAT	16%	Combination of Scales and Calipers	Total Loss = 6.7%
WAIST	34.25in	(86.9cm)	Total Loss = 2.25in

Finally, my better half has decided it would be a good idea to enter me into a Marathon next month. All arguments to the effect that I have not been training for a marathon falling on deaf ears … so the 28th of October … I will be running a marathon in Newcastle … All good fun.

WW

August 2012

August was all about get some consistency into my training. When I look back at my preparation for the Outlaw Triathlon was dismal to say the least. I think I only averaged 3 training sessions per week, and even though they were long sessions that is not enough for Iron distance triathlon.

I trained on 20 days in August and more than half of them were double days, i.e. 2 training morning (or lunch time) and evening. So in total I managed to rack up 31 training session, an average of 1 per day.

Currently I class this part of the year as being ‘Off Season’ so include generic strength training (Weights) and other cardio work (not S/B/R) so my overall mix is slightly different than if I w as to be following a specific training program. 

The following graph shows how each week in August was made up...

In all I trained almost 48hrs in August's 5 weeks, of  which averages 1.44 hours per day and over 10hrs a week. This gives me a good staring point as I would like to be averaging closer to 12hr per week if possible in this off season.

The second graph looks at the month as a whole, split and grouped by the major elements... 

Finally the week in numbers

BIKE	14h 53m	248Mi
RUN	12h 18m	66.7Mi
SWIM	4h 14m	9600m
STRENGTH	6hr 05m
OTHER CV	3hr 26m

WW

Getting Faster

Yesterday was a planned hard training day for me and as part of it I repeated the 6mile cross-country time trial that I did earlier in the month.

The route itself is measured with my Garmin Forerunner to ensure that it is accurate and is a mixed bag of terrains. It includes riverside paths with various quality surfaces, woodland single tracks and routes across farm fields. Along with this I also have to negotiate steps, styles, locks, gates, railway crossings and bridges. So all-in-all a bit removed from racing a road based 10k.

Also, since I did the last test my training has been more consistent that at anytime this year. I have introduced a weekly long run. Plus I have been doing a couple of structured runs each week, such as Hill sprints or intervals.

Last time I did this test it kook me a disappointing 1:02:11 and that was pushing it at a high heart rate.

This week I forgot my HR strap so had to go by feel, and as a result over cooked it a couple of times and had to slow down. All the same this week I completed the Time Trial in 0:55:30.

That’s 6:41 faster … I’m over the moon with that :)

   

WW

Outlaw 2012

An alternate set of images from the Outlaw 2012 iron distance triathlon ...


Well done to the 843 athletes/teams who finished

How old were the finishes?

How fast were the age groups?

What were their splits like?

What was Mr/Mrs Average's race like?

Did the outlaws who finished get there bike/run right?

How many finished in each hour>

WW

4 weeks In

Well, it has now been 4 weeks since I initially weighed in and set off on the journey to try and get myself in better shape. In that time my training and general exercise regime has become more varied. Plus I have attempted to improve my diet.

When I talk about diet, I am not talking about going on a particular diet, as I feel these are all fads and unsustainable, but instead I have just considered what i put in my mouth.

For example

• I really like lucozade original, but found I was having a bottle every day, so now I only have 1 bottle in 2 weeks.
• I was drinking 10+ cups of coffee each day all with milk and sugar, now I'm down to 2 or 3
• I was having a can of coke each week day with my lunch, now stopped all together
• I was eating ready meals for lunch, now fresh salads
• Also I had a pint of Guinness with my dinner each evening through the week, now I have lime and soda

All these little things have added up to help me move closer to my goals. I don't want to give up the things I like; otherwise life would be too dull. 

Now for how things have gone

I had hoped to lose a half stone in the first 4 weeks and a couple percent of my body fat. To my delight I can report that I have exceeded these targets with a weight loss of 9.5lb and a drop of over 4% on the body fat.

This now looks like this

WEIGHT	202.5lb	(14st 6.5lb)(92kg)	Loss = 9.5lb
BODY FAT	18%	Combination of Scales and Calipers	Loss = 4.7%
WAIST	35.25in	(89.53cm)	Loss = 1.25in

Looking Forward

Over the next 4 weeks, I would like to drop 6.5lb and get down to 14st and drop another 2% on the body fat front, this should allow the shape of my abs to start to show ... well that's the plan   :)

WW

Testing Times

Since my slimmer / fitter / faster challenge is all about physical improvement, I thought I would do a couple of tests this week. This will give me some basic information that I can measure my progress from.

This week the two areas I tested were my run and my swim.

For the run, I had 30mins easy spin to warm up. Then I set my Garmin and set off on a 6 mile out and back trail run (turning when I hit 3 miles).

Because I train for endurance events I do very little short hard stuff. But back when I did I used to race 10k in about 45mins. But when I stopped my watch; it read 1:02:11, at an average Heart Rate of 82% (143 for me)

To say I was disappointed with myself is an under statement, both at the time and the ability to maintain a higher heart rate

----

The swim was a much sorter test, the standard 400m. I have not done a lot of swimming in the past year. So unless it took me a ridiculously long time I would be happy. My last race at the beginning of July, it took me 1:18:00, so an average of 8:08 / 400m.

After a warm up I set off, and even had the lane to myself. I felt messy in the water but pushed on. Stopping the clock in *:00, a pace of 2:00/100m. I was quite happy with that.

RUN	6 Mile	1:02:11	82% | 143bpm
Swim	400m	8:00	N/A

So

My aims going forward will be to: -

• Improve my time for a 6mile trail run

• Be able to maintain a higher average heart rate for the 6 miles

• Improve my time for the 400m swim TT

Watch this space

WW

Something to Aim For

I am the sort of person that needs a focus, a goal, in order to achieve any sort of consistency in training. Even then it’s not guaranteed. But without it; I would find myself skipping out on training for allsorts of reasons, that all seam valid excuses at the time.

So I have picked my ‘A’ race for next year. I will be competing in Ironman Switzerland in Zurich. This race takes place on the 28th July 2013, so I have plenty time to get in shape. The timing of this sits nicely with my overall ‘Faster/ Fitter / Stronger’ challenge so hopefully I will go into the race in my best shape ever.

I have done this race before back in 2009 when I had lots of problems with my back … so I have a score to settle, with the bike course on particular.

So, as they say, ‘onwards and upwards’

WW 

Somewhere to Start

As I stated in a previous post elsewhere, I have set my self the goals of becoming slimmer, faster, and fitter by the time I add another candle to my birthday cake.

To do this I need to know where I am starting from. One of the easiest things to track will be my weight and related statistics. I am just back from two weeks vacation after the Outlaw triathlon and weighed in, details were as follows: -

WEIGHT :	212lb	(15st 2lb) (96.4kg)
BODY FAT :	22.7%	(according to my scales)
WAIST :	36.5in	(92.71cm)

All in all not good – I thought I had been feeling fat and bloated for some time and theses statistics confirm things. That and the fact that my jeans are starting to cut me in half. So now is a good time to get things going. After all I don’t want to end up looking like I have a loyalty card for McDonalds.

I intend posting an update on these statistics every four weeks or so. Plus I may add other measures from tests etc I take as things progress.

WW

A look back on April

A bit late with this post, but I have been a bit busy sorting the move to a new contract position which I start next week. 

April turned out not to be as good as I planned, the aim was to up my cycling, do at least on cycling hill rep session per week and to stay consistent … that all went to the wall half way through the month when something in the right side of my back when twang during a hill rep session.

I was just finishing an 8 x 5min seated hill set and a felt a sharp pain, but it seem to ease so I finished off with a few sprints and then an hours run. The next morning I swam an it felt sore but OK and I went for e recovery MTB ride, but the first time I stood to apply pressure to the peddles for a sharp clime .. back came the pain but a lot more intense.

I ended up having to visit the physio for 2 x deep tissue massage session, 2 lots of acupuncture and 1 lot of manipulation ... plus my training was restricted to slow easy run/walks and swims …although a couple of dips in the icy North sea seamed to help a lot.

The month came in at Just under 44hr, way off target

The splits for my training

Training month on month

My aim for May is to get back into it, and finally get in some proper cycling!

Let there be BRICK!

Last night i did one of the many Brick sessions that are in my trainng plan

Brick training session are sessions where you train for two of the disciplines back-to-back, traditionally a brick session is BIKE then RUN but can also be SWIM then BIKE or any other combination that you can think of, (but some people mat call them something else).

They all have there place in training some more than others, generically any training session made up of two discipline will help your body prepare for doing more than one thing in a race, so transitions from one discipline to another will not be a big shock to the system, as Triathlon is a sport in itself and not just a sum of its parts. Plus it is also a way of helping you get all those required sessions fitted into a weeks training

Swim to Run training is normally done as part of open water training (on my part) where I will have a long OW swim followed by a short tempo run to loosed up afterwards, this type of training can also be useful for Aquathalons.

Running then cycling, this is mores specific for those that take part in duathlons that are often Run-Bike-run

Swimming then Cycling gives us the chance to practice T1 (which can take some time), getting out of our wetsuit and off onto the bike, many people have problems with dizziness and nausea when moving from the prone position of the swim to the upright position and if you are like this, this is a very useful session

Cycling then running, this session is the most popular although (IMO) a lot of training plans do not introduce them early enough. Firstly the prepare you for the ‘jelly leg’ felling of moving from Bike to run, next they help you more quickly improve your generic endurance as Bike-run brick session can be longer earlier in the season as doing two different disciplines does not place the same stress on the body as would just a long bike or long run and I would do one of these Brick sessions most weeks These bricks and can be approached different ways

A steady/easy bike followed by steady/easy run, used to help build overall endurance and train the body for the transition

A hard structured bike followed by steady/easy run, this is a bike focussed brick session that will leave our legs feeling like they belong to someone else when you start the run, great fun, and great preparation due to the fact that you will be most likely giving it all on you bike before you start you run in a race

A steady/easy bike followed by hard (and/or) structured run, this one is run focussed and helps the body to adapt to getting up to speed on the run as quick as possible.

A hard Bike followed by a hard run, is simply what it say s on the tin and is race specific and lets you try out back to back in race simulated conditions, but (for me) this would probably normally be a shorter session so not to risk injury.

Bricks do not have to be the same every time, be creative and mix them up, for me last nite was a Bike focused brick and took the form of: -

BIKE (2:10 total)

• 20-30mins warm up, mixed HR
• 8 x 5 min seated climbs at VO2max
• 8 x 1 min hill sprints, flat out
• Mixed cadence work to finish

RUN

• 1 hour trail run

So get out there and brick

WW