The icing of the cake...

The hard work reaches it culmination over the next few weeks. I warn you as there will be precious little to write about except miles (or kms if I've been a-swimming). 270 miles on the bike and the first of four 20 hour + weeks to ensure that the Victoria sponge I've been steadily building over the last five months is topped of with whatever is required to get to Kona, after all, a sponge is good but without a tasty topping it always tastes a little dry - I feel this analogy has reached its limits.
On another note I haven't ranted in a while, this week saw a broken rear wheel, a lost helmet (someone in the Brokobank region of Sheffield has a very nice £80 Met lid) and a wetsuit with the beginnings of a tear means it won't just be my glycogen stores which are wiped out by March.

Bramley Race Report

Bramley was an important race, the only race I would be "racing" before IMSA. I think my coach's words were "a quality training session", but we all know that that really means a race. A good result would be a fantastic confidence boost, a poor one would not put me in the right mind set at the beginning of the four hardest weeks of training I have. My pre-race target was to break 2.04. Finish the first lap in 1.02ish and then negative split. Unsurprisingly the pace from the off was fiendishly quick and the first two miles whipped by in under 11:30. On went the brakes and I found myself a group to run with for lap one.

Feeling OK coming into half way

At the end of the first 10 miles, other than wishing I was only doing the 10 mile race, I felt relatively strong and to see 59:40 on the clock was promising. However at this point the group I was with split. Half stepped it on and one guy blew out the back leaving me with only one partner to share the next hour of hell with. Second time round the course seemed to have become considerably hillier, windier, longer and more pot-holey. Sub 2.00 dwindled in the balance at every mile split with more time lost as each marker past. Endless mental arithmetic using the Garmin's pace calculator was proving futile (partly due to the oxygen being needed in my legs and partly due to my limited numeracy) and it was only at mile 18 when the sums became easy enough for me to work out I needed two 5:59 miles to break two hours.

At times it felt like I was running in Lilliput

As is often the case when the going gets tough, two hours and one second became the guy leading my age group in Port Elizabeth, one hour 59 was Kona. two hours was nothing... and so I went, like a scalded rat. I wouldn't describe it as a sprint finish but I went a bit quicker and it was enough. I rocked over the line in 1:59.40 (chip time). Comfortable...

Bramley 20

1:59.30 ish (offical results still awaiting publication). Quicker than I'd been expected so pretty pleased. Race report and photos to follow.

IMSA -7 weeks...

Bolton bound...

Upon consultation with my coach IMUK is now on the race calander for the second year running. A change of location to Bolton makes it convenient (if not too exotic compared to the season opener) as well as providing a good opportunity for a second crack at Hawaii, if required.

Active recovery

Monday, as always was my day off so here is a small photo montage of how a triathlete recovers best in London.

Consider every journey, what's is the most efficient way of getting
from A to B?

Light exercise can avoid the build up of lactic acid

Remember to re-fuel, but beware... to much food can have serious side effects!

Finally, this is day to show those close to you

just how much you care!

HAPPY SNOW DAY!

Watford Photos

Does exactly what it says on the tin:

Going for home (really wish that top didn't make it look quite so much like I'm sporting a handsome set of moobs!)

What Mr. Garmin says goes... for 12.1 miles

One year ago when I raced the Watford Half marathon it was a tough day, I went off like a rocket, died at half way and dragged my sorry ass round in 1.24. Today was the first opportunity to really see if I had come on at all. Although making it all the more difficult was the 93 mile ride on Saturday and the 40 mile ride to the event HQ. This Ironman lark can be quite time consuming.

With yesterday's ride graded as a B- and this morning's ride just about worthy of a C+ I wasn't holding out too much hope, coach's orders were keep the HR below MAF and DO NOT race it! (This instruction was very clear)

Despite the arctic chill and 25 mph winds I felt good as the first mile clocked, although the memory of feeling similarly invincible last year at this point was suprisingly fresh in my mind. I ran through the first 3 miles averaging about 6.10min/miles and felt sound. This continued until the half way point where I got my first warning from Mr. Garmin, too hard. I backed off and all was good, no angry pipping noise and a LCD sign which may as well have read "slow down tubs, you ain't that good". Mile 8 came around and, to my amazement I felt great, I was moving through the field and no more interruptions from my watch. At mile 9 Mr. Garmin piped up again but was quickly silenced by me holding back on the next hill.

I'd promised myself I wouldn't race and this plan was going great until mile 12.1 when I realised a 5.55 last mile would bring me in under 1.20, a 4 minute PB, I'd love to say I resisted and came home in a gentleman's 1:20.10 but couldn't resist. With the metaphorical duct tape on Mr. Garmin I went for home and crossed the line bang on 1.20, although Mr. Garmin claims it was a little under and I actually did 13.16m... on this occasion I choose to listen to him. All in all pretty pleased given the 130 odd miles of bike work 24 hours prior, something is going right!

Role on Bramley.