Half Iron Elvis

elvis jones · 03-11-2011 1:52pm #1

After getting though a few triathlons and learning to swim i decided to attack a dream and run a marathon.

Along the way i found out i have type 2 diabetes and will have to change my diet and training to get the best reasults while managing my illness and getting my weight down.

When i started my 1st journey in March of this year i weighed 245 pounds. At the last weigh in last week i was down to 219 pounds so its droppin

That was done on Monday in DCM and now i need a new focus.

With that i shall ( fanfair please ) make my intent be known to do a Half Iron Man in 2012.

I'm looking at the Hembert Challenge in Swinford in late July 2012.

As usual with me the swimming will be the hard part and thats my main focus until jan 2012.

I still hope to run the Waterford half on Dec 10 ( if work allows ) but swim swim swim is what i need to really work on.

Tonight i'll relax with my wife and have a glass of wine and tomorrow at lunch i'll be in the pool doing a gentle recovery swim with a view to the hard work starting on Monday evening at 4.

Oryx · 03-11-2011 2:01pm

Good luck with the new challenge.

elvis jones · 03-11-2011 3:22pm

Well the madness continues.

I just entered Connemarathon 2012 on April 1st.

Oryx · 03-11-2011 3:26pm

Well I just entered the Waterford Half based on your post about it, but I aint doing this one as well, hero worship will only take me so far!

elvis jones · 03-11-2011 3:34pm

Oryx wrote: »

Well I just entered the Waterford Half based on your post about it, but I aint doing this one as well, hero worship will only take me so far!

I'll do it if works suits, i get a lot of day work in December so it might get in the way. I'll keep training for it anyway and if i can't do it i'll run a half on the Sunday myself.

elvis jones · 03-11-2011 3:36pm

Amazing i just got a text to keep myself free for a day gig on Dec 10th

I think i might do a 10k the week before:)

elvis jones · 05-11-2011 10:41pm

Another busy weekend work wise, 2 gigs today and so on my feet for 10 to 12 hrs solid.

I have to sort out fuel for the fire in the morning and i'll get back on the road with a nice 6k which is my usual route.

Plan then for the week is.

Monday.....Swim
Tuesday.....Trilates
Wen.........turbo
Thurs......Swim
Fri.....Run
Sat.......off ( another double gig day )
Sun.......10k local race at a slow pace.

Also from monday i'm starting to focus a lot more on portion size and diet re my diabetes.

snailsong · 05-11-2011 10:56pm

Best of luck with the log and with the plans. Learning to swim properly is on my to do list also, if I could I'd try a triathlon.

elvis jones · 08-11-2011 2:59pm

Work and training causing problems already:D

Got out today for my 1st run since the marathon and i only did 5k. Legs were kind of heavy and it was such a big shock not to be able to push it after a week off the roads.

No triatles tonight as i don't want to do too much too quick.

Operation portion size is in in full swing and now having my dinners on smaller plates, a measured portion of porridge for breakfast, having less for lunch.

I'll keep an eye on my blood sugars and really want to get an extra bit of weight down for christmas and for once keep my training going over the winter for once.

Tomorrow i'll be swimming instead of the turbo.

elvis jones · 16-11-2011 5:50pm

Work, work, work, work, work............yep in November i'm out the door.

My weekend begun at 6 PM on Sunday. I was working day and night until then so no exercise at all.

Back at it last night with a great pilates class run by my tri club. WOW, some really good stretches and work on the spine. I feel it in my legs today but i enjoyed it and will do it more often i think.

I shall be swimming after work tomorrow night before i go do another gig:rolleyes:

I'm out for dinner on Saturday but i hope to get a run in before that.

Might turbo tonight if i get the kids to bed !

Anyway the class got me back in my groove and itching to get back after the post marathon rest.

nerraw1111 · 16-11-2011 6:02pm

Best of luck Elvis.

I've similar 2012 goals myself and although I could always swim, I've only recently started to 'train' which basically consists of doing lengths repeatedly with no target.

What sort of swim training are you doing?

elvis jones · 01-12-2011 6:07pm

nerraw sorry for the delay.

At the moment its just about leagths until Jan and then i'll try and put together something that will kick me on.

elvis jones · 01-12-2011 6:12pm

Took another week off after the marathon and i think my body needed it.

Back at it this week and did a club pilates class on Tuesday which was rather hard. Great for stretching and get go the sweat pumping out of me as well.

Today i put on the runners and hit the road, chest wasn't great and 7k was a struggle. I did 1k warm up, core 5k and 1k warm down.

5k took 28:30 so the chest slowed me down a lot. I might have to ease off again:(

I'm going to the pool for a light swim tomorrow and sauna afterwards as well.

Plan is to tick over in December and not put on any weight over Christmas. Then to up it in Jan with a lot more swimming and long runs at the weekend building to my first goal for the year Connamarathon on April 1st.

RacoonQueen · 01-12-2011 6:24pm

Which race are you doing in Conn Elvis?

elvis jones · 01-12-2011 6:26pm

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Which race are you doing in Conn Elvis?

Just the 26.2:D

Looking forward to it, it gives me an early season goal to work towards !

meathcountysec · 01-12-2011 6:58pm

On first glance at your log title I thought it said Half Ton Elvis

Good luck with your new log and goals.

elvis jones · 01-12-2011 6:59pm

meathcountysec wrote: »

On first glance at your log title I thought it said Half Ton Elvis Good luck with your new log and goals.

Well so far i'll ost 40 pounds so i wasn't far off that to start off with;)

griffin100 · 01-12-2011 10:36pm

Hey Elvis you doing the portlaois tri the week after Connemara?

elvis jones · 02-12-2011 11:05am

griffin100 wrote: »

Hey Elvis you doing the portlaois tri the week after Connemara?

Nope,

my wife is thinking of doing it so i'll be on the mic, Joey Hannon wil be my 1st of the year.

elvis jones · 01-01-2012 7:07pm

Training has been hard with work, kids sick, life getting in the way if truth be told.

Jan is a quiet month for me so back at it with 6.5k run this morning which my chest found hard but I kept pushing.

Spinning in back on Tuesday with my club so I'll be doing that. Back in the pool on wen as well.

Only kind of thing i've asked of myself in 2012 is to get up and out the door earlier which will allow more training and free up family time.

My goals for 2012 are to keep training at a constant level with as little breaks as possible and with that to shift more weight and do the Humbert challenge on July 22.

elvis jones · 05-01-2012 1:24pm

a few days into 2012 and lots of reflection and thought about the year ahead.

A lot of thinking about goals, wants, ambitions and how i felt at the end of 2011.

Ok last year i did my 1st triathlon, ran my 1st marathon, got some more weight down BUT it wasn't enough. I wasn't focused enough, i set the bar too low.

I've thought about it a lot and the more goals i have to focus on the more i train, the better i eat and the happier i am.

I'm reading a book and they mention going to bed exhausted, not the type from work or your general day where your stressed. But the type when you lie down and the body aches from a good work out and sleep comes through the need to get the body ready to do it all again the next day.

Thats the feeling i want.

I watch operation transformation last night and i could be on that.......i can run a marathon yet i can be on a programme like that.

At the moment i won't set any amazing times in any race, i'm getting fitter but carrying extra weight that slows me down.

Thats why i'm throwing myself into a number of races this year to stay focused on training, get the weight down and leave me in a better position to do some decent times.

My diet is good with the change after diabetes and this will be my 1st full year of dealing with it in training and perhaps my meds will change later in the year if all this work doesn't lead to weight loss.

So far i have the following my head

Connamarathon
Joey Hannon ( sprint )
Tri Athlone ( Olympic )
Humbert Challenge ( half iron )
Longford Marathon
Eddie Murphy 30 mile.

Some feedback or thought would be great also.

elvis jones · 05-01-2012 1:50pm

Also meant to add

6.5k run yesterday at lunch, felt good and chest was a little better. I don't want to push it with two days in a row yet because of my chest so out again in the morning for the same.

Starting more meds for my chest today so fingers crossed they will get my through, i have yet to have a full Jan training and really intend to do it this year.

Sunday morning is penned in for LSR and starting with 14 to 16 k to get back to normal.

Next week will be busier will spinning and coached spinning added to the schedule.

I have a running schedule in my head for Jan and Feb which should work out fine as dj work is quiet.

Monday 6k
Wen 10 to 16k ( building )
Thurs 6k
Sat LSR building towards April 1.

Oryx · 05-01-2012 1:55pm

Get yourself on the swim bike run challenge. Its great for comparing how youre doing and giving you a bit more drive.

Otherwise just, good luck with it all.

Ps. Any idea when joey hannan opens?

elvis jones · 05-01-2012 1:59pm

Oryx wrote: »

Get yourself on the swim bike run challenge. Its great for comparing how youre doing and giving you a bit more drive.

Otherwise just, good luck with it all.

Ps. Any idea when joey hannan opens?

No idea but the club normally give a heads up, i'd like to do the Olympic but too close to Connamarathon and not enpugh swimming done.

I'm on the running challenge and want to do the 1,000 miles by sept so thats a good focus as 580 is as far as i;ve got before. But as i said haven't had a Jan of training yet so that will lift the spirits and help with motivation.

elvis jones · 06-01-2012 4:09pm

Garmin was dead today, i think i forgot to turn it off on Wen:o

Anyway did a route i know is roughly 5.5k.

Felt good and chest is improving slowly. Started new meds today so fingers crossed they'll kick in soon.

My man cave was used as storage unit over Christmas and am having it cleaned out so i can use it to do a turbo session. I hope to do my 1st on Sunday.

LSR planned for tomorrow.

jester1980 · 06-01-2012 5:42pm

Hey Elvis, good luck with everything, i seem to have very similar races planned for this year, Connemarathon, Swinford and had hoped to do another Marathon then. When is Longford on, i was planning on Dublin in OCT but date is not ideal so wouldnt mind another option.

I met you in my first Triathlon last year at Tri Athy, assume your working at that again. The wife is going to try that this year.

elvis jones · 07-01-2012 10:38pm

jester1980 wrote: »

Hey Elvis, good luck with everything, i seem to have very similar races planned for this year, Connemarathon, Swinford and had hoped to do another Marathon then. When is Longford on, i was planning on Dublin in OCT but date is not ideal so wouldnt mind another option.

I met you in my first Triathlon last year at Tri Athy, assume your working at that again. The wife is going to try that this year.

Longford is the last weekend in Aug and only 4 weeks after Swinford but i'll be at marathon fitness levels so i'll get around the course. Its where i'm from so one i really want to do this year.

I am indeed working at in ( i think ) and it should be some weekend as its a national series race this year.

elvis jones · 07-01-2012 10:46pm

Had a chance meeting with my doc last night and he advised against 16k today with me being on meds etc. So i did a gentle 10k instead which went well and chest held which i'm happy about.

I've run a total of about 30km this week which is good as i would say i did that the whole of Jan last year.

I have 2 weeks of base training planned now to get back to a good fitness level get down below my pre DCM weight.

Mon 6k run
Tues Spinning
Wen 10k run - evening swim
Thurs 5k run - evening swim
Fri turbo session
Sat rest
Sun LSR fingers crossed 16k +

I hope to do that for the next 2 weeks in a row and by the end of Jan i need to be doing an LSR of 25K to give me a chance of a doing justice to Conna which is a good reason for focused spring training and a step towards getting the weight down for Swinford in July.

couerdelion · 09-01-2012 6:07pm

elvis jones wrote: »

a few days into 2012 and lots of reflection and thought about the year ahead.

A lot of thinking about goals, wants, ambitions and how i felt at the end of 2011.

Ok last year i did my 1st triathlon, ran my 1st marathon, got some more weight down BUT it wasn't enough. I wasn't focused enough, i set the bar too low.

I've thought about it a lot and the more goals i have to focus on the more i train, the better i eat and the happier i am.

I'm reading a book and they mention going to bed exhausted, not the type from work or your general day where your stressed. But the type when you lie down and the body aches from a good work out and sleep comes through the need to get the body ready to do it all again the next day.

Thats the feeling i want.

I watch operation transformation last night and i could be on that.......i can run a marathon yet i can be on a programme like that.

At the moment i won't set any amazing times in any race, i'm getting fitter but carrying extra weight that slows me down.

Thats why i'm throwing myself into a number of races this year to stay focused on training, get the weight down and leave me in a better position to do some decent times.

My diet is good with the change after diabetes and this will be my 1st full year of dealing with it in training and perhaps my meds will change later in the year if all this work doesn't lead to weight loss.

So far i have the following my head

Connamarathon
Joey Hannon ( sprint )
Tri Athlone ( Olympic )
Humbert Challenge ( half iron )
Longford Marathon
Eddie Murphy 30 mile.

Some feedback or thought would be great also.

I think you are being pretty tough on yourself. How many people do you know who ran a marathon, completed a triathlon and lost 40 pounds? (all whilst having to cope with the upheaval to their routine/diet of being diagnosed with diabetes)

You are in a small percentage of people who set out on a journey at the beginning of last year and can be judged as a success. Sure you might have wanted to lose more weight, run faster, tri harder etc but there's no way anyone would judge your year as anything other than remarkable. Many more people are still sat on their arses dreaming about being more active, you are out their doing it. It's your first year too so your only aim should have been completing.

Take a look at all the fast people you know and how long they have been racing? Much longer than me and you! We'll be challenging in a few years though!

Your plan looks pretty good. All the races after the Connemarathon build up nicely. Perhaps because of that the first one looks a little out of place (?)

Oh, as has been said, join the S/B/R challenge. it's pretty motivating when you look at the work others are putting in and it makes you want to up your game.

catweazle · 09-01-2012 6:52pm

I did Connemara - Joey Hannon (OLY) - Athy (OLY) - Salthill (Sprint) - Humbert (HIM) in 2010 and I felt my winters training was all about running. After Connemara I then tried to compensate by doing loads of swimming and cycling and I then fell back again on my run fitness.

Last year I did very little racing, Salthill (Sprint), Kilkee Olympic, The Humbert and then DCM, I felt this suited me much better as i was able to split my time much better and gradually build up to my main race.

3 Marathons in a year is a lot :eek:

elvis jones · 11-01-2012 11:37am

couerdelion wrote: »

I think you are being pretty tough on yourself. How many people do you know who ran a marathon, completed a triathlon and lost 40 pounds? (all whilst having to cope with the upheaval to their routine/diet of being diagnosed with diabetes)

You are in a small percentage of people who set out on a journey at the beginning of last year and can be judged as a success. Sure you might have wanted to lose more weight, run faster, tri harder etc but there's no way anyone would judge your year as anything other than remarkable. Many more people are still sat on their arses dreaming about being more active, you are out their doing it. It's your first year too so your only aim should have been completing.

Take a look at all the fast people you know and how long they have been racing? Much longer than me and you! We'll be challenging in a few years though!

Your plan looks pretty good. All the races after the Connemarathon build up nicely. Perhaps because of that the first one looks a little out of place (?)

Oh, as has been said, join the S/B/R challenge. it's pretty motivating when you look at the work others are putting in and it makes you want to up your game.

Thanks for that. First week back training was VERY hard and mood was awful. Thus the reason for such a negative post.

I feel a little more positive after a good run at the weekend.

BUT the weekend is still annoying me and i might have to look at my meds.

Half Iron Elvis

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