It never gets easier, you just go faster

ShatterResistant

This log is mainly to keep an eye on my progress over the longer term and to hold myself to account so I can't doss off! I've been looking for a lifestyle change for the last few months and I've always admired triathletes for their determination across not one, but three disciplines. My primary goal is to complete a sprint triathlon in April/May and maybe a few more over the summer if it goes well but I can reassess my goals as training continues and I get a better picture of where I'm at and what I'm capable of (or not!).

Just a bit of background information about me, I'm a male junior, still in school. I did a bit of cycling over the past two years, but not much at that. I have a very limited swimming capability (up to a month ago I could only splash up and down a pool once or twice) but I'm currently getting 1 to 1 lessons weekly along with what I'm doing myself. I also took part in twice weekly running sessions over the past month.

Over the past month I've gradually been adding in bits and pieces to my training routine and getting the neccesary kit. I'm doing a training session after study four days a week with two morning sessions (early mornings are something I'm going to have to embrace!) and as of this week, will add in my first brick session on Saturdays. I work weekends, unsocialable hours, so i don't have those long blocks for training unfortunately.

My PB so far for running 1.6km (1 mile) is 6:24, and 8km (5 miles) 39:52. I have ran up to 7 miles but feel that I have good scope for improvement here. I have focused very little on cycling because it has traditionally been my most familiar discipline. My PB for 20km is 42:27 and have done up to 60km. As for swimming, I'm only really getting into it after three lessons, but I'm up to 100m continuously with every second length front crawl. Huge work to be done in swimming but I have the winter and I'm in the pool 4 times a week so hopefully it will come with time and practice.

So I'm finally getting into a regular training schedule but what I'm finding hardest it to change my sleep pattern and parts of my diet. Dragging myself from browsing boards till the late hours is tougher than any 10 miler. I've gotten into eating big bowls of porridge with fruit every morning and pasta/veg soup for lunch with bits of fruit in between but I'm always looking for something to snack on between school/study/training mainly because I don't have the opportunity to get something proper. Will have to get this sorted.

I'm coming from nothing and I will make mistakes no doubt, but I'm enjoying training and can't wait to see where it takes me!

ShatterResistant

Monday 1st October
Swimming lesson today, first day doing four lengths (25m pool) continuously. My body position brings my legs down after two lengths of front crawl so I have to switch between FC and breast stroke/back stroke. My coach is good and I'm using a n umber floats/aids to practice distances.

Tuesday 2nd October
Running this evening on grass. This was my first week doing a full 1.6km lap very slowly as a warm up and it made a big difference. When I started running proper I felt so much looser and reached the pace I am cofortable at much faster. In this first lap I set my PB above and the finished with another 4 miles at regular pace. I'm not sure what this is yet, I must get a watch to rercord data more accurately.

Wednesday 3rd October
My first morning session of training, in the pool for 7:00, it was bitterly cold on the cycle over! Just kept practicing frontcrawl length/breast stroke length/ front crawl length and recover or variations of this. Over all a light swim session.

In the evening I went for a short 10km cycle which I intended to be longer but after a series of blocked roads and me sliding off and landing in a load of cow manure on the road put paid to that. Only up side of this was that I kept my average at 30km/h.

I'll start recording exact distances asap.

ShatterResistant

Thursday 4th October
Last beginners running session today, I was late so I had to time it myself which won't be as accurate. I did my 1 lap (1.6km) warm up, followed by a 5km just to see how my time stands over this distance which was 25:12. This is the end of the beginners running sessions so I'll be on my own schedule from now on.

Friday 5th October
Rest day today and I found out I'm getting a prize for winning my division in the running league tonight.

Dory Dory

Congrats on the prize!!!

ShatterResistant

Dory Dory wrote: »

Congrats on the prize!!!

Thanks, €25 voucher for the local sports shop, shur how bad

ShatterResistant

Saturday 6th October
I made a scheduling mistake this week so I had to postpone the first brick session. A swim took its place but I'm not nearly as productive on my own as when I'm doing lessons. The main reason is that I get frustrated when I can't do a drill and end up switching between them and get nothing done. From now on I'll have to write out exactly what I want to achieve in that session and stick to it.

Sunday 7th October
Just managed to get out of work early today so I decided to go to the local novice cross country. I was late getting there so I rushed through registration and started my warm up. Only then I when I saw people with national gear from up and down the country did I realise I was at the senior and junior county championship race not the novice cross country which took place the sunday before. I had my money paid so I said I may as well do a training session at least . 4.8 miles later: 33:52 (joint second last). Only for the gentleman that stayed back and encouraged me the whole way through with advice/tips/pacing me... Anyway I was chuffed with the time and it was running at different level, well beating my 5 mile time even though I didn't do that distance exactly. I was glad to see real athletes running and get the experience as well as learning a lot.

Dory Dory

^^^^ Pretty funny that you mixed up days/events...but good for you for running it anyway. And as you said, what a great experience for you, and you probably got your money's worth in what you learned.

ShatterResistant

Dory Dory wrote: »

^^^^ Pretty funny that you mixed up days/events...but good for you for running it anyway. And as you said, what a great experience for you, and you probably got your money's worth in what you learned.

My running friends had quite the laugh alright!

Well done to you on your Marathon, great stuff!

ShatterResistant

Monday 8th October
This weeks swimming lesson was cancelled so I tried to do my few lengths switching endlessly between strokes and distances. I got practice in but did I achieve anything? Not really....

Tuesday 9th October
5 mile run today, it took me about 37:00 which is much slower than the PB last Sunday but as I say that was a different level. Once I get my watch I'll work on regulartiy of pace and getting back to this time. Clearly I'm unaware of what speed I'm running at now!

Wednesday 10th October
Swimming this evening, I did three lengths continuous no float, starting to take away a few small things away (which in itself has opened up more things to improve on). Also got a good rythm of length, recovery which meant I got a lot more done. Overall, theres still very little improvement but its better than going backwards I suppose... Persist and succeed!.... well thats the plan anyway.

Thursday 11th October
I went out for what was only my second cycle in two weeks. Within the first 2km I realised my gear were clicking mad and just wouldn't stay in place so I had to turned around and head back to base. The deraileur is completely out of line so I'll bring it over to the shop tomorrow and get it sorted properly. It's really frustrating not getting out cycling for what should be my "strongest" sport. I plan on doing a run early tomorrow but how that shapes up when the alarm goes off could be another story......

Dory Dory

I applaud you for taking swimming lessons for they will teach you proper form from the get go....and practice that proper form over and over again - like you said, persist and succeed. If, when you're practicing your swimming, you find your form is slipping, then either correct it or stop. There is nothing worse than slipping into bad habits and then having to re-learn proper form all over again. Props for taking lessons! They will pay off for you!

ShatterResistant

Dory Dory wrote: »

I applaud you for taking swimming lessons for they will teach you proper form from the get go....and practice that proper form over and over again - like you said, persist and succeed. If, when you're practicing your swimming, you find your form is slipping, then either correct it or stop. There is nothing worse than slipping into bad habits and then having to re-learn proper form all over again. Props for taking lessons! They will pay off for you!

Thanks, investment in the future and all that.

ShatterResistant

Friday 12th October
I did my first AM run session today,which was also my first time running on the roads. A 6:30AM wake up call and out the door for 6:45. I really like this session and could get very used to this morning running craic, I felt fresh out after it and it's different to see town so quiet. I might have to buy a pair of longjohns though, twas' freezing! I did 5 miles in roughly 40-45 minutes but thats only going off a glance at the clock in the kitchen so it's not exactly Rolex standard....
I brought the bike over to the shop and got the gears sorted, tyres pumped etc. A big difference, a much smoother feel all round. I'll have to start getting the tyres pumped up/checked every month from now on.

Saturday 13th October
I finally got out for a cycle, but only a 20km TT at that. Two months ago when I wrote down what I wanted to achieve by next Spring I set out some small goals along the way to aim for/keep me motivated. One of them was to do this cycle in under 40 minutes. Now I know your thinking just a 20 km cycle in under 40 mins, shur you'd have to slow down to reach that. Well no, not for me I was doing it in about 52:00 2 months ago and have slowly watched my time go down and my Average speed go up. Obviously 30km/h average was the target. At the last count three weeks ago 42:27 was the time to beat and having done little or no cycling in between I didn't expect anything better this week. Well out I went with my new body warmer, new cycling shorts and freshly tuned bike and what do you know 39:49, average 30.1km! I was chuffed particularly because I had to stop twice for traffic/ an ambulance. The all round improved effort at... well everything, must be having some effect. It seems such an insignificant figure now, but I'm pleased with it anyway. There's clearly scope for lots of improvement here so I'm setting 34:00 as the next target.

Sunday 14th October
Just an easy session in the pool today going through some drills to try and improve individual aspects of my stroke. Lesson tomorrow and I'll see how my practice for the last week has been going.*

*It hasn't been going


I have my a day off school tomorrow and the first morning with nothing officially on since the middle of August! I have a swimming lesson but with all that free time I really want to try a brick session, even if only a 10km bike and 5km run maybe. I'm generally happy with the amount of training this week but I would have liked an extra morning swim session, but on the whole good.

Dory Dory

Well done on the bike!!!

ShatterResistant

Monday 15th October
This morning was the big lie in which turned out to be a big fail, I just felt foggy all day I can't even enjoy a day off anymore! Todays swimming lesson went well I'm starting to integrate the different aspects together and am getting benefits as a result.

Tuesday 16th October
I did a longer run than usual this evening, so it was a 2km warm up followed by a 10km run. The 10km was 52:12 which I would hope to bring under the 50 mark in the next 2 weeks, but I mainly wanted to get in the distance so I was pleased with this session.

Wednesday 17th October
An easy swim, trying to get that muscle memory in place rather than distance i.e. doing it right over couple of lengths rather than one big wrong three lengths. My timetable for the week and probably for the next two weeks is Swim-heavy to try and bring it along.

Thursday 18th October
Rest Day - There was literally 0 hours to train with today, I wasn't home from a meeting until 1:00 that night so that was a Friday morning session off the books.

Friday 19th October
Rest again - I had an event on that night and used the remaining time to have a break, an unusual occurence this week... felt guilty about not training but that has me rearing to go for next week!

Saturday 20th October
I only had time for a swim because I was on a split shift. This will definitely be my last day trying to do lengths on a Saturday in the pool, there's always no room between children and lessons.

Sunday 21st October
Its been a mentally and physically tiring week mostly because of work/school and the little training I did. I said shur I might as well continue the trend and go to the pool again! I had the place to myself (contrast to yesterday!) and I got 6 lengths done continuous between breastroke and front crawl and 2.5 continuous front crawl. I'm looking forward to my lesson tomorrow so I can show off my new distance!

ShatterResistant

Monday 22nd October
Swimming Lesson session. I started off with just the usual easy 150m warm up and then a few stretches.
I did 75m continuous front crawl and then 25m breast stroke, 25m front crawl. 2 minute recovery and repeat.
25mx fc, 25mx brs, 25mx fc, 25mx brs. 2 minute recovery and repeat.
I took a good 5-minute break and then tried to do as many lengths alternating between front crawl and breast stroke as I could. 8 lengths (200m), happy days! Warm down with 200m easy, pleased with the day.

Tuesday 23rd October
I woke up 15 minutes late and was very tempted to turn over and go back to sleep but I just about managed to drag myself out of bed. Due to time constraints, I did a 4 mile run. Overall I was just glad I got out at all.

Wednesday 24th October
An easy swim in the evening, the main aim being that I'm trying to bring my front crawl to be as comfortable as possible and hence increase my distance. My breathing is getting better no end too. There's still a long distance to go...

Thursday 25th October
Rest Day

Friday 26th October
Brick Session - Finally got one done. Just a quick 10km bike into a strong wind and then straight off the bike into my running shoes for a 5km run. It was a very simple distance and I had no hassle with legs etc. but I just wanted to go out and get it out of the way.

Saturday 27th October
Rest

Sunday 28th October
Rest

These say rest days I was up to my eyes between work and other commitments, its still very annoying not being able to get out though.

ShatterResistant

Monday 29th October
Swimming Lesson - Today I moved towards increase my front crawl only continuous distance. I managed 4 lengths (100m) relatively comfortably so hopefully with a bit more practice its just about increasing distance. Theres still lots of fine tuning to be done on the stroke etc. but I'm happy wth progress all considered.

Tuesday 30th October
Rest

Wednesday 31st October
Tonight was the first night of the local Winter League. I lined up along with the 193 other people for the 5.2 mile course. Everyone I met before the race just kept advising me to take it easy the first night so you'd build up points for later in the league. About half way around the course I was feeling good and decided I was going for it. I came 28th with a time of 37:46, which I was happy with but now I have a tough winter ahead if I want to beat it! Its no harm really because if I went slower then I wouldn't really be improving and I'd be the only one losing out.

I also bought my turbo on wiggle so I'm looking forward to that coming, there'll be no skiving from the cycle then!

Thursday 1st November
Warm up of 100m easy, then stretches. Just kept doing my lengths of front crawl/ brest stroke and then switching to pushing myself at front crawl. The next thing I'm saving up for is a multisport watch, I can't decide between a 910XT or a 310XT though?

ShatterResistant

Friday 2nd November
Turbo arrived today........ forgot the riser block! :rolleyes:
An Elite Crono Fluid Elastogel turbo, I'm happy with it so far, but because I crashed my bike into a signpost yesterday I'm not going too far, as well as the fact that the back wheel is a bit wobby. Plus I have a big lump on the side of my hip and a mild chest infection, no training and a bad way to spend the holidays!