Im Lanza 2017

dave04

This is the Goal for the year for me , An ambition since I started triathlon spurred on by the Sydney Olympics . where I left early from a wedding to make the after midnight start on tv , Getting covered in *hiT as i had run through a ploughed field but got there in time to watch simon lessing in the swim then out of T1 ….Then woke up to find the race was over and I had no idea of the results !! desperately waiting for cefax to update .Saw an add in 220 for Hotw the next summer and sent off the sae. Hooked ever since.

Anyway Here I am today , still going [Not strongly] This will likely be my last race for a good while as only do 1 or 2 short ones a year with the odd long distance thrown in , The lifestyle i.e. the Training will always be part of my life as its the part I Enjoy the most . I have no tech what so ever , my race bike is a 2013 canyon al 7 , 10 spd 105 . I live all but next door to an 8 lane 25m pool and really am spoilt for choice with of terrain for run and bike training, so no excuses . Everything is booked up Thanks to my wife who's not an athlete but has been by my side throughout this journey and is well versed in all things tri . I Thank her and Bow to her wisdom , we will fly out sunday to sunday and will have a holiday out of it and she can't wait !!

Aims for the day . arrive as fit and healthy as possible [ seen as i'm 53 }
swim sub 1.10 going wide enough to avoid the carnage, Hopefully.
Ride 6.15 wind and heat ,nutrition permitting. Run 4.15 . These are rough guides for the day thats in it ,I have gone sub 11.15 in the past with a 5.28 bike split, but on a flat course [some time ago too] I want to enjoy the whole experience and finish the race in one piece . Thats enough for now !!

Today is a rest day as we'll be working nights in local Hospital for weekend , though will spin on turbo easy sat and get out and run 40 mins on sunday. So it Begins.

My first time in Lanzarote ever , as would never go there unless I had done the race. Read a good post on the bike route here from 2013 , but if anyone has any advice ,tips etc would love to hear them especially at this time of year as finding motivation difficult at this time of year hence starting this !! Good luck with your own plans and Ambitions for 2017. Dave.

2

dave04

sat bike spin didn't materialize due to the night duty malaise
sun 45 min easy run purely for cathartic effect and to freshen me up for tonights work .. weekly totals swimx2 2hrs bike x1 [!!] 1.30hrs run x4 3.30 hrs 8 hrs total .5th weeks base training , on track so far.

dave04

strange week switching from night shifts back to days , never the less trained through it despite wife getting gift of 12 bottles of wine, had a Georgeouse day up in the hills on thursday ,took hack mountain bike for 2 hr spin in snow and ice with a 1 hour run in the middle , on one side of the hill i got views of snow capped mt lienster on the other side views of sleive na man an the comeraghs .too risky to take road bike as icy on high roads sheltered from the sun , got home and felt Great! Mr finks book providing good reading . here's the no.s
3x swim2hr 10 . 2x bike 4hr 30 4x run 3hrs 50 with a few core and weight sessions , feel great but have to be patient , still 18 weeks out.

dave04

last week didn't start to well after working the weekend left me wrecked on monday , my good intentions in tatters … however by evening time i had recovered enough to ride the turbo in the shed for 45 mins @ 90 rpm up and down the cassette ,followed by a 45 min run and core afterwards . teuday and wed back in work with a 30 min swim after finishing at 9 pm with no real goal only to swim efficiently , luckily i pull this off but don't bother counting laps , it's my only swim this week !! thursday is a day off and starts early with a 45 min run then off to Limerick with wife and daughter for college open day , it's a Beautifull day and we have a Great time !! friday back to work and meet wife and kids after in pub for jazz night at 2200 , Have 3 beers follow by pudding supper …saturday morning i'm poleaxed! lightweight that i am , i manage to save the day that evening with 1hr 40 run around town and arrange to meet up with a few buddy's for bike on sunday which is a 90k hilly ride and feel like i saved the week . p.s ate chips twice on friday , my will power around food and drink needs to be addressed , I know better ..rush to canteen for soup , come out with curry chip!!. stay out of canteen in future , make own soup.
3runs 3hr 10 min. 1 swim [no time counted] 2 x bike 4hr 30 min 3x bike commutes [time not counted] another busy week , on holiday this week and it's started with a Bang!! must use more paragraphs!

dave04

Certainly an eventful few weeks ! planned holidays at the end of january to put a marker down for my training and had a solid 11.5 hrs but was exhausted all week and really had to force myself to train which is not like me at all , but its a good week i get stuff done and meet friends and sleep the rest of the time …..then i realise I'm not well !! the sniffling and coughing starts .

WEEK 9
Feel better go train feel sick again , feel better train feel sick again and so on…..

WEEK 10
finally feel better , run for an hour after work on monday and feel great considering its a 13hr day and its now 2240hrs. swim in the morning then out on the bike pm feel good so decide to do a 4mile run off the bike as its a day off. long swim the next day early then into work for long day . next day back in work , cough is back i feel short of breath and the easiest task is beyond me .. I'm sent home , Gp diagnoses chest infection I'm on antibiotics and its all my own fault , at this stage i feel like changing the title of this thread to How Not to train for an ironman !!

week 11
luckily I'm off the weekend anyway , so can rest before week of nights and I'm feeling much better now , have 1.5 k swim on monday and finaly get out into sunshine for easy 4 mile run then back to bed for the afternoon as i prepare the body for night duty , which is an endurance event in it self . i run 4 miles on thursday afternoon as i have only one night to do , finish at 0800 friday do the school run then swim , I've always done this after finishing nights the hardest part is convincing myself to do it , but its such a relief to be finished the weeks work the swimming comes easy and its blissful to be in the water for around 2k easy .
tour de kilkenny 110 route on saturday , 4.30 hrs my first long bike I'm not bothered by ave. speed just how i feel , theres still a bit of fight left in the dog!!
sunday i cycle out for an hour into the hills , hide my bike and run for 1 hr 15 mins in the countyside and feel good on rolling hills , I'm joined by a little black spaniel , i look for his owners .. no sign … there's no houses here either I'm in the middle of nowhere. It comes as no surprise to me that this little fella's been abandoned out here, he joins me for the next 8km he's constantly searching for his owners and trying to jump into cars that i stop to see if they know him or his owners.. we draw a blank .Back at my bike i feed him nutrigrain bars and start a long slow cycle home with this poor little dog who won't leave my side. this is the 3rd time this has happened . It all ends well though.
I realize due to recent events that i'm going to have to change my goals for this race. i read a very honest thread on here from 2013 and the penny finally drops , i will train as well as I can in the remaining weeks , the drinking has stopped my diet is starting to clean up i feel fitter , I've got 12 weeks to go but ill be back on nights again so realistically its only 10 weeks training ,then theres the taper . sub 12 is likely to be unachievable i'm not giving up here just being realistic , this race has long been an ambition of mine to finish and i'll be More than happy if i can do that .. but i still feel i have enough {dog} in me to do myself justice on this Epic course , i will train and RECOVER , The best i can and see what the day hands me.

dave04

Been a while since I last posted regretfully , However the training has progressed and I will try and get back to weekly posting while the week is still fresh in my mind [and body!!]

Inside nine weeks to go now , swim wise I'm covering the distance and got 3k in 49 mins in an unofficial time trial in that just swam the distance for feel and that was how long it took. Doing up to 4k breaking it down into various distances , with heads up swimming and short surges and trying to stay with faster swimmers just to mimic the mass start also when I'm swimming for 1hr plus you get all standards of swimmers in the lane , which I embrace as it encourages me to sight more, speed up and slow down accordingly rather than just doing length after length uninterrupted , from what I've read in race reports the swim is generally a congested stop start affair I usually look forward and enjoy the swim but this one worries me. for the race I'm going to try and get down early to get a good spot in the start pens to try and avoid the carnage…..but realize that that is pretty much every athletes plan for the start so prepare for congestion is the plan!


Bike wise I'm choosing some very hilly routes and again trying to mimic the course as much as I can which involves looking at and trying to broadly memorize the route so i know where the hills are and the long undulating drags etc paying particular attention to the fact theres a big climb at 110km at least i can train for this and also the last 40k which i believe is also quite hilly , whilst preparing myself for the marathon , theres plenty of good reading about the bike course and I've watched a few you tube vids which is about as much as I can do having never been there. The rides themselves have gone up to 5hrs covering 110 to 120 k , usually on wet windy days , I've tried a few different gels and bars opting for kinetic cola and tropical orange gels with peanut crunch cliff bars in between as like the flavor of all and find the bars have a good firm chewy texture and taste great , as for drinking i only ever take water , gonna have to try some electrolyte drinks bearing in mind the heat on the day and the fact that i don't drink much i.e. 120k on 750ml h20 bring back 250 mls that won't work on the day , all i can say is that I'm mindful of it!! Also have finally gotten up on the turbo and surprisingly love it , the last one i had was endorsed by Jan Ulrich … not referring to any alleged wrong doing just that it was such a long time ago!!

Running up to 2hrs 15 mins up to around 26km long and slow!! again i have a long straight run out of town that i call the run to the airport its 21k out and back , just me and the road and the elements i live just off a ring road which means i can then turn around just as i near home and do an out and back of 2km and repeat just to push myself and wreck the head in trying to do one long lap and two shorter ones.The running is slow!! theres no getting away from it , i do a faster treadmill session of 1hr which is a hill pyramid and is tough but pure volume is hard to achieve time wise I'm trying to get 40 to 50 k a week with work etc basically the same problems every doing ironman has!!! i try to get one longer week running with one shorter week to allow for longer bikerides , feel tired but ok , no niggles thank God.

lastly , strength and core training this is fitted around everything else more miss than hit and id hardly class myself as strong !! but have looked at strengthening the hips and the legs in general and have tried a few new things to try and prevent injury and promote efficiency on the run but this is subjective when doing it off you tube!!
I was back in from a long bike and rushing to cook tea before the school run one afternoon [still in my bike clothes] when the coal man arrived unannounced dropping three 40 kg bags on my drive at the time i was watching [ in the background i might add] the ninja challenge which is a japanese game show where members of the public and pro athletes of all description negotiate a very tough obstacle course usually ending up in the water !! its voiced over and i think its quite funny!! hence the title , anyway i went out to put them in the coal bunker and realized the nosy neighbour was watching me , [still in damp bike gear] anyway .. determined to not look a complete weakling I decide to make this a challenge of my own and squat down grabbing the wet [ very large looking ] bag of coal bringing it up to my chest and legging it round the back as fast as i can ,cutting it open and dumping the black nuggets in their place did this two more times and the challenge was done !! couldn't believe how hard this actually was i was puffing like mad!! guess theres a case for gym strength vs real strength there anyway made the neighbor laugh , probably cause i was totally covered in s"it by this stage and bent over double ..oh an my biketights had split even more embarrassingly . generally averaging 12 hrs now looking to push on with bike and run as time moves swiftly on . Adios.

dave04

saturday 18 th sunday 19th march
I'm on long days at work and am light on running frequency and distance so end up running after work 11k sat 8k on sunday , i get this surreal experience when running on the sunday night... I'm on the ring road after 2130 and theres no one around .. not too strange , theres no traffic either.. i feel tired physically and mentally i'd love to just lie down and sleep , the loneliness of the situation feels just like the last 10k of an ironman , i can't wait for it to be over and just get home !! and yet In a bizarre way I'm enjoying it !!

monday 20th
Have Family over so arrive poolside slightly hungover , with no real plan for the swim also realize I've forgot the trunks so have to improvise with [ clean ] running shorts , i decide on 6 x 500m just keeping it simple in my delicate state!! then I'm distracted by thoughts about work , so just plough on with it i share the lane with various people and abilities which is grand , suddenly notice I'm the slowest in the lane after 3x 500 try too keep up , and out of everyones way .. its' a humbling experience as i just don't have it today and quit [!!!] after 5x500, run 10k then home and do 1hr on turbo that pm.

teusday 21st
Back to the pool 2k continuous and strong 30 sec rest into 6 x [ 200 pull 100 fast] 200 easy . no times taken , today is about attitudes I'm angry with myself about yesterday.. its a good session , i feel redeemed.
1 hr turbo pm.

thursday 23rd
plan long bike but weathers bad , so 1.9km easy continuous swim , home and sleep an hour , weather improves so decide to switch to long run ,30k in 2hr 56min 2nd half of run is into strong headwind , try eating pieces of cliff bar , end up doing impression of wilfred wobble chops !! home tired stiff but no pain anywhere [bearable pain that is ..no injury ] the last 10k is very slow but i feel i could grind out the 42k . spin on the turbo for 10 mins after to warm down , legs feel better after.

friday 24th
Beautifull sunnymorning have long bike planned , end up doing 180k in 7hrs 36 min , bit of a change of plan once out due to lovely weather !! my route tries to mimic the race course as i perceive it with biggish climbs throughout arriving at the bbig climb at 110k exactly , the last series of climbs are relentless, its a long day on the bike .. longer than i planned and I'm wasted at around 140k but feel good again towards the end , i cancel the short brick run as its approaching 7pm and the risk of injury[ after yesterday] , plus I'm just wrecked to be honest , there will be other days to get it done.. also the thought of 3 x 12hr days in work doesn't thrill me exactly ..
sat 25th
run 12k after work [ feel good , have new runners!!]
sun 26th
cycle 10k home after work just to shake off the day.

ends up 17;30hr week!! hadn't planned it that way but , shift work dictates when things do or don't happen , mondays blasé attitude meant i was determined to hit 3 big key sessions and recover as well as possible between , though obviously not completely .
tuesday 28 th
4k swim as 2x 1.9k 30 sec rest between , 1st steady 2nd stronger effort. 200easy . feel really good after. easier week planned with long run and ride at weekend before week of nights.

mossym

looks like you are coming along nicely. are you staying in puerto del carmen while over there? you mentioned sunday to sunday, leaving the day after the race so or going for 2 weeks?

dave04

mossym wrote: »

looks like you are coming along nicely. are you staying in puerto del carmen while over there? you mentioned sunday to sunday, leaving the day after the race so or going for 2 weeks?

Unfortunately leaving the sunday after the race , to be back on night duty monday!! though hopefully i can take bank holiday hours or just swap.
Yes were staying in pdc , in matagorda, so to be a little out of it approaching race day .
less than 8 weeks now , i feel like its building nicely , still a lot of work to do also worried about burn out ,but generally still very exited as its a long term ambition of mine. Thanks.

mossym

we're staying in PDC as well, right in the town. I'm planning on renting a car wednesday or thursday for a day to recce the bike route and to get up to la santa to register, you're welcome to tag along if you want.

i get out there the monday before, but i'm staying for a week afterwards as our summer hols with the kids.

dave04

mossym wrote: »

we're staying in PDC as well, right in the town. I'm planning on renting a car wednesday or thursday for a day to recce the bike route and to get up to la santa to register, you're welcome to tag along if you want.

i get out there the monday before, but i'm staying for a week afterwards as our summer hols with the kids.

Wow!! Thats the way to do it !! would love to stay a few days after and enjoy the post race atmosphere [plus a few beers ]

Thanks very much for the offer of a lift to register , when i entered i paid an extra twenty euro for a bus transfer on the wednesday to la santa , and i think ? a bus recce of the course , to be honest its the only logistic i'm worried about as can't find any info on it , no chat in forums etc. well nothing on a positive note anyway . But I really don't want to inconvenience you an your family , especially on race week , But its a tempting and kind offer and i'd gladly pay for fuel for car and occupants but see how things go closer in as circumstances change ,i'd hate to be a pain in the Ass. Be Great to meet you though !!

mossym

i thought you might have booked the bus alright.

the bike route recce and registration will just be me and my dad, my wife and kids only arrive the thursday so plannng to have it done before they get there, i'm going a few days earlier to try and get somewhat acclimatized. so no hassle if you want to tag along, you might see more than from a bus. no need to decide now, loads of time for that.

the week after should be good alright, we had no sun holiday last year, our foreign trip was to copenhagen for me to do the IM there and the kids didn't come so this is a response to that. the holiday is the priority, the IM is secondary

dave04

Thats Really Generous of you Mossym Thanks . Hows your training coming on?

mossym

Ah, the typical not enough done but when do you ever feel like you have enough. I'm looking forward to it, but a work trip to Asia for a week in late April is a real spanner in the works

dave04

wed 29th
6.4k treadmill run cycle commute to work/study day [ in my day off] cycle home that evening short hilly ride on mtb approx 20k on lovely little loop that reminds me of the dunlicky road [ minus sea views] many a run on this to train for kilkee and everything else over the years.

thurs 30th
9k run afterwork

fri 31st
9k run afterwork

sat 1st april
Long day on the bike , head out to borris , kiltealy then cut along the foot of mt lienster turn right and on up to the 9 stones car park. I feel great despite wind and rain infact i feel a little over familiar with this route i love doing it though , from borris through balymurphy to kiltealy you have the Blackstairs looming over you intimidatingly.
As i reach the top of the corobut gap i see two lads grinding out the last bit of the climb , i say hi and descend , realize I've never climbed mt lienster this route so decide that today is the day , also i go back to not having ever been to lanza , my point is why get good riding familiar routes and suck on the day your out of your comfort zone.Decision made no left turn at the bottom i turn right and on to Myshal .
Once in Myshal i stop and check out the [very handy] tourist map and head on to Bunclody then turn right out to kiltealy , i plan to do this as an out an back to put km in the legs before the climb up the gap . i turn around in kiltealy and head back but miss the left turn to bunclody , and end up in Enniscorthy , I'm on this horrible oneway traffic jam into town , i accept my situation and keep moving . I feel horribly exposed on a busy rd. with little hard shoulder , cars hammering past , a long 15k….
Finally turn off for Bunclody and can see Mt. Lienster again , shrouded in dark clouds . Climb out of Bunclody on to Myshal again the sun is out now and the views are Incredible Amazing colours , feels good to be on quiet roads again.
I eat and drink and prepare for the last big climb then turn right and onto the corobut gap , i stand and give it a dig!! I'm tired , the speedo says 160k , but fear of failure is a good motivator and sooner than i expected it's over . A long drag back up to the ninestones then drop back into borris a few wrong turns here then back on the undulating road to home.
8hrs55min !!! a good bit longer than i planned , 198k . no brick run again .
conlclusion… this is the last very long ride , i feel scan handle the distance , pace wise i cover some flatter sections at other peoples pace sometimes around 40kph , as i meet other riders randomly. The bike fits like a glove , no real issues , ok i ache a bit here an there , but no foot pain or pain anywhere else.
Plan…. shorter distances , put in a bit more sustainable pace , start running off the bike !! fit a second bottle cage . 750mls over that length of time is not enough . i craved a can of coke 20k from home and stopped at a shop to find it had closed down…tough last 20k.

Sun 2nd April
sleep in till 0900 , go for easy swim to check legs takes a while to warm up .
spend a few hours out in garden cleaning up , cutting grass etc. Family time etc. Fall asleep watching the tour of flanders [ not cause it's boring ] catch the last 40k ..
Runners on and force myself out for a run and cover 18km around 5.38 pace per km it feels great for once as the running has felt like a chore lately , ok its not fast , but it feels right and I'm happy…just hope I'm not leaving the best of me out on the road in the training , the previous two long distance races there has always been some issue to overcome , i wonder whats waiting around the corner this time…Back to bed now and prepare for night duty.

mossym

let me just check on that, you did a 9 hour ride on a single bottle of fluid?

joey100

That's a serious cycle, the wife is from Bunclody so I know the area a little bit, not many flat roads around there, just roads that climb less!

dave04

mossym wrote: »

let me just check on that, you did a 9 hour ride on a single bottle of fluid?

Yes , dilute luc sport , its always how I've done things, its gonna be a huge issue in 30 degree heat , i know ,usually its just h2o.. i need to change things and don't have much time.. yes it scares me to be honest . food wise solids only 2x cliff bars , had gels but fed up of sweet stuff , leave them for the run.need to address this i can get away with it here and don't feel that much of a difference , but don't want a DNF. on the day , end up in renal failure , my "nature calls" are the right color and volume, throughout , i drink 2 large cups of coffee and a medium glass of water with the luc sport i don't take with me , before leaving , i have been caught out before on mt. lienster in the past , leaving for a short spin then gone for hours , leading to some very unorthodox measures !! but I've always got home.

dave04

joey100 wrote: »

That's a serious cycle, the wife is from Bunclody so I know the area a little bit, not many flat roads around there, just roads that climb less!

Hi , Yes your right there , but i hadn't planned it at all , as usual with me i just get a spur of the moment idea and go with it , i stopped giving my wife my planned routes as i never stuck to them or never rang her to tell her , not clever really.

Bunclody is a Beautifull area , i realised i had been there once a few years ago on a sportive from Bagnelstown . in future , instead of turning right before kiltealy ill just carry on through and watch for the left turn to Bunclody , which will give me a great loop back to kilkenny.

mossym

in case you haven't seen it, run course is changed. 2 loops versus 3, first loop of 30ish km, out to arrecife and back. 2nd loop around 12k, out to matagorda and back

think i prefer this approach, setting out on the second lap you'll know it's get that done and you're home, always think the middle laps in 3 or more lap races are very tough

dave04

Thanks for that , Yeah I saw it alright ..and agree definitely prefer the one big lap , my longest run will be around that distance so finishing it [ regardless of how you feel ] you know your on the finishing lap . At least will get a chance to ride the bike and recce this bit .

dave04

As i sit here writing this ' training ' log , i realize how light it is on the actual training , my apologies , however in my limited experience in Ironman I've found it's not just the training , but the the whole experience , and the impact on those close to you as your metamorphosis gradually takes over your every waking moment . That is why this is more Journal than actual numbers as i try to quantify/justify the highs and lows of what for anybody taking on the long distance challenge go through , If i'm lucky enough to be on that beach at 0655hrs and manage to cross that finish line , it will be because of a long hard but immensely enjoyable journey…it' never just about 1 day.


Five weeks out now and time to take stock of the situation, and how it all came to pass. Back in August my Wife and I were out enjoying the sun shine one evening discussing plans for the future what with two teenagers , one doing 'the leaving ' this summer and one doing it next year , Usual stuff like how were gonna finance it etc. Pressure of work etc. Anyway a good heart to heart was had , we started talking about holidays an' stuff realizing it's been 5 years since the last sun holiday... and how I would love to do one more ironman [ … before were no longer able to afford it.] My wife asks me which one , and I reply wales as logistically it's the easiest what with my sister living down the road from Tenby , But which one do you really want to do ?? we get out the work roster and work out were both off the weekend before the only draw back is were both on nights the week following the race . It's a window of opportunity I cannot turn down , an ambition that I'd thought had passed me by . The next morning I'm sitting in the Credit union being asked embarrassing questions about our finances to which i don't know the answers !! i ring the wife and the two ladies talk numbers imbetween bouts of laughter .. i sit there wishing i was anywhere but here. Anyway the loan is approved .. i leave thanking the person … barely able make eye contact.

So here i am , flights and bike booked , accommodation sorted so were close to but far enough out for it to be a holiday for the beginning of the week anyway . A lot of kit , i.e. new runners , wetsuit , turbo , bike bag , tires chain cassette , etc. etc. body aching and a bit stiff , but 8 pounds lighter and feeling good generally.

mon 2nd april
no training today before week of nights , manage to run 6k teusday pm , and thursday pm . Friday morning on finishing nights for the week i cycle home via the pool for 1st swim of the week , keep it simple .
3 x 200 to wake me up
5 x 100
8 x 50 then repeat for 3k
cramp up really badly after 2.5k , i put it down to not getting close enough to the wall when turning resulting in my feet not touching the wall at times forcing me to over reach for it . of course it happens in the deep end it's totally debilitating my calf feels like it wants rip itself of the bone i can't move in the water , i give the life guard the thumbs up after what seems like an age and avoid having to be rescued.
easy 3.2k on treadmill after just so i know its not an injury , thank God it isn't . Home to bed , sleep the best 3hrs of the week.
Have a family Special birthday so all of us head off to a small island outside skiberene for the weekend , i end up running around 6k sat and sun. there's a 13m pool here , its great but i just can't get going just enjoy messing around with nieces and nephews , do lots of turns in the deep end just to make sure every things ok.
2 pints Murphys , 2 pints Bemish , 2 pints Guinness , as an experiment to find which one tastes better [subjectively!!] i conclude they pretty much taste the same my preference however is ..Beamish. 6 cans hieneken 1 glass of red wine , 1large bag of cashews 1 of pistachios , 4 bags crisps , 1 fish/chip.
these are the real numbers for the week.

mon 9th april
leaving today plan , to ride bike when home , however wake at 0530 to dawn chorus and decide it's too good an opportunity to waste so head out for a run before we leave and witness a beautifull daybreak as the sun rises glistening off the water , 2hrs approx 12 miles . drive home and don't leave the house!!
wrecked on teusday , dont swim. ride for 2.5 hrs climb the hill in old loughlien a wall of a thing. then home via my beloved training ground the brown mountain , 4k run after.
wednsday. swim 4k as 1k straight
1k as 200 pull breathing every 3rd stroke , 200 fist drill focussing on technique
1k as 10 x100 strong , my last ironman i felt really tired at 2.5k and just wanted it to end . just want to swim strong the whole 3.8 barring traffic , the swim in lanza genuinely scares me , i hope fear is going to motivate me.
1k as 200 pull , 4x50 fast , 200 steady to finish.
In the afternoon head out for long bike , 2 cages now in use 1 bottle 750 water the other 500 lucozade sport . 2 cliff bars .
head out and do a big loop of mnt . lienster turning in kiltealy for bunclody avoiding Enniscothy this time. back to myshal via kilkdavin and a wrong turn here gives me a hilly approach to the corrobut gap , i get a huge tail wind on the last 200m literally blows me up the worst part of it!! then turn 180degrees into the same [now] headwind and driving rain, up the long drag to the carpark.In to Borris with 100k done detour to graignamanagh , up coppenagh and into thomastown then out to knocktopher , I'm a bit short so turn for kells I'm still short of 160k [155] but i'm out 6.5hrs and i'm knackered and can't be bothered navigating for extra km , head home . And out for 6k run , starts horribly but find my rhythm and begin to enjoy it , get some esteemed company towards the end and i'm glad of the chat as this is a lonely journey for the most part.
will swim easy today , maybe ride the mountain bike this evening .
Back on nights tomorrow . Again my apologies if longwinded . go safety this weekend, Enjoy!!

dave04

Home from work , so gonna update this quickly.swam short and sharp on thursday pain in both calves , after which , i narrow down again to pushing too hard after flipping off the wall , no injury but warning light is definitely on .
friday 14/4/17
35k cycle am on a beautifull little loop that has a little bit of everything . time trial it , knock a considerable amount off , and it feels good . i'm gonna ramp these sessions up and increase the distance just so its not all about climbing.Then prepare for the night shift.
sunday 16/4/17
bring the bike to work with me sat night and cycle home sunday am on lovely hilly little lane 20k lovely to be in fresh air,and no one around , sleep for 5 broken hours .
calves have been really tight since thursday pm but have now eased considerably , so go for 40 min easy run it;s all i;d be doing anyway before work plus a little s+c after too stretch out and the warning lights now off!! [ T G !!
home now nights finished , Cheese sandwich/whitest of bread/hunkydorys/coffee and off to bed [ an orange too] This weeks training starts this afternoon , under 5 weeks now. Still Enjoying it all Can't wait!!

dave04

Even less now?in 14 we leave on our hols. The training is done for the most part , the logistics taken care of ?Just a few minor issues to take care of this side . I have 4 days in a row to train next week then its work right up till we leave. Anyway , a productive weekend back to work tomorrow , train during the week though I'm scaling back , gonna ride the turbo with tri bars , no more epic rides or runs .

mon 17/4/17
sleep[ fitfully] then head out for 12k run , decide to swim after and get almighty cramp again .. once home google tells me running after swimming is a no! no! for cramp , at least it reassures me though the calf is sore.

teus 18/4/17
nice sunny day , head out for long run , end up out for 3.5hrs and 35k , no leg issues no foot pain . I use the runners i buy to just get me through the last few weeks , and that i have something decent to wear socially when we travel , they're made by salmon and marketed as a trail/urban shoe with hoka style sole and a roomy toe box , the reviews are not favorable , but after a few mixed distances and no toe pain which i always get with asics , they're promoted to race day shoe , and i order another pair ?for the last few weeks etc.

wed19/4/17
very poor quality swim, around 1.5k , still getting cramping calf ache/ pain when i turn . so just use it as recovery with a pb for most of it .

thurs20/4
Back to pool after work and get a much better 2k , and no calf/ramp issues.

friday 21/4
no work , I'm tired and take the day off , and sleep and feel the guilt /anxiety because I'm not training , it takes till around 5pm before i decide its not happening [training] psychologically , I'm a wreck today.

sat/sun 22/23
work , run home sat night 9k

mon 24/4
swim am [gone right off the boil]
pm cycle 110k on sunny cold afternoon , get 3 big hills at beginning /middle and 40k from home , then push hard on less hilly bits home.

tues/wed 25/26
at work , commute end up doing about 20k each day.

thurs27/4
swim 4k as 6x200 , 5x100 , 8x50, 20 sec ri for all sets , work on sighting and change of pace. Into 1.9k straight .
fri 28/4
work , set up bike for sat.

sat 29/4
6.5 hrs ride back into the blackstairs , into wind and rain , puncture climbing out of bunclody and while fixing it see a group from pulse tc. [they don't see me as I'm off the road] I feel flat after seeing them on their tt/ decent bikes etc. [serious bike envy]use the mini pump to reinflate [the tyre!!] i get frustrated cos its not as slick a maneuver today [ rain don't help] so just put on the co2 , up it goes and another decision is made co2 for the race. Then head for corrabut gap and more wind and rain . [wry smile to self] take a different route home , towards Bagnels town ,, and get serious fright from motorists tanking it past me , last 40k up the Beast of aul leighlin , then home into 8k run .

sun 30/4/17
meet up with a good friend and run socially in the park in the rain , and just catch up and go for coffee , feel Great after . home for 1100 easy 12k .
So thats it for now. still in 1 piece , next week is about servicing the bike , stripping it down for packing , rebuilding it so i can do it again quickly on day we leave , a little bit of transition thought/work and thats it . Take the Greatest of Care . Dave.

pgibbo

best of luck tomorrow. What's your race number?

P.

dave04

Thanks , 1498 , Can't believe The big Day's nearly here , speechless to be honest , will write up the last few weeks and race report soon as I can , the calm before the storm.

griffin100

Just catching up with results now. Well done, sounds like a tough day from what I've heard.

pgibbo

Well done at the weekend. Tough day on an already tough course. Congrats