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Tuesday 16th May

Bike Tempo

This 60 minute session called for 2 X 20min @ 80 - 90% FTP. Nice session, the legs certainly knew about it but it wasn't too taxing, both 20 minute periods came in at 213 watts which is 85%.

Wednesday 17th May

Swim CSS/Threshold

WU
100s
100p
100k
10 x 50m alt band and pb/swim
8 x 200 at CSS + 3-5sec, aiming to come in on 3:25 - 3:30
100p
100s

Nice session once again. My aim was to do the 8 x 200m at around 1:43-1:45 pace, coming in on around 3:25 - 3:30 but I wasn't feeling it this morning, the first two were 3:39 and 3:35 so I just kept going at that pace. I didn't want to push it. The rest were between 3:33 and 3:38 with the last one 3:29. I alternated with pb, good news is that there are no differences in time wi th or without the pb so body position is decent Iguess.

Basketball Teachers V students in the afternoon, glad to say I still got it

Thursday 18th May

Bike Big Gear

28 minutes of BG work work as in 4 X 7min with 1 minute recovery. Last big gear session for a while. I'll move to more sub threshold stuff now, 90-95% stuff. 1 hour in total.

Friday 19th May

Swim Easy/Endurance

Pretty simple this one - 9 X 300m. Tried this a few weeks ago and died a death towards the end. Felt much better this time around but I used buoyancy shorts for reps 5, 6, 7 and 8. All swam at about 1:51/100m. Good session. The buoyancy shorts are something else, much more effective than a pb and there was a difference in times, about 3 or 4 seconds per 100m.

Run Tempo

40 minutes including 2 X 10 minute tempo with 2 minute recovery. Tempo bits came in at around 4:45 for both 10 min periods. Running beginning to feel better.

Saturday 20th May

Bike Easy Endurance

Feeling stronger on the bike. Got all seasons out there today, bloody hailstones almost knocked me to the ground!! Like golf balls! For the last 45 minutes I decided to attack hills out of the saddle, felt great which is good for confidence.

Run Off the bike

3 minutes fast, 3 minutes steady and 4 easy. God the legs felt heavy! I needed to remind them what's expected of them in a race.

Other News

No sooner had I signed up and paid for the Howth Aquathon that something came up Monday evening so I can't do it now. Hopefully they will allow me to transfer to the next one. I've already a transferred place for the duathlon in the Park for July. The thinking behind doing Howth was simple - some OW experience. I'll try to get a dip in midweek before Lough Cutra this day week.

I've been neglecting my flexibility and strength work for the last few weeks, in the past I believe my commitment to those areas meant that I went nearly 3 years without injury. I hope to get back to it once the summer holidays kick in.

Yahir Hot Visor wrote: »

I have to say the P5 is some bike albeit the last time I was on mine was IM Barca last Oct!

I hear ya Fran! The first and last time I was on it was Feb 2014, a duathlon in Mayo! I look for to many miles on it now though 😊 I charged the Di2 battery though and still not a meg out of it. Despite never being used (practically) it must be completely dead and I'll need a new one.

Would love to hear what you are up to these days JB and I hope you are not retired!

Lough Cutra Starter Tri Sat 27th May 2017

A few months ago I thought it would be a good idea to enter a sprint triathlon just to have something to aim for and I've always enjoyed the Salthill one in my home city, that is on this Sunday June 4th. Then I thought I should look for a try a tri, just to remind me of what racing is all about. Getting through transitions, the experience of going from swim to biking to running and just as a confidence builder. Lough Cutra was the only one that suited and I got a 50% discount so I pencilled it in. The pricing for Lough Cutra is ridiculous, no way I'd have paid full price.

Training and progress has gone much better than I thought it would and last week I did start to think I could win the race and maybe I should look to get into the sprint triathlon proper as I didn't want to take away from the real beginners. However, I was nervous and a bit anxious and the thing that kept me calm was the thought that the format was short and I knew I'd definitely be able for it so I just stuck to the plan. I'm glad I did as it was the perfect reintroduction to racing. Talking to a few before the race they had all done triathlon before anyway. Like me their last one was a year ago or a few years, nearly 4 years for me! It showed too, I made some silly mistakes.

The plan was to go hard on the swim and bike and hang on for the 2k run!

Swim 200m

200m swim, 50m to the first buoy then right and 150m into the finish. Got to the buoy first and kept her lit until the swim exit. First out, second was about 30 seconds behind.

Bike 12.5km

As I said above I went with the road bike obviously! The first 1.5km out of the grounds and back in was very narrow with 2 speed bumps and runners crossing too! I forgot to stop the Garmin after but my NP was around 250 which was where I wanted it. some marshals wanted to send me the wrong way but I over ruled them as I knew my business! They tried sending me left but I knew it was straight on. Anyway, extended the lead.

Run

Forgot how going flat out hurts!! I was hating the run, so close to walking many times...it was only 2k! Anyway I was well ahead not that I knew that with so my on the course, all I wanted to do is finish. I was sent the wrong way again but another marshal recognised the mistake and legged it after me to get me back on track - it was really confusing!

It was nice to win but I felt bad, I talked to the organisers about not accepting 1st prize but the guy I was talking to told me not to "...be stupid!" I was embarrassed but feck it.

A Word on The Race

Lovely location but the rain turned it into a mud bath. Cars were getting stuck and the run with your bike up a hill/mud slide was crazy. Coming back it was down the mud slip and slide. Beautiful swim though.

Final Thoughts

Wow, it was so good to be racing again even though I wanted to collapse during the run I mean I just feel so alive getting into a lake to swim. To be honest this race wasn't about the win it was just about racing again. I find it hard to believe that 9 months ago I was so unhealthy, unfit, unhappy and so overweight (25kg overweight and actually obese). Losing the weight, through diet alone, and then trying to establish some sort of training/exercise was the hardest thing I've ever done. No race will ever be that difficult. When I finished the race on Saturday I was just another finisher but nobody saw what it took to get there and it made me think of all the people finishing, they all have their own stories and should be so proud of their achievement. I must say I felt so proud myself. For the first time in a long, long time

Now...back to big boy racing starting on Sunday in Salthill. Hopefully I'll have the P5 up and running for it but I don't really mind either way.

shotgunmcos wrote: »

Regardless of the result** you got a taste for racing again and that was objective complete. It will be a treat now to take out the P5.


**nice to win all the same

Exactly MCOS. Thanks. I think you can relate :rolleyes: I actualy wrote down 3 things boxes to tick before the race: Finish, enjoy and no cramping! All 3 ticked.

Tuesday 30th May

Swim Technique

After ditching yet another day yesterday I had to do something today so I made sure to get up early and get my swim done. the session went well and I enjoyed it as per usually once I was doing it.

Dist 2,500m

After 20 days straight of training I've only trained 2 days out of 9. I need to plan better and include more planned off days, one every 10 - 14 days should do.