Daz Does Tri

So the big news, I finally managed to get a long run in! 16 miles @ 7:23/mm which I am over the moon with. Started out at Histon, headed in the wrong direction to Milton but luckily needed a poo so into a real toilet rather than a bush #result. Back out, had a look at the icy paths on the ParkRun route and decided to just head back. Passed Histon at 6 miles and done the math - 10.75 miles turnaround and hit 16 miles on the nose. Up towards St Ives with wind behind feeling really easy. In fact at 10 miles was best I have felt running all year. Wasn't sure what the reason I hadn't done more long runs!

Yesterday I got a nice swim in - 40 mins continuous - at a decent pace feeling pretty easy. felt tough at first but could have gone on for a lot longer had the timer not run out for the dreaded schools swim! Swimming is going pretty well, down to the hours I am putting in. Feel pretty comfortable swimming 1:50-1:55 for long sets and pushing it at about 1:45 pace (per 100m) for shorter stuff. It's getting there, not exactly Mike Phelps but I'm no Ian Turner either ;)

Oh so near yet oh so far this week. 9hrs 40 mins training time in 6 days. Monday - 3k swim (70 mins) & 1 hour turbo (20 miles) Tuesday - 1 hour run (7.8 miles) felt horrible Wednesday - 45 min swim & 45 min easy turbo Thursday - 11.36 mile fartlek @ 6:51/mm Friday - 3 hour turbo - 56 miles Saturday - 40 min turbo Sunday - REST

As it said on the tin - 3k swim and 1 hour turbo. Finally nailed a day exactly as planned! Snowed in after the school run so decided to stay at home for the day. Hit the pool early (Abbey in Cambridge) and knocked out 70 mins of pool time. 500 warm up, 10 x 200 off 5 mins then 500 cool down.

Looks like it will be cold this week with a good chance of snow. Shite, that's not good !! At least I should have a clear run of training if my aching body ever heals! Rough plan is as follows - Monday am) swim 3k pm) 1 hour turbo Tuesday Am) 10 easy Pm) 1 hour turbo Wednesday Am) long run 145bpm Pm) swim 2.5k Thursday Pm) 8 mile tempo Friday Am) 3 hour ride Saturday Am) hill session Sunday REST Gives me - Swim 5.5k Run 40 miles Bike 90-100 miles (5 hours) 12:30 training If it all happens!

Frostbite league Whitemoore Prison 2012 - 9th 28.13 Frostbite league Whitemoore Prison 2013 - 15th 28.25 So today's race went slightly better than planned. Both main targets (sub 29 & top 20) were achieved with some to spare although I measured the course slightly short. Got to the race about right and had a slow easy warm up. Really cold this morning, funnily enough though once the race started conditions felt ideal. Course probably a little slower than last years conditions (had mud caked on innov-8s today as a pose to completely clean last year) and started further up the road and didn't do the extra hill we did last year.

Racing tomorrow, even though I toed the line last weekend I am taking this as a more serious test of fitness. Last week was all about a good hard run, I knew I would be shit in the conditions and the time / position reflected it. The fact that some good runners were in the vicinity showed me that I am in the right ball park but tomorrow will give me a closer window into where I am. Last year I ran 28.13 for the 5 miles on hard ground. Conditions should be exactly the same tomorrow and even though I am aiming for less (will be happy with 28.45ish) I still think I am in reasonable shape after Tuesdays track session.

Easy start to the week with a nice pool swim over at the Manor. Aim today was a 'session' swim (as a pose to recovery or endurance) - hark at me sounding all professional. New goggles didn't turn up till I got home so swam with the shit ones I got on holiday. Spent probably 10 minutes (no shit) adjusting them to stop them (a) filling with water and (b) sucking my eyeballs out of my face. 400 warm up followed by pyramid of 100, 200, 300 (free) 300, 200, 100 (pull and paddles) 100, 200, 300 free and a cool down for 2.5km.

So the first week of the new year is up and Ironman Zurich is rapidly approaching. Scores on the doors - Running 5hrs 55mins @ 7:46/mm for 46 miles General pace 7:38/mm Swimming 30:00mins 1km Cycling 2hrs 14mins @ 16.97mph for 37.9 miles Cross training 25 mins core, stretching & resistance band Total 9hrs 4mins training

On Boxing Day I took the family Preston to the Bay resort in Filey, North Yorkshire.  Basically Christmas at our house involves Ange and myself running around after everyone so we decided to head away for a few days to spend some time together just us away from a stressful and boring time between Xmas and New Year. Neither of us can be much arsed about New Years eve parties so it suits us just fine to have a quiet one. As a family we did some nice trips, going on the North Yorkshire railway (Hogwarts express and stations from yesteryear), the Deep aquarium in Hull (or Shit-Hull as I like to call it) and plenty of time in the resort pool (which luckily for moi was 20m and almost always empty).