Daz Does Tri

To get straight to the point, things are not progressing quite as well as I'd like. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy with where I am at considering some of the runs I've had recently but it's not where I want to be. Base training isn't really happening, I just don't seem to be able to hit the volume I need to. And with my race limit coming up at a mighty 5 miles over the next few months I think I need to take the gamble and start reducing the volume and increasing the pace. At least it means dropping (mainly) to one run a day I can hit some of the triathlon stuff I want to get done. I'm away from Friday - Friday with the family and friends and training is going to be frowned upon so I need to work out where I can fit that in. In my head I am thinking run wise that my week will look something like this... Mon pm) 5 recovery @ 7:30/mm Tue am) 30 easy pm) track Wed 1hr35 @ 140 bpm Thur Long intervals Fri 1 hour (6:45/mm) Sat REST Sun 45 stea...

Hatfield Broad Oak 10k today, plenty of fun and games beforehand - forgot rucksack and had to turn back from the M11 !! Had to dump family in the car early due to long traffic delays in town, 10 min delay to start - not ideal prep !! Met up with Al and Rich Holland just before the the start. Settled into pace (5:45's) after fighting through the crowds, some people were far too far up the front! Never understand why people do this, it's bloody chip timing, if you're going to run over 40 mins, why start with people running under 34 !!! First mile went through in 6:06 and Al isn't hanging about for me! Strange mile as it was 5:45 bang on and then long drag up hill it quickly crept up to +6/mm. 2nd mile 5:52. Catch Brotherjohn from Fetcheveryone at 3k and work with him, guy from Ely & Garden City man (whose breathing really heavy). Feel not too great here, working hard and it's full force of the wind into face. 3rd mile 5:49. Same group working hard, John ...

After Tuesdays great run, Wednesday was planned rest and rest was well needed! On Thursday I got 11 miles done for a long run. OK, not a proper long run but was still very tired after Tuesday and one of those runs where everything seemed to go wrong. Random dog attack, too hot for wind jacket but bit cold without, VERY windy and hilly and HR playing up. Didn't stop the Garmin for the dog attack but stopped it when I took my jacket off and didn't re-start! Got to roughly half way and reset the Garmin. Came back faster - 7.30 pace and got 5.35 miles. Added the extra 0.3 to round up to 11. Hot bath, lots of rest and food Thursday night to aid recovery !! Friday went to Hinchingbrook Park and did 6 x 3:40 with recoveries ranging from 90 secs to 3 mins. Bit of a random fartlek and didn't turn the GPS on as was in the trees. Session was sandwhiched between 40 mins of jogging. Really happy as I had to tough it out over the trails, physically and mentally !! Very ha...

Swam at lunchtime with Mike. 250 warm up, 10 x 50, 100, 250, 200. Much better this time, starting to feel more comfortable swimming longer and getting breathing right. There is hope for me yet! Lots to work on - Mikey is very technical! Main concern is making stroke longer (both forward and back) but this felt much easier than last week so hoping to keep improving everything over time. Main thing Mike pointed out was shape of my body in the water - far too upright and need to swim downhill. Will probably do the novice tri on Wednesday week now and see what happens. 400 yard swim, 10 mile bike and 3.5 mile run should be within my capability but don't think the first 2 disciplines will be very fast !! Drove home from work wondering what session to do. Track was out so eventually decided to do a 6 at a decent lick. Managed 6.20 pace a month or so ago when in reasonable shape. Set out and got to 2 miles in 11.57 and decided it was to be a 10k tempo! 3rd mile passed into ...

One week on, I did my standard HR test that I did last week. Stats are (last week in brackets for comparison).. 1.00 139bpm 7:44 (8:26 @ 138) 1.00 152bpm 6:50 (7:01 @ 151) 1.00 156bpm 6:58 (7:10 @ 156) 1.00 162bpm 6:30 (6:33 @ 163) 1.15 146bpm 7:46 (7:18 @ 153) For 7.11/mm @ 150 bpm for 1078 beats per mile. Nice improvement from last week although no swim in the afternoon due to being flat out at work. Pace felt very easy today and main concern was keeping HR down. Like last week, 3rd mile was slower than 2nd due to base fitness not being strong enough. Best ever session for this was 2 weeks before Amsterdam.. 1.00 7:07 135 bpm 1.00 6:39 150 bpm 1.00 6:22 156 bpm 1.00 5:58 163 bpm 1.00 6:48 151 bpm And funny enough I actually feel like I can get somewhere close with a good block of training! Busy week at work this week so going to play it by ear. Main thing is track session (my back ached tonight so not sure that I'll be able to get it done) and ...

Looks like today will be a day of rest !! Lola didn't wake up till 7.45 (Sawyer screaming at Jacob woke us all up !) so didn't get a bike done. Off to football today so doubt I'll be able to get out tonight and will probably be a few beers in so resting is not the worst option. Took my resting heart rate this morning (2 hours after waking up and a coffee down) and came out at 47 bpm which is around abouts lowest I've seen for years. Think a tough training week has benefitted and I just need to make this week count. Plan for today is complete REST ! Will do a good stretch/massage/band work tonight. Monday - am) Gym (4 treadmill, 40 swim) pm) 6 easy 140 bpm Tuesday am) 6 very easy 135 bpm pm) track 3 x 1000m Wednesday BIKE Thursday 14 easy 145 bpm Friday 15 @ MP, 15 @ HMP Seassion Saturday 8 easy 140 bpm w/strides & drills Sunday REST Monday Race Should give me a good run in to the race. Still hoping to pb which is a long shot but in good conditio...

Wow, ups and downs this week. After my very slow long 'un on Wednesday I made the track on Thursday night with intentions of doing an extended warm up / cool down and 4 x 200m strides. Mile warm up @ 7/mm ish pace with DC then stretch (not nearly enough) and into strides and the session. 200m slow walk recovery and running with DC & 2 kids. 30 for the first rep off the back. 30 for the 2nd getting dropped by just over a second. Rest their 3rd and 31 for my 3rd waaayyy off the back (2 and a bit secs). 31 for the last one - same gap and I just can't get my leg turnover up. 6 laps cool down with out barriers this week after my calves tightened last week. Plan was 17 miles on Friday but due to things at home only managed to get out for a planned hour. 3 miles in I had dropped it to 6 miles. Felt awful, 8:20/mm was a slog and seriously felt a minute a mile quicker. Today wasn't sure what to do. Could (should) have rested but felt like doing something quicker ...