Daz Does Tri

Today was the second big test of my Ironman training - an over-distance ride. Plan was always to ride to and from the event to make a nice 120-130 mile ride and it was always going to be about getting saddle time rather than average pace. Alarm set for 6am, was out the door by 6.25 to meet Mark and Dan at the business park. I set out in just shorts, jersey and sleeves. I had assumed it would be a cold start and that it'd quickly warm up. Wow, talk about wrong. It was freezing and as we headed the 12 miles to the start it became clear we were all becoming a bit hypothermic. I could not stop shivering when I got to the start line, luckily Kye who we met there had some spare gloves which were a life saver.

After Paris last Sunday and my doomed run, I spent Tuesday-Saturday in the Lake District with the family Preston. It was a lovely little break, some amazing scenery and good food and plenty of sleep had me refreshed. I read the book 'Iron War' about the 1989 duel in Kona between Dave Scott and Mark Allen. What a book. Talk about rev up the old engine. On Thursday I had enough of the shackles and hit the Hotel 14m swimming pool for a steady 30 min swim. The pool was oval shape with a tiny bit roped off (less than a meter), god knows why?? I used it as my personal lane. I flew up and down, old biddies and kids alike were washed out of the way. A 5 year old ventured into my lane at one stage only to be saved by his dad from a charging Daz Man (I had dropped to 6 strokes a length on that one to clear him).

Never been a fan of Paris, the metro stinks, the food is shite and the people hate the English. But this time I was here on business, marathon business!! Arrived in Paris late on Friday. Thursday had my last proper run at home in a brutal cold wind, averaging 7.08/mm for 6 miles or so. Felt good and knew I was in pretty good shape going into this. Eurostared into Paris with Marky and checked into Hilton no probs. Ate well and hit the sack at 10pm local time feeling tired. Had a really bad night sleep and woke up at 10.30am France time. Quick jog and notice my ankle is in pain - pretty bad pain to be fair but I feel amazing running. Quick stretch, breakfast, Expo, walk, food & bed. That's the build up.

Wow, finally seems like things are taking shape. Having been really shit at the start of the year I think I'm well on the way to being just a bit shit now. Happy days! After my last blog about a decent run on Friday we nailed a good group run on the Friday. 4.25 miles easy with Dan and Stevie B (7.17/mm avge starting with 8's) then met the rest of the boys at the Ivo (or dog shit alley as I now call it). 10 miles starting with a leisurely 7.15 and reeled off sub 6.30's to hit 6.31/mm avge for the next 10 miles. Little warm down in the car park and a coffee in the cafe. Run felt shockingly easy. Like a real runner for the first time in how many years. Boys were like wacky racers in the last mile :) BUT great little session and nice to see Stevie B do a proper training run, almost bought a tear to the eye like he's popped his cherry or something. Degenerate racer Turner couldn't help but 'podium' with a 5.52 last mile #WTF !! Good group out and che...

After my recent moans and groans and despite the shite weather I have actually managed to string some decent training together. Paris marathon is rapidly approaching and despite not feeling particularly fast I am feeling fitter than I ever have with all the X training I have been doing. Run wise, a couple of 10-12 mile runs at sub 7's feeling easy and a couple of 8's at 6.30s feeling comfortable on top of the 24 I did a couple of weeks ago point to a 2.50ish run being in the right ball park. Don't think I've done enough tempo work to run a 2.45 BUT Paris was always supposed to be a stepping stone to Ironman.

So, after Saturdays nightmare ride it was suffer Sunday !! 24 miles with Stevie B and the monkey boy. Really dreading this having not done nearly enough long runs. But I swear by this in marathon prep and it's never let me down the last 3 marathons I've done. Well, they've all been shit but running like a twat and not distance was the problem! Set off nice and easy from Godmanchester. Blah blah long story very short. Easy opening miles, hold back pace, farmers field, shitty trainers, Kye fucks off with Lucozade, big hills, car drivers being twats, wind, torrential rain, avoid puddles, more hills, give up avoiding puddles, lots of mud, feel better, smash quads on downhill, big laugh at previous en-route shit stop, bad patch, big hill, co-op stop, cramp, couple of easy miles, torrential rain, hail stones, done. 3 hrs 4 mins for 7.39/mm avge. Not fast but route was not easy so over the moon with that considering the running I've done.

So, today was the Wiggle 'No-Excuses' epic sportive. 80 miles with a nice 30 commute there and back from Cambourne to make my first century ride. Or not, the excuse given was bad weather so only the standard 40 mile route would be on today! Up nice and early, rode to Mr T's house then blasted with a fierce follow wind to Huntingdon racecourse at 20 mph avge feeling pretty easy. Find out the route is down to 40, bollocks, wait for Ed and we're off!