Daz Does Tri

That's it, I finally have no barriers in the way to getting properly fit. Stag doo was a blast but messy. Managed to get a couple of runs in but the acid test was always going to be escaping without illness or injury !! Plan for this week is to establish some good habbits, start from a position that I can increase effort and get consistency across all the main areas I need to address. Next race will be British Masters 5k at Battersea. I will use it as a fitness test so will not treat it as an A race BUT I will taper in properly just to see how I go. From where I am now it would be amazing if I could go close to the range my races were in last summer (16.00 - 16.22) but close to 16.30 would be the target. Not having races in the legs may be the only  hindrance as I will likely be race rusty. Tuesday - I know, I know but I already blogged about Monday and that was purely recovery. Hit Eddington with John M for C&C training. Watching the amount of BLT guys training is insane....

It's been a month since I last blogged. The plan was to get fit and lean and be ready to rock and roll. As ever things haven't quite worked out like that! I'm no fitter or thinner BUT there has been a lot going on. I think I have been ill twice and I have let my hair down on the diet a bit. I have a stag doo in 2 weeks that's going to be messy (no way around that) but after that there is no interruption to training! Until then the plan is just try and keep getting 2 x sessions and 1 x long run in per week and just add as much as I can around that. Currently 10 st 7 lbs (absolute top end of respectability), I have just had a coeliac attack and I seem to have a sore throat from weekend away watching Ryder Cup. Have building work going on for new porch which is making timings for running difficult. Week 1 Monday - 1.5 easy miles around hotel in Rome, 6am. Very tired but 15 mins is better than zero mins. Travel home, no evening run.  Tuesday - Road session with Group at Edd...

Wow, after what feels like months of doing bits and bobs with no structure and no motivation the time has come to start cracking back into a training plan. Obviously the only thing that's been consistent in the past month has been weight training, and away on holiday doing some hills I really found the benefit of the little I have done thus far. So here is the master plan for 2024. Big, BIG changes lined up. If you want to make extraordinary progress you have to make extraordinary changes. Motivation This was my biggest concern at the end of track season. I had no mojo. I could run quick but I couldn't be arsed to flog myself. Now I have had a break, the glass is full and brimming at the top.  Keeping on top of motivation is critical, this shit is hard . I have to check in with myself and life outside running needs to be sound otherwise it'll all cave in. The game has moved on Wow, when I returned to just running as a V40 moving to V45 age group 17 mins was quick enough to ...

Back.On.It Bit of a false start but finally getting back into things. Mojo is restored, new plan finally in place so things can start in earnest now. Weight up to 10 st 11 lbs - ouch. Nearly a stone to come off then. First group session last week (before getting sore throat) and first long run today. Gym / run tomorrow and those will be the 3 main sessions of each week now going forwards. Legs are totally shredded from lack of conditioning but that should come back in time. No real serious aims now before Battersea in December. I def want to hit 50 gym sessions and try a 400m sub 60 attempt to see if it's working but other than that it's all relaxed stuff. First group sesh was cock on, 4 x km (3.24, 3.26, 3.19, 3.19) & 4 x 200 (33, 33, 30, 31) - with the 30 feeling like the strength work was paying off. Long way to go, just that start of another big adventure on the running front! Plan now, boring training but better blog quality !!

https://www.instagram.com/jerry_sun Hmm, I'd like to call this blog tidying up loose ends but the reality is just getting through the last few races and into close season now! Not a lot exciting happening on the running front, everything is about preparing for coming back stronger than ever in 2024. The season is going to close out as follows - Sunday 6th - Masters inter area match 800m & 1500m Monday 14th - Southern Counties Vets League 800m OR 3000m Saturday 19th - SAL 400m Hurdles If all goes well I will have a proper crack at a 3000m on the Monday race BUT I'd need to run surprisingly well at the masters. If not, I'll just dial back into some speed work for the remaining 2 races and try and hit a good 800 and then look to get over the hurdles a bit cleaner at SAL. I've had an amazing year, proper breakthrough from previous years where I have stagnated around 4.30 (1500m) and 17.00 (5k). I never thought I would be frustrated running 16.20 and 16.22 Current rankin...

Photo credit GALIMOR-Surabhamat Not sure whats happening but my body is struggling at the minute. I'm feeling some pretty heavy fatigue. Feels like I am missing something. Yesterday was a rest day and today I slept pretty heavy pre-session. I am on the final run now for track season. I have 8 races where I have a chance to go quicker over 8 different events! After that it's pretty much done as I'm away then and have a lot on in September / October and it would be nice to just do some base work and switch off from sessions. I think September to November I will just bank some miles and keep sessions to just doing Parkrun to keep myself fresh. I'll then hit some harder sessions in prep for Masters 5k in December and open up from there in prep for indoors. The main plan though is to come out swinging at 400 / 800 and hopefully be sub 60/2.10 strength early doors. Have some different ideas for winter training. Time to switch that up. But back to now, I am feeling tired quite...

Q - What is it that I am missing that stop's me running 2 mins for 800m and completing a steeplechase ?  A - Explosive strength I am struggling to develop power through my stride. That's been the limiting factor on why I can't run under 60 secs for 400m. It's also been a factor in why I am not confident enough to steeplechase. At my height I need to be really explosive in the take off to clear the barriers. My hips are lower than the barrier height so I need vertical power to get up and over. The fact that this would solve two problems is a huge reason for me to address it. I am also coming off a really good age 48 track season. Next year, at 49 it's not so important so I can have a winter developing that raw power and low distance focus because once I turn 50 the clock is ticking to get those all time rankings in !! My current S&C & training plan has comfortably got me through the last 18 months. I can't just dissolve it. I need to adapt to change focus...