I spent about 2 hours yesterday organising my training for the next 8 weeks.  So this I was meant to get up at 6am and do a 50 min turbo session.  Surprise, surprise I sleep in the first morning.  I have made the decision that my aim is to improve my run and cycle.  So if I have to miss a session, I will miss swimming, as long as I swim once a week.

Monday

I am back cycling to work, so I have my usual 22k commute.  In the evening, I go swimming, and swam with Alison and Declan.  Then did Colin’s set in Westpark.  In all I cycle 4,080m.  I did the first full butterfly that I have done in years, and it was great.

Tuesday

Commute 22k, and after work was running with Sportworld.  We did 3 2k runs as the main set.  After only a few weeks of doing these sessions I can already see that my running speed is improving.  I am still no where near the real runners in the club.  In all today’s session was 8.5 km.

Wednesday

Commute 22k, after work I did a 50min turbo session.  This was 20min at 140bpm, and 20 mins at 150bpm followed by 10min warm down.  I think these mid week turbo sessions are the key to improving my cycling over the winter, as there are no elements, or hills to affect my heart rate.  Also I CANNOT freewheel.

Thursday

Cycle to work 11k.  The plan for this evening was to do the Sportsworld run session, but I had to go to Desiree’s leaving drinks in work.  As I could not make Sportsworld I ran at lunch time, and got a 6.5k run in during lunchtime.  This could be good for me in the next few weeks, and run at lunch time twice a week as well as Sportsworld.

Friday

Rest day.  Not to mention a hangover!!  I also went to the Leinster Ospreys game.  Leinster won 19 13, if you are interested, but they gave Ospreys a very easy bonus point by letting in a very easy try in injury time!!  A real pity because their defence had been very good all game.

Saturday

I was trying something new today, by doing a long cycle in the morning and a long run in the afternoon.  As running is my weakness the most important thing here was my run.  I headed out in the morning, and found that I was cycling into a deceptive wind.  I was worried that cycling too far would mean that I would be lazy and not run.  So I cut the cycle short.  I did 70k.  In the afternoon, I stuck to my guns and headed out.  I did 15k in an hour and a half.  Faster than I have run in a year and a half.  Still not fast, but if I can keep that pace up for a marathon, it is a 4 hours.  A hell of a lot better than 6!!

Sunday

Today’s session was annoying.  I was late getting out on the bike, and the plan was to do 120k.  I was just passing by Russborough house, and punctured.  I replaced the tube to realise I only had one tube with me, so I decided rather than risking getting someone to collect me in the middle of nowhere, I would cycle home.  So in the end I only cycled 53k.  But for my first week back with a proper plan I am happy with what I have done.

During the week I was also talking with John about a coach, and I do think it would be good for me.  Last year I kept second guessing what I was doing.  By having a coach I would be putting my trust in them that what they are telling me is right.  Maybe there will be some news on that this week.  We’ll see.  There is plenty of time.

I am not sure how next week’s training will go.  It is quarter close in work, so I will probably have to work a fair bit of overtime, but hopefully I will make most of my sessions.

Over the last few weeks the training has got more structured.  I am back running with Sportsworld running club, and can already see improvements there.  I am going to try to keep a record here of the training that I do manage to maintain between now and Christmas.

The rugby season has started again, and I am sitting here trying to recover from a hangover.  Though it was great to relax with friends at the match.

For the next few months I hope to maintain two swims, three bikes and minimum three runs a week.

Anyway it is time now to start it off again………

I haven’t been good lately at posting but to be honest I have struggled with my motivation since coming home from Lanza.  I have had some good weeks, and some bad.  I have done my long run and my long cycle and feel that I have it in me to finish next week.

Today I did a 75k cycle with the guys in 2 and half hours.  I was feeling nervous heading out, because I haven’t done anything other than work for the last two weeks.  But I felt great on the bike.  Once we finished our cycle though Boycey told us that he was heading for Wicklow gap before heading home!!  Good luck to him.

At this stage I still don’t feel nervous I am looking forward to it.  Maybe things will change over the next seven days.  But I have done the work and I want to do the race now.

Best of luck to the guys doing the race especially, John the Three Dereks! Rodney Eoin and Oran.  I hope that on Sunday night we will all be sitting as Ironmen in the finishing tent drinking beers.

Tuesday

Flew to Lanzarote, I was really excited about spending a week basically being a professional athlete.  Oh yeah, but without being paid!! We all met in the airport in plenty of time before the flight.  Bikes were checked in.  John decided that it was time to have lunch at 11 o’clock.  Shortly after that we met the Wicklow guys.   Mad enough to do Ironman Lanzarote.  In a way I am envious of them.  They have done the work, and are ready to go. 

When we get to the apartments we check in and put everything in our apartment.  Three bikes and three people take up a lot of space!!  Anyway we head off for a run.  45 minutes later my legs are nicely loosened up after the flight.

Wednesday

Up at 6:45 for a swim.  We walk the 500m to the swim start of the Ironman.  The first thing I notice is that even though I feel I have lost some weight training, I am still the fat boy on this beach!!  There are hairless skeletons walking around!!  These must be professionals.  We all think that the swim course has been laid out.  Though it looked very long to me for a 1900m one lap swim.  But we head off anyway.  This is the first swim I have done in a wetsuit this year.  It feels awful.  My shoulders hurt, my arms get tired.  After about fifteen minutes I want to get out of the sea.  But I keep going.  I just cannot swim!  About 45 mins and what we estimate at 2500m I get out of the water quite dejected and sorry for myself.  I make it back to the apartment and then into the breakfast.  Suddenly I feel much better.  Doing something that I am very good at eating!!  An hour later we are heading out on the bikes.  My first experience of cycling in Lanzarote.  We decided to follow a portion of the Ironman route. Once again 15 minutes in I want to go home.  It is all up hill, and into the wind!!  As I realised on the beach I am not built for this.  Then I catch up with the rest of the guys and have a drink and something to eat.  I feel a bit better.  The ground levels off and there is even a down hill.  We spin nicely along the coast, passing salt farms and the cliffs into the sea.  It was amazing.  The island is so barren, but it is still amazing.  In the end we did 97k.  A nice start and now have an idea of where we are on the island.

Thursday

Once again up at 6:45 and down to the beach. I swam about 2k and felt good swimming today.  Then after breakfast out on the bikes again.  We followed the same route as yesterday, but then headed over Timinfaya.  The Fire Mountains.  It is one of the most barren places I have ever seen.  Once over the top though there was an easy decent into LaSanta.  We went into probike, and go a few things done.  It was getting on, so decided to have lunch here before heading home.  A typical spaghetti Bolognese later we headed back the way we came.  The guys were faster up the hill than me.  Then I got over the top.  The road disappeared in front of me.  My God I was flying.  I passed Rodney taking a photo of the camels.   He told me after that I was a blur.  I chanced a look at the speedo, and was doing 78km/h.  At the bottom of the hill, adrenalin was coursing through me.  My legs and hands were shaking.  From looking at Derek and John I could see they were exactly the same.  Then a spin back to the apartment finishing up at 107k.

Friday

I headed down to the beach with John and Flipper, but my neck was nicely burnt from the previous two days swimming, so didn’t get in.  Instead I took a few photos of the other guys.  The plan then was to cycle over to club LaSanta and have a look there.  An hour into the cycle I was terrified.  The wind was blowing me into traffic.  I don’t think I have ever been that frightened on the bike.  The drivers don’t give you any room over there!!  I turned back, but the guys headed on.  When I got back I decided to do a swim to make up for turning back from the cycle.  I did one lap of the Ironman swim.  I did it without wetsuit, and felt great in the water, though there was quite a strong current in the water. On the beach front things were kicking off.  Transition was being put together, and there was a great buzz in the air.  That evening we headed along transition and ogled the bike porn.

Saturday (Ironman Lanzarote)

Up at 6:30, we head down to the swim start.  We meet the Wicklow guys on the way, and for about the hundredth time wish them good luck.  We also meet Fernando and wish him on.  I really wish I was doing this.  Though know I am still not ready.  Then they are off.  An hour later we are watching the bikes come out of transition.  We manage to see most of the guys and cheer them on as they head off.  Dom, Paul, Ronan and Fernando.   Where were the other guys?  Don’t know, but I am hungry from just watching.  We head back and have breakfast.  I relax in the apartment for a while and then head down to transition again.  My God I have missed the first bike back in.  Could they be that fast over this course?  Yes.  Soon enough I am cheering the guys on.  I could not believe how much I enjoyed watching the race.  It seemed like there were people I knew constantly passing us.  But the Munster game was on, so we moved into a pub while it was on.  Though I couldn’t tell you what the game was like because I only knew the score.  I saw nothing of it.  Though we kept Paul up to date with the score.  Then Fernando finished, and then Dom came in followed by Paul and John running together.  Shortly after that Ronan comes in.  But no sign of Jamie.  We head out with his wife to try to cheer him on.  We see him and he is running again, but he still has a lap to go.  He is struggling, but still moving.  It is a hard day at the office for him.  But he keeps moving and we ended up running the last few ks with him.  Sprinting ahead to get a photo of him. 

I was delighted that the guys did so well, but it really meant a lot for me that Jamie finished, because I have been terrified of what will happen for me if things go wrong.  I know now, that I WILL FINISH.

Sunday

Back training.

Cycle 100k followed by a 12k run later that day.

Monday

Cycle 55k.  I had meant to go to the north of the island with the others, but I really lagged behind.  I was feeling tired.  I followed up the bike with a run straight away 12k.  We went for a few drinks with the Wicklow guys.  It was good to relax after the week and find out how the guys felt after their race.

Tuesday we packed up the bike and headed home.

I haven’t mentioned Fagan in this blog, but it was good to finally put a face to this mythical man!!  After he came out of his shell he lived up to his name.  I am looking forward to having a laugh with him again in Germany.  When we can all relax once the race is over.

Wednesday.

Back to work and reality with a bang.

Thank you to all the guys who made the week enjoyable, and for putting up with my snoring, and the days where I wasn’t enjoying the training.

Monday

I haven’t done much swimming lately, so I was determined to get to the pool.  After work, I headed up to Westpark.  My plan was to do 2 x 2k swims.  Finished the first 2ks easily.  Felt strong.  Then Darren and Mark Dowling came into the pool.  Then Colin was taking a class. I got to the 3k mark and Colin was starting his class.  I didn’t want to join it, so decided to get out.

Tuesday

I was late getting home from work, so decided to drive down to Tymon park to go for a run.  When I got there the sign in the car park said it was closing in 15mins.  I headed home.  Whatever motivation I had before that had disappeared.

Wednesday

Again, late home from work, but I was determined to do some run.  Even if it was a short one.  Headed out, after about 3k the ball of my right foot was killing me.  It felt like I was hitting a nerve each time I put my foot down. Once again I decided to cut the run short and hopefully a bit of rest will sort it before my bike run session on Saturday.  All I ran was 6.5k.

Thursday

I had to collect my bike from Wheelworx, and drop my car down to my parents.  So I cycled from my parents house up past Edmonstown Golf Club and up to Dublin View Point.  This was a 15k cycle, but about 12 of them were uphill.  I felt good throughout, but it was cold.

Friday

Had asked Flipper to meet me for a swim, but he was busy.  To be honest I was busy too, so it suited me not to swim.

Saturday

Cycle. 120k in 4:15.  This was at race pace, and we pushed it.  I had arranged to meet Derek, in Westpark, and we met John on the road.  We cycled out to Baltinglass and back adding in the hill at Hollywood both on the way out and the way back.  I had intended doing an hour to hour and a half run off the bike but when I got home it was later than I thought, so I didn’t run.  Then I headed into town for the afternoon to meet a few friends.  I think from what they said, they hope I am as successful in Lanzarote as the guys I am sharing the apartment with!!

Sunday

Rest, and packed up my bike for Lanzarote.  I can’t wait!!

Tuesday, headed to the gym after work and intended on doing a 4k swim.  I keep forgetting that there is a women’s aqua aerobics class at that time.  With so many people in the pool it was impossible to keep swimming.  Did just 800m.  Hopefully I will make up for this later in the week.

Wednesday I did a hill session on the bike. 45 mins cycling with 30 of those up hill.  I am going to put this session in every week from now until my taper.

Thursday and Friday I took off. 

Saturday was a milestone session 6 hour cycle.  I headed out with Derek, and we chose the route, Enniskerry, Roundwood, Laragh, Wicklow Gap, Dunlavin, Naas, Eadestown and then home. This was about 140k and ended up taking us 5:50.  This was the longest cycle I have done, and I made a few mistakes with my nutrition.  I hit the wall in Naas, and really struggled the rest of the way home.

Sunday, this time we had Rodney with us too.  We planned on doing the same route as yesterday.   I had planned my nutrition a lot better today.  I had figrolls, elevenses bars and powergels.  I was very careful to keep drinking, and trying to take something to eat every 15 to 20 minutes.  Even though my legs were tired, I felt strong because I was eating enough.  I had one problem on the climbs the top part of my left calf was hurting when I was climbing.  As I was dropping down into Hollywood I met John, and decided that I would cut the cycle short and come back in the N81 to home.  We caught up with Derek and Rodney a few minutes later and then split up.  John and I spun home nice and easy.  It was still 107k cycle, and was just under 5 hours.

I put my bike into Wheelworx for a service.  Hopefully it will be in perfect working order for the fun in Lanzarote.  Not long now!!!

This week was down on my plan as a recovery week, but I didn’t realise how much of a recovery week it would be.  Due to work commitments, I only did two training sessions on top of my normal cycle commute

Friday:  Met Flipper for a swim.  We did 4.7k before work.  The swimming is becoming easier at that time.  I got into my rhythm quickly this week.

Saturday:  Cycled with John and Flipper out to Tullow and back.  This mentally was one of my toughest sessions.  I didn’t want to be there, and that feeling wasn’t helped with the wind and rain.  What topped off the session was  a tyre blow out cycling down near the Embankment pub.  Thankfully Flipper came to the rescue and drove my car back up to collect me.

Sunday:  Rest.

Week 7

Well with a pretty non existent training week last week, I started this week determined to get in some good sessions.  I was still tired on Monday, not due to training, more due to too much alcohol on Saturday night.  I decided that I would just take it off.

Tuesday morning I got the bus into work with all my gear set to run home.  Following 11 hours in work!!  I headed out the door at 6.  I had worked out a route to make up my 20k, finishing at home.  I felt really good, on the run.  Then for you heart rate watchers I checked my heart rate 170.  A little high I thought!!!  I tried to bring it down, but I felt good, so kept running.  It had been a hard day in work, and was probably a little dehydrated as well as quite agitated leaving work.  My average heart rate for the run was 166 bpm.  I can’t explain it, I was running at my usual pace, and felt good.  So I am not going to worry about it.  The plan was to do a 20k run and that was achieved.

Wednesday – Sunday, no training.  Due to work and needing to sort out some things in my head.  I didn’t train.

At least I did my 20k run but other than that nothing.

Tuesday:  I am determined to keep the momentum going, and did a 3k technique and strength swim session.  I had intended it to be 5k, but I cut it short because the pool was very busy, and slow swimmers were getting into the fast lane.  I was happy enough, because I felt strong and fluid in the water.  Something I haven’t felt for the last few weeks.

Wednesday:  Didn’t do any training.  Took the day off and tried to get more rest.

Thursday:  Run 14k in 1:29.  Felt very strong on the run.  I feel happy now that I can run this sort of distance easily now.

Friday:  Up early in the morning and met Derek at 6 in the gym.  We did a 4k swim set, and felt strong at the end.  I am still finding it difficult to get my technique going in the morning.  It took me nearly 2k just to start feeling good in the water.

Saturday:  The plan was for the same as last week, just increase the length of the run off the bike.  So that is what we did.  The wind was with us all the way down to Tullow.  We then turned around.  We had averaged 31.2k an hour until then.  On the way back we took turns at the front passing out every two or three minutes.  The person behind sticking to the wheel in front.  The result was that our average speed only dropped by 1k an hour into a howling gale.  In the end we cycled 127k and ran for forty minutes.

Sunday:  I decided to take the day off.   Took it easy and did those boring household chores that training makes difficult to do.

Monday ended up being a rest day.  I drank a few too many glasses of wine on Sunday, so decided that I would take it easy. Only exercise was my commute to work.  Tuesday after cycling home I did a 22k run, in 2:33.  Felt well throughout, last 5k was tough, but with three months to go, I am well on target. 

Wednesday, 22k commute to work.  Other than that, no training.  Had intended swimming, but decided to rest after yesterday’s long run.

Thursday and Friday, the only training was my commute to work 44k between the two days.  Had arranged to meet Flipper for a swim Friday morning, but didn’t sleep well on Thursday night, so texted him that I wasn’t going to make it.  While he thinks I am a bit of a wuss, he didn’t make the swim either!!!

Saturday, the plan was to do a long bike, pushing the pace as hard as we could, and then do a 20 min run off the bike.  Met Flipper at Westpark gym at 8am.  I was on the beast for the second training session and wanted to spend as much time as I could down on the tri bars.  We met up with Boycey (Derek Boyce) and John just past Brittas, and we headed out towards Tullow.  We pushed the pace as hard as we could.  Always though at the back of my mind was that I had to be able to run after it.  John sensibly turned back at Baltinglass, but the more foolhardy of us carried on for about another 20 mins.  Shortly after a sign saying Carlow 19km we turned back.  At this stage, I could neither feel my hands or feet and all my clothes were wet from the rain and spray!!  At least we were heading for home.  Finally Boycey took his leave from us at Kilbride.  We slowed the pace a little until we got to the top of Embankment Hill and then took off.  Back at Westpark I changed into my runners, and started hobbling around Tallaght Athletics club track.  After about a 1k I started to get into a rhythm, but my feet were still blocks of ice.  In 20 mins I ran 3k.  I was happy enough with that, as I knew I could keep that pace up.  All in all a good day.  120k cycle and 3k run.

Then I was off to the Leinster Munster match.  Once again I was sitting in the rain freezing cold.  Slightly numb from the mixture of Guinness and rum!  Leinster won!!  We should win the Magners League now.  At least we better!!

Sunday 8am back out on the bike again.  I was a bit tired after the revelries of the previous night (slightly hungover), but I was determined to do the training.  Met Flipper at the mill, and John in Newcastle.  We headed from there out to Maynooth and Kilcock then back to Naas, and on toward Hollywood and home.  Another 5:40 in the saddle and 115k.

Not exactly what I had planned at the start of the week, but still a good week’s training.  Roll on next week and another big week, before a well deserved rest week.