This blog will have my thoughts about training for running races and triathlons. It will also contain items about weight loss (nutrition) and general fitness.
In 2007 I completed my first Ironman triathlon at Ironman UK and therefore I am now an Ironman.
In 2009 I took part and completed my first Ultra Marathon a 39.3 Miles (63.2 Km) run.
In 2010 I completed two Ironman distance triathlons with just 1 month between them.
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Thursday, December 28, 2006
This Week
This is due to me taking a rest period with no exercise (apart from some walking) and eating a relatively unhealthy food (mmm chocolates). Next week I will start easing myself back in to training and eating more healthier again.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Gain this week
I was expecting it to be more due to the two Christmas dinners and party food for the last few days at work.
Monday, December 18, 2006
Actually Swam Today
I did half a mile (800m) in a relatively quick time for me. About 10 minutes afterwards I went and did a 5 mile run at a fairly good pace which felt comfortable.
I also today had my third Christmas dinner of the month, so I needed to get out and do some more exercise.
Friday, December 15, 2006
No Change
However, I expected a few pounds gain next week due to this week having two christmas dinners and party food in the office for the last few days.
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Last Few Days Training
Sunday morning I helped marshal my running club's cross country and then in the afternoon I refereed a football (soccer) match. This was more difficult due to the pitch being on a slight incline and the recent wet weather made the centre of the pitch muddy and slippery.
Next week I plan to do some early morning swims.
Thursday, December 07, 2006
This Week
I have also started doing some more cycling on my turbo trainer, I may even get out and do some cycling on the road. This is subject to weather conditions.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
New Training Toy
It is a cycling turbo trainer which contacts to your pc to control the resistance, monitor you training level and there is even a virtual reality feature where you can race on particular courses.
I think my cycling training will now increase, todays 30 minutes trial was the first time I have cycled (excluding at the gym) for 3 months.
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
This Week
My running training was a bit more intense with a 5.5 mile cross country when it was thundering and torrential rain and then a few days later a 800m time trial. The photographs from the cross country are available here, some the image quality looks lower than normal but that is the amount of rain that was pouring down.
I have also swam 1km in a pool, this is the longest I have swam in the last few months since I last did a triathlon.
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Weigh-in
This week I have lost 1 lb (0.5 Kg). I was a bit more careful what I consumed this week plus I ran a few more miles at a faster than normal pace.
Monday, November 20, 2006
An Enjoyable Hilly Race
At the weekend I did a 10 mile running road race in a different area of the country but was only 50 miles away. I had not done any races in that area and did not realise how many and big the hills where until I was running in the race. I think it was the hilliest race I have done which includes some cross countries. However I did quite enjoy the race despite the hilly/undulating nature of it. In the end I was only 1 minute away from my PB which was set on a flat course.
Friday, November 17, 2006
Next Years Races
I am already starting to plan for next year's races / events. In addition to Ironman
Some other potential events are those which I did this year plus some local races. There are also events those members of the two sports club's has mentioned which I am thinking of doing.
It is quite scary that I am working out my training and therefore races now, for 2007 up to mid August.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Fast Runs
Then the following day I did a 6.4 Mile route at a fast pace about 30 seconds a mile slower than the previous day but I felt good doing this. Today I have decided to take a rest as not to overdo the running training. I will do run tomorrow at an easy pace.
Saturday, November 11, 2006
Post Marathon Weigh-in
Nearly two weeks after the marathon I had put on 1/2 lb (0.3 Kg). This was better than expected due to the no exercise and the “recovery”/junk food I had for the week afterwards.
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
The Road to Ironman UK
The road to Ironman
I kept to an easy pace and occasionally stopping to allow different run with different groups of runners at the club who where doing various distances at different paces.
Today I had dry hydrotherapy session help my leg muscles recover a bit, I will see if that helped later this week when I run again.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
New Marathon PB
I am back from a few days away where I completed the
I felt the race was more relaxed for me this year despite aiming to improve my time. I was chatting to a few runners as I went around the course. From about the 14 miles my legs seemed to be heavier than normal but I was able to keep fairly close to my target pace. In the last half a mile I picked up the pace a bit quicker about 2 minutes/mile faster. I am not sure if this was due to the bigger crowds at this point or I was nearly finished (both the course and my energy/muscles). After finishing I was so pleased with my time and out of breath from the faster section at the end I forgot to stop my watch until a number of minutes afterwards.
My legs are not that sore now, only sudden movements give a slight pain. I will have a few more days of exercising but should start some easy pace running next week.
Bring on my next target Ironman
Saturday, October 28, 2006
No Exercise for Days!!
It is strange not exercising for a few days but these are essential before running a marathon.
There is only a bit over a day and a half until the marathon and with an early morning start on Sunday to get their. At the moment I am calm about the race however that will very likely change in the few hours before the race. After all I am just going for a bit of a run for a few hours with 12,000 other people!!!
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Last Run before Marathon
The beeps was useful as it is was dark when I was running so I did not have to look at my watch to see how long is left of that part of the session.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Pre Marathon Weigh-in
Swimming Training for Ironman
I have had some “gentle” introduction to ironman swimming this week. As I went to a different swimming pool which had narrow lanes. These were just wide enough for a person swimming up and down the pool length. However sometimes depending on the other persons stroke you where getting hit or kicked. This was from the lane next to me as well as the lane I was in.
For the ironman swim their will be over 1,000 people in a lake, I have done a triathlon where there was about a tenth of that size at my start time.
Monday, October 23, 2006
Nearly a Triathlon in Training
I nearly did a triathlon in training this evening!!
I did 800m swimming and then 20 minutes afterwards I did about 5 miles of running which was a speed-hill session. The only problem was the cycle, however I did first go to a cycle shop to get some endurance nutritional products but that was the closest I got to cycling.
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Pimp by Bike
I have been on a cycle maintenance course today, I now can change a tyre on my bike :-)
I learnt lots about my bike and how to maintain it. The only trouble is now there are a lot more extra bits I could buy for my bike.
Friday, October 20, 2006
Lots of Cakes
I made some cakes this week for charity cake sale for the charity I am running the marathon for. I made some plain and sultana cakes, in addition some banana muffins. I had to try a banana muffin after they where made for quality control reasons :-)
The cakes I made sold out within 90 minutes, but they had lots of cakes made for them. I found out that they made nearly £800, that is a lot of cakes!!
Just what the doctor did not order
With less than 2 weeks to the marathon I am doing, typical I get a cold and sore throat. I will have to take various vitamins/supplements to help me recover without affecting the training I have done recently. The next few days I will take a bit more easy with a couple of days rest before training again.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Weigh-in
I will need to be more careful about the amount of food I eat in the next few weeks, as my running mileage will be reduced in the build up to the marathon in a few weeks time.
Weekend Race
At the weekend I completed a 10km running race. I did it over 45 minutes, which was nearly 2 minutes quicker than I had done previously on that course but just under 2 minutes away from my PB.
It was a windy day 15mph winds coming off the
I will be taking it a busy easier in training in the next few days.
Friday, October 13, 2006
Training
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Hills
I did a hill session on Wednesday night. It had a bit of a twist, as we started at various places on the hill but as the distance decreased the pace was increased. There was one other person who decided to do hills rather than a 5 or 8 mile run.
At least the rain had stopped by the time we started to run.