Good news, not so good news this week.
The Good news is that I've started my IronMan training plan with coach Mark Kleanthous after having what seems like an age 'ticking over'. Frankly, I'm glad I did 'tick over' as I'm already discovering a level of base fitness much higher than last year at the equivalent time.
I've asked Mark to tailor my training this year to sub 11 hour IronMan which means we need to move things on from last year. 2007 was my first year in triathlon, I'd never cycled or swam in any way but recreationaly before - so I was on a steep learning curve. My training was designed to take me from zero to Ironman in nine months and was primarily time and distance based.
This year we're working differently and the first stage of my training is fitness based, working in heart rate zones so Mark can analyse strengths and weaknesses before we move into strength work later in the year. So far, I'm pleased to say, the variation within each session is giving me a challenge that I'm enjoying and adds a new dimension to the training.
I completed twelve and a half hours last week, including two and a half hours swimming made up of drills and pyramid sessions; five and a half hours cycling including a couple of turbo heart rate sessions and a long three hour ride on Saturday and over three hours running - again comprising heartrate pyramids and fartleks and a long slow 10 mile run in the middle of the week. I've also added in a core/stability/light weights session which I think is going to be really beneficial.
I'm also looking at (well, glancing at) my nutrition... aiming to eat more sensibly and healthily (is 'healthily' a word?!) To that end I'm keeping a nutrition diary which makes interesting reading and allows me to link performance with what I'm eating.
Weighed in at 95kgs after my first week training so shed a couple of kgs in the first week.
The only downside to all this is that I came off the bike on Saturday on a patch of black ice, landing heavily on my right hip and shoulder - the same hip that gave me so many problems last year after being knocked off the bike by Starsky and Hutch. I'm hoping these problems won't recur but it's going to have to be a quiet week this week - I tried to swim yesterday morning and it was 'no can do'.
So maybe some turbo and running to keep the body moving, with plenty of stretching an icing.
That said I'd be hard pushed to train much this week. I'm shooting and editing three jobs, with two other directors working for me so there's mucho traveling and long days. And, until I turn pro... triathlon doesn't pay the bills. :-)
3 comments:
Hi Jevon,
Sounds like the training is going well ;)
Do you have a decent turbo? Although H and I are pretty 'hardy' with regards training in bad weather, anything remotely dangerous i.e. ice or strong wind and we hit the turbo. We have a couple of Tacx Flows and as long as you have a good podcast (ironmantalk or competitor radio) to listen to the time positively flies ;) It's just not worth risking injury.
take care out there mate ;)
t.
Hey Tom
Yeah, I do... have a turbo - just a bog standard Tacx but it's good for me and has resistance levels. Doesn't record power output though. But I'm gonna use it more and more... that was a bad busiiness on Saturday and I'm bloody injured a week into training. Gutted at the stupidity of it. Wouldn't mind but I have a garage the size of Shropshire and a spare laptop that I could rig up to put on films (just bought Lance Armstrong's TDF victories !!!).
It's deffo the way to go, isn't it.
Hi there
I swear by them , use a heart rate monitor and you get some bloody good works outs.
As mentioned before great book by Peter Read- it is aimed at the club cyclist wanting to improve their time trial but can be adapted for longer distances
Worked well for me when doing serious duathlon training
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