Shhwing...

Greetings all. Forgive the brevity this week as I'm about to rush off for a meeting and have, for some reason, decided I'm going to be managing my time a lot more efficiently from here on in.

We'll see.

Strange week this week - slightly inverted as I went away for the weekend on a boys' golf weekend. The Ebola Golf Society (don't ask) was formed 13 years ago and has been meeting up once a year ever since to play bad golf and drink ludicrous amounts of beer. As we've got older the energy levels have dropped but we always give it our best shot. If you take a look at the photo I'm second on the right. If you consider I'm over 6'2" you'll see it's also populated by some fair old monsters.

Anyway... the weekend was great. Just what I needed after a few weeks of what has been hard training. Too much beer but, as coach Mark wryly commented - 'at least it's good practice for being dehydrated'.

So, the week's training (nothing at all on Saturday and Sunday) was as follows:

Monday - 60 mins swim drills, 45 mins pyramid 10k.
Tuesday - OLYMPIC TUESDAY - 55 mins 2.6km swim broken sets, 2 hours 36 mile cycling to and from Aylesbury, 45 minutes back to back 10k a 7:59 min miles average
Wednesday - 50 mins 2.1km swim including broken 1500m, 3 hours 50 mile slow bike with Simon
Thursday - 1 hour 45 mins bike with Dave Harvey (torrential downpour), 30 mins back to back run also with Dave.
Friday - Long slow run. 23 miles at 3 hours 7 mins run at 75% average heart rate and taking Ironman breaks (walking for nutrition etc).

Total training time this week 14 hours 37 mins.

Film quote? Last weeks quote of:

"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tanhauser gate. All those moments will be lost in time like tears in rain. Time to die."

was spoken by Rutger Hauer's character Roy Batty in the film BLADE RUNNER.

In the spirit of drunken weekends away... you should be able to get this one :

"I could hardly piss straight with fear. He was a man with 3/4 of an inch of brain who'd taken a dislike to me. What had I done to offend him? I don't consciously offend big men like this. And this one's a decided imbalance of hormone in him. Get any more masculine than that and you'd have to live up a tree. "

What was the name of the character that said this - and in what film?

Answers on the blog please, not by email to me :-)

Laters, people.

A walk in the woods...

Good morning bloggers. Here's hoping you had a productive and enjoyable last week. Slightly strange here - something of an inverted week. Our good friends Jonny and Alli came to visit on Thursday evening, bringing their two young children Solly and Matilda. Which, of course, meant that in addition to drinking a little too much ale over the weekend, most of my volume training had to be squeezed in prior to their arrival on account of me wanting to preserve:

1. My friendship with them.
2. My Marriage.

The girls were also back from their jaunt to Filey - which they loved (not because I wasn't with them, I hasten to add) but still on their Easter holidays from school - so it was all adding up to rather a hectic week squeezing things in. Fortunately business has abated slightly after a manic time and I'm enjoying the respite and not feeling guilty about getting to grips with this phase of my training.

The highlight of my training week was on Wednesday when spring was truly in the air. You know the thing... a certain warmth which brings out the smell of the newly cut hedgerows and the delight of the countryside and, for me, evokes memories of childhood and a feeling that suddenly, anything is possible and everything is worth looking forward to.

So, with that feeling of optimism and a celebration of the human spirit coursing through my veins I decided to make myself a sandwich and take off on the bike for a long ride. I'd never done anything like this before, with all my rides - in my mind - being 'training'. I figured it was finally time to enjoy the bike and see where my legs and lungs took me.

Northampton. That's where they took me. And, of course, back again. Against the wind. But it was a great afternoon. I clocked up 90 miles in near enough bang on 5 hours on what was quite a windy day, with the wind in my face all the way back. And I enjoyed pretty much every minute of it - which is what it's all about, isn't it?

Other training highlights? Well, I'm no great shakes in the pool and hence have rarely timed myself at 1500 metres or other distances. I'm not too bad in a wetsuit but the pool seems to slow me down. But, buoyed (excuse the pun) by last week's 6'24 400m I figured I'd stick the watch on myself for 1500m in one of my sessions. I've just switched to bilateral breathing for training sessions and although not flat out in this session was pleasantly surprised to find that I'd clocked 26'27" for the distance. That's comfortably a minute faster than I was swimming the distance at this time last year. I guess tumble turns would make a difference but some new tricks are beyond this old dog.

So, last weeks training was as follows:

Monday: 45 minutes swimming drills and broken short distances with Erin and Alice (swimming with me in the fast lane!!), 44 minutes run - 10 mins warm up, 8 mins at marathon pace, 8 mins half marathon pace, 8 mins 10k pace, 10 mins warm down.

Tuesday: Olympic Distance Day! 45 minutes swimming, 1.9km total including timed 1500m at 26'27". Back to back with - 75 minutes cycling, 23 miles at 19 mph average. Evening: 5.8 miles fast run at 6'52" per mile average.

Weds: Long solo bike ride. 90 miles in 5 hours. Evening - Tring Running Club 8 mile run, 61 minutes at 8:22 minute mile pace, 141 bpm average HR.

Thursday: Complete rest day.

Friday: 70 minutes swimming. 3.2km non stop.

Saturday: 45 minutes, 5.8 miles tempo run.

Sunday: 64 minutes tough cross country run over Chiltern beacons. 8:09 mins per mile average, 139 bpm average HR.

Total time training this week: 13 hours 31 minutes

I'm obviously getting soft with my film quotes. Tom and my Dad both got last week's quote:

"Yeah, he's fast! But he won't go any faster. He's a gut runner, digs deep! But a short sprint is run on nerves. It's tailor-made for neurotics."

was from the film 'CHARIOTS OF FIRE' and was spoken by Sam Mussabimi about Eric Lidell.

See how you do with this one:

"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tanhauser gate. All those moments will be lost in time like tears in rain. Time to die."

Who said it and in what film? And yes, I know you can find it on IMDB... but see if you can find it in your mind first.

And finally, the highlight of my week relates to the photo. Spending time with my best mates is always a highlight. And when my best mates happen to be my fabulous daughters it just makes it even better. We do lots of things together, the girls and I ( and Fiona, of course) but on Sunday the three of us went out for a walk while Fiona recovered from the weekend. We had a great time... laughing a lot and enjoying ourselves.

And that, after all, is what life's all about isn't it?

Have a good week.

A very busy week...

Good morning all. Fiona took Erin and Alice to Filey for a week's 'girls only' holiday with her sister Clare. Filey was where they used to spend their family holidays and this time round it didn't disappoint. My girls loved it and, more importantly, I had a week here to myself at O'Neill Towers.

So, how to fill said week? Well, training immediately sprang to mind and I planned a busy week.

The centerpiece of the week was to be a long ride on the Wednesday in Snowdonia with an Ironman friend, Iain Parsons. More of that a little later. It was to come after a Tuesday night visit to Anfield, where I'd once again secured tickets for a European night. For those of you who've never experienced one, they are - no matter what your club affiliation - truly nights to remember, unique amongst any other footballing occasions I've encountered. Tuesday was no exception. From our halfway line seats five rows from the pitch myself and my mate and client Paul Keen watched a fantastic 4 - 2 victory over Arsenal where the overall result was always in the balance until Ryan Babel slotted the fourth deep into injury time.

One thing that really caught my eye was the behaviour of Pepe Reina (the Liverpool goalkeeper) following the Arsenal equalizer four minutes from time. Reina was in no way at fault for the goal and turned after picking the ball from his net to find his team mates almost literally wilting before him. You could see from the demeanour of even seasoned pros like Jamie Caragher and Sami Hypia that they thought the game was all over... Arsenal's second goal had put them through on away goals and they were high fiving and celebrating a game won.

Yet Reina had other ideas. Man by man he galvanised his team, telling them that it wasn't over. That they were good enough to score again. Yes, it would take a superhuman effort but it was possible. All they had to do was believe it. The crowd seemed to pick up on his conviction and roared on the team. Within a minute they had sent Ryan Babel into the box where he won a penalty, Stevie G coolly slotting it in front of The Kop. Babel's late goal secured the win but the real hero for me was Pepe Reina and it re-affirmed my belief that most times, nothing is impossible, no matter how hard it might seem. You have to find a place deep within yourself and you need to operate what Sir Clive Woodward called 'T-CUP' (Think Clearly Under Pressure). If you can and you do... you'll win.

Following this excitement, what better way to unwind than to 'enjoy' a ride into Snowdonia from Iain's place on The Wirral... the tortuous route lasted 118 miles and took in some 10,000 feet of climb - the toughest of which was the infamous Horseshoe Pass.

The weather was suitably brutal and we stopped for an elevenses and lunch break, the lunch break being particularly welcome at the renowned Ponderosa Cafe atop Horseshoe Pass. I was over seven and a half hours in the saddle and at one point... going up 'the Shoe' I thought I was going to have to quit. But Pepe and Austria's Rupertiberg Hill came to mind and I soldiered on, manfully grinding away to the top. Another long ride in the bank for Austria. Thanks, Iain (who's now at a training camp in Lanzarote prior to his IronMan there in June) for all your hospitality and a great day.

As usual all of the training can be seen below. Another strong week with injuries, hopefully, kept at bay. The only problem at the moment is an ankle strain which is a running injury but I seem to be able to operate fine with this as long as I rest and ice post run.

Speaking of runs HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to my friends who ran the London Marathon at the weekend. Dave Jones ran another sub 4 marathon, getting round in 3:57 - a great result, Dave. Tom Williams and Helen Turton, my IronMan friends who are gunning for a place at the IronMan world champs in Kona, Hawaii, have been training furiously and were both looking for a PB in their build up to IronMan Germany this year. They didn't disappoint. Helen came home in 3:20 (beating her PB by two minutes - and mine, damn !) whilst Tom smashed his PB by over eight minutes, coming home in 2:49. Great work both of you. Keep your foot on the gas... not long to go now.

So, training this past week:

Monday: 60 minutes swim drills and broken short sprints. 45 minutes tempo cycling.
Tuesday: 60 minutes cycling - brisk and steady.
Weds: 7 hours 43 minutes cycling. 118 miles, 10,000 feet ascent.
Thurs: Rest day.
Fri: 45 minutes swimming. Broken 1500m including PB at 400m of 6'24".
Sat: Back to back cycle and run with Team MK. 50 mile bike in 2 hours 53 mins. 7.5 mile run in 61 minutes.
Sunday: 1 hour recovery cycle and 30 mins running back to back.

Total training time this week: 16 hours 39 minutes.

So, just a couple of things to tie up. Today's main photo is from my friend Trevor Brown. Two years ago, his nephew Harry was diagnosed with Leukemia. During his interminable treatments and long stays in hospital he was visited by many of the Liverpool players (he is an ardent Red). I'm pleased to report that he is now in full remission and, for the game against Blackburn on Sunday was able to be the team mascot. Well done, Harry. Great result after a strong fight.

To less important things... last week's film quote was:

"28 days... 6 hours... 42 minutes... 12 seconds. That... is when the world... will end."

and was from 'Donnie Darko'. The words were uttered by Frank, the giant rabbit. For those of you who haven't seen the movie - I urge you to rent it. Make sure you see the original version though and - unusually - NOT the director's cut.

So... who said this sports-themed quote (c'mon, Tom... I have high hopes for you on this one):

"Yeah, he's fast! But he won't go any faster. He's a gut runner, digs deep! But a short sprint is run on nerves. It's tailor-made for neurotics."

in which film, and who was he talking about?

Have a good week out there...

The Green Eyed Monster...

Envy is a terrible thing. It brings out the worst in all of us. But we're all humans and sometime along the ultra marathon of life it's going to happen to us. The monster will strike. So it was with me over the weekend when I took part in a small scale Team Milton Keynes training session.

Most of the club had gone over to Belgium for the Tour of Flanders bike ride, leaving half a dozen or so of us IronMen to train on our own. We organised a back to back session of 50 mile bike and 4 mile run, the bike session starting off with a 10 mile Time Trial so we could quickly simulate the fatigue of IronMan.

Anyhow... session smession... what I really want to talk about is the presence there of two Cervelo p3C cycles. Boy... what a machine. I jest you not... I have literally been dreaming about owning one this past week. And, the annoying thing is... I could go and get one. But something's holding me back. I feel I need to dedicate myself a little more to cycling before I splash out £ 4k on a bike... (having already forked out £ 1.5k just over a year ago on one which would be suddenly relegated to my winter training bike)... somehow I need to prove to myself that I'm worthy of such a carbon-built monster. We'll see how things stand by the end of summer and, if I'm still hot to trot with cycling and dedicated to keeping it high on my list of training priorities, then who knows... a P3C could be mine !!!

So, I hope you're all well. This week is London Marathon week. Good luck to Dave Jones, my good mate from Tring Running Club who is doing the marathon for the second time. Looking good, Dave... I like to think it's that little extra O'Neill training that's turning you into the fine athlete you are though! Good luck also to Tom and Helen - I hope the race works exactly as you want it and it fits into your training plans as you intended.

I decided not to run the marathon this year as I felt it took me too long to recover last year - albeit that I was carrying a minor injury which turned into a major. But my long running continues to develop and this last week saw me run an 18 mile training run on Wednesday night at an average of 7:47 per mile, whilst keeping my heart rate to a creditable 146 bpm average.

Last week was another enjoyable and fulsome training week:

Monday: 45 minutes run (recovery, tempo pace)
Tuesday: 75 minutes swim, 3.2km concentrating on technique and bi-lateral breathing.
Wednesday: 75 minutes swim, as above. 2 hours 17 minutes 18 mile run at sub 8 minute mile pace.
Thursday: Rest day
Friday: 75 minutes swim, 3.2km concentrating on bi-lateral breathing. 1 hour cycling including 10 mile Time Trial in new PB for course of 25'54".
Saturday: 3 and a half hours 50 mile bike and 4 mile back to back run with Team MK.
Sunday: 1 hour bike turbo and running bricks, 15 minutes stretch and light weights.

Total training time this week: 12 hours 15 minutes

Congratulations to Tom for correctly identifying last week's film quote. The conversation came from The Coen Brothers' FARGO and the woodchipper was used to grind up the remains of Steve Buscemi's body, specifically his leg.

How about this:

"28 days... 6 hours... 42 minutes... 12 seconds. That... is when the world... will end."

Who said that... and in what (brilliant) movie?

Let's be careful out there...

Greetings fellow athletes and couch potatoes. I hope all is well with you and that, like me, you are feeling a certain lightness of being as winter begins to give way to summer and hope is once again restored to our hearts.

This weeks photo is of myself and my Dad following our Sunday bike ride. For those of you who may doubt my father’s athletic prowess, let me tell you that the man you see in the photo once cycled for the British Army, rode from Preston to Lancaster and back again the morning of his Wedding Day (when the Wedding was at 1030 am !) and, in 1956 on a steel framed, fixed gear bike, rode 4 hours 17 minutes for 100 miles. There, that wiped the smiles off your faces, eh. Anyway, riding with my Dad is always a highlight and this was no exception.

Last week was a short but productive week. Following the trauma of the arctic brick sessions with Team MK, I settled down to some solid training. I was concerned that although fit, my long runs weren’t long enough and so I rectified this by introducing a longer session to my Tring Running Club Wednesday night exertions.

This means I plough my own, lonely furrow as my club mates go about their off road relays and muddy exertions, but it’s the only way of getting a solid long run in outside of weekends which I use to concentrate on my long bike ride. So Wednesday saw a solid if uneventful 15 mile run in freezing rain with a time of 2 hours 7 minutes and an average heart rate of 135. The important thing for me was that I felt very strong and ‘in the zone’ and perfectly capable of running another ten miles or so at the same pace.

Saturday saw a long bike ride with some of the faster riders from Team MK. I’d cycled over to Newport Pagnell to meet them - which meant I’d done 23 miles before we started – and managed to stay with them for a further 50 miles before turning for home as they disappeared into the distance. I rode 83 miles all told and, although the average time of 17mph wasn’t startling, I’m convinced I’m riding better and stronger than last year. Once again, working with better cyclists will only work in my favour.

I also returned to swimming on Friday after eight days rest to try and cure a left shoulder injury which had sprung up from nowhere. Although not totally gone it is much improved and I came through my 3.2km session unscathed and happy to be back in the water.

On the injury front I’m having work on my right calf which is teetering on the brink of pulling. Dave, my IronMan mate and training partner from last year seems to have replaced Will as my injury guru of choice. That’s no reflection on Will, just that Dave does house calls and trains with me so knows me and my regime a little better.

I’m going to drop in on Will soon and let him be horrified at my right knee.

So… a shorter week (as I included Monday in last week’s training stats) but a strong one.

Tuesday: 70 minutes high cadence turbo cycling
Weds: 60 minutes bike turbo, working at heart rate below 80% of max. 2 hrs 7 minutes, 15 mile run.
Thurs: 20 minutes recovery bike ride with Fiona!
Friday: Swimming: 75 minutes broken 300m sets plus drills to 3.2km. 45 minutes pyramid bike heart rate session on the turbo. Warm up, warm down plus extended periods at 75%, 80% and 85% plus. 15 minute run immediately afterwards.
Saturday: 4 hr 34mins, 83 mile bike ride. 17 mph average, HR average 135bpm.
Sunday: 1 hour recovery cycle with my Dad. 75 minute tempo cross country run.

Total training this week (6 day period) 13.68 hours.

I know you’re itching to hear about the film quote so here’s the answer. Last week’s
Quote was:

"I have to go to the bathroom. Is that all right?"

and was spoken by Michael Corleone prior to retrieving the gun taped behind the toilet cistern and shooting dead Captain McCluskey and Virgil Solozzo. The movie was ‘The Godfather’.

Can you tell me which film this week’s exchange comes from and what use was the woodchipper put to?

STAN
You're sayin' - what're you
sayin'?

WADE
You're sayin' that we put in
all the money and you collect
when it pays off?

JERRY
No, no. I - I'd, I'd - pay you
back the principal, and interest
- heck, I'd go - one over prime -

STAN
We're not a bank, Jerry.

Train hard, smile harder.

Tri Harder

Happy Easter everyone. Hope you had a relaxing time and the chocolate eggs don't hang around your hips too long.

My main news this week is that I've not only joined Team MK (the Milton Keynes Triathlon Club) but done my first sessions with them over the easter period.

I've long realised that I need to measure myself up against stronger athletes and force myself out of my comfort zone. Well -I've certainly done that. The MK athletes are enormously strong and fit and, frankly, well out of my league. But that's exactly what I need: bootstraps to cling on to and the inspiration of others to make myself better.

I ran a two hour cross country run through the grounds of Woburn on Easter Saturday and on Easter Monday we completed a fairly monstrous brick session of 4 x 10 mile bikes interspersed with 4 x 2.2 mile runs. The course was their hilly 10 mile bike run which is a relentless up and down, highly demanding loop. The run was equally as hilly. Add in blizzards and arctic conditions and it was a formidable session.

But everyone made me welcome and I already feel a part of the club. I'm looking forward to more sessions and to being a part of Team MK's assault on IronMan Austria when 25 or so are taking part.

Funny week this week as the weather curtailed my long bike ambitions at the weekend. I'm long enough in the training tooth now to realise when I'm risking injury or illness and, where a year ago I would have foolishly rushed into the abyss, now I step back, consider my options and train safe.

That said, a shoulder injury has stopped me swimming at the moment. Following a productive session at swim therapy I had plenty of drills to work on to accentuate my body roll, my water catch and leg kick. Unfortunately, after going at them for one hard session I twisted said shoulder. So not much swimming this week.

So... my week last week was as follows:

Monday: 1 hour bike. Little ring fast cadence recovery ride. 45 mins run, mixture of half marathon and marathon pace.
Tuesday: 2 hour coaching swim session at Swim Therapy. 45 minutes run, concentrating on keeping good form during main session of hard running.
Weds: 1 hour swim, incorporating 2k plus drills. 1 hour 35 mins long run. 11.35 miles at 141 bpm average heart rate.
Thurs: 45 mins swim. Relaxed pyramids with Colin and Dave.
Fri: Rest day
Saturday: 2 hour cross country run with Team MK.
Sunday: 1 hour high cadence turbo bike session.
Monday: 4 hours 10 mile plus 2.2 mile run x 4 brick session.

Total training time (Monday to Monday) 14.81 hours.

Finally, of course you all wanted to know the film quote from a couple of weeks ago...

"I could tell you but then I'd have to kill you" was spoken by Tom Cruise (Maverick) to Val Kilmer (Iceman) in the movie Top Gun.

You knew that though, didn't you.

Here's this weeks:

"I have to go to the bathroom. Is that all right?"

Who said this, in what film and what happened when he returned from the bathroom?

Have a good week.

The Long and Winding Road...

I'd spent the week calling all my cycling buddies, desperately hoping just one of them would say "yes" to a Saturday morning bike ride. You see, secretly, deep down, I know that none of them would want to ride a century and we'd end up doing another tough but do-able sixty or so.

But everyone was otherwise engaged.

Which just left me.

And my bike.

So off I plodded and six wet, windswept and lonely hours later returned sore of knee to the warmth of a Saturday lunchtime bath, my first century ride under my belt. I found it tough, I'm not going to pretend otherwise. But mental toughness is as valid a part of IronMan training as is physical fitness. There were times around the 80 mile mark when I felt like heading in, especially as by then I was looping fairly close to home. But I knew I wouldn't. For, as my mate Tom Williams said to me... "Ironmen are made in winter" :-)

I was interested in the stats as last year my problem on the bike was nutrition. My ride took six hours for 101 miles (16.83 mph average) which I'm reasonably happy with considering weather, clothing, bike set up (mudguards etc) and my average heart rate was 74% of maximum. It burned over 7,500 calories (as calculated by my Garmin computer) and to complete it I consumed approximately 2,240 calories. (Large breakfast of porridge, toast and orange juice - approx 650 cals, 4 x Torq bars at 330 cals each and 1 x SIS Go Bar at 275 cals on the ride). Using accepted wisdom that we can take on board 500 calories per hour and that 650 of my calorie intake came before I started the bike, it seems I once again underfed myself on the bike to the tune of 1405 calories. I am determined to shovel that stuff into my mouth, whether I feel I'm going to be sick or not.

In addition I consumed approximately 2.7 litres of water and 300 ml of carbo drink, making a total of 3 litres or an average of 500 ml per hour, roughly in line with my targets.

Anyway... make of that what you will. Heres that week in full:

Monday - 60 minutes Swimming drills and training.
Tuesday - 45 minutes swimming 2.5k pyramids, 45 mins easy 10k run.
Wednesday - 60 mins swimming warm up, pyramids etc, 60 minutes bike (turbo - high cadence session), 75 minutes long slow 8 mile run at Tring Running Club (low heart rate).
Thursday - complete rest day
Friday - 45 minutes swim (1km timed at roughly IronMan pace plus warm up drills and short distance work). 1 hour bike - easy local ride.
Saturday - 6 hours 101 mile bike
Sunday - 1 mile, 6 minute run just to get some life back into the legs.

Total time training this week: 13 hours 36 minutes.

Feeling good. :-)

Livin' in the Free World...

G'day all... and what a fine one it is too, post-storm. The heavens raged yesterday. Branches crashed, winds howled and the full power of the earth was once again on show.

Power's a strange thing, isn't it. In my second year of triathlon training I'm learning to control my power output during certain parts of my training, saving it for others. Meaning? Meaning that I guess I'm beginning to control my effort, my heart rate and my overall work rate to enable me to peak at a certain time. Looking back on last year I approached training and preparation for IronMan Austria with my usual gung ho attitude. If I'm honest, I think I peaked a month and a half too early, that I didn't manage my injuries cleverly enough and that I didn't 'train smart'.

I feel I'm training a lot smarter this year.

So what of the week past? Well, once again I've been in Manchester on business, living an itinerant life which makes it difficult to train with any degree of regularity. However, I've managed the following week:

Monday: 45 minutes swim (drills and skills)
Tuesday: 60 minutes swim (pyramid short distances)
Wednesday: 45 minutes running at medium tempo, 45 minutes swim (2km with various warms)
Thursday: 45 minutes swimming (2.5km relaxed)
Friday: complete rest day
Saturday: Long easy bike with Mark K and Slacko from Tri Talk. 70 miles in 4 hrs 15 at very low heart rate of 118bpm average followed immediately by 5.5 mile run at average pace of 8.22 minute miles (sub Ironman pace) and average heart rate of 141. Time 45 mins.

Felt a couple of tweaks in my right calf during the week so

Sunday: 2 hour country hike with Erin (eldest daughter). Really enjoyed this and felt it was good so am including it in my training.

That makes a total time of 10 hours excluding my Sunday hike.

Not bad for a busy week. And good training again.

On Saturday we went to see Neil Young at the Hammersmith Apollo. Tickets were like gold dust and justifiably so. The set went on until midnight which, for someone who had cycled 70 miles and run nearly six, was way past my bed time. I loved every minute of it though and, if you're not familiar with the Youngster's music I urge you to check it out. He's one of the most important singer songwriters still alive today (along, I guess, with Bob Dylan) with an amazing back catalogue. The set was an acoustic hour and a half with just NY on guitar/piano/organ/mouth organ... followed by a short break and then another hour plus of a heavy electric set with his band. As my New Joysey mate Craig said "Awesome, man. Awesome."

For those of you interested enough to be still reading.... "Plastics" was, of course, from 'The Graduate'. This week's quote may be a little easier:

"I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you."

Who said this? And in what film?

Have a good week.

Ticking over...

I've been working away from home for much of the previous week which is never easy when it comes to scheduling training but I managed to keep a steady schedule of mainly running and cycling.

Monday: 60 mins swim, drills. 50 mins run, pyramid marathon pace sessions with lower pace rest periods.

Tuesday: 45 minutes swimming

Wednesday: 60 mins swimming, 200m timed reps.
60 mins cycling (off road on mountain bike... really enjoyed the change of this). 65 minutes slow run at Tring Running Club.

Thursday: Complete rest day.

Friday: 45 minutes swimming at Garstang 20m pool. 30 minutes tempo run.

Saturday: 80 minutes off road hilly run with Mark K.

And I'm afraid I decided not to risk any biking in the wind with my injury record. For once, discretion was indeed the better part of valour.

I'm away in Manchester this week but am continuing to swim and run and am feeling strong. My improved diet is paying dividends and I'm looking forward to getting on the bike for a long ride with Dave and possibly Mark on Saturday.

I couldn't find any pictures to post so I've included a gratituous poser photo of me directing Michael Parkinson on a recent AXA commercial I shot.

Each post will finish with a quote from a film... kudos to those who can name the movie...

This is from my favourite film of all time and is simpy...

"plastics"

Have fun, everyone...

What a difference a week makes...

Feeling a thousand percent better this week after mucho rest. I think – reading back over my previous post – that last week I was guilty of the sin of overtraining. I’d never thought it possible before but a week ago I felt pretty much at the end of my tether. My body was a wreck, my mind was addled and I couldn’t see a way forward.

Now I’ve rested up it’s a different story.

I’m back on track and focussed on the future. I feel strong and, whilst the body hasn’t healed up completely, it’s gone a long way to doing so. I just shut up shop last week and cycled for an hour and a quarter on Tuesday and ran for the same time on Wednesday. Yesterday (Sunday) I completed a very easy 50 mile bike ride.

But in the process I freed up some time and thoroughly enjoyed my week. Erin and I took in Cloverfield at the movies and I want to start getting to the cinema with her once a week. Alice and I travelled once again up to Anfield on Saturday to see Fernando Torres score a magnificent hat-trick as Liverpool beat Middlesborough. We’re on the waiting list for LFC season tickets but don’t hold your breath on that as there are over 60,000 on said waiting list !!! As a family we visited The Hellfire Caves in Buckinghamshire where the infamous 18th century Hellfire Club met and entertained ladies dressed as nuns and generally worshipped the devil. The village of West Wycombe is a National Trust Village and is home to the fabulous Village Sweet Shop selling literally hundreds of varieties of traditional sweets, all in jars and available as ‘quarter’ or ‘2oz’ sizes. I’m sure it’s illegal by European law to sell in such weights and illegal for Ironmen to eat sweets but frankly, who cares! Those pineapple chunks, sherbet bon-bons, sour apples and rhubarb and custards capped off a great week.

To be honest it’s probably the lightest week I’ve had for over a year but I’ve reaped as much benefit from it as I have from the toughest of training weeks. I’ve learned something very important. There’s no point in being super fit if your mind’s not in great shape. Fitness is a balance between life and body. Get it right and it’s a great place to be…

Overload?

I think I'm getting older.

Hard to believe, I know. But it's true. I've been guilty of burning the candle at both ends this week and when that happens something has to give. Consequently I dragged myself into the brightness of Sunday morning, bleary-eyed and sleep-deprived, like someone suffering from their first hangover telling themselves, "I"ll never do it again".

Only, in this instance, I'm going to adhere to that mantra.

Strange but I've become someone who would rather enjoy his training than fire into the red wine until 3am on a Sunday morning. I'm coming to the conclusion though that quality sleep and a 'well body' is one of the key elements of optimal training. When I have them I'm good. But when I don't I'm very, very bad.

I think I need to accept that I'm fighting a war on so many fronts. In addition to wanting to break eleven hours in my next Ironman and maintain the twelve to fourteen hours of training that entails (and remember that's training time, not counting changing, showering, driving to the pool etc), I want to be a full time world class father to my amazing kids, a full time husband to my equally amazing and understanding wife, continue to run a successful and expanding TV commercials production company and write my next movie script. All of these things take dedication and commitment and they all require time. Something will have to give and, I'm afraid it's going to have to be my love of a good old session (of the non-training variety) at the weekend.

If I'm going to be fresh to train, write, coach maths, play footy, do the swimming run, read lines with the girls as they rehearse, travel the country on business not to mention a myriad of other things including writing this bloody blog, then I need to be rested and refreshed. Unfortunately that doesn't go hand in hand with a couple of bottles of red wine and several glasses of port until 3am on a Sunday morning.

Frankly, I think I also slightly overdid the training last week. I couldn't run due to a blister suffered the previous saturday and decided to get some quality biking in. As a result I've got a sore knee and my shoulders are aching - shoulders more due to swimming I think. So I'm having a week of lighter, fat burning training before re-grouping and embarking on the next stages of training.

Training last week looked like this:

Monday: 60 mins swimming and drills
Tuesday: 60 mins swimming interval sprints. 2 hrs 15 mins bike ride. Big ring average of 17.2mph.
Weds: 60 mins swimming interval springs. 2 hrs 25 mins bike ride. 17.5mph, big ring, average heart rate 73% of Maximum.
Thursday: Complete rest day
Friday" 60 minutes swim - specific warm ups and 1km benchmark easy pace of 18'52" (Not meant to be fast but will be using this time in future to assess strength and efficiency of stroke). 57 minutes turbo cycling... pyramid heart rate 'beasting' session.
Saturday: 4 hours 30 mins long solo bike. First two hours on turbo to avoid icy roads then onto road for 2 hrs 30 mins. Between 65% and 75% of Max Heart rate. Bloody cold.
Sunday: 25 mins recovery road run. Blisters okay.

Total time training this wee: 14.53 hours.

Remember folks... 'Just say no to Mr Booze'.

Let's be careful out there...

Be Still My Beating Heart...

Valentine's Day approaches but hearts take on a different meaning now. Where once they signified purely love and happiness, they now bring images of toil and labour under the increasingly warm skies. Beat beat beat beat... it's all become about training this largest of muscles to perform well under pressure.
And it seems still to be going well, although I'm now having to take a week off running due to an extremely virulent blister on the heel of my left foot which is (I think) becoming infected. But it was the result of a great cross country run I did with Ironmen Colin, Alex and Simon, plus new running mates Don and Paul. We ran over Ivinghoe Beacon on Saturday, completing 14 miles and over 2,500 feet of ascent. I managed 1 hr 56 at an average heart rate of 85%. Pleased with this... it was a tough old run.

Anyway, here's the week that was:

Monday: 85 mins cross country run. New running shoes - I've moved to Brooks from Asics. I'll keep you posted on how they go! 45 mins weights/core/strength/stretch

Tuesday: 45 mins return to swimming. Slow and easy trying to counter a pain in my right shoulder. 60 mins recovery bike ride. Nice and easy on the roads in lovely weather. 55 mins running - did 10 mins ironman pace (sub 9') 35 mins marathon pace (approx 7'40) 10 mins ironman pace. felt very good and very strong. Avg 8'03 per mile, avg 136 bpm (79.5%)

Wednesday: 45 mins 2km pool swim. Nice and easy. Shoulder feeling better. 65 mins bike 18 miles at 16.5mph. Avg 118bpm. Mainly big ring. Bison Hill included. 70 mins long slow run with Tring Running Club. 8 miles at avg 126 bpm (73.68%). Avg pace 8'53 per mile. Getting used to running this slow.

Thursday: 45 mins 2km pool swim. Again, nice and easy. Getting technique back and getting shoulders used to swimming again after such a long time away. 60 mins bike turbo session. Did the increasing pyramid session with 2 minute bursts x 4 (75%, 80%, 85%, 90% of MHR). Did 5 sets. Fantastic session. Hardest bike session i've ever done. Really pushed myself. Very pleased.

Friday: Complete rest day.

Saturday: 2 hour cross country run. See above.

Sunday: 1 hour recovery bike. Another bloody puncture. Two in two weeks. Someone's giving me practice I think.

Total time training this week 12.58 hours.

Feels great to be back swimming, lovely to be out in the sunshine on the bike. A drag that my run resulted in such a bad blister (not from new shoes note... wore my flyroc trail shoes - probably not enough cushioning).

Congratulations to Mark Kleanthous on his great article this month in 220 Magazine. Top Tips indeed, Mark.

Finally, happy Valentines Day to my four Valentines ... in no particular order - my mum, Sadie, wife Fiona, daughters Erin and Alice.

Happy training everyone.

Keep those hearts beating.

Workin' hard

Training continues to go well. Despite not being able to swim due to the cricked neck which has stayed with me all week, I've put in an extremely reasonable 12 and a half hours training this week. Comprised of:

Monday : day off as recovery (listen to your body!)
Tuesday: 45 mins core/stretch/strength work. 53 mins bike turbo (pyramids on increasing heart rate). 45 mins run (marathon tempo, concentrating on relaxing shoulders and neck).
Weds: 45 mins run (10 min warm up and down with 3 x sets of 6 mins half marathon and 3 mins marathon pace in the middle). 65 mins bike out on the roads steady ride including first Bison Hill of the season. 75 mins run at low heart rate ( 72% of Max) over 8 miles.
Thurs: Complete rest day
Fri: 1 hour bike (increasing heart rate pyramids in the big ring). 45 mins run at marathon pace.
Sat: 4 hour bike ride keeping heart rate below 75% of MHR. 65 miles in tough conditions. Punctured after 40 miles but managed to fix it in freezing conditions. 25 mins tempo run straight afterwards keeping heart rate close to 75% of MHR.
Sunday: 45 mins run, 10 min warm up at Ironman pace with 8 mins marathon pace, 8 mins 10k pace and 8 mins marathon pace sandwiched in between.

So all's good. Some niggly injuries still - my knee is making slow progress on the stability front and my neck and shoulders continue to give me trouble. A return to swimming this week should show them who's boss.

:-)

Laters...

A Pain in the Neck...

The training weeks fly by and another good strong base session is under my belt. I'm beginning to understand more and more about the training regime that Mark has me on. We're currently working on getting used to fat burning as a way of fueling during long rides and runs. I'm finding running and riding at 65 - 75% of heart rate enormously difficult as it's way slower (in pace terms) than I'm used to but I'm getting there. Coach K explains it thus:

"You are currently in endurance Phase, then Pre-competition Phase, then IM Build up.

Going HARD uses up easily available energy rather than your limitless energy
reserves. Going hard has its limitations. Going steady & long is limitless.

The Best IM Guys and Girls are good at going Long but are so aerobically fit
they go faster.

You need to get much better at burning fat for fuel as this is your main
source of stored energy because you can only take in 300+ calories an hour
but will burn up 800+.

If you do not practice this most important part you will struggle to go sub
11 this year.

Your main goal this year is IM Austria NOT the Easter EGG race!

You are much bigger than me so need to be better at using stored fat.

The best IM athletes can also eat less during the Ironman because they have
developed using fat for fuel."

So there you have it. Anyway, now I know there's method in his madness, here's what last week held for me.

Monday - started with 45 minutes core and stretching and weights, prior to heading into London for a full day.

Tuesday - 50 minutes bike turbo working in pyramids between 65% and 85% of Heart Rate. 60 minutes of running incorpoating a 40 minute middle tempo section at marathon pace of 7'30 per mile.

Weds - 75 minute slow run with Tring Running Club. 9 miles approx.

Thurs - 2km return to swimming after lay off. 5 x 400m sets. Relaxed. 1 hour bike session on the turbo running through big ring pyramids working heart rate up to 85%. 45 minute running session including timed middle sections at marathon pace (7'40"), half marathon pace (7'00") and 10k pace (6'30").

Friday - day off recovery.

Saturday - 3 hr 15 mins v. slow bike ride. Approx 50 miles at 65% Heart Rate. 20 minute run after at IM pace.

Sunday - 45 minute run including timed middle sections at IM pace, Marathon pace and 10k pace.

So... over ten hours clocked and going well. The only drawback is that I came off the bike again and landed on my hip. I also slept terribly last night and cricked my neck . Do you think my body is trying to tell me something?

Keep up the good work...

So... a busy week and a little late posting on the blog. Sorry 'bout that. Even though my total training time was way down this week at 8 and a half hours, I'm still delighted with the way things are going.

Let me tell you why.

In addition to being injured since coming off the bike last weekend, I've been extremely busy with work. I've been up and down the country and staying away from home. But I've still managed to train on the road and on the bike turbo and made a pretty good fist of running and cycling this week. Plus, due to Mark K's training regime, I at last have a training schedule where every minute counts so I'm packing real quality into shorter available time. So I'm pretty happy with the way things are going.

There's been no swimming due to the shoulder injury (from coming off the bike) and I'm back on the anti-inflams for my hip which is still painful from the fall but hopefully I'm on the road to recovery.

I've taken the advice of an IronMan friend (you know who you are) and get serious with my turbo, rigging up my spare laptop to watch dvd's when I'm in the garage. Last week saw me follow Lance Armstrong through is seven Tour de France victories and watch Superman Returns whilst out on my long 2 hour plus turbo ride.

Lance was inspirational. Superman was crap.

Anyway... must rush. I have an edit to go to.

Let's Be Careful Out There...

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. :-)

The Start of Something Big...

Me that is... but not for long.

So, my fellow bloggers, a happy new year to you. I hope your christmas time was full of festive cheer and naughty things. I ticked over nicely, running four consecutive 10kms with brother Sean over xmas in Holland, book ended by a few 30 mile bike rides and a 3km swim just prior to heading off to the lowlands. All in all it was a time for 'ticking over' before the commencement of new year.

As usual over xmas my weight went up (think Ricky Hatton but bigger and not as wealthy) to 97 kgs. My target by Ironman is to get down to 86kgs which will be some 4.5 kgs lighter than the 90.5 kgs that I weighed when competing at last year's IronMan. I figure it's got to help and my object is to lose the poundage gradually through consistent exercise and sensible diet. That said, I know from experience that January, with my commencement of training and no alcohol regime will result in a large weight loss in the first few weeks. After that it's the hard yards.

I've started my IronMan training regime but more of that next week.

Hello to Truck in New Zealand... keep me posted on your ultra running. Don't be shy... leave a comment.

To all of you, a happy and prosperous new year and may all your goals and dreams be attained.

It's Better to Burn Out...

... Than to Fade Away...

So... I've been a lucky lad when it comes to seeing the bands and artistes I've always admired. Managed, over the years, to see Elton John, Queen, Springsteen, Bowie, The Rolling Stones, The Buzzcocks and many, many more. Hell, I even saw Pink Floyd put up their wall for the very first time at Earls Court in 1980. But I've been waiting to catch Neil Young for as long as I can remember. Found out on Saturday he's playing five nights in London, two in Birmingham and one in Edinburgh next year. Managed to snag tickets for the Saturday night show - all now sold out, of course.

So the motto is... all good things come to those who wait.

Speaking of waiting... I've been waiting for this damned calf to heal and it seems as if I've finally turned the corner. I'm running with some regularity now but am under strict instructions from coach Mark to keep it to 50 mins or under until after xmas. The return to running has had a knock on effect on my back and lower legs as the impact is something my body needs to get used to.

I've had back and shoulder problems which have restricted cycling and swimming but hopefully I've turned the corner. These issues, combined with being ferociously busy on the work front have meant that I've struggled with training recently. But, as I've now delayed my full training return until the beginning of the new year, I'm happy just cracking on as best I can.

Longest bike has been 36 miles with plenty of turbo sessions. Today I did a 20 mile bike and 5 mile run back to back so feel like I'm returning to fitness. Swimming re-commences tomorrow.

I'm reading my friends Tom and Helen's blog (look for the link on this page) and doing my best to come to terms with the fact that these guys are elite athletes now and I shouldn't be trying to compete with them... merely enjoying the ride with them. Well done guys. Keep it up and don't burn out.

Congratulations also on your engagement. Happy days.

Congratulations also to my friend Jason Bulley, who has secured his place in The Marathon des Sables 2010. There was some talk of me joining him but I have to be honest and say that it wasn't 'calling' me in the way that IronMan has.

What is calling me? Well, again I have to be honest and tell you that there's the seed of something growing inside me.

Part of me would like to explore the possibility of swimming the Channel.

There... I've said it.

Bloody hell.

The Important Things...

Last week was good.

Damn good.

Training is back underway in a proper fashion (although this week will be a little lighter due to work commitments) and, although I'm not running yet, swim and bike continue to go well.

I trained for a total of ten and a half hours this week which is more like the old days. This broke down into 4 x 45 minutes of swimming - each time doing 2km based on various different reps - 3 x 1 hour turbo sessions on the bike, a half hour turbo bike session and a long, relaxed but bloody cold 60 mile, 4 hour bike on the Saturday.

Went out with Dave and Coach Kleanthous or MarkyMark to his mates on Saturday. Mark tells me I'm back training from December 1st. Under his guidance once again, I shall soar to the dizzy heights of IronMan superfitness.

Although to start running would be good.

Anyway... my photo this week is of my youngest daughter, Alice. After tons of prep work and practice, we heard on Friday that she'd passed her eleven plus exam. Like training, you get what you work for.

Well done, Alice. I love you.

The Reality Sets In

Second week back in serious training and have begun to gradually up my bike mileage on the long ride. And it's become obvious that it's gonna be a long winter as I grind out the training that will allow me to hit my IMA bike target in July. Still we're up and riding and my trusty Specialized Allez Comp - an example of which is pictured - (3,000 miles in a year of ownership) is going well.

I'm still not running and have no plans to this month. My calf shows no signs of problems, but then again it never has until I go out and run on the bloody thing. Must get another massage from Dave and book in for an MOT with Will now I've started out 'real' training again.

So it's been swimming and biking again this week. Swam 8,000 metres in total in four morning sessions. I've been breaking the sessions up and, instead of swimming 5 x 400m have been doing 10 x 200m of varying paces... breathing left, breathing right, with and without pool buoy etc. It's going well.

Biking is good too. Had two one hour sessions at Monday and Wednesday and knocked off around 18 miles in each of them. Saturday saw a 60 mile ride which got touch towards the end, coming back home against the wind. I'll have my cycling legs back in no time though.

Busy couple of weeks coming up but am keen to keep focussed and stay in training.