WEEK 24 IRONMAN TAPER

Taper Taper Taper. Well i’m now in taper mode & it’s a liltte weird as it seems that i’m not doing any training. I suppose i’m so used to the long weeks & hard training sessions that it’s weird sitting about resting. So as you can gather it’s been a quite weeks training.

So this post will be short & sweet. The weather did take a downturn last week & the day i was supposed to do a easy run it poured from the heavens so ended up running on the bloody treadmill in the gym for an hour. I’m not going to miss doing that & it has to be the most boring aspect of training running on a treadmill. Rested up again on Thursday.

Friday was my last brick session & did an easy 3hr bike followed by an hours easy run so 4hr’s decent training done on Friday. Saturday we were at a wedding so it was nice to take a break from IRONMAN talk & i think Leila will be very happy when this madness is over, but did manage a short 1000m swim early in the morning. Sunday was my 38th Birthday & one of my presents from Leila was an AERO helmet, so it looks like i’ll be at least looking the part in Germany. I may be shite but at least when people see me first they’ll think i’m a PRO. Remember it’s all about looking the part……….

So this weeks training was 2000m swim, 3hr’s Bike, 2hr’s Running & lots of REST……. 12 DAYS & COUNTING…………….

WEEK 23 IRONMAN TRAINING

The countdown has begun…!!! Training is now starting to get easier & with less intensity & less sessions. It’s not been a bad week but i’m starting to get restless now & i’m dying to get to the start line. I do hope i’ll be saying that when i actually do get there..

As last week was my last big week i was tired on the Monday but i did still manage to get to Seapoint for a relaxed 40min swim & the salt water on the bones does wonders for recovery. I’ve also started to cycle to work as the weather was great & decided to just spin the legs out each day. Not much on Tuesday & decided to rest & attend to the garden as it needed some tending to & chopping down trees is a good way of easing frustration… 

Cycled to work again & went for my swim session after work & managed a nice 4000m session & with longer sets involved & it’s now getting easier.. Thursday i decided to do a long run & i felt great starting out & was very very relaxed during my whole run & managed 21k & could have gone longer but didn’t want to go overboard now that i’m only 3 weeks away..

Friday was a small swim set as i had the IN-LAWS meeting for the first time so that was playing on my mind as to weather the would kill each other or it would be fine & i’m glad to say it was fine & all got on great. 

With all this training i’ve been missing lots of rugby so i decided to stay on the sofa early on Saturday morning & watch the Ireland v Australia game & ended up pretty much relaxing most of the day until the guilt got to me & went cycling at 5.30 in the evening & managed a easy 2.15 spin. I’d arranged to meet Eddie for a easy 2hr spin on Sunday & that easy 2hr spin turned into a easy 4hr 50min spin.. What were you thinking Eddie bringing me that far……!!!!!!!!!!!! Really enjoyed the spin & felt great after & petty much rested up for the rest of the day..

Now that i’m only 2 weeks away i’m going to rest up a lot more & try get as much sleep as i can in the next few days, I’ve a wedding to attend to next weekend & it will be a great chance to relax & let the hair down for a few hours & i may even have a drink.. 

So this weeks training was Cycling 225k 8hr’s 30mins , Swimming 8000m 2hr’s 40min, Running 21k 1hr 47mins 

WEEK 21 & 22 IRONMAN TRAINING

Sorry but this is a double post as i’m slacking this week. Well we all recovered from Lanzarote & the days after were more about putting bikes back together & getting back into work mode. We were all down to do Tri Athy on the Saturday & i was really looking forward to doing a actual race instead of all the training i’ve been doing. On the night before Tri Athy i did a 3000m set & it was nice to get the feel of the water again. 

I decided to head to Athy on the Friday night to register for the race as last year was mayhem on the morning of the race trying to register. The rest of Friday night was spent getting my gear ready & putting my new wheels on the bike. Saturday was a beautiful day & perfect race conditions. The race for me went well i had a great swim (helped by the strong current) & did a 20min 55sec swim & that for me was a PB.

The bike was not so good & it’s hard to get up to sprinting when i’m used to long steady cycles, anyway that did go well enough & did a 1hr 7min bike split (Not as good as Eddie lynch’s 1hr 6min & i know your reading this so i’ll be watching you in the future YOUNG MAN..) & finally onto the run where i was being HUNTED down by John & we ended up running together & doing a 46min 10k run split & a PB for this distance of 2hr’s 16mins. So for me a very good day & good to see some improvement overall. And finally well done to Eddie who got a PB & NOT a T.V. like some people thought…….!!!!!!!!!!

Sunday was recovery day on the bike & did an easy 2hr spin with Leila. Monday i did a recovery swim in the 40ft & it was great to get the weary bones in the salt water.. Tuesday was back at it again & did a good paced 15k run & felt really good running & i hope my running is coming together. Wednesday was another long swim set & managed 4000m even if i did not want to be in the water. Rested up on the Thursday.

The weekend was a going to be my last long session before Germany & on the Friday i did an easy 2hr spin & it was good to get back on the bike again as Sunday was going to be a long day. Saturday i had my Pre-marraige course & of course the weather was fab & i was stuck in doors.. Anyway the day went well & when i got home i did a easy 8k run.

Sunday was going to be my longest (Brick) day so far & i headed off at 7a.m.. I had gotten a good route from John & decided to do it & the route was Tallaght, Blessington, Baltinglass, Tullow, Castledermot, Kilcullen, Naas, Clane, Celbridge & finally home. Approx 160k & 5hr’s 15min in the saddle at race pace. I threw on my running gear & was done & transition in the bedroom in 15mins & off i was on my run, felt ok & slowly settled into my run & did 20k in 2hr & was very happy overall. I was a little tired & sore at the 20k mark but i’ll be doing more walking on race day but a good 7hr 30min session & after that session i now know i can finish IRONMAN….

Anyway not sure of my overall training times & distances but it was long….. 3 weeks to go & now i move into TAPER mode so i’ll keep you updated as to how i get on…