WEEK 15 IRONMAN TRAINING

Ahhh two days rest….!!!! After yesterday’s rain (Sunday) i’ve had two good day rest. The last week was a good week overall & it quite scary how close Germany is creeping up on me. Last week was a big weeks training & on the Friday i did not run to well & felt very sluggish so on Tuesday i went on the same long run & at least this time i felt good all the way about & a nice 17k was covered in 1hr 30mins. So overall i was very happy as there are times i get worried when i’m sluggish but i suppose that comes with the territory..

After learning last weeks lesson of going to the pool early i went late this week & Thank God all the kids were gone home. I was looking forward to this session but when it came to it i started off as if i was sinking the whole time. Eventually after some drills i started to get some momento going in the pool & decided to go long & did 2200m in 38mins. This was the longest i’ve ever swam without a rest & had loads left in me & was not one bit tired.. Finished the session off with 1000m & then a 400m cool down..

Thursday is now a short 3 hour bike session for me & headed off to Blessington with a wind on my back & i was flying & thinking that i’ll have to hit that wind on the way back.. Well i did & my God i thought i’d never get home.. 70K done & i was shattered…. Met Mark on Friday for a 6am swim & got 4000m done before work. Wanted to get out early on Saturday on the bike as Domestic issues needed to be attended to to (Bloody Grass). Met at the gym again at 8 & headed to Baltinglass & beyond & we flew down as  the wind was behind us again. So we worked together on the way back & we covered great ground in a great time & a total distance of 127k.

Back to the gym bike’s into the cars & off we were on our 40min run. The run was so much easier than last week & felt great & covered 8k in 40mins. Mark covered 6k & he too felt good so it’s all going according to plan so far.. Sunday was our recovery cycle but as above it was lashing rain so i stayed in bed for a well deserved rest.. So this week training consisted off 25k Running, 197k Bike & 8200m swimming.. 12.5hr’s training…

WEEK 14 IRONMAN TRAINING

Well after my meeting last week with Scott i still await my new programme but at least i know what i have to do. I took my normal rest on Monday & deserved it after the previous weekend’s cycling. Tuesday i still felt very tired & after work headed home for what Leila calls my sneaky “SIESTA”. But it was not sneaky today as Leila has been in bed sick. Woke up very sluggish & was i two minds as to go out running or not & after some careful thought i decided i’d do a small run. Gear on & headed out & while on route i felt good so went a little further & did a nice comfortable 17k in 1hr 30mins & overall very happy. Wednesday is swim day & i learned a very important lesson today “DON’T GO SWIMMING AT 3p.m. AS THE KIDS ARE GETTING SWIMMING LESSONS” No joy as the pool as packed & in the fast lane was 2 doggy paddler’s. After a while Thank God they went home & i did a nice 2400m swim better than nothing i suppose, so next week i’ll be swimming later in the day.

Was very tired again on Thursday & again decided to catch a little “Siesta”. Woke up again feeling good & with the cold weather outside decided to go to the pool & get in a short swim. Ended up doing a 600m drills warm up & then did 2000m at a comfortable pace & was delighted to have felt good all the way so not at least i know the swim is not going to be as daunting as first thought. Friday was supposed to meet Mark in the pool at 6a.m. but got a text to say he did not sleep well so he stayed in bed…. (Ye big wimp i know your reading this). Friday evening i went for a long run & got in 23k in 2hr’s 15min so very happy with this as it was cold & miserable out & i got soaked in rain..

Seeing as i had my TT bike back from the bike shop we decided we’d head out on Saturday on our TT’s & it looks like from now on we’ll be spending more time on them in the lead up to Germany. We met at 8 a.m. & headed for Baltinglass & we went at a great pace in miserable conditions & overall we did 120k in 4hr’s 15mins & then ran off the bike for 20mins & after the initial shock of trying to run it became very easy after a few minutes & did i say we were soaked from the rain. We met up again on Sunday for a recovery cycle & did 120k in just under 5hr’s. So another good week’s training done & another week down. So this weeks overall training is 5000m Swimming, 40k Running, 240k Cycling & 14.5hr’s training

WEEK 13 IRONMAN TRAINING

Ahh it’s cranking up now.. I started the week with an easy 10k run & felt ok all the way even if i was battling with the wind. Was back in the pool on Tuesday & when i hit the water it felt like i was not supposed to be there. Anyway i grinded out the first 600m & then started to feel ok in the water again & did a set of 5000m so overall very happy with my time in the pool. Was meeting with Scott on Wednesday about the next stage of my training & we had a great chat about what i’d done so far & i’m happy to say it was a very positive meeting & the weeks ahead are going to be long & hard but i always knew that. I’d had a hint of a slight cold & decided to rest up that evening & watch some Champions League. Thursday i was back feeling good again & did a 16k run & with the good weather i really enjoyed it.

Mark texted me on Thursday night about an early swim session on Friday so i decided sure what the hell so up at 5.30a.m. & cycled over to the gym & in the pool for 6am & covered 4000m in the session. Cycled to work & ran home so a very positive day for me. Saturday was long cycle day & myself & Mark hit the hills & covered 120k in 5 hours so a very positive day in the saddle even if the wind nearly killed me.. Sunday i was going to go out alone late in the day as Leila was away in Spain. Woke up at 8 & looked out the window to see the ground covered in snow YES snow in April.. Back to bed & fell asleep again until i got a call from John to see if i was going out so at this stage the snow was gone so decided to meet up & we headed out for a flat road spin at  good pace until that bloody wind hit us again & did i mention that we also had SNOW & HAILSTONES to contend with. So another good (HARD) day in the saddle & 5 hours done. So this weeks training was 10hr’s (240k) Cycling, 9000m Swimming, 37k Running. 14.5hr’s in all Training…

WEEK 12 IRONMAN TRAINING (REST WEEK)

Well nothing exciting to write about this week. Took advantage of my rest week & just did the bare amount. Tuesday did a light 8k run at an easy pace. Wednesday did a light swim off 1200m & took Thursday off. Back at it on Friday where i did some core work & a some drill work in the pool (1000m). Saturday was supposed to be a light cycle but the weather was terrible & ended up doing 1hr 30mins on the Turbo trainer & later that night went for a light 11k run as i felt good. Summer time began on Sunday and Thank God the bright evenings are here. With the clock going forward i had an extra lie in bed.

Decided to do a light cycle & headed out wind in my face for an hour & could not wait for the turn around with the wind behind me. Finally after the hour the turn around & started picking up some good pace & BANG my bloody tyre blew up.. S**T i was so disappointed as i was really looking forward to some serious speed on the bike. Anyway a call was made to my back up team of Leila & sat at the side of the road for 25mins until my lift home.. Meeting with my coach on Monday for the next installment of this madness…

WEEK 11 IRONMAN TRAINING

Well this has by far been my biggest week yet. With some long weekends overlapping it’s been ideal training. This week i’ve managed to get in 17.5hr’s cycling (480k), 9700m swimming & 2hr’s running (20k). So i’m delighted to have done this & it’s becoming more & more realistic that i can do this now. It’s been a great week i even started swimming at 6 in the morning & did a great session with Mark. Now i’ve done that i’ll do a lot more so that i can now train twice a day.. Anyway this is short & sweet as i’m off to bed for a well deserved rest & as this is my rest week I’m going to rest…………………..!!!!!!!!!!!! So total’s for this month are 20,800m Swimming, 620k Bike, 94k Running..

WEEK 10 IRONMAN TRAINING

Another week down & it seems that the weeks are going quicker now than ever before. Was back at it on Tuesday after resting on Monday & with the weather being so crap with some nasty winds i ended up doing a 2hr slow run on the treadmill & covered 16.5k but i’ll never do that again as it was so boring on the treadmill but i suppose i did it & that’s what counts. Had arranged to meet Mark on Wednesday for a long swim so i decided to do 1 hr on the Turbo trainer. Used a hard gear for the hour & got off & ran for 1k at a nice easy pace & felt good. We then got in a 4700m swim & was tired at the end but then again i had a hard session.

Thursday i did a 7k Fartlek session & i did start of fairly slow but stuck at it & about 10 mins into it i started to get going & did fairly ok overall finished of with a 800m swim. Friday i rested as we headed to Castlebar for the weekend but delighted to have got a 14k run in on Saturday at a good tempo pace in 1 hr 15 min’s. Watched Ireland getting hammered in the rugby in the afternoon & enjoyed the pints in doing so that afternoon. As this was a Bank Holiday weekend we headed home on Sunday & i got me cycle in on Monday & did 4hours in the hills (Wicklow Way, SallyGap) against the wind & cold all the way & this turned out to be one of the toughest cycles i’ve done all year but felt great after which is proving to me i’m at least seeing some improvement in my biking..

WEEK 9 IRONMAN TRAINING

I’m back at it hard this week & decided to train on Monday instead of rest.. Ran an easy 8k in a hr & was delighted as it’s my first run since my heel injury.. Tuesday did a long slow run 17k covered in 1hr 45min at a really easy pace. I seemed to be geting a slight cold so rested up on Wednesday & took loads of drugs.. Back at it on Thursday & swam 4200m (10 x 100, 1000m, 10 x 200m fininshing with 1000m & them warm down) followed by a 6k run at an easy pace. Friday i ran to the gym & covered 6k althogether & did some core & weight training & cooled down with a 800m swim. Saturday was supposed to be a long spin on the bike but the weather was terrible with really nasty winds so ended up going to the gym & doing 45 min on the turbo trainer in a really big gear & worked really hard before being roped into doing the swim leg (750m) in the indoor triathlon in the gym & ended up being very happy with my time of 11 mins 56 sec & thats a personal best for me… Happy Days….

Sunday was bike day & seeing that we’ve been expecting a massive storm i expected not to get out but woke up at 7 & weather as fab so gear on & was in the saddle at 8 & out for a really good 4 hours in the saddle at a very good pace & my heart rate is getting lower so things are looking up. Covered 110k in 3hr’s 45min & decided to run of the bike when i go home so running gear on & ran for 10 mins & was very surprised how good i felt but it was bloody cold in doing so.. So all in all this week’s training Running 37k (4hr’s 20mins) Swimming 5600m done & finally Bike 140k (4hr’s 45mins). 11hr’s training done.. ok i’m of to watch LOST….

WEEK 8 IRONMAN (REST WEEK)

This week was rest week…… !!!! Nothing exciting to report. Did something to my heel & still don’t know what.. So rested up until Thursday when i got in a short swim… Friday went & did a big swim with Mark &  Sunday did a swim before a 2hr easy cycle with the Pulse group.. So overall this week NO running, 2hr’s Cycle & 8,200m swimming.. Was worried about the heel but ICED it & took loads of drugs & hope to do a short run today… Need to up my running as i’m getting worried about it now… Any still lots of time left i suppose…. Thinking of getting a new bike but not to sure of the PEDALS that comes with it……. 

WEEK 7 IRONMAN TRAINING

Hey Again.. Another week down & at last i’m into my REST week. Last week was a good one.. Rested up on Monday & Tuesday was out running again & thank god no reaction to my sore calf i had last week so did a very enjoyable 16k run in 1hr 30min at a very nice past & felt really good when finished. I’ve decided to invest in a pair of Compression socks to be used after my long runs as i seem to get quite sore calves. So anything that will help i’ll get…..!!!!

Wednesday i did what i felt was quite a good swim set i started off with 10x 100m at a fast pace followed by my main set of 5 x 500m sets & a warm down off 300m. 3800M do so i’m very happy with this. Went out running again on Thursday at a slow pace & it so hard trying to run slow but hopefully it will be of benefit in the long term. Short 1600m swim after my run. Friday did some core work & weights. Alas another Saturday was here & a long cycle. Saturday got out Rodder, John & Ray & did a fairy fast WIND ASSISTED 85k in 3 hours.. John came up with the idea of getting out training at 7 or 8 in the morning so i said why not & after a late night on Saturday i was very surprised to rise at 7am feeling not so bad.. Anyway we covered 90k in 4 hours. Another good day in the saddle.. So this week i did 5400m swimmimg, 23k Running (2hr’s 10mins) 7hr’s Cycling (175k). 11hr’s training done. I’m into my rest week now & i’m going to take advantage of it…. Sleep Sleep Sleep…..

WEEK 6 IRONMAN TRAINING

Another week down & i think i have 20 weeks left before the Biggie..  This week started of with my rest day which i look forward too. The weather was brilliant this week & thank God it seems to be improving by the week, but that’s not to say it was cold.. It was bloody cold. Tuesday is long run day & what a day weather wise so gear on & out on the road & 5 mins into the run my calf seized up & it felt like i was shot. So a had to walk back home & ICE straight away. Not sure what happened but got to take care of it now… Wednesday was feeling much better & luckly it’s my swim day. Good swim today with some drills & then into Aerobic workout & 3700m covered & felt good in doing so.. Thursday is a short run day but with my leg still sore i just did an hour on the Turbo trainer followed by a 1600m swim. Friday did some core work & a light weights session. Finally the weekend was here & my long cycles.

As some of the lads were on a training weekend & some on a rest week i had planned on doing my long cycle on my own so headed of early on Saturday morning & ended up getting 5hr’s 15min (approx 130k)in the saddle & my first venture into the mountains & the dreaded Sallygap.. Great day.. Sunday i had arranged to meet Eddie as he had found a new route for us to cover & how he found this route i’ll never know but what a great route & some amazing scenery over the Wicklow way & Laragh & then up into Sallygap again. This was a great workout with just under 100k covered but a hard 100k… So Sunday 4hr’s 40mins was spent in the saddle.. All in all a great weekend’s training with nearly 10hours cycling done & 14hr’s in all training. Hopefully i’ll be back running again this week & i’m starting to feel as if i can do this…. Until next time…. Also got 2 bloody punctures so now i’m the master of changing a quick puncture……