23rd June 2020

This has been a very weird few months.  Covid-19 pandemic lockdown.  To start with we were confined to barracks which has gradually eased off a bit.  We're waiting for pubs and leisure facilities to open back up, hopefully July.

This has all meant zero swimming for most of us until the river warmed up.  I've been going in once or twice a week for the last month and I'm starting to get my feel for the water back.

Running and cycling have however gone very well.  I'm basically training everyday.  Yoga in the morning, weights three times a week and running/cycling every day.

I think my fitness is now back to where I was 2016 ish.

Lakesman Lockdown Half

It feels weird to write a race report for a virtual race where you are basically just doing a long solo session.  It also feels strange to have your main training focal point a DIY "race".  

After 18 months of back pain, being told I'd probably be best to give up running and biking, thousands spent on physio/osteopaths/private healthcare/scans and more gizmos than you can shake a stick at, I'm starting to feel like me again.  My health issue while still giving me grief is now manageable and with a lot of yoga I'm able to play again.  

So to give me something to train for I entered the Lakesman lockdown virtual event to be completed solo on the date of my supposed comeback race which was cancelled due to Covid.

I took it fairly easy on the bike for the first thirty miles.  Riding my TT bike for more than 90mins for the first time since IM Hamburg 2018, I headed past Bungay, down to Woodton, across to Hempnall and down to Halesworth via Harleston.  I then pushed a bit all the way back home to Beccles via Bungay.  

56miles in 3:01

Obviously not the fastest ride but for once I decided to be sensible, having not run off a long bike for almost two years!

The run was an out and back from Beccles out towards Carlton Colville along mainly back roads.  Again I was sensible and took it steady to begin with and picked up the pace for the last few miles. 

The negative split run gave me a 1:54 for 13.1miles.

All in all I'm happy with that.  12 months ago I was in constant pain.  Now I'm able to train and only feel discomfort after a couple of hours on the bike.  Not perfect but manageable.

So what next?  I know I said I was retired from ironman but 2021...........

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

23rd May 2023 - UTS 50

Image
Beautiful beyond belief, Savage beyond reason So on 12th May I "raced" UTS 50.  This turned out to be 56km, 13:26 of absolute torture.  Spent all day just ahead of the cutoffs in the most pain I've ever had. At 08:00 1200 of us set off up the Llanberis path to the summit of Snowden of the first time.  It was probably the hottest day of the year so far.  The initial climb of 1000m to the figure stone just short of the top took 1hr20.  I found this tough but manageable on the gravel path.  Parts of it were even runnable.  Then the fun started. The descent down the Pygg Trail was hard.  the day was heating up and the path was rocky and involved a lot of scrambling.  My right knee started playing up and quads and hamstrings were cramping so early in the day!  Eventually we passed the top of the Llanberis pass (Pen-y-pass) and made our way down into the valley to CP1.  I was only 35mins ahead of cutoff which was worrying.  I stupidl...
Read more

6th May 2023

 Life's been a bit hectic recently.  Sold the business a couple of months ago.  Stayed on to work for Safic, which is a bit weird.  Struggling a bit with it mentally but hey ho. Training has been up and down a bit. Good start to the year.  Feb was shit after hurting my left knee.  March and April both good.  May - knee flared up again.   So I'm 7 days from UTS50 and have knee pain.  No idea if I can finish but I'll give it a go.  I've been here before haven't I...... Cycling is crap.  Not helped by the wettest spring I can remember. Swimming is worse.  Only been getting in the pool every one to two weeks for a session.  Time to ramp this up as OW season is starting and I have Outlaw in July!!
Read more

24th June 2022 - Lakesman

Image
 Lakesman - Done Swim - 1:09:29 Bike - 6:21:33 Run - 4:09:38 Finish 11:56:27 Great, great race.  Wish I could do it again next year but its on same day as The Wall.  Friendly marshals, testing course and finish line was awesome.  Passed the finish stretch 10 times on the run and support was fantastic. First thing in the morning it was cold, windy and a bit miserable.  I must admit walking to the swim start I was a bit down and apprehensive.  Its four years since I've done one of these and I was definitely filled with self doubt.  Didn't have time to dwell though as I paddled my way to the deep water start. Swim - two laps of the island and I felt strong throughout.  Few good drafts and I was pleased with the time. Bike - onto to the bike and I opted for my merino jacket as it was windy and cold.  The A66 bit was into a head wind and slower than I expected.  Once we reached Cockermouth then the climbs started.  Ground up these as bes...
Read more