There's a first time for everything

I seem to be slacking in this writing malarkey as it has been almost 3 weeks again since my last post but I certainly haven't been slacking in the training and have maybe even upped the ante - only ever so slightly though!

Since the last post I have been back at the physio again for some more info and work on the ITB, after some bio-mechanical tests the result is to maybe try some new runners that have no support in them often referred to as cushioned or neutral. Fortunately I had a pair of such trainers in walked the Puma Faas 700, a light and comfy shoe with micro cell mesh over the toe for maximum air circulation.

So armed with a new pair of trainers and my knee having been in pretty good shape I set off for my usual 5.5k circuit. After the first 4:48 kilometer I thought I had, as usual, gone out too hard too soon, but that wasn't to be the case. As I continued to push on a 25min 5k was on the cards and sure as eggs is eggs by the time I got home and stopped the watch I had a new PB in the bag! So my first time in new neutral runners and a new PB - winner!

Post Pond Plunge

My next first time would come as I took the plunge - literally. Keen to move my swimming on and out into the open I managed to borrow a wetsuit and head out with the COLT training session at Waters Edge. A cold, murky pond with a few safety canoes and some oil drum buoys. Squeezed into my loan wetsuit and my new bright green swim cap on we attend the briefing then head out for my 1st lap with my guide. Wading out the water felt ok until it hit the thinner parts of the suit and it came flooding in - I won't say it was cold but it definitely wasn't warm! My guide was only on his 3rd session so I wasn't that far behind him with the experience. Eventually get out into the deeper parts to start swimming and I set of very steady, swimming feels easy but sinking my face in the cold, murky water is breathtaking and dis-orientating.

Testing out the swim cap

Trying to swim in a straight line is a damn sight harder than you think, every time I lift my head to spot the buoy I seem to be zig zagging my way down a straight line. First lap complete and I decide to take a breather and just bob about a bit before heading off again. I managed to complete 3 laps before feeling too cold and heading back in with the majority of the others. Back on dry land and I don't feel like I've been swimming, I genuinely thought I'd feel more tired from 'fighting' the wetsuit but it's buoyancy and flexibility all seem to aid the swimming. I enjoyed it so much I am now the proud owner of my very first wetsuit!!

Shiny new!

The 3rd and final first was the ride out in my shiny new SPD shoes. Being clipped in is a totally different feeling as you get power throughout the entire pedal revolution - something that took a little while to remember as I seemed to be only pushing and not pulling! Fortunately my first time in the shoes was with a new road cyclist so we were very steady! Not sure how I'll get on with them at the tri's and I may even revert to flat pedals again for those as trying to unstrap mid cycle is, well, interesting to say the least - my first attempt nearly put me through the kitchen window!! Whilst the knee seems OK in the new shoes I still think there may be some tweaking required on the angles of the cleats although these yellow cleats do allow some movement. 2 Rides in and I haven't had the embarrassment of forgetting to unclip yet so let's hope that may long continue!!

With the success of the new runners mentioned earlier I feel more confident in upping the frequency & distance of my runs per week now and as such managed to complete a 10k again. The knee was a little sore but no worse than after 5 or 6k - I, however, was totally flaffed! Whilst the 10k was a road run (I much prefer the trails and woods) I was pleased to have completed  the distance again as I am planning on entering a 10k for Movember with some of the Team Penguin contingent, it also bodes well for future tri races and moving up to standard distances! As if all this good news wasn't enough it was another PB too - Woo Hoo!!!

2 out of 3 ain't bad

It's been a little while since I last posted and since then the 2nd of my 3 triathlons has been! After the 1st Tri there was a 3 week break until the 18th May when we reconvened at St Annes for the next installment.

Confidence was high despite not much in the way of training going on in the 3 week hiatus, I now knew the schedule and how things worked which took off a little pressure plus this route was slightly longer so no direct comparison to be made. As this is my first year regardless of my time they are all new PB's - and everyone loves getting a PB!!!

After the 1st Tri I decided to not do too much in between for risk of injury as I was not having anymore physio until after St Annes. I tried a few runs trying to vary my training including some small hill work and back on the trail terrain, by the third outing the knee had started to get sore again so I gave the running up. Only squeezing 1 bike session into the 3 weeks may have been a bit of a blunder as I now know I definitely need work in this area, so that just left the pool and again only 3 session over the break. Mostly doing splits training using the pull buoy I decided it had been a while since I had done any distance and with the prospect of changing Tri distances thought I'd chuck in a long set, gladly I managed to swim 1000m in 24min which roughly extrapolates to the 40min miles I had swam previously.

Anyway, regardless of what training I had or hadn't done the weekend was now upon us and after a quick recce rideout on the Saturday raceday was looming. Another early start to get there in plenty of time and before you knew it I was at the waters edge taped, tattooed & ready to roll!

Managing to avoid the whiteline fever of the last race I set off on the swim at a decent steady pace and felt good, the 2 guys in front were well and gone and the guy behind wasn't going to catch so there was no pressure and I just did my own thing. With 2 laps left I'd almost caught the guy behind to lap him and as we both touched the wall at the end of my set he still had 2 lengths to do. Jumping out of the pool a brief glance of the watch said 8:30 - pretty good time for me even compared to training swims.




A quick dart around the building and into transition, frantically trying to get a shirt and shoes and everything else on before heading out for the 3 lap bike leg.

Out on to the closed road and cycling felt easy, well easy enough to get my legs going anyway. Arriving at the first turn point feeling relatively optimistic and heading back towards the pool and beyond, only this time it was different - very different! Now into the wind wind my legs felt like lead and it took everything in me to keep pushing. Reaching the next turn point which felt like forever away I was now heading toward the end of lap 1 with the wind at my heels and the cycling feeling easy again. Around 15mins a lap I knew I had to push through the wind and make the most of the tail wind on the return, finishing the 12 mile cycle in around 44mins I was fairly chuffed what with the conditions.

Out behind the sea wall and off into the bloody wind again for the run, knee feeling a little stiff I started nice and steady. 3km into the run and I was at a constant 5:30/km pace but hte knee was ever failing, backing off a little and making use of the tail wind I completed the run in 30mins or so and collected my error free medal - where is Flyde anyway!

With a children's race at this event Team Penguin was 9 strong, myself, Jonathan, Steve, Ian, Suzi, Evie, Eva, Bethan and Niamh.

Having watched the last senior penguin home the children's race wasn't far off and boy was there some cheering to be done from the Seniors and cheerleaders (whom now have an official song and dance routine!)

With entrants in the T1 and T2 events there was plenty left to do still running around from transition to bike route to the finish. All 4 Penguin chicks came over the line with smiles on their faces. Team Penguin now look to September for the 3rd race in this series at Fleetwood - although there is talk of the Capernwray mid-week series open swim Tri's too!!

Team Penguin & Cheerleaders!!

1 down.....

Well what an eventful weekend! Sunday was the day of the Fylde Tri-ology Series Ribby Hall Triathlon - my first event!

After registration and a recce on Saturday afternoon, Sunday came around all too quickly after a relatively sleepless night.

Arriving at Ribby Hall Holiday Village in good time to setup, the bike was racked and I was in my swimmers ready to go. Those that have some of the older posts and those that know me will appreciate I'm not always a morning person so 9am in the pool wasn't a great start for me! Getting into the pool the nerves had subsided somewhat after many helpful words from seasoned competitors of all ages and levels. I got the red hat which meant I was off first in our lane of 3, game plan in mind based on previous training swims, slow and steady.

3,2,1 Go and I was off and was I off! Call it Red Mist or White Line Fever they all boil down to one thing, adrenaline got the better of me and I had set off like a scalded cat (although I appreciate the irony that a scalded cat would have probably welcomed the cooling water in the pool). 4 lengths in, game plan out of window and breathing and technique to pot I just had to push through the end. Eventually I was caught and over taken on around lap 10 but I just kept pushing on to the end. I think my swim time was around 9mins according to the watch, but transition added nearly another 3 on to that. Despite the bad start the end time is around what I expected and of course can only be improved on!

Having donned trainers, glasses and helmet I was no off on the 10.something bike around some country lanes. The out-leg was awesome, it felt almost effortless in places with smooth, flat, flowing lanes. The return-leg was a very different story! a few gentle rises and an awful head wind coupled with now tired and heavy legs made parts of it feel like I was going backwards.

Returning to Ribby Hall in a respectable time (compared to previous training efforts) re-rack the bike, ditch the lid and start running on what were apparently someone elses legs!! Thankfully the 5k run was all but flat around around the holiday complex and despite the knee pain rearing its ugly head at 1.5k I staggered on to complete the run in 28mins which is only a few mins adrift of my normal pace regardless of the swim, bike and dodgy knee.

Across he finish line being cheered by everyone around all I could hear was the voices of my very own cheer squad Helen & Amy!! Medal collected and first event completed, and it wasn't half as daunting as I'd given it credit for. A very well organised, extremely friendly and well supported event - now I'm looking forward to Round 2 in 3 weeks time at St Annes.

Well done to all of Team Penguin - event photos can be seen here (Parental Warning - Partial Nudity!)

Swim Leg - Details to follow

Bike Leg

Run Leg

Happy Penguins!

Team Splits!

The Final Countdown.....

The last fortnight has been rather positive I must admit, since the last physio session the new stretch & ice regime has apparently done me wonders. No longer do I have the daily ache up and down my leg and I almost feel confident about the impending doom of the Ribby Hall Tri

Since my last musings there hasn't been too much activity really but what I have done has felt good.

Monday 14th April after some relaxation from running & a last minute squash canacellation I thought it high time to make sure I can still complete a 5k run in one piece, I can!, albeit a good 5mins slower than when at my best but right now I will take a 5 min setback over a DNF. Nothing fancy just my old faithful tarmac route bisected with a couple of small respite walks:

Road Test Monday 14.04.2014

Wednesday 16th April saw an impromptu bike ride taking full advantage of the lighter evenings and half decent weather. With a couple of hours to play with I plotted a last minute route through Hornby, Gressingham, Arkholme, Borwick, Warton & Carnforth. "We'll take it easy" I said to Doug before heading off with a max height of 100m how tough could this get. Well, the answer in all honesty is not very, apart from the 1 section that went from 12% to 19% in the blink of an eye - man what a brief but tough climb that was!!

Full Route - No Splits

Part Route - Splits

Despite the watch malfunction missing the first 8k it was a pretty enjoyable evening

Just what the doctor ordered followed the Wednesday ride a nice long Bank Holiday weekend and what better way to use it than gardening!! Well actually I can think of a much better way. Good Friday I squeaked an early swim in with my new pull buoy in tow (pun intended) followed by the dreaded gardening and a little stroll around the river. Saturday we had another little stroll this time up on Arnside Knott, Sunday as we all know was chocolate day - well for some it was I didn't get any eggs (cue world's smallest violin playing just for me....) which brings us to the Bank Holiday Brick. 

With less than a week to race day I thought it prudent to make sure I remember the feeling of 'jelly legs' post bike. Nothing too elaborate just in case so once again an old faithful cycle to Hornby Pool where I was flat out into the wind all the way there and suitably exhausted upon arrival at the half way point, the way home was clearly a different a story with an average speed 5kph higher than the out leg. Jumping off the bike the legs were less like jelly and more like lead and due to the classic school boy error of not wearing padded shorts my ass was deader than after hours at a morgue. Onwards I pounded though cutting the 5k route short before doing myself too much damage. Home, ice, stretch and relax.

A final swim tonight (data to follow no the clip is ordered!) and just sit back and count down to Sunday's Tri at Ribby Hall - if I said I wasn't nervous I'd clearly being lying but I think it is more to do with the logistics of transition rather the the physical exertion, any way it will be what it will be and we will all have a good laugh and enjoy it - weather permitting!! Also, keep your eye out for all members of team penguin sporting their custom race tattoos!! 

Bank Holiday Brick - Bike

Bank Holiday Brick - Run

Not much to report really

As you would expect with a title like that there hasn't been much training on of late. Since the last post almost a fortnight ago I think I have tallied an impressive 4 sessions!

1st up was the trail run on the 30th March - I thought maybe a change of terrain and a change of shoe would make a difference, apparently not! Following a 7 mile walk on the Saturday I think I may have overdone it, that said despite the pain it was awesome to be back out along the river in the glorious sunshine!

Interspersed with a hobble of squash (it's a new term I'm testing out for activities I do!) the next session was a cycle, having walked, run & played squash over the previous 3 days I didn't want to go too far but it seems even the 16Km I managed was too far the knee felt like someone had driven a re hot poker through it on the way home.

A day of rest then back to the pool fro some more pull buoy training - pretty pics to follow again as I still haven't got the download clip or software for the training watch! A full 3 day of rest as I was definitely feeling it all down the leg by now which brings us into this week. Again Monday's ritual game of squash (a game this week as I was spritely and even won some!!), a physio appointment Tuesday with yet more pushing and pulling. Wednesday was a post physio rest to let things settle and then into tonights dismal affair of a run. I felt quite good in the 1st quarter but it soon spiralled out of control and even forced a walk, there is clearly something amiss with my gait/run style as I can feel a limp or a hip issue when running - all of which of course bodes well for the 1st Tri 2 weeks on Sunday, I genuinely don't think I am going to complete it but where there is a will there is an alcoholic reward at the end!!!

Happy Birthday!

Well this week marks not only the anniversary of my born day but also the anniversary of the fat lad sweating. It was around this time last year that I started running with new trainers that I bought with the proceeds of my birthday loot so what better way to celebrate than a week off work!

A busy old week was planned with 6 week service for the Cannondale, MOT & Tax for the road bike and cake and pressies for me!!

Unfortunately due to unforeseen circumstances some of it got put on hold and crammed into a day and half but not to worry as all is well again and I get to play with my new toys!

To start the week off the arduous 48 mile cycle described in a previous post just the thing to ease myself into a weeks holiday. Tuesday saw a return to the physio and more prodding and poking with some extra rehab advice too - I wont bore you with the detail but I need to ice more post run.

Tuesday afternoon was garage time and bike prep - 1 for MOT and 1 for race season - this was cut short by an impromptu visit to the RLI with the daughter which turned into a 2 night stay for her :-(. Wednesday was my birthday spent partly at her bedside with a cherry bakewell 'cake' and some pressie opening and new toys.

Thursday was MOT day and the return of the sickly one (who since then has been curled up on the sofa in the worlds biggest blanket). It was also time for another quick run  - nothing much to report as it was all much of a muchness as per recent runs.

Road Run 27.03.2014

Thursday evening was belated cake - nom nom nom!

Which brings us to today - an early start to get the bike serviced and ready for some more punishment in the weeks to come followed by a swim with the new toy - a PoolMate watch. This little gadget is a lap counter, SWOLF gauge and time & distance monitor - It basically times your swims, strokes & efficiency and then presents the info in pretty graphs once you have downloaded it (graphs to follow once I have the download clip thingy!). Setting it up was a piece of (birthday) cake, entering weight (to calculate calories), which wrist you wear it on and how far you want to swim.

With one press your up and monitoring your swim, another press to pause it after a set it then starts timing your rest period another press and set 2 is monitored - so an so forth. Once you have reached the end of your session a long press on the Start key saves your session and you can immediately see all the sets and data relating to them (you can do this mid session too after each set). I have often forgotten how many laps I'm up to whilst trying to glance at the big pool clock to check my time thinking jeez I'm quick tonight only to realise I'm 50m adrift of target distance so this should come in handy to monitor my progress over the coming months. The most helpful part of this watch is the vibrate function which you set to your required distance then with 10m left it vibrates on your wrist to alert you you are almost done.

Anyway more pull buoy training completed and liek I say pretty graphs to follow!

The weekend promises some walking and a lunch/dinner out for my birthday and mothers day (for Helen before you make any wise cracks!) before the impending return to the office next week.

I'm really not helping myself here.....

To paraphrase Hamlet

The fat lad doth protest too much, methinks!

You may recall a few posts back that I clearly stated I wasn't a cyclist, this was promptly followed by a post explaining I may have is-judged the situation following a 60k round trip to Arnside. Well, looks like I've done it again - yep this time an 80k round trip to Kendal. It is beginning to feel like I may be cyclist?!?!?

After the success and enjoyment of the last trip we arranged another slightly longer run out for our next days off that coincided. The suggestion of heading to Kendal cropped up and we tagged in a visit to Evans Cycles whilst out and about. A quick Google Map of some routes and we had a rough idea of what we wanted to do.

Ride day arrives and as before we meet at Slyne Lodge and head out down the A6 toward Milnthorpe, for those that read the Arnside report this first leg is almost the reverse of the tedious, long slog that sucked every last bit of will and hope from my soul last time. But with the wind behind us this time we soon made short work of it and it felt like a totally different stretch of road. Just before we reach Beetham we take a diversion through Hale and onto some smaller B-roads through Hale, Hincaster & Sedgwick (including a slight blip in the map that almost put us on the dual carriageway!) From Sedgwick we arrive in Kendal and navigate our way through the one-way system to arrive at Evans Cycles for a nosy around at what we can't afford!

Stage 1 - Home to Evans Cycles

After deciding we couldn't afford anything, least of all the Carbon BMC adorning their staircase, we head out for perhaps the most gruelling section ever - I'll let you click the link to reveal the monster route.

Stage 2 - Brew Stop!

Heading away for Stage 3 we weren't actually settled on a route home so we followed our noses out of Kendal and after a bit of shouting and uncertainty we ended up heading for Oxenholme Station. Now it's been a while since I was last here but even my fading grey matter recalls the road to the Station isn't what you might say flat - in fact it is quite the opposite! After having had a re-fuel stop this climb is not what I needed in the first 5k nor what was to follow - I have never actually been further than the Station was was completely clueless as to what I had let myself in for. I assumed that it would be 'a bit hilly' due to he nature of where we were and what I could see but how wrong could I be. After the Station this road just kept climbing and climbing and climbing - any slight let up was only equalled out and more by the next incline not to mention that by now we were cycling into the wind so even downhill was hardwork!

Eventually we reached the summit nearly an hour into the journey home and only 11.5k done. Not too familiar with where we were I had no idea it was still 8k to Kirkby Lonsdale which meant after that just the last 19.5k home! At least from now on it was downhill to Kirkby which gave the knee some much needed respite having had to dismount for one climb already (yes yes Boo Hiss I hear you cry). Finally arriving in Kirkby we stop for a much needed sugar rush before heading home via Melling and Tunstall again into the wind - as if the hills hadn't sucked the life from me this was now being to hurt and to make things worse I now knew exactly how far and what the road was like all the way home but I just had to keep lugging away - even as I passed my Dad in the car (he was going the other way!!). Before long I arrived at a familiar sight of Caton and I was home!

Stage 3 - Kendal to Home

So with plans afoot for the next ride out Doug has already declared this Summer he wants to do a 100miler (yep twice as far as my raggedy body has just done) and also wants to get some training in for the Sportive he has entered - I hope to God he has some days off before me!!