Day 39 - 29th of April 2009

Had a good slow run to work this morning using the hr monitor. Really felt slow but the good news is that my left leg is better!!!! I will be taking it easy for the next few days anyway as my wifes away and I am on kids duty so no time for me. I have just booked my self in for the Onelasttri2009 event in the UK on Oct 4th! 1.3k swim (must start swimming!), 80K cycle (must do bigger cycle rides!) and a 20K run(must not damage my left leg again!). 6 months to go so I feel that will be fine.....Lets see.

Day 38 - 28th of April 2009

Cycled to work on my MTB. Was an ok ride. Legs a little tired but again had a race with another guy in the last 5K's so that made it more fun. Did 30 min run in the gym to see how my left calf is doing and it seems fine. I still have a damn cold which is frustrating as even 30min running seemed a real effort. Trying not to let it get to me. Next week I plan to run to work again and see if I can get the running back on track. In less than 2 months I plan to start the Ironman training schedule for real! cant believe its been 38 days so far!

Day 37 - 27th of April 2009

Felt better this morning at 6am so decided to hit the road on my bike. Did approx 40km with an avg speed of 28kmh so was quite pleased. Had a good race with two guys on the wya back which was fun. Also, a good gym session at lunchtime for upper body and squats. Have made big gains in all areas which is cool. Cycled home hard too. Also, my new protien shakes powder has arrived (High 5 recovery stuff) and it tastes good. Feeling that my cycling is improving so all in all quite happy.

Day 36 - 26th of April 2009

Again, not feeling great. Had a 3 hour kip rather than do anything!! oh oh not good.

Day 35 - 25th of April 2009

Pretty much a day of rest. Short family cycle ride to the local shops. Feeling tired and I know I have a cold...not great for training.

Day 34 - 24th of April 2009

Cycled this morning. Did around 28km. Didnt feel great. I know I have a cold and I know my legs are feeling like lead. Time for a good rest again. Waiting for some protien shake to arrive at my house this weekend as I think I need to aid my recovery a little. It seems to be taking me a long time to recover.
Im still feeling positive though. I know I have improved in strength, speed and endurance in the 34 days so far. Need to shake this cold and I will be back on track.

Will cycle home the quick way!

Day 33 - 23rd of April 2009

Had too much wine last night at mates leaving drinks. Felt really terrible this morning! didnt smoke which is good. No way I'm doing any phys today!! left leg feels better but I know its not quite right.

Day 32 - 22nd of April 2009

Ran to work this morning. 10.5 k. Ran using the heart rate monitor and tried to stay within the zone the whole way. Felt fine except my damn left leg!!!!! shoudln't have run today...idiot. Am going to try to find a sport physio to help sort my leg out. I snapped the tendon (acheles) a few years ago and its never been quite right. I felt though that if my leg had been ok I could have turned around and run home again. Good stuff. Not a great pace but its only 1 month in and im feeling better than ever. Not running back this evening - in fact I am not going to run again for a week.

Day 31 - 21st of April 2009

Went for a 1.5 hour road bike ride today. Pushed hard the whole way and averaged 28km/h. I'm happy with that as there are quite a few junctions and lights so I must be close to the 30km/h on the flat. Now my legs are dead!! Im going to do a short gym sesh and then a quick sprint home on the bike. Tried some tri bars but my bike is simply too small. Ill keep using it until I get to the stage where its holding me back...that as the title of the blog suggests, is a long way off!! Did pass everyone on the way today and didnt get overtaken so that for me is a fun little race win!

Day 30 - 20th of April 2009

Good hard cycle ride on the mtb to work today. Pushed hard and went quick (for me). Left leg much better. Feeling motivated still and am amased that a month has passed! I have taken 10 minutes off my running time and off my cycle time! I know its only a short distance but for me its a great start. Its all going the right way and I have never been fitter! woo hoooo

Day 29 - 19th of April 2009

Short cycle ride with the family. Legs is getting better but I'm nervous about it so will be taking it easy.

Day 28 - 18th of April 2009

No exercise for me today. Just relaxing and having fun with the family.

Day 28 - 18th of April 2009

No exercise for me today. Just relaxing and having fun with the family.

Day 27 - 17th of April 2009

Cycled to work on my road bike. Felt quick. My left leg is a little injured so I am taking it easy. Gentle cycling is the way forward for a few days. Im going to have a good 4 or 5 days off running.

Day 26 - 16th of April 2009

Had my best run ever to work this morning. Felt fit and fast (for me!). Managed to do it in just under the hour and with an average of 5:40KM. This is great going for me so I'm pretty pleased.

1 month of training nearly and I have taken 10 minutes off my run to work and I feel better doing it. However, I am paying the price now, my left calf is v sore and I know that now I have to really rest it! I may be forced to drive to work tomorrow.

Going to do some weights today too but I am not running home. Have vistors this weekend so I think ill be mostly taking it easy and resting. I think it time to do that before I get an injury!

Day 25 - 15th of april 2009

Cycled to work this morning. Felt strong even though legs were sore. Kept good pace. Also cycled home but it was a nasty head wind so it was pretty unpleasnt to be honest. Not the best rest day day but hey ho, thats how it goes I guess.

Day 24 - 14th of April 2009

Cycled hard to work this morning. Legs getting tired and week but still ok. Had a slightly under energy gym session at 11am and also did some squat work. Legs are now very tired. Will cycle home gently..ish and then tomorrow, even though I will have to cycle I will do it on my road bike and do it v v gently. My legs need the rest.

Day 23 - 13th of April 2009

Decent training day today! cycled on the mtb for 40 mins to a friends house on the roads, good hard cycling too and it felt strong. Ran for 1:05 at 5:30 min KM so quite happy with that too. Then cycled home!! great work out.
Still feeling positive and am feeling fitter and I even have more energy! I know a lot of people I talk to think I'm never going to make this but it actually feels more realistic with every workout. If I had all the time in the world I would train more and better but I dont so for now I am just trying to build a base of fitness. Then in another 5 weeks or so I'll start the full Iron Man training prog I have found.

Day 22 - 12th of April 2009

As its easter I had a day off! too many days off I know but I have to have a life too!!

Day 21 - 11th of April 2009

rest day today again. Felt tired and sore so just went for a little bike ride with the family to local town in the heavy beast of a bike. I guess it was a little strength work out really. Great sunny day to be outside anyway.

Day 20 - 10th of April 2009

Went for good mountain bike ride today, went off road for a good few Kms, also did road. Split the training in half and met my wife and kids at the beach and then cycled back. Pushed quite hard and felt like a good general fitness work out. Must have been almost 2 hours in all. Was fun too.

Day 19 - 9th of April 2009

Just rest today.

Day 18 - 8th of April 2009

Ran to work this morning. Used my new watch which finally arrived yesterday. Was quite hard to use really and I think its going to take me a while to get used to it. I have now set my target heart rate zone to be between 147 and 160. I ran at an average of 161 for 11k this morning so I'm going to run back at less than that this afternoon.

Have also spoken to my brother who is tempted to do the ironman 70.3 early 2010 in the UK so I'm going to join him in that. I am tempted to do the Copenhagen marathon again on May 25th this year! its way to early but I feel like I need some short term goals - If I could somehow drag my self around the course in sub 4:15 then I would be very happy and I think it would give me a boost. If I am no where near ready I just wont do it, or ill do it v slowly as a big training day.

Day 17 - Tuesday 7th of April 2009

Watch wasnt there! got no sleep due to kids so feeling a little low today and I have no energy so im not bothering to even try training today. Its my first breakdown in moral for the ironman so far but I guess it will not be he last! hey ho, ill crack on tomorrow!

Day 16 - Monday 6th of April 2009

Cycled to work on my mtb. More fun than the road bike and slightly harder. Took me around 35 minutes and then I did a half hour hard run. Legs felt strong for cycle ride and the run afterwards wasn't as bad as I thought it would be! going to cycle home as fast as I can too so I can go get my heart rate monitor watch! lets see if it can help to make my training more productive!

Day 15 - Sunday 5th of April 2009

Was going to go for mtb ride but had a really bad night with the kids so my wife needed some time out and sleep. I got both kids up and put them in my wife's Christiania bike (http://www.christianiabikes.com/english/uk_main.htm). These things weigh a ton but you can easily put two kids in it! I went for a good 1.25 to 1.5 hours with them through the deer park, to the beach, along the coast and then to an Easter party! wasn't the normal workout but I can tell you that my legs felt like they had done a workout! kids loved it too.

Day 14 - Saturday 4th of April 2009

No real phys today. did small cycle ride to bike shop with my daughter and got a new mountain bike and got her a little princess bike with stabilisers! get them started young (she is 3)!

Day 13 - Friday 3rd of April 2009

Ran to work this morning and took 5 minutes off my time which I think is pretty good as its only 11km. My legs felt soo much better than the last time I ran.

I think my lungs are recovering slightly from years of smoking abuse too as I find it easier to get the air I need.

I also did an upper body work out in the gym and went a bit heavier on Shoulder press, Bench press and Lat pulls. I had a go with the squat machine too, really liked it so I 'm adding it to my little exercise regime when I can. I think the extra strength in my legs will help the cycling.

Going to have tomorrow off to spend some time with the family who have been very supportive so far.

Sunday I plan to cycle again.

Day 12 - Thusrday 2nd of Arpil 2009

Long cycle (for me that is) to work. Decided to add in an extra 25 or so km to my normal route (1 hour 20). Felt pretty good really.

Weather was very cold and I don't have any shoe covers so my feet were frozen solid! I could have kept cycling except for that fact! I felt for the first time that the training was starting to show some results. I know that my fitness can't have improved that much but I think my cycling technique has really improved.

I think my bike is too small so I'm going to get measured and get one that I fit - lets see if I can control myself and get something I need rather than a billion dollar pro bike!! could be fun.

Still feel very motivated. Am thrilled with the smoking (or lack of). I never thought it would be so easy! it never has been in the past.

Day 11 - Wednesday 1st of April 2009

A complete rest day! lovely. cooked a nice meal and chilled. Legs really needed the break.