Well summer has arrived at last!
Its been a nice change to train in some sunshine. Its been going pretty good and I have been slowly increasing the training. My chubbyness levels are down to 80kgs again and I will try to drag this down to the high 70s over the next few weeks.
I am not doing a huge amount of kms on the bike but I am trying to focus on good quality training. I tend to do 2 60km rides at high pace, sitting on the front of a group or out on my own. I am now trying to push one of those rides up for 10 or 20kms a week and get it right up to IM distance. The other I will keep to around 50 - 60kms and concentrate on pace. My avg speed is up 2 or 3 kmph on last year so I am pretty happy with the overall picture. I am also doing some in door riding on my turbo to really focus on power and form but its pretty dull stuff.
The running is 1 longer run of around 20 to 25km and 1 shorter run at higher pace. Today I will be doing around 21km but my legs are already sore so I know its going to be a tough one.
Still not doing enough swimming. Really need to get into the pool and work on this! I may try this evening..we will see.
back later
Johan
Update:
Just finished the 22k run. Very hot conditions and I fealt my legs were a little weak but I knew they would be. In the end I had a good strong run. avg of 4:45 per k which for me is ok. Really enjoying the training. This eve I may even have a swim!
Update 2:
Well I did go for that swim! very pleased I did as my swimming leaves something to be desired! need to really kick my own ass and do at least 2 swims a week. maybe dualthlon is the way forward!!!
Wednesday, 29 June 2011
Wednesday, 15 June 2011
Wednesday June 15th 2011 - and photos from Bala!
Went for an 80k raide with the cycling team last night. Man thouse guys are strong. I found that on the flat I would have been able to stick with them but as soon as its going uphil I am lost. I need to shed a few kgs and increase my cycling kms. Concidering I did a half Ironman 2 days before I was pretty happy though to lead the 'B' group around. I know I am carrying a few kgs too many right now but I also know it will drop off gently as I increase my training.
21k run planned for this morning, going to be interesting to see how that goes!
more later
Update...did the 21k in 1 hour 39 minutes and was in huge amounts of self pitty by the end! wow that was hard work. Feeling tired but good now. Will do a 60k ride tomorrow morning and maybe another 60 on the weekend. Appart from that Im going to chill.
Update - photos
End of bike leg, legs went into cramp!
21k run planned for this morning, going to be interesting to see how that goes!
more later
Update...did the 21k in 1 hour 39 minutes and was in huge amounts of self pitty by the end! wow that was hard work. Feeling tired but good now. Will do a 60k ride tomorrow morning and maybe another 60 on the weekend. Appart from that Im going to chill.
Update - photos
End of bike leg, legs went into cramp!
After Swim
End of the Race!
Start of the bike
Tuesday, 14 June 2011
14th June 2011 - Bala race report
Here's an idea, let's spend the whole morning swimming, cycling and running in the poring rain and strong winds. That was not a pleasant experience at all!
Bala is a beautiful part of the country and I'm sure that if it had been sunny I would have quite like it BUT it was not sunny!!
I woke at around 6:30 looked out of the window of my self drive hired motorhome and could hardly see anything thanks to the fog! Oh no just like The Vitruvien last year I thought but soon my fears are lost as I realise it's not fog it's just hammering with rain.
Gun went off at around 9:30 and into the water we went. Very cold and it took me 2 minutes just to get the cold panic under control. The first few hundred meters are always a nightmare for me so I put my self right at the back, wish I hadn't as there were so many people to. Overtake. Water, felt ok at this stage, then we turn left and bam I get hit by wave after wave. This is supposed to be a lake, why am I dealing with surf! Left again and back into shore. Wow that was not Ann easy 40 mins. Disappointed by the time but considering conditions, I'm quite happy to be alive. T1 goes well and I'm off on the bike pretty quick. I feel cold and I put my cycling water proof jacket. On, good move.
It rains the whole. Way and the wind is terrible. It's a ha enough ride without the added bonus of storms so I quickly find my self feeling pretty tired. I am not the only one. I actually quite enjoy the first half but the last quarter is pretty hard going and I am very relived to be off the bike and into T2. can't get my lid off so have to ask for help, my hands are frozen and my feet don't don't feel like they are there. Running shoes on and off I go. At this stage I feel really quite good and the first 8k is going v well. I do the hill to the turn around and the rain picks up again. By now it's getting to me and I am tired and cold but I keep going. I have a couple of walks and my time shows it as it's a 1:50 half marathon. A. His stage I don't care as I am sooo happy to be finished. 3 people I know dropped out on the bike due to the cold and I think there must have been a 30 % drop out rate.
One of my toughest races. Great training for Henley and I now know that I need to pick up the training.
Over all time is 5:28 which is ok by me :)
More details and some photos ton appear soon. Off to catch a flight.
Johan
Bala is a beautiful part of the country and I'm sure that if it had been sunny I would have quite like it BUT it was not sunny!!
I woke at around 6:30 looked out of the window of my self drive hired motorhome and could hardly see anything thanks to the fog! Oh no just like The Vitruvien last year I thought but soon my fears are lost as I realise it's not fog it's just hammering with rain.
Gun went off at around 9:30 and into the water we went. Very cold and it took me 2 minutes just to get the cold panic under control. The first few hundred meters are always a nightmare for me so I put my self right at the back, wish I hadn't as there were so many people to. Overtake. Water, felt ok at this stage, then we turn left and bam I get hit by wave after wave. This is supposed to be a lake, why am I dealing with surf! Left again and back into shore. Wow that was not Ann easy 40 mins. Disappointed by the time but considering conditions, I'm quite happy to be alive. T1 goes well and I'm off on the bike pretty quick. I feel cold and I put my cycling water proof jacket. On, good move.
It rains the whole. Way and the wind is terrible. It's a ha enough ride without the added bonus of storms so I quickly find my self feeling pretty tired. I am not the only one. I actually quite enjoy the first half but the last quarter is pretty hard going and I am very relived to be off the bike and into T2. can't get my lid off so have to ask for help, my hands are frozen and my feet don't don't feel like they are there. Running shoes on and off I go. At this stage I feel really quite good and the first 8k is going v well. I do the hill to the turn around and the rain picks up again. By now it's getting to me and I am tired and cold but I keep going. I have a couple of walks and my time shows it as it's a 1:50 half marathon. A. His stage I don't care as I am sooo happy to be finished. 3 people I know dropped out on the bike due to the cold and I think there must have been a 30 % drop out rate.
One of my toughest races. Great training for Henley and I now know that I need to pick up the training.
Over all time is 5:28 which is ok by me :)
More details and some photos ton appear soon. Off to catch a flight.
Johan
Wednesday, 8 June 2011
June 8th 2011
Been a while since I blogged. Have been working loads which involves travel to and from Denmark so my time has been somewhat limited! The good new is I have my first race of the year on Saturday!! Doh! Bala middle distance which is a 2k swim, 80k bike and a 20k run. Herm...going to be interesting getting into that lake! Anyway I think I'll be ok, I could be in better shape but I'm ok. Been keeping quite well to my training, not doing as many hours as I want but I have a family so it's not that easy. I try to make up for it with intensity as much as possible.
Even better news is that I have a place for ironman Lanzaroti 2012. This is my "a" race and what all the rest of this years races are aimed at. I'm not really tapering for this weekend as I intend to use it a training day and build on it afterwards towards Challenge Henley in September.
My aim for Lanzaroti will be to try my best to go sub 10 hours. I am pretty sure I can do this but I know what it's going to take. Ouch.
I am supposed to be doing another ultra in August but I'm in two minds about it. Watch this space!
This week I ran 26k Tuesday, swam 1 hour solid Tuesday evening and today I cycled 60k hard. Tomorrow I'll spin hard and do some lifting. Then I'll rest up till Sunday, I may throw a jog in Friday just to listen the legs a little.
Wish me luck!
I'll post a race report ASAP
Johan
Even better news is that I have a place for ironman Lanzaroti 2012. This is my "a" race and what all the rest of this years races are aimed at. I'm not really tapering for this weekend as I intend to use it a training day and build on it afterwards towards Challenge Henley in September.
My aim for Lanzaroti will be to try my best to go sub 10 hours. I am pretty sure I can do this but I know what it's going to take. Ouch.
I am supposed to be doing another ultra in August but I'm in two minds about it. Watch this space!
This week I ran 26k Tuesday, swam 1 hour solid Tuesday evening and today I cycled 60k hard. Tomorrow I'll spin hard and do some lifting. Then I'll rest up till Sunday, I may throw a jog in Friday just to listen the legs a little.
Wish me luck!
I'll post a race report ASAP
Johan
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