Injury, No Kona, Getting Back To Training, Coaching And A New Addition.
As I sit writing this blog I am sat cuddling the new addition to my family, whilst typing with one hand. Joshua, was born on the 25th February 2016 and he has managed to find a part of my heart I never knew existed.
So where do I begin....
I lay on the roadside starring at a pile of carbon...... From this moment I knew that racing at the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii were doubtful.
On 11th September 2015 I was on a long cycle up in the Peak Districts when I was knocked off my bike by a car, which subsequently saw me injured for the rest of the 2015 season and my Kona dream shattered. An injured right knee and damaged shoulder were the cost of the lapse of concentration from a driver.
Initially I felt robbed and as if all that time invested in training and racing had been a waste of time. Luckily for me, I have a great support network around me and I am supported by people who truly care about their athletes and not just the racing.
As a supported athlete I think my immediate reaction to being injured was the feeling of letting people down. The support however that Tri Training Harder gave me during this time was amazing and makes me very proud and honoured to be part of the race team.
For the first few days of being injured there was a lot of sulking however this was pretty short lived after some words from my wife and after watching “The Marine That Refused To Die” I realised that actually things were not that bad.
I then went to see the Bosworth Clinic who have played a vital role in my rehab. The Bosworth Clinic offer the race team physio, nutrition advice, sport psychology and personal training. They work as a integrated support team and feed there thoughts back to our coaches, who then can plan our training more specifically. When I attended the Bosworth Clinic a few days after the accident it was decided even flying out to Kona would be the wrong decision, which initially was a hard line to take, but comforting that they put there athletes welfare first.
Speaking to Mark Bellamy who is the Sporty Psychologist at the Bosworth Clinic really helped and made me put things into perspective. After all we all got into triathlon for the love of the sport and sometimes we need steering back in that direction. Also I had the most exciting time ahead which was my wife being pregnant with our little boy.
During my 3 months of recovery it was essential I ate well whilst further educating myself on the importance of healthy eating. Helen Money, who is the nutritionist at The Bosworth Clinic helped me to plan and understand this further. It would have been far too easy to get into bad eating and drinking habits, sins that triathletes restrict ourselves with during the tri season. Having a specific plan was very important this really helped with ensuring I did not eat the wrong things making it far harder to get back to full fitness. Don't get me wrong I like the odd beer and I'm a sucker for the occasional sweet treat but its about having it in moderation.
After a few months I got back to a more structured training regime and really focussed on working close with Alan Ward (coach) to get back to fitness. It was a good opportunity to get the foundations strong before I started training in 2016.
We discussed my goals for 2016 would be to race Ironman Wales to hopefully qualify for Kona 2017.
Many people ask me is a coach a must have to progress in triathlon. My advice is no, its a must to have a coach that understands their athletes and sets a training schedule specifically for you. Not every athlete is the same and we all have different recovery rates and benefit differently from various sessions.
At Tri Training Harder I am fortunate to have a coach that constantly wants feedback from sessions to help get the best out of me and looking at my results I have definitely progressed and getting PB's on all my races in 2015 surely evidences this. Sometimes its about training smarter and not necessarily harder.
Having the Bosworth Clinic who work as an integrated support team and see me on regular basis, communicate with Alan and make sure my training is specific for me and the best quality it can be. I believe this kind of coaching is second to none and one that will really help anyone progress.
In summary I think if you have a strong support network then you are onto a winner, even if things don't quite go to plan.
I am very grateful for the support I am given and it really helps me to get on with the training and spending quality time with my family....After all a happy wife is a happy life ;-).
I look forward to updating you about my progress with training in a few weeks....
“Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence. Vince Lombardi”
As I sit writing this blog I am sat cuddling the new addition to my family, whilst typing with one hand. Joshua, was born on the 25th February 2016 and he has managed to find a part of my heart I never knew existed.
So where do I begin....
I lay on the roadside starring at a pile of carbon...... From this moment I knew that racing at the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii were doubtful.
On 11th September 2015 I was on a long cycle up in the Peak Districts when I was knocked off my bike by a car, which subsequently saw me injured for the rest of the 2015 season and my Kona dream shattered. An injured right knee and damaged shoulder were the cost of the lapse of concentration from a driver.
Initially I felt robbed and as if all that time invested in training and racing had been a waste of time. Luckily for me, I have a great support network around me and I am supported by people who truly care about their athletes and not just the racing.
As a supported athlete I think my immediate reaction to being injured was the feeling of letting people down. The support however that Tri Training Harder gave me during this time was amazing and makes me very proud and honoured to be part of the race team.
For the first few days of being injured there was a lot of sulking however this was pretty short lived after some words from my wife and after watching “The Marine That Refused To Die” I realised that actually things were not that bad.
I then went to see the Bosworth Clinic who have played a vital role in my rehab. The Bosworth Clinic offer the race team physio, nutrition advice, sport psychology and personal training. They work as a integrated support team and feed there thoughts back to our coaches, who then can plan our training more specifically. When I attended the Bosworth Clinic a few days after the accident it was decided even flying out to Kona would be the wrong decision, which initially was a hard line to take, but comforting that they put there athletes welfare first.
Speaking to Mark Bellamy who is the Sporty Psychologist at the Bosworth Clinic really helped and made me put things into perspective. After all we all got into triathlon for the love of the sport and sometimes we need steering back in that direction. Also I had the most exciting time ahead which was my wife being pregnant with our little boy.
During my 3 months of recovery it was essential I ate well whilst further educating myself on the importance of healthy eating. Helen Money, who is the nutritionist at The Bosworth Clinic helped me to plan and understand this further. It would have been far too easy to get into bad eating and drinking habits, sins that triathletes restrict ourselves with during the tri season. Having a specific plan was very important this really helped with ensuring I did not eat the wrong things making it far harder to get back to full fitness. Don't get me wrong I like the odd beer and I'm a sucker for the occasional sweet treat but its about having it in moderation.
After a few months I got back to a more structured training regime and really focussed on working close with Alan Ward (coach) to get back to fitness. It was a good opportunity to get the foundations strong before I started training in 2016.
We discussed my goals for 2016 would be to race Ironman Wales to hopefully qualify for Kona 2017.
Many people ask me is a coach a must have to progress in triathlon. My advice is no, its a must to have a coach that understands their athletes and sets a training schedule specifically for you. Not every athlete is the same and we all have different recovery rates and benefit differently from various sessions.
At Tri Training Harder I am fortunate to have a coach that constantly wants feedback from sessions to help get the best out of me and looking at my results I have definitely progressed and getting PB's on all my races in 2015 surely evidences this. Sometimes its about training smarter and not necessarily harder.
Having the Bosworth Clinic who work as an integrated support team and see me on regular basis, communicate with Alan and make sure my training is specific for me and the best quality it can be. I believe this kind of coaching is second to none and one that will really help anyone progress.
In summary I think if you have a strong support network then you are onto a winner, even if things don't quite go to plan.
I am very grateful for the support I am given and it really helps me to get on with the training and spending quality time with my family....After all a happy wife is a happy life ;-).
I look forward to updating you about my progress with training in a few weeks....
“Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence. Vince Lombardi”
Ironman UK 2015 9:30 8th Overall / 1st Age Group 25-29 #KONA:
As I sit reflecting on last weekend I start to remember what a great but brutal weekend it was. I have such a fantastic group of people around me who have helped me through a tough year. I am so grateful to these people and they really drive me on. Without these people none of what I sit writing about would be possible.
The night before the race didn't quite go to plan due to a noisy road and sleeping in the worlds hottest room (good prep for Kona). I think I got about an hours sleep max and as I sat on the bus with other athletes travelling to the swim start I was jealous of many of them talking about what a good nights sleep they had.
As I stepped off the bus I was met by the first monsoon of the day and questioned why?? This question was soon short lived because I was able to have a chat with my coach Alan Ward from Tri Training Harder. He helped me to focus on the day rather than the weather, as I walked up to transition to check on my bike. I was also grateful to see Andy Strong from Fundamentally Fit who along with his partner Kirsteen had braved the weather to come and watch the swim start.
Swim 3.9k - 1:06:
The swim this year was a rolling start which I felt worked well for me as there was not much of a brawl at the start and found it quicker to settle into a rhythm. When I got out of the water I was ok with my time and know that this discipline is a work in progress.
Cycle 180k - 5:21:
One thing I can say about the Ironman UK bike course is that it has a way of testing you with hills, rain and some gusty winds.
Although the conditions were pretty bad the support from the locals, family and Tri Training Harder was brilliant.
The bike course consists of a 14 mile ride from the swim to join a two lap course which includes two climbs called Sheep House Lane and Hunters Hill.
The first part of the cycle was more of a swim and trying to stay on the bike was an effort in itself. The weather for the first 14 mile of the bike was awful and I soon realised this was going to be a tough day to say the least. That said it wasn't long before I settled into a rhythm and focussed on my power and nutrition. I felt comfortable on the bike and I am very fortunate to have a Felt IA which has been fitted by Athlete Service and I definitely feel the benefits of a quality bike fit and set up.
When I arrived at the first hill the weather had cheered up slightly however the winds remained. You are pretty exposed during many parts of the course and a few gusts of wind gave me "squeaky bum time". On the first lap of the bike course I was able to maintain a fairly consistent power output and was happy with the way things were going.
On the second lap of the course there were far more athletes. This made it difficult at times because some were cycling in the centre of the road which made it quite difficult and dangerous to pass. I did however still keep my power consistent and when I got to the last hill of the day felt far fresher than in previous years.
T2:
As I cycled into T2 I was unsure where I was placed within my age group however there weren’t too many bikes racked so I was pretty confident that I was doing ok. As I ran out of T2 I was told that I was 7th in my age group. My first thoughts of this were that I best run a strong marathon.
Run: 2:56
The Ironman UK run course is anything but flat and pretty challenging, especially after a hilly bike course. It consists of a 8 mile run from T2 into Bolton and then a three lap run. The support on the run is fantastic and there is never a moment where you are running without someone cheering you on. As I ran the first 8 miles I was pacing at 6:30 minute mile and felt good. When I got to ten miles I was told that I was first in my age group and first age grouper overall and that there was a problem with the tracker. In fact I was first in my age group when I got to T2. This was good news and it drove me to keep pushing on to keep me as first age grouper and to ensure Kona qualification. For the last mile of the marathon I became quite emotional when I thought about what had driven me on during the day.
Finish:
Finishing this year was such a great feeling. I felt I had put a lot of effort into the race and had come away with the result I was after. I had qualified for Kona and had the time to soak in the atmosphere as I came down towards the finishing line. To have my wife, family and friends there meant the world to me and to share what had been such a fantastic day with them felt amazing. Going to the awards ceremony and accepting my World Championship spot was awesome. I am looking forward to seeing what I can do over in Kona and can't wait to get back to training.
I have so many people to thank for helping me through for me what has been a pretty tough year. Firstly my wife who is just such an incredible person. She has continued to encourage me to keep training and racing. Any one who knows me will agree that she is always there supporting me.
A massive thanks to: Tri Training Harder, The Bosworth Clinic, Huub, High 5, Athlete Service, Fundamentally Fit, Carla Baumfield, and Champion Systems. They have all supported me immensely over the course of the year.
Nutrition Race Day:
Before the race, approximately 3 hours before I ate 2x porridge pots, 1x banana and took High 5 Energy Source with a Zero tablet to the swim. Thirty minutes before the swim I had a High 5 ISO gel with caffeine to give me a boost. For the bike my nutrition strategy was High 5 Zero with 1x scoop of High 5 Energy Source for hydration. Every 30 minutes I would then alternate between a High 5 Gel and ½ a High 5 energy bar.In the last two hours of the bike I changed to ISO Gels with caffeine in place of the energy bar. For the run my nutrition was pretty simple I would have a caffeine ISO gel at every aid station washed down with water.I find that if I keep my nutrition pretty simple works well and make sure I train with this plan.
So... race season is here and I for one am looking forward to it. My first triathlon is this coming Sunday, 11th May which is The Swashbuckler Middle Distance. From there I am racing at 70.3 Staffs and Ironman UK.
The more I reflect on how my training has gone in the last few months I feel positive about the race season ahead. Being part of the Tri Training Harder (TTH) I am lucky to have a great support network and this has really helped me develop as an athlete.
I spent February in Portugal at the TTH base which is five star accommodation and can only be described as a paradise for athletes. Here I got some invaluable help with my swimming and running technique as well as some nice warm weather training. I also got to spend some time with my coach Alan Ward. I am fortunate to have Alan as a coach due to his experience and enthusiastic approach to triathlon.
At TTH there are no ego's and one of the things I learnt over in Portugal, was that they cater for everyone.... even my missus and she is a fussy one!!! What's more she is not a triathlete and doesn't really know a great deal about triathlon, other than it costs money and you have to get up at silly o'clock to race. She enjoyed the spa, relaxing around the pool and socialising with some great people.
My first test of the season was a couple of weekends ago. On the Saturday I cycled the Ironman UK course and on the Sunday I ran the Manchester Marathon. This was a hard weekend and I was delighted to finish the marathon in 2:40 after putting 100+ miles in the legs the day before. This was a really good test to see how I my training is coming along and also gave me confidence going forward.
I am delighted with the progress that I have made so far this year with my training and am thankful to all the people who help and support me.
The more I reflect on how my training has gone in the last few months I feel positive about the race season ahead. Being part of the Tri Training Harder (TTH) I am lucky to have a great support network and this has really helped me develop as an athlete.
I spent February in Portugal at the TTH base which is five star accommodation and can only be described as a paradise for athletes. Here I got some invaluable help with my swimming and running technique as well as some nice warm weather training. I also got to spend some time with my coach Alan Ward. I am fortunate to have Alan as a coach due to his experience and enthusiastic approach to triathlon.
At TTH there are no ego's and one of the things I learnt over in Portugal, was that they cater for everyone.... even my missus and she is a fussy one!!! What's more she is not a triathlete and doesn't really know a great deal about triathlon, other than it costs money and you have to get up at silly o'clock to race. She enjoyed the spa, relaxing around the pool and socialising with some great people.
My first test of the season was a couple of weekends ago. On the Saturday I cycled the Ironman UK course and on the Sunday I ran the Manchester Marathon. This was a hard weekend and I was delighted to finish the marathon in 2:40 after putting 100+ miles in the legs the day before. This was a really good test to see how I my training is coming along and also gave me confidence going forward.
I am delighted with the progress that I have made so far this year with my training and am thankful to all the people who help and support me.
NEWS: TRI TRAINING HARDER RACE TEAM......BOOM!!!
Where do I start....
Well lets get to the good news, which is that for the 2015 season I will be part of the Tri Training Harder race team (TTH). I am delighted to have been selected to race for TTH, which have a team consisting of some super fast athletes. If you take a look at www.tritrainingharder.com and have a look at the race team, I am sure that you will agree that I will be surrounded by some very talented triathletes and runners. This will definitely help me progress as an athlete and can't wait to spend a week training with the team in January, at the TTH base in Portugal.
Being part of the team means that I will be supported by The Athlete Service, Huub Design, High 5 and The Bosworth Clinic. Champion System are the suppliers of the TTH race kit.
I am very fortunate to be given this opportunity to represent TTH and am looking forward to meeting and racing for the team. The TTH has a proud reputation for coaching and this is evident by the results that they produce. They are the official coach for the Ironman UK events and their reputation proceeds them.
I will be adding more to this post in the coming weeks....
Where do I start....
Well lets get to the good news, which is that for the 2015 season I will be part of the Tri Training Harder race team (TTH). I am delighted to have been selected to race for TTH, which have a team consisting of some super fast athletes. If you take a look at www.tritrainingharder.com and have a look at the race team, I am sure that you will agree that I will be surrounded by some very talented triathletes and runners. This will definitely help me progress as an athlete and can't wait to spend a week training with the team in January, at the TTH base in Portugal.
Being part of the team means that I will be supported by The Athlete Service, Huub Design, High 5 and The Bosworth Clinic. Champion System are the suppliers of the TTH race kit.
I am very fortunate to be given this opportunity to represent TTH and am looking forward to meeting and racing for the team. The TTH has a proud reputation for coaching and this is evident by the results that they produce. They are the official coach for the Ironman UK events and their reputation proceeds them.
I will be adding more to this post in the coming weeks....
Well its certainly been a busy last few months since I last updated my blog, hence the lack of updates.
So where do I start....
Ironman UK - 1st Age grouper - 9:40
Outlaw Middle Distance - 1st in Age Group - 4:26
Sussex Middle Distance - 1st Overall - 4:09
Ironman UK (20/07/14)
I did exactly what I set myself to do and that was qualify for Kona (World Championships) and go sub 10 hours. My finish time was 9:40 which meant I was the first age grouper overall and achieved a top 10 performance.
Swim
Although I was pleased with my performance, the day didn't start as I first would have liked. I had a nightmare swim finishing in 1:06. The main problem with the swim was being kicked in the face, knocking my goggles off and then my Garmin Forerunner being kicked off my wrist and is now at the bottom of Pennington Flash.
Bike
The bike went as I had planned and averaged 21mph, I managed to get around the course in 5:20, which I was happy with considering it is quite a technical and hilly course. I managed to get my nutrition spot on and was conscious not to go too hard because I still had the marathon to go.
Run
The marathon with no Garmin or knowledge of your heart rate....not ideal! I had no option but to run the marathon on feel and had no idea how fast or slow I was going. I finished the marathon in 3:06 and if I am honest with myself I feel I could have pushed out and gone sub 3. You live and learn and one thing I have learnt is to put a spare watch in my transition bag.
Finishing was a great feeling as always but this time I had time to take the atmosphere in when running down the red carpet. It was so nice to see my family at the finish line and for them to tell me I was the 1st age grouper finished the day off nicely.
On reflection the day went really well and I don't think I will ever race an Ironman when everything will go perfectly. You cant let the little mishaps defeat you and have to crack on in hope you will make the time up elsewhere.
Next up is Barcelona which is now only 9 weeks away. I am back training and hope to get some good consistent training in. Before Barcelona I will be racing Chichester Middle Distance as a warm up to Ironman.
Ironman Barcelona is a qualifier for Kona 2015 so I have my fingers crossed that I will qualify at this race. I am sure you may wonder why I didn't take my Kona slot from Ironman UK, well it was for a multitude of reasons but wanting to improve my swim is one.
Thanks to my wife as after all she is the most understanding person in the world who allows me to train and always understands when I am tired. Also my parents who support me no matter what the weather and make the effort to travel all distances to see me race.
Stroke, Crank and Scarper are a company offering après clothing for the tri lover. If you are like me and love triathlon then you will love these. They range from subtle to tongue and cheek t shirts which are good quality and have been designed by a style guru. The founder Andy Ward is a triathlete himself and he is passionate about his new company.
To my delight already I am seeing people wearing these t shirt's in place of their race t shirts. No one likes a show off boasting which Ironman you have done. I would suggest ditching the tatty race tshirt and get yourself some proper clobber at http://strokecrankandscarper.com I absolutely love their t shirts and find myself wearing them out and to events.
You can check out their website by clicking on the image and follow them on Twitter @strokeCrank.
So what have I been up to..... Well I have been training pretty hard and racing well so all in all I am happy with my progress.
April saw me racing the Brighton Marathon as a bit of a last minute thing, but I was happy with a time of 2:46 which capped me to finish 22nd overall. I intended to take it steady for the first part of the marathon, which I did and then felt pretty fresh at 13 miles so decided to give the legs a bit more of a stretch.
May then saw me racing Three Forts Marathon which is a trail marathon of 27.2 miles. I finished 3rd overall (3.07). This marathon really took it out of me and struggled with the pace of the two people in front. It made me remember what a different beast these trail marathons and those racing are. After this marathon I decided to take a week off from trainings which was much needed, as I felt tired and in hindsight I shouldn't have raced.
After a week off training I cracked on with the build phase of my training. Normally each week consist of approximately 300 miles on the bike, 45-50 miles running and 15k in the pool. I think that works out at about 27 hours training a week which is quite a lot but my sessions are structured well with recovery workouts. I tend to do most my training at an aerobic zone which fits with Ironman training and then one session for each discipline working on muscular endurance. I find that this training is manageable due to having a very understanding wife and also having been consistent with my training through the winter, boring as it was. My training blocks consist of three long weeks and then a week lighter training.
Now in June (almost) I am only 7 weeks away from IMUK. At the weekend I have the Outlaw Half Ironman which is in Nottingham and the 22nd June I have the Sussex Middle distance tri. These races will be good testers and let me know where I am with my fitness, hopefully on track!!!
April saw me racing the Brighton Marathon as a bit of a last minute thing, but I was happy with a time of 2:46 which capped me to finish 22nd overall. I intended to take it steady for the first part of the marathon, which I did and then felt pretty fresh at 13 miles so decided to give the legs a bit more of a stretch.
May then saw me racing Three Forts Marathon which is a trail marathon of 27.2 miles. I finished 3rd overall (3.07). This marathon really took it out of me and struggled with the pace of the two people in front. It made me remember what a different beast these trail marathons and those racing are. After this marathon I decided to take a week off from trainings which was much needed, as I felt tired and in hindsight I shouldn't have raced.
After a week off training I cracked on with the build phase of my training. Normally each week consist of approximately 300 miles on the bike, 45-50 miles running and 15k in the pool. I think that works out at about 27 hours training a week which is quite a lot but my sessions are structured well with recovery workouts. I tend to do most my training at an aerobic zone which fits with Ironman training and then one session for each discipline working on muscular endurance. I find that this training is manageable due to having a very understanding wife and also having been consistent with my training through the winter, boring as it was. My training blocks consist of three long weeks and then a week lighter training.
Now in June (almost) I am only 7 weeks away from IMUK. At the weekend I have the Outlaw Half Ironman which is in Nottingham and the 22nd June I have the Sussex Middle distance tri. These races will be good testers and let me know where I am with my fitness, hopefully on track!!!
15th Feb 2014
A week in Lanzarote got me away from this awful weather for a week. The week was spent mostly on the bike clocking up 289 miles, however I managed a few runs and swims. The place is a triathlon training paradise and will definitely be visiting again (Ironman or 70.3??). All in all it was a win win as even Sheree (the wife) loved the time away.
Included in my cycles was the Ironman Lanzarote route which was an absolute beast with a few cheeky climbs. I was confident that the ride went quite well and was reflecting how windy it was, when I was told that February is one of the less windy months. Either way I found it windy and will take the Sussex coastal winds any day of the week (maybe not as a write this).
Back in the UK this week has been spent inside training, where I find myself on a low intensity week which will lead me into my next phase of training. In the next couple of weeks I will be racing in Eastbourne Half Marathon and Worthing 20 which will let me know where I am with my running. With regards my swimming this is something that I will be building on in coming months to ensure my swim times see a good improvement. At the moment I am concentrating on technique, hopefully come the first race in May I will be like a fish in the water (it's nice to dream).
Over the next couple of weeks I will be adding distance on all three disciplines and hopefully the weather will cheer up to make training all that more enjoyable.
A week in Lanzarote got me away from this awful weather for a week. The week was spent mostly on the bike clocking up 289 miles, however I managed a few runs and swims. The place is a triathlon training paradise and will definitely be visiting again (Ironman or 70.3??). All in all it was a win win as even Sheree (the wife) loved the time away.
Included in my cycles was the Ironman Lanzarote route which was an absolute beast with a few cheeky climbs. I was confident that the ride went quite well and was reflecting how windy it was, when I was told that February is one of the less windy months. Either way I found it windy and will take the Sussex coastal winds any day of the week (maybe not as a write this).
Back in the UK this week has been spent inside training, where I find myself on a low intensity week which will lead me into my next phase of training. In the next couple of weeks I will be racing in Eastbourne Half Marathon and Worthing 20 which will let me know where I am with my running. With regards my swimming this is something that I will be building on in coming months to ensure my swim times see a good improvement. At the moment I am concentrating on technique, hopefully come the first race in May I will be like a fish in the water (it's nice to dream).
Over the next couple of weeks I will be adding distance on all three disciplines and hopefully the weather will cheer up to make training all that more enjoyable.
2014 has began and so has serious training for Ironman (20/07/14).
Over the next coming months I will be working at ensuring my training is consistent so that I build a good base for when the intensity picks up.
I have been working on my bike over the previous months and found myself just enjoying my training, which meant a distinct lack of swimming. I spent a week tup north in The Peaks cycling up some monsters of hills. Winnats Pass has to be the most enjoyable climb and the leg burn was as good as its been for a while.
I am over the moon to announce that I will be sponsored by Zone3 www.racezone3.com
I have been using Zone3 kit for nearly two years and use the Aspire wetsuit which was given some fantastic reviews by 220 triathlon and Wiggle. I can not wait to try their race and compression gear over this coming season.
My next steps are a nice little training holiday to Lanzarote in Feb and continuing with some good old zone 2 training.
Over the next coming months I will be working at ensuring my training is consistent so that I build a good base for when the intensity picks up.
I have been working on my bike over the previous months and found myself just enjoying my training, which meant a distinct lack of swimming. I spent a week tup north in The Peaks cycling up some monsters of hills. Winnats Pass has to be the most enjoyable climb and the leg burn was as good as its been for a while.
I am over the moon to announce that I will be sponsored by Zone3 www.racezone3.com
I have been using Zone3 kit for nearly two years and use the Aspire wetsuit which was given some fantastic reviews by 220 triathlon and Wiggle. I can not wait to try their race and compression gear over this coming season.
My next steps are a nice little training holiday to Lanzarote in Feb and continuing with some good old zone 2 training.
So...... Here I go again. After a talk with the wife it was agreed that I should enter Ironman again in 2014. I have unfinished business with the UK course and luckily for me I have a second home tup north, so logistically its easy.
My hopes for 2014 are to qualify for Kona (Ironman World Championships) which I feel is a realistic goal. Unfortunately this year I was three minutes off qualifying but to be honest I was just happy to finishing my first Ironman.
My training this year will be tailored around improving my speed on my bike so I will be putting the hours in pedalling around Sussex, Yorkshire and no doubt on the turbo. Ohhh how I love the turbo trainer!!! Three hours on that is enough to send anyone insane.
If you look at my results in 2013 I was quite slow on the bike compared to some people who finished near my time. Ok I did get lost but I don't like to talk about it ha! If I can improve my bike it will hopefully enable me to achieve a faster bike split and hopefully I will be fresher on the run to smash out nearer to a sub 3 marathon. I am of the belief that if you don't have a goal then you will lose enthusiasm and your training won't be as consistent.
Its now been three weeks since Ironman and my body still feels tired, so although I am back to training its not been at a high intensity. I have Chester Marathon in six weeks and then Beachy Head Marathon two weeks after that so hopefully I will get some much needed speed back.
Over the coming weeks and months I will be updating how my training is going. The main reasons for this are to keep me motivated over the winter months and to also inspire other people to enter something that challenges them. If you have entered Ironman UK 2014 and have any questions feel free to drop me a message and I will do my best to help you out.
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” (Lao Tzu)
My hopes for 2014 are to qualify for Kona (Ironman World Championships) which I feel is a realistic goal. Unfortunately this year I was three minutes off qualifying but to be honest I was just happy to finishing my first Ironman.
My training this year will be tailored around improving my speed on my bike so I will be putting the hours in pedalling around Sussex, Yorkshire and no doubt on the turbo. Ohhh how I love the turbo trainer!!! Three hours on that is enough to send anyone insane.
If you look at my results in 2013 I was quite slow on the bike compared to some people who finished near my time. Ok I did get lost but I don't like to talk about it ha! If I can improve my bike it will hopefully enable me to achieve a faster bike split and hopefully I will be fresher on the run to smash out nearer to a sub 3 marathon. I am of the belief that if you don't have a goal then you will lose enthusiasm and your training won't be as consistent.
Its now been three weeks since Ironman and my body still feels tired, so although I am back to training its not been at a high intensity. I have Chester Marathon in six weeks and then Beachy Head Marathon two weeks after that so hopefully I will get some much needed speed back.
Over the coming weeks and months I will be updating how my training is going. The main reasons for this are to keep me motivated over the winter months and to also inspire other people to enter something that challenges them. If you have entered Ironman UK 2014 and have any questions feel free to drop me a message and I will do my best to help you out.
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” (Lao Tzu)
Ironman UK 2013 – 10 hours 14 mins.
Sunday morning
Up at 3am and to my amazement I am more awake than ever.
My nutrition, which I start 3 hours prior is the first step to the long day ahead. This
consists of 1x porridge pot, 1x banana, 1x tin of rice pudding, a cup of coffee
and a Powerbar Isoactive drink.
After I have my breakfast it is off to the Reebok Stadium to catch the bus to the swim start at
Pennington Flash. On the bus I have a Cliff energy bar and keep hydrated on a
High 5 zero drink and then 20 minutes before the swim I have a powerbar energy
gel.
Swim 2.4 mile - 1hr3min
The swim has always been my weakest discipline therefore I decided to go to the left of the main pack for the two lap course. When the claxon goes off its like nothing I have ever experienced in a mass swim start. It is a mad rush and never have I been kicked in the face so much. All that aside I try to settle into a rhythm, which I soon find out is impossible for the first fifteen minutes. After
this I managed to settle down a little and before I know it I am at the turnbuoy. On the way back from the turn buoy I found it difficult to sight due to the sun blinding me. On the second lap of the swim course I was much happier with how I was swimming
and got out of the water in a total of 1hr 3mins.
After the swim it was into transition 1 which is where I put my cycle gear on and then headed to my bike.
Bike 112 miles - 5hr 49min
The Uk Ironman bike course consists of 5249 feet of climbing and is renowned for being a tough course. I was apprehensive about the bike because I was unsure what to expect (know your course!!!). When I got on my bike I felt good and on the 16 mile cycle out to the 3x loops I was cycling well and able to get on my TT bars for most this part. I also set my Garmin to beep every twenty minutes and on the beep I ensured I had a swig of my bottle with gels in or half an energy bar.
After the 16 mile cycle its on to 3x 32 mile loops. It starts off with the climb up the famous Sheep House Lane which on the
first circuit didn't seem that diffcult and I am soon up and then down the technical decent. On the way down from the descent to my dismay, my puncture repair kit fell off my bike so it was back up the descent to collect it.
During the first lap I monitored my heart rate and kept it around 140-44bpm and ensured that I was taking on energy every 20
minutes.
The second stint of Sheep House Lane soon comes round and it seems a little harder this time. I find my heart rate rising
quickly however I am up without too much struggle. The support up Sheep House Lane is incredible and the man dressed as a cow, you are a legend!!
On the second loop of the circuit I found the course busier with cars however the support from people was incredible. All in all I am cycling at an average of 20.5mph and my heart rate is exactly where I want it. Unfortunately though halfway during the second lap I go the wrong way and before I realise I have cracked 2 miles in the wrong direction (thanks to the driver who pointed this out to me). I was very frustrated at this point and found myself losing at least fifteen minutes. I cycle back to the course and find myself clocking 4 miles extra than I should have. I was slightly annoyed due to too many cars being on the road and cyclist who haven't entered, cycling the route which confuses the marshals who then sends people the wrong way. I do however realise that the fault lies with me and I should have done a recce of the course. After this little mishap I was behind with time and cycling like a mad man to try an get back some time. The third time up Sheep House Lane was a struggle and I find myself thinking why did I enter this. Soon after this thought I am greeted by a man dressed as a princess who runs up the hill with me waving his wand and I churn it out the gears to get to the top. Once over the top I concentrate on getting some gels and salt down me. Although behind with time I know its important to keep my heart rate down and keep to my nutrition plan or the run could be a very painful experience.
After the third lap its in to transition 2 to change for the run. This is my low point of the race where I struggle due to the bottom of my feet being in agony. To stop the pain I take an ibuprofen, a caffeine gel and then plod off for the 26.2 mile run.
Run – Marathon – 3 hours 12 mins
For the first two miles of the run I was in a lot of pain. My feet felt like someone had been smashing them with a sledgehammer for the last 5 hours. I start to think of how will it be possible to run a marathon in this much pain but then I arrive at the first feed station where I drink some water and an iso gel. All of a sudden I am feeling good and before I know it I am on the three lap circuit where the atmosphere is vibrant. I am now running well and feel that I can up the pace however know I have a long way to go so should keep my heart rate down. During the run at every aid station I have a gel and 2x cups of water, which is something that I practised in
training.
Throughout the marathon I felt strangely fresh and before I knew it I was on my last lap. On the last lap I thought about how
much I trained for this and how it started just being an off the cuff comment “YE I WILL DO AN IRONMAN ONE DAY”.
Arriving at the finishing chute was an emotional experience and this is when it all became real that I was about to become an “IRONMAN”.Hearing those words felt good and I took the time to take it all in.
At the finish I was greeted by my wife, mum, dad and some amazing friends. This has to be the best part of the day, by this time I was sick of talking to myself and learnt that I am actually quite an annoying person to be with.
All In All
On reflection I am happy with how the day went, considering this was my first Ironman. I was also disappointed that I went the wrong way as I was a couple of minutes off Kona, but oh well there is always next time. I now know next time that I can race a little harder to hopefully qualify.
As far as the course goes I think the cycle needs to be traffic free as I spoke to a few people who raced and who unfortunately went the wrong way. Other than this issue I thought that it was a good event and the volunteers were a great help.
All in all I couldn't have done it without the amazing support from the people around me. My wife is a star who understands
when I am training for hours.
Thanks to Tuff Fitty Tri Club which has so many people who give up their time to help people like myself.
Thanks to my Mums, Dads, Baz, Lion, Ellie, Sally, Andy and Thomas.
Sunday morning
Up at 3am and to my amazement I am more awake than ever.
My nutrition, which I start 3 hours prior is the first step to the long day ahead. This
consists of 1x porridge pot, 1x banana, 1x tin of rice pudding, a cup of coffee
and a Powerbar Isoactive drink.
After I have my breakfast it is off to the Reebok Stadium to catch the bus to the swim start at
Pennington Flash. On the bus I have a Cliff energy bar and keep hydrated on a
High 5 zero drink and then 20 minutes before the swim I have a powerbar energy
gel.
Swim 2.4 mile - 1hr3min
The swim has always been my weakest discipline therefore I decided to go to the left of the main pack for the two lap course. When the claxon goes off its like nothing I have ever experienced in a mass swim start. It is a mad rush and never have I been kicked in the face so much. All that aside I try to settle into a rhythm, which I soon find out is impossible for the first fifteen minutes. After
this I managed to settle down a little and before I know it I am at the turnbuoy. On the way back from the turn buoy I found it difficult to sight due to the sun blinding me. On the second lap of the swim course I was much happier with how I was swimming
and got out of the water in a total of 1hr 3mins.
After the swim it was into transition 1 which is where I put my cycle gear on and then headed to my bike.
Bike 112 miles - 5hr 49min
The Uk Ironman bike course consists of 5249 feet of climbing and is renowned for being a tough course. I was apprehensive about the bike because I was unsure what to expect (know your course!!!). When I got on my bike I felt good and on the 16 mile cycle out to the 3x loops I was cycling well and able to get on my TT bars for most this part. I also set my Garmin to beep every twenty minutes and on the beep I ensured I had a swig of my bottle with gels in or half an energy bar.
After the 16 mile cycle its on to 3x 32 mile loops. It starts off with the climb up the famous Sheep House Lane which on the
first circuit didn't seem that diffcult and I am soon up and then down the technical decent. On the way down from the descent to my dismay, my puncture repair kit fell off my bike so it was back up the descent to collect it.
During the first lap I monitored my heart rate and kept it around 140-44bpm and ensured that I was taking on energy every 20
minutes.
The second stint of Sheep House Lane soon comes round and it seems a little harder this time. I find my heart rate rising
quickly however I am up without too much struggle. The support up Sheep House Lane is incredible and the man dressed as a cow, you are a legend!!
On the second loop of the circuit I found the course busier with cars however the support from people was incredible. All in all I am cycling at an average of 20.5mph and my heart rate is exactly where I want it. Unfortunately though halfway during the second lap I go the wrong way and before I realise I have cracked 2 miles in the wrong direction (thanks to the driver who pointed this out to me). I was very frustrated at this point and found myself losing at least fifteen minutes. I cycle back to the course and find myself clocking 4 miles extra than I should have. I was slightly annoyed due to too many cars being on the road and cyclist who haven't entered, cycling the route which confuses the marshals who then sends people the wrong way. I do however realise that the fault lies with me and I should have done a recce of the course. After this little mishap I was behind with time and cycling like a mad man to try an get back some time. The third time up Sheep House Lane was a struggle and I find myself thinking why did I enter this. Soon after this thought I am greeted by a man dressed as a princess who runs up the hill with me waving his wand and I churn it out the gears to get to the top. Once over the top I concentrate on getting some gels and salt down me. Although behind with time I know its important to keep my heart rate down and keep to my nutrition plan or the run could be a very painful experience.
After the third lap its in to transition 2 to change for the run. This is my low point of the race where I struggle due to the bottom of my feet being in agony. To stop the pain I take an ibuprofen, a caffeine gel and then plod off for the 26.2 mile run.
Run – Marathon – 3 hours 12 mins
For the first two miles of the run I was in a lot of pain. My feet felt like someone had been smashing them with a sledgehammer for the last 5 hours. I start to think of how will it be possible to run a marathon in this much pain but then I arrive at the first feed station where I drink some water and an iso gel. All of a sudden I am feeling good and before I know it I am on the three lap circuit where the atmosphere is vibrant. I am now running well and feel that I can up the pace however know I have a long way to go so should keep my heart rate down. During the run at every aid station I have a gel and 2x cups of water, which is something that I practised in
training.
Throughout the marathon I felt strangely fresh and before I knew it I was on my last lap. On the last lap I thought about how
much I trained for this and how it started just being an off the cuff comment “YE I WILL DO AN IRONMAN ONE DAY”.
Arriving at the finishing chute was an emotional experience and this is when it all became real that I was about to become an “IRONMAN”.Hearing those words felt good and I took the time to take it all in.
At the finish I was greeted by my wife, mum, dad and some amazing friends. This has to be the best part of the day, by this time I was sick of talking to myself and learnt that I am actually quite an annoying person to be with.
All In All
On reflection I am happy with how the day went, considering this was my first Ironman. I was also disappointed that I went the wrong way as I was a couple of minutes off Kona, but oh well there is always next time. I now know next time that I can race a little harder to hopefully qualify.
As far as the course goes I think the cycle needs to be traffic free as I spoke to a few people who raced and who unfortunately went the wrong way. Other than this issue I thought that it was a good event and the volunteers were a great help.
All in all I couldn't have done it without the amazing support from the people around me. My wife is a star who understands
when I am training for hours.
Thanks to Tuff Fitty Tri Club which has so many people who give up their time to help people like myself.
Thanks to my Mums, Dads, Baz, Lion, Ellie, Sally, Andy and Thomas.