Hmm, well a not perfect week of training this week.  Monday was my swimming course. Tuesday had an hour run scheduled, but I actually did 30 mins on the cross trainer and 30 mins on the treadmill. Wednesday was 45 mins on the cycling machine and 15 mins on the treadmill. Thursday and Friday didnt have any training done. Sigh. 

Saturday I managed 2h30 on the cycling machine and then 12 mins on the treadmill. The 12 mins on the treadmill were not too back in terms of lead-legs but I was quite tired after the cycle.  The cycle was tiring and borning sitting in one place for the whole time.

yes sleet- tonight I went for my hour run outside in the rain… along the way I wondered what the sharp stings were- I worked it out pretty quick though! SLEET.  Anyway the run was pretty good overall. Seems I have the layering thing right, apart from my gloves which are quite clearly not water proof. They got wet and cool quite quickly in the rain, but were still warmer than not having them. Two of my Canary Wharf laps and I was done and heading for the warmth of my shower!

Thursday got an hour’s spinning session at 65-75% MHR after a enjoyable and productive swim session. Think I may have been getting the catch and pull correct along with maybe getting the hang of better rolling. Managed to fit in an hours run before work on Friday!

Fingers crossed I manage to get a full week of training in this week!!

This morning’s session didn’t start off well… turns out I had forgotten my towel and my HRM… sigh. I figure I need to start of list of lists that I need. IE: things for gym, things for swimming, things for tri’s etc etc…

This morning I did a 45 minute session on the cycling machine (around an estimated 75-80% MHR) and then a 20 minute run (again, around 75-80% MHR).

Anyway, yesterday afternoon I did a swim session after work. Wasn’t brilliant but better than nothing.

Might try pop out for a quick swim if I can, otherwise that will have to be tomorrow before work…

Well tonight is another swim lesson. Hopefully more improvement too 🙂

 Did a swim yesterday of about 35 minutes and then an hour run.  A slightly easier pace twice around my Canary Wharf route taking roughly 57 minutes as opposed to the 50-ish minutes when I push the pace; this equates to around a 6min/km as opposed to 5min/km.  I really need to be able to get my “fast” or speed sessions down to 4:30/km (or even better…)

Well this week, like last week, has been far too light in terms of training. Mostly this was due to work having a mega-crisis that I got dragged into and also a friend’s birthday which resulted in a trip to the pub ruling out training for the day…

 Monday was the swim lesson. Slow progress is being made. Not sure how to best progress my lack of swimming expertise. Thursday afternoon included a short swim session, but I just didn’t feel in the groove – and the pool was full of people mucking around irritating me 🙂  I did manage to fit in a hour’s run in the evening after work.  It was chilly in the evening and I ran with a long sleeve top on.  I might need to start running with something more than just shorts on my legs. My legs were cold and I had twinges in my calves and achiles (both of which I don’t normally experience) that I suspect could be due to the cold… anyone know if this might be the case?

Today I managed a 15 or so minute swim session and a 1h45 session on the cycle machine. Swim was cut short to get the full cycle session in before the gym closed.  Tomorrow I will, hopefully, manage to do a swim and weights session in the morning and then an hour or so run in the afternoon.

 I’ve been thinking of ways to avoid “life” delaying training sessions and I figure that swim/gym/running sessions before work is the answer. Of course that means getting up and out in the cold winter mornings… well the do say “no pain no gain”… wish me luck!

Well yesterday’s weights session before work and a 45 minute gym based bike/run brick session at lunch has left me somewhat achy today. Oh well, no pain no gain eh? Today should consist of a swim session and a spinning session of 45 mins – not sure if Ill get to do the swim at lunch time, but I hope I do – less time needed after work!

Sunday is going to be an early start – and chilly!  The race route has been changed and the longer run is now before the bike session. It’s going to be interesting as the bike course is quite technical – lots of dead turns and speed bumps along the way. Not quite sure what time to expect, but the times from last year’s race are very fast!!

Well last night was my first swimming lesson. It was good to be start with the basics of the kick and arm movement.  Learnt a few things which is promising.  Tried some of the exercises today at the gym’s pool – not only are they more difficult than I remember but I found them quite tiring.  I just couldn’t seem to get into the right position.

Last night I noticed one thing- I must try to rememer to breath when doing the drills. I kept running out of air as I kept forgetting to breath. Sigh!

Well bad news today is that I seem to be coming down with a cold… so not sure Sunday is a good idea.  May have to pull out at the last minute which will be a shame! So I think a light easy week and lots of sleep is needed for me to have half a chance of running on Sunday.

Well tonight is my first swimming lesson.  Hopefully the lessons will get me gliding through the water like a fish!  It has dawned on me that the cycling and running distances in the triathlons are actually not that scary and, with a bit more endurance training, definitely attainable. However, the swimming leg is very very far from attainable right now.  I can see many pool sessions, lessons and mouthfuls of water to come before I can confidently try for a tri.

Yesterday was a double bill, as they say.  I didn’t feel up to running on Saturday so postponed the run till Sunday.  Sunday ended up being a 36km cycle followed closely (within 5 mins) by a 10km run. So a good brick session after all.

I’m trying to get the calibration of my shoe pod more accurate at the moment.  I think its been over measuring by about 3-5% so have altered the calibration by about 3% down. I did a number of sections on the run and then measured them on GMAP Pedometer. The first one was right on the money and the subsequent ones slightly out, but over all the distance was under-measured which is better that over-measured.  I may trim it down another 1% just to be sure 🙂

A friend from work has laid down the proverbial gauntlet, with a time of 1:46 in a half-marathon form yesterday.  Palma looks like a flat enough course so a good time should be possible (depending on good running weather)- although the last 10km are zigzagging through the town which will probably slow things down somewhat.

Well this morning I got up and headed to the gym.  I was in the pool by 0815 for a 30 mins swim session at the Brit… yeah yeah, not much swimming, but its the best I can manage 🙂

After the swim was a 30 min cycle at 100+ rpm with a HR at around 65-70% of max. There was no music playing the in gym so was quite a boring session really.  After that I did a quick 10 min session on the elliptical machine, again around 70% of max HR.  I ended the session with a 5 min effort on the rowing machine at 80-85% max hr.

Glad I managed to get up and do the session before work.  Certainly nice not to have a after-work session looming. I need to decide if perhaps doing the full session before work is a good idea.

This weekend should be a about a 90min ride and an hour run.

Just found out that my training today is postponed.  I am meeting up with a friend, a fellow triathlete (and Ironman!!), after work for a bite to eat.  My training can wait until tomorrow! 

I know, I know! Its a bad trend to get into… but maybe an extra day off is just what my body needs!

edit: Having chatted last night it seems that Monaco 70.3 is actually very tough due to the hills on the cycle and run sections. Still, its probably the one to aim for, even though I am optimistically looking ahead to Austria 70.3… the swim, oh the swim sounds scary- I defo need more swim training!