Big training day

Since starting the new contract I have picked up my training skirt. I am running at lunchtimes, maybe only 30 minutes but it's at a good pace, and I am back to swimming in the evenings.

Today I had a plan to do a big training day. It started at 7am in the lake for 4x750m of swimming. The longest swim session I have ever done. Then back home and off for a long bike ride. I spent Thursday evening planning a route. Today I went off on it. The plan was 97miles. What I actually achieved was a 56mile ride when I just had to get off the bike. I was in pain. So I called into a friends and spent some time with them. After a couple of hours Richard gave me a lift to the over side of the hills and off I went again for another 33mile home. 88miles in total, which is the longest I have ever been on the bike. Not the original route as I just could not make that one. At the end of this I feel tired out and I really can't see how I am ever going to do an Ironman. This is definately looking like an event to far. How does anyone last 112miles on a bike and then run a marathon?

Bike ride part 1

Bike ride part 2

Ironman or bust ........

probably bust.

Since the London marathon I have started a new contract near Heathrow. Thats good and I now have more time to make excuses for not training. It's also good as I can run at lunchtimes and with other people as well. I met another guy about to start a lunchtime run and asked if I could tag along. He was pleased enough for me to come along. Now I must say I initially thought that I would have to go slow to allow him to stay with me, but shortly after heading off I realised it was not going to go that way. We set off and started chatting, my heartrate went up, the speed never dropped off and as we chatted I discovered he is a multiple Ironman, done 3 marathons and in training for Ironman Switzerland. So when he said to me, 'you seem to be finding this pace comfortable'. I looked at my heartrate monitor saw 160bpm and replied, 'I'm just about managing to hang on'.

So I have been managing a good 30 min run each lunchtime at a good pace. This weekend I am in Cornwall and headed off along the St Ives to Lands End coast road. What an awesome ride. To the right is the Atlantic ocean and the road winds up and down and around the coast. Fantastic. And an awesome ride for me. 3 hours and 50 miles later I felt I had done a good ride.

Ride map

This morning I jumped in the swimming pool and today we walked the cliff paths all day. I am tired out and want my bed.