I can do this!

Saturdays are a mega training day for me. The plan is to do swimming, cycling and running. Really push the body in these last few weeks before I can start to taper (only 11 weeks to race day!)

I have had doubts in my head in my ability to do my Half Ironman in Antwerp on 2nd August. Yesterday, I had a realisation. I can do this!

This is what happened...

I left the house at 7.30 and cycled 6.5 miles to swim training. Swam for an hour, about 2500m. Had some luck warm porridge then jumped on my bike. I haven't been cycling with this group before, but it didn't matter, they weren't cycling in their normal groups either! 40 miles later we arrived back at the swimming pool were I grabbed my swim kit and cycled the 6.5 miles home. When I got home, I stripped off some layers, put on my trainers and went for a run. The legs and body will always feel sluggish off of a long run so I just grinned, with my head held high and put one foot in front of the other. I was going to do 3 miles but after 2 I decided that I could, and should, do more. So I continued on my 5 mile route. At mile 3 I put in ten 10 second 'sprints' followed by 20 seconds of recovery jogging. The sprints got slower and slower and so did the recovery jogs but I kept it up. I then jogged the last mile, down hill, to home.

I did the maths.

I swam over race distance. I cycled 4 miles short of race distance. I ran over a third of race distance but also included 10 sprints.

I started the day at 7.30am and finished at 1.45pm. 6 hours 15 minutes. Including 30min faff before and after swim, including faff of taking my bike up to my flat and slowly changing my footwear.

I can do this race! Yippee!

ET training

On Saturday I joined Edinburgh Triathletes for a bonza training session.

It all started with a gentle ride to their swimming pool in Dalkeith, 6.5 miles away. It is a gentle ride, just up hill most of the way!

The swim session went well. There were quite a lot of us in the lane so we did lots of 50m sets. It would have been a mess if we did anything different, we would have been annoying the hell out of each other trying to overtake.

After the swim we went straight out on to the bike. My training now involves my cycling as hard as I can and when I think I can't go any faster, to spin really quickly for 30 secs. I did this for 30km and my legs felt like mush from the start. Never fear, the bike was followed by a...

You guessed it, a run. 4 of us donned our trainer and went to a run. For my runs, I am supposed to run at race pace, for that distance, and when I get to 3/4 of the way round, I'm to put in 10 hill sprints. We had no hills where we were so I had to make do with flat sprints, but that didn't really work either. My legs felt like mush.

I was pretty pooped by the time I got back to my bike but I simple changed my shoes and headed home. The journey home is mostly down hill, apart from the hill out of Dalkeith. That nearly finished my legs off! Half way home the heavens opened. I mean properly opened. Oh well, I'm sure it would have done my legs good AND I was going home.

Great day!

Killin time

Last Saturday, 25th April!, a six of us headed to Killin in the Highlands for an awesome weekend of camping, cycling, walking and a top BBQ.


We all headed out of Edinburgh in 3 different cars, at 3 different times but joined up again in Killin for drinks in the bar! We set up our uber tent and let me tell you four pairs of hands do NOT make it easier to put up a tent. We all knew what we were doing each persons way was obviously the best! But we got there in the end in good humour and still friends.


After a quick beer in the local hostelry, down by Loch Tay, we hit our sleeping bags in preparation for our next day. The famous five were heading up in to the mountains to bag some Munro's, I was to head out on my bike!

The walkers left and I did the final prep on my bike. My route for the day was to be a 56 mile loop around the mountain chain that the famous five were walking round.

My start of the route was to head from the campsite back to Killin, 3 miles and then up Glen Lochay. Glen Lochay was a great warm up, the road made its way up the Glen, weaving in and out of trees, through the mountains until you ran out of road. That was when my little old road bike turned into an off road bike! The road turned in to a farm track and then with lots of pot holes, nothing my trusty steed could not handle! This is the view back down the valley.





It was a perfect day for a bike ride, blue skies, fluffy clouds and not too much wind. By the time I got to the top of the zig zag track I was down to wearing just a t-shirt. I was loving it all so much that I didn't want to stop to take photos. I was so in the moment, I felt almost like I was meditating. I was at one with my bike and with the mountains.






The ride down the other side, in to Glen Lyon was fantastic. Once the stupid sheep realised that he didn't have to run helter skelter down the road in front of me but could turn right or left at any time on to the grass! I didn't trust the road, which had improved to the point where I could call it a road, not to throw up more pot holes so I kept in good control of my speed. That being said, my forearms were really sore with all the breaking by the time I got to the valley floor.

I popped out from the right, at the far end of the loch. My friends were walking in the hills that you can see in the back ground.

Glen Lyon is about 20 miles long and it is mostly down hill, stunning scenery. I had to stop and put my buff back on and my jacket as there was a chilly head wind but it didn't matter, I was going down hill!

I was naughty, I stopped at the Post Office half way down Glen Lyon for a scone, butter and jam. Yummy. The view was pretty good too. :-)

I was very contented when I set on my way again.

The rest of the ride was really beautiful, but I didn't want to stop to take photo's. It start to get quite hard work and I was beginning to want some company. From the start to the end of Glen Lyon and my turn around point I only saw one other rider. When I turned towards Kenmore, I wasn't on my own any more! The first group I past, going the opposite way, looked like they were on a tour but the next three groups looked like they were part of a club ride. I had been on my own for 3.5 hours by this time and it was a shock and a real nice pick me up to pass 20 riders all in one go. They nearly all said hello or waved or nodded, cyclists can be a friendly bunch.

With my new boost of energy, 20 young me in lycra will do that for you, I pushed on home. I was in with a chance of making it back to the camp within 4 hours, if you discount the scone stop, and that would give me a real boost to my training. So, head down, I peddled hard.

Back at the campsite in 4 hours!

I slept for a bit, I ate, I read my book, I showered, I slept some more, I read some more and still no word from the walkers. 3 hours after my return I headed to our rendezvous point, the pub, and read some more. Finally they pitched up at 6.30 in the evening, 10 hours after they left!

Lots of catching up to do!

I've done loads recently but here is a brief update, I'll give longer reports tomorrow.

• Last Saturday I cycled 56 miles in the beautiful Scottish highlands, I do have photos! 4 hrs + 25 min of scone, butter and jam!
• Last Wednesday I did a 10 mile Time Trial (TT) on my own, 35 min.
• Today I did a sprint tri, 1.22.41 ish. 3 min quicker than last year, 1 min slower than 2007.

More later!

Tried the track... and loved it!

Today I went along to a 'Try-the-track' at Meadowbank Velodrome in Edinburgh, the same place that Chris Hoy cut his teeth!

The day started with being fitted with my trusty steed for the afternoon. It was a bit weird as the set up is different to my race bike and my road bike. We headed over to the middle of the velodrome where a set of rollers were set up. I have never used rollers before, the concept is a bit nerving. You basically have 2 rollers that you sit you back wheel on and a roller that you sit your front wheel on. Nothing holds your bike on other than your balance and the speed that you peddle!

The coach, Alister, was great, even though he was making fun at me before we had been introduced! I had the benefit of being first. There was no introduction it to what was about to happen so I had no time to start worrying. He was talking me through how to get on the bike, and the group of watchers, which I succeeded after the second attempt, and started peddling. Alister just kept on talking, distracting me from the fear that was flowing through me. There was people all around me watching and commenting but I was so totally focused on a point in the distance I have no idea what was said. Slowly, and subtly, Alister removed his hands form support and before I knew it I was going solo!

That wasn't it though, I had to stay peddling for a couple of minutes while he talked to the group. The talk turned to Chris Hoy and his position as he cycles his laps of celebration after his famous wins at the Olympics.

And that was my next challenge! I had to bring my finger tips to the top of the handlebars, tilt my hips back and cross my arms, ll whilst cycling solo on the rollers! (I did have people either side of me in case my confidence and bike wobbled, phew.) Next I had to raise my arms to the heavens. What a feeling, a real mixture of fear and success.

Like I said earlier, I think I was really lucky that I was first and didn't have a clue about what I was letting myself in for. The next girl who followed me on to the rollers was so nervous she was shaking like a leaf. I felt for her but I knew she could do it.

We went over to the track next. We were helped on to our bikes and set off on cycling loops of the track. We had to practice speed control. Quite and interesting thing to learn in the absence of brakes! We would do a lap then approach Alister, or a helper, and slow to a track stand and then peddle off of for another lap. All my practice of track stands at traffic lights really paid off.

The next stage in our development of budding track stars of tomorrow was to learn to traverse the track. We would complete laps along the bottom, where it is flat, and on the flats we would veer up the banking, round a person, and back down to the flat before the berm.

There was no putting it off, we had to tackle the fear of the steep berms. After being briefed we were taken to the top of the track, at the start of the straight and pushed! We had to peddle like hell towards the red line, and keep peddling. If we slowed down too much, we would move too close to horizontal, clip the track with our peddle and going sliding down. The result, other than bruising, would be splinters, so many splinters you could not imagine, all the way down the right side of your body. Oooo, not nice. We all made it, well you would have to wouldn't you? With the fear of all those splinters!

We were off. The fear of the steep berms mastered, if not conquered, we cycled lap after lap going high and higher. Time to start racing they said. Eeeek. It is one thing doing laps with no one around you but to race some one? You've got to be kidding?

We divided up in to teams of 3 for team sprints. I have had a head cold for the last few day so I didn't think I could manage 3 laps of sprinting so I went first. The idea is that the first rider gets the speed up and peels off after a lap, the second rider takes over and peels off leaving the third rider to sprint to the finish. Well that was the plan, anyway. I was so focused on powering off, when I peeled away to let the riders through, they weren't there! I had gone too quick! Me? A little solo rider with no experience racing on a bike, with a team of time-trialists behind me? And I dropped them!

After the big boys had done a race (I don't know what it was but it involved 30 laps with sprints every 4 laps or so. Looked exhausting.) a group of 5 of us took part in a mini Keirin. We lined up along the top of the track and waited for a mini motorised bike to come level and we followed it. After staying in line for the first half lap, we joshed for the best position behind the bike, for 5 laps getting steadily quicker, that saved energy but allowed us a good position from which to sprint to the finish. When the bike pulled off for the final sprint I was in equal third place.

The guy who was in first place was a seasoned track rider, the 2nd and 3rd place were newbies like me. In the picture above you can see me in light blue behind the girl in red. As we went round the final berm, I spotted that the racing black line was clear! It was mine! It dipped the bike down to the line, which sped me up and I cruised past the girl in red. I didn't win but I did beat the other newbies! Whoop whoop!

I had a fantastic time, thanks you Alister and everyone else who helped us. I will definitely be back for more, if I can fit it in with my training plan!

Unfortunately, I have to finish this post on a sad note. In March 2008 the Velodrome was earmarked, by the Edinburgh County Council, for demolition.

Boy did the council get a shock when Chris Hoy, and British Cycling, was such a resounding success at the Beijing Olympics. In his speeches to the press, he called for the Velodrome to be saved. It is one of the good things that has come out of the current world financial situation that Council don't have the money to build the houses so the demolition has been postponed. Lets hope that we can save this fantastic facility and breeding ground of new talent!

*Save Meadowbank Velodrome!*

Last week's training and this week

A good week last week...

Swim - 5,200m - 2hrs
Bike - 68 miles - 4hrs50
Run - 20 miles - 3hrs52
Gym/Core - 2hrs45
Total - 13hrs27

My swimming is stable to quick. I need to speed up my bike ride and improve my endurance. The run is coming along steadily. I really enjoy the morning core work and gym sessions. The core work sets me up nicely for the day. I can feel the improvements in the gym and I can feel the benefits in the other disciplines.

This week may be a little less successful as real life is happening but the plan is...

Swim - 4,500m - 2hrs
Bike - 37 miles - 2hrs45
Run - 24 miles - 4hrs20 ( Including Heaven and Hell Half Marathon!)
Gym/Core - 4hrs25
Total - 13hrs30

Let's see what happens!

Madness? Part 2

I made it to Kilmarnock! But the fates were out to stop me at the start.

My luck with punctures made me go the one of the local bike shops on the way to work on Friday to get a new tyre. They checked the tube for me, they fitted it for me and they pumped it up for me.





Saturday morning I got ready to go out went to take my bike outside, dead on 9am as planned and... A flat tyre.

I could have screamed, I could have cried, but I didn't. I calmly checked out the opening time of all the bike shops in Edinburgh for the one that opened the earliest, text SM about the delay and headed to the shop.

I was on the road again by 10am. Not too bad.

The route is fairly hilly in that slow, gradual, draining kind of way. The profile doesn't quite do it justice I feel. Oh, maybe it does on second glance.

The long and the short of it, I made it to Kilmarnock in 6 hours, 5hrs on the bike computer. I wasn't in a hurry, I wasn't looking for a specific time, I just wanted to do the distance. I had a head wind to keep me company, and it did a good job of that, and I had my radio. I was happy.

I got to Kilmarnock in great spirits and demanded food. SM delivered in the form of microwave butter popcorn (a great quick carb and salt fix!), risotto and then whisked me off to the cinema to see Watchmen! (Hummmm. I like the comic book films as a rule but Watchmen might need to be watched again before I decide what I think.). We were in bed by 10pm! Boy, what an exciting gal to have around!

Madness?

My plan for Saturday is to ride from Edinburgh, where I live, to Kilmarnock, where SM lives. 66 miles!

Is this madness?

Cycling

Feeling a wee bit tight after my run yesterday, this morning I headed out on my bike on a long commute to work.



The road between Kilmarnock and Glasgow is 'fun' at 7am. Leaving Kilmarnock, it is a steady up hill slog for about 8 miles! I was chuffed with averaging 13 mhp on my computer, but a little concerned I would be late for work. I always under estimate that road.

It is then down hill, weeeeeeeee, all the way in to Glasgow! Shame about the traffic and traffic lights that get in the way!

Running

Now this may be a bad thing to do on the night before my long run...

Yesterday I had a fantastic 5 mile run. The first mile or so wasn't much fun, whilst I warmed up but then I really got into the zone. What is even better is that it only took me 43min, that is 3 minutes quicker than my last 5 miler.

Maybe, just maybe, I might one day call myself a runner...

Back on track part 2

I had grand plans for my training last week, and I achieved most of it! This is what my week looked like...

I did have a wee 'close encounter' with a van door. Luckily I was going uphill so I wasn't travelling too quickly but I still have a lovely lump on my chin. The bruising makes me look like I haven't washed my face properly!

Chain gang

I love riding in a chain gang when it works. There is a poetry about. The rhythm and grace is hypnotic.

I hate the chain gang when it doesn't work.

Yesterday we went out, group of about 10 riders. We settled into a chain gang after about 10miles but boy what a chain. The faster line wasn't a little faster, you had to push hard or even stand up to catch up with the guy in front. I don't mind that occasionally but not for 30 miles!

I nearly got dropped 10 miles from home but some lovely chap held back and helped me re join the group. I was able to repay the favour on the final hill.

44 miles is my longest to date. I better get a whole lot more miles under my tires soon if I'm going to race for 56 AND run afterwards! I was pooped!

Discipline

Up until recently, I was really enjoying my new found discipline and routine.

I was getting up at 6am, doing my morning exercises of stretches or yoga then stretches and then heading out for a run, swim or bike ride.

I was eating a banana each morning before heading out, followed by a small vat of porridge when I got to work. Pasta for lunch, yogurt for afternoon snack and vegetables and meat or fish for tea.

I was packing the next days kit before I went to bed for 10pm.

I was working for me. I was feeling great both from the diet, sleep and from the exercise.

I think I'm currently having a wee 'break' from my new routine. Chocolate is back on the menu, carbs are back in the evening meal (although this was needed anyway) and late nights are creeping in.

I think I'll start my routine again when I come back from my holiday at the end of February. I'm in London until tonight then I go on holiday to Glencoe on Friday, not back in to 'normality' until the following Monday so no point resurrecting the routine until then.

Oh well. At least I can try to be good!

Motivational Moments

This morning before work I went out on a 27 mile ride east of Edinburgh to Longniddry, over to the coast and back to Edinburgh.

It was stunning.

It was pitch black as left the house and Edinburgh, cold but not freezing. As I left the urban sprawl and the last remnants of the city, dawn started to break over the horizon. I was suddenly aware that I could see the hills. The land was a fraction blacker than the sky. As the miles rolled on, the sky turned through the shades of blue from a dark steal to a deep royal blue. By the time I reached Longniddry and the turning point, I was sorry I wasn't continuing east. I wanted to carry on but I couldn't this week, too soon in the training schedule, only my second full training week.

When I hit the coast, I was glad I continued with the plan. The Forth of Firth was pitch black but the moon was almost full, hanging in a clear dark blue sky. The reflexion of the moon on the water was dazzling. I followed this view as I headed back to Edinburgh, sometimes with Fife as a backdrop and sometimes Edinburgh and Arthur's Seat. Stunning.

By the time I hit the outskirts of the city, rush hour was digging in. The lorries were cautiously passing and the cars were bombing past...

But they couldn't take away the sense of peace and joy of the world.

Week 1 of Ironman training!

I chuffed with my first week. It is a very easy start with 3 easy weight sessions to build up my capacity to more strength work at a later date, yoga for flexibility and dynoband work for my rotator cuff (a residual injury from my swimming days).

I went on a couple of bike rides, not counting my daily commute, of 10 miles and 27 miles. I did the 10 mile ride on Thursday as an extended commute. It was cold, wet and windy but it was great to be out!

Sunday's ride was a different story. I arose to find a cold, clear, sunny, windless day. Perfect! I wrapped up and headed out towards Longniddry, with a slight diversion for a wrong turn, then back along the coast. I don't think this picture quite does the day justice but I didn't want to stop too often because I too cold. An extra layer will be needed next time!

A great end to my first week!

Lows? The 6am starts are going to take a bit of getting used to.
Highs? I did all that I set out to achieve, I had a great bike ride on Sunday and I was motivated!

I'm going to try not to bore you here with the intricate details of my training plan, but I can't promise! You can see my full training plan on http://www.base2race.com/, if you email me for access.