Hi Wingman!

Last Thursday Missy posted in her blog 'I will be your wingman in 2009!'. Bet Missy didn't think that I, a complete stranger, would take her up on her the offer! I never imagined that she would say yes!!!!!

I have sooooo many questions I don't know where to start!

Something I was dwelling on was 'When do I start the 5am bike rides/swims/runs etc?'. I looked up your early blogs and thought 'Eek!' The answer is now! I think I'm going to have to work my way into it, I can barely do 6am starts at the moment!

I'm now going to read a few more of you blogs to see if they answer my questions, I don't want to wear out your generosity so early in the journey.

Thank you, I feel like I have an invisible friend by my side.

The search for a coach, or coaches, begins.

I have a book, Joe Friels training bible. I heard it was great and it certainly does have heeps of infomation about everything triathlon but I feel like I'm missing the personal touch. I'm planning my training as best I can but I am really making it up as I go along. I don't think that I will get the best out of me this way. I don't know anybody, or know them that well, who have done a 70.3 or an Ironman. I've never even been to an ironman event! What am I thinking!!!!!

This is what I feel I need:

1. Someone to talk to about all thing Ironman
2. A swim coach to keep me on track and to help me with my training plan
3. A cycle coach to look at my style and to help me design my training plan
4. A running coach again to look at my style and to help me design my training plan
5. Someone to look at my training plan and critic it!
6. To volunteer at an event to see more of what it is all about
7. Some money to pay for it all!!!!!

I have my ideas on who to approach, whether they say yes is another thing! Watch this space...

Now that is what I call running!

Today I went for my first run since the Buchlyvie Half Marathon six weeks ago. Where did the time go?

I'm pleased to say that it was great! Andy and I went for a jaunt in Holyrood park to do a few hills. I have only just started considering myself a runner so the concept of running every hill in the park was a bit daunting. Andy only does hills! I managed five of them!

Here is my route...

http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/gb/edinburgh/768422748293

The first, Salisbury Craigs, and second, Arthur's Seat, were the hardest but then the three remaining hills were tiny in comparison.

The weather was wild and windy, in true Scottish fashion, but at least it stayed dry until the last 100m when the heavens opened. The views from the top were as stunning as ever. The ever changing light of the swatches of rain blowing past. The white tops of the waves on the Forth visible even from this distance... Sigh

I got back to my office, Venture Scotland, hot, sweaty and totally buzzing.

When can I go again?

Oh My God...

I've done it...

I have entered Antwerp 70.3, 2nd August 2009

.

To be continued...

Jeepers Creeps

Jeepers Creeps... I'm on a diet for the first time in my life!

After my first fitness assessment, it was decided that I had to lose some fat and some excess pounds. Today I found out how.

The 'diet' (I hate to use the word diet it is more of an eating habbit change) is in two halfs, weekday and weekend.

On a week day I now have to eat porridge with dried fruit for breakfast; fruit for a mid morning snack; lunch is more carbs with veggies; my afternoon snack is a yogurt and dinner is something with protein and veg. If I have a training session in the morning, I can have a bowl of muslie or half a tuna sandwich before bed.

Weekends I am allowed a bit of slack for 2 meals, provided I have had a good week! Friday nights are a night off... ice cream, curry & and maybe a glass of wine. Saturdays I have to be good, but not too good. Sundays I think I will try to have a propper Sunday lunch, providing it is actually at lunch time!

Oh boy, watching what I eat, and over Christmas too!

Week 2

Today I started some more in depth core exercises.

3 times a week I now do a cycle set to develop my fast twitch muscles, a pyramid of 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 40, 30, 20, 10 sprints.

This is followed by dead lifts with 20kg for hamstrings; midriff snatches with 10kg for fast twitch muscles and core; squats with 10kg for quads and core; knee lifts from a press up position on a rolling surface; planks and fit ball tummy crunches all for core.

Fitness Assessment Part 1

I had a fitness assessment today at Edinburgh University gym!

I enjoyed the experience it was hard but it is going to get harder.

It started with a chat, blood pressure, 124/84, heart rate 76bpm (I had cycled to the fitness assessment!), height check, 5ft5.5", and a weight in, 61 kg. The weighing machine also assessed my body mass which came out at a respectable 25%, fairly low for a woman.

This was followed by a test to assess the lungs. Blowing into a tube, attached to a machine. The measured my lung capacity, not to good, and my lung power, also not to good. I then mentioned that I was asthmatic. I got a bit of a green card.

Next came the grip test. I'm not sure what this tested for, I'll have to get back to you. However, with my right hand/arm I was very strong, one of the strongest women he has seen in a while. My left hand was not so good, 7 points lower.

Press ups came next, oh joy. I was allowed to do girlie press ups on my knees. I've never done this before, I always done 'manly' press ups... badly. Apparently at 20 my core went, soon after I noticed I was using my right arm to do most of the work, protecting my weaker left side. I reached about 35 when I admitted defeat. I was told that this was still a good result.

Upstairs we went to a static bike. This is where my true weakness's started to show. Lee want to prove to me some the areas that I need to develop. On the bike I did a series of spinning followed by a sprint, spin for a minute, sprint for 10 secs, spin 50 sec, sprint 20 sec, spin 30 sec and finally 30 sec easy. I was out of breath after the first 10 secs! Coaching thought the second 2 sprints saw my posture and breathing improve, as well as my fast twitch muscles learning the ropes.

The core was the hardest. I was under the illusion that my core would be OK. I was very wrong. I was shown several exercises that I now have to do every day.

To summaries, I am currently built for endurance, not speed. Lucky considering I'm planning to do an Ironman! However, I don't have the supporting structures of core, lungs and fast twitch muscles to support me once I start getting tired. I am also wonky, many would say that they knew that already. I think this wonk may be due to dislocating my hip when I was twenty and a week left rotator cuff left over from my swimming days.

Although I have received a few home truths, I have been left inspired and motivated. I have a good base to start from and time to work on everything.

Watch this space...

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.

What is my path to completing an Ironman?

An Ironman consists of a 2.4 mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2 mile run. So far I have swam that distance in a pool but not in open water and not for a long time; I have never riden that far and I have never run that far.

Therefore I plan to...
Enter and complete an Ironman 70.3 (Half an Ironman)
Swim in the open water more often and increase my mileage
Run at least one marathon before the Ironman 70.3
Train to run and cycle long distances, reaching full Ironman distance before the Ironman 70.3
Enter distance running and cycling races


May the fun commence!

What next?

For a while now I have entertained the thought of doing an Ironman. I am attracted to the challenge of doing an endurance race, being reliant on my physical abilities rather than my knowledge.

I am dyslexic and as an adult I have questioned my memory, knowledge and comprehension. Colleagues, friends, family and experience tell me that I shouldn't worry but I remain sceptical.

My physical abilities, however, has been tried and tested, time and again. I have had injuries and set backs but I have always recovered to take on new and bigger challenges.

So...

Buchlyvie Half Marathon, 16th November 2008

The morning of Buchlyvie half marathon was stunning. The weather could not be more perfect. It was a crisp, cool morning with no clouds in the sky and no wind.

I started the race from the back, keen not to fall in to the trap of running too quickly at the start.

I still ran an 8.30 split for the first mile. The second mile was worse at 8 min! I gave myself a talking to, I had to slow down or I wouldn't finish. For the next 6 or so miles I ran 9 minute miles. This was still quick for me but I felt comfortable.

I should have been stronger and slowed myself down to nine and half minute miles because by mile 9 I was hitting the wall. My splits got longer and longer. I probably could have walked quicker than I was running by the end!

I turned the corner on to the homeward straight only to be faced with 2 laps of a muddy playing field!




I started walking. The muddy field was too much for me. I walked round the final corner and started running again, sprinting to the finish line.

2:05.46 by my watch.

Whilst I was disappointed that I had not run under 2 hours, I was philosophical. I had only been training for 11 weeks and that had been mixed. I had enjoyed the experience. It had reaffirmed that I can keep going, even if I'm struggling.

Praying to the recovery god!

Half marathon training

Training has been a mixed bag. After I sprained my ankle I didn't run for several weeks, but rode my bike to and from jobs, cranking up quite a few miles.


Training started in ernest in September. I ran a short run on Mondays and Wednesdays with the occasional Tuesday. I then did a long run on a Saturday that built up over the weeks. My mileage varied from 6 miles a week to 21 miles a week.

Although I followed the programme from the Internet, I didn't worry about missing a Tuesday run. I continued to commute to work on my bike so it seemed daft to run if I didn't feel like it. Indeed, my fastest 5K time was after a rest day in which I was supposed to run.

I also had a series of trips away that made training hard. It started with a weekend in Glencoe where I spent 7 hours climbing Bideon Nam Bar on the Saturday. On the Sunday, Kate and I ran along the West Highland Way from Glencoe to Kinlochleven which was spectacular. I had five days in Glen Etive with work. No running could be done as the bothy is surrounded by bog! I came home with the worst cold that I have had for a long while. It eventually lasted about three weeks!

I followed Glen Etive with a trip to Frankfurt for five days to visit a friend. Although I was still recovering from the cold, I managed a 2 hour game of touch rugby that left me stiff for 4 days and a 5K run around the centre of Frankfurt. The run round the city was great!

Finally I went to visit my brother, sister-in-law and niece in High Wycombe for 4 days. This photo is from my 8 mile run along the Thames. A stunning day!

In the ten weeks of training, I certainly learnt that the normal runs in town could be very boring. I contrast, however, I learnt how wonderful running can be to see new and different areas.

Programmes, ankles and races

I searched the net for a half marathon training programme and I found one that would have me ready for a half marathon by mid October. I then looked for a race. Jedburgh half would do. Nice and close to home.

So I go south to visit the family, do a couple of short runs, visit the niece, go for a run in the woods and... sprain my ankle. Bugger...

Maybe I wont run Jedburgh half, maybe I'll do Eddie's half in Fort William in early November.

During the second week of working on the Tattoo fireworks I went over on my ankle again. Bugger... bugger...

During the Bank of Scotland fireworks I caught my ankle again! Bugger, bugger ... BUGGER!

Maybe I wont run Eddie's half, maybe I'll do Buchlyvie half, 16th November 2008.

Weakness's and bribery...

What is my weakest section of a triathlon?

Running.

I simply don't do it, if it can be helped.

So I set myself a goal... I would enter a half marathon. Easy!

I needed some kind of bribery to help me train... I decided on a new bike. If I followed my running programme, I would buy myself a new bike suitable for racing rather than commuting like my current bike.

Where this current madness started ...

In 2007 I competed in 3 Triathlons - North Berwick novice, Stirling sprint and Gullane beach triathlon. In 2008 I competed in the same races in the hope I could do better...

I didn't...

At North Berwick novice triathlon I was ____ slower (2007-____, 2008-51:28); at Stirling sprint triathlon I was 4 minutes slower (2007-1:21:55, 2008-1:25:38); and at Gullane beach triathlon I was 10 minutes slower (2007-3:08:48, 2008-3:18:07).

I felt like I had a choice either I could quit competing in triathlons or I could do something about it.

I don't like quiting ...