Ironman UK 2013 Training/Progress Thread

Niceone Dolmio! Sounds like a great weekend! Not sure I'd be able to cram all that lot in without blowing up bigtime at some point. That's impressive pace on the 10k as well, my PB from 2011 still remains at 49 minutes, although I'm sure i'd beat this now, just not done a proper race for ages.
 
Well this week has pretty much been awful. Started well, hitting all my sessions early in the week, even getting outside for my first evening ride of the year. Then it all came crashing down Thursday when I showed symptoms of a cold. Done absolutely nothing exercise wise since then, and am missing a 10 mile TT I entered today. The longest time I've not exercised for about six months. Probably a blessing in disguise to have a week off but just feels crap at the moment, especially as the weather has been great this weekend. Would have loved my long cycle on Saturday in the sun!

Hope everyone else is getting on ok, and enjoying the nice weather!
 
Sorry to hear you are under the weather. You'll be back up and running soon enough.

I had a pretty good week. Did my long run Wednesday, 13.5 miles in 1hr 45min and did my first 1 mile swim of the year.

Did a 65 mile cycle with 3777ft of climbing on Saturday followed by a 2.6 mile run. Legs were like jelly off the bike. Weather was good for the first time this year and really enjoyed it. There were loads of people out on their bikes, sunshine obviously makes a difference!!

Sunday I got a late entry to the Blyth Valley 10km. I woke up feeling tired and didn't really feel up for it. However it was a flat course and for the second week in a row I got a new PB. I even beat my 5km PB in the first half of the race. Did the first half in 20:23 and finished in 41:32 taking another 32 seconds off my best.

Having a semi rest day today just doing weights at the gym tonight.
 
Thanks I'm really pleased to have started my running off well this year. Gives me a bit of a condfidence lift.

I did a 2.25km swim this morning. Getting much more comfortable swimming under the water now and I feel now that this is the area I am going to improve on most this year.

I'm about to enter the 'A day in the Lakes' triathlon which is meant to be really tough so it'll be a good tester before Ironman.

I'll be interested to see how it compares to the UK 70.3 I did last year as that was hard work!!!
 
I'm sure you will find your form again on the bike. Still well over 3 months to get yourself sorted, you will be fine!!

My totals for last week:

Swim: 2.4 miles
Bike: 80.2 miles
Run: 23.5 miles

I had another decent week, stepped up the swimming a bit more. Saturday I did 77 miles on the bike in just over 5 hours with 4500ft of climbing. Averaged 15.1mph which is really good for me. A whole 1mph faster than I was doing last year so at least I am seeing an improvement. I'd like to get a bit faster over the next few months as my aim for IM is to get round the bike course in 7 hours.

Went for a run straight after but managed less than a mile as my bowels suddenly needed emptying. I think the move from sitting for hours to standing moved everything round a bit. Something for me to consider on race day!!!

Sunday I did a 15 mile run in 1hr 58 which again I was pleased with. Uneventful but the last few miles were tough.

Yesterday I was sore!! I went for a swim in the morning and that felt good and I had a sports massage in the afternoon. Went to the gym in the evening and it was awful. I just didn't have any energy. Lifted less than normal but still squeezed out an hour. Got home and felt exhausted!!!

I feel ok today but am having a day off. This is a lighter week anyway and I feel I need it.
 
I wouldn't worry too much about your speed on the bike, you're going at a pace that I would love to be able to get to. I'm getting faster but I still need to beef up the legs a bit more!!!!

Totals for last week:

Swim: 1.2 miles
Bike: 110.36 miles
Run: 19.1 miles

Another good week for me. Only swam once but did 80 lengths and it felt really comfortable. Going to aim for at least 3 miles this week.

Bike on Saturday was tough. Did 85.5 miles in 5:50 but it was windy, raining, hail. Not much fun but still my longest ever bike ride so pleased with that.

Yesterday was the Marathon of the North in Sunderland. I just did the half this year but unfortunately the course was short and only did 12.88 miles. Seems a lot of people had the same issue and apparently they are looking into it!

Still have to be very happy as I finished in 1:32:55. If the course had of been the correct distance I would have been within 10 seconds of a new PB. Feel really encouraged that I can almost get a PB the day after nearly 6 hours on the bike.

Got my first Triathlon of the year next Monday. Just a sprint but looking forward to see whether I can beat my previous time!!
 
Remembered about this thread and thought I'd check in again. Good to see peoples training going well.

My training is going OK. Had a problem with my big toe a few weeks ago and couldn't run for 6+ days which was very frustrating. Had a good weekend of cycling and running this weekend, did a steady 19KM run after a 1hr spin out on the bike. Really glad my big toe isn't causing me much gyp.
I'm managing well at the moment to fit my weekday sessions in, I work a 10hr day in a physically demanding job so it means my nutrition needs to be good.

Anyway, well done everyone... keep at it! :)

Strava me, http://app.strava.com/athletes/908197
 
Had my most intensive week so far.

Weekly totals were:

Swim: 1.25 miles
Bike: 134.5 miles
Run: 26.7 miles

Did my first Tri of the season last Monday. It went quite well and I finished nearly 100 places up from the last time I did that race. Finished in 1:14:31 which was 5 minutes quicker than my last attempt. Swim wasn't very good but bike and run were ok.

Splits were:

Swim (400ys): 8:34
T1: 1:18
Bike (20KM): 41:53
T2: 0:47
Run (5km): 21:56

Did a few more sessions during the week to keep me ticking over.

Saturday was a big day for me. I did 102 miles on the bike for my first century. Weather was awful as usual but I managed to keep a pace of 15.1mph to get home in 6hr 45. Really pleased to have got within 10 miles of the full distance and could have pushed myself to 112 but the lure Fish and Chips was too much to take. Psychologically I feel a lot more confident about the bike now. I've also ordered some new wheels for the bike so if they can shave off a few minutes I will be pleased.

Legs felt ok yesterday which is encouraging so I went out and ran 17.1 miles in 2hr 22 (8:21 pace). I am trying to slow my long runs down as there's no chance I will be able to run at that pace at Ironman but I find it really hard to start off slowly. I will need to try and work at this in my brick sessions.

Overall a very good week but my legs are aching today so I'm taking a rest day.
 
Thomas. PLease. said:
Did my first triathlon of the year today, a nice local sprint tri. My first go at the sprint distance and I loved the freedom of not having to worry about pacing and nutrition the whole time. Just kept it pinned the whole time which was great fun!

I've written it up in my blog:

http://thomaswhatley.blogspot.co.uk/

Hope everyone else training is progressing nicely!
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Just read your blog and see you are doing the half outlaw as well. Myself and my friend are staying in the city centre so will be having a few beers after the race. You are welcome to join us if you have time.
 
Long time no post in here, shame on me! Glad to hear your doing well Dolmio, looks like a good result for your sprint tri. Wish I had your run pace! Good to see your getting up to almost full distance on the bike, I'm yet to go over 75 miles this year. Something I need to address soon I think.

Yeah I'm doing Outlaw half next weekend (:eek:). I'm not local unfortunately so I'm going to have to get back down south reasonably shortly after the race so I'll have to pass up your kind offer.

I've managed to update the blog finally today with some recent thoughts.

http://thomaswhatley.blogspot.co.uk/
 
I see you are race number 404 so I'll keep an eye out for you during the race. I'm number 269. I set off in the first wave at 6.30 and as my swimming is a bit rubbish you'll probably pass me before we get to the bike.

Looks like perfect weather although it might get a bit warm for the run!!

Getting all my stuff together as I am travelling down there tomorrow morning. Starting to get a bit excited now and don't have any of the nerves I had for the IM 70.3 last year which is good.
 
Thanks for posting Thomas, quite inspirational! I wish I could get my arse in shape but I just find it hard to make the time.

I'm not overweight at all (5ft 7" and 70kg) but I wish I was fitter and I'd love to do a tri. I own a road bike and cycle to work every day and am also a member of a local lido so I literally have no excuse. I am rubbish at running though; I suffer from shin splints (last time I ran anyway) so I would need to pay a bit to get fitted and some decent shoes before I even attempted it.

Other than that I just like my lie ins! I could quite easily run in the mornings, cycle during lunch and swim after work but I really can't be bothered, and I guess that's 100% of the problem. I'd rather stay in bed for an extra hour, chill out at lunch and get back home to cook/listen to music/see the lady/etc.
 
Thanks! Yeah it's pretty much all down to motivation really. In the beginning it came really easily to me as it was a new challenge and I tend to throw myself at things. I'm struggling now a bit as I've been training since the beginning of the year. A long time to focus on one goal! Really looking to do a decent length race this weekend though, hopefully that's goig to fire me up to really motor towards the big race.

Start small and enter a race, should give you the motivation you need. Go steady with the running though if you do. Like you say it's good to get trainers fitted. I'd be surprised if you genuinely had shin splints as well. A lot of people think they suffer from shin splints, it's usually just the muscle that runs down the shin. Which non runners just aren't used to using so it feels really painful after a while running.
 
Good luck to all the outlaw fellas, let us know how it goes?!

Did my first tri last weekend, an olympic distance as follows;

Swim (1.5K) 00:27:01
T1 00:02:33
Cycle (40K) 01:11:11
T2 00:01:26
Run (10K) 00:41:44

Total 02:23:55

Pleased with results... 70.3 Exmoor week after next!
 
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Thomas. PLease. said:
I'd be surprised if you genuinely had shin splints as well. A lot of people think they suffer from shin splints, it's usually just the muscle that runs down the shin. Which non runners just aren't used to using so it feels really painful after a while running.
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The last time I ran properly (but still talking like 3k) I had pain in my shins for about 3 weeks after. But I guess you're right, could still be the muscle.
 
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