Archive for Training

Biggest week of the plan! 5th – 11th March 2007

// March 11th, 2007 // No Comments » // Training

4 weeks to go. Yay! 

It's not a big week by elite standards, but then again they don't have to slog it out for 40 hours a week at work.  This week saw the breaking of the 20 hour barrier for the first time this campaign. I did quite a few weeks over 20 hours last time but without the commute is difficult to do. 

I did manage to get quite a big weekend of training in this week although I did feel a little like I was going through the motions really. The 6 hour ride on Sunday was pretty much done entirely on empty. I felt tired from when I set off to when I finished. They do say you can't train a tired athlete. In fact I tell people this quite a lot so maybe I should listen to some of my own advice for once!!  Next week is another big week and to be honest I'm not mentally up for it. I really really struggled with the run session on Saturday. It was a real slog just getting out the door. I find I can knock in big session early on in a training plan but then when the race gets near…..I really struggle with motivation. I doesn't add up!! Surely it should be the other way round.  Thinking about it a little more I believe I'm a good at starting things but not so good at finishing them off. This applies to all things that I take on in life. I'm determined to taper properly this time though. Last time I pretty much threw in the towel and kicked back. I will have to force myself to do the reduced volume workouts. 

Click here for this weeks training log.

Dave Aitchison Challenge Ride – Sat 24th March 2007

// March 7th, 2007 // No Comments » // Training

Dave Aitchison Challenge Ride – Sat 24th March 2007
The Surrey Legs of Steel 2007 is a challenging cyclosportive in the Surrey Hills starting and finishing in Box Hill. The ride will take place on Saturday 24th March 2007, with riders rolling out between 8am and 9am. There will be two routes – 81k & 46k – with plenty of hills to stretch your legs on!

The short route at 46k is no easy option with 1020m of climbing – it’s just shorter! Riders taking the short route will experience five major climbs: Ranmore Hill, Leith Hill, Holmbury Hill, White Down Hill (an 18% climb!) and finish with the ZigZag at Box Hill.

The long route at 81k has 1600m of climbing and will take riders up eight major climbs: Ranmore Hill, Leith Hill, Holmbury Hill, Winterfold Hill (an awesome 21% climb!), St Martha’s Hill, Coombe Bottom Hill, Dunley Hill and again finishing with the ZigZag at Box Hill.

The event is held to commemorate Dave Aitchison, a rising star in British triathlon who died suddenly in January from an undetected heart defect. This season would have seen Dave moving up to middle distance events and racking up the winter mileage in the Surrey Hills, so we thought it fitting to design a route he would have enjoyed. Each rider in the event will receive a "Taking Dave with me" yellow & black wristband. All profits from the event and sales of wristbands to non-competitors will go towards a charitable trust to be set up in Dave's name, details of which are being developed with Dave's family.

Event details:

  • Route markers will be used to identify the routes;
  • Electronic timing chips for every rider;
  • Two drinks/feed stations on the long route, one drink/feed station on the shorter route;
  • Broom wagon, mechanical support and first aid;
  • Individual times available immediately at the event centre;
  • The event is fully insured by British Cycling;
  • Refreshments are available at the Box Hill National Trust Cafe at the start/finish;
  • Toilets available at start/finish;
  • All event information will be posted in the Event Info window in the right hand panel of this website, there will be no mail-outs;
  • Entries are non-refundable or transferable.

Notes for participants:

  • Riders are responsible for the roadworthiness of their own cycle;
  • No accompanying vehicles are allowed to follow riders;
  • Riders are strongly advised to wear a helmet;
  • Riders are advised to carry a form of identification, mobile phone, spare inner tubes and working pump, as well as extra clothing to cope with possible adverse weather conditions;
  • The use of tri-bars is discouraged. Where riders have these fitted they are not to be used when riding in a group;
  • All riders are expected to respect the rules of the public highways and act responsibly to promote the good image of cyclists.



Date:
Saturday 24th March 2007
Start Time:
Between 8am and 9am (registration opens at 7.15am)
Event HQ:
Box Hill, National Trust Park, Surrey
Routes:
81k and 46k
Cost:
£20.00
Online Entry:
Online registration Now Open – click here
Total Places:
300

If you would like to volunteer at this event, please contact: cyclosportive@fulontri.com

Training Log – 26th Feb – 4th Mar – 6 weeks to go

// March 4th, 2007 // No Comments » // Training

week18.gif

Click the thumbnail to see a bigger version of the last 18 weeks of training. 

The above graph shows the overall time per week that I've trained thus far. As you can see it's got a nice upward trend to it. I was taking a look at the last 18 weeks before IM Lake Placid and noticed I average 16 hours per week, including rest weeks! I've trained quite a bit less this time but I believe I've trained a lot smarter. The other main difference is that I would gain a lot of hours per week in the past from commuting. I have zero commuting in my life at the moment.  Every session has a purpose. I'm hoping to complete over 20 hours training this week.

Click here for this weeks training log. 

This week was a rest week. I'm not good at rest weeks. I was supposed to do 13 hours this week but only ended up doing 10. I just can't get motivated on rest weeks!  

THE Longest Day

// February 28th, 2007 // No Comments » // Training

I think the longest day I've ever done was the ride back from Nottingham to London with Stephen Bayliss in 2004. That was 150 miles!! Todays session was mentally very tough and probably as physically challenging as the 2004 ride. I rose at 7am and ate a decent breakfast. I then swam for 1 hour at Hampton Pool in the new 2XU wetsuit. My arms were pretty tired from the 3.8k that I did yesterday but I managed to push through the urge to stop. Finished the swim at about five past nine and then met up with Richard Legge to ride on the Time Trial bike for 5 hours! We headed off to the Surrey Hills and covered Albury Downs, Blackheath, Winterfold, Hoe Lane, White Down, Box Hill and back. Decent effort effort throughout and managed to hold around 140 HR for as quite a bit of the ride. Tested the legs on Winterfold and White Down and felt very strong. Weather was miserable. Wet but not much rain. Got back to Hampton about 3 o'clock and then had a 90 min break to eat soup and have a nap. Hit the run in the dark and pouring rain. Did and out and back on the river Thames down to Teddington lock. Covered about 15 miles in the 2hrs5mins and generally felt pretty good. Speed was just a shade over 8 min miles which was conservative but I'm only betting on running 20s per mile or so faster in the Ironman itself.

2500m covered in the pool, 85 miles covered on the bike and 15 miles of running!

Training Log – 19th-25th Feb – 7 weeks to go

// February 25th, 2007 // No Comments » // Physio Diary, Training

Please click here to see what I've been up to this week. Had planned on doing 19 but actually only ended up doing 17. Not too bothered as got a monster brick in on the Sunday. 

Still in one piece and with 8 weeks to go it would seem that the ankle is settling down. I put this down to the treatment Mel has given me plus the additional calf stretches. Whatever the reason is….I'm glad it's going away. With all the long runs I do seem to have developed a line of blisters underneath my toes. Quite painful but it isn't going to stop me from getting out there. Otherwise things are going very well.

Training Log – 5th-11th Feb – 9 weeks to go

// February 11th, 2007 // No Comments » // Training

Highlight of this week was a 3 hour run which is probably the longest training run I've ever done! Was at the show on Saturday which made it quite difficult to do a lot else.

 

Click here for the training log for this week