Not perfect but good enough

So I made it to Sunday and got the majority of the plan completed - not that it is really a proper plan yet, simply thinking more seriously about the sessions I need to do and shift the gear in May - Aug.

Not the 6+ hours I scheduled but a good 4-5 hours of mixed sessions, including a club swim (first for 3 months), albeit I dropped down a lane, from 4 to 5.

In the swim I started OK and thought I would be alright but as the lengths added up I realised how 'swim unfit' you can get in 3 months, probably the longest time I have had off swimming since I started triathlon training in 2006!

I am really going to have get back to 2-3 weekly swims (pool, lake and sea) to be able to do my SwimRun A-Race justice - so lots of work ahead.

Next week is going to be a bit crazy as we head off to Vietnam on Saturday so I need to clear the decks at work/home before we jet off. Hopefully I might get in another couple of runs but I will be lucky to break 2 hours in total.

The family holiday in Vietnam is a bit of an adventure affair - lots of travel but we will also be very active.

Will try to check back before we jet off and during the holiday. My trainers, running gear plus swimming goggles will be packed and I am expecting some use!

So far, so good

It's Tuesday and so far, so good. Mon + Tue training sessions completed as planned. Today I simply let Garmin Coach provide the program and it suggested a sprint set - 15 mins warm up then 15 secs sprint at a target pace of 3:10 mins per km with 3 min recovery (repeat another 5 times). I thought I would be a bit light on the pacing, despite the very short time period of work (pain) but actually I did quite well. My 15 sec splits were as follows:

1. 2:50
2. 3:02
3. 3:03
4. 2:54
5. 3:03

Comfortably under the 3:10 target zone. The recovery was supposed to be around the 6:45-7:30 min per km pace but I kept it around 5:45-6:00, which felt nice and gentle.

Tomorrow I hope to jump on the Peloton bike for a strength/power set and follow up with some core strength.

Thursday back to the running. Saturday will be a big test - planned Club Swim, I haven't swum for ages so might find that a struggle - thinking I may have to drop down a lane.

I will keep you updated.

Need to move the needle

I have a rough plan for my SwimRun training beginning when I return from my holiday in mid-April but I am still keen to move the needle a bit before then - a couple of 30-40min runs, a bike commute (sometimes on an e-bike), and a few press-ups is simply not going to cut it.

My plan (separate blog to follow) is likely to be 6-8 hours+ a week, a long way from my 10-15 hours of training for Ironman, although that was some years back. At the moment 2-3 hours is pathetic and my diet is still a long way from perfect. I have managed to reduce the alcohol but still need to ditch the sugary + fatty foods and increase the protein. Getting more serious about strength training would also be more welcome.

Meanwhile, looking at the week ahead:

Mon: 1:30 bike commute (on road bike, keep me away from e-power!)

Tue: 30 min run intervals

Wed: 30 min Peloton bike (strength) and 15 min core

Thu: 1:00 run, incl. tempo set(s)

Fri: 30 min strength

Sat: 1:00 Club swim

Sun: 1:30 long run

Well that would be 6 hours but I haven't completed a full week like that for years.... let's see how I do!

The weather does not look great but that is no excuse for getting it done

2 days in a row - look at me!

Back after only posting yesterday... maybe a new start (don't hold your breath)!

Trying to commit to 25+ push ups every morning - got them in for the last few days. 

Today I also managed a short sprint session today (recommended by my Garmin Fenix 6).

No real training plan yet but hoping to run again 2-3 more times this week and maybe a pool swim (that would be a novelty). Meanwhile need to move the push ups up a level to more meaningful sessions in the 'cave of pain' (the garage) and regular use of TRX, weights, kettlebell(s) and pull up bar (love to be able to get to 10 pull ups, unassisted).

Onwards and upwards 

A new goal - As Keen As Mustard Bewl Water Swimrun Event (17.09.2023)

I thought I would check in to confirm I finally have committed to a proper event (my 'A' race), scheduled for 17th September 2023 - As Keen As Mustard Bewl Water Swimrun.

It is a solo SwimRun - in total 21km, broken down as follows:

Run 1  175m; Swim 1 850m
Run 2 600m; Swim 2 400m
Run 3 300m; Swim 3 400m
Run 4 2000m; Swim 4 350m
Run 5 900m; Swim 5 300m
Run 6 850m; Swim 6 270m
Run 7 7200m; Swim 7 1000m
Run 8 4000m; Swim 8 250m
Run 9 20m; Swim 9 600m
Run 10 800m

That is 18 transitions - lots's of fun and games!

I am yet to prepare a detailed training plan (6 months to play with) but I need to include the following (high level):

- Get back to 6 hours+ weekly swim and run training (some cycling for cross-training)
- Lose 4-5 kg of weight, happy to be around 80kg(ish) - ideally just in the 70's
- In addition to some pool swimming (once a week - Christ's Hospital + Triangle) I expect to use lake + sea for swim/run transitions and working out best combination of equipment (paddles + pull buoy)
- Important to include some strength traning - resistance (TRX) and weights - aim for 2-3 short sessions a week

I am hoping that this will encourage me to also book in some 'B' races - possibly some Club triathlon events and may be a half-marathon (trail and/or Bath).

There is work to be done!!

E-Bike adventure

I know, you must be thinking 'E-Bike adventure'.... that's it, he has finally given in to old age, no more 'Tri Hard Dave' or training tips, bring on the 'Dad bod'!

Well, maybe, or maybe not....

So, yes, I do find e-biking a lot easier (and less strenuous on my body) but my goodness it is good fun. It also potentially gets you out there (for longer) and up for any hill. I was looking for any excuse to climb, whatever the gradient, in fact the steeper the better - let me at it! Plus the speed and thrill, it brought a real smile to my face. I am definitely hooked.

At the moment I am happy to rent a bike for a Sunday ride - I recommend Beacon Bikes, close to where I live and the hosts of my most recent e-bike adventure. However, in the long-term the research has begun to either invest in a nice MTB electric beast or possibly build my own using my old 26er as the base.

Watch this space

And I am back (again!)

The title of this blog is probably my most common, primarily because I have struggled keeping this blog up to date over recent years. Life changes, motivation and other priorities are my main excuses, although I do still enjoy looking back at my posts, every now again, simply as a record/diary of what I was doing years ago. The process of recording my progress towards a fitness goal was also useful to keep me on the right track and gave it more meaning.

So here I am again, giving it a go, albeit no fixed fitness goal (for now) apart from the keeping fit via swimming, cycling and running (should also add strength training to that but doesn't often happen!) and trying to lose a few kilos to bring me back to an acceptable range for a triathlete of my age and height.

That word 'triathlete' is really a bit of a push now as I haven't done a triathlon event for some time now, although I feel I still have a degree of base training in the three disciplines to have a crack at one, even if not the full Ironman or half-ironman distance. I also still train with a number of triathletes who still are flying the flag and competing on a regular basis.

I do have some unfinished business in that I would like to complete a SwimRun event, which I did at least train for last year. Even a nice 10km or half-marathon local trail run event would be something. Thereafter, I would 'never say never' to a half-Ironman distance race.

So what am I going to do about it. Well, I need to pick up the training, I need to lose a bit of timber and I do need to get 1-2 events in the diary - all sounds relatively simple. It might even give me enough motivation to keep this blog going.... you never know.... here's hoping!