Following my frustration at last Sunday's 10k performance I had a great comment from my Iron friend Jevon (here) which really helped me keep everything in perspective, thanks mate ;) ... however... I'm in no mood for 'the curve to level' just yet and on Tuesday evening set about smashing some 2007 training benchmarks ;)
Looking at this week in last year's diary, I'd swum 10 x 300 metres off 5:30, averaging about 4:50 per 300 which at the time was such a 'breakthrough' session that I had questioned the accuracy of the clock! This Tuesday I swam the same session but averaged 4:25 per 300 with a fastest of 4:20 :) Then in the evening I did my 40 minute tempo run and where last year I finished with ten minutes at 16kph and a max heart rate of 166, this week I finished with 7 minutes at 17kph and a max heart rate of 164 :) :) However, as much as it's important not to get too disappointed if you miss the odd goal it's extremely important not to get too carried away when you smash them. Therefore, although it's great to remind myself how far ahead I am of this time last year, I'll be keeping the hammer down for a while yet ;)
To round off the week I ran one of my best long runs yet on Thursday, a hilly and windy 16 miles with Tony B in 1:52 (eight minutes faster than next week last year) with a comfortable heart rate averaging 143 and maxing out at 155. Then chucked in a nice hilly century ride on Sunday with Ben G and Lee, climbing 15,000 feet in six hours 27 minutes.
This week coming is week 12 of our 12 week block of 'base' training and then we'll be backing it off for some well earned recovery before turning up the heat through weeks two and three of the 20 week push to Germany.
I feel so motivated at the moment, and above all excited about the prospect of what this triathlon season might bring :) During my turbo sessions this week I've been listening to the podcasts from Epic Camp New Zealand, a nine-day ultra endurance training camp where a group of about 20 top athletes push themselves to their absolute limits... listening to those guys and girls open their minds to what is possible when you remove self imposed limitations from your thoughts is quite liberating, check it out.... here and the Epic Camp website... here.
Finally, talking about breaking barriers... a massive well done to Ian and EK who respectively joined the sub-80 and sub-90 half marathon 'gentlemens clubs' today at the Wokingham (I think) half marathon.
If you want to push your limits, you need to push your limits,
T.
Sunday, 10 February 2008
Super Tuesday!
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2 comments:
Dear Tom:
Reading your blog and thinking about what it says to all of us old men with gray hair and aching bones I was thinking about the poem 'Ulysses' by Tennyson which reminds us all that it is never to late. The poem goes as follows:
Come, my friends,
’Tis not too late to seek a newer world,
Push off, and sitting well in order smite
The sounding furrows; for my purpose holds
To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths
Of all the western stars, until I die.
It may be that the gulfs shall wash us down:
It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles,
And see the great Achilles, whom we knew.
Though much is taken, much abides; and though
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
‘Ulysses’ (1833).
Great stuff and a lovely poem. Stay strong.
Pops.
Hi Pops,
Thanks for your amazing support as always ;)
Loads of love,
T.
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