Every second counts...

Training, working, eating, sleeping, arranging our wedding, the time is just disappearing faster than we're spending it.  It feels brilliant to be back in the training saddle and although the body has been slow on the uptake the mind is definitely appreciating the return to routine and order.

I've got good feelings about my achievements next year.  I think my training for this Winter is going to be so beneficial that it's going to make a huge difference.  It's not a case of more training, or infact that I did anything wrong with previous years training.  The biggest difference is as I approach my fourth year of triathlon I feel ready to take on a bigger bike volume including some hard intensity.  I'm swimming better than I have done and I'm still improving :) and I'm looking forward to doing shorter sharper run sessions.  The benefits of all will hopefully see me swim faster than before in Lanza, deal with the hard, hilly, windy bike and still be able to run well off it.  I've never raced an Ironman yet, I've always felt like the speed with which I run off the bike has already been dictated.  No room for holding back, or alternatively just going for it. That's because although I run off the bike well, I don't bike well enough to be able to run at a pace of my choice.  I get off the bike and cross my fingers that my legs don't buckle underneath me and that they'll carry me round the 26.2 miles.  Next year I'd like that to be different, and at the minute I feel positive that with the foundations of a great training schedule in front of me, an amazing training partner (and soon to be husband) always by my side and new found mental strength which I was more than lacking last year I can't fail to improve and move nearer to that Kona goal.

Training this week has been consistent and different and has felt great.  15km covered in the pool with some focused 400m & 200m reps and technique sets.  I've hit the turbo not being able to get out through the day (until today when we looked for hills to do some specific Lanza training on- can't wait for those sessions...not!!!) Long intervals, short intervals and some bike technique has seen my sanity maintained while I pedal away looking at the back of the garage door.  And my running has followed a fairly similar pattern.  A long run, easy run, a tempo session and a hard as nails interval session which got the old heart thumping has been my running diet this week and I've thoroughly enjoyed the variation and look forward to more of the same :)  Providing I can stay healthy and injury free I've got my eyes on improvement in all areas.

Over dinner this evening we were both shocked at just how fast time is tick tocking away and carrying us with it.  The pic above was taken last week on our 5th Anniversary and in less than 4 weeks we'll be married, have our honeymoon, return for Christmas and then we're off to Lanza for a training camp.  Lanza is going to just stick it's big windy nose into our faces in the blink of an eye.  If I could just put everything into slow mo it would be great.  Sometimes life feels like one of those time lapse cameras,  everything's happening and I'm in the middle of it loving it but it's all going too fast.  

And right now it's time to sign off and enjoy the rest of Sunday evening before Monday's 5am alarm call signifies the beginning of another no doubt uber speeded up week.

The clock talked loud.  I threw it away, it scared me what it talked. Tillie Olsen

H. x