And here I was thinking last Sunday's 160 mile ride was just nuts... then I entered the mega week - jeefus it's been HUGE!!! I had two rest days and we still just about covered 500 miles... but I survived and I'm strong :)
The peak of our hard training is nearly at an end, no more ridiculous weeks or sessions like this week until our one last mega session which as tradition now holds will be with Tom, Ben G and myself doing loops (not the A168 this time though - thank god!!!) that will total just under a 100 miles (the loop will be hilly...v hilly) & running 20 miles at IM pace off it. That's not until May 3rd though, time to recover form the mental-ness of this week first.
So, how did we follow up last Sunday's 160miles?? Well on Monday we hit the pool and managed a 1600m easy swim. I felt good in the pool but my arms were procrastinating, 14hrs hunched over a TT bike does that to you. Then on Tuesday Tom, Ben G & I drove to the infamous A168 (we did the same session there last year & it practically killed me!)
7 laps (from roundabout to roundabout) which is approx 15 miles saw me clock 106 miles when I got off, followed up with a 10 mile run off. I was pleased with how I rode but my legs were still fatigued from Sunday so I was really surprised to run so strongly off it and well under my target IM pace which is going to be just under 9min miles, completing the ten miles in 1.21 (8.06min miles.) We got home at about 6pm got showered and had to dash straight to the gym to take our run club. Tom and I take the slower group so an easy and gentle 5 mile run made the day even bigger.
Wednesday we hit the pool again and knocked out 5km of technique which was good as we've not been getting as much swimming in as we would like. Thursday was another ride and off I tootled for an easy 65 miles with a 2.5 mile easy run off. Then thank the lord, Fri and Sat were rest days.
Today was another challenge. 100mile ride from home, over the biggest hills on our route (& they're not small!) to Cray and back, then another 10 mile run off. Tom went on his own and I rode with my mate Ady. I really enjoyed it. The sun was meant to show a little earlier than it did so we were bloody frozen for most of it (see above pic...that's for you Ady) but we kept a good pace, even managing to stop for a Magnum ice-cream in Grassington :) :) :) Tom was just getting back from his run (speedy bugger) when I was leaving for mine and so to my surprise at mile 4 on my way out there he was water and energy at hand and giving me encouragement, thanks husband :) I ran really well today too. It's weird because I feel like I've not really done any running at all but I guess the bike volume has increased so much it's making everything else pale into insignificance. The good thing is that I'm feeling good getting off the bike, all I have to do now is repeat it on the day (easier said then done!!)
This weekend we're off to watch lots of our mates run the London Marathon and I'm really excited to be on the other side of the line for the first time in 8yrs to cheer them on to victory in their quests to conquer the challenge that is 26.2!!! Good luck everyone as you enter race week, you're all going to be brilliant!
Time to sign off, the sun's still shining and I've got training gear to hang on the line :)
Week Eleven of pix is here my friends... enjoy...
H. x
Sunday 19 April 2009
Mental...
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3 comments:
Hats off to you, I thought you were complete nuts last weekend when reading your blog but that on Tuesday as well?????
Keep going, not long to May 3rd and 24th will be with you before you know it
I hope you don't mind me giving a word of caution. You mention tradition has you doing this 100 mile bike followed by a 20 mile run at IM pace. I remember pre Germany talking to Tom and when he told me about that session and the pace he'd done it at I was thinking he's absolutely going to nail this race - under 9:30 was my thought at the time. Now - is this the same session the same time before IM Lanzarote ? If so is it sensible to repeat it ? Perhaps it's too much too close to the race. Traditions are great if the outcome is always what you want. I've been known to do monster sessions in my time but not something like that - running 20 miles at race pace after a 100 mile ride is pretty close to doing the race but without the benefit of a taper !
Hope I'm not speaking out of turn (you can not publish if I am) but sometimes an independent eye can spot things those involved can't
Debra, your turn first ;) Have a great race week and we're looking forward to Sunday.
Steve, I hear exactly what you're saying and really appreciate your time and knowledge. Last year our mega session was 5.5 weeks before Germany and left us with no where else to go meaning our training kind of petered out before the big day. This time it will be three weeks out and perfect timing to start tapering. Plus 2.5 weeks after this session (after a transatlantic trip to train and race in Vancouver) we both had good races at 70.3. I have questioned the length of the run (that being the most damaging) but the main reason for such a long run off the bike is that my nutrition problems don't start kicking in until about mile 18-20 and this year I've changed a few things around in the old food dept. so I think it's important I check that I can keep it down. It's such a fine line isn't it but with a taper that can only allow us to recover, recover, recover hopefully things will be okay. Definitely food for thought though Steven, thanks. Hopefully bump into you in London at the weekend. H
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