Ho Ho Ho. Merry Christmas :)

Well it's all done and dusted for another year. Father Christmas came and went, dropping me off a load of goodies on his way with my Garmin 305 being the number 1 (look out for lots of my training routes appearing here ). The family as always have been legendary and looked after us superbly, especially when I went running and brought the dog back looking like a mud ball on legs. Thanks folks.

So it's been over a week and a half since the last post, so what's been going on? Well mostly Shell has been full of the lugie and being the sadist that I am I've been taking the mickey lots :) . I'm just waiting until I return to work when I'm bound to come down with it and allow Shell to extract her revenge!!!

Training wise there has been lots of running and very little else. To quickly update the totals since the last blog Tuesday 18th - 45min run, Wednesday 19th - 30min run, Thursday 20th - 1h15m run, Friday 21st - nothing :(, Saturday 22nd - 2hr gym session, Sunday 23rd -------

Torrington Christmas Caper!!!! (Rosie's first race)

I woke up nice and early and sorted out the masses of gear required for the days racing. Todays race was going to be the debut for the pup and her bag of gear (prepared lovingly by a very ill Shelly) was bigger and heavier than mine. Out to the car to get rid of the biggest frost of the year, then we were off to Torrington for 10miles of hills and mud. Arrived miles earlier than I would normally have done which must have been more my worries about the dog than anything else. She'd never clocked double figures before and running on the lead has been kept to a minimum so it was going to be an interesting day. Before the race it was mad...... so many people for the dog to jump up and introduce herself to, the mad hound. I tried to explain to her she'd need all her energy later, but my 'Dog' is as bad as her English.

Finally we headed out to the start and I made sure we were right at the back to keep the pup from harms way. The first 2 miles were very VERY steady and for the first mile I 'ran' alongside Simon (my Tri clubs only other representative) at the very back of the field (he was accompanying the wife and her bunch of Spice Girls). Slowly but surely the field started spreading out a little and we'd put a bit of effort in whenever there was a gap big enough for the dog to safely negotiate her way through. The old flooded farm lane was slower than normal as I waded and the pup swam her way along. A couple of eager beavers unceremoniously barged their way past which seemed a bit odd considering how far back we were, but once on terra firma we soon shot past them again, that felt quite good. Apart from this section and a small doggy poo stop we were never passed and just steadily made our way up the field from start to finish. It was quite funny when we got to that point where the people we were passing were competitive. They'd pick up the pace and run alongside us when they realised it was some bloke running his dog, then they'd blow a gasket and drop off the back rather sharpish . Even up the last climbs we were still passing people and when the finish came we'd worked our way up to 34th place in 1:17:48 which wasn't to bad at all considering. Simon finally stopped staring at the Spice Girls backsides to work his way up to 136th in 1:37:07. After the race Rosie spotted some old friends and charged off at full pelt as if she'd been cooped up all day - that dog's got far too much energy.


Christmas Eve was spent sorting things out and driving the 3hrs up to my parents help so there was no training going on. On Christmas Day however, once the family had gathered and unwrapped all of their goodies I managed to sneak off for a muddy 9.5mile run with Rosie. Then it was down to my ikkle Sis's for Christmas dinner and an afternoon playing with my nephews new Nintendo Wii (my shoulders are still aching).

Yesterday I took my new Garmin 305 out for its maiden voyage around what's probably my very first run course, my Aunts 10k and aptly named 'Suicide loop'.

Today I ventured out with the pup for a repeat of our Christmas Day jaunt. It was slightly less muddy than last time out but just as much fun, even if my legs were feeling a little tired. It's quite heartening to look at the new Garmin when you're feeling tired and see that you're still travelling at a decent speed though and that helped at times.

Now we're back home in Devon. The family break was cut short by a couple of days due to Shell being in lurgieville but as always we were well fed and watered by the folks. Thanks folks :))



Tomorrow the build for Florida starts (maybe!!!)

Damn it's cold

Two days off, one pitiful training attempt and a large dollop of alcohol made last week a bit slack. After missing Wednesdays session Thursday was supposed to be a biggie, it wasn't though. When I was supposed to be going out for the first section of my run it was -4 degrees C and I was going nowhere. Finally I dragged myself out to have a gentle run upto the clubhouse where the Striders were having their Christmas fun relay night. Four in a team drawn at random completing a lap each of the 1.5mile course, then all four completing the final loop together. I went off 2nd with the plan being that I'd then run the following laps alongside my team mates. 8m40s after heading out on my run leg I was back in the clubhouse nursing hands that felt as though they were made of ice cubes and coughing my lungs up like an 80 year old chain smoker. No suprise then that I sat out laps 3 & 4 and joined my team mates for the final group lap sporting not one but two jackets. Relay over (we crossed the line alongside another team in joint 2nd place) it was time for a good feed where the running club folks once again did themselves proud.
Friday was hardly a big training day in the life of a triathlete who's (supposedly) aiming for bigger things in 2008. To lazy to run, still no cycling going on, just a Squad swim session which is the sort of thing I'd like to class as 'active rest'.
Saturday was my birthday (damn I'm getting on a bit now!!) and it started in determined fashion when I headed off to the gym for a solid 2hrs. It didn't get much further though as the rest of the day was spent slobbing around and eating chocolates until the evening when the eating turned to drinking and my favourite poison turned me into a bit of a wreck.
Sunday morning I was supposed to be swimming, but I was still in a drink fuelled sleep when the session started, so that was out of the window. After the failed swim was supposed to be a bike ride but in truth I was still drunk and knew it would be one of my dafter decisions so I knocked that on the head to. Then I lazed about, walked the dog and lazed about some more............. another day with no training then!!!!!
Another 2hr gym session this morning (people will think I'm beginning to like it) followed by a nice steady run home (3.8miles) which I somehow managed to complete at sub 6:30 min/mile pace. That's it for now, but there's supposed to be more training lined up for later today.................. we'll see!!!!

Training/Racing/Testing

Firstly the training!!
Saturday morning came around and I was off to my new found 'friend' the gym for another 2hr session. 10mins warming up on the bike, 10mins warming up on the rower, then onto the miriad of weight machines. 20reps on each machine (x3) worked me out a touch before I had to do these daft core excercises. I can cope with shifting weights around, but all these sit ups/crunches etc etc drive me mad grrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Finally I managed a quick 10mins on the treadmill to warm down. It feels odd to spend 2hrs in a gym but not actually come out of there in pieces, but I guess that's not the idea.
Saturday evening I headed out to the shed for a 40min turbo session. Nothing too heavy, but plenty of fast cadence stuff.

Now for the Racing!!
Sunday morning came round and I was off to the Leisure Centre with a car full of race stuff. As it's a race that Shell organises I'd plenty to keep me busy. The forecast had promised 60mph winds, these never appeared, but as we discovered when we headed out to mark out the run course it was still very windy and bloody cold! Once the course was all marked out there was just time to get my race kit sorted before I headed up to the pool to fulfill my duties as 'bums in water man'. As the event is held in a swimming pool we do a rolling start, 1 person every minute as in a cycling Time Trial. My job was to get folks in the water on time and get them started. Once that job was completed it just left 4 members of our club to go at the end, with me being the last one in the water.
5,4,3,2,1,GO!!! I was off and 24lengths/600m later I got out of the water with around 8:15 on the watch. Trainers on, number belt on (I'd wimped out on the fancy dress), where the hell are my glasses???? I ran back to my lane, they weren't there! I ran back to where I'd changed, they weren't there!! Balls to it, I can run without, so I did. 25:11 after I'd started the race it was all over, damn that 2hr gym session hurt now. Just time for a quick shower and change before I had to give the race presentation. Amazingly I'd won, sort of.......... I'd got hammered by a 14year old who swam 600m in under 7mins but because of his age he could only win the youth prize of a tin of chocs. I'd also been beaten (by 9secs) by two clubmates of mine who'd raced as a relay but they didn't count either - I can't help wondering though if they were responsible for my disappearing glasses, in their bid to beat me (hmmmm!!!!). So I was actually 3rd, but I'll claim the win anyway :)

Time for the Testing!!
Monday saw the follow up to my VO2 testing the other week. Mid afternoon saw me in a heat chamber at Exeter University. The test revolved around the taste of various drinks. I was weighed at the start, in the middle and at the end of the test. My HR was recorded and my core temperature was kept measured by a dodgily placed thermometer. All that was required once I was all wired up was for me to pedal for 45mins on a static bike with a constant 211 watts (a figure determined by my previous test) in a tiny cupboard sized room that was kept at 35degC (95F). After 45mins cycling there was a 10min rest, drinks taste and re-weight before hitting the bike again for another 45mins. I'm not sure my tatse buds did the job on the test, but I lost 2.1kg during the test and (apparently) I was the only person not to need the bikes power turning down during the test which at least shows that there's still some base fitness there. Once the test was over it was drink, drink, drink for the next few hours.

Since the test I've been wrecked. Last night I ran for just over 1hr but there was nothing in the legs and I've put tonights planned turbo session on the shelf in favour of a rest day.

Pictures from Sunday
Some video from Sunday (funny at 4mins)

Krazy Kristmas Kaper Taper

It's almost time for the biggest race of the year (hmmmm). My Tri Clubs 600m/5k Aquathlon. Quite possibly the fastest bunch of athletes that the country ever sees at a race that means nothing.

How do I know it's fast??

Simple!

At almost any Aquathlon in the UK I'll finish in the prizes. Here I'll be lucky to crack the top 10.

Whoooooaaaaa!!! Hold on a minute, I'm not claiming to be an, Elite boy but Aquathlons are really just a bit of off season fun and I'm quite a handy swimmer/runner. Sure there's always the chance that somebody quick will turn up and put me in my place, but as a rule there will only be the occasional quick boy, here though there are always some very promising young athletes around who relish the chance to put some of us oldies in our place. So far around 20% of the field have an estimated swim time of 8mins or less for 600m, that's quick!!! No doubt for a lot of competitors though transition will be slowed as they put on their less than aero run gear (as shown by the pics from last years race that I've inserted :) ).

So, enough about the years big race..... What's been happening this week?

On Monday I hit the gym for a solid 2hrs of weights and things. I've no idea what's going on there, I just do as I'm told (a bit like at home). But it was 2 packed hours and I hurt a lot less than after last weeks session.

Tuesday was a well deserved rest day

On Wednesday I hit the turbo for an hour of hard Coach Troy spinning which left me with sore cheeks (not the ones on my face either), then I grabbed the pup and headed out for a 30min run along the Tarka Trail with tired legs.

Thursday was a nice looong run. Nice and steady on the HRM, I only averaged 133BPM and probably covered around 14miles in my 1h42m of running. The distance wasn't the objective though, just the time.

Tonight I've been for a squad swim. I've been a bit off lately and tonight was no difference. I've no idea why but I seem to be working a lot harder than normal to hit relatively easy targets. Maybe it's just down to the winter???? Maybe I'm just getting old???

RIGHT, it's 1am and I need my beauty sleep ;)

Night all.

COME ON RICKY HATTON!!!!!!!!!!!!

Parties and Testing

Well it looks like things may 'finally' be picking up, or it could just be another false start. Here's a few stats to make it look good. I've trained at something for 8 days solid, it's been the first time I've trained Monday to Sunday without a day off for 18months. The volume isn't huge (9hrs) but I've still put in my biggest week since August. I've already done more cycling in December than I did in November, that's not really saying much though.

On Saturday morning I headed down to Exeter University to take part in one of their studies, the first part of this was a VO2 max test on the bike. I wasn't confident that this would go well because my cycling has been so slack of late and I've this annoying cough that's been around for 8 years which I thought may screw up the session (yes I've seen the Doctor about the cough but he's not interested). I haven't had the full results through yet, but I pushed a rather pitiful 300 watts and managed a VO2 max of 61. No idea what all that means but one of my clubmates pushed 460+ watts so I know that I'm well down there. I'm off for part 2 of the tests on the 10th and I'll take the camera for some pretty pics :) .

On Saturday afternoon/evening I took Rosie for a 7mile run along the beach, great fun with soft sand and howling winds. I pushed the pace at the end hoping to dip under 50mins but it wasn't to be. Saturday night was out clubs End of Season/Christmas/Presentation night. Not being the biggest drinker in the world I was on driving duties, that doesn't stop me being a menace though, and it's good fun watching things unfold as others got totally hammered and make fools of themselves :) . No prizes for me though, I must be rubbish ;( .

Sunday morning was spent in a post party (sober) haze before a couple of my clubmates popped round with their bikes and trainers, then we headed up to my part completed dungeon for a bit of a turbo beasting session which was followed by a 6mile run on the beach with the dog who was loving her new daily sand and sea fix.

Today I'm wrecked, but determined to keep the flow going. There's always a strong chance that Tuesday will become a wasted/rest day so I need to keep motivated on a Monday, I daren't speak my plans though because I may yet wimp out. That'll do for now I guess. TTFN :)

Race Report and other bits

Right, lets get down to it......

Last Saturday was Burntwood Aquathlon, a small event consisting of a 400m pool swim and a 5k run made up of 5x1k laps around a schools playing fields. I got over to the race an hour before the start, registered and set about chatting with some old pals. I was pre-warned that there were some smokey fast swimmers there and I was going to have to be on form if I was going to do any good - oh dear!!!
The race was straight forward enough, we all set off at minute intervals so you had no way of knowing how the competition was getting on. As I waited for my start I saw 2 lads exit the water in under 5mins, that's moving some! Soon I was away and as I counted down the 16 lengths I started thinking towards the run, I'm well off my best shape and running a hard 5k was going to be very tough going. Out of the water in 5:27 I popped my trainers and number belt on and headed out for a small run :). I never felt that I was running fast but I was passing people so I must have been going alright. Other than dropping my band at the end of the first lap (and having to go back for it) the run was also uneventful, just the way I like it. 5 laps later and it was all over, a quick shower and it was just a case of waiting for the results.
Finally the presentation started and I'd been beaten by some little scrote that's half my age (grrrrr!!!), ah well I'd clocked 17:36 for the run so the time wasn't too bad, it would have won me last years race. What's next?????

The rest of the week has mostly been spent running but has also included (on Monday) my first proper gym session for years. Damn those crunches and all that core stuff made my stomach ache for days, I suppose it's good for me though.

This weeks totals

Monday - 50min run with the pup, 1h20m gym session
Tuesday - 50min run
Wednesday - 60min beach run with the pup and a training pal
Thursday - 60min run with another training pal
Friday - 60min squad swim session.

Tomorrow I've got a VO2 test, that should prove interesting. No idea what I'll do once I've got my hands on all the figures but I'm sure I can find someone somewhere who can understand all this rubbish. I've a nasty feeling that it's going to hurt though...... With that in mind I'd better go get some recovery sleep.

Ciao for now ;)

Replys to comments.

Shell - Hello Sis ;)

Tim - We're only a small bunch of 20 or so. Have a browse around on here www.northdevontri.co.uk :).

Scary times ahead....

I'VE JOINED A GYM!!!!!!!!! What on earth is going on? I don't do gym's infact I positively hate loath and detest gyms, so why on gods earth have I joined one?

Well firstly it's (hopefully) the right gym at the right price. The owner is the physio that I see whenever I wreck my back, he knows what I do and what I'm aiming for, he knows that me core/back are my weak areas and that I need to strengthen them. With that in mind he's fixed me up with a one off program for 6 months. As he knows me he will be the first person to shout at me if I start slacking or if he thinks I'm taking it to easy.
It started on Monday with a full fitness test (apparently my blood pressure is a bit high, that will be checked again soon) and the compulsary idiots guide to the machines. The plan is to try and get in there most Saturdays and Mondays with the occasional Sunday or Wednesday thrown in. This won't start well though as I'm away this weekend and Shells Mom is down here next week so Monday may have to fall by the wayside, plenty of time though I suppose.

Training has been a bit hit and miss this week, I'm still feeling lazy and it is far too easy to miss planned sessions.
Monday was mostly taken up with my gym induction followed by a play around on the machines, I managed to take Rosie out for a 5k run in the evening though which was nice.
Tuesday I was Mr Slacko. I didn't end up where I hoped to when I was at work and that was all the reason I needed not to do anything.
Wednesday I took Rosie and a training pal of mine for a 30min moonlight run along the beach. I could really have done with it being longer but chances are that I'd have opted out of it had I been alone so I can't complain.
Thursday I ran with one of my Running Clubs. Over time Thursday will become my long run night, but this week I just felt rotten so opted out of the early session (which adds 5-6 mile to the club run) and just did a steady 7miles with some of my clubmates instead.
Tonight I've been for my weekly squad swim session. An odd night where my arms seemed to have several periods where they felt totally drained, only for them to come back feeling as strong as ever after 150-200m. Very strange!!!
Tomorrow morning (actually in 5h30m time) I'll be heading up to the Midlands to visit the folks. The plan is to get a decent run in while I'm up there before Sunday where I'll be having some fun at the Burntwood Aquathlon. 400m of pool swimming followed by a 5k off road run. Great fun for the end of the year ;)

That'll do for now, my bed is calling me.

Until next week when I'll hit you with my first race report. Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

Iain.

HINDES IAIN 38 M BARNSTAPLE DEVON GBR

I guess that seeing the title of this post on the IM Florida start list means that I'm in. Hell that means I have to do some training.


The aim now is to finish well, finish strong and enjoy it every bit as much as this pic of Jane Tomlinson finishing in 204. When the training's bad and when the hurt hits in on race day I'm going to think of Jane (God bless her soul) and I'm going to start laying some serious smack down.

As for the training ........... It's been an odd week, well it's actually been an odd few months. Since I found out the new system NAS were using to get entries in their events (IM Florida being one of them) I've just totally lost the plot where training has been concerned. September was my slackest months training for over 4 years at 20hrs, that was followed by October where I did even less time managing just 17h30m and only 90mins on the bike. This week started the same way as many other with me promising to train on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and not actually achieving any of it. On Thursday Shell called me to say my name had appeared on the start list and suddenly I had the urge to run, so I did. Spending the night almost 200miles away from home on a Thursday night can make training awkward, but it's a regular thing so I've become a member of a (not so) local running club. On Thursday I ran a steady 5.8mile loop alone in 40:33 (7min/mile), then picked up my bag for the 1.25mile jog to the running club in 9:17 (7:27min/mile). After a short break at the clubhouse to drop my bag off I ran a 7mile loop with one of my clubmates in 51:38 (7:22min/mile). 14miles, AVHR 139bpm, 7:15min/mile pace. That'll do for starters!

Friday was a bit slack, I'll admit to not doing the turbo session I'd planned but I was feeling a bit under the weather and I'd got a squad swim session to look forward to so I knew I was going to get a reasonable work out. 800m w/up, 10x50m @ 60secs, 2xMedley Pyramid (25m fly/50m back/75m breast/150m fc/75m breast/50m back/25m fly), 4x4x25m IM, 100m fc, 50m fc, 2 x 25m fc = 2800m total. I then spent the rest of the night sneezing my head off.

Today I woke up with a head full of snot. Sneezing, coughing, sniffing there was only one thing for it. I went out for a 7mile run with the pup, 3miles off road and 4 miles of beach. It was hard going and the sand in places was very soft, Rosie loved it though. The rest of the day has been cough cough, sniff sniff, sneeze sneeze but as I'm typing this I'm feeling much better so hopefully it's just been a 24hr bug.

Highlight of the day was when Rosie spotted a balloon on the beach, off she charged after it before sinking her teeth in and bursting it. It was when she started charging around the beach with her new prize that I noticed something hanging off the (ex) floaty rubber bubble. I called her to me and removed the balloon from her grasp (much to her disgust), attached was a small card. A primary school over 220mile North East of here had let off some balloons for 'Children in Need' (a national day of charity fund raising) on Friday and I'd found the balloon of a 7 year old lad called Daniel.

Now I just need to work out how to send it back. It seems a shame to just post the card, I'm sure other balloons will be found further afield but it would be nice to make a kid feel his balloon was special. We've got Joss Stone in town tomorrow night switching on the Christmas lights, maybe I'll pop down and try to get her to sign something and send it to the youngster, we'll see.

On a little side note, what an honour to have an Internet Tri legend as my first reply on this blog (nothing wrong with a bit of ego massage occasionally), to follow that with IronTriTim though is just amazing. The last thing you expect to find is someone living thousands of miles away who used to live about 15miles from your front door. I'll look forward to seeing you in PCB Tim :)

That'll do for now, it's midnight here and I'm one person who really REALLY needs his beauty sleep.


G'night all.

Hello

Well this could be the shortest blog in history. It's been set up in preperation for my assault on Ironman Florida in November 2008, problem is that as it stands I'm not in (ooops!!) which could make the title a bit of an embarrassment. Currently the race is full, people over in Florida for the race weekend could register initially and then entries went online at midday (6pm our time), 2mins later the entries closed as the race was full, I guess my computer wasn't quick enough. The hope now is for one of the 25 'first come first served' International slots which my fingers and toes are crossed for while my cheque races its way across the Atlantic to NAS (North American Sports) HQ.

So while I'm here and there's still hope I may as well write down a small bit about myself.

My name is Iain, I'm 37 (soon to be 38) and I live in North Devon, England with my long suffering girlfriend Michelle and my 13month old Springer Spaniel training partner Rosie (you'll read lots about her if this continues). We live in a tiny tiny house in a beautiful part of the country with off road trails, hills, beaches and all sorts of joyous terrain which is great for training. The IMUK 70.3 course is around 35miles from my front door.

I've been racing Triathlons for longer than I care to remember and have done many many Sprints, sometimes successfully, several Olympic Distance races, a few Half IM's and 4(ish) IM's. I'm pretty good at the short stuff, I've won a few local Sprint Tri's, but the further the distance goes up the worse I get and I'm yet to do a decent Ironman.

As this is all intended to (hopefully) spur me on to finally nail a race I'll ignore all the shorter races from the past and just tell my IM story of woe.

2003 - Ironman Austria - 59:24/5:49:17/4:08:51 = 10:57:32

2004 - The Longest Day (UK) - 1:03:40/5:50:46/4:16:50 = 11:11:16

2004 - Ironman Florida - 1:02:31/5:22:50/4:59:30 = 11:24:51

2005 - Ironman Florida - 1:01:50/5:12:43/ DNF!!!!!!

So what's the problem here I hear you ask. The problem is the run, the problem is the pacing and most importantly the problem is that I've never crossed the finish line with a smile on my face. The problem is that I should ideally be finishing between 9:30 and 10hrs yet I can't get close. My head tells me to accept the fact that I'm no Ironmna racer and enjoy the shorter stuff that I'm good at, but my heart tells me that I won't be happy until I can say I've crossed the line and given a race everything. I could cope with a finishing time slower than any I've done if I could turn around and say I've swam, biked and ran to the best of my ability so that's the target for 2008. Race Ironman Florida, swim properly, bike properly and finally, finally be able to run the run. That'll make me happy.

So there we go, that's a small bit about me, much more will (hopefully) follow as I find out my fate for IM Florida 2008 and see where my Triathlon life is going to take me. Hopefully it will give my training a bit of a kick start to as it's been a bit slack lately. Here's hoping.

Until next time.

Ciao ;)