I shall make sure I keep on top of the updates from now on as the training steps up into the properly scary serious phase. But first, let us play catch up while I tell you, my dear readers, a tale or two ...
A long time ago, on a race course far far away (well, Battle actually, so that shows that this is turning into a fishing tale already ...). The Sussex Marathon - a new event from Team Lifestyle, that brings the challenge of a marathon to the local area and then, in true Team Lifestyle character, makes it much MUCH more challenging. I have been training for a number of months with some team members, all of whom, ran the marathon. One of our happy crew, Tamsin, had not run one before but was determined to rack up the 'big-one' and to do it in style - hills and all.
As we had trained together, and in order for me not to go at the race like some bloody loony and put myself out of IM training for months on end, I elected to run with her as her pacer. Tamsin is a superb athlete but had a real mental block about the distance. Those of us training with her could see that this block was only as solid as mist and all she needed was self-belief. I know this sounds like a load of hippy-crap but it's true, and anybody who has stepped up to a much bigger event will have experienced this.
Marathons do funny things to the best of them, and this event was no different. The miles pound away at your body and drain you of energy and muscle endurance - this is why you put in the miles to build up to it. But a marathon also targets your mind - a result I suspect of rapidly diminishing blood sugar and can, as a result, do really weird things to you. We started off well, with good pacing and good refuelling at each drinks station. But the long long hills took their toll, and our minds gradually broke down resulting in my impression of the Morecambe and Wise dance (think back to 'Bring Me Sunshine'). The final clue as to our psychological collapse was the loud and graphic squabbling that must have looked something like Terry and June - The Early Years! However, we battled on and went on to finish strong and triumphant - a damn fine race ran well.
Bit of a rest for a couple of weeks after the marathon. Conventional wisdom states that you should take a good four weeks to let your body rest and repair. And there lies the problem, wisdom and my total lack of it ...
Then, along came the long Easter weekend and the first big Iron Man training day - the grand brick set. Also starring for the day was a whole heap of nervous anticipation and self doubt (there we go, as previously mentioned). Soon gave that lot the heave-ho though after four hours of high quality riding with John and Sarah, followed immediately by an hour run up and down the sea front and over both part of Galley Hill. We only dropped 1 minute between the two bike laps and covered somewhere around 70 miles of riding. A good training session (especially so close to the marathon) and good company - cheers guys, you both restored my cycling faith.
First sea swim followed on later the same afternoon - the perfect chance to try out my new 2XU R1 wetsuit (the replacement to my old 2XU E2 - fantastic customer service). The suit was fantastic but the sea was bloody freezing, and I do mean properly cold. Despite all the clever technology in the suit nothing can cancel out the affect of cold water making your chest tight and your breathing going to pot.
Then we have had the Royal Wedding weekend - and another chance for copious amounts of training. I marshalled the Royal 5k on Friday, but then went on to put in 40km of hill work on the bike and 45 minutes of running on Satuday, 1 hour swim / 65km of riding hard and hilly on Sunday and rounded off with another 40km of steady riding followed by an hour of running yesterday.
So, what next? I think it needs to be lots of stretching, a bit of a rest for a day or two and then back onto the rollers and the turbo for some specific technique and strength work.
Look after yourselves dear folks, I'll be back soon ...
Al
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