Weeks 9-12

Incredibly, another four weeks have passed!  Pre-season was ages ago, even early base training is a distant memory.  Unbelievable.  We’re nearly at the end of March and race season seems just around the corner.  It appears that there is little time left to train effectively for these races.

Of course, that’s not quite true. 

Mallorca 70.3 is almost 7 weeks away – realistically that is plenty of time to put some good training together – and Roth is another eight weeks after that.  Plenty of time!

Slogging my way up 25% Mow Cop - still seated!

However, progress with my calf injury has left me feeling a little frustrated and flat.  I want to be logging some longer runs, adding some pace into the mix.  Instead, I am making do with 20 or 30 minute very steady treadmill sessions, whilst watching others knock sessions and races out of the park!  I know it’s not about other peoples progress, or how fit you are in March, but it does add to the sense of frustration.  To add a dash more self-pity into the mix, I’ve also been nursing a tight chest and cough for the past week.  Last week’s training, whilst still logging 11 hours, was disrupted.  37 minutes of slow swimming and 36 minutes of slow running didn’t quite scratch the itch.  8 hours on the bike was solid enough, but intensity was limited to the Sunday ride, the Cheshire Cat Sportive.  And now this week is supposed to be a recovery and test week.

Putting my sensible head back on, by the time Mallorca comes I need to be able to run.  Nothing more.  I don’t need to have logged lots and lots of miles or have loads of run endurance in the bank.  I need to be injury free.  I’m sure I can race with good swim fitness, strong bike legs and then get through the run.  

After Mallorca, in the eight weeks leading up to Roth, that’s the time I need to be able to log miles and do some good long runs.  I need to be fit for then.  Five or six weeks of good run training during this period.  I don’t know if that will be enough but it’s the realistic truth of the matter!

Anyway, back to weeks 9-12 of the year.  In terms of hours trained, and number of sessions completed, it was another solid four weeks.  Generally consistent training has prevailed despite injury and illness.  Bike training has been the one constant throughout the month.  Swimming, up until week 12, was really progressing well.

Week	Swim		Bike		Run		Other		Total
	Time	Sessions	Time	Sessions	Time	Sessions	Time	Sessions	Time	Sessions
9	3:31	4	5:09	3	3:06	3	0:00	0	11:46	10
10	2:24	3	8:16	4	1:22	1	1:15	1	13:17	9
11	3:00	3	6:42	4	0:36	2	1:15	1	11:33	10
12	0:38	1	8:36	4	0:50	2	1:00	1	11:04	8
Total	9:33	11	28:43	15	5:54	8	3:30	3	47:40	37

During the month I took part in three cycle sportives:

Winter Sprinter 60k ride in the cold, cold, cold.  Oh and it was also very wet!  This ride was supposed to be 100k but because of the weather we opted for the shorter route.  The route was undulating and we managed some fast cycling towards the end of the ride.

Jodrell Bank Sportive was an 80k ride around similar roads to the Winter Sprinter.  This one was ridden at a pretty leisurely pace.  A couple of sharp hills towards the end certainly spiked the heart rate.

All smiles before the Cheshire Cat!

Cheshire Cat Sportive was 124k, had some serious hills and was ridden at a fast pace.  Average heart rate of 150 for 4 hours 26 minutes of riding tells a tale.  At one point, after the hilly part of the ride - 4 testing climbs on this course - we (Alvin, Daniel, Dani & I) decided to 'chain gang' our way through the course.  For the next 40k we averaged 34kph - on already tired legs - overtaking loads of cyclists on the way!  Awesome ride!

Of the 15 rides undertaken this month, 10 of them were outdoors.  The turbo has been very underused during these four weeks!

Swimming was going well.  I was hitting some good interval times during the month (sub-1.20’s) feeling comfortable and feeling like I was a swimmer again!  The tight chest problem and coughing interrupted progress but continuing with three sessions a week should see swimming continue to develop.

Running is frustrating.  I missed yet another race through injury (Liverpool Half Marathon this time).  I’m back to running 20 and 30 minutes on the treadmill – all without pain – due to a recurrence of the calf injury.  I felt something on a run – for a few seconds - but nothing that stopped me during the session or even altered my stride.  No problem, pain or stiffness when I got home either.  It was only when I went for another run two days later that the injury struck!  Within 300m I had to stop running.  I rested it for a week, had some physio and I’ve had no pain since.  It could be nothing.  It could be something.  I’m just being very cautious with it.

Let's take each session at a time and see what the next four weeks brings.