Pushing Iron?

Its official the IM Lanzarote entry is done. So base training is officially started.

The goals this side of Xmas is to get some miles back in the saddle with some regular 4 hr rides and to build some muscle. The adviec from many aged triathlon (Friel, Allen, Gordo) gurus is that the older you get the more important the weights become. So I have embarked on a 12 week conditioning programme to put on a bit of bulk which should see me a bit stronger as I start to push things come Spring time.

The aim is to prevent training injuries and increase overall muscular endurance. Meanwhile swimming is improving but running seems like a forgotten art. Hopefully it is something I can relearn as running has always been my key limiter in races. To really succeed in placing well in an ironman the marathon needs to be at least a 3:30 in my AG to get up towards the sharp end and ideally a bit faster still. With one run at 3:24 I know this achievable but also know it needs a consistent steady approach.

So back to th weights.... And the isolation of underused muscle groups. They can sure ache a few days later but I hope soon this will become less as I get used to the training stress. Kettle bells seem to feature as a particular source of agony and it is official I bench press like a girl!

Back in Training

It's been a while since I posted. A whole year in fact. Last year life overtook any aspirations in training which culminated in standing on the banks of lake Zurich disillusioned with the whole ironman thing. A year away a few running injuries and some unmet goals see me looking forward to returning to Ironman in 2014. While training has not been zero it has not been great. Demoted a lane at the Tri club and dropped regularly when circling Regents Park I know there is a lot to be done.

Luckily as ever I have a plan....

Some of the plan is to fully address my key limiters to performance e.g. The run. Some of the plan is getting the life work balance back. Some of the plan is to use the knowledge from 9 previous ironmans to set a new performance best.