So far, so good

...in Week 17. Determined to right the wrongs of last week, I didn't take Monday as a rest day as seriously no justification for doing so. Chris wasn't working so was able to get to Kingfisher to train. It was an awesome swim session and perfect for IM training. Didn't know how I was going to go as club swimming has been largely off the menu recently but, luckily, my endurance swims are paying off. I felt like I could have swum for hours and kept my form for most of the session. Another good boost at the end when talked to another guy at the club doing IM this Summer who is also juggling work and a toddler. That makes 2 others + me in the club doing the same and is making me realise that, largely, Ironman isn't the domain of the young, free, single and superfit and, instead, is for people who just want to cram as much into their lives as possible. Also makes me realise that I'm not a total freak!

Worked from home yesterday so was able to get out for an hour's run in the soggy, horrible weather. Good run and wore a Garmin for the first time in months to see how I was faring distance-wise. Without getting boring and bogged down in stats, I was very pleased with the improvements I'm making.

Up again this morning at 6 to swim again although shorter this time as a little against the clock. Got home and the rest of the family (including Elsie Cat) were all still sparko. All right for some! Have to say, not liking the fact that mornings have got darker again temporarily. I'll allow them that as their excuse.

My other life

What a long week Week 16 was. As I said in my post last week, I knew training was going to be a toughie. Wasn't quite prepared for how tough. Work conference was good but relentless. Never got to train on Thursday and on Friday was so tired from late nights and early mornings that only managed to run for half an hour.

On Saturday, we flew to Aberdeen for a wedding with our last-minute addition (Dora). It was supposed to be a weekend 'off' from sleepless nights but neither of us could face the weekend without her after such a heavy working week so we got her added onto the ticket and sorted a babysitter so we could enjoy the evening do.

In my mind's eye and having seen on the website the hotel facilities, I was all set on getting to the hotel, training, a relaxing shower before the wedding started. How naive. We made the plane with seconds to spare and lots of running through Heathrow airport (me in heels and with Dora in a pushchair and Chris with 4 bags and a car seat). At the other end, waited ages for a cab and then got to the hotel and weren't able to check in until 2 - when the wedding was due to start. So, Saturday ended up being a rest day. Great wedding and lots of lovely people and laughs. Was fairly sensible drink-wise (me, not Chris) so woke up fairly fresh. Managed to swim and run at the hotel but it wasn't anywhere near what I was supposed to do.



So, Week 16 ended up being 5 hours of training when it should have been about 11. No point banging my gums about it. Had a good time and it was good to dabble in life outside Ironman. After all, it doesn't pay to be one-dimensional.

Back on it this week and off to tri club tonight for a swim as Chris not working. Happy days.

Blogging on the road

What a week! Have a big 3-day work conference this week and despite getting home at 11pm last night, here I am at 7.15 heading back into London. As this week is the very epitome of the juggling exercise that is my current life, I wanted to record it real-time and as an alarm bell for any future hare-brained scheme!

So, the detail:

Decided I needed to front-load the week as I knew how frantic it was going to get. Instead of the normal rest day, I was in the pool at 6.30 on Monday morning and testing out the neck which was OK. In the evening, I decided to do a hard turbo as I need to get my power and mph up. Worked so hard and was dripping when I finished. Not sure but think I do have a tendency to wimp out on the turbo so it was good to know there was still life in the old dog (i.e. me). Finished that about 9.30, ate, bed and then up again at 5.30 on Tuesday for an hour's run. Dora proved a good motivator that morning as I hadn't really planned to go due to the late turbo but she stirred briefly and I thought I may as well get up. Good job I did as had forgotten I had the Osteopath in the evening so wouldn't have been able to run anyway.

Wed was back up to London for meetings before the conference started. Didn't like the idea of not training at all so managed to shoe-horn in a quick session on a spin bike at Virgin's City gym, working as hard, if not harder than I had on the turbo on Monday.

Today I know there is no scope to train as this conference is 8.30am-10.30pm but that's ok. This week is taking it out of me, not to mention how much I'm pining for my little girl (saw her for just half an hour yesterday and today) but sometimes work has to be the absolute priority and it's this job that helps put food on our table and allows me the funds to enter a foreign IM. Anyway, it's tempered by Mum being here to look after Dora and sounds like they had lots of fun yesterday

Halfway House

Did a naughty thing and had an unscheduled day off on Saturday. Was tired after my long ride and a late night at the OW Dinner and went to Dora's friend's 2nd birthday where Dora was not well behaved at all. So, I made the decision to put my feet up and watch France v England. Should have turboed for all the luck I brought them but needed the rest. Had a bad night with Dora too so something is unsettling her : (

Was supposed to be doing Reading 1/2 Marathon today but Chris's boss got back from a trip early and so he had to work so I had to can it. Such a shame as it was such a beautiful day too. So warm and almost Summer-like and actually probably a bit too hot for racing. Instead took Dora swimming and then headed to Harriet and Bill's and ran in Windsor Great Park.


It was a great run although had too many layers on, was a bit dehydrated and the paths were chokka with people out walking. Still, did an hour and a half and felt good. When I went out Dora was snoozing in the sunshine in the garden and when I got back she was still asleep so that made me doubly happy. Feels wrong training when she's awake.

So, week done. Didn't manage to swim at all although with my neck the way it has been, I think that's the sensible option. Given how painful it is at times, I'm pretty chuffed I've been able to do as many hours this week as I've done. Today also marks the halfway point in the training programme. So, 15 weeks from now, I'll hopefully be within cut-offs and dragging myself round the marathon. Fingers crossed. Looking back at the last 15 weeks, I think I've come a pretty long way. I mean the consistency had been building up before it started but I'm beginning to think nothing of an hour run which is now the minimum session and the bike seems to be getting incrementally easier, especially now I'm out on the roads more. Still a long way to go and I am painfully aware that anything can happen. But, all good.

O! to work a 4-day week

Since the last post, I did an hour run on Thurs which felt good and neck held out no problem and then Friday treated myself to a day's holiday. Have got a full-on conference next week followed by a weekend at a wedding so I imagine that the week is going to lack training volume/quality and is also going to be pretty tiring. I wanted to make sure that I had a long ride under my belt before all that so, as Chris was off, we set off for the notorious zig zag of Box Hill, home of a race called the 'Ballbuster' (enough said). The ride out there was nice (apart from the A24 to Dorking where we were holding our own with juggernauts). At the bottom of Box Hill, Chris had to leave me as he was meeting someone for lunch.


Now, the first time I climbed Box Hill on a bike, I literally couldn't keep the pedals turning and Jona not only cycled himself up there but he alternated between giving me and then Alice a helping hand - literally pushing us, our weary legs and our bikes up. We both conquered it eventually after several attempts but it'd been about 4 years since I'd tried and I found myself alone with either a climb to the top or a return to the A24. It was an easy decision. I won't lie, no danger of being called up for the Tour anytime soon but I got there. The tradition is to have a cup of tea and a cake at the top but the lady was busy and the weather looked ominous so I cracked on. Here was the view though.


So from recording the lowest cycling speed in the training programme yet (6mph), it was into the driving rain and off to the Epsoms Downs to record the fastest (32.2mph!!!!).

All in all a good morning out. 52 miles in 4 hours which gives me a slow predicted bike time in Austria (8.5 hours) but every revolution yesterday was taking me nearer to being able to complete the distance which is more than I once would have dared to hope for with cycling.

Back home, quick shower, excruciating massage with Tom and then off to spend the rest of the day with Dora and Chris eating cakes, buying Dora more shoes and then back, quick change and out to a dinner at Twickenham. What a day! Wish I could do it every Friday.....

Resilience

has been the watchword this week. The neck felt better after the Osteopath so decided to run on Tuesday night. Did an hour and it felt fine but woke up on Wednesday morning and it was as stiff as a board. Not good.

Really struggled with the motivation on Wednesday night to do anything. The neck was still sore, I was really really tired and just couldn't really be bothered. It was also swim club night and Chris wasn't working so could have gone but really don't think I would have been able to turn my head far enough round to breathe. Talked it over with Chris and he advised me to take the night off and have a jacuzzi round at the gym. I was set on that path for all of 2 seconds as the decision came with a wave of guilt that I just couldn't shoo away.

So, onto the turbo I climbed for an hour brick. The first 25 minutes were interminable. The neck didn't hurt apart from turning to look at the session sheet but I found my resilience somewhere and by the time I got on the run, I was into it. This is why a goal and a race is good. Without one, falling asleep on the sofa would have been the only outcome.

Neck no stiffer this morning too so clearly hasn't done me any harm and at least I start another day without a pall of guilt hanging over me.

Never take anything for granted

A great weekend's training. Rode further on Saturday than since the 1/2 Ironman and felt pretty good afterwards. Not sure I could have done double the distance AND a marathon but still good nonetheless. Still slightly disappointed that I can't seem to get my average speed above about 14.5 mph but I have to remember that I was cycling alone and into a fair few headwinds so mustn't grumble.

Then on Sunday, Dora was so excited that it was Mother's Day that she woke me up at 5.45am and didn't go back to sleep. Chris had had a pretty late night at work so we left him to sleep and went downstairs. When he got up, I got out for my 1 hour 15 run. Legs felt like lead for the first 24 minutes and then all of a sudden, I found a spring in my step and I felt great. The sun was shining and really warm and it was one of those March mornings when you get really excited about open water swimming!!? I suddenly started to feel like Ironman was really going to be possible. Must have run just shy of 9 miles and felt like I could have gone on - only couldn't as there was the small matter of Dora's swimming class and then the big pig-out Mother's Day lunch. OMG did I carb up! Yummmmm.

All good then.....until this morning. Went to lift my head off the pillow and it was like being shot in the neck. I literally couldn't move for about 20 mins and when I finally did it hurt no matter where I lay. Had to get up as had a meeting in London and was in loads of pain and stressing big time. After the high on the run yesterday, I honestly thought it was 'it'. I felt about 100. Luckily, rang the Osteo and he could fit me in so dragged myself through my meetings and got round there. He said it was all a bit tight and locked up but that it would be fine and did some manipulation. Now, following that and a bath, it feels so much better than this morning. Still sore when I turn to look over my shoulder but don't feel quite as concerned. Just shows though never to take anything for granted. So much duress on the body is ultimately going to lead to niggles and prevention is definitely better than cure.

Bed calling

and, yes, it's Saturday night at only 20.45 but that's where I need to be. So, all I have to say is 3 hours 9 minutes in the saddle today; 45 miles; achey neck; sore bum but chuffed.

Night night : )

New Toy

The treadmill is finally out of its box, over its assembly hitches and living and breathing. On Thursday, to celebrate, I did a brick session - 45 mins on the turbo and then 15 mins on the treadmill. Due to work and a family roast dinner, I had to do it after eating and putting Dora to bed and the roast hadn't completely digested so that's ruled Quorn Kievs out for a snack on 4 July!

Treadmill is a bit narrow and slightly basic but definitely does the job and, most importantly, gives me options.

So taken with it that tonight (Friday), I did my hour run session on it including a 7.5 min effort in Heart Rate Zone 4. Wasn't half as boring as I expected. Think I'm just getting used to time spent staring at the garage door and have also perfected the art of texting while running so happy days.

Couple of photos - one of me on aforementioned treadmill and the other of Dora following in my footsteps (literally) : )

Quote of the Month

"Cycling isn't a game, it's a sport. Tough, hard and unpitying, and it requires great sacrifices. One plays football, or tennis, or hockey. One doesn't play at cycling" - Jean de Gribaldy

Never a truer word spoken.

Out in the open

Dora was a superstar for the babysitter. Went straight to sleep and stayed that way so off I went to get some swimming done in the open air pool just down the road. Was in fear at how cold and how slow I'd be but it was balmy (when arms were under the water) and I gave a good account of myself. Was probably one of the most expensive swimming sessions I've ever done with having to pay for childcare but hey ho. Whoever said IM was cheap? Also managed half an hour on the turbo at lunchtime which is good although not the brick session it should have been. No time.

Was all set for taking Friday morning off work this week to get my 3.5 hour ride in but got to go to a meeting the CEO has called so no go there. Consequently, after Dora had done her early hours disturbance bit, I spent hours stressing about how I was going to fit everything in. Aaagh - why didn't I just sleep?

On a brighter note, booked the post-Austria R n R location yesterday so well excited about that.

Iron-woman

Terrible night on Monday night - heading for Dora's terrible twos and think she's beginning some new night-time strategies which we need to nip in the bud. Was up at 6 on Tues to get out to do an hour run but just as I was tiptoeing away, her eyes opened, arms outstretched and said "Mummy, cuddle". That was the run over with then?! So, had to shift stuff and went running at lunchtime at work. It was shy of what I was supposed to do but the efforts are getting longer so did about 9 mins of effort out of a 51 min run and felt very comfortable considering.

Then in the evening, had a very long-drawn out bedtime session with tears and cot rocking till nearly 9pm. I was firm and went downstairs and finally did it....the ironing that is. Took 2 hours but so good to have it done and can now call myself iron-woman (of sorts). This does, however, fly in the face of last week's pledge to make life easier, paying for it if necessary so, from Monday, our cleaner is going to do the cleaning and an hour of ironing a week. Bring it on!

Also got a babysitter coming tonight so hoping to get to the club swim. All that stands in the way of that is a good girl at bedtime. Come on, Dora, do it for Mummy....

Round-up of Week 13

Haven't had a moment to update these last few days. Thursday managed a brick as Chris had an early finish and Friday just scrimped a run due to timing out for various reasons including making the first First Friday at the pub with the girls in ages. Pushed the boat out with my Lime & Soda at 40p a pint. Better than the Student Union!

Then, some rare and welcome news on Saturday that Chris was looking potentially at the weekend off. Could hardly believe it! The timing was great as big bro and wife home so they were headed to Mum's. So it meant the family all got to meet up. Managed to get out on the bike on Saturday but hadn't fully appreciated how 'undulating' the Northants roads are. Was supposed to do 3 hours but didn't want to miss all the fun so managed 2 hours 20 and feel OK about it as if I swap the hills for the Greater London traffic stop-starts, the quality of the ride probably adds up to the same. Was also a beautiful sunny day and the route pretty steeped in history.



Cycled past both the Naseby battlefield and Althorp House and what both had in common were cheeky, cheeky hills. Ground up those at about 6mph and got a new top downhill speed of 29.8 so that gives some idea of the gradient!

That evening, everyone was hitting the town. I was pretty tired from the ride and a lonnnng week so I opted to drive. I still can't decide whether that was a mistake or a good idea. Being sober and driving (and exhausted) when everyone else isn't is never the greatest idea. But it was nice to wake up with a clear head. The Goose Bar at least made for immense people-watching though. Every microcosm of provincial Britain was in there that night and I felt very old and very boring!

Up early on Sunday to support my friend, Liz, at her half marathon - her first race since her baby was born just before mine. She did really well and Chris kept reiterating how much more smiley she was than I ever am during races (must remember to smile in Austria...).



Then got home and went for the Sunday run (1hr 15). Didn't feel quite as bouncy as usual but then had had a late night and a 5.30 wake-up thanks to Miss D.

So, all in all a funny and long old week. Didn't stick fully to plan and drifted into self-doubt but picked up towards the end. Looking forward to early bed tonight though and guess what? The ironing STILL isn't done. Aaaaaaagh.

Variety is the spice of life

Well my life certainly isn't boring. I write this from the train tonight following a discussion dinner I went to with Will Hutton, political journalist and commentator. Really interesting and enjoyable evening even if arriving in Piccadilly did make me realise how much I've grown out of London. Some call it vibrant; it felt downright claustrophobic to me.

Since the last blogpost, lots has happened. Did a turbo session last night even though it hadn't been scheduled and had already run in the morning (as I knew I wouldn't be able todo it tonight). Also had another rude awakening at 4.45 and 5.45, a swim as there was no point going back to sleep and, biggest of all, the closest Ironman quitting wobble I've had yet. Probably just the tiredness but just felt pulled in so many directions and it made for lots of eye water!!

But, have got a grip and realised that if celebrities with dubious training pedigree can cycle from John O'Groats to Land's End in a relay over 80 hours at -15, then this is still wide open to me. I just need to be better at asking (and paying for) help.

So, still in the game but do think a full night's sleep wouldn't go amiss. On the way to the dinner tonight, had to be woken up by a fellow passenger at Waterloo. Oh, the shame of it!

Pain barriers

Nice rest day yesterday - even felt like I could have trained most of the day. Did hit me in the evening though just as I was about to do the ironing. Just couldn't face it so left it hoping the elves would come....they didn't.

Terrible night. Dora whimpered for about an hour and a half solidly. Went in a couple of times and did as much as I could for her but there's a tooth coming front bottom row and I think it's giving her big grief. Last time I looked at the clock was 3.35 and then the alarm went off at 6 for my swim. Decided to sack that and run instead.

As soon as I started I got really painful stomach cramps and it took me about 5 minutes to run upright. Luckily it was a beautiful late winter morning with the sun and mist rising above the racecourse and I had taken my iPod so I ran through it. it's all good practice training through the pain as I'm sure on the day, there'll be plenty of that. Managed the 45 min session and when I got back Dora, Chris and Elsie were still out for the count.

So glad I pushed through and that the session is done. Now just need to find an hour to swim today....

Danbury Training Camp and other stories

Feels like an age since I last updated the blog. Been a busy old week and no mistake. Bit of a highlight week at work but it also generated a fair amount of stuff to do and Chris has also been working hard so have needed to plan carefully.

Had decided to buy a treadmill so that I can still run if there are no childcare options. It arrived (when the delivery driver finally got his a** out of bed) but, typically, came with a million screws and instructions so my plan of a brick on Thursday had to be abandoned. Sorry but on that score, happy to defer to a man. No matter, as I managed to do a run which included efforts instead. Then on Friday took a half day and got out on the bike and then a run straight afterwards so brick got done eventually. Should have listened to the woman in the bike shop when she warned about wind though. She must have thought I was either a legend or a waffler when I announced that I thought the journey there was all right. It was literally like cycling into a brick wall on the way back.

Then, bright and early on Saturday, Dora and I headed off to Jona and Susan's for the Danbury Training Weekend! Alice and Paul came too and Team Austria 2010 headed out for our 2.5 hour ride leaving Susan doing her children's entertainer bit. We were really lucky to get a gap in the weather and it was dry. Great ride with lots of lovely quiet country lanes and great company. Flew by compared to the monster turbo sessions. Also got a top speed of 28.7mph out. Woo hoo!




Got back and Susan had done an awesome job - the girls were very excited as they'd done dressing up, Play Doh, playing in the wendy house and general chasing about!




All celebrated with a greedy curry and bumper bags of M and Ms. Great evening even though Chris was working hard again and didn't arrive till 7am on Sunday.

Took a little time to get going this morning after late night and restless children.



But, a plan's a plan and the 4 of us went running in the woods for an hour which was seriously muddy but lots of fun.

End of a great week and lovely to see and train with friends. Don't feel half as depleted as I expected to. Perhaps the programme is paying dividends...

Rest

Rest day was lovely - all about chocolate really. I'm actually in danger of becoming obsessed with the stuff. But, looking at the heart rate monitor on Sunday night and seeing that I had burned around 5000 calories during Week 11, who the hell cares?!!

The other bit about rest is that I need more of it. Dora has suddenly reverted to helpless infant and Monday night had to go into her 7 times, last night 4 (and Chris 2). I might get her to read the section in the book about the importance of those around would-be Ironmen being energy 'givers' and not 'takers'....

All that said, I've pressed on. As she gave me an early alarm call yesterday, I decided I might as well get up and go swimming. Did 2k so short of what the plan said but not bad in 39 mins (inc rest). Also managed a run at lunchtime despite the foul, precipitous weather.

Today I'm going to need to shift stuff around. No chance of getting to the club swim and going to save the brick session I'm supposed to do until tomorrow when my sparkly new treadmill arrives!!!!

God is an Ironman..

...apparently. That's what Chris said today anyway on account of the luck I've had with weather this weekend.

Had a good weekend training. Saturday did 3k in the pool - 171 lengths at our pool(!!) which was fine although Aqua aerobics was on and the bit where they ran round in circles quite literally made it like I was swimming against a current!

Then when Chris got back from personal training and D went to sleep, I got out on the bike. Beautiful, sunny day although a bit nippy on the feet. Struggled for the first hour due to the hills but then seemed to get better as I went on. Did 36.5 miles.

Today, we planned to take Dora to the park as she was desperately in need of air and open space. When we got in the car, it was absolutely tipping down and none of us were particularly in the mood. Had a snack in the cafe and, as if a magic wand had been waved, when we came out the sun was out. I ran while Dora and Chris played in the puddles and looked at all the ducks.


Even though I had a moment during the ride yesterday when I just still could not get my head around how I am going to survive the bike, I have finished this week feeling good. It was also lovely to turn training into a family outing and we both agreed that if it wasn't for training, we probably would have taken the lazy, sitting around option.

Speed surges

The Build Phase of the plan introduces more intensity into the training programme. It is introducing it very gradually and so only amounts to about 5 mins out of an hour session so far. I am not being lulled into a false sense of security though as I know the frequency and duration will increase. The beauty part of Don Fink's plan though is that is so gradual that it doesn't shock the system too badly as is never more than 10% per week.

Had a lovely run at lunchtime on Wednesday. It was a beautiful, sunny day and was able to get along the canal towpath just near the office. Ticked along nicely and, as it was flat, the efforts didn't kill me.

The turbo yesterday wasn't quite as incremental though. Had to work hard and was sweating buckets. Legs pretty wobbly after and still are today but I definitely feel fit at the moment. Hoping to get the bike out on the road tomorrow to give it the acid test. Fingers crossed for no weather/spouse working curve balls.

The starvation is mega too. I literally cannot stop eating! Just saw off full lunch AND creme egg.

If you're going to get ill, may as well do it on a rest day!

Well, Gordon Ramsay did us proud. Despite us being heinously late, they were very welcoming and attentive and, despite my worries beforehand, they had a high chair.

Dora was mostly very good although got tired towards the end so we skipped pud which was just as well as I hadn't managed to crank out my run in the morning.

When we got home Chris needed his bed in a big way and so I dropped Dora with my lovely friend Liz (Dora's 2nd Mum at the moment!). I was supposed to do 1.5 hours but there was no way with a belly full of Roast Pumpkin and Ceps soup, Leek and Pea tartlet, handcut chips and a glass of champagne! But, a run after a monster turbo the night before is a run so managed just over 45 mins. Felt good despite the slight stitch caused by the aforementioned.

Felt fine on Monday until about 10am when was overtaken by some horrible sickness thing. Felt sick as a dog all day but managed to hang on at work till about 4 and then just went home and slept. As quick as it arrived, as quick as it left and woke up this morning feeling normal which is good as Build Phase starts today. Eeek! Chris home tonight so decided to do the Wednesday brick. So, just back from spinning at the gym followed by 15 min treadmill run. Filthy, wet night outside so was the best place for me and nice to see a bike heart rate at 160bpms! Worked hard.