Start Your Engines!

A while back I posted a blog called Itchy Feet and a Big Belly. Well the belly isn’t there but again I’m getting the itchy feet. Having not raced since last Septembers Vitruvian I’m starting to think it’s time to line up against like minded people and beast myself over whatever distance it might be on the day. Whilst I’m enjoying the training for Outlaw, It is the racing that we really get the buzz off isn’t it. And I’m noticing that a few of you out there are starting to get in some races, be it sportives, 10k’s or half marathons and it’s giving me the urge to get back out there. The fact that I haven’t raced at all in 6 months is actually pretty shameful and it’s only when writing this that I realise it. I did have all great intentions to do some cross country and mountain biking but I just didn’t get round to doing them. Terenzo Bozzone is a huge fan of using races as training and he might well be on to something. Note to self, training through the winter is vital but have some fun and race too!

Coffee, Cake and the Michelin Man

A couple of weeks since my last blog and I’m please to say that training is going just fine. The mileage keeps increasing and, get this, I’m still enjoying it! Got to be half the battle isn’t it? A few niggles here, a few niggles there but all in all holding together. I’m sure, at least I hope, that I’m no different to any other fitness bunnies out there in having to manage the old body. Or young body for that matter. At the moment I’m managing a slight niggle on my right ankle which is a new injury for me but the wheat bag I’ve recently befriended keeps doing its job and the ping of the microwave has become a familiar sound.

On the subject of microwaves and food, after ramping up the calorie intake at the beginning of the year, I’ve now backed off slightly as I was finding that I was putting on a little chub. It’s a fine balance between fuelling the system enough without getting heavier which will only slow me down. Now I’m reasonably slim but I know that losing a little will certainly help out, especially on the bike. So this week I cut out some of the extra and have found that my energy levels haven’t been compromised.

Last weekend was my birthday and a trip to the motherland gave me a refreshing change to the training routes for both bike and run. I couldn’t not train could I?! “Training is not an option” as I was told when I started the Ironman journey and that mantra has stuck. The bike training was particularly fun after I went off piste with the route and found myself on back country roads I hadn’t ventured down before. I always kind of knew where I was going as the crow flies but is still made for a good day out.

And so to this weekend and how cold?! It’s great to see that it hasn’t deterred many of you from getting out there and logging the miles. Yesterday I ventured out into a -6 wind chill to knock out my bike ride dressed as the Michelin Man in numerous layers. 2 sets of gloves on but my fingers still went pretty numb after a while. One of the great traditions with cyclists is the cafe stop, regardless of the weather and I found a lovely one in Finchingfield, Essex where I quickly devoured coffee and cake whilst my fingers and toes came back to life. It’s on a fairly regular route of mine and so I’m going to make it a regular haunt of mine. Today’s run was sacked as a result of the snow. I could’ve braved it out and a good few of you did but I decided to get in an extra session on the turbo. No bad thing with my cycling ability! And what better TV to watch whilst doing it than highlights of the Tour Down Under followed by the Tour of Qatar stage 1 finale. Best motivation there could be apart from a DVD of the Ironman World Champs which I’m still to get.

So there we are, all up to date. And into week 10 we go of the training plan. Those weeks have gone quick! Anything else? Oh, I also worked Monday to Friday but that just gets in the way of the training doesn't it!