Getting Closer...

One from the family album

Over the last few weeks I have been getting my teeth into the bulk of the training for the triathlon I am racing in September.  This has been pretty tough at times but have seen some reasonable improvements which has kept me going.  At times I have had to adapt and make do with the time I have had, but after all 'life happens'.  Over the last week seems my double sessions have become a swim, cycle or run followed by a couple hours walking round furniture shops.  Not what any good training plan would tell me but I'm not following one of them, been going free style.

Competing in a couple of races since last writing yielded a mixed bag of results.  Early on saw a 1 minute 48 second over 10 miles at Portland 10, arguably a tough course than my previous PB to (not many flat courses in the Dorset Road Race League).  This was yet another successful day for Bournemouth claim minimum points in the league for both women's and men's teams.  However racing over half marathon distance a few weeks later wasn't so successful, just managed to sneak under 78 minutes.  Legs were not really playing ball through this race lacked speed but felt reasonably strong.  Again more BAC success (well done guys, I could have had a lie in this time). Looking for another PB this was a bit of a knock but took this as overall training must be going ok, but we will have to wait until September to see if that is correct.  No more racing until the targeted race for now.

View of the Mendips, no wait I mean Spain

Training has consisted of a reasonable amount of running with cycling and swimming a couple times a week, usually totally around 140 miles and 12 hours of training. Spending a week in Spain on a family holiday gave me chance to get out on some trail running and get some decent assents in the legs .  Thought this was not much good preparing for a race with a flat run course, but seemed to have helped my all round strength particularly on the bike.  While back home I have been cycling in the Mendips for my big sessions which has seen me climb a decent amount on the bike.  Today I completed what is likely to be my last big weekend session due to a couple busy weekends ahead, but have taken confidence from decent distance and feeling strong for the majority of the 3 hour bike and 1 hour 30 minutes run.

With a slightly earlier taper than I had planned the weekday sessions are going to be kept at a reasonably volume may even try and get some speed back in the run legs.  Looking at today's session it seems that I have potential for a respectable finish but need to work on limiting my loses to the field on the swim so will try and increase the swimming, probably getting back in the pool when I move to Taunton (yes I will have a good moan about this, the swimming not the moving).  As race day gets closer rest will increase and will do some transition practice then it will be a case of fingers crossed.