Despite the weather forecast being dire for this week I think we have escaped quite lightly!
Yesterday started off wet and miserable but by the afternoon the sun decided to show it's face and we managed to conquer another Wainwright. We did a lovely, scenic and relatively easy walk up Silver Howe. A walk I would definitely recommend if you have an afternoon to fill!
This morning started off wet again so I decided to go to the local swimming pool and get some lengths in! I was really surprised how quiet it was considering it was a wet morning in the school holidays! I did 1700 metres in 39 minutes and really enjoyed it!
Luckily by the afternoon the rain had stopped as I had a lake swimming date with a friend! When I got to the lake I was feeling slightly apprehensive as my swim on Sunday hadn't gone well!
The lake still looked choppier than I would have liked but I did a lot of positive self-talk whilst getting changed into my wet suit which appeared to do the trick!
I got in and didn't have that awful panicky feeling I got on Sunday!
In fact I felt quite comfortable as I set off to do the route we had agreed on!
Although it was choppy I really enjoyed the swim and didn't let the waves slapping me in the face put me off!
Once I got home I decided to do a short run to warm up after the lake!
I didn't have high hopes of having a fast run as I was feeling tired but instead about stressing about pace I just set off to enjoy the act of running!
I was amazed when I got home that I had run 3.6 miles at an average 8.22 minute mile pace!
This is a good pace for me!
Feeling very positive at the moment about how my training is going!
Bring it on!
This morning I went for a bike ride with my cycling buddy "Wils".
I was slightly nervous after looking at the weather forecast as we seemed to be on the cusp of "not too bad conditions" and "horrendous" but I wasn't not going to go!
We had a route in mind but we had to do some quick alterations when we came across a couple of "Road Closed" signs due to bridges damaged during the December floods!
It was like going on a magical mystery tour as neither of us were familiar with the roads we were on! It added a new dimension to the ride and being with someone else I wasn't as concerned about getting lost! I had someone to get "unlost" with!
I have just begun to get a little more confident with both my gears and my SPD-SL's then today disaster struck!
After riding for about 10 miles, I was going up a hill, made a mess of a gear change and couldn't keep the bike going up the hill. In my panic I couldn't get my foot out my cleats either and before I knew it I was in a ditch with the bike on top of me.
Wils came to check I was OK before laughing at my antics saying he wished he had a video recording me!
My left side was covered in mud and initially despite saying I was OK my left knee and elbow were sore!
After this my confidence totally went and I started stressing about unclipping again!
However, very soon I had other things to worry about - a horrific head wind that materialised from nowhere and was freezing cold!
I wasn't enjoying battling with my bike whilst trying to keep a straight line, and the memory of my recent fall was still very much in the forefront of my mind! I didn't want to do a double whammy!
To make matters worse at around 25 miles Wils got a puncture and standing around in the freezing cold wind wasn't very enjoyable! I'm pleased it was his bike and not mine or I might have cried!
By now I just wanted the ride to be over!
Thankfully the rain held off until we were just coming into Kendal after cycling 41.5 miles! Wind and rain would have been horrendous!
You can see our route here! We managed an average speed of 13.5 MPH which I am really pleased with considering the headwind we had to battle with!
Despite the closed roads, the fall, the puncture and the horrendous winds it was a nice route! One to do again in better conditions!
I am now waiting for the bruises to appear on my left arm and leg!
This morning I went for a swim in Windermere with my swimming friend David.
I had decided that whatever the weather we were going as I had to get used to all conditions just in case it was terrible on race day!
However, this morning I really wasn't feeling it!
It was cold, windy, rainy and choppy and I stood on the edge of the jetty watching the waves rolling across the lake wondering what on earth I was doing!
When I first got in I got the "OMG THAT IS COLD" sensation and I never managed to get over it!
The waves kept slapping me in the face and despite getting an impromptu break to have a look at a beautiful rainbow that had appeared across the lake I really felt crap.
I ended up going back to shore and only managed 0.19 mile which I was really disappointed with!
I really need to man up!
Especially since my first Triathlon of the season is in just 3 weeks time!
I did my first "brick session" yesterday in realisation of this fact and today I decided I best look seriously at setting some goals to achieve on the day!
I have decided on 3 goals.
A. The slowest time I would be happy with.
B. A realistic time I think I can achieve.
C. A "Dreams are made of this, Too good to be true" time.
400 Metre Swim:
A. 8:52 B. 8:40 C. 8:30
Transition 1:
A. 2:01 B. 1:30 C. 1:30
18K Cycle:
A. 47:30 B. 46:00 C. 44:50
Transition 2:
A. 3.10 B. 1:20 C. 1:10
5K run:
A.27:10 B. 26:30 C. 26:00
TOTAL FINISH TIME:
A. 1:28:03
B. 1:24:00
C. 1:22:00
Now I need to get on with it and train!
Yesterday was a rest day as far as my training plan was concerned but I don't think my legs feel like they got much of a rest!
We went for a lovely 7 mile walk and conquered 2 Wainwrights - Stony Cove Pike and Hartsop Dodd! We decided to do these fells in the hope that we would avoid all the "Good Friday Tourists" that were swarming into the lakes for the only dry day over the Easter Weekend (according to the weather forecast!).
Anyhow, we picked well and didn't see anyone else whilst we were out! Although it was dry it was exceptionally cold and very windy!
Then later on we went out to The Brewery in Kendal for a Blast from the past - Big Country were playing so after walking hills all day I danced the night away!
Consequently this morning my legs didn't feel the benefit of the "rest day"!
However, I had planned to do my first "Brick Session" of the season and nothing was going stop me - not even the wind!
I set off with a 13 mile bike route in mind but due to being battered around by the wind I decided to cut this short in order to live another day! There were times when I really struggled to keep my bike on course!
In the end I did 8.91 miles at an average pace of 13.6 MPH, however pace was the last thing on my mind, just surviving was the primary goal!
Once home I put my bike in the garage, changed into my running trainers, stripped a couple of layers off, gulped a few mouthfuls of water and 1 minute 45 seconds later I was on my way running!
It's the first time I have worn my Tri Suit since last year and initially it felt like I was running in a nappy!
My legs felt heavy ... like bricks (Is that where they get the name from?) and I felt like I was really plodding and didn't seem to be making much headway in the wind.
However, I pushed on and didn't worry about the pace! I just wanted to complete my first brick session!
I was shattered when I got home after running 3.85 miles at an average 8.37 minute mile pace! Much faster than I had expected!
I am very pleased with that for my first brick of the year especially with tired legs and a hangover!
It was the last day of term today and despite getting drenched this morning walking the whole school down to church for an Easter Service I have had a good day!
As soon as we finished school I went for a run! There was no time to mess as my daughter was coming home for Easter and needed picking up!
It was still raining but judging by the Easter forecast I will just need to get on with it whatever the weather throws at me! Just 3 weeks until my first tri of the season!
I set off determined to do around 6 miles! My legs were initially feeling heavy but I wasn't going to listen to them! As I ran (in the rain!) I started to feel better and my legs loosened up a little.
At around the 3 mile mark just when I was going up a hill I became aware of another runner in close proximity to me and I was determined he/she wasn't going to overtake me so I pushed harder!
About 5 minutes after reaching the top of the hill and just as I was recovering my breath this other runner pulled up alongside me. I thought he was going to zoom on by but he started talking saying "Thanks for pulling me up that hill! I was determined you weren't going to get away from me!".
I didn't admit to trying to get away from him!
However, he then ran with me until we got back into town and that made me maintain my pace! If I had been left to my own devices I definitely would have slowed!
I did a total of 7 miles at an average 8.45 minute mile pace!
What has amazed me is when I look at Strava "Fly By's" he had been following me right from the start but I never noticed - thankfully or I might have blown up completely!
Its good to have someone to push you on!
This evening I went for a "maintanance" Physio session just to make sure my old body stays in peak condition whilst I ramp up the miles on the approach to the season!
I am glad I did as my Quadriceps were extremely tight and needed quite a bit of work on them to loosen them - a recipe for another injury if I am not careful!
After 45 minutes of pain I was done and feeling like I had run a marathon!
However, my physio said it was OK for me to still go swimming, so off I trot home for something light to eat before going to the Tri Club Swimming Session.
My legs really weren't in "kicking mood" and I was pleased that a few of the drills involved using a pool buoy which gave them a break!
However, after the drills came a speed session which didn't really happen for me but I pushed as hard as I could!
Altogether I swam 2200 metres (1.37 miles) so feeling quite good now, although legs are feeling exceptionally tired and heavy!
Hopefully they will be recovered by the morning and ready for a long run tomorrow evening!
Tonight I went for a swim in Lake Windermere! I was looking forward to it as the lake temperature had gone up considerably compared with last week so I was expecting a pleasant swim.
When I met my swimming pal David, he had brought along another friend with him so I was feeling slightly stressed about the added pressure of swimming with someone else who was fast!
Although David is much faster than me he humours me and swims at my speed. Tonight, I was worrying about being left on my own so I wasn't in the right frame of mind when I first got in the lake.
"I can't do this" thoughts kept popping up in my head as I made my way to the first buoy but I tried to push them aside and concentrated on counting my strokes instead!
The lake was choppier than I would have liked and I am not convinced the water temperature reported was correct as I felt it was much colder than last week. Maybe this was because the air temperature was cooler and the wind was stronger!
OR maybe I had just got myself in a negative frame of mind.
Anyhow, despite "the little devil in my head's" best efforts I didn't give up and although I didn't enjoy the swim as much as I have done lately I still managed not too badly and swam 0.31 miles - which is quite far enough in current temperatures!
Once home, I quickly got changed into my running gear and went for a run to warm my body up!
I didn't feel like I was running very well and felt stiff and tired after my swim but I was delighted to see I had actually run 3.6 miles at an average 8.34 minute mile pace.
Not such a bad evening after all!
I have now been swimming in Open Water for 46 weeks!
Not long before I can claim full bragging rights of being an "all year round Open Water Swimmer!"
