Week 39 (39 weeks to IM)

Horrors! Why, oh why did I decide to enter a 2nd marathon just a few weeks after finishing my first?! Hmm. Crazy is a crazy does. With such nonsense floating around my head-space, I figured I'd best start training again whilst I search for the answers.

Started the week with a 10k run into work. Interval style. Followed the formula 10 mins warm up; 5 x 2 mins fast (with 2 min recovery); cool down to finish. In retrospect, I should have spent 15-20 mins warming up because I still had quite a distance to plod after my run efforts. During this run (and subsequent activities) I was using a 'special' TomTom GPS watch which they have kindly sent me for testing purposes. It's awesome. I'd like to say more but it's top secret and I'd have to kill you. Tim Tom really is an official TomTom tester!

Interval Spikes

Tuesday was a great day. I cycled tandem style with my blind buddy Roger. We took a circular route stopping at one of our favourite cafe's - Whitlenge Tea Rooms. We both had a mega breakfast at the cafe. For an autumnal day we were really blessed - the weather was super with the sun shining bright, it was peaceful and no wind. We cycled about 55k in all.

54.4K Tandem Jolly with Roger

Next training bout was on Friday. I managed a short (5k) run around my village. If only the weather would have improved...

5k run around Studley

Friday really stressed my head. It dawned on me that it's only 38 and a bit weeks to my IronMan event. Horrors. Finding a (free) decent training plan was really difficult. Jonny Mitchum kindly gave me his plan but it was like reading braille to me. One guy (cheers Ian) from tri-club also emailed me a few different plans but again was hard for me to get my head around, especially as most plans were around 20 weeks long and I wanted to start training now. Further complications arose because I wanted and plan to enter a couple of marathons and bike events (and maybe tri events) during this whole training period too. Anyone wanna be my coach?

Saturday's long run 20.9k

Had wanted to run 20 miles on Saturday but the foul weather fairies but a stop to that. Not wanting to be completely defeated, I headed out in the rain and ran just short of a half-marathon. In view of the fact this run was much shorter than I would have liked, I made sure it was hilly. That was a bit silly really. Even so, felt good to have completed this run.

Quite a hilly menace

Finished the week by going for a swim with tri-club. My swimming has not improved as quick as I had hoped. Still, 50 mins in the water is better than nothing. I didn't attend the running session after the swim but figure I will run hard next week...