You can't eat an elephant all in one go.
Hello again, Thought it was about time for an update, I hope this doesn't get too boring for you.
I've been struggling with a calf injury recently. Nothing new there then, some might say. I thought it had cleared up. I managed to get some physio through the company health care scheme and that seemed to do the trick. I was running well and I was doing nice longer distance runs at a pace I was happy with. Then, how absolutely typical, I was at one of the Team True Spirit Monday night interval sessions and it went again. On the bloody warm up, of all places.
I haven't run for almost 3 weeks now, but I'm hoping it'll be ok for me to start again next week. It's incredibly frustrating.
This whole week seems to have been a struggle. I've only managed a couple of my 05:15 early morning sessions. I'm hoping that if I can sort my head out, it'll all slot back in to place. I feel like it's one step forward and two steps back. But then another part of me keeps saying that "you can't eat an elephant all in one go". By that I mean that although it's a huge task, this Ironman training lark, it's manageable in small chunks and by taking things one step at a time. With the help of the coaches, a bit of patience and a very supportive wife, I think I'll get there.
On the training front, we did a lap of the proposed Ironman UK 2014 bike course (one of the many that I've seen) a couple of weeks ago. I think it's a tough and challenging course, with Sheephouse Lane being one of the easier climbs, in my own humble opinion. The series of short sharp climbs just after Wheelton and the Hunters Hill climb will be a bit of a shock for a few people, come the race.
There's been a lot of discussion, within the training sessions, about whether it's beneficial knowing the route beforehand. I think it's just down to personal preference. Myself, personally, feel it'll be a big help to me knowing the route and how to ride it. I can totally understand what people mean when they say that if you put the effort in, during training, then the race will take care of itself. But I do think that a bit (well, quite a lot) of local knowledge, will help me.
I've been surprised at just how hard it's been for me, to step up to the longer rides. The bike has always been my strongest discipline, but the jump from 50 odd mile rides to the longer ones is pretty tough. But I'm getting there. See paragraph above about eating elephants :-)
One benefit of my calf injury is how much extra time I've spent in the pool. I feel like my swimming is really coming on well now, my 100m times are coming down and I feel like I'm holding my own in the lane that I'm usually in with the Tri Team Wigan swim session on Wednesday nights. Well, that is until I get forced in to the fast lane, then I'm just floundering about behind the rest of the swimmers in that lane. Some of them are ridiculously fast. I'm going to my first Team True Spirit swim session tonight, so I'm looking forward to that.
I've finally managed to get a new seatpost for my bike. It was a pleasant change the other day, riding along and not having to keep straightening my seat, using my bum cheeks. I'm gradually getting through the money that I made from selling a load of stuff on eBay. It's a case of prioritising what I need / want the most. I've got my Garmin 910xt now, which is an awesome bit of kit, I'm over the moon with it. I'm getting my Team True Spirit tri kit, as soon as I know what size I will need. and I'm getting a new helmet. After that it's a pair of tri shorts, so that I can train in them and not have my old smelly stuff in the house (to quote Ruth).
Something else that I've been wrestling with is guilt. I am acutely aware of how much time I'm spending training, but that means that I'm hardly at home and despite me and Ruth talking at great length about me doing the Ironman and what it entails. This is getting bigger than I thought and I'm feeling constantly guilty for not being quite as supportive as I should be at home. In a really weird sort of way, I'm glad that this will be my only Ironman, as I'm looking forward to getting back to the normal family life that I enjoy so much. Like I said earlier though, for all the praise that I give my coaches and for all their invaluable help, without which I'd never be able to train properly, the best help I've had is from Ruth, for all her help at home and in supporting me through this. It's something that I'll be eternally grateful for and I really love her for it.
Writing this, it's been surprising how many of the people that I train with are in a similar position. Trying to juggle family, work and IM training, and they've said that I could have been writing about them, there are so many similarities. I hope all of you still enjoy reading it.
Until the next time
Sutty
ps. Remember, pain is just weakness leaving the body
I've been struggling with a calf injury recently. Nothing new there then, some might say. I thought it had cleared up. I managed to get some physio through the company health care scheme and that seemed to do the trick. I was running well and I was doing nice longer distance runs at a pace I was happy with. Then, how absolutely typical, I was at one of the Team True Spirit Monday night interval sessions and it went again. On the bloody warm up, of all places.
I haven't run for almost 3 weeks now, but I'm hoping it'll be ok for me to start again next week. It's incredibly frustrating.
This whole week seems to have been a struggle. I've only managed a couple of my 05:15 early morning sessions. I'm hoping that if I can sort my head out, it'll all slot back in to place. I feel like it's one step forward and two steps back. But then another part of me keeps saying that "you can't eat an elephant all in one go". By that I mean that although it's a huge task, this Ironman training lark, it's manageable in small chunks and by taking things one step at a time. With the help of the coaches, a bit of patience and a very supportive wife, I think I'll get there.
On the training front, we did a lap of the proposed Ironman UK 2014 bike course (one of the many that I've seen) a couple of weeks ago. I think it's a tough and challenging course, with Sheephouse Lane being one of the easier climbs, in my own humble opinion. The series of short sharp climbs just after Wheelton and the Hunters Hill climb will be a bit of a shock for a few people, come the race.
There's been a lot of discussion, within the training sessions, about whether it's beneficial knowing the route beforehand. I think it's just down to personal preference. Myself, personally, feel it'll be a big help to me knowing the route and how to ride it. I can totally understand what people mean when they say that if you put the effort in, during training, then the race will take care of itself. But I do think that a bit (well, quite a lot) of local knowledge, will help me.
I've been surprised at just how hard it's been for me, to step up to the longer rides. The bike has always been my strongest discipline, but the jump from 50 odd mile rides to the longer ones is pretty tough. But I'm getting there. See paragraph above about eating elephants :-)
One benefit of my calf injury is how much extra time I've spent in the pool. I feel like my swimming is really coming on well now, my 100m times are coming down and I feel like I'm holding my own in the lane that I'm usually in with the Tri Team Wigan swim session on Wednesday nights. Well, that is until I get forced in to the fast lane, then I'm just floundering about behind the rest of the swimmers in that lane. Some of them are ridiculously fast. I'm going to my first Team True Spirit swim session tonight, so I'm looking forward to that.
I've finally managed to get a new seatpost for my bike. It was a pleasant change the other day, riding along and not having to keep straightening my seat, using my bum cheeks. I'm gradually getting through the money that I made from selling a load of stuff on eBay. It's a case of prioritising what I need / want the most. I've got my Garmin 910xt now, which is an awesome bit of kit, I'm over the moon with it. I'm getting my Team True Spirit tri kit, as soon as I know what size I will need. and I'm getting a new helmet. After that it's a pair of tri shorts, so that I can train in them and not have my old smelly stuff in the house (to quote Ruth).
Something else that I've been wrestling with is guilt. I am acutely aware of how much time I'm spending training, but that means that I'm hardly at home and despite me and Ruth talking at great length about me doing the Ironman and what it entails. This is getting bigger than I thought and I'm feeling constantly guilty for not being quite as supportive as I should be at home. In a really weird sort of way, I'm glad that this will be my only Ironman, as I'm looking forward to getting back to the normal family life that I enjoy so much. Like I said earlier though, for all the praise that I give my coaches and for all their invaluable help, without which I'd never be able to train properly, the best help I've had is from Ruth, for all her help at home and in supporting me through this. It's something that I'll be eternally grateful for and I really love her for it.
Writing this, it's been surprising how many of the people that I train with are in a similar position. Trying to juggle family, work and IM training, and they've said that I could have been writing about them, there are so many similarities. I hope all of you still enjoy reading it.
Until the next time
Sutty
ps. Remember, pain is just weakness leaving the body
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