Pleasing Hill Efforts

Found myself on my own at lunchtime today. No colleagues to shelter from the wind behind. No strong riders to latch onto the wheel of. Instead I had tired legs, blustering winds and a couple of showers to contend with.
Made it round a variant of the Shotesham figure 8 route that took in all the hills including Skeets twice. 21.7miles that I averaged 18.3mph on. I'm pleased with that.
Click here to see the route

Ironman Week 11

Weather forecast for this week isn't as favourable, but so far all has gone well.
Swam at 7:10am monday morning. 3.6km
Rode twice yesterday, getting a little wet at lunchtime. Stayed dry on the turbo last night (obviously). All time best on the turbo last night in fact. Averaged 233watts for 79minute session. Best previous session was 221watts. The session was from the 24 week Ironman schedule in the book "Ironman start to finish". When I did this session on 8th Jan 2008 I covered 41.4km, last night it was 47km. That was followed by a 3mile out and back transition run (t-run).
At the pool for 7am when it opened. Dived in at 7:03. Got out at 8:11 having done 3.7k, Wk 11 wed session.
Oh, and I'm now registered on www.iamtri.com

Training for Ironman France 2009

My training for Ironman France 2009 has arrived and was chritened on a run with Lynn Emmett and Tim Topper yesterday. Whilst I'm now into week 10 of 24 it only now seems real. the run was hard work. The legs kept screaming at me to walk but we managed 7:30mpm at 80%HRM for 6 miles. If it wasn't for the legs hurting I'd be pleased with that.

Lunchtime today we were joined by Chris Guy who was nursing a broken hand. He is still seriously quick even when injured. Pleased to say I performed a whole lot better than I did when I last rode with him 3 weeks ago. Back then I was on the single speed and was feeling warn out. Today was a whole lot different, kept up all the way round the ride and even managed to get the better (slightly) on one of the hills.

Part of the success is due to a good rest week last week. Part of it is down to the training over the winter months on the single speed and part of it is due to the bike I was riding. My good old Giant OCR2 has had a major facelift. I spent ages stripping it right down and cleaning it. After 5 years and 16,000 miles it needed it. I then put on a second hand 105 groupset replacing the orginial Tiagra Triple, plus new pedals, new bars, new stem, new tyres, new cables. Feels like a completely different bike and to most intents and purposes it is.

More eventful than I'd like

Was involved in an ice induced 4 bike crash and had two rear punctures on todays club ride. More incidents than I'd like. Was amazed had how far we slid when we went down. In a sureal way it was fun, but have no desire to do it again.
Last time I hit the deck whilst riding was the day before Ironman Switzerland in June 2007, so I'm keen to go at least 18 months and 12,000 miles before doing it again.

The Week That Was - 13-19 Oct 2008

Though the title should be the weekend that was, not that there was ever a TV program of that name.
The weekend topped off what was a pretty good week.
Friday evening - I attended the wedding reception of Dean Grady and Fiona Hunter, who are kayaking and cycling friends as well as being neighbours.
Saturday morning - swimming training with East Anglia Swallow Tails before heading off on a Tri-Anglia ride to the English Whisky Distillery outside East Harling (route). Wrapped that up with a 2.2mile transition run.

Diss Swim Relay Challenge
Pleased to report that following a solid display of consistant swimming in the 15 minute Relay Challenge that the Tri-Anglia team consisting of Matt Ellis, Matt Spillman, Oliver Milk and myself won. More

Club 10k

Sunday morning saw the first Tri-Anglia Club 10k of the winter series. The run follows the 10k run route from the Norwich Olympic Triathlon, though admittedly with a slightly different start/finish point. The route is undulating and twisty with a significant portion off road. So not a quick course. Managed to post a time of 41:21 which is just 6 seconds off my all time 10k PB recorded 3 years ago.

I'm very very pleased with that.

Then went for a 36 mile ride on the single speed Specialized Tricross. Mark Nowell gave me company to Wortwell where he bought us hot drinks. The 36 miles is the furthest I've ridden on this bike in one go so far and takes the total mileage on that new bike through 100miles.

My ever faithful Giant OCR2 which was my first bike back in sept 2003 this week went through the 15,000 mile point. Total training mileage for the week was 192.6miles consisting of 5.1 miles swimming, 161 cycling and 26.5 running

Training total year to date

Todays swim, bike and run have taken me through the 7,000 training miles year to date.

Swim wise i'm just 2 miles short at 132 miles of my 2007 total with eleven weeks still to go. Bike wise, I'm just 4 miles short of 6,000 and run wise I'm at 929.

Nearly went out on my single speed winter bike today, but glad I didn't as the fast boys (Matt, Matt, Oli and Russell) were out and I would not have kept up on a 42-18. Weather was fab, and we found a lovely road with tail wind that we belted along at 23+mph, which meant we missed the planned route, but meant we were on the right route for us for today.

Planned route was: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1661635

Acctual route was: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2327582

Last Long Run and Ride done now...

.... ahead of Ironman UK. Rode 114 miles yesterday and a very slow 18 miler today. That makes 221 miles cycling, 6 swimming and 38 running with 31 of those taking place in the last 48 hours - no wonder today's run was hard work and a test of will.
Have been able to pile on the miles these last two weeks and feeling pleased with the efforts. Total combined mileage for the two weeks being 515miles. Total for the year to date is now 5,940 miles as 108.7 swimming, 5,042.4 cycling and 789.4 running.
Just the taper to do now.

Heavy Rain..

... this morning meant I got soacked riding into work. Fortunately the rain had stopped before JT and I went for our lunchtime ride, however we did find lots of standing water, particularly in the fords and dips around Mulbarton. We came back with very wet feet.

Last big week of training for Ironman UK

Today is the first day of my last big week of training for Ironman UK. It got off to a good start with my first swim at UEA since the pool reopened following refurbishments. That was followed up with a recovery run at lunchtime and I've now setup www.justgiving.com/roblines to raise funds for the Meningitis Trust.
Last week saw an impressive total mileage with 212 miles on the bike and 40 miles running. Long ride was 108 miles down to Aldeburgh. The long run yesterday was 22miles to my Mum's house for Sunday lunch. I was then given a lift home.

Tri-Anglia first to complete first UK Double Ironman

Went for an easy run lunchtime today and found it a little hard going. But I was part of the Tri-Anglia team that were first to complete the UK's first ever double ironman over the weekend. Watch www.tri-anglia.co.uk for a report, I aim to write one later today.

Dunwich Dynamo

Joined a couple of colleagues on saturday to break our Dunwich Dynamo virginities. The Dunwich Dynamo is an unofficial ride from London Fields, Hackney to Dunwich. I've no idea why it started, but do know that Chilli has wanted to do it for years. Saturday was the 16th edition of this now legendary ride.
More details of which can be found at: http://www.londonschoolofcycling.co.uk/dunwich.html or at http://www.southwarkcyclists.org.uk/social/dunwichfaqs08.shtml and I've mapped the route we did (or should have done on saturday) at: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2096474 and when I get a chance I'll put a report and photos onto www.tri-anglia.co.uk, I'll let you know when I've done this.
Our adventure involved riding to Norwich station, train down to Liverpool St, short ride to London Fields, the Dunwich Dynamo then a ride back to Norwich. I clocked 151 miles, which takes me over the 5,000 training miles for the year to date.

Before and After

Before 13,000 miles and after.
The jockey wheel on the left is the original from my reliable Giant OCR2, the one on the right is the replacement that went on today. Bike has done 13,230 miles in just over 4 years worth of riding. (I do also use another bike.)

Lanzarote update

Had a very good long run yesterday. Club la Santa to Teguise and back via a desert and some hills. Added half an hour extra onto the route to get in 3 hours. Hopefully it's 20 miles, will have to gmap it.
Can't say that I'm so thrilled with my cycling, with exception of the ascent of Tabyesco. Not having fun due to mechanical problems and wind. Have identified that my forks were buggered, I'm also convinced that the frame is damaged too.
Full report of our trip at http://www.tri-anglia.co.uk/2008/CLSMarch08/CLSReport.html
Whilst out here, I've been working on a new house style for the Tri-Anglia website. You can have a preview at http://www.tri-anglia.co.uk/index2.html

Longest ride today

Today I did the Old Squit 200k Audax from Colney. Allow the organisers to make the course a little over distance, cycle to the start and home again and then add in an impromptu detour (i.e. I got lost) and you have a nice 140mile day out on the bike.
At 72miles the average was 17.3mph and was still over 17mph well over the 100mile point, but by the time I'd got back home it had dropped to 16.57.
Interesting figure of 8 course. A good little Cafe in Harlesworth. Plenty of cheap/free food at event HQ and a really pretty second loop upto Fakenham. I dare say we'll be doing those loops again - though not necessarily on the same day.
The weather was great. Couldn't have wished for a better Spring riding day. Clear sky, dry roads and little wind (doesn't matter that it picked up towards the end).

Progress :-)

Averaged 17.1mph on a solo lunchtime ride today despite 19mph winds and having to carry a ruck sack with me. I'm pleased with that. Need to say thank you to Trevor Crane - he took my laptop for me, so that saved 4kg of weight from my back.
Also went above 17mph on yesterdays ride with Jonathan Tyrrell.

11 o'clock and all's well

Actually it's 10.30pm but realised I'm behind on my updates and I do like that Olde Town Crier call.
Has been a good few days training wise.
Rode well on saturday despite the wind. Had a good 18 mile run on sunday (thank you to Sally for cycle supporting me and taking the picture).

Swam in the lane next to Jonathan Tyrrell on Monday evening. He was on day 1 of week 1 of his 24 week schedule for Ironman Austria. As too is Mark Philo, who today sent me an invite to his 40th birthday party in March.

Yesterday managed to clock best part of 50miles on the bike, now at 80 for the week so far. Had the company of Kate Scotter for my Turbo session last night. Angie Thorp was unwell otherwise she would also have been there. Angie's husband Warren has accused the girls of being my groupies.

Today - work forced me to ride to one of our out of town locations. Used it as an opportunity to get a few extra bike miles in. Succeeded in that regards, I just won't do it with a laptop in the ruck sack again. Well, not for a long detour on the way back.

This evening was a milestone though, and a pleasing one. I've been following the swim sessions from the Ironman Start to Finish book and this evening was the first time I completed one of their 3.5k sessions in under the hour. In fact I just managed to get under 59mins. I would so like to get under the hour for the Ironman swim. Port Elizabeth might be too choppy, fortunately I've a second chance at Ironman UK in September.

What a great day to be out

Today was an absolutely beautiful day to be out. Dry and little wind. Such a change from our recent weather. Linked up today for a lunchtime ride with Phil Smith (Tri-Anglia) who is based out at Broadland business park and we route round the course for the new Norwich Sprint Triathlon. Our route.

Cob Web Century Ride

A tri-anglia training century ride to blow away some of those festive cob webs and to burn off some of the Christmas Pudding. More here.

7,000 bike miles for 2007 looking achievable

Have now logged 6,400miles for 2007, leaving 600 miles to cover in 6 weeks. As I'm averaging 140miles per week for the year the target of 7,000 miles looks likely. Should certainly beat last years total of 6,916miles.

900miles Run Exactly

Last nights 7.1 mile run with Robert Kilbourn on a loop of Easthill Lane has taken me to exactly 900miles run so far this year. At the beginning of the year I set myself a target of 1,000miles for the year. I've never managed 950 in a year previously.
Rob and I were joined at the start of the run by Tim Pendle (European Junior Champion) and Louis Allen, both of Norwich Canoe Club.
My bike ride to Mundseley this morning with the guys from Tri-Anglia has taken my bike mileage to 5,502 for the year todate.