Wet and Windy wk3 Wednesday 21st October

Autumn is finally here. I might still be sleeping under my summer duvet but outside it was wet and windy. The single speed winter bike came out for the first time since March.
The schedule today asked for a 12-16 mile run depending upon how I felt. It does seem rather a long way to run in the middle of a recovery week, but I'm not going to argue and at least there wasn't a target pace set.
To fit the run in around work I opted to do the run as my means of getting home. I worked through lunch so as to be able to sneak off a little earlier and started running at 16:50. Was hoping to be able to get the run in before it got dark, but with the days being well and truely drawn in ahead of the end of British Summer Time at the weekend I wasn't too optimistic. It was also drizzling.
I'd plotted a route that google maps reckoned was 17 miles, but that was sending me off route at times because it didn't know of a couple of foot paths but also because it wanted me to run down the Newmarket road passed the slip road down to the Eaton lights that I wanted to head down and continue to a roundabout, turn round it come back up the Newmarket road and then take Colney Road to then get into Eaton. Route turned out to be 14.2miles and took just over 2 hours. As you can see from the profile included on the heart rate trace it wasn't flat. Something like 256m (840ft) of uphill. Legs felt heavy most of the day before the run. Felt good for the first mile or so but still heavy and then whinged a little for the rest of the run.
I was well prepared though for the conditions. I used again the Innov8 bum bag with horizontal drinks system, Ron Hill lycra shorts, Ron Hill long sleeve top, Ron Hill gilet, Ron Hill reflective vest and Pretzl head torch with rear light all sourced from Cotsworld Outdoor and sold to me by Andy Bolden (Roo). On my feet I had a pair of Saucony Grid Rides with foxriver socks that Pete Johnson of the Runners Centre sold me. As the drizzle had become rain there was a lot of standing and flowing water on the roads. I got wet. My main observations were 1) when it's raining hard and when your breath is condensing you actually see better in the dark without the head torch but people can't see you so well 2) without the headtorch you don't see the branches blown into the smaller roads and 3) either with or without the headtorch its amazing how many puddles your feet find.

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

Ironman France week 10

Days getting longer and starting earlier.
High pressure sitting over the country
Warm dry conditions.
A weeks rest last week.
All these things helped with the training this week. Was riding strong on the newly rebuilt Giant. Got a good run in on the Sunday from Mum's back to Norwich.
169miles ridden, 29 run. Only one swim of 2.6km

Ironman UK Report and TV Coverage.

I've now written up my race report and it can be found at: http://www.tri-anglia.co.uk/2008/IMUK/RobLines.html

And Channel 4 will be broadcasting a half hour highlights programme from the 2008 UK Ironman this coming Saturday morning at 7:30am

Wroxham 5k - 2008 number 3 - 20th August

Last week was my biggest week of training ahead of the UK Ironman ahead of what should have been a recovery week. Over the last two weeks I've covered over 500 miles in training (425 on the bike 78 running and 7 miles swimming). In the 5 days leading up to Wednesday's 5k I'd run 38 miles and the legs were feeling reluctant to move. I was convinced I shouldn't be running and shouldn't be going for a fast time. I asked if anyone needed pacing round in 25 minutes.
I ran my usual 2k warm up and the legs felt heavy but produced 8mpm, which was faster than I was expecting. Lined up for the start and suddenly felt light on my feet - guess it was the light weight cycling socks rather than blister resistant thick running socks I normally prefer. Legs still felt heavy and didn't want to risk injury. 4:10 for the first km, ran the second km chatting and watching the form of those around me. I know my style is far from perfect but a session recently with Neil Featherby had me looking at toe landers, circular leg actions, lopsided shoulders, backward leans and uneven arm swings. Second km was done in 4:00. Third km was the usual slower split that I've come to expect with the Wroxham course of 4:22. With just over 2km to go, and inspired by our Olympic success I went into overtake mode from the bend and clocked 3:56 and 3:55. Total time of 20:24. Whilst still 44seconds off a PB it is still my fastest 5k as a Vet (oh, okay 1st 5k as a Vet), my fastest 5k for 3 years and way faster than I had any right to run. So I'm a very happy bunny with that performance, very happy with my training in prep for the Ironman and very happy with how my body seems to be coping with the training. Not promising anything great for the Ironman just the finish but I'm sure I'll have fun getting round. Have I mentioned my just giving site of www.justgiving.com/roblines?

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.

Ironman South Africa

Did it and did it well getting 4 personal bests on route. 1:00:05 for the swim (including shower and run up the beach to transition. 5:40 for the bike which was an absolute blast. The run was hard, but fun and completed in 4:15 making for an overall time of 11:12:25 which was 58minutes faster than my previous Ironman outing.

Finished 292nd out of 1404 so up there. But not quite as 'up there' as a couple of people I met the following day at the slot allocation session. Ended up sitting next to fellow Britts Stephen Bayliss and Bella Comerford who had won the overall race and the ladies race respectively.

A big congratulations to the pair of them. Well done also to my travelling buddy and room mate Russell Clarke, we went out onto the run together and he finished in a time of 10:52:24, 203rd overall and 5th in his age group. His time is the second fastest by a Tri-Anglia member.

Running in PE

Now been in Port Elizabeth for a few days (some pictures already on the tri-anglia website) had a couple of rides, a couple of swims and a couple of runs.
This morning's run will be the last longer run at 8.3miles, on which we saw a baboon/monkey in the university grounds. Route we followed: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1763138
Now just a week to go to Ironman South Africa. Looking forward to it. It's going to be interesting. Not sure I'm looking forward to running 3 times the distance that we ran this morning.
Just like to say thank you to everyone who has helped in my training so far, and to everyone who has made a donation to SIA.

Photos and trip diary have been added to www.tri-anglia.co.uk

What sort of time are you aiming for?

I've been asked a couple of times by people wishing me well for Ironman South Africa if I'm aiming for a time. To which my reply is that I'm not specifically aiming for time as so much is dependant on things coming together on the day.
Above all I want to finish and get the medal - if that means going slow and not setting a PB then thats fine with me - it is after all a different course and the weather can make a huge difference.
I'd like to be able to run the whole of the marathon, which could take 30mins off my time.
I'll be thrilled to complete and a PB (currently 12:10) would be nice.
Would be very happy to get uner 12 hours and ecstatic to get anywhere near 11hours - perhaps even insufferable.

Ironman South Africa Race Numbers now known

Entrant details are now available on the Ironman South Africa website. Just click here.

I'll be wearing number 915 and Russell Clarke 1542. They've got our ages and genders right but are crediting me (or is that insulting me) with being US rather than UK. (Grrrr.)

Bagged a PB today

On tired legs and in the freezing cold I cycled down to Bungay today with Mark Philo, Will Hall, Jonathan Tyrrell and Penny Edwards for the 2008 Great East Run. It was intending on treating it as a training run - nice and steady. Got the first kilometre done in under 4.5 mins which would be the pace for an aspirational 90minute 20k. So, tried to keep the pace going, and did and finished in a time of 1:29:22. A personal best of just over 7minutes.
The guys didn't seem very sympathetic towards my tired legs on the ride home.
I ran in my Tri-Anglia gillet and leggings. In doing so I had a couple of other Tri-Anglia members introduce themselves to me, which I really enjoyed. They were Rory Beaths and Paul Yallop.
Ironman Wk16 round up - this week involved 23.5miles running, just one swim session of 2.6km and 214miles of cycling.

Longer than planned long run

Had a 19mile run on the schedule today and heading out with legs tired from yesterday's 140mile bike ride it wasn't easy. Struggled to get going at the start, but with a new route on little known roads I was keen to explore and Sally was providing cycle support.
Despite writing out route notes we managed to deviate from the planed route. We got lost looking for turning that didn't exist and missed the one we should have taken. Ended up altering the route to ensure we got home rather than risk getting even more lost.
Eventual distance was exactly 21miles. Managed to run the whole way and despite getting lost and running on tired legs I got round in 3 hours. That would have been a target pace for fresh legs. So very pleased with that.
That takes the weeks total to 32 miles ran, 221 miles cycled and 4.3 miles swam. This week has seen me through the first 1,000 accumulative miles of training for 2008.
Next week is week 16 of the 24 week Ironman training schedule and I have my second running race of the year. The 20km Great East Run. They give out a bottle of beer to all finishers at that one. :-)

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.

South Africa rather than New Zealand

Due to a number of reasons the group that had been planing on traveling to the other side of the world for the New Zealand Ironman had come done to just one. Me.
I've now entered Ironman South Africa instead. It is a whole load nearer. Takes me to a country that I've not been to and would like to go to. It's six weeks later, so I'm already up on my training and being the same day as the London Marathon it should be easy to find company for my long runs.
All I need to do is remove the ticker time to the left and work out which charity I'm going to be raising funds for in 2008.

Ironman New Zealand looking unlikely

Found out on Tuesday that the group of 4 that I was part of going out to New Zealand for the Ironman on 1st March is now down to just me. A couple of us had been planning on extending the trip with 5 weeks training in Australia on the way out. Now need to decide if I want it that badly to go on my own. Need to choose between an expensive 2 month solo trip or loose £50 on the entry and find something else to do. Don't suppose anyone out there knows of any traveling companions that I could have to help share some costs?

Ironman New Zealand - now building

Today is the first day of week 7 of the 24 week Ironman training schedule that I'm following for Ironman New Zealand.
Importantly it's the first day of the second 6 week phase of the schedule. The first 6 weeks were about aclimatising to training. These next 6 weeks are about 'building'.
How's the progress coming along? Well the biking seems reasonable. The running is probably the best it's ever been, certainly over longer distances. The swimming is off the boil, but with some technique tips and a swim routine I'm sure that it will come back.

Ironman New Zealand week 3

Following a couple of lethargic weeks and a wedding I feel I actually got in a sensible amount of training this week. After three weeks of 50-60 miles on the bike I managed to log 162 and ran 24.3 although still only 1 swim of 3k. Not bad, things generally going in the right direction.

Ironman New Zealand Training Schedule Starts Here

My 24 week Ironman New Zealand training scheduled started yesterday. Have managed to get in two runs with CoNAC so far. Two swims, both at the UEA straight after the runs with yesterdays a solo 2.5k session and today's a 2.8k session with EAST. Only training ride so far has been lunchtime, but with getting around on the bike I'm almost at 30miles.

Ironman New Zealand

The 24 week training schedule starts this coming Monday. There I was thinking that it started a week on Monday.
My 16.5mile stage of the Round Norfolk Relay for Tri-Anglia at 6am this coming Saturday should be a good start.

What to do after an Ironman

Since completing the Ironman I've been wondering what to do next. In fact that pondering started even before the Swiss Ironman.
Some friends had been talking about New Zealand Ironman, and I'd been entertaining the thought but was enjoying procrastinating over the decision.
Earlier this week 11 other members of Tri-Anglia entered Ironman Austria, which filled in 18 hours.
I got my entry in for the Vitruvian Triathlon and the Amsterdam Half marathon.
I then got a text from Gareth Walker
"Well I've registered for New Zealand. What date are you looking to fly out? I'll put my holiday form in on Monday."
That'll be the procrastination over then. I've now got an entry.