Running and stuff

While I am glad that #turbovember is over I am also glad of the kick start that it's given me. It was a shame that a chunk of it was conducted while I was fighting something off but it got me spinning the wheels regularly and made it a habit and I need to keep that habit going. The cold snap that we are having has made the prospect of long, slow bike miles not a pleasant prospect so having read some threads and websites and with a change of focus to shorter racing next year, I have also decided to change how I do my bike miles. I am going to cut out the 'junk' miles and focus on shorter sessions either on the turbo or a weekend road interval session on the local tt routes that I know are accurately measured. No more than 2 hours with tt paced intervals and short rests after a warm up. I know I can ride a bike slowly for a long time, but that's not what I am trying to achieve for next summer where I am going to have to ride really hard for 60-80 minutes then get of and run hard. Except for weight loss, slow miles are not going to help with that kind of racing and in the last 4 years I have only made small gains on the bike, through lack of consistency and not training effectively enough when I do. The more technically minded might call it 'reverse periodisation'; I call it being race specific. It's not going to make me slower...

Another run this morning for 75 minutes, I think Simon and I covered about 15kms, a fast start, a slow middle and a fast end. I just felt that little bit stronger than last week and I was running much better at the end. I absolutely frickin' love running at the moment, much helped by the glorious conditions that we have had for the last three Sundays. Please, please let it continue. Still taking it easy, stretching, wearing the right shoes, padding my shoes, running on soft surfaces where possible. I cannot see what more I can do and it seems to be working. I will be taking part in the #Jantastic Spring motivation challenge next month which will be when I really kick-off my marathon training but at the moment the aim is to run 15 miles comfortably by the end of the month, which looks pretty doable at the moment.

So at the moment, I have the following events entered for next year;

Votwo Duathlon in March - 5k/20k/5k

London Marathon - April

East Grinstead Tri May - 500m / 26k / 5k

Dambuster Tri in June - 1500m / 40k / 10k

I'm going to look for an early half marathon and another half or 20mile race before London and another tri in May. I am going to need the race practise before the Dambuster to sharpen up a bit Hopefully, all being well I may have a tt bike to race on as well. I admit it; I am going to buy some speed but I'll need every bit of help that I can get and you can never own enough bikes.