30th Sept 2013
I mentioned in my previous post that for the next 3 months I will be making some changes to my current training plan. The goal of this phase is to primarily improve endurance, however, hopefully not compromising the gains I made in the previous quarter in relation to speed.
So by the time I commence phase 3 of my plan in January 2014 I will be at a stage to build further on endurance but also re introduce more speed work, or to use the correct term 'muscular endurance'.
Today was the first day of phase 2 and this first week I call the 'settle in week'. To give you an idea here is what I will be doing this week:
Mon: Swim (main set was just 2 x400metres / Gym core exercises (various sit ups / Run 5km recovery
Tue: 45km Cycle 70% effort
Wed: Swim (main set 5x200metres) Gym (body weight exercises focusing on lats/back namely pull ups). Run on track (speed work)(main set of 6 x 500 metres)
Thu: Cycle 21km (hilly) 85% effort followed by 2km easy run off bike
Fri: Cycle 50km 70% effort/ Swim (main set 12x25 metres and 6x50/100 metres)
Sat: Run 12.5km easy at 65% effort
Sun: Gym body weight chest exercises (various press ups)
As the weeks pass the cycle volume will increase ( by 5% each week) the swim sets will also increase in both yardage and intensity. You might be surprised to see that I do 3 gym sessions, however, don't read too much into this. One session is simply 30 minutes of core work I can do in my own home, one session is 25 minutes approx of press /push ups (again can be done at home) and the other session is just me and a pull up bar again about 25 minutes. I find these sessions help me maintain good ratio strength to body weight without putting on too much bulk that weight training would give you.
I believe you need to go a little by how you feel, some days you feel tired and you have to say OK I will miss this session. Its not worth putting yourself at risk of injury, but of course you need to be flexible. Most of us have to work and have things going on in our lives, I therefore plan each week on the Sunday according to what my other commitments are for the week ahead.
I guess at the moment my training volume is just over 10 hours per week, this will obviously increase during the next couple of months but I really intend to put a clear focus on each session.
I work in 3 month cycles and at the end of each month Week 4 I do what I call a regeneration week, basically this is an easier week and this is where I will do my time trials in each of the disciplines to plot progress and to get a feel of where I am in terms of the plan.
Finally, a quick word on time management, where possible I will try and run or cycle to work and build that into the plan, or sometimes instead of driving to the shops I will take a rucksack and run there.
Anyway, had an idea, I will share with you in a future post, but before I do I want to think it over a bit more..must say I am quite excited about it..
speak soon ..David Ed Smith
Monday, 30 September 2013
Sunday, 29 September 2013
Ironman Crusade: Review of first 3 months
29th Sept 2013
Well 3 months of training draws to an end and already I am now thinking of the next 3 months which will lead me in to Christmas.
At the start of my training at the beginning of July I set some targets for the swim, cycle and run. I like to work towards target goals as I find it helps to keep me motivated. One of the challenges of setting targets is of course making sure they are realistic but also ambitious enough to keep you on your toes.
My targets were as follows:
Swim 400 metres under 7 minutes: my best time was in fact 7 minutes 7 seconds
Cycle a 30 km time trial (hilly route) in under 55 minutes 30 seconds: my best time was 54.26
Run a 5 mile (8km) (fairly hilly route) in under 37 minutes: my best time was 34.55
Overall, pleased with progress in cycle and run but of course recognise swim needs some attention
You may find it somewhat odd that for Ironman training my targets are in comparison to the rigours of Ironman very short in distance. The answer to this is two fold, firstly my mileage to date has been short as I wanted to work on speed and secondly I didn't want to set targets for long time trials as yet because my long duration training will start proper in the next 3 months. Also I will need to focus for the next 3 months on getting plenty of miles in the bank, particularly on the bike, where my training will be all about getting my endurance engine up to the required level.
The next 3 months training will take on a different look, namely: a longer weekly cycle which will see mileage gradually increase as the weeks pass, a new swim programme, which will focus on technique, building swim fitness and speed, details to follow. I don't intend to change much on my current run training other than increase the distance of my recovery run, I am acutely aware of the dangers of burnout and injury as a result of run training overload.
In terms of new targets I have set the following for the next 3 months (to end of December) I will take monthly time trials during my regeneration weeks to test my progress, my new targets are set as follows:
Swim 400 metres under 6 minutes 30 seconds (47 seconds under current PB)
Cycle a 30 km time trial (hilly route) in under 53 minutes (1 min 26 seconds under PB)
Run a 5 mile (8km) (fairly hilly route) in under 33 minutes 30 seconds (1 min 25 seconds under PB)
So tomorrow is a new dawn, it's a new day and I'm feeling good...
David Ed Smith
Well 3 months of training draws to an end and already I am now thinking of the next 3 months which will lead me in to Christmas.
At the start of my training at the beginning of July I set some targets for the swim, cycle and run. I like to work towards target goals as I find it helps to keep me motivated. One of the challenges of setting targets is of course making sure they are realistic but also ambitious enough to keep you on your toes.
My targets were as follows:
Swim 400 metres under 7 minutes: my best time was in fact 7 minutes 7 seconds
Cycle a 30 km time trial (hilly route) in under 55 minutes 30 seconds: my best time was 54.26
Run a 5 mile (8km) (fairly hilly route) in under 37 minutes: my best time was 34.55
Overall, pleased with progress in cycle and run but of course recognise swim needs some attention
You may find it somewhat odd that for Ironman training my targets are in comparison to the rigours of Ironman very short in distance. The answer to this is two fold, firstly my mileage to date has been short as I wanted to work on speed and secondly I didn't want to set targets for long time trials as yet because my long duration training will start proper in the next 3 months. Also I will need to focus for the next 3 months on getting plenty of miles in the bank, particularly on the bike, where my training will be all about getting my endurance engine up to the required level.
The next 3 months training will take on a different look, namely: a longer weekly cycle which will see mileage gradually increase as the weeks pass, a new swim programme, which will focus on technique, building swim fitness and speed, details to follow. I don't intend to change much on my current run training other than increase the distance of my recovery run, I am acutely aware of the dangers of burnout and injury as a result of run training overload.
In terms of new targets I have set the following for the next 3 months (to end of December) I will take monthly time trials during my regeneration weeks to test my progress, my new targets are set as follows:
Swim 400 metres under 6 minutes 30 seconds (47 seconds under current PB)
Cycle a 30 km time trial (hilly route) in under 53 minutes (1 min 26 seconds under PB)
Run a 5 mile (8km) (fairly hilly route) in under 33 minutes 30 seconds (1 min 25 seconds under PB)
So tomorrow is a new dawn, it's a new day and I'm feeling good...
David Ed Smith
Thursday, 26 September 2013
Ironman Crusade: The winter gloom is approaching
26th Sept 2013
Staying motivated during the English winter always presents a significant challenge. Although the winter here is fairly mild compared to some countries, its nonetheless, long, dark, damp, wet and dreary.
However, I am not going to take on a negative approach this winter, I intend to get out there and feel the cold wind and embrace the darkness. This is where the real work begins..
A few years ago I rented a small pretty cottage with an open fire and beams throughout the house. The cottage had no heating and temperatures during one winter plummeted to minus ten. We had heavy snow so I kept the fire going all day and night, the house reminded me of a small galleon with its beams and old creaking doors.
My sons loved the house it was very basic but incredibly cosy and inviting ,it dated back to the 18th century. I mention this because it made me realise that living like this makes you feel so alive, and this is why I shall be out there, come wind, rain or shine...
On another note my eldest Son announced out of the blue that one day he is going to win Ironman Hawaii....You know I didn't have to say much, maybe being the proud bias father that I am..I believe him!
David Ed Smith
Staying motivated during the English winter always presents a significant challenge. Although the winter here is fairly mild compared to some countries, its nonetheless, long, dark, damp, wet and dreary.
However, I am not going to take on a negative approach this winter, I intend to get out there and feel the cold wind and embrace the darkness. This is where the real work begins..
A few years ago I rented a small pretty cottage with an open fire and beams throughout the house. The cottage had no heating and temperatures during one winter plummeted to minus ten. We had heavy snow so I kept the fire going all day and night, the house reminded me of a small galleon with its beams and old creaking doors.
My sons loved the house it was very basic but incredibly cosy and inviting ,it dated back to the 18th century. I mention this because it made me realise that living like this makes you feel so alive, and this is why I shall be out there, come wind, rain or shine...
On another note my eldest Son announced out of the blue that one day he is going to win Ironman Hawaii....You know I didn't have to say much, maybe being the proud bias father that I am..I believe him!
David Ed Smith
Wednesday, 25 September 2013
Ironman Crusade: The search for Elysium
25th Sept 2013
I saw the film 'Elysium' the other week and it got me thinking.. Elysium originates from Greek mythology and the Oxford Dictionary definition is:
I saw the film 'Elysium' the other week and it got me thinking.. Elysium originates from Greek mythology and the Oxford Dictionary definition is:
via Latin from Greek Elusion (pedion) '(plain) of the blessed
I think we all search for something which we regard as a place or state of complete happiness and fulfilment. Do we ever get there? I suspect not because we have a natural tendency to never be quite satisfied.
What we really thrive on however, is the journey, the dream and the quest that is within all of us to venture into the unknown...You are probably thinking what has this to do with training for Ironman and has he gone completely mad!
Well I mention this because a few years ago when I said to myself that I was going to do an Ironman and I don't care how long it takes I just want to finish it. I was content at that time to achieve my goal, why then do I want to do it again. The simple answer is I want to give everything I have this time round to achieve the goal of completing an Ironman.
This leads me on nicely to the question of having the goal to finish or the goal of completing it in a certain time. I read somewhere that no matter what your level your primary goal should be to complete the distance. Its almost disrespectful and somewhat greedy to have a target time.
I would simply say this, for me, I would like to finish it and ensure that I leave no stone unturned in my quest to achieve that. Last time as previously mentioned I turned up with very little training or preparation and somehow managed to get round in just over 15 hours. I would like to see what can be achieved with training and the right application. If I complete it, and even better, complete it faster than my first effort then I will be delighted. However, something tells me regardless of the outcome I will continue in my crusade.
David Ed Smith
Monday, 23 September 2013
Ironman Crusade: Review of training to date
23rd Sept 2013
This is the last week of my first 3 months training. Phase 2 begins next week and I will be setting new objectives and targets.
Overall I am fairly satisfied, progress has been made and I think I am on the right lines, the next 3 months will be the real barometer. I say that because the beginning of any training plan is where I would expect to make the quick wins and gains.
The positives are improved cycling and running, a resting heart rate of 41 BPM and losing a few pounds in weight.
The only area which hasn't seen any significant improvement is the swim.
This week I will be doing my last time trials to get my final swim, cycle and run data in so there is still a chance I can hit my 400 metres swim goal of under 7 minutes. Will let you know at the end of the week the final data.
On a final note, something which I haven't yet mentioned but is absolutely fundamental to any serious plan are the impact of everyday life, by that I mean work, children, family relationships and so on. You simply have to take all of this into consideration, but strangely it all adds up to making doing endurance sport all the more challenging
Bye for now David Ed Smith
This is the last week of my first 3 months training. Phase 2 begins next week and I will be setting new objectives and targets.
Overall I am fairly satisfied, progress has been made and I think I am on the right lines, the next 3 months will be the real barometer. I say that because the beginning of any training plan is where I would expect to make the quick wins and gains.
The positives are improved cycling and running, a resting heart rate of 41 BPM and losing a few pounds in weight.
The only area which hasn't seen any significant improvement is the swim.
This week I will be doing my last time trials to get my final swim, cycle and run data in so there is still a chance I can hit my 400 metres swim goal of under 7 minutes. Will let you know at the end of the week the final data.
On a final note, something which I haven't yet mentioned but is absolutely fundamental to any serious plan are the impact of everyday life, by that I mean work, children, family relationships and so on. You simply have to take all of this into consideration, but strangely it all adds up to making doing endurance sport all the more challenging
Bye for now David Ed Smith
Friday, 20 September 2013
Ironman Crusade: Nutrition, Im always hungry
20th Sept 2013
It's true, I don't think there is hardly a time when I'm not hungry. I have always been relatively slim, in fact I used to worry that one day I would disappear. Of course as you get older weight can be become an issue, but its not a big deal.
I have a fast metabolism if I am exercising and start getting hungry I need to fuel up fast otherwise I simply cant function. I eat a fairly healthy diet, plenty of protein, vegetables and good carbs, I eat wholemeal bread and pasta and have muesli or porridge in the morning, I eat lots of fruit too. Sounds very good eh! However, I need to drink more water and I drink far too much coffee which is something I need to sort out.
I barely touch alcohol and never really have, I have the odd glass of wine or beer but very rarely, I don't smoke but did in my younger days, I was a 20 a day man and smoked for more than 10 years. Even back then I was always doing some sport or other.
So what about when I'm exercising, pre exercise I will knock down a coffee! a couple of bananas and maybe a cereal bar. During a long run or cycle I will take gels, energy bars and some water. Post workout I eat whatever I can get my hands on depending literally what I can find in the kitchen.
I try and avoid biscuits, chocolate and crisps but of course if there in the house I will eat them. Basically I always say to friends and family, if you put any type of food near me I will eat it, if you want to loose weight don't buy the bad food, its simple really.
I weigh 12 stone about 78kg (I think) losing a few pounds for me makes a big difference on the bike and run. A lot is made of making bikes as light as possible so we can go faster, surely shifting a few pounds off the waistline is the way forward, not to mention being a darn sight cheaper!
I remember doing a cycle last year and on the way home I realised I had nothing to eat, it was a warm day and I literally felt the energy drain from my body, each pedal stoke was an effort. I sat up on the bike and tried to gather myself, there were still a few hills to go and I was beginning to feel desperate for some fuel. I carried on a couple more miles but it was getting serious, I started going a little dizzy, I was in the middle of nowhere.
I felt a sticky cold perspiration around my neck, the sort that you get when you feel faint...Just as I was beginning to literally fall off my bike through exhaustion and weakness I saw my saviour. There on the side of the road was a big beautiful blackberry bush. I dived off and got stuck into the little red nuggets, it gave me the sugar boost I needed. A couple of cars passed by and I got some strange looks as they were looking at a man in Lycra ripping off blackberries with the purple juices of the blackberry stained all over his face. I didn't care, I got my fix I rode the rest of the way home like Lance Armstrong, only my fuel was legal!
Anyway, I have a lot to learn about nutrition, I was thinking about salt tablets and how often I should take on board fuel during the bike and run leg of Ironman. I will try this out in training, but if you are reading this let me know what you do. I have a feeling that there are some gains to be made from getting the right nutrition strategy
bye for now David Ed Smith
It's true, I don't think there is hardly a time when I'm not hungry. I have always been relatively slim, in fact I used to worry that one day I would disappear. Of course as you get older weight can be become an issue, but its not a big deal.
I have a fast metabolism if I am exercising and start getting hungry I need to fuel up fast otherwise I simply cant function. I eat a fairly healthy diet, plenty of protein, vegetables and good carbs, I eat wholemeal bread and pasta and have muesli or porridge in the morning, I eat lots of fruit too. Sounds very good eh! However, I need to drink more water and I drink far too much coffee which is something I need to sort out.
I barely touch alcohol and never really have, I have the odd glass of wine or beer but very rarely, I don't smoke but did in my younger days, I was a 20 a day man and smoked for more than 10 years. Even back then I was always doing some sport or other.
So what about when I'm exercising, pre exercise I will knock down a coffee! a couple of bananas and maybe a cereal bar. During a long run or cycle I will take gels, energy bars and some water. Post workout I eat whatever I can get my hands on depending literally what I can find in the kitchen.
I try and avoid biscuits, chocolate and crisps but of course if there in the house I will eat them. Basically I always say to friends and family, if you put any type of food near me I will eat it, if you want to loose weight don't buy the bad food, its simple really.
I weigh 12 stone about 78kg (I think) losing a few pounds for me makes a big difference on the bike and run. A lot is made of making bikes as light as possible so we can go faster, surely shifting a few pounds off the waistline is the way forward, not to mention being a darn sight cheaper!
I remember doing a cycle last year and on the way home I realised I had nothing to eat, it was a warm day and I literally felt the energy drain from my body, each pedal stoke was an effort. I sat up on the bike and tried to gather myself, there were still a few hills to go and I was beginning to feel desperate for some fuel. I carried on a couple more miles but it was getting serious, I started going a little dizzy, I was in the middle of nowhere.
I felt a sticky cold perspiration around my neck, the sort that you get when you feel faint...Just as I was beginning to literally fall off my bike through exhaustion and weakness I saw my saviour. There on the side of the road was a big beautiful blackberry bush. I dived off and got stuck into the little red nuggets, it gave me the sugar boost I needed. A couple of cars passed by and I got some strange looks as they were looking at a man in Lycra ripping off blackberries with the purple juices of the blackberry stained all over his face. I didn't care, I got my fix I rode the rest of the way home like Lance Armstrong, only my fuel was legal!
Anyway, I have a lot to learn about nutrition, I was thinking about salt tablets and how often I should take on board fuel during the bike and run leg of Ironman. I will try this out in training, but if you are reading this let me know what you do. I have a feeling that there are some gains to be made from getting the right nutrition strategy
bye for now David Ed Smith
Ironman Crusade: The Run: 'Dont ever let them see you coming'
19th Sept 2013
Let me start with a quote from the film 'Devil's Advocate'
"Don't get too cocky my boy. No matter how good you are don't ever let them see you coming. That's the gaffe my friend. You gotta keep yourself small. Innocuous. Be the little guy. You know, the nerd... the leper... shit-kickin' surfer. Look at me. "'
Running is natural and something which we have done since the dawn of time. Its a shame that many runners suffer with sore knees, knocks and pains as they crank up the miles. I often wondered why the Romans could easily cover 50 miles a day, perhaps its the surface, running on tarmac as we do just cant be good for the joints.
In my run training I have tried to do some off road running and vary the surfaces I run on. My run plan is very straight forward, I want to get quicker for sprint triathlons and the long distance Ironman. To achieve this in my first 3 months I have incorporated a long steady run, almost like a recovery run, actually I say long but its no more than 9 miles. I try and do a track session every week also, this is where I do my interval training and speed work, for example 8 x400 metres with a 400 metres recovery between each set, on other days I will do 800s or 1km intervals.
These sessions are great for getting your times down. I did a session this week on the track and got my 1km times down to just under 4 minutes. One of my goals is to run a sub 40 minutes 10 km and I have made some decent progress to date. I will let you know what targets I have set myself for all 3 disciplines so you can see the sort of goals I am trying to reach, you might think they are a little unrealistic, for example my 10km goal by Spring 2014 I have set at sub 38 minutes. My best ever 10km was about 5 years ago and was just under 42 minutes! but back then I didn't have any structure to my training.
I want to aim high, maybe that goes against the norm, some people say if you aim too high and you don't get there you will only suffer disappointment. That doesn't wash with me, if I don't achieve my goals but know I have given everything to get there then I will sleep nice and easy knowing that at least I tried.
My other run sessions are a tempo / fairly fast run of 5 km or 5 miles depending on the route I have chosen. For these I plot my average heart rate and times. It s a simple formula really, if my heart rate is coming down and I'm getting faster then all in the garden is rosy!
I live in a small town surrounded by pretty villages and lots of hills, so most of my routes are fairly hilly, I like that, it helps build leg strength, in fact, I think I prefer a hilly triathlon run course, I guess my heart likes the intensity and rest periods associated with hill work.
I am not too scientific in my training I like to go by feel but I do use a heart rate monitor. I don't work in zones and I don't download the data. I do however record on a spreadsheet the route, distance, time taken and my average heart rate. Being an avid football fan I still play football with some friends once a week. This is a five a side game and I count this as a run session. Its fast and furious and its very stop and start, I usually finish with my shirt soaked in sweat!
I think I spoke about some of the things which are key to achieving the goal of becoming and Ironman, I know I mentioned the swim, the cycle, the run, nutrition, rest, mental strength and planning. I guess the beauty of triathlon is you can control all of the variables, OK you might get unlucky and have a technical problem on the bike but generally you are in charge of your own destiny.
The run is where the race is often won and lost, Im convinced pacing is the key, and this is something I intend to work on. I dont know if I mentioned in an earlier post, maybe I did, but anyway I did a 9 mile off road race on Sunday. It was hills, hills and more hills, but the scenary was breathtaking, I loved every second of the pain, it was so liberating, I know some of you will know exactly what i'm talking about..see you soon
David Ed Smith
Let me start with a quote from the film 'Devil's Advocate'
"Don't get too cocky my boy. No matter how good you are don't ever let them see you coming. That's the gaffe my friend. You gotta keep yourself small. Innocuous. Be the little guy. You know, the nerd... the leper... shit-kickin' surfer. Look at me. "'
Running is natural and something which we have done since the dawn of time. Its a shame that many runners suffer with sore knees, knocks and pains as they crank up the miles. I often wondered why the Romans could easily cover 50 miles a day, perhaps its the surface, running on tarmac as we do just cant be good for the joints.
In my run training I have tried to do some off road running and vary the surfaces I run on. My run plan is very straight forward, I want to get quicker for sprint triathlons and the long distance Ironman. To achieve this in my first 3 months I have incorporated a long steady run, almost like a recovery run, actually I say long but its no more than 9 miles. I try and do a track session every week also, this is where I do my interval training and speed work, for example 8 x400 metres with a 400 metres recovery between each set, on other days I will do 800s or 1km intervals.
These sessions are great for getting your times down. I did a session this week on the track and got my 1km times down to just under 4 minutes. One of my goals is to run a sub 40 minutes 10 km and I have made some decent progress to date. I will let you know what targets I have set myself for all 3 disciplines so you can see the sort of goals I am trying to reach, you might think they are a little unrealistic, for example my 10km goal by Spring 2014 I have set at sub 38 minutes. My best ever 10km was about 5 years ago and was just under 42 minutes! but back then I didn't have any structure to my training.
I want to aim high, maybe that goes against the norm, some people say if you aim too high and you don't get there you will only suffer disappointment. That doesn't wash with me, if I don't achieve my goals but know I have given everything to get there then I will sleep nice and easy knowing that at least I tried.
My other run sessions are a tempo / fairly fast run of 5 km or 5 miles depending on the route I have chosen. For these I plot my average heart rate and times. It s a simple formula really, if my heart rate is coming down and I'm getting faster then all in the garden is rosy!
I live in a small town surrounded by pretty villages and lots of hills, so most of my routes are fairly hilly, I like that, it helps build leg strength, in fact, I think I prefer a hilly triathlon run course, I guess my heart likes the intensity and rest periods associated with hill work.
I am not too scientific in my training I like to go by feel but I do use a heart rate monitor. I don't work in zones and I don't download the data. I do however record on a spreadsheet the route, distance, time taken and my average heart rate. Being an avid football fan I still play football with some friends once a week. This is a five a side game and I count this as a run session. Its fast and furious and its very stop and start, I usually finish with my shirt soaked in sweat!
I think I spoke about some of the things which are key to achieving the goal of becoming and Ironman, I know I mentioned the swim, the cycle, the run, nutrition, rest, mental strength and planning. I guess the beauty of triathlon is you can control all of the variables, OK you might get unlucky and have a technical problem on the bike but generally you are in charge of your own destiny.
The run is where the race is often won and lost, Im convinced pacing is the key, and this is something I intend to work on. I dont know if I mentioned in an earlier post, maybe I did, but anyway I did a 9 mile off road race on Sunday. It was hills, hills and more hills, but the scenary was breathtaking, I loved every second of the pain, it was so liberating, I know some of you will know exactly what i'm talking about..see you soon
David Ed Smith
Thursday, 19 September 2013
Ironman Crusade: The Cycle, 'I want to ride my bicycle'
18th Sept 2013
Well as promised here is what my plan involves with regards running and cycling: It's rather like a winters day: short, dark and dirty..very straight forward and in the first 3 months I have already hit my targets and knocked off time in both disciplines:
Today I will talk about the cycle:
Firstly the cycle, I aim for 3 rides a week: One fairly long and steady making sure my average heart rate is around 130bpm, my max heart rate is 173. This at the moment is around a 2 hour ride, but of course it will increase as I train through the winter months with the goal of building up a good endurance base in readiness for Ironman next year.
My second ride is a short hilly ride. I have a 12 mile loop with 4 nasty hills I like to do this or cycle to one of the hills and do hill repeats with the recovery being the spin back down to the bottom. I find this is great to build leg strength, and beats doing weights. Speaking of weights, I have been going to the gym for a few years but my new plan has reduced weight training significantly. The reason why is it simply does not marry well with my endurance goals. However, I also believe strength, in particular core strength, is important, so I tend to do body weight exercises like pull ups, press ups and various sit ups, I will talk about this in a later post!
My third ride is a tempo ride of 30km, my average heart rate for this ride will be around 155bpm. In some of these rides I will over gear for a few kilometres and really get my heart rate up and then recover and repeat. I intend to build on this training in the next few months. I have a 30km loop which is the local sprint tri route. I set a target of sub 55.30 by end of September 30th I have already got my time down to 54.39. Its a very hilly technical course and the fastest cyclists in this years triathlon completed the course in 50 minutes. So I have about 4 minutes to make up, I think that's achievable.
I have 2 bikes; a sturdy old road bike which is a Cannondale which I use during the winter months and for general getting around on. I did Ironman UK 2008 on this so we go back a few years and I am rather affectionate of the old girl. My other bike is a Felt B2 TT 2008 model. I don't have any time saving upgrades like Zipp wheels or an aero helmet etc but I have decided to look into getting some new wheels, new bike shoes and an aero helmet in preparation for my assault on Ironman and my sprint triathlons next year. Obviously this could cost me, but I think I may have a cunning plan. I am going to hire the wheels and aero helmet from a bike store I found just outside London. I don't see the point of having expensive wheels which you only use for a few months in the summer. Also I honestly don't know if it will make me much faster. If it does then at least then I can look into investing in some in the future.
I will try and get around to putting some photos of me and the bikes and also some shots of my local area for you to muse over...
I enjoy cycling and will not make the mistake I made in 2008 where I simply didn't do the training for the bike leg on Ironman. Ironman then was set around Sherborne Castle in Dorset. I can honestly say I totally got my bottom spanked..By mile 80 I was in bloody agony with over 30 miles cycling to go and a marathon waiting for me as well, to this day I don't know how I managed to complete the course. If you are reading this and are planning to do an Ironman please take one bit of advice from someone who suffered, get the miles in on the bike. I started well enough, if I recall it was a 3 lap route. On lap 1 I felt great and smugly thought how easy this all was as I spinned my way through England's fine green pastures and quaint villages. By lap 3 I was in serious trouble and was desparate to get my feet firmly on the floor. Out of the 3 disciplines the bike was by far the hardest. In 2009 Ironman moved upto the the North of England to Bolton where it still is today, maybe one day I will try the course out.
Just on a final note the course I am doing next year is set in the New Forest, hence the name 'Forestman'. I have looked it up on You Tube and it looks to me that the course is fairly challenging, with the run looking like possibly the hardest, with lots of hills and off road elements. I will try and recce the cycle route and try a loop out in the Spring, will let you know what its like..
Will talk next time about my run training, bet you cant wait!
Thats all for now folks..David Ed Smith
Well as promised here is what my plan involves with regards running and cycling: It's rather like a winters day: short, dark and dirty..very straight forward and in the first 3 months I have already hit my targets and knocked off time in both disciplines:
Today I will talk about the cycle:
Firstly the cycle, I aim for 3 rides a week: One fairly long and steady making sure my average heart rate is around 130bpm, my max heart rate is 173. This at the moment is around a 2 hour ride, but of course it will increase as I train through the winter months with the goal of building up a good endurance base in readiness for Ironman next year.
My second ride is a short hilly ride. I have a 12 mile loop with 4 nasty hills I like to do this or cycle to one of the hills and do hill repeats with the recovery being the spin back down to the bottom. I find this is great to build leg strength, and beats doing weights. Speaking of weights, I have been going to the gym for a few years but my new plan has reduced weight training significantly. The reason why is it simply does not marry well with my endurance goals. However, I also believe strength, in particular core strength, is important, so I tend to do body weight exercises like pull ups, press ups and various sit ups, I will talk about this in a later post!
My third ride is a tempo ride of 30km, my average heart rate for this ride will be around 155bpm. In some of these rides I will over gear for a few kilometres and really get my heart rate up and then recover and repeat. I intend to build on this training in the next few months. I have a 30km loop which is the local sprint tri route. I set a target of sub 55.30 by end of September 30th I have already got my time down to 54.39. Its a very hilly technical course and the fastest cyclists in this years triathlon completed the course in 50 minutes. So I have about 4 minutes to make up, I think that's achievable.
I have 2 bikes; a sturdy old road bike which is a Cannondale which I use during the winter months and for general getting around on. I did Ironman UK 2008 on this so we go back a few years and I am rather affectionate of the old girl. My other bike is a Felt B2 TT 2008 model. I don't have any time saving upgrades like Zipp wheels or an aero helmet etc but I have decided to look into getting some new wheels, new bike shoes and an aero helmet in preparation for my assault on Ironman and my sprint triathlons next year. Obviously this could cost me, but I think I may have a cunning plan. I am going to hire the wheels and aero helmet from a bike store I found just outside London. I don't see the point of having expensive wheels which you only use for a few months in the summer. Also I honestly don't know if it will make me much faster. If it does then at least then I can look into investing in some in the future.
I will try and get around to putting some photos of me and the bikes and also some shots of my local area for you to muse over...
I enjoy cycling and will not make the mistake I made in 2008 where I simply didn't do the training for the bike leg on Ironman. Ironman then was set around Sherborne Castle in Dorset. I can honestly say I totally got my bottom spanked..By mile 80 I was in bloody agony with over 30 miles cycling to go and a marathon waiting for me as well, to this day I don't know how I managed to complete the course. If you are reading this and are planning to do an Ironman please take one bit of advice from someone who suffered, get the miles in on the bike. I started well enough, if I recall it was a 3 lap route. On lap 1 I felt great and smugly thought how easy this all was as I spinned my way through England's fine green pastures and quaint villages. By lap 3 I was in serious trouble and was desparate to get my feet firmly on the floor. Out of the 3 disciplines the bike was by far the hardest. In 2009 Ironman moved upto the the North of England to Bolton where it still is today, maybe one day I will try the course out.
Just on a final note the course I am doing next year is set in the New Forest, hence the name 'Forestman'. I have looked it up on You Tube and it looks to me that the course is fairly challenging, with the run looking like possibly the hardest, with lots of hills and off road elements. I will try and recce the cycle route and try a loop out in the Spring, will let you know what its like..
Will talk next time about my run training, bet you cant wait!
Thats all for now folks..David Ed Smith
Tuesday, 17 September 2013
Ironman Crusade: Something about me
Sept 17th 2013
Thought I should give some background as to why I am sharing my thoughts and plans on my triathlon training...well the truth is I'm a selfish swine and it's more for my benefit. Let me explain, putting down in writing my targets, plans etc helps me to put all of this into some sort of order and structure.
If anyone out there can take something from my 'blogging' which they find useful then great, if not, hey ho.
Why am I doing all of this, some may might say its a mid life crisis, well not in my case, think that happened about 7 years ago. I'm now 47 years of age, weighing in at 12 stone and measuring 6 feet 2 inches. My life is complicated, if I were to tell you all you wouldn't believe it but think I might save that for a rainy day.
Going back to the original question,. If you ask most people what motivates them to do triathlon and Ironman you will likely here the reply: to challenge myself in the ultimate physical and mental challenge'. Well yes I suppose that's part of it but for me its also the race, the competition, identifying someone in a race and thinking yes he will be my rival, my nemesis..
It makes me laugh when you talk to fellow competitors and they say, I don't care where I come as long as I get a PB, I'm not racing to win or to beat anyone in particular I just want to finish in a better time than last time I did the race..Oh do me a favour, its a race its competitive and I like to try and beat the people on my level at least. Yes we all politely shake hands afterwards and say well done on the run, but if you get taken out with a few hundred metres to go, and yes we have all been there and heard the oncoming footsteps accelerate behind us, I'm pretty sure most people think as I do, take a mental note of the number, look him/her up afterwards in the results and make sure you don't see their fat rear end passing you by in any future race...
Having said all of that I also love the sense of fair play and recognising those that battle adversity and show grit and determination. We English like nothing more than the underdog and I'm no different. If someone needs assistance on the side of the road I will always jump off and offer a hand. I love the camaraderie of the long distance events, where it really is about getting to the end, no matter if you are sub 9 hours or sub 17 hours for Ironman, we all have one thing in common...PAIN
Sprint triathlon I guess is a different animal and maybe brings out the more competitive streak in me. Its short and dirty but I enjoy them in a different way. In my local triathlons I have a few rivals who I try and beat and others I aspire to challenge. I find it quite amusing as they are most likely oblivious to me and my competitiveness. I even give them nicknames: a lovely chap in my local sprint tri with the surname of 'Cooper' whom I refer to as 'Cooperman' and then there is the 'Colonel' a beast of a man, usually top 3 despite being in his early 50s. I'm coming for you Colonel, I know your splits...
Well next time I will talk as promised about what I'm doing with my running and cycling, bye for now
David Ed Smith
PS The 'Ed' bit of my name is short for Edward, having the name David Smith can cause problems with duplication, so I usually enter my name with the 'Ed' bit in races.
Thought I should give some background as to why I am sharing my thoughts and plans on my triathlon training...well the truth is I'm a selfish swine and it's more for my benefit. Let me explain, putting down in writing my targets, plans etc helps me to put all of this into some sort of order and structure.
If anyone out there can take something from my 'blogging' which they find useful then great, if not, hey ho.
Why am I doing all of this, some may might say its a mid life crisis, well not in my case, think that happened about 7 years ago. I'm now 47 years of age, weighing in at 12 stone and measuring 6 feet 2 inches. My life is complicated, if I were to tell you all you wouldn't believe it but think I might save that for a rainy day.
Going back to the original question,. If you ask most people what motivates them to do triathlon and Ironman you will likely here the reply: to challenge myself in the ultimate physical and mental challenge'. Well yes I suppose that's part of it but for me its also the race, the competition, identifying someone in a race and thinking yes he will be my rival, my nemesis..
It makes me laugh when you talk to fellow competitors and they say, I don't care where I come as long as I get a PB, I'm not racing to win or to beat anyone in particular I just want to finish in a better time than last time I did the race..Oh do me a favour, its a race its competitive and I like to try and beat the people on my level at least. Yes we all politely shake hands afterwards and say well done on the run, but if you get taken out with a few hundred metres to go, and yes we have all been there and heard the oncoming footsteps accelerate behind us, I'm pretty sure most people think as I do, take a mental note of the number, look him/her up afterwards in the results and make sure you don't see their fat rear end passing you by in any future race...
Having said all of that I also love the sense of fair play and recognising those that battle adversity and show grit and determination. We English like nothing more than the underdog and I'm no different. If someone needs assistance on the side of the road I will always jump off and offer a hand. I love the camaraderie of the long distance events, where it really is about getting to the end, no matter if you are sub 9 hours or sub 17 hours for Ironman, we all have one thing in common...PAIN
Sprint triathlon I guess is a different animal and maybe brings out the more competitive streak in me. Its short and dirty but I enjoy them in a different way. In my local triathlons I have a few rivals who I try and beat and others I aspire to challenge. I find it quite amusing as they are most likely oblivious to me and my competitiveness. I even give them nicknames: a lovely chap in my local sprint tri with the surname of 'Cooper' whom I refer to as 'Cooperman' and then there is the 'Colonel' a beast of a man, usually top 3 despite being in his early 50s. I'm coming for you Colonel, I know your splits...
Well next time I will talk as promised about what I'm doing with my running and cycling, bye for now
David Ed Smith
PS The 'Ed' bit of my name is short for Edward, having the name David Smith can cause problems with duplication, so I usually enter my name with the 'Ed' bit in races.
Ironman Crusade: The Swim 'going for gold'
17th Sept 2013
Swimming for me and no doubt many others is the most frustrating aspect to triathlon. Unlike running and cycling where more training usually equates to improved times, swimming just dosent work like that.
I have looked at swimming in some detail, I went to the London Olympics and watched the world's best swimmers, I watched closely their technique and marvelled at their effortless speed through the water.
I have devised numerous swim plans to improve times over the years but I always seem to plateau. I have tried swimming longer distance, mixing strokes, working on technique, swim speed and so on. I think I have finally found a formula to improve my swimming and hopefully move up to the faster swim waves in next years triathlons.
As a rule of thumb I try and swim 3 times a week for about 40 minutes to an hour. I used to swim one long swim at a comfortable pace and then medioum swim sets of 200 metres or so on the other 2 sessions.
MY TIMES WERE HARDLY IMPROVING I HAD TO CHANGE SOMETHING SO THIS IS WHAT I DID.:
Swimming is about feeling the water and creating good memory so when you swim that one beautiful length and you feel like a dolphin you have a desire to reproduce it again and again. This might sound a bit weird, but for me, if I am labouring and fighting through the water and having an off day then I stop right there. Take a few minutes, take stock and maybe do a couple of lenghts on technique.
So for Quarter 1 of my training plan, I have devised a simple swim plan: Basically, I swim 3 times a week. Session one is a 350 metre warm up where I include some drills, such as catch up, fist drills, finger tip drills etc. My main set is 8x100 at 80% effort with 30 sec rest intervals and then a 350 m warm down (include some back stroke)
For session 2 and 3 its the same warm up and warm down but for session 2 its 16 x50metres at 85% efffort with 40 sec rest and session 32 x25metres at 90% effort with 45 sec rest. So that's 3 swims a week of 1500 metres for each session. Not a lot of swimming but as the year progresses I will increase the yardage. My main goal for Q1 and Q2 is to get my body and mind encoded into the memory of swimming fast...You might look at this and think where is the endurance swimming? Well you may well be proved right, only time will tell. The plan is to set a time trial every 4 weeks of 400 metres initially and plot progress. Will let you know how it goes. My last TT for 400 metres was 7.07. My target by end of Quarter 1 (Q1) is sub 7 minutes. Only a few weeks to go to end of September and end of Q1 so nearly there. End of Q2 (end of December this year) my target is sub 6.30!
One thing I also want to mention is technique..I do not swim bi laterlally. I prefer to swim to one side, I will do some bi lateral lengths in my warm up/down. The bottom line is I feel breathing to one side is where I feel comfortable. I am 6 ft 2" and have a fairly long stroke ( it could be better) but I generally take 18 to 19 strokes per 25 metres.
Thats about it for swimming, nearly 3 months into my training, swimming has been the most challenging in terms of improvements. Quarter 2 will be October, November and December, and I think this will really give me a barometer of where my training is heading.
.Next time I will talk about the running and cycling...and share how my training plan is really paying dividens so far!
David Ed Smith
Swimming for me and no doubt many others is the most frustrating aspect to triathlon. Unlike running and cycling where more training usually equates to improved times, swimming just dosent work like that.
I have looked at swimming in some detail, I went to the London Olympics and watched the world's best swimmers, I watched closely their technique and marvelled at their effortless speed through the water.
I have devised numerous swim plans to improve times over the years but I always seem to plateau. I have tried swimming longer distance, mixing strokes, working on technique, swim speed and so on. I think I have finally found a formula to improve my swimming and hopefully move up to the faster swim waves in next years triathlons.
As a rule of thumb I try and swim 3 times a week for about 40 minutes to an hour. I used to swim one long swim at a comfortable pace and then medioum swim sets of 200 metres or so on the other 2 sessions.
MY TIMES WERE HARDLY IMPROVING I HAD TO CHANGE SOMETHING SO THIS IS WHAT I DID.:
Swimming is about feeling the water and creating good memory so when you swim that one beautiful length and you feel like a dolphin you have a desire to reproduce it again and again. This might sound a bit weird, but for me, if I am labouring and fighting through the water and having an off day then I stop right there. Take a few minutes, take stock and maybe do a couple of lenghts on technique.
So for Quarter 1 of my training plan, I have devised a simple swim plan: Basically, I swim 3 times a week. Session one is a 350 metre warm up where I include some drills, such as catch up, fist drills, finger tip drills etc. My main set is 8x100 at 80% effort with 30 sec rest intervals and then a 350 m warm down (include some back stroke)
For session 2 and 3 its the same warm up and warm down but for session 2 its 16 x50metres at 85% efffort with 40 sec rest and session 32 x25metres at 90% effort with 45 sec rest. So that's 3 swims a week of 1500 metres for each session. Not a lot of swimming but as the year progresses I will increase the yardage. My main goal for Q1 and Q2 is to get my body and mind encoded into the memory of swimming fast...You might look at this and think where is the endurance swimming? Well you may well be proved right, only time will tell. The plan is to set a time trial every 4 weeks of 400 metres initially and plot progress. Will let you know how it goes. My last TT for 400 metres was 7.07. My target by end of Quarter 1 (Q1) is sub 7 minutes. Only a few weeks to go to end of September and end of Q1 so nearly there. End of Q2 (end of December this year) my target is sub 6.30!
One thing I also want to mention is technique..I do not swim bi laterlally. I prefer to swim to one side, I will do some bi lateral lengths in my warm up/down. The bottom line is I feel breathing to one side is where I feel comfortable. I am 6 ft 2" and have a fairly long stroke ( it could be better) but I generally take 18 to 19 strokes per 25 metres.
Thats about it for swimming, nearly 3 months into my training, swimming has been the most challenging in terms of improvements. Quarter 2 will be October, November and December, and I think this will really give me a barometer of where my training is heading.
.Next time I will talk about the running and cycling...and share how my training plan is really paying dividens so far!
David Ed Smith
Monday, 16 September 2013
Ironman Crusade: The Plan
16th Sept 2013
So how does my training plan work? Well I have broken it down into quarters with Q1 as I call it being June, July and August, and Q2 being the next 3 months and so on. The idea is to then have weekly plans with objectives and goals set by the end of each quarter. I measure this usually in the form of a time trial in swim, bike and run and plot my progress via an excel spreadsheet. I have also set quartely goals, so for example by the end of quarter 2 I have set a target of running a sub 41 minutes 10 km but by the end of Q3 the target is sub 40 minute..
However there is more to this plan than simply training hard, I have identified other very important elements, so in no particular order my focus is on the following:
1/ To improve my swim speed (currently at around 7 minutes for 400 metres)
2/ To improve my cycle times and strength on the bike, also look at aerodynamics
3/ To imporve my run speed and times (curently running just over 7 minute per mile)
4/ To loose a few pounds (eat healthy and natural foods but not go overboard)
5/ Rest when I can
6/ Stay relaxed and enjoy life
7/ Do some strength work (for example core strength)
8/ Plan for next year and identify races to target
In my next blog I will look at the above in more detail to highlight how I have set about making these aims a reality (or not as the case may be!)
David Ed Smith
So how does my training plan work? Well I have broken it down into quarters with Q1 as I call it being June, July and August, and Q2 being the next 3 months and so on. The idea is to then have weekly plans with objectives and goals set by the end of each quarter. I measure this usually in the form of a time trial in swim, bike and run and plot my progress via an excel spreadsheet. I have also set quartely goals, so for example by the end of quarter 2 I have set a target of running a sub 41 minutes 10 km but by the end of Q3 the target is sub 40 minute..
However there is more to this plan than simply training hard, I have identified other very important elements, so in no particular order my focus is on the following:
1/ To improve my swim speed (currently at around 7 minutes for 400 metres)
2/ To improve my cycle times and strength on the bike, also look at aerodynamics
3/ To imporve my run speed and times (curently running just over 7 minute per mile)
4/ To loose a few pounds (eat healthy and natural foods but not go overboard)
5/ Rest when I can
6/ Stay relaxed and enjoy life
7/ Do some strength work (for example core strength)
8/ Plan for next year and identify races to target
In my next blog I will look at the above in more detail to highlight how I have set about making these aims a reality (or not as the case may be!)
David Ed Smith
Ironman Crusade...begins
16th Sept 2013
Well here I am nearly 3 months in of my 12 month training plan in triathlon. I have set objectives and goals for each quarter and without wishing to bore you senseless I am pleased to report progress is being made in cycling and running in particular..more of that later..
So what's this all about, well quite simply I started doing triathlon about 10 years ago, but it has taken me this long to realise that I never really had a focused training plan, or indeed any plan!. I would generally do a couple of sprint triathlons a year, with little training and generally do OK, top 20 or thereabouts.
In 2008 I had this desire to push myself a bit further, so I entered Ironman UK. Again, I just did not do the training other than 3 long bike rides of about 50 miles and a couple of 10 mile runs, I did one lake swim of about 800 metres.
My goal was simple...I just wanted to finish and figured that in order to achieve this I needed to do 3 things right, firstly I needed to reach a hugh standard of endurance fitness, secondly, I needed to demosntrate mental resolve during the race and finally, I needed to get the nutrition right for what I anticpated would be 16 hours or so of racing...
Let me go back a step and explain why I have never really put the hours in for triathlon. The answer is simply I have had such a chaotic few years with work, family, relationships, (3 wonderful sons) not to mention other interests, in particular football.
In that September of 2008 I did it, I became an Ironman, yes I was very slow (over 15 hours) I did it on a second hand Cannondale bike but what an achievement, at least that is what I felt for a few years. I got my strategy bang on, I knew I needed to ensure that I fueled up correctly, that I had the mental toughness when I was cycling and running in agony, my body overwhelmed with lactic acid.
What a hero..but now 5 years on I realised that I did not give this race the respect it clearly deserves, far better atheletes than me who have worked their butts off have failed to complete the distance, whether its injury or just bad luck on the day, I somehow got away with it. Of course I can say I am an Ironman but thats just part of it, becoming an Ironman is more about the journey to get there.
So here I am now, 3 months in to a focused training plan, my initial goal was to significantly improve all 3 disciplines so next year (2014) I can compete higher up the field. Me being me however, I have decided to add in another Ironman event for 2014. My goal is the same as 5 years ago...to finish, yes I would hope to beat my time but I will give the event the respect it deserves.
The event I have chosen is 'Forestman' an Ironman distance set in the New Forest in Hampshire, England. Its not under the umbrella of Ironman but its the same distance and it appeals to me as I live in the same county and it has a friendly feel to it. So June 22nd 2014 is D Day.
My intention is to provide a commentary via this blog of my journey to D Day..hope you enjoy...
David Ed Smith
Well here I am nearly 3 months in of my 12 month training plan in triathlon. I have set objectives and goals for each quarter and without wishing to bore you senseless I am pleased to report progress is being made in cycling and running in particular..more of that later..
So what's this all about, well quite simply I started doing triathlon about 10 years ago, but it has taken me this long to realise that I never really had a focused training plan, or indeed any plan!. I would generally do a couple of sprint triathlons a year, with little training and generally do OK, top 20 or thereabouts.
In 2008 I had this desire to push myself a bit further, so I entered Ironman UK. Again, I just did not do the training other than 3 long bike rides of about 50 miles and a couple of 10 mile runs, I did one lake swim of about 800 metres.
My goal was simple...I just wanted to finish and figured that in order to achieve this I needed to do 3 things right, firstly I needed to reach a hugh standard of endurance fitness, secondly, I needed to demosntrate mental resolve during the race and finally, I needed to get the nutrition right for what I anticpated would be 16 hours or so of racing...
Let me go back a step and explain why I have never really put the hours in for triathlon. The answer is simply I have had such a chaotic few years with work, family, relationships, (3 wonderful sons) not to mention other interests, in particular football.
In that September of 2008 I did it, I became an Ironman, yes I was very slow (over 15 hours) I did it on a second hand Cannondale bike but what an achievement, at least that is what I felt for a few years. I got my strategy bang on, I knew I needed to ensure that I fueled up correctly, that I had the mental toughness when I was cycling and running in agony, my body overwhelmed with lactic acid.
What a hero..but now 5 years on I realised that I did not give this race the respect it clearly deserves, far better atheletes than me who have worked their butts off have failed to complete the distance, whether its injury or just bad luck on the day, I somehow got away with it. Of course I can say I am an Ironman but thats just part of it, becoming an Ironman is more about the journey to get there.
So here I am now, 3 months in to a focused training plan, my initial goal was to significantly improve all 3 disciplines so next year (2014) I can compete higher up the field. Me being me however, I have decided to add in another Ironman event for 2014. My goal is the same as 5 years ago...to finish, yes I would hope to beat my time but I will give the event the respect it deserves.
The event I have chosen is 'Forestman' an Ironman distance set in the New Forest in Hampshire, England. Its not under the umbrella of Ironman but its the same distance and it appeals to me as I live in the same county and it has a friendly feel to it. So June 22nd 2014 is D Day.
My intention is to provide a commentary via this blog of my journey to D Day..hope you enjoy...
David Ed Smith
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