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
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