NEW PB & WEIGHT LOSS

Really crappy week weather wise, rain, wind & more rain. Not effected my training though which has seen a bit of an increase i think.

Couple of achievements first before i give the training update.

• Weight loss of another 2lbs bringing me in at 14st 2lbs
• Knocked 36 seconds off my park run reducing that time to 25.34 minutes
• 4 x 25m front crawl
• Quit smoking - 314 days

Another first, Time to get fit blog had it's first comment & follower :-) This is another blogger on her own journey, looking to complete an Ironman in 2014 which i'm sure she will do. Heres a link to the blog for some more inspiration http://runwestyrun.blogspot.co.uk/

This weeks training.

Monday - 41.72 mile cycle http://www.mapmyride.com/workout/116965273
Tuesday - 3.14 mile run http://www.mapmyride.com/workout/117355693
Wednesday - 1.24 mile swim
Thursday - 11.08 mile cycle http://www.mapmyride.com/workout/118175715
Friday - Ate a pizza the size of a dustbin lid
Saturday - 3.11 mile park run then 54.99 mile cycle http://www.mapmyride.com/workout/edit/118745681/
Sunday - 0.99 mile Swim

Runs feel like they are getting easier all though i still get the shin pain. It only lasts a couple of days now though so i can live with that. Hopefully it will totally cease over time though.

Toupe bike seat is better although by tweaking the position on it, it's definitely getting more comfortable. I've found shifting the seat backwards a little bit is making a difference.

Really pleased with how front crawl is coming on, although i still find i swallow too much water. If i do that in whit lane lake i'll probably poison myself.

Had a new book arrive 'Be Iron fit' by Don Fink. Just started reading it and quite hooked.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Be-Iron-Fit-Time-Efficient-Training/dp/1599218577/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335706018&sr=8-1

Saturdays ride was pretty tough, strong winds so the cycle from Norwich out to Horsey was hard work. Thankfully the rain haled off to a drizzle so we didnt get that wet. Just Jim, Matt & myslef on this ride. Talked Matt into doing the Victory Triathlon at North Walsham later on in the year, looks like he has talked Balaam into it as well :-) I can see a GPP team forming.

Next Saturday see's the start of the new Fritton lake park run so myself & Arleya will be heading up there.
As a TriAnglia member i got an annual parking pass for Whit Lane country park for £15. I'll probably start doing one of my runs off road down there now.

Found another website for events so another heap of stuff to look at after i have done the ironman
Enduroman http://www.enduroman.com/uk/

So, nothing much more to report. Few things coming up in May. Should get my wetsuit on 7th May. TriHarder are coming down Whitlingham lane to do a bit of a triathlon gear event .
http://www.triharder.co.uk/

Be able to start some open water swim training then. Haven't swam in a wet suit in open water since my life as a diver in Thailand, so looking forward to that. Shame the water temperature wont be the same.

Next event will be Wattisham Triathlon which i have now got a place on due to some drop outs. That's on 12th May. 13th May i will be doing my volunteer marshall bit for triangla at the Waveney triathlon. Also doing a volunteer evening at one of the Whit lane open water sessions.

& finally, the event that was my original goal & set me off setting mad goals is the Norwich 100 on 27th May. Mind you, this does not feel daunting at all anymore even though it will be my first century ride.

Starting to waffle now. Have a good week all, hope eveyones training goes well.


Facebook Group - The Ironman Journey
https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/287319678021088/

Fatman to Ironman forumhttp://www.runnersworld.co.uk/forum/forummessages.asp?dt=&UTN=191464&last=1&V=1&SP=

My charity pagehttp://www.bmycharity.com/clearseaz

East coast Triathlon update

Chip timings have just come out

http://www.activeoutdoorsport.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/East-Coast-Overall-Results-PDF.pdf

I finished 42nd out of 120. Also completed in under my 1 hour target. Happy

A runners world forum poster also flagged this triathlon with me tonight



http://www.trihard.co.uk/Helvellyn/Helvellynhome.htm

Helvelyn Triathlon, brilliant. This is now on my hit list for 2013. Would do it this year but i' m a bit stacked in Sept with 2 tri's and the great barrow challenge already.

East Coast Triathlon 2012 - My first

The week that has seen me completing my first Triathlon. :-) Will give a review of this in a minute.

Also made the decision to train for The Outlaw Ironman distance Triathlon in 2014. Seems even more daunting after todays sprint distant Tri.

Off the back of the Ironman decision I have started an Ironman thread at Runners World website. You can pick up some great advice on the forums there.

Here's the link to my Fatman to Ironman thread.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/287319678021088/

Called myself SausageDog as a forum name, off the back of my wife saying I looked like a sausage the first time i donned the Lycra cycling gear.

Also set up a group on facebook. Thought we could get a load of people together who are starting the Ironman journey or midway through it to share experiences, offer support, have a giggle etc.

Here's the link to that. Its called 'The Ironman Journey' pop along and join please.

https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/287319678021088/

Training for this week, reduced it a bit due to the Tri today but missed a longer bike ride due to the appalling weather this week

Monday - 2.53 mile run
Wednesday - 1.03 mile swim
Friday - 12.07 mile Bike Ride
Saturday - 8.35 mile  Bike ride - just went to change my saddle for the Toupe , didn't like the Romin. However, got stitched up on the price as the Toupe should have been £20 cheaper. Not going to worry about it though. I'll let them keep the £20 for the advice i had been given. They will miss out on future business though.
Saturday - 1.19 mile walk
Sunday - East Coast Triathlon


Up at 5.30am this morning, i had packed my bags for the event on Saturday. Had a bowl of porridge & two slices of toast for breakfast, showered, packed the car & off we went to Great Yarmouth at 6.30am.
Arrived at the Marina Centre at 7am, had to pop in and get a parking pass, then carried on down to park the car. Half mile walk back to the Marina centre & time for my first Triathlon registration.

Even felt good having my number drawn on my shoulder :-) I had a scan round to see what everyone else was doing & how they were laying out their kit. Didn't understand why shoes were being put on top of the towel as surely that's an extra movement of kit in transition?? (Baxter systems thinking in triathlon)

So, laid out my shoes, put the towel on top of them ! Got my gels out ready to go into my back pocket in T1, helmet hung on bike with gloves & glasses. Stuck my Garmin in my bike shoe, didn't trust leaving it on the bike, sad, but you never know these days. All set, had a briefing then filed through to the pool. Learns so far. In future i will take flip flops to wear after i have set up in Transition & take a bottle of water through to the pool area.

I'd totally underestimated my swim time & was number 143, 5th from last so had a 2 hour wait before getting in the pool. Was chip timed so didn't really matter & glad i had underestimated. There were quite a few swimmers who had been rather optimistic with their swimming times & did get in the way of some of the fast boys.

we had 30 second starts, i caught the bloke in front of me by the 7th lap but he stopped at the end and let me through.

Was glad to get out the pool & head for my favourite discipline the bike. Had a really good bike ride, must have averaged close to 20mph & overtook a fair few others. One pain was getting stuck at some traffic lights which seemed to take an age to change. Apart from that, quite uneventful. Decent roads & loop though.

Back to Marina centre for T2. Person next to me had managed to rack their bike almost sideways so i had to lay mine down & move his before i could rack, bit annoying. Trainers on easily with the elastic laces, thanks for that tip Mark @ Tri-Anglia.

Really enjoyed the run, no leg pain, felt loads smoother & quicker than i have ever. Overtook at least 4 people.  I never manage to overtake people on runs!! In fact, I didn't get overtaken once which is quite astonishing. I probably would have done if  had estimated my swim time a bit quicker.

And that's it, bloody loved it and another fantastic well organised event by Active Outdoor Sport

http://www.activeoutdoorsport.co.uk/?p=2261

I'll add the times etc in later as they haven't come up on the website yet.

Here's a couple of pics by my trusty photographer Arleya Baxter

Swim done

Second Bike lap

Starting last lap, got stuck behind a clown on the roundabout

Hopefully my first of many Tri-athlon medals

Have fun, keep on training.

Remember, sponsorship for help for Heroes is appreciated. The link also shows the rest of my upcoming events for 2012.

http://www.bmycharity.com/clearseaz

Productive week

Had a pretty good week training wise, although lost no weight when i had a weigh in on Wednesday. Mind you, didnt put any on & had eaten a fair bit of chocolate over Easter.

Week off work, weather ot too bad saw me clocking up some bike miles.

Bought a new pair of Saucony trainers, Romin evo saddle & some insoles for my cycling shoes. So, best part of £200 there. Plus, bought a Garmin forerunner 110 watch to help me increase my pace gradually on the runs. Well, thats the plan anyway.

Done 40 miles on the new saddle & although its better than the Boardman, for £80 i want something that makes a bigger difference. I can take it back and try a Toupe seat which i will do next week. Insoles have solved my foot numbness issue & turning the handlebar backet has stopped hand numbness. All in all, looking like my first century ride next month is going to be a bit more comfortable than previous sportives.

This weeks training then.

Tues - Bike 48 miles
Weds - Bike 32 miles, swim 1 mile.
Thurs - Bike 7 miles, Run 2.5 miles
Sat - Bike 40 miles, Run 3 miles
Sun - Walk 3 miles

First Triathlon next Sunday at Great Yarmouth. Looking forward to becoming a Triathlete but slightly apprehensive about what to expect.

Definately going to do an Ironman, probably in 2014. Might do the Outlaw one as a pirate. Will probably do a half IM in 2013 & a marathon. My Triathlons will also be increased to Olympic distance next year.

Trowse 10K

Well, after last weeks disaster I have had a fantastic week of training & tick off another achievment.

Monday - 25.39 mile Bike ride

http://www.mapmyride.com/workout/109433707

Tuesday - 27.01 mile Bike ride

http://www.mapmyride.com/workout/109784597

Wednesday - 1.03 mile swim

Numerous 25m lengths of front crawl including a new PB of 2 x50m front crawl lengths.

Friday - 9.14 mile Mountain Bike ride

http://www.mapmyride.com/workout/110748007

Saturday - 29.31 bike ride with Karl & Fran - Some cheeky hills on this route

http://www.mapmyride.com/workout/111063515

Sunday - 2.93 bike ride to trowse

http://www.mapmyride.com/workout/111397243

Trowse 10k Run. I was dreading this but absolutely loved it, even the hill that you have to go up twice.  Took a real steady pace & finished in 58.48 minutes.

I had two goals in this race.

1 - Finish without walking
2 - Complete in 1 hour or less

So, i'm chuffed to bits & feel i've now also turned a corner in my running.

To enter this race cost £13. Must be the best value event i have taken part in so far. Chip timing, nice medal, goody bag full of chocolate etc, free tea & coffee, really well organised. Brilliant, thanks guys. Heres the website
http://www.conac.org.uk/races/trowse.asp

Feel really inspired to do more 10k runs now, might even go for the Norwich half marathon later on in the year.

Photo time

Around 6k

I did enjoy it, despite the facial expression

Me & the boss

I like medals

What else has occured this week? Did my first volunteer day at Norwich park Run which was fun.

Bike toolkit arrived so i'm all set for trying to learn how to maintain my own bikes.

Trying to find a racing bike for Arleya so she can do a Triathlon next month. If anyone knows of a cheapy going somewhere, please give me a shout.

So, legs feeling fine, afternoon now  reserved for watching the Paris - Roubaix road race

Trying to raise money for Help for Heroes so please sponsor me if you have a spare couple of quid. heres the link to my donation site.

http://www.bmycharity.com/clearseaz

Quiet week

Bit of a quiet one this week, not much to report.

Lost some more weight though, now down to 14st 5lbs. Target weight is going to be 13st.

Tuesday did a 35 mile bike ride. Bike went in for a service ans has come back making more noise than it did before going in.

I've bought a Haynes bike maintenance manual so going to learn how to do everything myself. There is also a project in Norwich where i can volunteer to help recycle bikes & gain some mechanical knowledge that way.


http://www.bicyclelinks.org.uk/index.html

Wednesday, swam a mile and managed to do some complete lengths swimming front crawl so well pleased about that.

Having some knee problems at the minute following last weeks park run, plus i fell over on a night out Friday & whacked my knees. Was concerned about the trowse 10k next week as know it would be a struggle, maybe even worse now.

Ibruprofen & rest the knee for the week will hopefully help.