Timanfaya Dreaming

[IronGirl]

Monday

2 hour run (2:05)
North Hill to British Camp and back.
Got very very wet again!!
Legs have recovered well from Saturday, so pushed the hills very hard today.

[Mr. Cleetus]

5.5 hours on the trainer! excellent. At least your head and back side will be tough if nothing else.

For various reasons I have become a firm believer in shorter long runs for IM training. Building up the effort/tempo in them so the distances get reasonable, but not so long as to kill your recovery, etc. But then, what do I know, in 15 or whatever IMs, I think I ran well twice! So maybe you should ignore me

[IronGirl]

For various reasons I have become a firm believer in shorter long runs for IM training. Building up the effort/tempo in them so the distances get reasonable, but not so long as to kill your recovery, etc. But then, what do I know, in 15 or whatever IMs, I think I ran well twice! So maybe you should ignore me

Any idea why you ran well on the one's where you did run well?

Seems to be a lot of talk about it being "all about the bike". Did you hear the story about the 2.5 hour Kenyan marathon runners doing an Ironman?

[IronGirl]

Tue/Wed

Park and run commute.
Very flat, long turbo and poor sleep patterns do not go together.

Thursday

2500m swim

Friday

Ran to work. Steady 1 hour 58 min commute. Just under 15 miles.

[Mr. Cleetus]

For various reasons I have become a firm believer in shorter long runs for IM training. Building up the effort/tempo in them so the distances get reasonable, but not so long as to kill your recovery, etc. But then, what do I know, in 15 or whatever IMs, I think I ran well twice! So maybe you should ignore me

Any idea why you ran well on the one's where you did run well?

Seems to be a lot of talk about it being "all about the bike". Did you hear the story about the 2.5 hour Kenyan marathon runners doing an Ironman?

Doing a complete Ironman? If so, I have not heard it. I am just aware of the teams that did the Silverman a few years ago when the prize money was big.

Actually, I was not quite truthful when I said I ran well, I have never run well - I've always suffered from the same stomach issues I've had in the Brevet, etc (I've tried sooo many different nutrition, training and pacing plans). But my "least bad" runs have come off of my best bike fitness. My fastest run actually came on my most minimal run fitness when I had knee issues and was on 1 shortish run/week in the months leading in to it; however I replaced all of the running time with bike hours, solid intensity and was riding with a couple of 4.40 bike split guys for all of the build up. Ahhh to have the time to do that again.... I came thru the half in 1.30 something but then really suffered from the lack of running miles - my legs were pretty shredded!

If you don't have the bike fitness most people aren't going to run well, but I know plenty of long-term marathoners who have done 3.30ish on minimal bike fitness (and slow bike times). You're never gonna run well if you can't back it up with run fitness either. But, then, a fast IM marathon isn't all that fast.

[IronGirl]

Doing a complete Ironman? If so, I have not heard it. I am just aware of the teams that did the Silverman a few years ago when the prize money was big.

It was Ironman Wisconsin in 2002. A couple of elite Kenyan runners did the race. Both were sub-2:15 marathoners. The story was that some coach had recruited these guys as a sort of experiment.

http://triathlon.competitor.com/2011/11 ... hlon_43016

Impressive biking Mr C and a 1:30 first half is awesome!

I'm still tweeking my training plans for this year, but I'm realising that I need to focus more on the bike, not doing silly distances/times but keeping the intensity in there.

I was watching the ITU men's race in San Diego last night. It's funny how that's all about the run, when Ironman is all about the bike. Call me old fashioned but I still don't like the drafting format on the Olympic distance races. It's supposed to make it more spectator friendly, it just looked like a boring procession to me, nobody wanted to do anything! However an amazing win with a 30 min 10k from Jonny Brownlee (30 min dead and he was playing around before the finish line, so looks like he has a 29:40) to add to Helen Jenkins win the day before. Sorry I've come over all patriotic now.

[IronGirl]

Saturday

1500m Open Water Swim at Gullets.
Quite short but it was fairly cold. Well it felt OK / do-able for 1500 so I reckon it was around 11 degrees.

50 minute run with Poppa on Bringsty.
with 5 X 5 min reps.

Sunday

4 Hour 20 min Bike
Hilly route - My Clee Hill Route + an extra loop to take in Acton Hill.
I like this route, it's Pretty relentless in terms of hills

kept the same pace as when I did Clee Hill in 3.5 hours a couple of weeks ago and added the extra. This used to be called half IM pace.....who knows? I read somewhere that you ought to be able to do an IM at your 1/2 IM time + 1/2 hour. I think I would explode! I'd just be happy to get of the bike and do something that I could call "running"!

[Mr. Cleetus]

It was Ironman Wisconsin in 2002. A couple of elite Kenyan runners did the race. Both were sub-2:15 marathoners. The story was that some coach had recruited these guys as a sort of experiment.

http://triathlon.competitor.com/2011/11 ... hlon_43016

Impressive biking Mr C and a 1:30 first half is awesome!

I'm still tweeking my training plans for this year, but I'm realising that I need to focus more on the bike, not doing silly distances/times but keeping the intensity in there.

I was watching the ITU men's race in San Diego last night. It's funny how that's all about the run, when Ironman is all about the bike. Call me old fashioned but I still don't like the drafting format on the Olympic distance races. It's supposed to make it more spectator friendly, it just looked like a boring procession to me, nobody wanted to do anything! However an amazing win with a 30 min 10k from Jonny Brownlee (30 min dead and he was playing around before the finish line, so looks like he has a 29:40) to add to Helen Jenkins win the day before. Sorry I've come over all patriotic now.

Interesting. I havent made it all the way through the article yet, but I wonder how much of the "slow" runs came down to lack of motivation and from running alone...

1.30 (high!) is not so awesome when you don't back it up.

Yeah, I'm not a big fan of draft-legal racing either, but when you look at the power numbers that they need to be able to put out, I think many people underestimate how important being a good cyclist still is for these guys. They need peak power and acceleration and recovery that is not needed for non-draft racing. Hopefully team tactics will start playing a bigger part more regularly - that might make it more interesting. I guess you have solid reason to be patriotic!!

[IronGirl]

Oh yeah almost forgot I have a training long don't I!!

2 weeks fairly steady leading up to:

Saturday

Beaver Half Ironman

Preparation went well, felt sluggish at start of "mini" taper and then the strength came through.

5 Hours 40 min - Not great considering the bike leg was short.

Had a major problem with T1 - 800m run from lake to T1 BAREFOOT
Barefoot running is the one thing I can't do. I've worn orthotics for 15 years & I know better.
I did ask if I could put my running shoes down at the lake, but was not allowed.
So sense would have told me to walk to T1 considering the distance across a rough sun baked field.
But no I ran and that just ruined my whole race. What a muppet!!

Still there were lots of positives:

+ Got the nutrition and electrolytes spot on
+ Got the hydration spot on - coped really well with the sudden 27 degrees that we got
+ felt VERY strong throughout the bike and at the end of the bike felt great
+ New bike went well, half the course was like pure time trialling - long flat straight road - top gear the whole way. The other half of the course was rolling with one 14% climb and super fast sweeping decent. We did 3 laps of this. A very enjoyable hard ride.
+ OK swim, despite the fact that I was slightly winging it on the amount of swimming I've been doing
+ I have a super new Pop-Up tent which flew up and got pegged down in about 2 minutes despite arriving in the pitch black at 10pm on Friday night.

So I'm flying back into the Castle Grounds at the end of the bike and possibly letting out a little Woop Woop because thats how I felt. I'd spun the legs for the last 5 minutes and I was ready for the run. I'd done it in training and I was going to get off and hit that first Km hard and set the pace for the whole run - then push it and hang in there no matter what.

So here comes the NEGATIVE

The barefoot running had inflammed the outside of both of my feet. Something I didn't even know that I had until Saturday called a proneous Brevis tendon. Apparantly barefoot running can damage this further up at the ankle, but can also cause problems mid way along the foot. OMG is all I can say, it was a mix of pain and cramp like sensation.
I didn't realise or know what it was in fact till I got home and googled it all so I carried on thinking it was something that was going to ease off.
So it's 27 degrees, no suncream, feet that don't work, 4 laps UP a hill and back to get through. Suddenly a relatively short race can seem like a long way. Not what I signed up for. I walked, hobbled and jogged in pain for 13.1 miles and said ouch a fair few times.
Anyhow I've beaten myself up over it for 2 days now, so it has to stop. It was my fault and mine alone. I'm just frustrated and disappointed.

Have been RICEing the feet, massaging and had a few anti-inflammatories. Also kept my running shoes (with orthotics) on for 2 days for support. Will be back on the bike tomorrow and running the day after. Actually jogged up our field tonight to see if the feet were OK now the inflammation has gone down and they were. No lasting damage.

The race organisers did an awesome job and put on a superb race at a stunning venue. I will go back and do the race again to set the record straight. I will walk to transition and I will make up the time elsewhere.

[Mr. Cleetus]

ahh nooo! sorry to hear that! Well done for sticking it out. Hopefully your feet recovery well (you already tried to run again!? ) That's crazy that they wouldn't let you put shoes there. I've been to many races that allow that.

Sounds like everything else went well.

[IronGirl]

you already tried to run again!?

It wasn't a proper run!!

My feet felt so much better as the inflammation has gone down I just did a few steps to see if the run action felt OK and it did. Just feels a bit bruised now, but no longer painful. No proper running for a couple more days.

Yeah real pain with the no shoes rule. I do take their point though with 500 people and little space it could be chaos if everyone put shoes there. I've already emailed the Big Woody (Ironman) organisers to ask about putting shoes at the water exit as there is a pretty long run up a steepish slope to T1 there as well. Even offered to get a note from my Podiatrist Fingers crossed there!

Can't remember such a long transition anywhere else. Usually seems to be just enough time to fumble with the top half of a wet suit and you are there!

[Mr. Cleetus]

It wasn't a proper run!!

hahaaaa! I'm not sure I can trust you on that!!

I've had some races with some epic transition runs. It always adds a nice extra challenge. better than a run in the middle of the swim though. That is always interesting!

[IronGirl]

The Beaver Triathlon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXwcGhIC ... e=youtu.be

Recovered now, just sun burn and bruised ego left!!

First thought on seeing the Video was that I'll have to go back next year!

Now I may have been hobbling around one of my worst half marathons in history, but some poor folk were still out there for 2 hours after I finished. 47 DNF'd which is crazy for a race with only 400 starters. Guess it was tough in those conditions. Also although I wasn't acclimatised, I've done loads of warm weather camps in the past, so heat is one thing I can deal with.

[IronGirl]

Wednesday

1 hour Bike --> 1 km run at tempo

short but very important run to me, hit it bang on target. Feet are OK no damage done.
All in working order again thanks to lots of RICE, massage, anti-inflammatories.

[Mr. Cleetus]

funny, the video is "blocked in your country" so I can't see it. Good to hear that your feet recovered well.