What a week

Well got to club last santa in one piece and more important - so did candy * the bike :0) anyway after getting some sun I put the slice together and got out for a ride on mondat. Got about 50 very hilly miles in over to haria in the baking sun - it was around 35 - so got back to the sun lounger and then did some stretching. Tuesday I did a 10k run at about 6 when the temp was down to 32 :0( and probably went too fast but hr wasn't too bad - but then lost half my body weight when I grow got back too the apartment.

Wednesday was a short brick session with a 45 min ride, where I rode back with one of the product women who was confident of being at the front on Saturday - so good luck to Michelle from Denmark - little pocket rocket!!! Anyway ran a couple of miles off the back of that.

Early on Thursday we went down to pdc and I swam the course and didn't like it one bit - as the current was stronger than I thought :0( going to be an interesting swim

Today we are heading down to peuto del Carmen for the race tomorrow - let's just hope it cools xxx here's for one big bad day!!!!

Off we go :0)

Well it's Saturday morning, I didn't chance to get any exercise in yesterday because of work and then getting back to complete packing - including padding out the bike. Finally got to sleep at about midnight but got up early to get a run in, managed the nice 8.5 mile lumpy loop which made me feel better - although definitely need a sports massage once I get to la santa as legs are very heavy. Hopefully all ready, all three bags on the limit - and the Scirocco is to the limit, don't know how I'm going to drive with my long legs.

Go locker and nick this morning who are doing Ironman Mallorca 70.3 - be watching out for results!!! And also for all those running Chester Half Marathon tomorrow.

I'm going to keep updating this week - right up to the event, as it'll help keep my mind off the event!!! 7 day countdown now :0)

Thursday....what a day!!!!!

Well that was one chaotic day - from the early start to get Lydia to school and talking to the bank to sort out the mortgage - to the lets get everything boxed off at work and packs these bags - wow!!!

No training today - as basically didn't have time to do anything - apart from all of the above. Tonight managed to get the bike finally prepared for Lanzarote

The Slice has certainly been riding well - and the new wheels make a big difference, so hoping to go well on the bike in Lanza. As you can see plenty of hydration on the bike - just got to remember to keep taking it in :0)

Then had the stress of taking it back down and packing it into the bike POD - patience and bikes are not my forte I must say :0(  anyway our Jo called mid way through to wind me up that she is going to see Paul Heaton in Newcastle next week - gutted :0( but I kept it all in ;0)

Anyway the Slice is now in bits - just hope i've packed it right and can get it back together on Saturday night when I arrive :0) probably need a bit more bubble wrap in there but certainly seems to be it

Anyway its 1130 - finally get to bed - reckon the 8 mile run at 6am might be out of the window tomorrow morning - so reckon its straight after work :0(  hey ho reckon I'm ready for a rest!!!!

Early morning bike clean

Up early to clean the bike before work - took it apart to make sure it is in tip top condition before packing away later in the week.

Managed a 10k run on the treadmill after work as the weather was rubbish again outside - so kept it steady for most with 7 30 miles - and then finished with a 6min mile - HR was pretty steady in low Z2 until final push.

Easing back on training anyway......

Well what a week, back to work after a long weekend and the house hunting moves forward - with an offer!!!!  So during a very busy week at work we've also managed to get an offer accepted and hopefully in the final stages of sorting the mortgage before we go away on Saturday afternoon.

After the stresses of work and house buying, I took the opportunity to get out on the bike on Tuesday - especially since we had some decent weather and wanting to get the Slice out once more before packing up :0)

Had a leisurely ride up to Moel Famau with a couple of guys from Wepre which actually helped ease my legs which were feeling heavy from the run on Monday night :0( bike was ok except the Look cleats are completely gone, so need to change them asap. You can see the ride on Garmin here

Busy weekend

Well its not long now - under two weeks and this weekend has been hectic. Didnt manage to get any training in on Friday because of work and also a house viewing - we need to find a house asap as have a sale on the house - so this is now priority to the top of our task list. The viewings continued over the weekend, but did manage to get some training in.

Saturday morning I managed to get out on the Slice across into Cheshire - and it actually felt good!!!!! It was actually the longest ride I've done on the TT bike, and it didn't feel too bad at all. The 66 miles - managing to average 19 mph over the 3.5 hours, which wasn't too bad, as I wasn't really pushing, just getting used to riding in the position for a decent length of time. See the garmin trace for the ride here

On Sunday I was planning on getting out, but we took the kids out to the Candle Workshops and Cheshire Ice Cream Factory - as well as more house viewings. So no training - and instead a rest day - which I'm still feeling I need to be honest.

Anyway after spending the day with the kids again on Monday, I managed to get out for a hilly 12 mile run over Rhosemor - calves feeling quite tight as still havent managed to get in a decent sports massage for a couple of weeks. Anyway managed it in under 90 mins - avg 7 28s -- with HR really low. Enjoying the taper down anyway - just need to freshen the legs - and aslo think the trainers I'm using are gone now!!!!!! so need to start using the newer Asics!!!!!  Might help the freshen up.

Garmin trace on the run is here

New Garmin 405

Impressed as I had a package from Garmin - replacing the broken 405 - so the Garmin support has replaced it very quickly - and with a new Garmin 405 - so I dont feel as bad paying £78 now :0) so Thursday was setting up to get it personalised with my HR monitor and cadence sensor (run).

After work I managed to get the Slice out for the first time of the year - and with the new Mavic Cosmic Carbone Sls on - yessssssssss - think I'm going to enjoy - will post a pick of the setup at the weekend :0) At first, it was a bit weird - but soon got into a comfortable position on the bike :0) and headed up to Moel Famau - testing how it climbed. Wouldnt say it was the best ride up there - but I'm not exactly bursting with energy at present :0( and in need of the taper. Anyway got up there in good time, and sped back down - you can see the garmin trace of the ride here

Julie says I need to name the bike, so any suggestions?????

Swim and run

Wednesday morning was an early start at Mold pool - where I got in a decent 2000m swim - and felt better after that than I have after shorter swims recently - think I must have relaxed into it more, which is positive.

At lunch, I got out around the very wet Meadows for a quick 40 minute run - 6.25 miles - but really struglled the last two miles were I did feel really tired - Monday may be catching up with me. You can see the garmin trace here for the run - not quite 7min pace. Used Wednesday to relax a little and recharge.

Taper, taper, taper.....

Well after Monday night's long run, its now into taper :0) I think I'm ready !!!!!!   Being a little stiff from the run - Tuesday night was a 1 hour turbo session - which I actually felt better after so also did a concentrated 15 minute ab session to finish off.

22 mile long run

Well since i missed the weekend run I needed to get out and get it done - 22 miles and then taper. So after an early finish I set off around Chester - and just kept in steady (had to borrow Julie's Garmin 110 with mine being fixed or replaced - so ran with no HR). As you can see from the trace I my pace was pretty steady - but because I had no support - and ran out of gels at the weekend - I started to flag with no nutrition of hydration.

At mile 18 it really started to hit me along the Meadows as I had to start / stop at the gates - anyway finally got through it - and managed to avg 7:34s - not bad considering the last few werent near that :0) and I know I was running at a conversational pace. Definitely think I'm running a lot better than last year - much stronger and quicker.

See the garmin trace here

Well its taper down to the big day from here - less than three weeks to go!!!!

Torrential rain and winds

Sunday was meant to be my main long run - 22 miles - but because of the torrential rain I thought best not too - which I think was a good decision. The weather was shocking !!!!

I was meant to be doing a TT in Barnard Castle - really wouldnt have fancied that - 40 miles of a mountain TT in torrential rain and gale force winds - respect to those who did. Jillco said it was the worst conditions she has ridden in - scary!!!! so it seems it was a good one to miss :0) see an article here 

I thought this video of Harlech Triathlon conditions really showed the conditions - after it had to be abandoned after a number of rider were blown off their bikes - oh the joys of triathlon :0)

What a weekend of weather

Lucky I was able to get out on Saturday - after canceling a trip to Newcastle. Although it looked bleak from the outset I managed to get in 100 miles included some really testing hills.

Decided to go up to Llangollen over the Horseshoe - which is a good steady climb from Pennyfford, then once in Llan I decided to tackle the climb out to Glyn Ceirog - which turned out to be an absolute beast. The climb starts pretty quickly with a 17% gradient which goes on for at least 500 metres - out of the saddle stuff - in which I just had to keep the legs turning :0(  by the time I got to the top of the steady part my legs were burning and because of the steep descent down into Ceirgo I couldnt even get any speed up. From there I spun my legs out to Chirk and then crossed over to Bangor on Dee, Malpas and Cholmondley returning via Farndon, Rossett and Kinnerton. Somehow I made it without the rain - but not without a close encounter with a car.

The garmin trace of the ride is here

Going through Rossett a women cut me up and nearly into the curb - and then actually stopped to say "who do I think I'm talking too?" after I shouted abuse. From there I saw the red mist after she explained it was not her fault as there was a car coming the other way !!!!!! Unbelievable - I tried to explain but she insisted that it wasnt her fault three times and wouldnt except that she shouldnt have overtaken if she couldnt get past safely!!!!! At the last point I just let loose with her - and left her in shock - oh the joys of cycling!!!!