FROM THE TEA ROOMS OF MARS TO THE HELL HOLES OF URANUS!

[jonathon.e]

The time away from training has taken its toll.
However as time waits for no man, and race time looms once again, the adaptive training plan is initiated. Basically it is going back to what the good old days, when I raced to train, and not train to race, the slight difference in that I don't race that much these days, but, the protocol is kept.
Any time that I had to S/B/R and not race was just doing the discipline for twice the time that I expected to race for, so if it was a OW sprint Tri, training would be, 30 mins swim, an hour bike, or an hour run. For OD, an hours swim, 2 hours on the bike, or an hour and a half on the run. As simple as that. Longer races would see a slight change.
But, using this basic training of low intensity sessions, should hopefully see me through to the next race, I am sure that Jack is rubbing his hands with glee, at the prospect of maybe getting more time off me, than he initially envisaged from the triathlons, but hey, what happens, happens.

As for this week, still doing the run4it challenge.
4 runs, totalling 22 miles, a bit stiff, a couple of niggles, but surprisingly better than expected.
A 10 mile TT, 24:24. Fifteen seconds slower than my PB for the course, still under the weather, coughing and sneezing, but getting back to speed, a lot quicker than a few weeks ago when illness had hold .
Half a bike ride, until a mechanical related incident, which lead to the road bike awaiting spares, and having to resort to a short MTB session.
Finally a swim, shockingly bad, and way down on usual time for the distance.

Very little time this coming week, so hopefully 4 runs and that will be it before race day a week on Sunday, it should be interesting, given our respective start times, and the run route, will give us an idea as to time between us as it is an out and back run.

Trying to stay injury free, and managing, just.

[Jack Hughes]

Glee? Ha! You are doing far far better than me.

I've not really ridden a bike since the last TT - other than hire bikes and the tandem.

Hardly run

Infrequent swimming.


My ankles continually hurt , I am exhausted from a ridiculous work load, and a good few pounds heavier.

If it wasn't for the commitment of the challenge , the towel would have been thrown in a long time ago.

[jonathon.e]

Reaching the end of week four of my low intensity regime, and slowly an up turn may be happening.
For the last four weeks I have been participating in The Optimum Performance, Run4it challenge. This would I hope give me a stepping stone to revitalising my running. Four runs a week of at least twenty minutes. My aim to look at form and frequency rather than speed and distance. With the exception of three runs, all were longer than four miles a couple even reaching six, not fast, but I have reached the end of the month
A) without breaking.
B) clocking a mileage for the month that exceeds 70 miles
C) actually racing
D) enjoying running again.

The hardest was this last week, race on Sunday, recovery run Monday, a recovery recovery run Tuesday, a Recovery recovery recovery run on Wednesday, and a recovery recovery recovery recovery run on Thursday. I almost went out on Friday, but thought better of it. Legs tired, no DOMS from thee race, maybe you have to keep exercising them at ever decreasing rates to prevent DOMS.

Now the challenge has finished ( even won a spot prize, don't what of yet, don't normally win things ), I will persist with this current regime, by maintaining the intensity, reducing the frequency, but increasing the distance, the system must be working as I am slightly quicker now than I was at the start of the month.

Really should do some swimming at some point, ever time I get to the pool, it is either full of ankle biters or so crowded you could walk across without getting wet.

Three more stages to do in the BotD, lagging behind somewhat, JH has found speed in swimming, more speed than I can find in running, the advantage I have is only experience, JH hasn't done a competitive 3.8km swim OW nor a MD triathlon, the latter, may produce a few surprises for us both, such a lot can happen in six hours. Tactics, Tactics, Tactics.

The OD Tri unless something goes awry, will, I think have little influence on the GC, so it should go down to the wire, with both the GC and the points race up for grabs.
In the points race,
JH has 8 victories
JE has 7 victories
With 9 points still to play for, could it be better to go for a points win and lose on the GC, or go all out and risk losing everything.
Tactics, Tactics, Tactics.

Most of this week is sans training for me, but JH has his TdF training camp fortnight.

Increasing the distance of the races over the course of the BotD has lessened the risk of injury for us both, that doesn't mean we aren't injured, just less injuries than expected.

[CCS]

Awaiting the next stages of the battle with interest! All still to play for.
Good to hear that injury hasn't stopped play - are you both going to completely break down at the end of it though (or will it be onwards to another set of battles next year)?

[jonathon.e]

Awaiting the next stages of the battle with interest! All still to play for.
Good to hear that injury hasn't stopped play - are you both going to completely break down at the end of it though (or will it be onwards to another set of battles next year)?

Not sure about next year, if not broken, one of the dinosaurs, did suggest attempting Good for Age Marathon, if not, I would suggest he look at AG qualification at Middle Distance (Sundowner pending ).
The original Battle originated with a homage to the TdF and have stages in it, for different disciplines. Interesting, and the decision may have to wait until the dust has settled in September.

[Jack Hughes]

A lot of stealth training going on.

[jonathon.e]

A lot of stealth training going on.

Not really stealth training, but, not having anything worthwhile to put on the training log.
After the swim in the Lakes, I was just tired, work , and if I got out and did any training it was very lethargic, motivation was there but the energy was lacking .

A few bike rides , a lumpy and technical TT, which didn't produce a fantastic time, or at least one that I thought was adequate.

This may be the after effects of the viral infection from earlier this year , which I still haven't shaken off, but , there are people in worse states than me. Heart rate is still producing some interesting results, despite changing the strap on the monitor AGAIN.

I often wonder about the need to taper for races, and given the amount of training we do, are we missing out by doing too little,

The Olympic distance ( standard distance ), ever wondered why it was called Olympic distance before it was even an Olympic event. ? Is my least favourite of the triathlon distances , just one if the races I can never get my pacing right.

[CCS]

I often wonder about the need to taper for races, and given the amount of training we do, are we missing out by doing too little,

I have often pondered this myself. I tend to taper by having a day off before a race.... does that count. In fact, recent PBs post race are making me wonder whether a hard evening 10 a couple of days before a race might be the optimal preparation?

[Jack Hughes]

Taper. Pah. I'm having really difficulty with fatigue at the moment. I really need a week off, let alone a day.

Had to have a nap in the afternoon yesterday. Not good. And bin the evenings planned session.

[CCS]

Had to have a nap in the afternoon yesterday.

I am a big fan of the afternoon nap.
In fact, I remember meeting up with my tutorial partner from university days, who is now an academic. His argument was that it was the only career path which fitted in neatly with the afternoon nap!