Lack of Motivation

A sort of a rest week this week, with “just” 11 hours of training planned down from 11.5 hours last week, which is a nice change from an extra hour.
I’m increasingly struggling to stay motivated with virtually no chance of Ironman Wales actually going ahead in September. So on Wednesday when I should have been running the “Track” session I decided to go with the family on a little bike ride which was lovely, it was really nice to have a little social time with the wife and kids (who spend most of the day in their respective rooms.

Now for the first time since the Dearnford Solo Half debacle of 2016,  I was off program and after a tiring day doing online training in work I followed it up by having Thursday off (I know the scandal but it’s a big deal to me!).

I managed to get back to it on Friday but without the 2 hours of swimming it’s a lot of running and biking already. The stay local commandment isn’t helping either, as I like to choose a new route for my long bike to keep me motivated. So I ended the week a couple of hours short with just 9 hours logged.

I just don’t know what to do, maybe keep training for a solo Wrexham Ironman but if we a still not allowed to swim by then that’s a none starter.  I’ve always had a year off after an Iron distance event and worry that if I keep going this year I won’t have the energy to train again in 2021 (assuming Ironman Wales is postponed till next year).

So that’s where I am, stuck…. any ideas?

Ironman Wales

I had been nervous all week – getting to Tenby, the parking, registration, the briefing, the B&B – even with that out of the way I still couldn’t eat much breakfast on Saturday. Four different coloured bags, two of which needed to be checked into Transition with my bike on the day before the race. If anything was missing it could ruin my race so you can see why I was so nervous.
With my bike dismantled in the car I wanted to make 100% sure it was ready to ride for 112 miles the next day. So after putting it back together I rode it the few miles into town, this did help to settle my nerves. On the way into transistion, one of the race officials looked me in the eye and said this is all going to be over very quickly, take it all in and enjoy it, wise words indeed.

After a nice quiet meal with my family, we went back to the B&B for an early night but I woke about 1am and was unable to get back to sleep, worrying about the logistics again. At 3am I gave up trying to sleep and had some breakfast and started to head into Tenby, so of course we ended up there very early so I just (wet) suited up, checked in my street clothes and headed to the beach with Alison.

I stood in the road for over an hour as it filled up around me, some way behind the 1:15 swimmers. My head was a bit chilly so I even put my swim hat on. No sign of my Tri club buddies but my wife was nearby holding onto a great spot to look over the beach. Bit by bit we walked down the road and onto the ramp and towards my pink bag hook where I had to drop my trainers. Of course I walked straight past and had to go back. At this point the light was still fairly low so I picked my clear goggles and left everything else behind to continue onto the beach.

The Welsh National Anthem played followed by AC/DC’s Thunderstruck and the pros went off, then the age groupers before we started shuffling forward. Some great advice from previous competitors had helped plan a route away from the crowds and so straight into the water and swimming. I swam wide at the first bouy and we were already past the waves, sadly my choice of goggles was poor as the sun came out and the left lense started leaking. I’m used to not being able to see where I’m going from evenings in Ellesmere, so I just kept going, just using my right eye and following the swimmers around me. With a 2 lap course I knew I could re-adjust at the half way point. I took a knock between two other swimmers in the middle of the long straight but just ploughed on towards the lifeboat house and turned to the beach and Goscar rock, I’m sure we were being helped by the currents or tide because I was out of the water in under 37 minutes and onto the second lap. My goggles leaked again but I was used to it by then so I just got on with it. Keeping much closer the the bouys this time as everyone had spread out. Before I knew I was looking up at Goscar rock again and the swim was over.

A quick jog up to my pink bag and more wise advice in use, wetsuit off water on my feet and trainers on with no sand in them, things were going well. First sight of the Bennions at the top of the ramp and a quick wet kiss for Ali as I jogged into town.

I took my time in transition, changing into my cycling bib shorts as planned for the extra comfort and off onto the bike. The undulating road out towards Angle was fairly uneventful, until we saw the leaders flying back down the hill into Pembroke and then seeing Jude and Helen supporting just after. The clouds had come over and wind was up by now and some of the roads were still wet under the trees, which had lead to an earlier crash, were I saw Tom with his hand under the poor victims head. No sign of an ambulance yet but the poor guy was in good hands. It got really windy by the beach but we were soon back onto sheltered roads and the first feed station at Angle. Tom caught me up soon after and we chatted and fed on the way back towards Pembroke, Lamphey and straight past our B&B. I lost Tom down the steeper hills but I was happy to stick to my own steady pace not wanting to push hard at all if possible. The climbs started soon after up and down up and down through Narbeth and on towards Wiseman’s bridge. I was feeling great and climbing better than I ever had before, quickly getting into a rhythm each time and plodding to the top. After a night out in the rain my bike was creaking a bit especially when standing on the pedals, worried something might break I tried to avoid this as much as possible but it played on my mind a bit. There was quite a crowd in Narbeth and the support was great but not a patch on Sundersfoot and Heartbreak Hill which was amazing. I flew up the steepest part before stopping briefly to speak to Ali and the Bennions about halfway up. Then I continued on towards the top, which was truely amazing, I felt like Chris Frome in the Tour de France riding up between lines of supporters cheering and shouting my name, I totally forgot about the creaking chain and pushed onto the top and back down into Tenby for the second lap. I saw Jude and Helen again just before Lamphey and they told me Tom was just ahead but I needed a quick loo stop at the feed station round the corner. As I jumped back on Tom drew alongside. It was nice to have another chat as we rode up the hill and past the B&B again before I lost him down the hills again. I nearly caught back up a couple of times but then my stomach started to turn and I just couldn’t push on anymore. I wasn’t going much slower but I couldn’t eat anymore and couldn’t see myself running feeling like this. I just tried to keep drinking water and hoped it would pass. Whenever the crowds built up I would feel good enough to smile and it helped carry me onwards. My average speed was falling but that didn’t matter. I was just glad the bike was nearly over after an hour and a half of feeling sick. I had a few tears and a hug from my Dad at the bottom on Heartbreak Hill, which made me feel a bit better, so I carried on back into Tenby.
I took ten minutes to change again in transition before bumping into Tom again just leaving into the run. We chatted as we walked and he fed me crisps and antacid tablets but nothing really helped. I was still feeling sick so I sent Tom off to his destiny. Once at the top of the hill it was bearable to jog down the other side, so I started to build a run walk strategy to get to the finish, walk up run down. Getting a lap band after 3 miles felt like quite an achievement.

I couldn’t believe the crowds and the noise in Tenby, and managed to run through most of the town, even beaming at anyone who called my name but I was actually quite glad to get back onto the quieter roads and a walk up the hill on the second lap. If I didn’t eat or drink I would feel okay but my mouth would get very dry. So I’d have some water and feel bad again. I tried a bit of Coke and Red Bull too, at least I knew just sip would keep me going a bit further. I started to think about the finish and would get a bit emotional but that pushed the stomach ache away so I used the overwhelming support to help me on. My family were all near the finish by the end of the second lap, I gave everyone a hug this time and told them how I was feeling. I’d done 13 miles by now and still had 2 hours to get onto the final lap, each one had taken me 90 minutes but I could do it if I just kept going. The third lap was hard, it was going dark and a bit cooler and there were alot less runners about. The support was brilliant, complete strangers telling you how great you were doing. I started thanking them for the support, it helped to distract me. I dug in and ran back down into Tenby seeing Tom’s brother Jonb near the beach, he walked with me as we discussed my troubles, which really calmed me. I knew I was going to make it now. The crowds had dwindled round the town but the drunks didn’t want you to walk, giving you a cheer if you started running again. I was quite enjoying the attention. Round by the finish the crowd was still huge as race supporters moved to see their racer finish. I hugged my family again before heading into the last lap.
I took water and a Coke and stopped in the feed station and squatted on the floor just for 30 seconds and I could drink. I finished both cups and headed off up the hill. At last I had a bit of energy, or at least caffeine, inside me. I managed to only walk the steepest parts of the climb and did the same thing at the top of the hill : stop, drink water, drink Red Bull, back to running. I could make it now – no need to drink again, so no need to feel sick. I was still feeling weak and empty but I could run. I saw Tom who had finished by now by the beach. I was so pleased for him, he has been so supportive all through our training. I was actually passing people now, not that the time mattered but I was starting to plan my finish. I wanted some space around me on the finish line. I was going to enjoy it and have it all to myself. Coming round that last corner, I wasn’t emotional anymore just happy and so pleased with myself I had done it. I high-fived my family and headed onto the red carpet. The spotlights shone, the crowds cheered me on toward the finish line. There in front of me was the lady who presented the briefing, she high-fived me, then spoke in that fantastic Irish accent “Christian You Are An Ironman”.

Training whilst on Holiday

Bike training has gone a bit wrong this week as the hotel won’t let me store the bike I’ve hired anywhere. I was supposed to ride for five and a half hours today but starting when the bike shop opens at 9am just two and a half hours is all I managed. I did do a bit extra on Thursday so I’m only down an hour and a half altogether. I was also supposed run for an hour afterwards but it’s just too hot.

Tomorrow I’m supposed to ride for 90 mins tomorrow before running for two and a half hours but I’m planning to start running at 6:30am to avoid the heat and I’m not sure it’s worth riding at all after that. Then I’ll be 4 hours down in total hours but I’m off all next week so I can make that up when I get home.

On the positive side I found some good roads past Loret de Mar so I have a couple of nice pics to share.

Thats Tossa De Mar in the distance.

And this is Tosser de Christian in the foreground. 😉

Bosworth Water Middle Distance Triathlon

It was a nice little race overall but a bit all over the place from contradictions in the race instructions to the timing not even being in chronological order!

I can’t remember who suggested it to me but it fitted in nicely with the training plan, and was quite cheap (for a middle) at £90. It’s also quite close to my sisters house so I had somewhere to stay nearby that would mean I didn’t have to get up ridiculously early.

It was quite flat and also a bit short at 84km on the bike and 20km for the run so good PB potential (for those who don’t know a Half IronMan distance should be 90km and 21.1km) I’ve only done 2 middles and found them both very hard especially in the last hour but I was never has highly trained as 25 weeks into a IronMan training program.

With a week to go they announced it would be mandatory non wetsuit which is very unusual in the UK and proved to be another strange thing about the race because despite them confirming this on the Friday when I arrived on Sunday morning most of the first wave was wearing their wetsuits. They had been topping up the lake with cold fresh water all week and this brought the temp down to 18 but for a lot of people myself including me it was too late to get suited up when I was told this at registration with only 15 minutes to go. I was then a bit too relaxed setting up, strolling over to the start just as they finished the briefing, luckily for me the relax nature of the organisers extended to letting this slide, at some races I could have been DQ’d for this before I even started. I had no idea why I was put in the faster (sub 40 min) wave 2 when I put down a 45 minute estimate, but it got me another 45 mins in bed so I was happy to be left behind on the swim by the suited up speed demons. Having a field to follow also makes the sighting easier. The lake wasn’t too cold but was full of weeds (and big fish too apparently not that I saw any. It’s was also very cloudy so zero visibility. I took it steady for the first lap and settled in for a 6 hour race, it’s definitely not a sprint. A quick glance at the watch after 17 mins and 850m I was back at the start looking good for a 40 minute swim once the second lap and the extra bit was completed, which proved to be the case, a short run across the park over some mats and sand and into transition, got a few seconds back not having a suit to take off, a quick drink of coke, tried to dust the sand off my wet feet before shoes on and onto the bike.

After cramming my bike into the back of the hire car (a Mini!) I a made a school boy error of not getting the seat back to the correct height, I was worrying so much about the disc brakes going out of adjustment I lost sight of the basics but it wasn’t so bad I needed to stop so I planned to sort it when I needed to refill my water bottles. In the end after 42km I decided I could manage to the end as I was still happily averaging 30km/h. The bike course was a 21km square which was mostly flat with just 1 short climb, 1 short descent and 1 busy junction in Market Bosworth. I think we might have been wind assisted down one side but sheltered by hedges on the way back. The feeding station didn’t do bottle swaps so I had to stop refill both bottles but I was glad of the rest and probably still only stopped for 2 minutes. The 4 laps were great for planning as I used 1 bottle of water and 1 gel per lap, so I knew what I had to do to keep of top of hydration and fuelling. I felt like I was going pretty quick as I had picked off quite a few slower riders, a couple on mountain bikes and even a few TT bikes so I was well on target to beat 3 hours but not quite holding onto the 30 km/h average as I slowed slightly toward the end of the last lap, mentally preparing myself for the run, which is always the worst leg for me.

Quite a quick T2, chucking on a cycle top to protect me from the sun and stop my Tri suit chaffing under my arms as it tends to do. I got a bit carried away running a bit too fast (for me) for the first lap but once I remembered I had 20km to do. It was nice to see my fellow Wrecsam Tri Club member still on the run and also my sister and her partner just finishing the sprint distance. The lap was round the fairly busy park land lots of families not exactly supporting the runners but at least it it didn’t feel lonely as the sprint and olympic racers finished and disappeared from the course. The smell of the BBQs was also quite nice as I got hungry towards the end of the race. The 2 feed stations only had water and gels which is fine for the shorter distances but a bit poor for us. I like to have a few crisps to keep me going and some of the other runners were missing a hit of coke. My mate grabbed me a banana from the finish which helped keep me going. They were also supposed to be giving out elastic bands to help you keep track of the number of laps but they ran out after 2 laps and didn’t even know How many laps I was supposed to be doing anyway! Apparently it was 8 but as the laps were only just over 2km each I decided to do 9 to get closer to the official 20km distance. A nice bit of support from my friends and family as I plodded on for the next 2 hours keeping topped up with water and the odd gel as my stomach would allow, most of the water went over my head to keep me cool as the blanket cloud cover broke up a bit to allow some sun onto the course, thankfully it didn’t stay out too long as it was already quite warm enough. Over the last two laps I got chatting to one of the slower runners trying to get him back running as I past him walking, he was a nice guy who said he wanted to Tenby next year once I told me my plan and recommended the Outlaw if I ever do another Iron distance race. Then when he decided to walk again and as I was only half a lap from the finish and feeling good, I picked up the pace and tried to catch another “what I like to call normal” sized bloke who had been about 400m away for the last 6 laps. He still had 2 laps to go so when I caught him near the end I was already into my finishing sprint. just over 5:50 and still fresh enough to stand without support, so the training must be going well.

A few quick photos then packed up and headed home to the family……..via McDonald’s!

Ten Weeks to go….

And things are still going well, and thankfully fairly uneventfully.

I’m getting lots of Support on my Tuesday Runs, Long Saturday Bike rides and even the Sunday run too, thank you training buddies you know who you are ❤️

It’s pretty warm in Wrexham today so I got my run out of the way before work. I stayed under the trees and in the shade round Erddig for the efforts too.

Two laps round Ellesmere this evening and it was too hot to put on my wetsuit so I swam without and got round in exactly the same time as last week, I must be the only person I know whose not faster in a wetsuit but that doesn’t matter so long as I get round.

I need to do more climbing on the long rides, during last weekend ride I managed 90km in 4 hours which is okay pace for Tenby but I only did about 2/3 of the climbing (proportionately) so I need to do more next weekend. Onwards and more upwards.

Base 2 and 3

Twelve weeks in and ‘Base’ parts 2 and 3 are completed and its been fairly uneventful.  My finger has recovered nicely from being stuck in a spinning disk brake (don’t ask why, I don’t know) I raced and marshalled at Chirk Sprint Triathlon which I really enjoyed and helped liven up the boredom of training. So much so I raced in the Chester Half Marathon the week after and also Ruthin Sprint Triathlon just last weekend.  The Saturday bike rides have gotten a bit longer and the cafe stops have had to be kicked into touch but I’ve got a good crew of partners to ride with which has made them the social highlight of my week. So onward and upward to 4 week of Build 1 which sees the training load up’d from 10 to 13 hours and finishes with a Race at Chester over the Olympic Distance, which includes a river swim so the wet-suit will be coming out to play soon enough.

6 weeks in.

That’s the first 6 weeks done, got up to 9 hours this week and after the hick up of my flu in week 3 that was quite a relief.

Got back to track sessions on Mondays which should be rest day but I found swapping it with Tuesdays run was easier than running and swimming on Tuesday. Still have a short brick session on Wednesday’s then a Bike / Swim on Thursdays but the lighter nights and drier weather have meant I could ride on the road and released me from the hell of the Turbo. Up to 10 hours next week but I’m off work and have some training partners lined up already. Fingers crossed for good weather.

The Blog is back by popular demand (no really)

Well it’s all off again and already into week 3 of Don Fink (again) Be Iron Fit training program.

You see I entered Ironman Wales for 2018 with some of the gang from Wrecsam Tri Club. I know I can’t hope to get the support I had a Dearnford but I figured the fanatical residents of Tenby, fans of IM and a few familiar faces from the Tri Club should be enough to get me round the much hiller course to hear those special words you only get a the end of a proper (branded corporate) Ironman ™.

I already had a cold to start off week one and despite that I carried on training, and just as I started to get my strength back the weather turned cold (and snowy) and I had a few tough days in work and I’m ill again. Suffering a really fevered night sleep last night. The roads just ain’t suitable for a 105 minutes on the bike anyway and that would have been tough on the turbo trainer but I’ve listen to my body (and my Dad) and had the day off, if I have a better night I’ll try a 60 minute run tomorrow but if not I’ll try again next week. There are still 27 weeks to go, so no point hurting myself.

Next week is an easier week anyway after building from 6 hours total training in week 1 to 7 hours and then 8 this week. The plan is only for 7 again next week so hopefully I’ll get back on track.

I hindsight Wednesdays run in 6 degrees below was probably a bad idea.

Bye Mum

Just before her 70th birthday in 2014 my Mum was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a mastectomy before a course of Radiotherapy at Bodelwyddan Hospital.

As a Terminal care nurse she was well aware of the treatments available and their side effects. As such she choose not to take the Chemotherapy. This type of treatment is aimed at preventing reoccurrence of the cancer elsewhere in the body but reduces quality of life with not only short term sickness but other longer term side effects.

I think Mum knew then she didn’t have too much time left and began a plan for the end of her life. She was quickly back in work as she needed a bit of extra money to make those few final trips and prepare to move back to Wrexham.

She worked perhaps a bit too hard taking extra shifts even as late as April this year but got everything as she wanted before the cancer returned. She stopped work in May because of a bad back but was still well enough to get about, spending time visiting friends from her lovely little flat on Chester Road.

This photo was taken on a trip to Nottingham in May 2016.
In June things got a bit more serious when she lost the use of her legs but after a couple of weeks in Nightingale House Hospice she was back home in the flat and could still get about with the use of a wheelchair. At this time she made sure everything was sorted, including the planning of her funeral celebrations and was visited by friends from far and wide for one last time.
After another short stay in the Hospice in July, she again returned home but was now sadly bed bound. Still in good spirits, she spent her time watching films and doing the crossword from the paper, which one of us would take her every morning.

The nurses and doctors have mostly been able to get her pain under control and get any equipment she needed quickly to aid any changes in condition.

The pain increased again on Tuesday last week and at that point the drugs kept her mostly comfortable but sedated. She slipped away from us on Friday morning with her husband Tony by her side as he had been all week.

A truly amazing woman who helped people all over the world during various trips to Africa, India and Romania and yet still had time to help her friends and family. I will miss her greatly.

I’m not sure but I think this photo was taken in Malawi where she spend 18 months in the early 2000s

Thank you to all her friends, family and carers who helped us through this difficult time and am pleased when the time came it was fairly swift and that she didn’t suffer too much.

Nick Thomas

I the second time met Nick Thomas was on the 17th of May this year, when I went to Ellesmere on my 2nd ever Tuesday night mere swim. The first was a 1 lapper the week before Ellesmere Tri in 2014 and I don’t remember too much about it. This was my first 2 lapper as part of my Iron Distance training. At the start of the second lap everyone around me had turned for the shore and I was on my own, except for 1 man in a boat waiting patiently at each bouy, asking if I was okay then heading to the next to repeat the process until I was finished where the rest of the Thomas family were waiting to sign me out of the water. I was the last person out of the water but there was no stress and no fuss, Nick was just keeping an eye on the newbies as he did every week.

I don’t know who will keep an eye in the newbies now or how the Thomas family will manage without Nick. He has left some rather big shoes to fill, but he’s gone and I’ll never get to say the only words I ever spoke to him again.

“Thanks Nick”

RIP Enduroman #19