All Downhill

Here's where I am...

Last Monday I went for a long swim, long enough for my wife to scour the beach as she'd lost me in the water and for a kayaker to make sure I was alright after my shoe almost came off and I had to shake it back on, giving the impression I was drowning. After an hour and 20 minutes swimming against the tide I achieved a mile which I'm ultra happy with. Following a sixty mile ride, and another fifty last Friday, I finally feel like I'm ready to do this.

I'm into the tapering section of training and, as with running, have gone for the suggested 75%, 50%, 25% in the last three weeks of riding. It's hard to know whether to shorten each ride by that amount or drop a ride that adds up to it so this week for the 75% taper I've dropped the 30 mile Sunday ride. Next week I'll be doing 40 miles on the Friday with just the static bike and the short rides in between while the week before the ride sees a 30 miler at the weekend, tops. This is all to reduce fatigue as there's no chance of gaining much fitness in the last three weeks before an event; that all needs to come well before.

Next stop, Ride London on July 29th. I have a sponsorship site available if you do have a little to spare.

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/LyvitLondonClassics

A Nice Surprise

Well, how lovely. I nipped out on the bike this afternoon for a scheduled 50 mile ride and ended up tagging an extra ten on the end. I started feeling the fatigue and the ol' 'bike seat' feeling towards the end which gave me a taste of what's to come, however I'm not sure how much suffering is healthy in the run up to the ride.

Next weekend I'm away on the Friday so will record a total of zero miles. It's not great timing but I've been consistent up to now and after that weekend I'll be tapering so I'm not concerned by any means. It does mean I may have done my last big ride though. I've got everything I should need already attached to the bike, although there may well be something that I've forgotten and just have to go without. There's nothing like that "I forgot my shoes!" dilemma just before a big run.

I am still swimming but will try to put in a big swim before the ride just to boost my confidence. Injuries are always a worry but swimming is fairly low impact so must be good for me. It must be. Surely.

Almost Up To Speed

Last week I decided to tinker with my training a little and added a quick, 3.5 mile route into my week to be done as often as possible. I've managed two weeks of two sessions which doesn't sound like much, however the plan is to go hell for leather and blast it out, giving my muscles a good overload and keeping me cycling as close to every day as possible.

With two sessions under my belt this week I nipped out for a planned 50 mile ride on Friday which went better than ever. I have been looking at fuelling and am using cereal bars as they're longer lasting than gels and I rarely need a quick boost that gels provide. Also they're disgusting; if I'm eating I want it to taste good. I found that half a bar every ten miles has added to my pace but I was still low on energy so I may try a bar every ten miles to see what that does. I won't take on nine bars for the 100 miler - that's insane - but regular fuelling is working so I will start out with one every ten miles and drop off, maybe planning not to take any on in the last forty. I'm thinking onto the page here. Where was I?

So I got back from the 50 and put my feet up, finding on Saturday that I was in good shape for a bit of sea training. I couldn't go swimming as I went last Thursday and the top of my wetsuit rubbed a layer of skin off the bottom of my neck so I went bodyboarding on a completely flat sea instead. The Thursday swim was great, I think I made a quarter of a mile or so going against the tide and have more confidence in the water but I've ordered a rash vest to stop me chopping my head off in the Serpentine after it's gradually worn away the rest of my neck. Saturday over, I decided on 30 for Sunday rather than my usual 20 because I was feeling good about riding.

I've just made it back from a 35 mile ride since I was still feeling good after my initial 30 and wanted to make this week the first that I've ever ridden 100 miles - granted I indoor-biked on Wednesday but, since it's an hour, the minimum I've put in is around 12 miles and with the two 3.5s, a 50 and a 35 I have exceeded three digits. 

This post isn't just a pat on the back for a job well done (I have so much further to go) - it's a reminder that training isn't just about putting in the miles and building muscles but to find the pitfalls of long distances and adjusting gear to fit the conditions. I've never had a problem with my wetsuit rubbing before yet I look like I've tried to fall sleep on a giant angle grinder. Likewise I may have to angle my handlebars towards me despite having done hundreds of miles this year since I'm only just noticing they're a bit droopy. Blagging a distance is fine but achieving a distance is better for you. Lesson ends.

The Bad Thing

All was going so well until Thursday at 2am. I'd planned a swim for the evening as I've been introduced to Magic Seaweed (the website, not the psychotropic plant) and conditions were looking perfect for the first time in a while. Unfortunately I turned inside out and spilled all of my secrets to Mr. Toilet upstairs, leaving me frail enough to watch nothing but Attenborough and having to cancel all training until things returned to normal.

Yesterday I planned to go on my long ride having written off Friday as well but was not up to scratch and, instead, went today. I was feeling good after the first 25 miles having dropped off a proof copy of a book and so I carried on, putting in some extra miles until I hit the magic 50 mark for the second time in my training. I was sore, slow and needed diet lemonade but I'd made it, giving me the confidence to look at how my training has gone so far.

My pace has always been a complaint of mine and the way I increased my running pace was to put in an extra couple of very short, very quick runs every week. This is what I'm going to do for my last month of hard training before tapering, using the final two 30 minute windows in my week to push speed and hopefully get to an acceptable level. I'm within the four hour timeframe for a 50 miler if I discount stops and checking my map all too often yet I'd like to give myself half a chance should something unkind arise. 

As for the swimming...more time in the sea, methinks. Running involves putting on a pair of shoes and going, cycling needs as little wind as possible yet swimming needs the right tide, the right swell and the right wind - all at the same time. It's going to be the hardest part of my training to get right for sure.

Quickie

Very briefly - since my 50 mile ride I've dropped back to 30 and 40 milers regularly and I've been increasing my speed. Although 13mph is still a low average it's going in the right direction.

I've also been sea swimming a couple of times and am managing not to drown. I've mapped out a two mile route from Long Rock to Marazion with a view to increasing my swimming mileage over the Summer.

With both RideLondon and Swim Serpentine places booked and paid for I feel like I'm in the zone...

Interruptions and milestones

It's been a busy and therefore disruptive couple of weeks. I was asked if I wanted a small part in Evita at the Hall for Cornwall and couldn't turn it down even though it meant a full week of commitment and I knew I wouldn't get much training in, if any. Sure enough I missed every session yet, worse than that, some bad news during an MOT on our car meant I spent the week beforehand cutting and shaping panels to save literally hundreds of pounds to keep the beast on the road.

Two weeks later and I've had to pick it up again, starting as ever with the indoor bike but vowing to get on my RideLondon machine at least twice this weekend. I had plenty of notice of the theatrics and so decided I would dedicate my time to the ride afterwards...which is now. I've recently discussed RideLondon with a finisher from last year and he confidently told me that 50 miles on Cornish roads would see me through 100 in London and, given the buzz of the crowd and the adrenaline, I can well believe that.

With that in mind I cheekily thought about a 50 mile ride today having done 20 on Friday, realising that it's too early in my training to really attempt it. I've struggled with 30 milers recently, putting it down to a lack of energy from food and so I packed some Soreen malt loaf, another suggestion from a fellow rider, and some sweets to keep me going and it really did make all the difference this time.

I'd been worrying myself about the route all week as I chose the busiest road out of the county excluding the A30 just so I could get the distance without too many steep climbs and it was definitely stressing me out. I changed my route the night before and mapped out a beautiful trip from Helston to Hayle through Camborne and Redruth and back. I was expecting it to take me around four hours with the distance eating away at my normal 12mph average but I made it almost to Helston with an hour to spare. What to do but go out again...I turned off by Poldark mine and stuck another ten miles on the bike, popping out at Rame for a gentle ride home.

I'm feeling a whole lot better having done it but am wary of how early it is and how easily I can get bored so will scale back the long ride to around 30 miles next week which should also allow me to recover from the extra mileage.

Final Finalised Training Plan Finally

I've joined a gym for the first time in my life. It feels odd as it's not a midlife crisis and really it's just so I can use the pool but as a runner I've always been a bit of a 'the world is my gym' kinda guy. Now the gym is my gym.

I'll admit my main reason for joining was because they gave me a price I couldn't refuse (free) but to be able to pool swim on Tuesdays and sea swim at weekends...when it warms up, at least...is a real blessing.

My first swim was dreadful and felt like a waste of time. I couldn't put my face in the water and got tired after 15 short laps. I was told this is normal though and that buoyed me up (no pun intended) to go back today. I set myself a goal of 20 laps however possible and, as ever, they were slow laps.

On finishing I was offered a sauna or steam room by a young man who turned out to be an instructor, both of which I politely declined. He also told me it was perfectly normal and would get easier so now that I have a schedule I'm on board for swimming (again, no pun intended).

Sunday rides have been non-existent of late for theatrical reasons but after the show this Sunday my training plan is:

Tuesday swim, increasing lap numbers

Wednesday indoor bike, keeping to an hour of low resistance 

Friday short ride, maximum of twenty miles

Sunday long ride, increasing distance if possible

...with as many sea swims as I can. Arms and legs don't fail me now.