Sunday 19 February 2017

I get by with a little help with my friends

When you are training for an endurance event you start by building a base level of training and this takes several months.  With my training having been twice a week recently I've felt like getting to base training would be a good start!  So I'm pleased to report that this week involved two runs, one turbo session, one walk (I'll come back to that) and my second bike ride this year.
The runs have gone to plan and it will be a while before I am able to get my heart rate down.  I'm now up to 10k and if I can get 2-3 runs in a week for the next couple of weeks then this should allow me to build my distance. It's strange to think that in 216 days time I will be running with a rucksack carrying over 12 kilos in weight and doing 6 consecutive days running; 49.6k, 43.4k, 84.7k, 41.9k, 41.9k,12.3k.  The course starts at 5,334ft and the total ascent in the race will be 18,041 ft with total descent of 14,688 ft.  It's hard to imagine the distances while I am running 10k at the moment but with proper planning by my coach Genevieve, I'll get there.
On Friday I completed a 7k walk. This is an important part of my training a I will be walking for large sections of the event due to terrain and heat. Walking causes different pressures on the foot from running and is usually where the blisters come from so there will be much more of this planned, although it's more likely to be hill walking.
Having ran 10k yesterday I headed out with Genevieve and Colin for a "social" bike ride.  I set the route but had failed to realise that this was a regular route, when I was cycling and fit.  It involved a lot of hills and I misjudged the distance (49km) so only have myself to blame for that.  At one point I was really struggling to make one of the many hills and my heart was racing and I was feeling sick.  My pals were already over the hill and I knew I was in trouble.  A quick gel gave me a boost but towards the end Genevieve was upfront with me trying to hold on and Colin was pushing me to help me stay on Genevieve's wheel.  My triceps were so tired I was struggling to hold onto the handlebars.  The rain had started and all I wanted to do was stop and call a taxi - that wasn't going to happen.  I'm putting this detail in so that you can see where I am starting from and it's not a place of fitness, but I am determined.  It will also be a reminder to me when I look back at some of the black moments you have to go through on the journey.  But as the title says, I got by with a little help from my friends which was much appreciated.  It's much harder on your own.
The healthier diet starts tonight and there will be a lot less socialising and partying!  I want to get back to the shape I was in pre-ironman but this will take a lot of hard work.  216 days and counting!

No comments:

Post a Comment