Going for Gold

Going longer!!
So it is now three years since my first ever triathlon – Stirling Sprint in June 2010, and I have come a really long way since then. Now I am contemplating going further still.
Since June 2010 I have competed in numerous pool based sprint events, two pool based standard events and my first open water sprint at Lochore Meadows last year. I have also worked really hard on my swimming both in the pool and open water, so it is time for something new. In 2013 I will be entering, and hopefully completing, a middle distance event, equivalent to a half Ironman distance. This consists of 1.9km swim, 90km bike and 21km run. A significant increase on my current events, and it is also my stepping stone to my goal in 2014 – the UK Ironman in Bolton.

I will be keeping a blog on my training through the year up to my planned event of Aberfeldy middle distance in August, and maybe afterwards as well to track my recovery. New middle distance triathlon training plan Brian has supplied a training plan in January to get me started on my goal of the middle distance triathlon in Aberfeldy in August and it is certainly a challenge. I was a bit shocked to realise the run sets were 10 miles each, it is years since I have run that far, but then was almost as shocked when I ran it without stopping first time out. I have now done three of these, two steady runs and one fartlek session, and I know I have the strength for the distance and it is certainly feeling easier each time. A case of mind over matter I think. The swim sets are within my distance and capability but are making me swim a bit faster in some sets which I need. Am also finding that I am making progress here as well which helps me to keep feeling positive.

My big challenge will be once I get back into the open water later in the year. For some reason I always find it hard to keep swimming in open water, even when I don’t feel tired I seem to stop so this is something I have to work on. The hardest to do at present is the bike as it is hard to get outside when it is not dark or icy. The turbo trainer is getting some hard work as a consequence. I am really looking forward to the lighter evenings so I can get outside on the bike much more regularly.
Strength and conditioning training is supplied by land training sessions plus ton up sessions. The workouts are not as hard as the pre-fatigues!! My upper body strength is still nothing like as good as my lower body so there is work to do.

So good start to the training, and now I just need to work out how to fit it in around work, especially when I am travelling.

Denise