January Training - Back To The Start

At the start of the year I have decided to update the blog with all my months training in one sitting, I'm creating a plan to cope with my planned races this year and my main race for the year will be the Long Course Weekend (Iron distance) which is raced on the Ironman Wales course and is raced over 3 days.

The idea for January training was to build up the sessions per week, starting with 3 and then try and juggle family life to fit more session in. It was also to loose the Christmas indulgence, I set my self a target race weight of 168lbs and I was currently 198lbs so a massive 30lbs to loose, I planned to track my calorie intake to a minimum so I can complete some sort of training and not "bonk" when out on sessions. When I plan to do more than 3 sessions a week I'll eat more calories so I can cope with the extra demands. I will track everything in My Fitness Pal, a decent app so worth checking out!

I'm not putting any structure in my training yet, I just want to get out there and get my body back into training again.

Session Reviews

09/01/14 - Night Run

The first session, you always remember this one as it hurts the most and you always question why you decided to go out in the pouring down rain, but when you get back you feel 100 times better than you left and it should give you the drive to get out there and plan your next session.

I did a simple 6 minute km pace run in the pitch black of the night, I've invested in some new running lights so I now look like an extra from the movie Tron.

A 6km at 6 km minute pace - 6 by 6 session

Full Session HERE

13/01/14 - Turbo Session

Its that time again to start to love the turbo again,and what better way to start then 60 minutes in the saddle. Keep it simple and it was 20 minutes warm up, 20 minutes high resistance with medium cadence and 20 minutes warm down.

Full Session HERE

16/01/14 - Run (Mile Efforts)

I could still feel my heavy legs from the previous turbo session, its been a while since I'd had done 2 sessions so close together and I wasn't feeling great. I decided to do an outside run but mile efforts on the watch. Try and keep the last mile as quick as the first with 90 seconds rest in between efforts. I failed...

This was only a 4 mile session but it felt twice as far, the wind blowing in my face on two of the laps as a rotated the lap direction each time. It was a killer session and as I'm limited on calories I really felt in and struggled on the last lap. 

Full Session HERE

21/01/14 - Turbo Session (Ride Harder 2)

Thank you Chrissie for 60 minutes of sweat...

If you need help with some turbo training and what session to do then look no further than Audiofuel and there ride harder sessions. I used these a lot when I was training for my half iron distance race and they were great. This is a 60 minute interval session with a 10 minute TT at the top of the pyramid, I haven't felt heavy legs like this for some time and lost so much sweat since pre-knee operation days. It was a great feeling! But then the penny dropped its a tempo run tomorrow.. my poor legs.

22/01/14 - Tempo Run

1st outing with my ironman mate, just a quick 5 miler to blow the cobwebs away... I spent the whole run on his coattails. We were lucky enough to do the run out of the rain and no head wind which was great. I'm still on a low calorie intake so I took it easier than the norm as I wanted to make sure I had enough in the tank to get me home. I did the run at 8 - 8:30 minute mile pace, I really need to look at the KM equivalent.

It was great to be out running on the road again, I just hope my knee continues to hold out, plenty of ice when I got home to help with an swelling.

Full Session HERE

24/01/14 - Swim Session

Back in the pool and I loved it!

After meeting up with my swim coach it was keen to get those drills out and put into practice what i was shown. I think I had some lovely looks from the lifeguard while I was tapping my head each stroke.

800m Drills (400m Bilateral breathing & 400m head taps)
12 x 100m (30 seconds rest)

Average strokes is the best but its a starting point!

Full Session HERE

29/01/14 - Turbo Session

Finish the month with a toughy, and it was... 60 minutes pyramid on the turbo. I decided the set was going to be :

10 min warm up, 3 x 1 min, 3 x 2 min, 2 x 3 min, 2 x 4 min, 1 x 5 min, 10 min cool down

I really enjoyed it, covered in sweat and 5 minute TT at the end destroyed my legs, I'm so out of shape on the bike I really need to get more in next month.

HR rate averaged out at 129 BPM and maxed out at 167 BPM, only 87% maximum heart rate, I know I can work harder but I was just happy to be on the bike again and have a fully functional knee.

My cadence stayed relatively high until the PC frozen so I had to get off the bike to get the mouse, to reset sky go. I hate it when that happens, but I still averaged out at 71 RPM for the session.

Full Session HERE

Month Totals
Swim 2.2km
Bike 59.89km
Run 19.74km

Total 81.83km