No more excuses.......

So, it was agreed the intensity and, to a smaller extent, the volume would be increased. I've never trained with this consistency, volume or intensity. I spend most days feeling like I'm on the edge of exhaustion, without ever actually tipping myself over, always leaving enough in the tank for your next session. Apparently, this is how it's supposed to be.
I juggle training around my job (12 hour shifts of either nights or days), my kids (and there's a few of them) and my long suffering partner/team manager/nutritionist/Lycra washer/Sports Masseur/bag carrier and biggest supporter, Lesley.
The two week period over Xmas and New Year was all low volume, high intensity, so I was allowed an easier week to begin with.
So here's my training schedule from  Monday 2nd Jan 2012.


Monday 2nd January
Central Lancs Half Marathon at Catforth  -   1:25:47
Tough race due to the weather. Strong headwinds, rain and hail. Would liked to have sneaked under 1:25, but happy with time considering the weather. Remainder of week is going to be easy/steady pace stuff.


Tuesday
Day off to allow legs to recover.


Wednesday
Swim 4 x 1000m @ Easy Pace. Turned around on 20 minutes.
1-Swim, 2 + 3-Pull Buoy, 4-Buoy+Bands.


Thursday
8 mile run. Easy pace. 1:02
Extra swim 1.7km of kicking and rotation drills.


Friday
56 mile bike. 3:15. 2 hours at steady pace, picking up pace for last hour.


Saturday
Recovery bike ride to work. 5.5 miles.
Ran home from work. First 2 miles hard, remainder at IM marathon pace. 40 minutes.


Sunday
Day off. No time due to work.
Missed buoy/bands/paddles swim session


Monday 9th January
Manchester Tri Club swim session at Moss Side. Managed to do a 6:30, 400m and some 1:30, 100m, so starting to get some swim fitness back. Still a way to go. I will be happy when I'm sub 6 minutes for 400m.


Tuesday
Missed progressive run due to work. Yes, another late finish. As if 12 hours at work isn't enough.
Should have been 20 minutes @ half marathon pace, 20 minutes @ 10k pace, 20 minutes best you can pace, then cool down.
Cycled to and from work as hard as I could. 11 mile round trip.


Wednesday
Cycling in and around Rivington, Bolton. Hard efforts on the hills, staying seated where possible. Weather was grim. Zero visibility, raining and windy. Surface water was a real problem with streams flowing across the roads. Went straight into a short run (3 miles) up to the Pike and back down. First time I have managed to sneak under 9 minutes for the run up to the Pike (from Lower House Car Park). Cold + wet weather + uneven terrain always sets off my old football knee injury, so had to really easy off on the way back down.
2:30, 35 miles for bike.
Swim session in afternoon.
Warm up/3 x 400/3x300/3x200/3x100/cool down. (1 + 2 steady pace, 3 hard with paddles)


Thursday
Long run day. 2:10, 17 miles.
30 minutes steady pace, 1 hour faster, 30 minutes steady, remainder cool down.


Friday
Cycling - 2:35, 45 miles. First hour easy pace (16mph), Second hour IM pace (20 mph)
Swim session in afternoon.
Warm up. 16x25 bands only/200m hard with bands, buoy + paddles/200m easy. Repeat x 3. Cool down


Saturday
Interval run session. 1:23, 10 miles.
10 minute warm up, 10 x 3 minute hard/2 minute recovery, remainder cool down. It should have been 15 reps, but I was pushed for time.
I worked a nights overtime shift Friday night/Saturday morning. In bed at 7:30am, up at 11:00am. Interval session at 12:00. I do this quite often. Not by choice, I just don't sleep well after night shifts. These sessions are mentally and physically challenging, as my body is really not up for anything other than sitting on my arse and watching TV.


Sunday
Scheduled 3:30 bike ride abandoned due to freezing weather. I wouldn't say I'm a fair weather cyclist, but when it says minus on the gauge, I'm staying in and not playing out.
Substituted in a 1 hour threshold turbo session instead.
10 minutes warm up, 9 minutes threshold, 1 minute best you can, 5 easy spin (x3), cool down.
Cross country race at Woodbank Park, Stockport. 9km, 42 minutes. Didn't go all out. Just kept it at a easy/steady pace. This was an extra, unscheduled run.






I'm really pleased with my progress so far. I can tolerate the hard sessions much better. My mind and body are 'toughening' up.


Next week I'm on a mini taper, as I have Gloucester Marathon on 22nd Jan. Last years time was 3:14 and that included 4 miles of walk/run.
My plan is to go out slower than normal and pick up the pace later in the race. This differs somewhat from my usual race strategy of running the first 2 miles as fast as possible and then suffering for the next 24.


I will report back post Gloucester with all my excuses!!