30th Dec - Orienteering

Went to Whinlatter Forest Park to do the mountain biking but the snow was too deep - over a foot and a half in places, so we did the orienteering course instead. We did all of the mapped controls in about 55 mins. Really good fun.

29th Dec - Fell Run

Did the Tour of Crummock Water run (16.05km, 700m ascent) with Champ. Deep snow on the top of Mellbreak, pretty breezy on the tops too. Good run.

Route: Lanthwaite Wood, Mellbreak, Buttermere village, Rannerdale Knotts, Lanthwaite Wood

25th Dec - Mountaineering

Climbed Lorton Gully (Couloir de Grasmoor) on Grasmoor with Maurice.

Ice was v.thin, and the gully was mostly just built up by snow. The day looked good for paragliding so I climbed with the wing, but by the time that we got to the summit, the clouds had come in and the wind increased. Loads of snow on the decent down to the col at the top of Gasgale Gill. Would be great for skiing sometime...

24th Dec - Fell run

Walked up from Whinfell to Swinside intending to fly the NE facing slope but the wind was too gusty - NE 11/12mph, gusting 16mph. Ditched flying and ran home. Round-trip circa 10km, 400m ascent with paraglider bag.

21st Dec - Paragliding

Found a good SW take-off ramp on Whin Ben (halfway up Whiteside). Flew for 30 mins into 15mph SSW wind, over Whiteside and landed on South-facing lower slopes of Dodd.

Great flight in the sunset above the snowy Lorton Valley/Loweswater. Stunning!

16th Dec - Swim

London Fields Lido (wetsuit swim)

500m warm-up then 10 x 100m off 1:55

Set felt v.easy at the start, arrived at the wall on the first rep with 20 secs spare. After a few, reps settled down on about 7-8 seconds.

11th Dec - Run

Oil of Dags, Tower Hamlets

Interval session

4 x (10 mins medium/fast pace, then 10 mins slow) + marginal to half-marathon at medium/fast pace

Total session - 21.3km - 1h 33:12

Feeling ok. Good recovery during slow reps.

Hour split - 13.8km
Half-marathon split - 1h 31:50

10th Dec - Paragliding

Did a couple of hours of ground-handling. Wind was pretty strong so took off several times. Can't wait to get back in the air properly.

4th Dec - Squash

Played Hinksy at squash. He won 4-2. Good to give him a bit of encouragement, he needs it the poor boy!

3rd Dec - Run

Ran from Base Camp to Beaney's flat

16.12k - 1h 19:12

Slow pace, ran with rucksack. Loads of rush hour traffic, v. stop-start. Reasonable leg-stretch though.

3rd Dec - Swim

London Fields Lido

500m warm-up then 10 x 100m off 2:00

More of an honest session than yesterday. Was consistently coming in off each rep at 1:50, but felt like I needed the 10 second recovery.

2nd Dec - Swim

London Fields Lido

500m warm-up then 10 x 100m off 2:10

Felt ok, had loads of time after each rep. Should probably aim for off 2:00 next time.

21st Nov - Swim

London Fields Lido with VB

2 X 400m warm-up

5 X 100m off 2:10
5 X 100m off 2:00

2 X (50m easy, 50m medium, 50m hard)

Good session, felt hard at start

7th Nov - Run

First proper run session in fooking ages. I've been ill recently so haven't been doing anything.

Hackney/Tower Hamlets circuit

1hr Steady - 12.83km (averaging 4:40/km)

No surprises really. Unfit and lungs recovering after cold.

31st October - Mountaineering

Walking: Gatesgarth, Fleetwith Pike, Haystacks, Gatesgarth with VB, Lordy, Zoe, Carlos, Sarah, Crazy-horse

8km, 847m ascent - 3hrs 20

Good walk despite the conditions.

16th October - Paragliding

Flight off Lijar Sureste top to bottom (2,000 feet). CP completed. I'm a qualified Pilot, bosh.

15th October - Paragliding

1 flight from Lijar Sureste (Levante take-off). Practised 360, asymetric deflation, big ears. Massive and amazing flight at Ronda La Vieja up to 2,500 feet. In the air for 1:20!

14th October - Paragliding

2 flights at Lucena, about 1,000 feet. Brill.

13th October - Paragliding

Went to Lijar (levante take-off) but still wind too strong. Lots of theory and then ground-handling in Lijar sureste landing field.

12th October - Paragliding

Frustrating day, winds too strong for flying, then too light for ground-handling. Did loads of theory.

11th October - Paragliding

First day of CP course

Ground-handling. 1 flight of 45 minutes at Cañete La Real. Brilliant.

10th October - Bike

Benamahoma to col

21.12km, ascent 705m - 59:35

Great ride, straight up, straight down.

9th October - Paragliding

2 spectacular flights at Ronda La Vieja (1,000 feet). 1 flight at Montellano (1,000 feet). Great day, EP completed.

8th October - Paragliding

Ground-handling practise and 1 flight to 200 feet! Cool.

7th October - Paragliding

2 flights to 100 feet. Getting higher!

6th October - Bike

Algodonales - Zahara - Puerto de las Palomas - Grazalema - Algo

57.11km, ascent 1,162m - 2hrs 19:02

Awesome ride, probably top 5 in terms of enjoyment. Puerto de las Palomas is the height of Ben Nevis with some great hairpin bends. Started in the evening sunshine, rode through sunset and final 10km in the dark. Amazing.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/16554836

6th October - Paragliding

3 flights to 60 feet. Progressing landings and alpine launches.

5th October - Paragliding

I am in Algodonales in Southern Spain to do my Elementary Pilot and Club Pilot courses with Fly Spain. Weather is fantastic, Andalucian sunshine and mountains - perfect!

Today I did my first steps in paragliding at Cuatro Mojones, two short flights to 50 feet.

27th Sept - Adventure Race

Rat Race London 2009 with Jonty Saunders and Henry Dyson

6hrs 22

This event consisted of orienteering on foot and bike, kayaking, climbing and abseiling. Really impressed with the other guys who held a good pace all day. Results still be published but think we got top 10 out of 400 teams.

19th Sept - Fell run

Fell run in Langdale with Pete Hart

24.2km, 1,757m ascent - 3:44

Went to my 2nd Fell and Rock Climbing Club meet. Great to get back on the fells for some running. Weather was pretty average: poor visibility and pretty damp for most of the run, but cleared up when we got to Pike O'Blisco. Was cool to discover the Jake's Rake scramble on Pavey Ark - great little route and worthwhile addition to the fell run (Pete's doing). This would be a great winter climbing route - must go back in snow/icey conditions tooled up.

Route: Raw Head FRCC hut, Pavey Ark (Jake's Rake), High Raise, Angle Tarn, Bow Fell, Crinkle Crags, Pike O'Blisco

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/13663333

14th Sept - Run

Vicky Park lap with Hinksy - 27 mins

9th Sept - Run

Vicky Park laps

6.82 km - 29:19

Stopped due to blisters, otherwise fine - easy pace (4:18/km).

4th Sept - Bike

London to Godalming on tandem with VB

80km - 4hrs

26th August - Swim

London Fields Lido

1.5km - 27:36.2

Feeling ok. Long time last swim.

8:46.5
9:23.7
9:26.0

22nd August - Bike

Hackey to Tunbridge Wells (via Blackheath, Biggin Hill, Westerham, Penshurst) on tandem with Beaney.

65km - 3hrs

Good weather, nice day.

8th August - Bike

London to Brighton on the tandem!

100km - 4hrs

Beaney was a very strong 'stoker' (2nd rider). Had a great ride and motored up Ditchling Beacon. Nice weather.

5th August - Bike

Vicky Park TT lap

6:57 (PB)

30th July - Bike

30 miles fast on fixed gear bike

Plan

I have had some time now to think about my Ironman Switzerland race:

Positives

Progress on the bike over the last year.
First half-marathon, lack of jelly legs.
Mentally tougher.

Negatives

Little progress in improvement on swim (but courses can be inaccurate).
Massive explosion on the third 10K of the Marathon.
Ironman running is still hugely slower than standalone run PB.

My goal for 2010 is a huge improvement in my Ironman PB, now 11 hrs 21 seconds. I want to go low 10 hours and I'm aiming for the following improvements:

Swim 1:05 (10 minute improvement on current Ironman split PB)
Bike 5:20 (10 minute improvement on current Ironman split PB)
Run 3:30 (32 minute improvement on current Ironman split PB)

plus 10 mins for transitions (1&2)

Total time 10:05

These are pretty significant improvements in all three disciplines and it's probably fairly ambitious to consider them linked in the same race, but I reckon that with more effective training, and particular attention paid to (a) my swim technique (with more short distance/speed training) and (b) my distance running off the bike (3rd 10K of the marathon), this may be achievable.

I'm pleased with the long bike sessions that I did in April to July this year, but I definitely neglected my running due to my knee injury. I just hope that this clears up soon so that I can put in a big winter of run training.

My swim is poor and seemingly however fast/slow I go, I don't feel anymore whacked when I get out of the water, so it'd be great to get some improvement here. I put a little bit of speed-work into my swim sessions over the last few months but not enough to see real gains.

I'm taking a few weeks off proper training and will only do 'fun' and 'when I feel like it' sessions. It has been cool to watch the Tour de France and I'm inspired to do some riding. I'm riding to Paris with VB on the tandem in September which will be really fun too. In terms of racing, my next event is October's Beachy Head marathon but I may enter some low-key stuff in the meantime just for fun.

27th July - Swim

London Fields Lido

Aiming for 15 X 100m off 1:45. Could only do 4, so changed to 1:55, did subsequent 11 off 1:55.

Felt really hard. Shit session.

25th July - Run

1 X Canal lap (with Limehouse basin), plus Vicky Park big lap

13.1km - 1hr 10

With Martha and VB. Felt very easy, but knees sore afterwards.

12th July - Ironman Switzerland

Ironman Switzerland - 11hrs 00:21 (PB)

The swim split was faster than Roth in 2008, but slower than Austria in 2007 but I'm not too disappointed with this since the Swiss course involves getting out of the water at halfway and running for 50m which didn't help my rhythm.

Following a good season of bike training I was pleased to get a PB for the bike split on a course that must be 20 mins slower than Roth. I held a high gear and felt strong virtually throughout despite some significant hills, which I hadn't erally given credit to before the race. There was an 18 minute lag between my first and second laps. I did 2hrs 37 for the first lap, 2hrs 55 for the second and 5:33:29 overall.

I started the run strongly, going through the first lap (10.55km) at 4:58/km pace, second lap in 5:28/km pace and the first half-marathon in 1hr 50. I then exploded between 20 and 30km with long sections of walking - I was physically and mentally exhausted. My third lap pace went out to 7:17/km. I got back on track with a strong-ish last lap at 5:42/km pace, but by this time I was only running for a second half marathon time of 2:17, and a disappointing overall Marathon time of 4:07:23, which is slower than my 2007 and 2008 times.

Ultimately, the second half of the run is where I lost the half-hour that would have allowed me to hit my target of 10hrs 30, and this is where I need to focus for a more balanced race next year. I didn't take on enough solid food on the second lap of the bike. There were only Powerbars available on the first lap which must have contributed to hitting the wall at 25km on the run. I will need to take my own.

Having said all this, 11:00:21 is a PB, and not a bad effort on a harder Ironman course than I have done before. I have entered Roth for 2010 and am looking forward to a better finish next year.

Splits as follows:

3.8k SWIM - 1:11:59

T1 - 3:34

180k BIKE - 5:33:29 (PB)

T2 - 3:55

42.2k RUN - 4:07:23

5th July - Swim

Parliament Hill Lido

Warm-up, then:

10 X 90m off 2 mins

Splits varied between 1:30 and 1:16

Feeling fine.

29th June - Swim

London Fields Lido

Very busy so difficult to get any rhythm. Set-out to do ten 200s on 3:15 but just too crowded. Did 30 mins at tempo/fast.

27th June - Bike

London to Brighton (from Westminster)

94.25km - 3hrs 18:05 (massive PB, previous best 3:59)

ascent 917m

Felt good, great weather, slight headwind. Slowed down by heavy traffic around Dulwich, Streatham, Croydon area. Held a good pace from Croydon to Brighton including a fast Ditchling climb split of 6:56.8 (only 3 seconds slower than my PB on the Beacon).

23rd June - Run

Vicky Park laps

1 hour at tempo/fast pace

Feeling ok fitness-wise. Knee a bit dodge.

20th June - Mountaineering

Buttermere, Fell and Rock Climbing Club meet

15 miles

Buttermere, Robinson, Great End, Honistor, Haystacks, Red Pike, Buttermere

16th June - Bike

Hackney, Isle of Dogs loop

30 minutes medium/fast

Good to stretch the legs a bit after the weekend.

14th June - Half-Ironman Triathlon

2009 UK Ironman 70.3 (Half-Ironman) Champs, Exmoor

Total time - 5:20:25 (PB by 35 minutes)

16th out of 136 in age category, missed out on world champs qualification by just 1:50!!!

Great day, really pleased to slash my PB for this course (5:55). After an average swim I had a strong bike leg and PB'd by 14 minutes feeling good on the hills. Despite a lack of run fitness and training I did a good PB for the run off the bike on this course which is also quite hilly. Very happy to run through jelly legs quickly and strongly throughout.

1.2 mile swim - 35:19
T1 (4:14)
56 mile bike - 3:01:02 (PB)
T2 (1:57)
Half-marathon - 1:37:55 (PB)


Team Whinfell Harriers: Fordy 5:50, Champ 6:15, Crazy-horse 6:22, Maurice 6:55 - great efforts by all.

11th June - Run

Ran to the City from Lambeth Bridge

20 mins tempo run

6th June - Bike

Hill reps on Ditchling Beacon, Sussex with 30 min warm-up and warm-down ride in from Haywards Heath.

10 reps (@ 1.44km, 135m ascent, average gradient 9.4%)
Total session time (up+down 1 hr 36:15)

Really wasn't looking forward to this session and it was a killer but I felt strong and did a PB by 14:42! Last did this session on 8th Nov 2008 where I averaged 8:16 per uphill lap. This time I did 7:11 per uphill lap, laps were more consistent and faster. Feel much happier about next weekend's hilly half-ironman course having done this session.

Splits for uphill reps:

7:09.4
7:05.3
7:04.3
7:09.4
7:16.2
7:15.4
7:28.8
7:20.4
7:09.6
6:55.3

Average lap 7:11

4th June - Run

Ran from Westminster to Battersea Park with VB, then did two tempo laps and 5 hills.

55 mins

Feeling pretty comfortable.

1st June - Swim

London Fields Lido

1.5km - 28:13.9

1st kilometre with pull buoy. Feeling ok, loads of muppets in the pool.

9:03.4 (pull buoy)
9:41.9 (pull buoy)
9:28.6

31st May - Bike

Hackney to Hastings

120.41km (ascent 1,790m) - 4:40:28

Good honest ride in great weather. Serious amount of ascent and my legs felt it. Got to Rotherfield in 2:46h.

Route:
Hackney
Greenwich
Biggin Hill
Westerham
Chiddingtone Causeway
Penhurst
Groombridge
Eridge
Bowles
Mayfield
Broad Oak
Etchingham
Robertsbridge
Battle
Hastings

30th May - Brick session

1hr Bike

1hr Run (Vicky Park) at marathon pace

Feeling ok, nice day, new bike is sweet.

New bike - Trek Madone 5.2 - Fuck yeah

25th May - Swim

London Fields Lido

8 X 200m with VB.

3:35.7
3:44.7
3:46.3
3:47.8
3:43.3
3:47.1
3:45.7
3:37.5

1.5km split - 28:00.5

23rd May - Bike, Run

Bike - Audley End to Hackney via Finchingfield, Dunmow, Ongar, Epping (with Crazy-horse and Kevin Wilson)

100km (748m ascent) - 3hrs 31:45

Medium/fast, hammer-time in parts. Feeling strong.

Run - Vicky Park

42 mins at marathon pace

Feeling ok, tough last 3km.

19th May - Run

Vicky Park laps (both parks X3)

1hr at 3hr Marathon pace

Feeling comfortable, quick recovery.

17th May - Swim

London Fields Lido

3km - 53:00.2 (Wetsuit)

Medium pace, feeling ok.

8:12.3
8:52.8
8:59.3
9:12.8
8:57.1
8:45.9

16th May - Bike

La Vuelta del Weald of Kent

121.7km - 4hrs 26
Ascent 1,343m

Solid ride. Found the middle 50km pretty tough but felt strong at the end.

Tunbridge Wells
Lamberhurst
Goudhurst
Biddenden
Sutton Vallence
Tonbridge
Sevenoaks Weald
Edenbridge
Hartfield
Tunbridge Wells

15th May - Run

Vicky Park road/x-country laps

1hr at Marathon pace (14km) - easy / moderate

Feeling ok.

7th May - Bike

Whinfell Hall - Whinlatter Pass - Newlands Pass - Whinfell Hall

31.4km (734m ascent) - 1hr 28.

Feeling ok, but had probs with bike following crash so did Newlands Pass (25% gradient) on 39/23 - brutal.

5th May - Fell Run, Swim

Ran from Duddon Valley to Coniston Water (1hr 22) then swam one width of Coniston Water.

Sh1t weather but pleased to be back on the game (see prev. post).

3rd May - Bike

Duddon Valley

91 metres (top speed 29.6 kph), 2 metres ascent - overall ride 40 seconds, then:-

- hit dry-stone wall
- knocked unconscious for 30 seconds
- ambulance trip to Barrow-in-Furness A+E department

Thanks to Maurice and Brett for waking me up and to Fordy for calling the blues and twos. Nice.

2nd May - Swim, Fell Run

Swim - Coniston Water - 1 mile, 30 mins

Fell Run - Three Shires Stone to Wallabarrow - 2hrs 10

Feeling good.

29th April - Bike

Isle of Dogs (oil of dags) loop - Tempo ride

16.47km - 33:03

Feeling ok. I f£cking love my Garmin 705.

27th April - Swim

London Fields Lido - Interval session - 1.5km

500m warm-up - 9:05 medium
10 X (50m at MAX, 50m recovery)


Feeling a bit sluggish but not bad session.

25th April - Bike

London to Brighton - 4hrs 30

Cycled with Crazy-horse, Maurice, Champ, Mark Pettersen and his mate Kev. Great day, perfect weather with 15 mph headwind. Bosh.

20 minute run along Brighton promenade.

22nd April - Swim

London Fields Lido

1.5km - 27:07.8

Feeling ok, last 500 was a bit of an effort. Lots of muppets doing breast-stroke in the fast lane.

Splits
8:49.9
9:14.6
9:03.2

21st April - Bike

Isle of Dogs ride

30 mins tempo ride, hard.

Fine, nice evening.

20th April - Swim

London Fields Lido - Interval session - 1.5km

500m warm-up - 8:55 medium
10 X (50m at MAX, 50m recovery)


Feeling good.

19th April - Triathlon

Sevenoaks Sprint Triathlon

Swim (400m) - 6:58
Bike (15 miles) - 50:34
Run (5 miles) - 37:31

Total time (incl. transitions) - 1:38:36
36th place out of 276

Feeling ok. Dropped the chain on the bike leg which was a bit annoying. Knee still giving gip, but overall not too shab.

14th April - Bike

Vicky Park road laps

10 mile TT, fitness test - 27:53.6 (PB -1:28)

Feeling strong, good honest session and very pleased to slash previous time set 3 weeks ago.

Splits:
7:05.5
6:57.7
7:10.3
6:40.1

12th April - Bike

Hertford to Cambridge

31 miles smash down - 1hr 41

Not bad ride, pleased with av. speed given shitty road surface.

Average speed - 18.4 mph

10th April - Swim

London Fields Lido

3km - 57:51.6

Pretty good form.

9:15.0
9:40.3
9:38.8
9:48.3
9:45.1
9:44.2

Average 9:38.6

9th April - Swim

London Fields Lido

2km (wetsuit) - 33:45.9

Feeling good, left shoulder was a bit stiff but it has been a big swim week, I have swum 7km in the last 7 days.

Splits:
7:53.9
8:31.0
8:34.2
8:46.8

Average 8:26.5 (my 3km PB average / 500 is 8:28.1)

8th April - Swim

London Fields Lido

2km - 36:48.9

Pretty good swim session, starting to feel a bit quicker through the water.

Splits:
8:45.5
9:17.7
9:21.5
9:24.4

Average 9:12.2

6th April - Swim

London Fields Lido - Interval session - 1.5km

500m warm-up - 9:33 easy/medium
10 X (50m at MAX, 50m recovery)

This felt really tough and I was a bit off the pace.

4th April - Bike

Wimbleball, Exmoor

UK Ironman 70.3 bike leg - 56 miles - 3:40

I went down to ride the half-ironman bike leg with Maurice, Crazy-horse and Champ. We sticked together on the first lap and did a pretty easy 1:55 split then we did the 2nd lap at our own pace - I did a 1:45 for the second lap. Overall pretty pleased with this form at this early point in the season. My PB for this course is 3:16 in last year's race and my race splits over this course over the last 3 years have been:

2005 - 3:34
2006 - 3:30
2007 - 3:16

I was pretty far from my PB time but given that it was a start of season ride this wasn't bad and with a faster 1st lap and aid station support I think this would have been considerably faster.

2nd April - Swim

London Fields Lido - 1.5km

500m warm-up - 9:01.0 easy/medium
10 X (50m MAX, 50m easy recovery)

Another tough swim session feeling good though.

31st March - Run

Vicky Park

45 mins Medium pace

Knee still has twinge. Hope this improves soon.

30th March - Swim

London Fields Lido - 1.5km

500m easy warm-up (9:12) then:
10 X (50m flat out, 50m easy recovery)

Tough session, feeling ok.

28th March - Kayak

Kayaking on Buttermere

40 mins easy / medium

23rd March - Bike

Vicky Park road laps, lactic loader session

10 mile Timetrial - 29:21.23

Feeling strong, very windy evening. Watch your back Chris Hoy!

2.5 mile splits:
7:17.5
7:26.4
7:09.3
7:28.0

21st March - Swim

London Fields Lido

3km - 1:00:47

Feeling ok, loads of traffic and muppets doing breaststroke in the fast-lane which stopped my rhythm a bit.

10:06.0 (pull bouy)
9:54.4
9:51.2
10:16.0
10:22.9

18th March - Run

Vicky Park 5 miles - 33:48.1

First lap easy/medium, second lap medium/fast pace. Aiming for big negative split. Fell off curb and twisted knee a bit. Will have to watch this, feels a bit shab.

2.5 mile splits:
18:14.2
15:33.9

16th March - Bike

1/2 hour HARD on fixed-gear. Lactic loader session round Vicky Park.

Feeling fine but legs a bit heavy after yesterday.

15th March - Bike

Got the train from London Bridge down to Tunbridge Wells and then did a Tour de le Weald of Kent with Crazy-horse and Maurice:

60 miles, 4 hours (incl stops).

Great to be back in the Garden of England. Bonkage at Wadhurst probs didn't eat enough. Great ride, felt spring-like, nice and sunny, very nice course. The Weald at its best.

Course:

Tunbridge Wells
Paddock Wood
Brenchley
Horsmonden
Goudhurst
Sissinghurst
Biddenden
Tenterden
Benenden
Hartley
Flimwell
Ticehurst
Wadhurst
Cousley Wood
Bells Yew Green
Tunbridge Wells

14th March - Swim/Run

Turns out that I wasn't over my cold which came back with a vengence on Tuesday and for most of the week, so I took off the week and this was my first session back on the game.

Cycled over to Parliment Hill Lido. Did short swim al fresco backed up with half-hour run. The cycled home.

2hrs

Felt ok, water was 9˚C, nice!

9th March - Run

1/2 Hour Medium pace, Vicky Park

OK, first session back after cold.

1st March - Bike

Hackney to Richmond Park and back with 2 laps of the park and hill reps

3hrs

Feeling ok. Not bad session considering resaca.

22nd Feb - Run

Brighton Half-Marathon

1:31:11

Felt crap, so jogged the first 10 miles, then picked up the pace for the final 3. Heavy legged, needed a piss stop.

21st Feb - Bike

Vicky Park laps

1hr Hard, high tempo ride

19th Feb - Swim

London Fields Lido

1.5km - 30:18.7

Feeling fine, Ryan came along. First morning swim session for a while.

10:14.3
10:10.9
9:53.6 (out slow, back hard X5)

17th Feb - Run

Vicky Park road laps

Half-marathon - 1:27:44

Running strongly, felt easy, v.pleased that the weather's warming up a bit.

2.5 mile splits:

16:22.5
16:47.8
17:02.9
16:46.4 (10 mile split 1:06:59)
17:04.8

Marginal 0.6 miles: 3:40.2

14th Feb - Tri

DIY Tri - 2 hr Special

30 min HARD swim (1.5km with pull buoy)
1hr HARD bike (Vicky Park laps on fixed gear)
30 min run (Vicky Park laps)

Feeling fine for swim and bike, but Tibialis Ant. on both legs felt full of lactic a very tight on the run.

8th Feb - Bike

Hampstead Hill reps X 6 with Crazy-horse

Session approx 40 mins hard/medium
Warm-up cycled to Gospel Oak from Hackney 30 mins
Warm-down, rode home 30 mins

Reasonable aerobic workout, it's still fresh out though. Bring on the spring.

10th Jan - Bike

Cambridge to London with Crazy-horse

55 miles - 4 hours

Very fresh ride, haven't felt that cold on the bike yet. Struggled to drink enough because the bike bottles froze!

8th Jan - Run

Vicky Park road laps

Half-marathon - 1:30:44

Feeling tight chested for first lap, but ok after puffer. Overall: medium pace, feeling pretty easy, hamstrings tight towards end of session. V.fresh weather, air temperature probs around -1 to +1˚C.

2.5 mile splits:

17:33.7
16:30.8
16:49.5
17:17.9
18:04.9

Marginal 0.6 miles - 4:27.5

4th Jan - Swim

London Fields Lido

30 mins easy swimming doing drills

3rd Jan - Bike

Cycled from Hackney to Braintree (2hrs 45) with Hinksy then back to Hackney from Stratford.

Probs all in 50 miles.

Good ride although v.fresh. Still can't feel my toes.