New Dawn - Tri Plan Week One

Today I started Week Two of my Triathlon Training Plan. That might not mean a lot to you, but to me it signifies something important; I completed Week One! I've had rough training programmes in my head and even had programmes drawn up for me by friends and coaches, but I've never stuck to them. After recovering from my injury however I wanted to take my training more seriously and use a proper plan, stick to it and see if I could make it to the London Triathlon in one piece, gutted as I was that injury kept me away from the London Marathon. 

So Week One is under my belt, I swam 1300m, rode 31km and ran 30km. I also did a spin class, 3 core sessions and survived a tumble off my bike. I am on my way. Actually beginning to feel like a triathlete now and damn does it feel good! I can not tell you how tired I am though! I went out Saturday to see my little brother perform and Sunday night to a club with the girls. Now you know you're an athlete when you don't dance too hard in case you cause yourself an injury! lol. I did mix up my rest days to fit my social life in which meat I did not have one clear day where I was doing to training whatsoever, which is probably bad in the long run, but I intend to rectify that this week and rest up completely on Saturday and just do core work on Wednesday (and go to bed early too!).

Last week was a good week, even including the tumble. I have bruises on my legs, my arse is sore form all the hours on the bike and I think one of the screws in my ankle has come loose, but I am happy. Happy to make it through Week One and I've already got started on Week Two; Bank Holiday Monday and I've ridden 26.5 mile already! I have my first half marathon since my injury on Sunday and I'm looking forward to that already, I'm planning a nice and steady run no PBs, just feeling the legs out again. Week Two here I come!

Three words for you; HIT THE WALL!!!

I always wondered what this term meant and tried to imagine it, but never thought it would apply to me. I mean, I don't run enough for that right? I'm not a serious trainer, my schedule has 25 miles per week in it, and how often does life get in the way of that?

Well tonight I felt it, I actually knew what the term meant and boy is it like hitting a wall, having a light bulb blow, your car battery dying, it's just zap and your gone! I couldn't even see what was happening; one minute I was running, albeit struggling at a really slow pace, and the next I couldn't even put one foot in front of the other! It happened on the last interval rep, I could see the leaders running back towards me saying don't stop moving, jog! And yet my feet wouldn't cooperate. My hips felt all stiff and although I was trying to run I wasn't actually moving, what astounded me is that I was sure that my brain was still telling my body to run, but it just wasn't happening! My face must have been aghast as I shouted back "I'm trying, I can't!" I could have collapsed right there and then, I sure as hell wanted to; it wasn't even want, it was a need, shear willpower kept me on my feet and the only thing that got me back was my other TeamMK members. They surrounded me and talked me through; just step it up a little bit, keep going, you've got to push through, not long to go now. Not long to go? I had absolutely no idea where I was, how far away we were, I remembered someone (don't ask me who!) saying we're nearly at the allotments... allotments? we run past allotments? If you've been there you know what I mean!

The fact I hadn't slept more than four hours a night since Sunday, had been completely on the go since Saturday morning and had skipped lunch that day probably didn't help. Anyway, the program for the next week is threefold; try to get some sleep in the days before a training session, eat lunch before a run (Weetabix for brekky is evidently not enough), try to rest and cut out the running for the next few days.... I'll take better care in future and stop burning the candle at both ends; I've got a marathon with my name on it you know!