Changes

  After completing the bike ride on Thursday I was pretty stiff and although my legs didn't feel like they were on fire I knew that if I got on the bike again the burning sensation would return, so I decided to go swimming on Friday night after work and a quick dinner. I was however shattered, the bike ride had obviously taken a lot out of me and before anyone thinks I had a wild Valentines night, we didn't. We had the stew that I had been slow cooking all day (our favourite meal) shared a bottle of sparkling wine, had a cup of tea and was in bed (sleeping!) by 9.30pm. I was up for work at 5.30 and finally got back at 7.30 by which time I was struggling to keep my eyes open. I suffer from really bad 'bags' under my eyes, a hereditary look and today I was resembling a Panda. I thought that I would be able to gain some energy from my chicken curry, not a takeaway I may add, just a Pataks jar, but this didn't happen. There was no way I was going to get the workout I wanted feeling that tired so gave a look to Dan hinting that I wanted to go to bed, his reply "Just say the words". So we slumped off to bed and were again sleeping by 9.30pm. I was asleep before I would've even started swimming!

My new toy

  I still had work over the weekend, so again up at the crack of dawn. I had high intentions of getting up at 4.45 and going for a run, but as I mentioned before I am not the runner who enjoys being out in fresh morning cold and the dark (I am a woos in the dark anyway) so turned that alarm off before I fell asleep. I was now fretting how I would get any training in over the weekend due to becoming dark so early and the gym closing at 7.30pm. Guilt began to set in which I think many people training for an event can relate to. This made my thoughts turn to a turbo trainer - in effect a holder that I can attach my road bike to and essentially make a spinning bike indoors meaning I can train to no end if I can't get out. I had put a turbo trainer on my ever growing list of things I need for the Ironman, but it wasn't on the top of the list, now it was. After hours of browsing the internet, my Triathlon magazine and Triathlon forums to find the best one on a budget I eventually narrowed it down to 2. The Minoura B60-R and the Tacx Satori. The second is more expensive but has a vast amount of brand awareness behind it, always considered one of the best and I have to say I am a brand snob. Tacx systems are the number 1 choice for the Tour de France and the Olympics so it seemed like a good choice, even though the Minoura was well reviewed. Overall the reason I chose the Tacx in the end was that it has a front wheel block meaning there is no wheel removal. So after finally biting the bullet and getting the turbo trainer and training tyre so my outside one doesn't get thinned down I was excited to receive my new toy. I also added to my basket some other essentials, some overshoe socks so my feet don't freeze when cycling outside and some swimming training floats. The need list had become shorter, but no doubt it'll grow again.

  Another change which I am making is to try and join a triathlon club. I always considered myself a lone ranger trainer. I feel that I get lost in my own thoughts which pushes me on, but the problem about training completely solo is that you don't know how tough the competition is until you are struggling on race day. Another positive to training with others is that you push yourself that extra bit, and with me being so competitive I will make sure I do that which is definitely what I need on the run. So I decided to bite the bullet and email Chiltern Tri Club, a 55 man group of eager triathletes. It will also be nice to have something in common with a group of people and as Dan isn't a triathlete I sometimes feel like I am boring him with my rants about how much fun and adrenaline you get from a race. I am going to my first swimming Tri Club training session on Friday 22. I chose to go to a swim session first to be able to assess where I am in my strongest discipline and then if that goes well may go along on Saturday to the Hill rep running session, my weakest discipline. The great thing about triathlon though is that everyone has a greater strength, so there is a mutual understanding that not everyone is the best at everything (obviously except for the pros, who's job it is to make their weakness a strength). Watch this space on the Tri Club side of things.


  The last change I am making early on is my nutrition. I have found out that the right nutrition and sleep means you can have the workout you want. Now, I have done every quick weight loss diet there is, The Cambridge diet, Tony Ferguson, Special K the list goes on, as well as exercising excessively. It came to the point that I was feeling faint and dizzy when doing exercise and although when on the Cambridge I lost a stone in 2 weeks it is not a maintainable diet. Therefore, I have now come to realise that in order to do a GOOD workout you need to fuel your body the energy otherwise you may as well not bother! So instead of calorie counting so that I am getting less than 1200 per day I am making sure I am getting in at least 1800 of the RIGHT quick release or slow release energy filled foods. Many sports nutritionists may say I need more, but I am struggling to try and fit more in after years of cutting back. At the moment I am also reading 'Go Faster Food' by Kate Percy which is feeding my mind with the right foods to be training and racing with. 

  I am going for a mini triathlon today, in opposing order though. A 6mile run followed by a spin session then a swim training session. I'll probably finish the night off with some weight and toning exercises, focusing on my arms and abs tonight. I post how my new toy is upon its arrival tomorrow.