A girl can dream

  I never really understood the frustration of an injury. Before I used to see it as an excuse to not train and pretended I was annoyed about it therefore meaning my performance was not my fault. Now however I hate it. I want to train, I NEED to train. My ankle is still sore when walking and driving and am getting increasingly worried that it is something that may hinder me. Despite this and my resolution to listen to my body I am going to run, spin and swim today. I am going to see if the pain goes away when running and my muscles are hot as if this is the case I may be able to warm my ankle up before exercise. I am also going to see my friend in Oxford tomorrow so want to make sure I get some training in before going.

  Despite my seemingly hostile reaction towards training programs I have begun to make my own. After the weekend I realised I need to step the length of my sessions up and in order to do that I need to structure it. I am pleased however that I am able to do a training plan myself based specifically on my shifts every fortnight. I have looked at some free 12 week half-Ironman training plans online which was a base to see what length of bike rides I should be at by now. These are my plans for the next two weeks.

 
  On another note I have begun to think about upgrading my bike through the Cycle to Work scheme as I am really not sure if I'll get round an Ironman very well with mine due to small amount of gears and the clicking noise it always makes due to being a basic model. I couldn't stop thinking about bikes over the weekend and was ogling at which one I would get if money wasn't an object. My only annoyance is that I wish I had spent the extra on a better one when buying the bike I have now. However that is the beauty of hindsight, I did not know my ambitions would get so high.

A girl can dream!

  My bike at the moment is at the bottom end of the road bike spectrum, although with my colour scheme and some new wheels it does look better. I had looked into upgrading my components, most importantly my gears, but was told that it would be pointless. Bascially it would be like putting F1 car tyres on an old Corsa; my frame just isn't good enough to make it beneficial. Since looking into the scheme as much was I would love and am desperate for a new bike I cannot really justify it as the bike still wouldn't be mine through the scheme, and I probably wouldn't be able to get the one I want due to cost. So me and Sora (my bikes' name) will live to see another season, hopefully she will do me justice and get round the Ironman.

  Another want is a new training watch, especially one that does everything meaning I can therefore swim with it too. I have mentioned before about the difficulty I have assessing any improvements in swimming, I don't even have a basic watch that I can use to time myself that is swimproof. Triathlon watches can break down every discipline and see improvements (it can get very geeky) but more importantly I would be able to train based on my heart rate. This is the most effective way to get the best out of a session based on fact not just my body feeling tired. Being able to do this in the pool is relatively new to the market but would be a great option to have espcecially in technqiue sessions and the open water sessions I have been struggling in. The one I have at the moment has been good, but the battery doesn't last very long and the touchscreen option I loved so much when I got it is now rather annoying now as it doesn't work when wet. During the Duathlon I couldn't even start the stopwatch and it kept bleeping the whole way round the course. I am much like my Dad with technology by the end of the bike course I wanted to throw the damn thing! The majority of the tri club swear by their Garmin watches and would love to upgrade mine. Unfortunately, like the bike, it is not a cheap upgrade. Maybe I'll get a tax rebate?! (I can dream).