Just as I was getting used to the long, mostly easy riding, running and swimming my training has switched at last to more race-like speed work. Of course, I’ve been racing since April or May, so I’m a bit out of sync with my original and current training plans. I just finishing my winter training, for example. In July. The broken foot of February has rather confused my racing year, but hasn’t dampened it too much (6th at the Welsh Tri champs in Broad Haven at the end of my final block of winter training on tired, tired legs was a great indicator and great fun).
Funnily, after anaerobic intervals on the track and in the pool and some muscular endurance intervals on the bike last week my (shortened) long run on Saturday didn’t go as well as usual. I felt bloody awful. I cut the already short 1 hour 45 mins run down to about an hour and a half and plodded my way out and back by the Loughor estuary at around 8min/mi pace. Horrible. I barely managed 12 miles. Happily I don’t think it rained though.
I assumed it was a good sign of the new stresses of the speed work. After a good night’s sleep and a bit of a lie in to try and avoid the rain (failed) I also cut short my planned Sunday training to just 2ish hours on the bike and a 45 minute run off. I mucked about a bit trying to recalibrate my iBike power meter before it failed in a light shower, and it continued to rain for most of the ride. With a nice hill and a good wind my legs felt strangely good and strong. Getting off the bike I ran an easy 10km in 43:34 at around 7min/mi pace. Weird.
What a difference a day makes, eh?
Talking of which, my “Remote Wind Sensor” (rubber bung, some tubing and a wind catching flangey-thing) arrived for my iBike this morning. I’m hoping I can get it dried out, fitted and calibrated for tomorrow’s bike intervals. More rain is forecast and I’d love it if this kept the rain out of my iBike and gave me power data for the whole ride. Oh yeah, and my mudguards exploded on the bike too. The bit connected to the rear brake broke and the mudguard got pulled forward by the tyre. I found the bits, took it all apart and stuffed then into jersey pockets – I wasn’t far from home. I’ve no idea how the back bit snapped off though. They’re clever modular things, these Crud Catcher Roadracer mudguards, so I should be able to get the bit I need. I’ll get some Duck tape on it tonight as a temporary fix.
I’m racing at the Gower Sprint Triathlon this weekend with a good, old (?) friend so I’ve shunted a few workouts around this week and cut out the track intervals to balance training intensity and give myself a little recovery and avoid the dastardly dead legs of last Saturday. I’d better get back on the TT bike & see if I can remember how to go fast for 25km. I was just getting the feel for standard distance races too. There are a couple of short climbs though, so those will be a blast. I’ll be able to swim HARD too hopefully as its only 750m. As it’s exam week for the students this week I’m looking forward to thinking about something else. If I get the marking done in time I might be able to make a long weekend of it.
