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Didn’t get an extra run in during the week – however I did manage two swims, 800m and 1000m. I need to get up to about 2000m for the 70.3 (which is actually 1900m – but I figure an extra 100 will be wasted veering off course in open water). For both swims I tried to keep breathing on every 3rd stroke, i.e. breathing on both sides. The second swim I settled much more naturally into the stroke – but was definitely feeling fatigued at around the 900m mark.

I did get a 5mi commute home cross country run in – and built up to 6.5mi today. I felt like I could have gone further but I stuck to my plan of building up gradually following my dodgy knee episode.

I’m thinking I need to start looking for a new pair of running shoes – these ones have done a shade over 400 miles. I could have got some today, but then I remembered I still haven’t signed up with TeamMK and I’ll get a 10% discount from Sweatshop when I do. Also I’ll be able to start bothering them on their forum with dumb questions.

A Facebook friend drew my attention to a Multisport, Triathlon site and I’ve been grazing it for info, particularly about swimming.

It’s good to read a bit more about bi-lateral breathing as it’s an area I’ve been trying to focus on in the pool. It initially felt like a step back from my ‘breath on 2′ approach I used in the Sprint Tri, but after a few sessions I can definitely feel the benefits.

Anyway, www.d3multisport.com has some useful training articles.

So.. A week has gone by with very little activity. Not a great start, but on the other hand recognising the problem and avoiding exacerbating it now should be beneficial. I chose to forgo any running during the week, and even skipped my usual Tuesday run home. Today I went out for my first run since last weekend’s knee pain (no doubting commitment as it was bucketing it down). The good news is that my knee was fine and I handled a short 5 miler at 9m20 pace without any problems.

I had hoped to pick up a bit of biking and swimming this week instead – but unfortunately failed to do so. Basically tiredness. This usually happens – if I get slowly into a routine I’ll be fine as it becomes normal, it’s just starting the routine that’s the trick. I did have a fairly long swimming session on Friday, but didn’t do as well as the previous week.

This week I need to try to get at last 2 swimming sessions in and to put in another couple of 5 or 6 mile running sessions. Let’s see what happens.

Currently I’m riding a hybrid – it’s a Carrera Subway 2. It’s relatively light considering and gets me to and from the pub. For the Roade Sprint Triathlon I basically removed anything that could be unscrewed (mud guards, lights, lock etc.), added thinner slick tyres (Continental Sport Contacts – which were excellent) and Shimano M424 SPD pedals (a compromise SPD pedal as I can use them with normal shoes or my Specialized bike shoes).

This probably isn’t ideal for a 112 mile IM bike stage.. or even the 60 mile Cowman bike stage..

I need a proper bike.

It’s easy to get distracted by bikes. It’s easy to buy carbon fibre bits. They’re cool. But I’m looking for up to £1,000 of bike that I can ideally purchase through the UK Cycle-To-Work scheme (a cunning way of avoiding various taxes and saving up to 50%).

I’ve narrowed my choices down to,

Carrera Virago Carbon TT Road Bike 09	Boardman Road Bike Team Carbon Medium 09	Focus Cayo 105 2009

One of the above is a ‘proper’ triathlon bike – the other two a standard racing bikes. Currently I’m erring toward the latter, I can always get a more tri-specific bike next year. I’ll let you know what I do. No hurry for now with the winter season coming up.

Typically as soon as I start I hit a snag. Last Tuesday on my usual commute home run I felt a twinge in my knee around the 4 mile mark. A slight slackening of pace and the problem went away. In the end I finished relatively quickly for me (sub 9 minute miles, in the dark, with a backpack, across muddy fields).

Yesterday on my long run the knee problem came back – I was lucky to happen across the route of a cross country 10K race as this gave me an opportunity to slow up and spectate. So, 9 miles done, but at least the last 3 were no fun.

This happens around this time every year. It may be a combination of mileage on my shoes (always around the 400 mile mark), or the weather (as it turns colder and wetter). But this time I wonder if it’s the rowing I’ve being trying in the gym. My quads still ache today whereas normally I don’t feel a run (especially a sub 10 mile run) the next day. I suspect tiredness from the row on Friday evening meant I wasn’t keeping good form on Sunday morning.

I’m going to lay off the running for at least a week. This is a shame as I quite enjoy my Tuesday cross country runs home from work. Hopefully this will mean I can concentrate more on my swimming, but I’m giving away ‘free’ mileage (the run home is easy to commit to) in exchange for dragging myself to the gym. I would like to bike to/from work – but at this time of year on narrow dark lanes I think it’s suicidal.

So the trick of the next couple of weeks will be keeping up at the gym.. and possibly laying off the Concept II.

I’ve never run a marathon. I’ve never ridden a proper race bike. I’ve certainly never swam more than a mile.. in open water at that.

What actually concerns me most about the above is the run. My knee begins to hurt if I run too far.. usually about 15 miles, but today – about 8 (not good). That and the swim. The ride doesn’t bother me.. unless it’s uphill I suppose.

There are therefore some technical aspects I would prefer to get sorted (and tested) prior to a full Iron Man. Luckily there is a local Half Iron Man (70.3) organised by Big Cow Events (a local organisation). My stage one plan is to enter and complete that as a test of progress. Their main event (Cowman 2010) takes place in July. My goal between now and then is to be ready for that. I’m hoping this will show if my target of a full Iron Man is realistic, as well as helping to increase my fitness and training commitment levels.

Primary Target 1 – Enter and complete Cowman 2010 on 4th July.

Depending on how training for this event goes I may end up either tackling shorter events first – such as an Olympic distance Triathlon to get a feel for the open water swim stages, or even a second 70.3 if things go really well.

To kick things off some more info about me. I’m 37, I have a partner – Laura, and a daughter. I’m one of the directors of a small bespoke software development company called Jemmac Software. I’ve been running fairly slowly for a few years. I don’t typically enter races, in the past I’ve taken part in one 10K race (50mins) and one short sprint Triathlon (1hr 22mins).

As of today,

• I run about 15-25 miles per week.
• I usually run about 9 minute miles.
• Every year (seemingly) my left knee conks out
• I bike a few miles each week (usually to and from the pub quiz) for leisure
• I don’t have a proper ‘race’ bike
• The furthest I’ve swum recently is about 800m. My technique is currently “trying not to drown”.

More info will follow – but hopefully this sets the scene.