An easy week for me this week – thank goodness! When I say “easy” I mean that the cycling contingent of my training just eases off. Which doesn’t create too much fatigue for the other disciplines. There was still nearly 7 hours of cycling as such but most of it was around 65-70% “endurance” pace to give my system a reset before hitting another FTP test this Tuesday. There’s a sadistic smirk when I prescribe FTP tests to my guys but whenever one comes up on my plan I have exactly the same reaction as everyone else does – utter fear. In reality it’s 20 minutes at 105% FTP or more if you can squeeze it out – and if your training has been on the money you would be able to punch out another 2-5% (that’s what the experts say is a 4-week improvement). My aim is to sit on where I was and then spin it up in the last 10 minutes – if I can. If all else fails I’m maintaining fitness so I’m happy being in the “300-club” even though it’s low-end.
The running seems to have taken a turn – last week was a struggle, mainly down to a lower back problem and that fact my lungs didn’t work. The week-long horse pill dose of antibiotics may have shifted enough blockage to at least let me breathe properly for a while. I’m not totally convinced it’s solved the problem but at least it’s bought me some training time. My brick run on Thursday just flew by, in fairness I felt like I could’ve added another 10km on top with no issue but small steps Nick – small steps.
The swim….well that’s just an issue all-round as I’m trying to remember what everyone is telling me to do. One person says head position, another says breathing, another says hands, another about feet….contrary to popular opinion I can multi-task but not too much! I’m getting into 1200 metres swims now so it’s creeping up slowly.
The pressure to enter bike races is now on as the closing dates for March races are coming and going – I’ve already missed a few deadlines. In fairness I’d like to get Majorca over with before getting down with the racing but I guess a couple of “lung-bursters” won’t hurt too much…will they?
The Good Friday 10 promoted by Great Yarmouth Cycling Club is on the horizon at the end of March, just a few days after we get back from Majorca, so I guess that’s the first true test. Not much of a test for a 112 mile ride in October but I guess it’s a start.
In all this malaise of training with that big elephant in the room in October it’s all too easy to get carried away with the training. But life goes on regardless of what you’re doing. I’m not very well at juggling work, sport, family, social etc. and this has become quite apparent in recent weeks. My previous job was working in a gym and my friends were either cycling friends or gym members so I was mixing the two (three even). Now that everything is compartmentalised I’m struggling to juggle that work/life balance and family etc. If I’m not training or working I’m eating & sleeping. What I need to do is set aside time for those around me. It’s a conscious thing to do now but hopefully it’ll be autonomous very soon…please stand by!
Weekly stats…. Bike: 6:50hrs 255km. Run: 1hr 10.1km Swim: 2200m. 9hrs total training with 450TSS. Fitness: 73. Fatigue: 82. Form: -6.
Over & out!…..