Wednesday 30th December

Not much training the last few days apart from treking round the sales in Belfast. My back has been very stiff with the lack of activity and too much lying around... Anyhow, I did 45 mins fairly easy on the turbo today to get myself going again. Need to work out a training plan over the next few days for next year.

Boxing Day

Well, big news - was allowed by the physio to take part in the Boxing Day 5 mile charity race as long as I didnt run it all - ie walk run so I did it and managed to get round ok in about 55 minutes. I ran the first mile and a half without walking then did 3 mins running and 2 mins trotting/walking for the rest of it. My back was a little bit sore but I worked on the forefront running/stride lengthening and feel great now. Beautiful sunny, icy day - and so glad to be out running again. Hopefully this is the start of my recovery now :-)

Christmas Day

Merry Christmas!!! Another good half hour on the turbo this morning - off now for champagne and turkey :-)

Christmas Eve

Half an hour on the turbo this morning to work of a few calories in preparation for all the festivities!!!

Bit behind on blog - will catch up after Christmas

Monday 14th December

Turbo this morning on tired legs after yesterday. Short strenghtening and stretching session afterwards.

Sunday 13th December

No training yesterday as I was still sore from the strength training and where the physio was working on me. 1.5 hours on the turbo today on the big ring - working on my technique after reading a useful article in 220 magazine about foot motion on the clipless pedals which made a lot of difference to my power output. Good stretch afterwards and some time on the foam roller to iron out my sore bits!!

Friday 11th December

Well today was the big day with my supervised run! Started off with a lot of strength and then core exercises in the PT session and then onto the treadmill. Both the physio and PT were there. They immediately picked up that my running style was all wrong - landing on my heel with my right foot and forefoot with my left foot which is straining my back and twisting me. My stride length was also too short. So I then corrected all that and what a difference - ran for about half a mile with no pain and feeling very free. So a result! I am now allowed to run in a build up programme of 4 mins running, 2 mins walking to work on changing my running style and with the whole thing no more than 20 mins for a week or so. I am also allowed to enter the Boxing Day 5 mile run but to only run half of it and walk the rest. Very pleased!! Had a painful physio session after the run to free up my glutes and other tight areas.

Bought myself a copy of Runners World on the way home to celebrate.

Wish I had enough money for some Newton shoes - I think they might be the way forward for me....

Thursday 10th December

Yet another good turbo session this morning

Wednesday 9th December

Another good half hour on the turbo this morning

Tuesday 8th December

Half hour blast on turbo in top gear - very good!

1900m of swim sets tonight with the club. Good session but feeling a bit tired at the moment so found it a bit tough.

Monday 7th December

Pilates class tonight - either I am getting stronger or it is getting easier - didn't get as much out of it tonight.

Sunday 6th December

First cycle outdoors since Lough Neagh triathlon in August! Only 18 miles of which more than half were very windy so a slow average speed but at least it is a start. Back pulling a bit but thanks to the physio I am now trying to be aware of where weaknesses and imbalances are in my cycling - too much effort on my right hand side so need to work more on pushing with my left foot.

Onwards and upwards hopefully!

Friday 4th December

Half hour recovery session on the turbo this morning. Then physio session - she is still pleased with my progress although I am still very tight in my glutes. I am to start to run next week (supervised on the treadmill) for the start of a slow build up again. Nervous about the thought of it in case the pain comes back and I am back to square one again....

Thursday 3rd December

Very good interval session with the club on the turbo tonight - approx 50 mins of sets. Felt strong and only a minor niggle in my back

Wednesday 2nd December

Good half hour blast on the turbo this morning - starting to feel stronger. Just need now to get outside on the bike again.

Tuesday 1st December

Back at it again after a great trip to Italy. No training done but plenty of walking instead (and eating unfortunately!)

Half hour good tough turbo session this morning.

Swim session tonight with the club of 2175m - longer sets and I am getting stronger - no back pain at all either which is great:-)

Tuesday 24th November

One hour good tough session on the turbo this morning - very sweaty :-) Off to Italy now until Sunday so probably no training but I'll take my swimming stuff with me just in case I find a pool somewhere nearby to use.

Sunday 22nd November

One hour steady on turbo this morning in middle gear of big ring. Legs still fatigued after Friday's strength training so I couldn't push it much more. Back still feeling a lot better - just a minor twinge at the end of the cycle today.

Just wish I could run again - having a battle trying to keep my weight down - have put on about half a stone since the end of August when I last ran - really want to get it off again!

Saturday 21st November

1000m swim today - working alternatively on arms and legs only. Fatigued after yesterday still.

Friday 20th November

Half hour turbo session this morning on tired legs after last night! Physio and PT later on today.

PT session this afternoon - very, very tough but good. Core and leg strength improving and physio surpervised the session. One hour physio afterwards and she is delighted with the improvement in my back - as am I - and she should know as she was part of the physio team for GB Rowing for the Bejing Olympics! Still no running allowed for a week or two until my back settles a bit more. Here's to core training!!!!

Thursday 19th November

Double training session again tonight with the tri club:

50 mins turbo session - pyramids and one legged sets, then

2000m swim sets

I really enjoy this double session now, despite it being quite tough

Tuesday 17th November

Happy Birthday blog!!! One year ago today I wrote my first blog entry - must do a review of the year.

Half hour turbo session this morning - took the resistance down and worked on high cadence for 25 mins in big ring - 5 mins warm up and cool down on small ring. Very good!

2200m swim sets tonight with the club - either we are doing more or getting quicker!

Back is feeling a lot better this week - no pain or stiffness which is great.

Monday 16th November

Still walking around with stiff legs after Friday's session! No training over the weekend unfortunately - too much socialising again... Pilates class tonight again which I found quite fatiguing due to my sore legs!

Friday 13th November

One hour of strength and core training with the PT tonight. My legs were knackered after it but my abs felt ok this week.

Thursday 12th November

Not too much training so far this week - I have had a bad cold and the cough is bothering me a bit.

Double training session with the tri club tonight:

One hour turbo training with 50mins in the main set - tough but very good, then

1900m swim drills in the pool afterwards.

Very good session - I need to try to get to as many of these as possible.

Monday 9th November

I was away for the weekend so no training done - half an hour on the turbo this morning to get myself going again. My back goes from feeling a lot better to sore again - hopefully the next lot of treatment this week will help me a bit more.

Pilates class again tonight - still tough! Tired now so racing to bed :-)

Friday 6th November

Interesting training tonight - started off with 45 mins with the personal trainer who assessed my running stance and noticed straight off that my hips are totally out of alignment. He had also liaised with the physio so knew which areas were of concern to her. He then went through various core and strength exercises to determine my core fitness and how I hold my body in the various stances - very tough and very much favouring my right hand side - one of the exercises involved holding the plank position using hanging rings - very good but very difficult! He is going to develop a programme for me for next week and I have booked in for 4 sessions with him.

After that I did a 30/30 class - 30 mins spin followed by 30 mins of circuit training including shuttle runs and again a lot of core work. All very good but I think I am going to be sore tomorrow after discovering muscles I hadn't used for a long time - and not just my back!

Thursday 5th November

1200m swim this morning with 2 sets of arms only in it. Water felt like treacle and my technique was all over the place. Just shows what a late night does to you (no alcohol involved though)!!

Wednesday 4th November

Half hour very tough spin class this morning followed by a little core work and stretching.

Physio session after it - still working on my pelvis and hip flexors and into my back. Sore now after it. I am too work now in tandem with the physio and a personal trainer to work on my core to stabilise my pelvis. First session with him on Friday....

Tuesday 3rd November

Good 2000m swim session with the tri club tonight. My swimming is definately getting better again - stronger and faster.

Back to the physio again in the morning....

Monday 2nd November

Half an hour cardio in the gym this morning (spin instructor didn't show) at high intensity to keep my heart rate in a high zone. On wobble board with eyes closed - very difficult! - and a good stretch afterwards.

Pilates class again tonight - back all stretched out but abs aching :-)

Sunday 1st November

2hr session on the turbo trainer this morning - another good film stopped me from getting bored. My back was sore after it but I stretched out the pain and did the stretches that the physio gave me. Still in a bit of pain from her working on me on Friday. Training coming together again a bit now. I am not allowed to run so am going to spend the next while sorting out my cycling and swimming.

Saturday 31st October

1200m swim this afternoon - working on arms and legs seperately using a float. Good session.

I went to the physio yesterday and it seems that I have various things wrong (apart from the two dodgy discs) but the main issue is that I have a twisted pelvis and too tight hip flexor muscles. The pelvis is causing problems with cross muscles into my hip and back. I also have too much tightness in my thoracic spine which is also putting pressure on my lower back. She has started doing manipulation on me to straighten my pelvis up. She says it is fixable but will take a bit of time and then I will need to sort out my core to keep my pelvis stable again. I am quite sore today from er working at me but let's hope that this is going to sort me out.

Friday 30th October

Half hour tough spin class this morning followed by a 1 mile run. Yes, I actually managed a whole mile! I felt my back a bit sore running and into my hip. I am going to the physio this afternoon so hopefully, hopefully I will get the right treatment to get me sorted out and back to running again - now that my training mojo is BACK!!!

Thursday 29th October

Turbo session with the tri club tonight - very good, very tough. Fast sets with not much rest. A few of these should sort me out!

Tuesday 27th October

2000m of swim sets with the tri club tonight. My swimming felt a bit stronger tonight which was good :-)

Monday 26th October

1200m swim at lunchtime today in 23 minutes. That is my time trial now for improvement to get my speed back up again :-)

Pilates class tonight - tough as usual. Feel slightly more stretched out though! Physio who is treating someone in my tri club for a similar back injury is booked for Friday - fingers crossed that I can get sorted and get out running again...

Sunday 25th October

Big kick up the backside got me onto the turbo this morning - I did 1hr 35mins and feel quite good now after it.

Wednesday 21st October

Half an hour tough blast on the turbo this morning.

Tuesday 20th October

1800m of swim sets with the club tonight. I really struggled with the training tonight - my strength seems to have gone.

I am feeling very down about my training and lack of fitness at the moment. I need a goal or something to work towards so that I can get a decent plan in place. Not good....

Monday 12th October

Pilates class again tonight with the original instructor from last year back again. Tough, tough, tough!!

Saturday 10th October

I took part in the Causeway Coast off road 10k today. This was part of an off-road festival with a half and full marathon as well. My initial plan was to walk it but I got fed up being overtaken and decided to run a good bit of it instead! The views were spectacular as were some of the climbs. We covered all sorts of terrain - sand, path, grass, steps, rocks, you name it! I finished in 1hr 15mins which I was pretty pleased with. This was one of the best races this year. So much nicer than running on the road. My back survived it but my legs are very stiff afterwards. I think I will aim to do the full marathon in the series next year. So much nicer to battle against the terrain and take in the views rather than going for a time :-)

Thursday 8th October

Half an hour tough turbo session this morning. My back is a little bit stiff again so it was wise for me not to try to run last night.

Tuesday 6th October

Half an hour steady on the turbo this morning. Still no pain or stiffness in my back...

2000m of swim sets tonight with the club. In the fast lane again and finding it tough. My back is a little bit tender now from kicking so much to try to keep up! I hope it settles again by tomorrow.

Monday 5th October

Pilates tonight - good tough class. I had no back pain or stiffness at all today which is great - first time in six weeks. Maybe I am on the mend at last....

Sunday 4th October

One hour steady on the turbo today. My back was pretty bad yesterday but feels freer today and ok after the cycle. Got a sinus problem too at the moment which is making me feel really washed out - bit of a wreck all round!

Wednesday 30th September

Half an hour easy on the turbo this morning. Don't want to risk too much today after yesterday - feeble...

Tuesday 29th September

Half an hour full out blast on the turbo trainer this morning.

Swimming with the club tonight - 2050m of swim sets. The coach put me in the fast lane tonight so it was a lot tougher than usual. My back is sore again now though :-(

Monday 28th September

Pilates again tonight. Very good as usual. My back is much improved so I am going to up the training this week and see what happens. I have substituted socialising for training recently so that has to stop or else I'll end up with a chardonnay belly!

Thursday 24th September

Another tough half hour on the turbo this morning. My back was stiff yesterday after swimming. Still keeping up with my stretches to improve the mobility.

Tuesday 22nd September

Very tough half hour on the turbo this morning and all good with my back during it. I am going to play around a bit with the bike set up to see if that will help too.

2100m of swim sets with the club tonight. I found it tough with not swimming for 3 weeks. My back is bit stiff now but no real pain swimming, thankfully. Let's see what it is like tomorrow....

Monday 21st September

Pilates class again tonight. Better this week as I have more mobility in my back. Still a bit scared to train with any intensity or to run but I will have to push things a little to test it out. It is getting better though, albeit slowly.

Friday 18th September

Another steady half hour on the turbo this morning. Just building very gently. Back feeling a lot better but I still don't have full mobility in it. My new bed is fantastic - no stiffness getting up in the mornings now :-)

Thursday 17th September

Half an hour fairly easy on the turbo this morning to test out my back. It felt ok during the cycle and I stretched well after it. It was great to work up a bit of a sweat again. The big black cloud hanging over my head broke for a while and I could see a little bit of sunshine again - being philosophical today :-)

I have also invested (a lot) in a new bed - first night in it last night- so hoping that is going to help me too.

Monday 14th September

I have started light training again with a pilates class tonight. My back is still stiff and I have pins and needles in my feet and legs which is a bit worrying. I need to work on my hamstrings as they are really tight too. The pilates gave me a good gentle stretch and some core work.

Wednesday 8th September

Update on my back - it has improved but is still a bit painful and stiff in the mornings. Going to rest for the rest of the week and then start some light training next week. I have been given the number of a Mrs Fixit by a friend of mine so I will hopefully get to see her to see if she can help. Really upset not to do Newtownabbey Triathlon and going mad with not training but I better be sensible....

Monday 31st August

Very bad news - my back has now gone totally. Can't walk, stand, sit or lie down properly. I don't know if this is temporary or permanent. I am in a lot of pain and very worried....

Saturday 29th August

10 mile run along the North Foreshore this morning on my own. Roadworks in Belfast meant that I hadn't a mission of getting to Cutters to meet the others. My back and hamstrings are very sore and tight - maybe I am getting too old for all this...

Saw a man today with one of the worst jobs imaginable - the dog poo warden. His job description seems to include emptying the doggy loos and his tools consisted of a plastic bag and a plastic shovel... He gave me a big smile though - nice man :-)

Friday 28th August

I have been struggling with a virus this week and spent Wednesday in bed to try to shake it off. Rested yesterday and did a steady half hour on the turbo this morning. Hopefully I will be ok for running tomorrow.

Tuesday 25th August

Enough of the recovery - back into training again now. Half an hour full on blast on the turbo this morning. Thinking about buying myself some training gadgets for the turbo for my birthday, hmm...

1600m swim sets with the club tonight - good session

Saturday 22nd August

8 mile very nice mixed terrain run along the Co Down coast today (aka Kneebreakers ). Good company, reasonable pace, perfect sunny running weather - all good :-)

Thursday 20th August

Half an hour flat out on the turbo this morning.

Wednesday 19th August

5.25 mile very wet and mucky hill run tonight. I took it fairly easy as I am on a recovery week - legs still very tired.

Sunday 16th August

Active recovery today with an hour and a half of hill walking to watch the Tall Ships leave Belfast. Very spectacular as is the tiredness now in my legs, LOL!!

Saturday 15th August

Lough Neagh olympic distance triathlon today.

Swim
The swim start was a deep water mass start which made for a bit of a battle with 300 people trying to get through the mouth of the marina at the one time before heading out into Lough Neagh itself. I kicked my way into open water and had a steady swim until nearing the last buoy. Looking up I thought, that buoy is moving, and then said to myself no don't be stupid it must just be the waves as it was quite choppy in the water. But I looked again and yes, the buoy was being moved mid race! Apparently this completely confused the lead swimmers! Anyhow back into shore and then a bid of a wade through the water to get out and a run to transition.

Bike
I had a reasonable T1 and out onto the bike - undulating for the first bit but into a 20mph head wind with 30mph gusts which made it very tough. About 4 miles of this per lap and then a quick couple of miles with a tail wind to the end of the lap. My first lap was quite fast and then I ran into problems with fatigue in the second lap. By the third lap my legs had gone and I had nothing left to push with. By the fourth lap my speed was well down. I ate an energy bar and drank plenty of Nuun to see if that would help. A very slow and disappointing 26.5 miles of cycling and then I was into T2 - this was a bit muddled as I was knackered. But I managed to get going onto the four lap run.

Run
I desperately struggled on the run with a mix of running and walking and sheer mental determination. It was the longest 6.5 miles I have ever done. I was so glad to get onto the fourth lap and to finish. The tri club members were all waiting for me at the end which was very nice. I haven't got an official time yet but I think it was about 3hrs 18 - about half an hour slower than Tri Athy - albeit with a longer course.

I thought I had recovered from Antwerp but obviously 13 days with a weeks training as well is not enough time to recover. Lesson learnt for next season. I am going to scale things down again for a week or so before Newtownabbey Tri in 3 weeks time. Just under 10 hours racing in 2 weeks was a little bit optimistic!

Thursday 13th August

Half an hour flat out on the turbo this morning. Wili's gears are still playing up - hoping someone can sort them out for me before the triathlon on Saturday.

Approx 1400m sea swim tonight with the club followed by a short run. My body is TIRED!!!

Tuesday 12th August

Tough swimming session with the tri club tonight. Approx 1800m of swimming with a lot of sprints in the drills - very good though.

Monday 10th August

1000m easy early morning swim in 19 minutes. My back is not good at the moment - I need to think about going to pilates again.

Running speed drills with the club tonight. Very good session - we covered about 5 miles in total with about 3 miles of that doing sprints and recovery. I wish we had started these sessions a few months ago. I just hope my back enjoyed it too....

Sunday 9th August

Active recovery all last week with walking around, a sports massage and a bit of stretching.

Great to get out for a 30 mile recovery/training cycle today to test if my body is still working after last Sunday - nice cycle in the sunshine with a few hills thrown in in preparation for next weekend's race. Glad to report that my legs have recovered but Wili the bike has decided he is an automatic and is changing gears by himself when I am in the small ring. I will need to get him sorted out...

I also wore my lovely new Ironman cycle outfit that I got at a bargain price in Antwerp last weekend. It was nice to look like a cyclist today instead of War on Want on wheels like I did before!!

Sunday 2nd August

Just a short up date for now to say that I DID IT and completed my first Half Ironman!!!! Somehow I managed to keep my body and mind together to get over the finish line. Full report to follow later.

Friday 31st July

Getting ready to head to Antwerp - Wili is packed and in his bike box. I am excited but very nervous about the 70.3. I have not done enough training for it but it is too late now to worry about that! 11.17am is my start time on Sunday morning. Fingers crossed that I get over the finish line in one piece....

Tuesday 28th July

2200m in total of swim sets tonight with the tri club. Very good session.

Monday 27th July

Half hour speed session on the turbo this morning. No running yesterday unfortunately due to having to work on the house again....

Sports massage tonight (kindly given to me as a present)- one word to sum it up though- OUCH!!!!

Saturday 25th July

45 mile cycle in 2hrs 48 along the Ards Peninsula to Kircubbin and back. Took on lots of water and ate at regular intervals but my energy levels were up and down a bit - probably from drinking a little tiny bit too much wine last night!! Still another longish cycle in the bag. I was a bit lonely too - have to start getting out with a group. I also had a topple in slow moving traffic in Newtownards so my knee is now a lovely shade of blue! I am starting to get nervous now at the thought of the Half Ironman next Sunday....

Friday 24th July

Half hour tough early morning turbo session.

Thursday 23rd July

Approx 1500m sea swim tonight - very choppy and I swallowed a bucket of salt water with the waves. 2 mile run after the swim which felt quite good and took away any remaining stiffness in my legs after Portaferry.

Tuesday 21st July

1600m early morning swim in 30 minutes. Easy pace and felt good.

Portaferry 10 mile road race tonight. Not a good idea to go out and run 10 miles with so little training recently! My house is in better shape than I am at the moment!! Very scenic course - bit undulating but a nice evening for it. I ran it very steady and was pleased enough to finish in 1 hr 34 with an average pace of just under 9.30 minute miles (10 minutes slower than last year). I just wish I had some more miles in my legs before Antwerp. Very stiff and sore going to bed - I MUST get a massage booked for early next week.

Monday 20th July

Well, the house won the battle over the last week. Total chaos and just at the wrong time too before Antwerp. Did 1.5 hours on turbo tonight on a heavyish resistance - it was raining and windy when I started but a bad call as it dried up, wind dropped and the sun came out... Still, a longish cycle to get me back into things. Need to cram as much as I can into the next week and forget about a taper - that was last week!

Monday 13th July

Battle going on at the moment between training time and sorting out my house with the ongoing renovations. So training won today and I did a 58.75 mile cycle in 3 hrs 43 mins. Not bad considering I had 30 mile per hour head wind for most of the first half. Cycled around the Ards Peninsula so flat in a lot of places but undulating in others. Nutrition stops working well but I need to drink more. Legs tired now and my back is stiff. I hope my back will last out through the 70.3. Still another long cycle done. Need some running and swimming now this week too.

Friday 10th July

45 mile cycle this morning. Good conditions - slight wind and warmish. 5 mile undulating to warm up and then 40 miles on the flat in two 20 mile loops. Average speed including slow bits for traffic lights of 16mph. I drank Nuun and ate two bars - half a one every 10 miles. This worked out fine and I feel good now after it. Definately could have gone on further. Just need a few more longer cycles now before Antwerp.

Wednesday 8th July

6.7 mile run in 57 minutes with the club tonight - hill session through Belvoir Forest. Good run but I felt a bit sluggish - I must get a massage booked to get my legs freed up again.

Tuesday 7th July

1800m of swim sets tonight with the triathlon club. Very good - certainly should help my swimming if I keep going

Monday 6th July

21.2 mile cycle tonight in 1 hr 19. Good enough pace except for the wind at times. I don't think I put Wili back together again quite right - need to adjust the saddle and handlebar levels.

Sunday 5th July

Legs still very tired after Friday's Half and very windy today so I decided to do 1.5 hours on the turbo rather than battling the wind outside. Steady cycle in big ring with medium resistance and probably covered about 25 miles equivalent. I wish I had someone to cycle with to push me now for the next few weeks.

Friday 3rd July

Ran Ards Half marathon tonight. Hilly course. Paced a friend of mine but it worked out a very slow run due to frequent stops by her (40 minutes slower than my normal pace). Still 13.1 miles on feet and got her round - a bit of progress. Very hot and humid for first half of the run. Stiff and sore now - time for a massage

Thursday 2nd July

Half hour session on turbo this morning. Still stressed but sweaty now too...

1600m sea swim - tough enough tonight with the current and not swimming for a week.

Wednesday 1st July

Half hour turbo session this morning. First training session in quite a few days. Getting big refurb of my house done and I had to devote the time to getting things back in order. Head messed up again with everything going on in my life at the moment- very stressed and tired with it all. Just don't know if I will be ready for Antwerp or even whether I should try to run the Ards Half Marathon on Friday night. Not good...

Friday 26th June

Tough turbo session this morning - half an hour flat out. Just a little sweaty now :-)

Thursday 25th June

1400m sea swim tonight with the tri club followed by a McDonalds!

Wili's new pump arrived today - just need to work out how to use it...

Wednesday 24th June

Back at it again - feeling less fatigued today after Liverpool and my horrible cold. 1000m early morning swim in 18.45. Swim helped to clear stiffness from my legs and arms.

Great run tonight with the club - 5.7 miles of hills through Belvoir Forest and Lagan Meadows. 22c and perfect sunny running conditions. Feel fine after a good stretch.

Sunday 21st June

Liverpool Triathlon today - olympic distance. I only decided to actually start at the last minute due to the really bad cold I have had all week. Just took each discipline a stage at a time in case I had to pull out. Got through it - I felt the weakness in my body in the bike and found the four laps quite gruelling. Very cold too. But I managed to finish it in 2hrs 51 which is on a par with Athy as the run was definately not short!!

Really pleased that I gave it a go now - and finished 3rd in my age group. Very good event, well marshalled and organised. I found it less agressive than some of the Irish triathlons that I have done, especially in the swim.

I now need to get rid of this cold and get some serious training in for Antwerp.

Thursday 18th June

Got a rotten cold so training is non-existant this week. Very doubtful for Liverpool tri on Sunday now unless I feel a lot better. I think I am due some good luck for once - not a very good year so far....

Monday 15th June

800m early morning recovery swim - body still tired after Saturday

Saturday 13th June

Crooked Lake Triathlon today - fantastic! Beautiful scenery, 20c sunshine. Swim was slow which I don't understand - think I might have stayed too far out of trouble. T1 was also slow although it was a long way down to my transition point. Storming bike ride though (best one ever - 38minutes) despite some horrible hills. Very hilly run too. Finished in 1hr 25 and second in my age group. Very pleased in general with my performance. I just need to speed up transition and get more agressive in the swim - if I had done that I would have knocked about 3 minutes off my time. Winnings are going to be spent on chardonnay :-)

Thursday 11th June

1400m sea swim tonight

Wednesday 10th June

1000m early morning swim - 19 minutes

8 mile run in 1hr 6.5 minutes

Tuesday 9th June

26 mile cycle tonight - mostly undulating - reasonable conditions.

Monday 8th June

800m early morning swim - very sluggish after another night of no sleep. Head totally messed up and affecting my training.

Sunday 7th June

Feeling a bit tired and under par the last couple of days. Back at it today though with a 52 mile cycle in 3hr 22 minutes. Hilly in parts and windy again today. Very, very tired after it now. Need to get the long cycles built up again. Triathlons getting in the way of training for the 70.3....

Thursday 4th June

1600m sea swim tonight in Strangford Lough - very good apart from the jellyfish :-)

Wednesday 3rd June

7.25 mile run with the club in 1hr 2 mins tonight - bit too fast for the first four miles but ok after that. Legs feeling a bit stiff - need to get back to pilates to get my back stretched out again.

Tuesday 2nd June

21.2 mile in 1hr 18 cycle tonight in warm sunny conditions but a little bit windy. Good enough pace of 16.5 mph to include slow bits. Legs definately getting stronger.

Monday 1st June

1000m early morning recovery swim in 19.28 minutes (according to my new Timex Ironman watch!) Felt strange swimming in a pool again ( I actually prefer open water now) and I can feel the fatigue from Saturday more today than yesterday.

Saturday 30th May

Today I did my first ever Oly at TriAthy. Amazing experience and so well organised in a fantastic little village in Co Kildare. We (1000 competitors) were led in a procession with bag pipers and people carrying flags from the competing countries down to the swim start. Great swim in the river Barrow. 1100m down stream and 400m up stream. This went really well for me (only got clobbered on the head once by tractor woman) until the turning point when I went back up the wrong side of the pontoon into the oncoming swimmers from the next wave. My heart rate went through the roof as I cut across the swimmers on to the right side of the pontoon!

Bit wobbly getting out of the water with a swim time of 27 minutes but a smooth transition and onto the bike for my best ever cycle - 40k in 1hr 23mins. Another good transition and then onto the run. I drank a litre of water on the run itself. Very hot with temp of about 25c at the end. I was so pleased to finish in 2hrs 48mins - way faster than I ever thought I could go Think I am better over an Oly distance than sprint as I seem to have better endurance than speed.

The sprint tri was held in the afternoon, starting at 4pm with about 1500 competitors so it was great to sit in the sun on the banks of the river watching it with a celebratory bottle of prosecco.


The atmosphere in the village was fantastic as was the support. Immediate results at the finish with a little print out of your times. A brilliant day's craic and roll on Liverpool now.

Thursday 28th May

Approx 1200m sea swim tonight in Strangford Lough with 12 other people from Peninsula Tri Club. Good swim and felt quite strong.

Getting a bit nervous at the thought of doing my first Oly on Saturday in Athy.

Wednesday 27th May

Easy 5.3 mile run tonight in 46 minutes

Tuesday 26th May

1200m open water swim tonight in Lough Neagh. It felt good and I now have my confidence built up.

21.25 mile cycle tonight in very cold, wet and windy conditions. Ended up a bit upset with being so cold - think my core temperature was low from the swim before we started and getting a major soaking did not help. Need to harden up a bit...

Sunday 24th May

Liam Ball triathlon today. Better performance than last week and I kept my nerves and heart rate under control. Swim time was 13.45 getting out of the pool - long run to transition - including a flight of stairs and a lot of gravel. Way too slow in transition though - I really need to get that sorted as I lost about 6 places overall with it. Bike was a good course - out and back - again I was pleased with how that went apart from my general speed. I had a reasonable T2 and then a two lap run - same time as last week more or less. Overall 1 hour 32 minutes and third in my age group again.

My bike speed is what I need to work on and what is causing the differential between me and the other women in my age group.

Saturday 23rd May

Second open water swim today in Lough Neagh. Good calm conditions and a much better swim - approx 500m or so. Just need to build up a bit more distance now to get used to not having the end of a pool to push off!

Friday 22nd May

21 mile cycle tonight in 1 hour 17 minutes. Good average pace and reasonably nice conditions - not too windy. Legs felt strong again which is good. I need a really intensive stretching/roller session tomorrow before the triathlon on Sunday.

Thursday 21st May

1600m slowish swim this morning in 30 minutes. Still not 100% but getting there. Working hard to free up my ITB and to get rid of DOMS in my leg - slept in my Skins last night which helped - the things you have to do....

Tuesday 19th May

7 mile cycle only tonight - had to cut the session short as my cold is making me feel pretty weak and shivery. So I was being sensible for once in my life....

Monday 18th May

1000m early morning swim - 200m drills with 20 seconds rest in between - working out at just under 17 mins for 1000m.

Still feeling under par and I think I have still lactic build up after the Tri on Saturday - major fatigue in my arms and legs - not good...

7.25 mile run tonight in 65 minutes - legs felt very sluggish - I need a really good stretch session to loosen everything up again.

Sunday 17th May

First attempt this morning at open water swimming up in Lough Neagh. Very, very cold and windy - and that was before we got in the water! Managed ok and new wetsuit was fine apart from it rubbing on the back of my neck. I need to get that sorted. I didn't panic which was the main thing. Another longer one planned for this week to try to get my confidence built up.

Saturday 17th May

Roe Valley Sprint Triathlon today - Ulster Sprint Championships. Brutal conditions for the bike with heavy rain, hail and 40+mph gusts of wind. I think my cold took more out of me than I thought it would. Didn't feel too strong in the swim which was reflected in my time of 14.30 minutes, bike was slowish too with the conditions and me mangling the gears, run was fine in 25 minutes. Still, my goal was to finish within the top three in my age group which I did and I got a bronze medal to prove it!

Hoping for a better performance next week at the North West triathlon.

Thursday 14th May

Struggling with a cold so missed my run last night unfortunately. Forced myself into the pool this morning for a 1200m swim in 24 minutes. Hope I am ok for Saturday for the first triathlon of the season.

15.3 mile cycle tonight in 56 minutes - very, very wet but a reasonable speed considering that I am a bit under par.

Tuesday 12th May

1200m early morning swim in a warm pool. Clock broken so no idea of my time today.

16 mile cycle tonight with strong headwind - average speed 15.8 mph - slight improvement, thankfully!

Sunday 10th May

42.2 mile cycle today in 2hours 48 minutes in much better conditions - wind was tolerable! Added on to last week's route which I can expand on now for longer cycles. Quite hilly for a good bit of it although some good flat stretches too. Stopped very briefly twice to make sure I had a good drink and to eat something. Need to eat more though but managed to drink a whole bottle of water/energy drink.

Not a very balanced week of training but most I have run in a long time with 24 miles clocked up for the week. Think I need another year before I will be ready for the Half Ironman - getting a bit worried now about Antwerp...

Saturday 9th May

13 mile run this morning - slowish pace - 2:04. Very, very wet and cold - I was glad to get back to the car. Everything felt fine running which was good but legs and back stiff now.

Thursday 7th May

4 mile early morning run along the Thames embankment this morning. Nice run and a good pace.

Wednesday 6th May

1600m easy early morning swim in 29 minutes. Right shoulder is quite stiff for some reason.

Monday 4th May

7.14 mile run today as 3rd relay leg in the Belfast Marathon. I ran it in 57.57 minutes so pleased with that.

Sunday 3rd May

32.6 mile cycle non-stop today - brutal head wind for a good bit of it with a lot of climbing - new route today which I can build on. Big downhill bit when I hit 36mph for over a mile.

Back and hamstring very stiff today after yesterday - one step forward and two back....

Saturday 2nd May

12 mile run on my own this morning, accompanied by Chris Rea and Elbow. One of the best runs I have done all year - 1hr 46 almost completely even paced with the last mile at 8.23 minute mile pace. Only slight stiffness in my leg running which is good. Maybe, maybe if I continue like this and build very, very slowly, I could think about an autumn marathon - let's see....

Friday 1st May

Rest day today and I went for a verrrry painful sports massage tonight - extra value for money - 1 hr 10 minutes of torture!! Everything feels looser now, though :-)

Thursday 30th April

Easy 1200m swim this morning to shake out my legs and back in 24 minutes

Wednesday 29th April

7.5 mile run in 64 minutes with the club tonight - bit sore after it

Tuesday 28th April

Early morning swim - bit of a time trial - 800m in 14 minutes which would give me just about 13 minutes for 750m on fresh arms in a race. Not too bad but could be better!!

16.3 mile cycle tonight, working on getting my speed up - don't know if I succeeded - average pace 16.33mph - bit of a head wind and rain

Monday 27th April

Tiredness got the better of me yesterday so I missed my long cycle - not good.

Anyhow, hopefully back on track with a 1600m swim this morning in 29 minutes.

Pilates class tonight - very good, really enjoyed it.

Saturday 25th April

11 mile sunny run this morning in 1 hour 41 minutes - reasonable pace and everthing felt ok - back a bit sore after I had finished though.

Friday 24th April

Half hour tough blast on turbo this evening. Life getting in the way of training this week. I need to knuckle down again next week...

Wednesday 23rd April

7.5 mile tempo run with the club tonight in 63 minutes - reasonably good pace for the run. Legs and back felt fine after it - chest is a bit tight at the moment with pollen.

Tuesday 21st April

1200m early morning swim - in 23 minutes

15 mile cycle tonight in 55 minutes. Still windy... but sunny too - braved the shorts again (and a lot of football supporters going to a match) :)

Monday 20th April

1200m early morning swim in just under 23 minutes - 800m split of 14 minutes. Bit of work needed before the first triathlon on 17th May.

Sunday 19th April

38.5 mile cycle in 2 hours 25 minutes today - lovely sunny weather to wear my new cycle shorts but still darned windy. Undulating route to Killyleagh and back - average speed 15.83mph - cycling mojo not quite there today due to lack of sleep and a head full of nonsense....

Saturday 18th April

Easy 9 mile run this morning at average 9.13mm pace. Wore Skins for the first time and found them very good - no pain in my legs during or after. Also second run out in my Mizuno Waves which have slight stability - again I think they are helping me too. So all good...

Took Willi up to the bike shop this afternoon for a check up and got a new pair of cycle shorts to wear in the sunshine forecast for tomorrow :-)

Monday 13th April

The training continued today with another 59 mile cycle into a head wind for the first half. Very, very tired by the halfway mark. 4 hours 4 mins for the ride. Now physically exhausted but pleased with what we achieved this weekend. A rest day is needed tomorrow :)

Sunday 12th April

Big training weekend continued today with a 25 mile fastish cycle followed by a 6.5 mile run off the bike. Found the first 3 miles of the run very tough but got through it. A lot of work needed before the 70.3

Saturday 11th April

58.5 mile cycle today in 3hrs 54 mins. Longest cycle I have ever done. Windy and hilly for the first 31 miles then it got a bit easier after that. A few more like this are needed if I am going to be able to do the Half Ironman. Need also to sort out nutrition for the bike as I keep running out of energy....

Friday 10th April

Happy Easter! Good steady 1600m swim this morning in just under 29 minutes. Been struggling with a cold and an infection this week - now on second course of antibiotics so hopefully my energy levels will come back up again. HR slightly higher as a result of it.

Wednesday 8th April

Half hour turbo session this morning - good steady pace. Really struggling this week with fatigue.

Tuesday 7th April

1200m early morning swim - reasonable pace but the water felt very heavy today... I am generally sore all over and very fatigued!! The pilates class must be taking more out of me than I thought.

Monday 6th April

Pilates tonight using resistance bands - made it a lot harder. My neck is twinging a bit - hope it is ok.

Sunday 5th April

Titanic 10k race - I ran it in 51.52 (gun time). Felt quite comfortable in spite of my stiff and sore back. Could probably have pushed it a good bit more but just easing back into the racing now. It is still early days for the season. I am going to build some speedwork into my training now that I have a good strength base.

Saturday 4th April

Good but very wet 6 mile run this morning in 53.50 minutes to loosen my legs off before the Titanic 10k tomorrow.

26.85 mile cycle this afternoon in 1 hour 41 mins- undulating for part of the ride and gusty conditions. Very pleased with the strength I felt in my legs for this cycle - definitely stronger now.

The last part of the cycle was nearly ruined by the prat in the 4 x 4 who cut in in front of me then proceeded to stop causing me to crash into the back of him, hurting my back. Very shaken up and upset by it but ok now, thankfully.

Friday 3rd April

45 minutes tough turbo session wearing my new helmet (probably looking very silly - but I wanted to try it out!)

Thursday 2nd April

Well paced 1200m early morning swim. Legs feel fine after last night - only a little bit stiff which is to be expected.

Wednesday 1st April

1000m early morning swim - would have been longer if I could have dragged myself up a bit sooner!!

3 mile warm up and then the Queens Round the River 5k race - ran it in 24.37 so pretty pleased with that considering that I have done no speedwork and that my running has been so up and down recently.

And I bought one of these today :)



Blurb on helmet: "Witness MET's "Pure Made in Italy" technology at its maximum, the Stradivarius 199. Thanks to the use of our ULTIMALITE fibre composite, it was the first PRO Team helmet in the world to weigh less than 200 grams. Today, our PRO athletes unanimously regard it at the best helmet produced in terms of lightness, aerodynamics and effective ventilation."

Tuesday 31st March

Very tired legs yesterday and this morning after the weekend so no pilates this week or swimming yet, unfortunately.

Tempo cycle session tonight - 11.5 miles in 42 mins (started to get a bit dark so I cut it short) Hit around 19mph for about 3 miles of this then took the speed down again. Getting there...

Sunday 29th March

35.4 mile cycle today on tired legs with windy conditions for a good bit of it. Time for a rest tomorrow!

Saturday 29th March

Larne Half Marathon today in very, very windy conditions. Very nice course but not a very nice performance by me. Ran it in 1.59 which is about 6 minutes off my pb. Felt terrible after the run too - really sick. That's what you get for eating too early and not taking a gel on board. I think my sporadic running and the injury had something to do with that. Need to get back on track somehow...

Friday 27th March

1200m early morning swim in an infinity pool in Slieve Donard Hotel. Relaxed for a bit in the amethyst steam room afterwards - you could get used to that amount of luxury!

Thursday 26th March

Very scenic 45 minute early morning run in Newcastle, Co Down - mountains, sea and a long beach - really lovely!

Wednesday 25th March

45 minutes early morning steady session on turbo. Was supposed to go running this morning but could not find my running mojo - not good!!

Tuesday 24th March

Very good turbo session this morning - high cadence with a bit more resistance added on this time.

Monday 23rd March

Pilates class tonight - whole class based around exercises for runners (specially for me!) which was great.

Sunday 22nd March

17 mile cycle in very windy conditions - hit 26mph on the flat for parts of the first half then used all my gears to get back in the second half!! Still averaged just under 17mph for the whole cycle which is good (for me).

End of a very good week's training - time for a rest (apart from pilates) tomorrow.

Saturday 21st March

Great hilly run today - 10.5 miles through Belvoir Forest (exploring the trails!), Hill of Horror and Lagan Meadows - very little done on tarmac. Legs felt strong and not too much pain - they just tired a bit at the end. Very good average pace despite the hills!!

Friday 20th March

Half hour early morning high cadence turbo session

Evening swim drills - 400m w/u, 10 sets of 80m flat out with 20secs rest and 400m c/down. Very good but a lot of work to be done...

Thursday 19th March

1200m early morning swim in 21 minutes- note to myself - GET MORE SWIMMING SESSIONS DONE!!

Very stiff back and leg today after yesterday's run unfortunately - thought I had got away with it last night...

Wednesday 18th March

Very good fast 8.25 mile run with the club tonight. Pain level only about level 4 which is great. Nearly remembered how much I like running tonight!! Feeling strong and fighting spirit coming back again...

Tuesday 17th March

Happy St Patrick's day!! Out for a 16 mile cycle on Willi today - really enjoyed it - good mixture again of hills and flat. Pleased with average speed of 15mph despite the hills and the traffic & road junctions. Getting there - very slowly :)

Monday 16th March

Pilates class tonight using resistance bands - very good. Spoke to instructor who is willing to give me some pilates personal training to develop some short core sessions for me to do at home :)

Sunday 15th March

40.4 mile cycle today on Willi today. Very good route with a mixture of hills and flat road. Longest cycle ever for me. It was good to put the bike (and me!) through its paces. Only another 16 miles and that is me up to Half Ironman distance.

Here's a photo of Willi and I before we set off this morning!

Saturday 14th March

12 mile run along the tow path. Pain level about level 6 which is a bit better - concentrated on more fore foot striking and on relaxing my arms which helped - as did the massage last night, I think.

Friday 13th March

Good tough turbo session at lunchtime

Sports massage tonight - one word summed it up, aweough!!

Thursday 12th March

4 mile easy run this morning in 36 minutes - enjoyed it and now I have pinpointed the sore bits for my massage tomorrow!

Wednesday 11th March

Half hour fast turbo session this morning

Tuesday 10th March

Half hour early morning turbo session on the new bike - fast legs and heavier resistance. Turbo seems to be more effective now - can use gears with the resistance setting!

Swim drills tonight - 1600m total - 400 w/up with 10 sets of 80m flat out with 20secs recovery between each set - 400m c/down. Very good session!!

Monday 9th March

Pilates class tonight- very good as usual

Sunday 8th March

Today's outing was a 10k race to celebrate the opening of the Westlink upgrade in Belfast. We ran along the dual carriageway (which was completely closed to traffic) in very cold strong wind with sleet/snow showers. Very good event, well organised and I ran it in 52 minutes which is just under 2 minutes slower than my PB. Not too bad considering the injury and the fact that I haven't run for two weeks now.

Saturday 7th March

Well, a new addition to the family arrived today- Willi the Wilier Espace Mirage bike :). What a difference a bike that fits me actually makes! So pleased with it - it feels much more responsive than my last bike. Had a good 20 mile cycle on it this afternoon through rain and wind. Now I have no excuses!!

Friday 6th March

Half an hour of core work, stretching and roller massage. Got some bad news about my back - 2 discs are degenerating. This has knocked me back a bit but I think I need a second opinion and also there has to be something that can be done to help with the pain and stiffness in my lower legs. I need to refocus and get an event to aim for - two half marathons coming up in the next 3 weeks so I'll try for one of those.

Hopefully going to get a new bike tomorrow. I am so hoping that a bike that fits me properly will help also to reduce the soreness and stiffness (slightly paranoid now!). I may have to lay off using tri bars though.

I need to get my training back on track again next week and I am going to come up with a more focussed plan to get my discipline back...

Wednesday 4th March

Half hour turbo session this morning. So hard to get up early still!

Tuesday 3rd March

Half hour turbo session this morning with high cadence. Staying off the aero bars to see if that helps my knees. Hopefully I will get a new bike this week -:)

Monday 2nd March

First session back after a week in Slovenia for work. No time or opportunity to do any training except for some core work while I was there unfortunately. Anyhow, 1200m early morning swim in 22 minutes. Funny how doing nothing for a week sets you back...

Pilates class tonight. Very good as usual. Nicely stretched out!!

Monday 23rd February

Half hour turbo session this morning followed by some core work and a good deep stretch on the foam roller. My knees are very tight at the moment (?ITBS) - will have to be careful.

Saturday 21st February

14 mile run along the Lagan Towpath with the running club. Pain lessening a bit which is good - used titanium strips on my back and my camelbak today rather than carrying a water bottle which helped.

Update on broken bike situation - got a crank arm today so I can turbo again but it looks like I am in the market for a new bike - the one I have is not the right size for me - which might explain my sore knees! Need to decide now which one to go for. Exciting but scarey looking at spending that amount of money!!!

Friday 20th February

Short core and stretching session this morning. It is so frustrating not being able to turbo... One good thing though is that I have lost 2 pounds this week. Weight starting to come off now - 7 pounds to go to 9st target

1600m swim tonight in 28 minutes. Arms feeling it!

Thursday 19th February

1200m early morning swim in 24 minutes. Pace well down today - feel very stiff. Still so scundered about my bike - it is now out of action.

Wednesday 18th February

20 minutes on turbo in new Shimano triathlon shoes on clip pedals when the left hand pedal fell off. Can't get it back on again. Think the crank might be sheared. The joys of being a female - don't know what to do now...Training going downhill along with everything else this week :(

9 mile run tonight at a fairly respectable pace. Usual aches and pains after the 6 mile mark.

Monday 16th February

Pilates class this evening using weights. Feel as if my arms are going to fall off! Very good workout. Quite fatigued today - must start to drink more water - could be dehydration from the weekend training.

Sunday 15th February

26 mile cycle today along the North Foreshore park and Dargan industrial estate. Very scenic (not!). Need to get the mileage up now on long cycles to get the endurance base into my legs.

Saturday 14th February

14 mile run along the Comber Greenway. Bit warmer than recent runs. Good average pace. Back and leg pain pretty bad today - knees sore as well! Just wondering if my bike set up is aggravating things. Time for a sports massage too, I think...

Friday 13th February

2000m swim in 35 minutes - 5 minutes faster than last week. Feel stronger which is good.

Thursday 12th February

45 minutes heavier resistance on the turbo followed by a core session. Abs starting to tighten...

Wednesday 11th February

1200m early morning swim - fairly fast pace in 21 minutes

Tuesday 10th February

Half hour turbo session - high cadence

Monday 9th February

Early morning spin class - lots of climbing!! Short core session afterwards.

Pilates class this evening - very, very good

Saturday 7th February

Just over 12 miles run along the tow path this morning. Very cold but sunny. Towpath was mainly frozen slush so it was like running on a wobble board. Very challenging - we also managed to throw in a few hills too... Periformis pain not as bad today for some reason and I feel fine now which is more encouraging than last week's long run!

Thursday 5th February

Half hour early morning turbo session - undergearing

Wednesday 4th February

7.7 mile run tonight at a good pace with the running club. Very cold out tonight. Leg still stiffening and some back pain. Not good...

Tuesday 3rd February

2000m swim non-stop in 40 minutes. Longest swim I have done since I was about 14!! At least I can now swim the half-ironman distance. Feel ok after it - just a bit of fatigue in my arms.

Monday 2nd February

Half hour early morning spin class with a lot of hill climbing. 15 minutes core work and stretching after it.

One hour pilates class tonight - really enjoyed it! Boy, does it show up your weak bits!! I reckon the core and pilates will be the answer to my injury problems. Instructor showed us a couple of back/glutes/hamstring stretches which I haven't done before but seem to work very deep....

Saturday 31st January

14 mile run along the tow path this morning. Leg pain (periformis )very bad today and I really struggled to complete the run. So disheartening as I feel strong at the moment. Our pace was a bit mad too for a supposed long run - finished it in 2 hrs 8mins.

My shower is broken so I went to the gym for it and did a good stretch and an 800m swim while I was there...

Friday 30th January

Early morning 1200m steady swim. My back is a bit sore at the moment. Going to order the Body Control Pilates Manual to get some specific exercises for strenghtening. Apparently with this manual you can select a programme based on your weak bits and for areas which you would normally sucumb to injury. Book is half price on Amazon - happy days! Watch this space for feedback....

Half hour on turbo trainer. Missed a spin class due to the traffic,grrr! Fast legs for whole session, followed by 15 minutes of core work. Manual ordered from Amazon!

Thursday 29th January

Early morning turbo session with fast legs

Wednesday 28th January

Half an hour on the turbo and 15 minutes core/strength work. Life getting in the way of my running this week - broken shower, meetings, etc, etc...

Monday 26th January

Early morning spin class and 15 minutes core work. Decided that I had better get back to spinning classes after struggling on a few hills on Saturday. Spent most of the class doing seated and standing climbs - so this should help...

Saturday 24th January

Well, a bit of a mental day today. Started off on a frosty sunny morning with a 12 mile run along a new off road path that we have discovered. Fine for the first 10 miles, then I really felt my lack of running over the last two miles. Pace a bit uneven which didn't help, I supppose. Anyhow, I survived that, quick lunch and then:

A 27.5 mile cycle this afternoon down to Groomsport and back. Mental note to myself: do not cycle any where near Bangor on a Saturday afternoon! Traffic was just too heavy. Need to do a lot of bike technique work, particularly on the gears. That will be my project for the next few cycles. All in all a good day - just under 4 hours of training. Think I will have earned a thimbleful of wine tonight !!

Friday 23rd January

Still not getting any easier to get up in the mornings! Half an hour on the turbo on a high cadence. Undergearing to increase my leg speed.

Thursday 22nd January

Early morning 800m swim. Finding it hard to get up to train in the mornings - after effects of the flu probably. Can't believe this is my first swim in 4 weeks - not good!!

Wednesday 21st January

20 minutes core and stretching work this morning. Talk about rusty core muscles - abs and quads really feeling it! Pain is good though - I hope!!

Another 7 mile run in the bag tonight. Nice tempo run with the club. Got a bit of a niggle in my right achilles tendon - biofreeze for me tonight...

Monday 19th January

20 minutes core strength training this morning. Aim to really sort out my core this year to help prevent more injuries.

Good 7 mile run this evening through snow, rain, sleet, frozen rain etc etc - got a few funny looks from drivers wondering what sort of nutter is out in those conditions!!
Miles starting to go back on the clock again though...

Sunday 18th January

Just over an hour on the turbo trainer this morning. Kept the resistance fairly high for most of it. Intensive stretching after it. Legs are a bit tender after yesterday's run...

Saturday 17th January

Back out on the road/towpath again. Managed 9 miles this morning. I really felt the lack of running recently. I want to start an intensive stretching campaign as I will have to build miles very quickly - about 3 weeks short for training for Vienna. Good to be out running again though !!

Friday 16th January

Early morning half hour turbo session. Took it fairly easy - hopefully that is me back into training again!! Also need to remove the 3lbs I have put on from not training and Christmas excesses...

Wednesday 14th January

Still not feeling terribly good - energy levels in my boots. Very, very frustrating as I really want to train again. Amazing what effect not doing anything has on your head! I have entered for Vienna Marathon on 19th April so I desperately need to shake this lurgy off and get out on the roads again - hopefully within the next day or so.

Sunday 11th January

Managed to get outside and do a brisk hour's walk along the towpath. Tame, I know, but at least I am vertical again...

Wednesday 7th January

Well, I've finally been stricken with the flu that is going around which has scuppered my training this week so far - hopefully back at it again soon

Sunday 4th January

Le Grand Bornand was today's skiing destination. Again empty pistes, great snow but very cold. Good number of miles covered, including being dragged down a black run with very large moguls by my, now very able, ski buddy. Legs 100% wrecked now! Good core training though. Back to the grind tomorrow, unfortunately.

Saturday 3rd January

Off to Flaine for today's skiing. Excellent day - great snow, pretty empty pistes and a good skiing companion. Legs about 75% wrecked!!

Friday 2nd January

Great day's skiing in La Clusaz in the Haute Savoie - one hour from Geneva. Leg muscles took a minor battering..

New Year's Day

Managed an hour and a half skiing in a little resort very close to Geneva. One way of getting rid of a hangover and a great way to start the new year!