The plan! Running late but sounding great!

Right.

I'm still here dual wielding splints so my hands don't fall off (not really), but the plan remains the same, just starting a week or two later than I had imagined.

2020 will be the year of the triathlon... little, beginners triathlon.

The main target is the Inspire Super Sprint Triathlon which is scheduled for 17th May. It's short, I'd imagine I can do it on my hybrid bike and it feels unlikely I'll hurt myself or anything.

Let's not get carried away, I've not signed up yet (is it even open yet?). I don't even know how much it is, or how much extra stuff I'll need. But it's a goal. 

If I find myself miles ahead on training and all going well, I can look for an earlier one, but no later. This will be it. 400m in water, 10k on a bike and 2.5km running or something like that, it will be done.

I'll start working on targets once I get into training a bit, as I know I'm slow, but that's a broad term.

I also want to run a spring marathon. I am of course in the London ballot, but that's never going too happen, so once I've had my 'get stuffed' magazine, I'll probably sign up to Manchester. I like Manchester.

Tomorrow we (hopefully) begin again

Hello there!

It's been a while since I've posted here, but I feel like I'm about to start something new. A new challenge and this feels like something I'll have content on, while maybe before... I'd kind of run out of steam.

6 weeks or so ago I purchased something I'd been wanting for a while, it's been on my instagram it's...

The reason is I quite fancy a go at Triathlon (look I've changed the title of the blog). I'm a decent cyclist, but it'll need work. I'm an OK swimmer, but it'll need work, I've done some running, I suppose.

I started with a few small rides, then it must've been on ride 4 or so, commuting the short distance to work, the frame shook under me and the next thing I know a kind motorist and her son and picking me up off the road.

I managed to in total, break my hand, fracture my elbow, crack a couple ribs, bang my head and generally rough myself up. Mainly as it appears the front wheel wasn't fitted properly in the shop I bought it from. But that's an ongoing complaint so I won't go into that yet.

Tomorrow sees my return to the hospital and the pain I still get in various parts of my arms (mainly my right wrist) implies I may not be fully fixed yet, but there's a chance and I can get training again. As it's been weeks I can only dread how poor I'll be, but this feels like a good place to start my latest return from some kind of injury.

More tomorrow on what I'm planning to do as I don't want to get overly carried away then to find I've broken something else and am in plaster til I'm 40.

Race Report Greater Manchester Marathon

I haven't written anything in a while, mainly as I haven't done all that, or at least all that well. But one of my major goals for the year came up, the marathon. The aim? Sub 4:00.

I don't do many marathons (funnily enough) as chances are few and far between, so I was keen to make this count.

Prep was on and off, with some injury issues I mentioned before, some weekends and races lost to the snow, including a 20 miler which was to be a main warm up event. However I did manage a decent 21 mile run at a pace I didn't really expect to keep up (8:33 p/m).

Arrived at Manchester nice an early the day before, ate well, drank water, I was as set as I really could be I think.

The targets were simple, only 1 and it was make my finish time start with a 3. An 03, 30 hours would be a poor run. I sought out the 4 hour pacer, but it all looked quite busy (popular target, plus pacing celebrity Paul Addicott on duty), so with encouragement from the wife, I joined the wife I joined the back of the pen in front and thought I'd drift back at some stage.

The gun went, I of course didn't for some 6 minutes but we were underway, adrenaline peaked... it was time.

First 10k

Be sensible now, I thought over n over. 4:00:00 is about 9:09 a mile. So why am I doing more like 8:30... busy roads kept me in check a bit but I was ahead of target and creeping a little faster. Through it in 53:47, 4 hour target being 56:51 (even) - 3:14 up!

Up to half marathon

Continued feeling good, creeping a little faster maybe. This section felt a little more... inclined than I remembered and the actual half marathon point had moved, so changes had been made at some point. But still feeling comfortable and happy and creeping faster, I soldiered on reaching 21k in 1:52:02, 7:58 ahead of schedule, if schedule was even. As I expected to crash in the second half, I didn't think even would work.

To 30k!

...or a bit short of 20 miles if you will. 20 miles was when, in my head, the world would end and I'd be clinging on to life. Especially as it was around a county-ish bit (Carrington?) where I was pretty much defeated last time.

Mile 19 saw a frankly stupid 'challenge' to do a mile quicker than your average pace, which I managed it!

The  marker for 20 came up and I expected the worst, I was almost waiting for my body to give up, but it didn't. I still felt good and I pressed on... very aware only 10k to go.

Mile 24

OK things got a little rough here, but with only 2 miles left, I had the ability to 'dig in' and pretty much hold pace. The final straight is torture, You can see teh finish but you're still quite the way away... seems to go on forever... but then

Finished!

So, how did I do...

A negative split extravaganza of a time, 3:43! (1:52 - 1:51)

Very happy camper. I had far more stamina than I expected, I think I got fuelling right and the weather was awesome.

Can I retire now?

Next up is the 6 mile Parc Bryn Bach race then it's Ultra time!