HPU Training Camp and start of race season

Mr Regular Updates returns. April has definitely had some positives....

Good Friday Bungay 10k
As per my last update I was aiming for a sub 36.30. Certainly nothing spectacular but it's not a fast course and my previous best there was a low 37. So what did I get...? 36.29 by my watch and 36.30 officially! At least my predictions match my leg speed.
Timewise I was pleased, but the splits were a bit disappointing - whereas last year they were almost to the second on the way back (out and back course) this year I really dropped off. Points toward some longer runs required....

HPU Training Camp Girona
All in all what a bloody great week. Highlights are too numerous to mention but I had an excellect week. Total of 340 miles biking (including a 97 and a 102 - never done a century before) plus a few k of swimming and a little running.

The facilities were superb and the riding and the roads were really a lot better than I had hoped. I rediscovered my mountain legs and dragged my oversized carcass over the Pyrenees in pretty good style.
N.B. A climb up Rocacorba in 38.02 is a pretty good time, despite the fact that Dan Martin's record is 28.15 (and Will Clarke esq did it in 35....)!!

All in all a great week, great company and fantastic location. Huge thanks to Dave, Tom (for never quite letting me get away on the climbs) and Anna.

25 mile TT PB
Very pleasing result - on my local course. Had given myself a scare earlier in the week with a godawful performance at a local 10. Proved later in the week that it was hopefully a freak incident (possibly caused by 15 miles pretty hard running the day before....?) though with a PB of 35 seconds over the 25. 56.54. Not mind blowing, but good.

Wattisham Triathlon
First tri of the year - when will I stop getting a fluttery tummy before these things??!! Done this one for the last 2 years so it's a good chance to gauge current form. Last year I did 52.28, 20 seconds outside the winner who'd done a course record. This year the aims were:
- Win
- 51 minute course record
Pleasingly I did both, despite the fact that the course had had to be extended with a little windy section - 30 to 60 seconds extra possibly?
Finished in 51.20, so that's over a minute up on last year with the potential for more based on the course differences. I would say that the wind was certainly kinder than last year, but my 5k was 30 seconds up, so definite improvements there.


Cycling - baby steps, but 30 seconds up on last year for a 25
Running - not feeling fantastic, but the times are coming despite a lack of speed work
Swimming - eurgh


Upcoming races
Kings Lynn 10k - 2nd May, a target so scary I can't even bear to type it....
10 mile TT - 3rd May
Grendon Sprint Tri World Qualifier - 9th May
Newmarket Sprint Tri - 16th May
Fritton Oly Tri - 30th May

April fool

And so we enter the month of April - that time of year when lazy weekends (as if) get replaced with competition and all that it encompasses.

March was the month when I can say that my training actually clicked into second gear and started to cruise a little. I'm pleased to say that I stayed illness free for this block, and just have the slight worry of a hamstring niggle which has been hanging around for the last month. I've chosen my usual tactic of attempting to ignore and hoping that it will go away - although I'm dreading the first time that tactic backfires properly...

This week has been a rest week. I break my training up throughout the year into 4-5 week blocks, building the intensity and reducing the volume through the block with the last week being a chance to recover a little and have some easy training with some time trials in all disciplines to check on my progress. I didn't employ this tactic for my first couple of years in competition, and ended up a complete mess by August each year. Building in the rest periods allows more recovery and the chance to come back stronger. However, I always find it strange that the easy week seems to leave me feeling the most tired and lethargic!?

I had my swim TT this morning - timing myself from a push for 400m, then after a little rest a 200m. Certainly didn't come out of it with times to set the world on fire, but have progressed since last time - and that, as they say, is the aim of the game. Tomorrow is my first real 10k of the season - I've done this race for the last 2 years (possibly even 3) so have a definitive marker on where I'm at at this time of the year. My best is around 37.20 here as it's a tough course (35.19 elsewhere) - I only ever like aiming for times in my head, but here goes - aim is sub 36.30. We shall see - hamstring and awful weather forecast will attempt to play their part I suspect.

Then on Saturday it's a week in Spain with the HPU guys. Hadn't really given it too much thought but now it's arrived and I'm really looking forward to it. With so much seemingly going on on a daily basis it will be great to have a week with just training on the mind and no distractions.