Back to Basics

Having qualified for the ITU Age-Group World Championships on my first attempt, this years training schedule has changed a little. I was expecting to still be pushing hard and aiming to peak again for a second chance at qualifying at the the Bristol Harbourside Triathlon on July 15th. That is no longer necessary it’s back to base level training for me.

I’m currently following a similar plan to the one I was doing back in February. In fact, this weeks schedule is exactly the same as the one I followed on the week beginning February 13th (week 16). I therefore thought it would be a good idea to follow the same routes on my run and bike sessions too, just to see how I compared.

Yesterday’s session was a 60 minute hilly run, pushing harder up and over the hills. I ran from Borth, up over the ‘Rhyd y Garreg’ climb and down into the recently flooded Dolybont. From here it was back up the Tannery Climb past the radio mast and then down and around towards Talybont. I take a sharp right here up the steep Pentrebach climb before making my way back over and down to Dolybont and follow my outward path in the opposite direction back up and over the Rhyd y Garreg climb. It’s a 7.5 mile run with around 1,300 feet of climbing, followed by a little cool down jog.

When I did it back in February it took me 56:03 with an average heart rate of 155bpm. My training diary says ‘pushed hard all the way’. I then set a course record of 54:28 just a couple of weeks later. Yesterday my time was 54:48, not quite a course record but not too far off and a fair bit faster than the 56:03 I did back in week 16. On top of this, I didn’t push hard all the way around yesterday and actually took it fairly easy on the descents. My average heart rate was also a fair bit lower at 150bpm.

So, that’s good news, faster with less effort, the training must be working. The ligaments and tendons in my left ankle (the one that I injured last year) were pretty sore afterwards though.

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Alan Cole

Alan is a Freelance Website Designer, Sports & Exercise Science Lab Technician and full time Dad & husband with far too many hobbies: Triathlete, Swimming, Cycling, Running, MTBing, Surfing, Windsurfing, SUPing, Gardening, Photography.... The list goes on.

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