And just like that its race week again and a full rest day for me today! Not my favourite of days but well needed after the last few days training. The last month has been one crazy experience but I am truly loving it right now. Since leaving work at the end of March I have moved over to more full time training along with more swim coaching work and more roles with the kids at home as Lisa went back to full time work.
My training was going fairly well anyway but this was the step I needed this year to cement my commitment to being the best athlete I can possibly be. Whilst it has again been a pretty steep learning curve I am sitting here only a few days away from the first big test of myself since September 2017 and am massively excited and nervous. So far though i feel I have been progressing well, I’m being cautious not to do too much too quickly and dig myself a big fatigue hole but am keen to maximise my time and opportunity to train. So far this has meant an increase in steady state training mainly on the running side of things and aiming for solid consistency week after week which has been one of my downfalls in the past with big gaps in my training appearing.
I am still learning as although a few hours a week increase doesn’t seem like much I still have to be very careful in managing my time and being prepared with things like food and fitting training around the kids. A few times i have messed up nutrition, generally on the side of not fuelling or re-fuelling workouts well enough and paid the price with an episode of eating cold Chinese on the sofa at 2 a.m happening very quickly and not even after a night out. Also managing my body is increasingly important in terms of recovery, foam rolling, stretching and mobility are now so important to help the body recover and be ready to go day after day.
I have had a good couple of tests though with a couple of Time Trials on the bike setting a pretty sizeable P.B on my local club 25 course which was promising and also racing the Results Triathlon Ringwood Triathlon Race over a 600m pool swim, 42km bike and 9km run at the end of a 20+hour training week. Again for here showed well and although i never felt that great at any point power, pace and speed where all inline with what I was expecting and I was please to take the win and a new course record. Since then it was all about the last weeks of training leading to now and race week for Outlaw Half this weekend. Whilst I am confident I am getting back to where I should be again i really don’t know what to expect from myself out of the race. Of course I am going to race hard and push myself but in terms or hard and fast goals I’m going in open minded, its been a while since I have been deep in the hurt locker at the back end of a half marathon. I do feel though that if I put it all together with pacing, nutrition and a strong mental game I can put together a performance that will set my year up well and show that I am back in the game!
Whatever happens on Sunday I will undoubtedly learn a lot and take some vital lessons into the next weeks of training and come out of it motivated to keep building on the foundations I have so far. I have massively fond memories of racing round the lake at The Watersport Centre and cant wait to feel the nerves and rush of excitement of race morning again although not so keen on the crazy early alarm but i guess we cant have it all.
kitwalkertriathlon.com 