So here we go, week 3 already. Last week in my IRONMAN – SEASON 3 PART 3 post, I went through my rough plan of training in four week blocks. This week is the second of the medium weeks and meant to build on the previous week.

As I mentioned last week, I am on a training course learning some new work skills. Virtually, as everything is right now and also whilst balancing the course and keeping a 4yr old entertained.

This means that triathlon training will either be early morning before my daugther wakes up, or in the evening once she has gone to bed. No lunchtime running this week.

This weeks good news is open water swimming is back open and the water temps of 17.4c are almost tropical for a May swim in the UK. Bad news, as we have to socially distance in the water, they are only allowing up to 10 people in the lake at any one time. They are managing this by enforcing one hour slots. The bad news is they were already fully booked for this week and next week when I went onto book at 7am on Monday!

Monday:

As with previous weeks and all future weeks, Monday’s are all about easy active recovery. This week kicked off with a 7 mile easy run averaging 127bpm. Throughout this lockdown I have maintaned some form of “normal” routine, still waking early even though working from home.

This week, I have gone back to the usual 5:30am workday alarm call. Today I was out running in the 5am club once again and to be honest, it was a struggle. I had gotten used to running at lunchtime.

Once my daughter was in bed, I was on Zwift for an easy 1 hour ride @ 180w.

Tuesday:

Weekly tempo run today, I am sure you can see the patern forming and my lazy effort at building a training plan of planning the say type of session on the same day every week.

Routine! it’s all about building and forming a routine. I remember Connor McGregor once saying that it takes 90 days for a routine to form. Once formed, it is just any old day doing what others are too lazy to do.

My plan is to not run at any kind of tempo in the early morning, these sessions are going to be in the evenings once my body and muscles have woken up. Just easy runs in the early hours.

So in my wisdom I planned the 55 minute strength building bike on Zwift for 6am today. I felt that the bike would be easier than a run interval session.

Lunchtime I squeezed in a 30 minute core strength session after getting ahead of schedule with the labs on the training course.

That left the speed based interval session. Intervals and tempo runs are my favourite sessions, I finish up feeling like I have really put a shift in and achieved something with these sessions. Nothing earth shattered at this stage but good fun on a warm sunny evening:

• 1.5 Mile Warm Up
• 2 x 10 sec Strides
• 4 x 3 min @ 6:30/mi, off 2 min
• 3 min recovery
• 4 x 2 min @ 6:10/mi, off 2 min
• 3 min recovery
• 1.5 Mile Cool Down

Wednesday:

Started off on Zwift at 6am for the Tour for All stage 4 ride which was “only” 10.6 miles but it was the Alpe Du Zwift climb, it was going to be a slog and at 6am, even more of a slog. I knew it was going to be a tough ride so tried to pace the first half of the climb around 250w then picked it up for the rest of the climb finishing in 10th place then let it roll the 7 miles back to the bottom. It didn’t feel as bad as I thought it would and turned into a good ride, averaging out at 250w including the 7 mile freewheel.

The evening was a 6 mile easy run averaging in at 132bpm, slightly higher than Monday but I pushed the pace a little more, still focusing on coming under 135bpm.

Thursday:

Another early start and another ride on Zwift. Today’s plan was 70 min endurance with the last 30 mins made up of 5 min efforts. I woke up and felt tried from the get go, I nearly didn’t bother getting on the bike but went out. I did the warm up but as soon as the power picked up to 20 mins @ 245w my legs just weren’t happy and I gave up after 3 mins.

I have been going to sleep later than normal this week, that combined with the early get ups has left me feeling tired early on.

My course finished early today so I was out for the tempo run before 5pm and it was a warm one. Well! warm for May in the UK at 27’c but it was nice. I love running in the sun and feeling the warmth on my legs.

The session went well, a lot better than the morning bike. 7 miles in total. 1 mile warm up and cool down with 5 miles @ 6:50/mi.

Friday:

Early wake up was scrapped today, I opted for a 7am alarm and an extra 75 mins in bed before starting work. Just a 6 mile easy run on the plan today which was welcomed and needed ahead of a busy weekend.

Saturday:

2 hour endurance ride on Zwift followed by a 5 mile run off the bike. Same as week 1 and week 2.

This week I remembered to mix up a bottle of SiS Electrolyte drink which made all the difference, no struggle on the run like last week. In fact, it felt easy biking 2 hours @ 245w (remember back to Thursday when I gave in after 3 mins) and the run plan was 7:30/mi pace but I coasted around at 7:01/mi, quicker than planned but I felt strong and controlled throughout.

Sunday:

Wasn’t feel that good today, my back started aching last night and wasn’t any better this morning. It was pretty grim out too, grey, cold and very windy. The plan was 14 miles, 7 @ 8:00/mi and 7 @ 6:50/mi. I nearly didnt bother going out but after having a word with myself I got out but with a revised plan of just running a steady 14 miles @ 8:00/mi.

As I got into the run I started to enjoy it more, I was glad I had got my ass out of the door.9 miles went by in a flash and I was feeling strong so I decided to adapt the plan on the fly and pick up the pace for the last 5 miles. Mile 10 was 7:14/mi, 11 – 6:50/mi, 12 – 6:40/mi, 13 – 6:37/mi & 14 – 6:37/mi.

Really pleased to have got that run done in the end and to have picked up the pace over the last 5 miles. Not the 7 mile pick up I had originally planned but I got some good miles in at pace.

Weekly Stats:

• Swim – 0 yrds, 0hr 0min
• Bike – 125 Miles, 5hr 47min
• Run – 54.7 Miles, *hr *min
• Strength – 2hr 0min

Bit of a mixed week this one. The running went well, I hit the interval and tempo sessions and the brick run went well. The long pick up run wasn’t 100% to plan but good enough for week 3. Another 55 mile week. The bike wasn’t as much as I had hoped, a few issues with tiredness on the early mornings, my fault for staying up late when I knew I was up early for a bike session. Not the end of the world.

Have a look to see how IRONMAN – SEASON 3 PART 5 went.