Dec 28th - Jan 3rd: Training Ramblings.....A New Year!

The week started with a final run in the UK, well actually two runs! The morning run was just an easy shake out before we flew home on Sunday, but the afternoon run was a bit more serious. My niece has her first School cross country championship in mid January so all over the Christmas holiday she has been trying to run more.  On Christmas Day we did an even paced 2k run and then on the Saturday in the afternoon we did some fartleks (while Grandad and Genevieve, younger niece, tried the same). We ended up doing 1.25miles, which was right on for her race. I gave her a warning that just because I wasn't going to be around that she could slack off training!

So with the flight home on Sunday the rest of the week was all about getting back into work and fitting in some training where I could.  Good thing that New Year's Day was bang in the middle of the week so that enabled a good long day on the bike. After two weeks off the bike it wasn't a pretty sight but the Parvilla/ABRT New Year's Day group was behaving so I could hang for the most part. It's amazing how two weeks off the bike has such an impact.  The endurance was there, what with all the running I did, but the power was lacking to say the least.

A little video on my first ride in 16 days!

I didn't manage to get into the pool and I also made a decision to have an easy run week after a solid 14 days run focus.  As such, most of the week was cycling volume but had a solid week to start the year. I missed riding so it was good to be back in the saddle!

In the next few weeks I'll summarize the 2013 training in a some detail and review what went well and not so well.


Total: 125 Miles / 8 hours 08 minutes

Swim: 0 yards / ~0 miles / 0 hours 0 minutes

Bike: 116 miles / 6 hours 42 minutes

Run: 9 miles /1 hours 03 minutes
Strength: 0  hours 23mins

Oct 19th - Oct 25th: Training Ramblings

Another not very big week in terms of training volume.  The week started off poorly with a very short 'cross race at DCCX. I raced the 3/4 race and on the 2nd lap whilst carving through a corner my rear tubular rolled.  Down I went and back to the beer tent to find Sarah, race over after 11mins! DCCX has built itself into the biggest race of the MABRA Super8 calendar and is a ton of fun to spectate as well as race. 

                                                          Video from DCCX by CycleBoredom.com

That's the good thing about my cross season, yes I want to do well in races, who doesn't, but in the end it is just a bit of off-season fun. There is always another one next week. It's not like an Ironman or 70.3m where you train all year for just two or three goal races.  Perhaps that is why I like the cross season so far, no pressure! After all  no-one expects a triathlete to be able to cyclocross do they?

The rest of the week was pretty hit and miss, we have friends visiting from the UK, which is awesome and it's great to be able to spend time with them without having to head out for long training hours (hint for anyone wanting to come visit....the Fall is best!)

 As such, weekly volume was low, but I did get two swims in and increased the run mileage for the 4th consecutive week.

My weekly swim, bike, and run totals:

Total: 37 Miles / 5 hours 17 minutes
Swim: 4,350 yards / ~2.47 miles / 1 hours 25 minutes

Bike: 14 miles / 1 hours 01 minutes

Run: 20 miles / 2 hours 31 minutes

Core: 20mins