Three Months In

Right, we're a full three months into the year and I'm three months into my training for the Big Dance. So what's happening? (I really need to get back on this blog train!!!)
Well in terms of being coached for the first time in my life I guess the honeymoon period is officially over. That doesn't mean I'm going off the idea or that I've any plans to stop, more that the 'real' Iain is beginning to show his colours and far too many sessions have been missed in the last few weeks when I really could/should have done them. Iain the 'Lazy Ass Triathlete' is back!!
It's not as bad as it sounds, I've still had a huge month of training (for me), but it's fallen short of the first two months and that's really not good enough. This week has been slack, but it's a 'recovery week'. Last week however was close to awful on what should have been a huge push. I've read about how people on these 'work 3recover 1' plans suffer in the final week of training, my body just gets all lazy though and finds excuses for me to miss the tough workouts. I need to sort that but it's a mental issue more than a physical issue.
The next month is where business should really start picking up though. April normally brings the start of the warmer weather and it's when my training traditionally kicks into gear with gear with the real race season on the horizon. That race season starts tomorrow with Taunton Marathon and as with every Marathon I've ever done there's been no specific training for it. Only once this year have I ran over 90mins and I've only managed 2hrs of running in the last two weeks! I guess that should mean I turn up 'run rested' if nothing else.

So last week was the first Triathlon of the season? I think I can officially call it a Triathlon anyway. It was really just a gathering of some clubmates and friends for a blast around the countryside. There were only 23 of us, but I got the win so I'm classing it as a race :-)
The most encouraging bit was that although I managed to sneak the fastest splits in all three disciplines it was the bike (my least favourite) where I did all the major damage, taking minutes out of the lads I thought would push me hard on a course that really doesn't suit me. That was followed by me opening blast of out local (pretend) 20mile TT course on Thursday where I was just 10 seconds off my pb after having plenty of hold ups along the way. If nothing else the biking is looking good, although with how much biking I've been doing I really should expect it to be going well!!

Tomorrow (if I post this in time) is Taunton Marathon. It could be interesting, especially considering that my run total for the last fortnight has been less than two hours. Still, I've had a chat with the coach and as there is zero pressure on this race I'm going in with a steady plan. The aim is to try to run around 7:10min/mile for the first 20 miles. If I can manage this comfortably and then maybe pick the pace up a little in the last 6miles I should get myself home in around 3:10. I know it's no great shakes and I should really be looking to go under 3hrs but it's more about trying to run it controlled and finish strong rather than go off looking for a 2:45 and crawl across the line in 2:57.

We'll see!! Tomorrow will show me a lot - and probably nothing all at the same time. It'll hopefully be another 26miles in the legs though which is all I really need.

Until next time, which hopefully won't be as long a wait as this time!