Over a week’s worth of update!!!

What a week….last time I updated this it was Thursday last week and I was in sunny and extremely hot Barcelona. This week I am stuck on a train that seems to be as hot, but not as pleasant….

I would love to report a fantastic week of training with only two left after Sunday but alas no…what with work taking me all over the place it has def been a case of fitting stuff around the day job. To save time I shall summarise things:

Friday (last week) – I managed to get 20mins in the hotel pool, a five star lux hotel in Barcelona (Hotel Arts) and was the pool heated……NO! Wow was it chilly!! Still the sun was warm and managed approx 1200m.

Saturday (last week) – I think I managed about an hour on the turbo…could not have been memorable though as I cannot remember!

Sunday - best day for ages – what a session….a long brick session! I set up the turbo with a transition area beside it and the front wheel 10inches off the floor. Programmed a hill repeat program and then started the session.
8x (run 4mins/bike 10mins/run 4mins) All at approx RPE3-4 (last two felt like RPE 8!)
In total it took about 3hrs to complete – I think Lizzie thought I had vanished….

Monday – OFF – Bank Holiday and really needed to spend time with Lizzie and the girls – had a good chilled day

Tuesday – long work day up to Blackpool followed with Manchester before going to the Sqn in Bristol (450miles driving plus meetings), adding in a 5am get up for a quick trip to Lake 32 seemed the obvious choice! Lake 32 is nice and clear, quite warm but at 5.30am deserted so only a quick dip in the shallow end – too much of a scardy cat to do long swims with no other people there…..why did I bother sleep would have been better…

Wednesday – Swim speed focus day.:
3x200m swim/kick/pull
16x50m (odds RPE4/evens RPE8-9)
150m c/d easy
In the evening I put in a 30min hill session on the turbo RPE4-5

Thursday – Another tough day. An early start 5.50am 10km run nice and smooth RPE4ish cadence around 174-5. In the evening I went to the pool in Malmesbury for a coached session, rather annoyingly a bit cut short by a fire drill!
The session was a sprint effort – very handy for the Westonbirt Tri on Sunday (which I entered last week – well a bit of last minute transition practice seemed a good idea and I have to beat 1hr 45):
100m f/c warm up
6x25m kick sprint (on 1min)
400m best effort (5min 26s – 14s faster than 6wks ago)
8x25m f/s on 50s
200m f/s on 3min 15s
8x25m f/s on 35s
200m f/s on 3min 15s
8x25m f/s on 30s
200m f/s on 3min 15s
100m b/s
50m f/s
Finished about 10.15pm – quite late….

Today – Nothing! I had to get up to Middlesbrough (for a work presentation) which required an early train from Cheltenham….a fun 15hr day at work….

Next few days – I am thinking about doing a quick swim up at Lake 32 tomorrow as apparently a lot more people turn up at the weekend….it is also meant to be my last long bike (3hrs) but I have a distinct feeling that will not fit in with family plans (birthday parties, etc) so maybe a long turbo instead….Sunday is the 3rd Westonbirt Tri (400m/22km/5km) and next week in a US trip and my first Tapering…the Fear has set in again…..

Hope you are all well
i.