Week minus 2: Faster

The body has been showing the effects of wear and tear this week from all the training. I started the week feeling very average indeed, with a lot of fatigue and headaches later in the day. I had a brief coldsore at the base of my nose, I've got ulcers in my tongue, and my middle toes have developed funny little blisters on the end of them. So the week didn't start well as I took an unscheduled day off on Monday and dropped my short run training session. However, things got better through the week.

Coming down from the peak distances of the previous couple of weeks, I decided that the training sessions would be at a higher intensity to really test where my fitness is at. On Wednesday night I charged out on my short ride and maintained an average speed of 31kph over the 37km ride (which includes a couple of climbs). And on Thursday night, I also spat out a 1hr39min Half Marathon, and did so quite comfortably with plenty of running left in the legs at the end.

Saturday was a funny day weather wise. The afternoon was predictions of thunder storms and hail, which wasn't so pleasing as I was being forced to train later in the day because of the timing of the tides - either that or go for a sea swim at 4am! In fact, I nearly threw in the sea swim altogether. Parking up at Kohimarama Bay (my usual spot), the sea was looking particularly angry that day my friends, like an old man trying to return soup at a deli. But I decided I had to toughen up and just get out there. And it was pretty choppy and I got thrown about a bit, but I was pretty happy I still managed 40 minutes out there. I then followed this up with a 1hr30min bike and then a 75min run, all of which was without the presense of any that forecast weather.

Sunday was my last big ride, 5 hours out and around my normal Clevedon/Maraetai loop. It didn't start all that well, with a puncture about an hour in. On reflection, it was probably good to have a practice of changing a tube (though fingers crossed that I won't be needing it come March 1st), though the resulting dirty fingers don't make feeding myself an appetising proposition for the rest of the ride. Apart from that it was a really good ride, and I managed an average speed of 29kph over the 145km - not bad for riding by yourself and with a few climbs. In fact, I was looking at maintaining 30kph until the Whitford hills got the better of me. And holding the aero position is a lot more comfortable than it was a few weeks ago. Though I was reminded what a bunch of idiots this country is full of, when someone threw a bottle (plastic) at me when they drove past - they missed, which was just as well as I was travelling at 45kph at the time and I wouldn't have wanted to come off. Arriving home, I put on the running shoes and headed out for a 30 minute run - I wasn't setting any records, but it didn't feel absolutely horrible either. Actually, it was when I stopped that I didn't feel so good - the legs were very wobbly. So that seems to be the learn for the big day - don't stop running!

So now the taper is here - yay! Been looking forward to this for a while. Still keep the same number of training sessions, but of a much reduced length - e.g. for long ride next weekend is only 2 hours. My body will certainly appreciate the recovery, here's hoping it will be in good knick in less than two weeks time.