Quarterly Review - Q1

First of these for 2014.


Targets that this is based on are:  here.


2014 Annual Targets are:


Swim 78 miles and learn to tumble turn.

Bike 1820 miles.

Run 624 miles.

There are some additional racing targets, but the only one to discuss at this point is: Run a 5k under 21mins 30, or 10k under 44mins, or half marathon under 1hr 48.

That means at a quarter of the way through the year I should have done somewhere in the region of:

Swim 19.5 miles and be doing some turns.

Bike 455 miles.

Run 156 miles.

And the actuals to date are:


Swum 18.9 miles and doing some turns.


Biked 376.3 miles.


Run 155.9 miles.


And run a 10k under 44 mins.

I have some pretty graphs in my training diary that show how this compares to previous years but it is proving difficult to paste them in here in a readable format.


So I will have to try and paint my pictures with something less than the metaphorical thousand words.

The swimming graph is less smooth than last year as I am generally doing single swim sessions each week and longer distances than previous years, making the steps wider and higher. Through Q1 I am always slightly under the swim target but that is to be expected. The target works out at 1.5 miles a week, and doing that in each session is still too big an ask unless I just swim straight. And bearing in mind that this year I am racing shorter, long steady swimming is not really inkeeping with the rest of my plan. So lots of speed and technique work in the pool so far. But about 5 or 6 weeks until regular outdoor swims get added to the middle of the week. The times I am posting in the midst of swim sessions are way under previous years race times though, so I know I am going fast in the water.

My biking plan is the one area that I am struggling a little with. Quite a few long rides have been dropped for weather. And a few short rides have gone since my mountain bike was stolen. I am a long way behind last year’s cycling miles, but to be honest I am not really concerned. I am feeling comfortable on the bike. I still can’t climb compared to my peers, but I can normally make the ground back on flats and descents. I won’t be sure until I get in to a race but I think I am pretty close to where I was last year.

Against my running plan I am pretty much spot on. So much so that on my graph it is difficult to even see the actual line behind the target line. I am definitely running better than I have in a few years. Again I won’t know for sure until I race off the bike, but I think over the shorter races this year I will be in much better shape than the last few years.

Changes to targets


So what changes to make with 3 months gone?


Swimming is slightly down on target but this was always planned. I actually expected to be much further behind the target at this point and then to pick it up once I start swimming outdoors. So no change there for now but I suspect I am going to jump way ahead of target through summer and I might move it up as I go through the year.


The bike target is also still about right. I am behind by about 2 weeks at this point as I have missed a few long rides with the weather. Not particularly worried though. A couple of decent weeks or a long sportive somewhere will put me back ahead. Even a couple of weeks with midweek rides will be back on course. So no change there for now.


The run target is the one that is really going closest to my plan so far. Just ahead of target. I think I could actually up this a bit as I seem to be staying ahead of it without ever having to run hard or far. 
In Q2 I should start to pick off the rest of my racing targets for the year. I haven't quite decided on my racing schedule for the year but I have a few pencilled in for now and the rest I will take as they come. 

I could add another run target for racing since I have crossed that one off already but instead I am just going to leave it as a success for now and work on chasing the swim race and tri race targets that I still have. If I still feel that my running is going well by the middle of summer then I might bring this one back with faster time targets.