Training Review - Week 27 - June 30 to July 6

Started the week feeling totally exhausted. I skipped out of running or biking before swimming but did drag myself to the pool. That turned into a bit of a disaster. The set was working on drafting which meant going a matching pace with someone else. I managed to match myself to a swimmer from the slower lane thinking that I would be able to take it easy but I was having to bury myself just to stay on his feet and between the effort levels and some one-armed drills my back tightened up to the point that I had to quit the session. I did find a space in the adjacent lane and do a bit of breast stroke for the rest of the session to at least get some distance in. 

I am fairly sure the reason I am feeling so bad is just hayfever. If I take anti-histamines at about double the usual dose I can get myself through 8 hours of a work day feeling semi-human with a bit of earache and my balance a bit iffy. But by the time I get home or go outside I am useless. Hopefully this should fade over the next couple of weeks as a lot of the triggers should start to ease off through July. 

Wednesday I upgraded my anti-hayfever plan. I went to my last resort of taking all of the pills and continually coating the inside of my nose with vaseline. This definitely worked better but it is not really a long term solution. It was enough to get me back out for a double session though. I went out to Knockburn where I did a longer run and then three swim laps. 

Thursday I realised that social plans were going to take most of the weekend and I was going to struggle for bike miles again this week, so I took the TT bike out for a spin around Dyce. It was a bit windy but once the wheels were turning I felt quite good so I spun it up into a pretty much flat out time trial. The first half of my route has some lumps and traffic lights that break it up from being a pure time trial but the second half is as clean and flat as I can find locally. I was flying by the second half and took some Strava CR's on the sections around the airport. 

Friday the rain and the World Cup quarter finals were enough to stop me sneaking another bike ride in.

Saturday I had arranged to go dolphin hunting. Not quite as sinister as it sounds. There is an art / environmental thing on where there are 50 painted dolphins at landmarks around town and the plan was to visit each of them and get a photograph. Unfortunately those plans got thrown out at the last minute. So instead I took the bike out to get the rest of this weeks cycling miles.

Sunday I had expected to be trying to make up for not training at all on Saturday so I had planned to go out for a 2 hour run with my ironman friend in her last session before she starts tapering. It was a great day for it, maybe a little bit too warm, but was great to get in my longest run of the year. The only little problem that really occurred was that I got a stone stuck in the sole of my shoe and the scraping noise on the pavement was bugging me so I paused to unstick it. But I did so without engaging my brain so I didn't realise it was actually a sharp piece of glass and I cut a slice out of my thumb in the process. This was at about the half way mark meaning I was leaking blood drips for half the run. But it was a minor irritation on an otherwise lovely run.

I also got some great new training gear for my birthday. Fleece-lined cycling tights probably won't get much use in July but are going to be awesome when winter rolls around.

My single Sunday run would have been more than enough for my whole week plan so once again I have come in well over my running numbers for the week. But this time I have also gone over my bike and swim miles (just) as well. 

Great week all round. Even enjoyed my birthday.


Target totals - Swim > 2 miles. Bike > 40 miles. Run > 12 miles. 1 short core, 1 short light weights and 2 short stretching sessions. 10mins of wii yoga.

Monday - Swim with TPT. 1,500m in 50 mins.

Tuesday - Rest day.
Stretching and rollering.

Wednesday - Run 6.4 miles in 52 mins.
Swim 3 Knockburn laps in 39 mins. 

Thursday - TT bike 10.1 mile 35 mins. 

Friday - Rest Day

Saturday - Bike ride, 30.5 miles in 1hr 58 mins.
Core session, (including plank test - 64 secs)
Stretching and rollering.

Sunday -  Birthday - 38 years old. 
Long run 13.2 miles in 2 hours 06mins
Cinema - How to Train Your Dragon 2 - 7/10


Actual totals - Swim 2.1 miles (3,300m). Bike 40.6 miles. Run 19.6 miles. 1 short core, 1 short light weights and 2 short stretching sessions. 0 mins of wii yoga.