New Year - New Blog

 You should know how this works by now. 

http://kevinmorice2022.blogspot.co.uk

End of Year Review

So Covid has screwed a second year in a row so a lot of these make no sense. So I have gone for a four colour approach: 

Green - Did make it. 
Blue - A 2021 target got pushed to 2022 without my intervention. 
Red - Didn't make it but had a reasonable chance. 
Orange - Didn't make it but never had a reasonable chance.

All the blurb is at the bottom.

Targets by numbers

Represent GBR age-group at an international event. - All deferred.

Qualify for the GBR Age-group team for a 2022 European Championships. - Rollovers plus an additional selection for Cross Duathlon.
Finish top-20 at European Aquathlon Champs. - Deferred, and would have prequalified anyway.
Finish top-30 at World Aquathlon Champs. - Deferred, and would have prequalified anyway.

Take part in a GBR age-group qualifying race for a 2022 European Champs. - Aquathlon and Cross Triathlons completed (with prequalifying performances).

Take part in a GBR age-group qualifying race for a 2022 World Champs. - Aquathlon and Cross Triathlons completed (with prequalifying performances).

Swim 130 miles. - 103 miles

Swim under 6:15 minutes for 400m. - 6:30 at Kings Aquathlon

Swim under 11:45 minutes for 750m. - 12:19 at Dundee Aquathlon

Swim under 25:30 minutes for 1,500m. - No races.

Ride 2,000 miles. - 2,011.1 miles.
MTB 500 miles. - 554.0 miles.

Run 1,000 miles. - 1,357 miles.
January run 170 miles. - 169.4 miles

February run 180 miles. - 217.1 miles

Run a 5k in under 19:30 mins, or 10k in under 42 mins. - 5k 19:51 at Aberdeen Parkrun.
'Run my age' for 10k. - No 10k races.

>52 Yoga sessions - 52 sessions

>52 Stretching and rollering sessions. - 52 sessions.

>40 Core sessions. - 33 sessions.

>40 Weights sessions. - 33 sessions.

>50 Run reps or ‘fast’ sessions. - 26 sessions

<45 ‘Junk’ swim session. - Unknown. Honestly lost count.

Stretch Targets

Qualify for the GBR Age-group team for a second 2022 European Championships. - Deferrals x3

Qualify for the GBR Age-group team for a 2022 World Championships. - Deferrals x2 (maybe a 3rd qualifier?)

Medal at the Scottish Aquathlon Champs. - Bronze

Finish top-20 at World Aquathlon Champs. - Deferred.

Swim 136.5 miles. - 103 miles

Swim under 6:00 minutes for 400m. - Not enough races to even attempt this.

Swim under 11:30 minutes for 750m. - Not enough races to even attempt this.

Swim under 24:59 for 1,500m. - Not enough races to even attempt this.

Ride 1,575 miles. - Typo in target setting post, should have been 2,200 miles. Did 2,011.1 miles.

Run 1,050 miles. - 1,357 miles. 

Run a 5k in under 19:00 or 10k in under 40 mins. - Not enough races. 

Run another 5k in under 19:20 or 10k in under 41:30. - Second best 5k was 19:55.

>78 Yoga sessions - 52

>78 Stretching and rollering sessions. - 52

>52 Core sessions. - 33

>52 Weights sessions. - 33

Breakdown

It is hard to make any sense of this again without the context of racing. And Covid again has removed that context.

Swim

If I take off the extra 38 days for the pools being closed longer than I had predicted, and the corresponding 15.7 miles, that I lost before my first swim of the year, that would change my target to 114.3.

I then lost another 23 days, and 11.1 miles, to my pectoral injury would take me to 103.0. I am actually spot on target for swim miles for the days I was actually able to swim. 

I only made it over the 100 mile mark on Christmas Eve, I am going to keep this target the same for next year and see how it goes. 

Race-wise, I just didn't get enough opportunities. I had four races late in the season. They weren't spaced out enough to react in between so when I realised I had no pace, and my turns were untidy, I had no time to fix anything. Even more frustratingly I did a 6:29 in training, then a 6:30 in a race, then a 6:33 in training. All in the same pool in consecutive swims. Great consistency, but I should easily have gone those 15 seconds faster on race day.

I also managed to get in with the Aberdeen Uni Triathlon Club for swim sessions and they have helped me make some minor changes to my technique that I think will be helpful.

Bike

 

My plan was to do about 1/4 of my miles on the mountain bike trying to prep for Euro and World Cross events. That started well, but very quickly became pointless as it was evident those races were going to get cancelled. I kept riding the mountain bike to keep the numbers, but very little of it was actual mountain biking after March. It was mostly commuting. 554 miles sounds like a good amount, but I would think >500 of them were on the road or paths so weren't really achieving what they were meant to. Next year, mountain biking needs to actually mean trails and off-road. 

In a similar vein the weather this year wasn't great and I didn't do much outside on the road bike.  The counter says only about 287 miles. 

The rest (~1200) were on the turbo trainer. I am getting better at spending time on the trainer, as much as I hate it, and the new garage has made that a much less hate-filled experience. 

Run

After the ridiculous excess of 2020 I was still running every day coming in to 2021. I continued that until May 25th and did a huge February as I tried to compete single-handedly in a mileage challenge against teams of 5. I ended the year more than 30% over target. Again this was partly  due to using running to deal with my mental health during all the Covid restrictions. I would rather get back to some more normal life and get the number back down to around 1,000. And to be better at organising this sessions rather than just putting in regular miles. 

My run-only races were not good. I did a few Parkruns, Aberdeen in October and Elgin on Xmas Day both managed to go under 20 minutes, but only just. I did a cross country race in October but apart form the first and last miles it was just a jog round a forest. Nothing I did during a triathlon or aquathlon was worth recording.

Race

Not much to say. I medalled at the Scottish Aquathlon Champs with no prep, then won my next two races, then won my age-group at the other two while getting beaten by younger and fitter people. They were all small races with little or no competition (even the Scottish Champs was only half a normal field).

Other

You know the story by now. I skipped these more and more as the year went by, like I do every year. I do yoga when my hip gets too painful not to, or when I want to do something fast or long the following day and need to mitigate the pain. I do bits of stretching and rollering every week, but nowhere near enough. And I can always find an excuse to miss out on the core and weights sets.

Somehow, despite doing lots of training this year, I managed to get my weight up to 80kg in mid year. It wasn't until I saw some race results that I realised I was carrying all that extra weight. I went on a proper diet for the first time and have brought my weight back down to 71kg at the turn of the year. My plan is to try and stay y between 70-72kg but I am not going to be rigid about that if I feel I am gaining useful muscle.

Basketball came back late in August and I only missed a single week from then on. it is good to have an activity where I am competing with people rather than against them all the time and to have a sport that I am not focused on competing at. 

My relationship ended somewhere between January and March. It sort of dribbled to an end. I haven't dated any one else since. Partly because I judge everyone against her now and the is a much higher bar than I previously set. Partly because Covid is discouraging people from actually meeting. Partly because I just don't have the willpower for online dating any more. 

My extension was completed and I love the larger home, especially the new office. I still have some minor jobs to finish; installing light fittings and redecorating some of the older rooms, but it is complete for the most part.

Extra Review - Week 53?

So, because of the year starting on a Friday I only did 10 days for my first fortnight and that leaves me with 5 days to fit in here to year end.

I have been doing bits to keep me busy all week, but nothing useful, just ticking off numbers and getting used to my revised turbo set-up. 

Actuals, (Target) - 

Swim 2.8 miles / 4,500 m. (2.5 miles).
Bike 39.0 miles. (28.3 miles). MTB 0.0 miles. (7.0 miles)
Run 18.5 miles. (10.6 miles).

0 short core, 0 short light weights and 0 stretching / rollering session. 0 mins of yoga. 

Cumulative Actual, (Cumulative Target), [Cumulative Stretch] -
S 102.9, (130.0), [136.5],
B 2,022.2, (2,000.0), [2,100.0],  MTB 541.6, (500.0), [525.0],

R 1,338.7, (1,000.0), [1,050.0].

Core         - 33, (40), [52]  
Weights    - 33, (40), [52]

Stretching - 52, (52), [78]
Yoga         - 52, (52), [78]. 

Fast run sessions - 26, (>52) 

Junk swim sessions  - 24, (<32).

Training Review - Weeks 51 & 52

I thought about just leaving this for year end but have decided instead that 5 days is enough to warrant an extra post. 

The World Duathlon Cross and Triathlon Cross venue has been announced as Targu Mures in Transylvania again. I didn't go last time when they were meant to host the European Aquathlon. It was the first of the events that I missed in my current 3 years streak, so it is fitting that it will be my first International post-Covid (hopefully).

Obviously being Xmas time the pools aren't open as much as normal so I have been a little bit short this fortnight. Not by much, but by enough to be a red number. I passed 100 swim miles for the year.

I missed a bike session as I decided to stay in Elgin longer on Boxing Day at the last minute. That has put me behind my cumulative cycling target for the year for the first time since January 14th. As I am only 0.3 miles behind target I could easily have fixed that with 5 minutes on the turbo on Sunday evening, and I have no worries about catching it back again before year-end.

I was way over my run miles as I run at least 5k a day through December again. 

I managed both weights sessions and yoga sessions but missed my second core session thanks to a pair of muscle strains in my abdominal and adductor. I think they were due to me trying to protect my cracked rib, which at least seems to be close to being fixed now. 

Santa brought me some new trail running shoes, among other things, so I should try and get out and run on the country a bit more. I did another Parkrun on Xmas day. Having been jabbed the day before and not having had a day off running this month I didn't expect much, but accidentally ran under 20 minutes, clocking my second fastest 5k of the year.

Actuals, (Target) - 

Swim 4.8 miles / 7,700 m. (6.9 miles).
Bike 72.2 miles. (79.2 miles). MTB 12.4 miles. (19.8 miles)
Run 62.5 miles. (29.7 miles).

1 short core, 2 short light weights and 1 stretching / rollering session. 45 mins of yoga. 

Cumulative Actual, (Cumulative Target), [Cumulative Stretch] -
S 100.1, (127.5), [133.9],
B 1,972.1, (1,972.4), [2,071.0],  MTB 541.6, (492.1), [517.8],

R 1,338.7, (989.4), [1,038.8].

Core         - 33, (40), [52]  * End of year targets
Weights    - 33, (40), [52]

Stretching - 52, (52), [78]
Yoga         - 51, (52), [78]. 

Fast run sessions - 26, (>50) 

Junk swim sessions  - 24, (<31).

Training Review - Weeks 49 & 50

Year end is rapidly approaching, and my cracked rib has continued to dent my plans. I am still managing to train, but instead of swimming 2,500 to 3,000m in a long session during I am only managing 1,200m and then having to stop rather than aggravate it and miss another session.

Also attempting to run every day through December has not cost me miles, but has meant that I am doing just over 5k each day, rather than doing 10k and a day off alternately. If the 5k's were faster this would make some sense, but they aren't. Still, since I talked someone else into doing the challenge I am going to stick with it myself. 

I was short of bike miles in the first week as the weather ruined any options for cycling commutes to other sessions and then I decided to go to Elgin and help clear out the garage at my mum's house rather than sit on the turbo for an hour, and that cost me my bike miles for both weeks. 

The rib stopped me from doing my weights sessions but in week 50 I managed to get some core work back in. Having now dropped under 72kg I expected my abs to start showing through, but apparently I have skipped way too many core sessions this year and there is no sign of them. I have moved my weight target to 71kg, but kicked the date out into next year. If I start going the wrong direction but gaining upper body muscles, I will just move that target again. 

Actuals, (Target) - 

Swim 6.3 miles / 10,000 m. (6.9 miles).
Bike 57.5 miles. (79.2 miles). MTB 0.0 miles. (19.8 miles)
Run 56.0 miles. (29.7 miles).

1 short core, 0 short light weights and 1 stretching / rollering session. 0 mins of yoga. 

Cumulative Actual, (Cumulative Target), [Cumulative Stretch] -
S 95.4, (120.6), [126.6],
B 1,899.9, (1,881.9), [1,976.0],  MTB 541.6, (470.2), [494],

R 1,276.2, (959.6), [10007.6].

Core         - 32, (40), [52]  * End of year targets
Weights    - 31, (40), [52]

Stretching - 50, (52), [78]
Yoga         - 49, (52), [78]. 

Fast run sessions - 25, (>50) 

Junk swim sessions  - 24, (<31).

Fortnightly Review - Weeks 47 & 48

I have had a couple of shorter swim weeks, but some of the sessions I did have been really good, and I know I am not going to make any of this year's targets, so I am happy enough to give up the distance. I hurt my rib at the start of week 48 and and that impacted what I could swim. I am hoping it is just bruised but as it has got worse through the week I am suspecting now that it is possibly cracked or separated. I am not even sure where I did it. it might have been at basketball on Tuesday or it might have been doing my weights and core session after a swim on Monday.

I have managed to wear out the rear tyre on my 27.5" Orbea mountain bike by riding it so much on the roads and often leaning hard on the rear brakes. So much so that I had to switch over to my 26" Orange 5 in the second week. That was weird. It now feels like a child's bike or a bmx on the smaller wheels. But it got me where I needed to go, and took me to my flu jab, where they told me I was a week too early for my Covid booster jab which the website says I can't have until Feb. 

Their system is a mess, within 5 minutes they told me, from the same database, that I was 3 weeks, 10 days, and 5 days too early for that booster jab. Logging in to the same database today to try and book my booster it tells me I have to wait 18 more days. It is a total farce that something as simple as calculating a date based on a previous fixed date and a fixed interval using a piece of software, gives different dates!

I planned a fast run at Elgin Parkrun, then went to the pool the day before and got carried away with my swim and ended up doing a 20-min TT. While I am pleased with the 1,200m that I managed, that effort tightened up my back and hip and I paid for it when I tried to run the next day. I could only manage 20:40 at the Parkrun, but again that was fine given the conditions and my absolute failure to prep. 

Then winter arrived, and Storm Arwen brought our first proper snowfall. I was meant to be racing on the Saturday at a local cross-country but it was cancelled the day before due to the conditions. They then cleared up a lot overnight so I decided to try and grab an opportunity before the weather gets too bad and went out to run a half marathon distance for the first time in a few years. I dipped under 2 hours for a fairly easy run, and I am quite happy with that as well. 

I went back and checked my plan for the year, turns out I hadn't put as much of the ancillary sessions in as I have been putting in my targets every week so they are actually a lot closer to my original targets than I thought. I have updated them to show the end of year targets from now. 

I have so many holidays left hat I am now going to half days from work so I should be able to cram some training into all those spare afternoons from now until Xmas. 

I have also managed to get down to my weight target of 72kg. That should allow me to go back to eating a bit more, but with Xmas parties coming I still need to be a bit careful that I don't get carried away and put those 7kg back on. I have set a new target at 70kg but way out at the end of January, so I can very carefully try to lose a bit more of the spare tyre that I am still carrying (more mountain bike than a car tyre now at least) but still put on some muscles with additional training sessions.  

Actuals, (Target) - 

Swim 3.7 miles / 5,900 m. (6.9 miles).
Bike 80.4 miles. (79.2 miles). MTB 40.2 miles. (19.8 miles)
Run 48.5 miles. (29.7 miles).

2 short core, 2 short light weights and 2 stretching / rollering session. 30 mins of yoga. 

Cumulative Actual, (Cumulative Target), [Cumulative Stretch] -
S 89.1, (113.7), [119.4],
B 1,842.4, (1,814.0), [1,904.7],  MTB 541.6, (453.5), [476.2],

R 1,220.2, (929.9), [976.4].

Core         - 31, (40), [52]  * End of year targets
Weights    - 31, (40), [52]

Stretching - 50, (52), [78]
Yoga         - 49, (52), [78]. 

Fast run sessions - 25, (>48) 

Junk swim sessions  - 22, (<29).

Fortnightly Review - Weeks 45 & 46

Two complete weeks in a row, and consequently a complete fortnight as well. 

It has been a good fortnight all round. My divorce has finalised, which meant I was able to update my Will and PoA to avoid any future challenges. I also finished my last set of aligners and after 20 months my teeth look much better than when we started. I am really pleased with the outcome. All of that was a bit of a panic as my car chose that day not to start and I had to cycle to those appointments in dreadful conditions. 

But it was done, and the new battery in the car seems to have at least sorted the starting issue. Hopefully by the next post, the gear-shifting issue will also be sorted. I have had the car a long time, am quite attached to it, and would like to get another year or two out of it if I can. 

 

I have passed my mountain bike target for the year with 6 weeks to go, will pass the stretch target next week, and look to be in a good place for finishing my bike total and maybe even my stretch bike total as well. 

Actuals, (Target) - 

Swim 7.2 miles / 11,550 m. (6.9 miles).
Bike 80.2 miles. (79.2 miles). MTB 47.5 miles. (19.8 miles)
Run 37.0 miles. (29.7 miles).

2 short core, 2 short light weights and 2 stretching / rollering session. 30 mins of yoga. 

Cumulative Actual, (Cumulative Target), [Cumulative Stretch] -
S 85.4, (106.8), [112.1],
B 1,761.9, (1,734.8), [1,821.6],  MTB 501.4, (433.7), [455.4],

R 1,171.7, (900.2), [945.2].

Core         - 29, (46), [60]
Weights    - 29, (46), [60]

Stretching - 48, (46), [60]
Yoga         - 47, (46), [65]. 

Fast run sessions - 23, (>46) 

Junk swim sessions  - 18, (<27).

Fortnightly Review - Weeks 43 & 44

Having races both Saturdays meant I tried to front load both weeks and that ended up meaning I missed some sessions trying to get light days before races and recover after them. I did do a complete week the second week by cramming swimming, mountain biking, weights, and core into the Sunday. 

I raced well enough at both Aquathlons, and I am happy enough with the results, but neither were quite what I wanted. I didn't swim badly at either race, but I didn't swim particularly well either. 6:30 for a long course, snake style 400m was fine but I should be 15-25 seconds faster than that. 12:19 for a short course, anti-clockwise, sprint swim is slightly better, but still I should be looking to go under 12 minutes. 

Both times I transitioned well and got out and running fine but both came out at slower than 22 min 5k pace and I can't really explain either. The weather wasn't great, but that is expected in October. My knee and hip were bothering me, but neither affected me when I was running. 

With my hindsight turned on and having not seen the full results from the rescheduled ITU World Champs in Spain this weekend I am happy that I made the right choice not to go as I wouldn't have done myself any justice trying to race at that level.

Trying to race while intentionally losing weight probably wasn't the smartest idea. I didn't feel starved of energy during either race, but also didn't feel quite on top form. But my diet controlled weight loss is working. I have managed to drop a couple of kg, gradually, over a month whilst keeping my training load fairly steady and not affecting my power output. I haven't convinced myself yet that reducing my calorie intake is a better weight control option than my normal weight losing option of just eating normally and adding 10-15 minutes to every session. 

Actuals, (Target) - 

Swim 5.0 miles / 8,000 m. (6.9 miles).
Bike 65.7 miles. (79.2 miles). MTB 26.7 miles. (19.8 miles)
Run 32.9 miles. (29.7 miles).

1 short core, 1 short light weights and 2 stretching / rollering session. 74 mins of yoga. 

Cumulative Actual, (Cumulative Target), [Cumulative Stretch] -
S 78.2, (99.8), [104.8],
B 1,681.7, (1,655.6), [1,738.4],  MTB 457.5, (413.9), [434.6],

R 1,134.7, (870.4), [913.9].

Core         - 27, (44), [58]
Weights    - 27, (44), [58]

Stretching - 44, (44), [58]
Yoga         - 45, (44), [63]. 

Fast run sessions - 23, (>44) 

Junk swim sessions  - 16, (<25).

Fortnightly Review - Weeks 41 & 42

I did my first "full" training week of the year. In the first few months of the year I did some weeks where I finished everything on my plan for that week, but without swimming as the pools were closed. This time I managed the full set, swimming included. It should have been both weeks but I had some problems with my back tightening up during my third swim session in week 42 and had to cut that session in half. I did complete everything else. 

Now that I have managed to start back on yoga, weights and core work, I really need to keep that going through winter and into next season, instead of just doing some off-season work and then forgetting about it once the weather gets nice again.

I did a cross-country race, but it was strange. I did the first and last miles at 7 min/mile pace, but the middle 4 are in the 9:30-10:00 range, and I don't really understand why. The course wasn't that tough, I just seemed to settle in to a slower pace on one uphill and then couldn't shift gears for the next 4 miles. 

Actuals, (Target) - 

Swim 5.5 miles / 8,850 m. (6.9 miles).
Bike 80.9 miles. (79.2 miles). MTB 28.0 miles. (19.8 miles)
Run 35.9 miles. (29.7 miles).

2 short core, 2 short light weights and 2 stretching / rollering session. 39 mins of yoga. 

Cumulative Actual, (Cumulative Target), [Cumulative Stretch] -
S 67.8, (92.9), [97.7],
B 1,544.2, (1,576.4), [1,655.3],  MTB 427.2, (394.1), [413.8],

R 1,101.9, (840.7), [882.7].

Core         - 26, (42), [55]
Weights    - 26, (42), [55]

Stretching - 42, (42), [55]
Yoga         - 42, (42), [58]. 

Fast run sessions - 21, (>42) 

Junk swim sessions  - 15, (<23).

Fortnightly Review - Weeks 39 & 40

I caught a cold which took a massive chunk out of my second week. I still did "something" every day but a lot of those days at the end of week 40 were absolute minimum sessions just so I could say that I still haven't missed a training day since Christmas Eve 2019.

I have managed to recover from my pec injury and get back to swimming, and to build up my swim miles, despite the currently terrible timetable at Bucksburn. I have joined with the Aberdeen Uni Tri Club again as a non-student, which allows me to get some sessions in ASV. 

I haven't done anywhere near enough on the bike again. I did a couple of turbo sessions and some commuting to other sessions but nothing like a proper ride or enough miles.

I continue to run too much, but looking at the breakdown since the end of June I am actually being pretty sensible. I did a sub-20 5k at Parkrun. This was my first sub-20 since I broke my ankle nearly 3 years ago so I am fairly happy with that. But around that, and a night run at Bennachie with some friends, every other run was just a short, slow jog to count some miles. 

I have races in my calendar for the next 4 consecutive Saturdays. Parkrun, North District Cross-Country League, Kings Aquathlon and Dundee Aquathlon. 

After those 4 races, I think my year is done, and I am going to try and start on next year's planning. Starting with picking up all those weights, yoga and core sessions that I stopped doing as soon as the nice weather arrived. 

Actuals, (Target) - 

Swim 4.1 miles / 6,625 m. (6.9 miles).
Bike 61.1 miles. (79.2 miles). MTB 21.5 miles. (19.8 miles)
Run 31.5 miles. (29.7 miles).

0 short core, 0 short light weights and 2 stretching / rollering session. 0 mins of yoga. 

Cumulative Actual, (Cumulative Target), [Cumulative Stretch] -
S 67.8, (86.0), [90.3],
B 1,535.5, (1,497.2), [1,572.1],  MTB 402.8, (374.3), [393.0],

R 1066.0, (810.9), [851.5].

Core         - 23, (40), [52]
Weights    - 23, (40), [52]

Stretching - 38, (40), [52]
Yoga         - 37, (40), [55]. 

Fast run sessions - 20, (>40) 

Junk swim sessions  - 15, (<21).

Fortnightly Review - Weeks 37 & 38

This has been a ridiculous rollercoaster of a fortnight. 

I won a race. Not just my age-group, a whole race. And apparently broke the course record by over a minute in the process. A cross triathlon race at that, so my mountain bike work is definitely paying off. 

And then the next weekend I won another race. Not just my age-group, a whole race, again! With an Open water swim in mid-September that was actually lovely and warm, and a tough off-road run that I still managed to get round in under 7min/mile. 

Basketball is back to being stable and I have already got back to about the level I was playing at before Covid. Having had some good tips from some of the other players I have also got some changes to work on to improve my defensive positioning and my shooting consistency.

I have done a load of bike miles, with a lot of them outdoors on the mountain bike. Including doing my longest ride of the year, on a mountain bike, with friends, in beautiful scenery, on new tracks, from Ballater to Loch Muick and back. 

But in between those highs have been some appalling lows. 

My pec injury kept me completely out of the water apart from two short races where I was willing to risk it. That may have been overly cautious given that I didn't feel it at all during either race, but it still felt safer and I am happy enough that I made the right decision. But that means I have now swum less than a mile in the last 4 weeks.   

At basketball, one of the other players landed badly and ruptured his patella tendon, requiring an ambulance to collect him from the court and then major knee surgery to repair it. After rehab and physio he may walk again this year.

And that should be bad enough news for one update, but was rapidly superseded the following week by news that a triathlon friend of mine had died. In her early 50's, and ultra-fit (literally Ultra fit having run all the West Highland Way Ultra races in the last few years) her sudden death was a huge shock that I still don't think I have dealt with. I can only imagine how hard it is for her husband and three daughters. 

Actuals, (Target) - 

Swim 0.7 miles / 1,150 m. (6.3 miles).
Bike 87.5 miles. (79.2 miles). MTB 50.1 miles. (19.8 miles)
Run 30.4 miles. (29.7 miles).

0 short core, 0 short light weights and 2 stretching / rollering session. 0 mins of yoga. 

Cumulative Actual, (Cumulative Target), [Cumulative Stretch] -
S 51.7, (79.1), [83.0],
B 1,474.4, (1,418.0), [1,489.0],  MTB 381.3, (354.5), [372.3],

R 1034.5, (751.5), [789.0].

Core         - 23, (38), [48]
Weights    - 23, (38), [48]

Stretching - 38, (38), [48]
Yoga         - 35, (38), [52]. 

Fast run sessions - 19, (>38) 

Junk swim sessions  - 15, (<17).

Fortnightly Review - Weeks 35 & 36

Somehow I managed to tear my pec while swimming in the Dee. No idea how, but I did it within the first 100m, and had committed to taking some beginners down the river so had to finish the other 2,000m. That has then plagued the rest of this fortnight. I haven't swum since, and also missed some bike sessions, and replaced the rest with the turbo to try and let it heal.

I did manage two 5k running races. The first was a memorial race for one of my former team-mates. It was a tough, hilly course, but I still managed to get in 8th in a field of 99 and while the time wasn't great (21:27) the course accounted for a lot of that. Then the following weekend I did a Parkrun. I was hoping to get something in the 19:30 range given that I am still way overweight and carrying the injured pec, maybe closer to 20:00 given that I didn't taper or prepare properly for it. I started well but then settled in to slightly too slow a pace. I still came in 19th out of a field of over 300, but only in 20:17 which was a bit disappointing. 

I have done the whole 1,000 miles that I planned to run this year. And yet I have still fallen (just) behind the number of miles I did last year. 

Actuals, (Target) - 

Swim 2.5 miles / 4,100 m. (6.3 miles).
Bike 60.7 miles. (79.2 miles). MTB 5.1 miles. (19.8 miles)
Run 35.3 miles. (29.7 miles).

0 short core, 0 short light weights and 2 stretching / rollering session. 0 mins of yoga. 

Cumulative Actual, (Cumulative Target), [Cumulative Stretch] -
S 51.7, (59.3), [62.3],
B 1,386.9, (1,338.9), [1,405.8],  MTB 331.2, (334.73), [351.5],

R 1004.2, (751.5), [789.0].

Core         - 23, (36), [45]
Weights    - 23, (36), [45]

Stretching - 38, (36), [45]
Yoga         - 35, (36), [50]. 

Fast run sessions - 17, (>36) 

Junk swim sessions  - 15, (<15).

Fortnightly Review - Weeks 33 & 34

Spain is now deferred so I have no Internationals this year. (But potentially 6 next year). I also still haven't committed to a second race this year. I have options for the next 6 or 7 weekends, but they are all Sundays and too far to race and get back for my Asda job. 

Basketball was due to start this coming Tuesday. Then it was cancelled as there wasn't enough interest to warrant the team coming back. So I went out and found a pick-up game to play on Thursday evenings instead. And then the Masters team managed to round up a few more players and looks like they have found enough to make it work and they will come back after all. So now I have two chances to play each week. I am going to go to both for a while and see how that works out. I think I can ride / run to both of them so should be able to manage them without any huge losses to my core activities. 

Actuals, (Target) - 

Swim 8.7 miles / 13,950 m. (6.3 miles).
Bike 61.3 miles. (79.2 miles). MTB 18.3 miles. (19.8 miles)
Run 32.9 miles. (29.7 miles).

0 short core, 0 short light weights and 2 stretching / rollering session. 12 mins of yoga. 

Cumulative Actual, (Cumulative Target), [Cumulative Stretch] -
S 51.7, (59.3), [62.3],
B 1,326.2, (1,180.5), [1,239.5],  MTB 326.1, (295.1), [309.9],

R 968.8, (692.0), [726.6].

Core         - 23, (34), [45]
Weights    - 23, (34), [45]

Stretching - 36, (34), [45]
Yoga         - 35, (34), [50]. 

Fast run sessions - 15, (>34) 

Junk swim sessions  - 14, (<13).

Fortnightly Review - Week 31 & 32

I did my first race in nearly 2 years. It didn't go well. It wasn't terrible, given a year of not racing, not sleeping well, not knowing the course, generally being in a permanent state of anxiety, stress and fatigue for the last 4 months or so. But I was a minute down on my swim (even down on an easy pool swim from earlier the same week) and nearly a minute down on my run. Either one of those being 'normal' would have been enough to make me Scottish Champion. Instead I was third. That meets my target for the year of getting on the podium at the Scottish Aquathlon Championships, but is still really disappointing. 

I also did another TT with the Uni cycling club. This was the first one on a course that I have ridden before. Previous attempts on that course I have ridden a variety of times from 24:45-26:30. I didn't have high hopes of a 24, but I did expect to be somewhere in the 26's 

I am going for a scan on my hip next week. Given how it is deteriorating I expect that will get me on to the hip resurfacing waiting list, but the GP says that could still take 4-5 years to get it done. 

I have taken a deferral from ETU Cross Duathlon and Triathlon in Italy. The travel and quarantine rules (5-days full hotel quarantine on arrival) are unworkable so I have had to give it up and take a transfer to 2022. ITU Cross Triathlon in Spain is still technically on my list, but I don't actually expect to go to it. I will take a deferral if offered.

My mental and physical health are now interacting and spiralling. My resting HR is up to 50bpm. My sleep pattern and eating are completely randomised (although that has brought my weight back down to 77kg). My work is now that I spend all week sat in front of my computer doing basic admin that any graduate (or non-graduate that can drive excel) could be doing. And I am only doing about half the training I was a even month ago. Once I don't have the Olympics to watch I am going to struggle for distractions. I have booked two cinema trips, a visit to my granny and a swim in the river this week to try and keep me busy.

Somehow I have also managed to book to swim every day, but this is the last week that the council are doing advanced bookings on their website and it looks like we are going back to just turning up on the day from next weekend.

Actuals, (Target) - 

Swim 5.9 miles / 9,474m. (6.3 miles).
Bike 40.5 miles. (79.2 miles). MTB 7.5 miles. (19.8 miles)
Run 37.6 miles. (29.7 miles).

0 short core, 0 short light weights and 2 stretching / rollering session. 25 mins of yoga. 

Cumulative Actual, (Cumulative Target), [Cumulative Stretch] -
S 51.7, (59.3), [62.3],
B 1,224.4, (1,180.5), [1,239.5],  MTB 300.3, (295.1), [309.9],

R 935.9, (692.0), [726.6].

Core         - 23, (32), [45]
Weights    - 23, (32), [45]

Stretching - 34, (32), [45]
Yoga         - 34, (32), [50]. 

Fast run sessions - 12, (>32) 

Junk swim sessions  - 14, (<11).

Fortnightly Review - Weeks 29 & 30

Monday:

Today should have been my Dad's 71st birthday. So I wasn't in the best of mental health places to start the day. Then after a terrifically boring day of work, I had a phone call from Carpetright. I assumed to confirm that they were coming to fit my final carpet tomorrow and that I would finally be finished with my building work and able to move in to the upstairs rooms. Instead they were calling to say that they have screwed up for a fourth time and the wrong carpet had arrived, again. Week 29 of a 12 week project and I have had more than enough of the whole building process, and still some basic things that I am planning to do myself aren't arriving for another 2 months. 

That meant that by the time I got to club swimming I already didn't care. I managed 800m of intermittent paddling before I gave up and went home. I can't keep justifying the cost and inconvenience of that session when I am not getting anything out of it. The silliness of the Covid restrictions has taken any remaining social interaction out of that session and out of my club membership in general. I am paying ~£8 a time between swimming and petrol costs, for a session that I could just write myself and do any time during the week at Bucksburn anyway.

Tuesday:

I had a struggle at swimming in the morning again. And another immensely boring day at work. Then I spent about 40 minutes stretching before going to do my first cycling Time Trial in about 3 years. It was just 5 miles but I learned some good lessons. I can still put out similar power to 3 years ago (~203W on Strava estimate), but being 7kg heavier does not help with the speed, even on the downhill section. Somehow I have replaced all of last weeks overnight weight loss, and more. I am now over 78.5kg. The last time I went as fast was June 2017, but I managed to hold that speed for 25 miles instead of 5. The last time I was that heavy was April 2018.

Then I went to the pool and did a set of 4x200m, and managed to get one of them down to 3:10. That is the fastest I have gone since getting back in the pool, so at least some progress.

So a couple of days and I have realised that having had almost a rest day and done some stretching I am in a much better place. So I need to start getting back to structured training and putting in all those ancillary sessions. I am going to start that from next week. Why next week? Because this week I am going to carry on to finish off my 10% TdF challenge, and try and lose some of this excess weight. 

Wednesday:

My alarm went off and I decided that 45 more sleep were more important than my swim session. My weight loss plan went totally upside down when I got back from a short run in the evening and was absolutely starving. 2 bananas, a cereal bar, a snickers, a pint of orange juice and a bowl of muesli was enough to get me to a point where I could go out on my bike, but then as soon as I was back I had to have a full dinner as well. 

Thursday:

I had yet another completely boring, and ultimately unproductive, day at work. I did manage to get out for a short run before doing my 10%TdF ride on the way to the pool. 4 swims into a week and I am not yet at 2 miles. My diet was all over the place again. I managed to eat healthier things, but my meal times were completely random so it probably wasn't any better. 

Friday:

I had yet another completely boring, and ultimately unproductive, day at work. I didn't manage to get out for a short run after doing my 10%TdF ride on the way from the pool. 5 swims into a week and I am not yet at 4km. 

Saturday:

Jogged to the pool, hip was stiff. Did a proper swim set, albeit slowly having slipped on the steps before getting in. Jogged from the pool, hip was still stiff. Went to my granny's house to get rid of the last of her furniture to the skip. Did a load of DIY jobs. Went for a very short mountain bike ride to do 10% of the TT difference. 

Sunday: 

Finished off my 10% Tour on the way to the pool. I had to quit my swim after just 300m as the bruises from falling down the steps at the pool yesterday were too sore. My shift at work was cancelled, which was probably for the best given how sore my back was. 

My weight loss plan for the week has gone fantastically well. I am another 1kg heavier. 

And that is what a week in my life looks like at the minute. Half-arsed training, missed targets, no organisation, generally a total mess. 

I managed to come dead last at a Hill Climb TT. I had a quick look at what the numbers would have been if I had put out the same power at my 'normal' weight. Still would have been dead last. I did average 250W for the full 7 minutes, and 293 for the first 4 minutes on the steep section, so I am not totally appalled, just not happy. 

I didn't structure my second week properly, but I did manage to start putting more structured individual sessions in. I did slightly less in the water, but I did useful things with all my swim sessions by adding reps or doing a 20-minute test. I did reps on the road bike (first time in years) and a technical session on the mountain bike. I did a cross triathlon practice by setting swim, bike and run sessions back-to-back. And I did a proper attempt at a faster run. I didn't have a rest day or fit in my smaller sessions, but it was definitely better than what I have been doing the last few months. 

Scottish Aquathlon Champs is next weekend and I have yet to decide if I am going. 

Actuals, (Target) - 

Swim 6.0 miles / 9,550m. (6.3 miles).
Bike 79.4 miles. (79.2 miles). MTB 30.8 miles. (19.8 miles)
Run 30.5 miles. (29.7 miles).

0 short core, 0 short light weights and 3 stretching / rollering session. 10 mins of yoga. 

Cumulative Actual, (Cumulative Target), [Cumulative Stretch] -
S 45.8, (53.0), [55.7],
B 1,224.4, (1,101.3), [1,156.3],  MTB 300.3, (275.3), [289.1],

R 898.3, (662.3), [695.4].

Core         - 23, (30), [42]
Weights    - 23, (30), [42]

Stretching - 32, (30), [42]
Yoga         - 32, (30), [47]. 

Fast run sessions - 10, (>28) 

Junk swim sessions  - 14, (<9).