MarathonManToIronman

 

 

Bit of backgroud…

Well here goes…

The plan is to have myself ready for the Dublin City Marathon in 2015 and an Iron Man 70.3 in 2016. I’ve competed in two endurance events in the past two years Wicklow 200 and a few Duathlons so you could say I’ve got a taste for it. I’ve got into running this year two competing in over 20 events since March this year and loved each one. I’m doing this blog to try and keep me on track training wise and to share my experiences along the way. I’m hoping to update the blog every week starting from last week where I competed in my first triathlon.

My background – Well three years ago I was pushing 19 stone and drinking like an actor method acting for the role of Oliver Reed. I was asked to do the Wicklow 200 with friends and that kick started everything. The first Wicklow 200 was a disaster but after a long year of work I came back and smashed it knocking four hours off my time. Since then I’ve been racing 5ks, 10ks and Duathlons. This led me into the world of Triathlon and I haven’t looked back since,

I’m doing both of these events in aid of The Make a Wish Foundation. They grant the wishes of children aged between 3 and 17 years living with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. If I could raise enough to even make one child’s wish come through I’d be delighted. If you’d like to donate you can do so by following this link. http://www.mycharity.ie/event/marathonmantoirinman

Week 1

Last week I competed in my first triathlon. It was the Moxie adventure race . It was touch and go whether I’d compete as on the Friday I had flu like symptoms. Race day I felt great and managed to place 4th in my category . I loved every minute of it .  This event had kayaking instead of swimming which was tough going considering I hadn’t been in a kayak in over ten years. I made my time up on the cycling part as luck would have it the race was on roads I’ve trained on for the last two years. Here’s a couple of pictures from the day.

Week 2

The week started with a tooth ache sadly but I managed to get two workouts in before a visit to the dentist on Wednesday. Training on Thursday and Friday was dog rough as the work the dentist had to do took it’s toll on me and left me drained. I was down to run a 5k race Saturday morning but I decided against it and chose to rest instead. This morning ( Sunday ) I was feeling good, not 100% but better than before. I got an early 70k cycle in and felt good. I’ve a full week of training ahead of me before the Dublin Simon 5 mile run next Saturday morning. Looking forward to it. Here are a couple of pictures from this morning.

Week 3

This week’s training has been the best weeks training I’ve had in a month. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday I put myself through three full sessions and on Friday I just concentrated on core work and stretching ahead of this morning’s race. Over 1600 turned up for the race so I had to fight my way to the start line. The first three miles were fairly flat but the last two were uphill so I lost a bit of time there. I finished the race in 58th place with a time of 36:09. I was aiming for under the 36 but I’m happy enough with my effort. My daughters also competed in a few races and won medals for their efforts. It was a great set up from Dublin Simon . Here’s two pictures from the race.

Next weekend I’m hoping to compete in the Brain Tumour Ireland 10k. Hopefully I can get through this week’s training without any hiccups and aim for a PB next weekend. As for now, I think I’ve earned a few imported beers this evening.

Week 4

The week didn’t start too great as my thighs were very sore on Monday morning from last week’s race so I decided to use Monday as a rest day. My training went great for the rest of the week thankfully. This morning’s race turned out better than expected. I finished in 7th place and knocked 1.32 off my PB over 10k. I managed to run at a steady pace and kept up with the “elite” runners for 7k. It was a good set up from Brain Tumour Ireland and Precision Timing and I loved the commentary over the loud speaker when we raced past the checkpoints. Here’s a couple of pictures from this morning.

 

I’ve got a full week of training ahead of me before the IKA Run for A Life 10k next Saturday. Not looking for a PB on the day but if it comes I’ll be happy.

Week 5

This week I only managed three full training sessions due to car trouble on Friday. It wasn’t ideal going into this morning’s race but it was out of my hands. The race itself was tougher than I was expecting. There was a steep climb on every lap of the race and on my third time up the climb I was starting to feel it. No PB for me today but I can’t imagine there was a PB by anyone. I finished in 4th place so I’m delighted with that. It was a great set up from the Irish Kidney Association.

This will be my last race until the MoRun 10k on the 15th of November. The next few weeks I will be concentrating on my swimming and cycling. My swimming badly needs work before I can even contemplate open water swims. Rest day tomorrow so tonight I think I’ll treat myself to a couple ice cold lagers.

Week 6

I got a full week of training in this week with not strains thankfully. I had planned to get my first swim in on Saturday morning. My aim was to swim 750 meters but I was able to push myself to 1000 meters. Around the 800 meter mark I start feeling it so I took a breather for a minute and knocked out the last 200 easily enough. I still have plenty of work to do on my breathing and stroke techniques but I’m happy with the start I’ve made. I will get more swimming practice in next Saturday and hopefully get to 1200 meters. This morning I managed to get a 60k cycle done. I would have gone further but the wind was far too strong and on a couple occasions I was blown out onto the road so I decided to take the back roads over the mountains home to be on the safe side. Here’s two pictures from this morning.

A full week of training is ahead of me and hopefully I can get a swim and cycle done next weekend. On the Ironman competition itself it’s looking like I will be entering the Barcelona competition in May 2016. There has been enough trouble in the organising of the Dublin event next year which is still not confirmed so I want to train around an event I know will definitely happen.

Week 7

Training started late this week. Myself and the wife had a few ales last Sunday so I was a little worse for wear on Monday. I took no days off the rest of the week and got a full training plan complete. There were no races on in Dublin this week so I decided to use my local ParkRun. There was a decent turn out ( 90 ) and I finished 12th with a time of 20:44. I was 10 seconds off my PB but I was happy enough with my time as it was my first 5k race in two months.

I didn’t get a swim in this weekend as I had to take today as a rest day. I’m going away next weekend so I’m going to train five days in a row instead. I’m going to get my swim done on Wednesday and push for the 1200m. Last night I signed up for the Movember 10k on the 15th of this month. It’s for a good cause and the medal looks cracking too. I also picked my first half marathon during the week. It’s not until March so plenty of time to get ready for it.

Week 8 & 9

Week 8 out turned out to be a disaster for me. I only managed to get two full training sessions done before I caught the flu. That ruled me out of training for the rest of the week. Week 9 started well. I had the week off work so I was able to make up on what I had missed out on. Monday and Tuesday I got two full gym sessions done and swimming drills and on Wednesday I hit the mountains on my bike. It was freezing out so I only got in 70k. I didn’t want to risk catching the flu again after only getting over it.

On Thursday I got two sessions done. Cardio and core training in the morning and a spinning class that night. I was wiped after it. Yesterday I done my usual pre race training. 20 minutes cardio followed by core training and plenty of stretching. This morning’s Movember 10k race went well. I got a PB on the course knocking 20 seconds off the last time I ran that course in April. I came 71st out of over 800. Happy enough with that, it’s hard to get my proper PB on a big event like today’s with everyone bottle necking in certain parts. It was a good day in all and another medal to the collection.

Next up for me will be the RNLI Reindeer Run on the 30th of this month. Another 10k and my girls will be entering the kid’s races too so medals all round hopefully. Between then and now will be plenty more training. Hopefully I get the weather next weekend and I can put in a decent shift in on my bike. Rest day tomorrow so a few well earned cold ones are on the menu.

Week 10

It was a tough week of training. The first three sessions of week left me with niggles after. Nothing too bad just a few slight strains. I start using the swim drills from the Ironman website and they are fairy tough. They go single arm, side kick, Tarzan drill, side to side and hyperkick. It took me a while to get used to the single arm drill, at times I looked like I was drowning lol. This morning I got a 60k cycle into the tank. It was only supposed to be 50k but a wrong turn and getting lost for a bit put an end to my planned route.

This week I’m planning on adding to my training. My swimming needs more work so instead of a rest day on Wednesdays I will do more swimming drills. Next up is the RNLI Reindeer Run next Sunday. Hoping for a flat course and maybe a PB. As for now, it’s been a hard week of training so a few ice cold San Miguel are on the menu tonight.

Week 11

This week’s training went great. Strength, core and cardio training on Monday and Tuesday followed up by a distance swim on Wednesday. Thursday was another strength, core and cardio session and Friday was a light workout finished with swim drills. Wednesday’s swim was tough but on Friday I felt comfortable for the first time in the water, the swim drill are doing the job. This morning was the RNLI Reindeer 10k ( https://twitter.com/rnli ) race in Marlay Park . It was a tough course, .5k longer than 10k. Between a mass start and dodging park users and runners from the shorter races my PB wasn’t beaten. It was a great day out though and an enjoyable course through forests and over mud filled fields. My kids took part in the 1k race and had a great time too.

This week’s training will be more of the same. My next race isn’t until the 13th of December so I’ll get a few miles into the tank of my Strava. I’ve decided to commit to the Ironman 70.3 in Barcelona in 2016 even though the Dublin version is going ahead. With various commitments late in 2016 and the lure of a little holiday for the family in May it was an easy decision.

Week 12

This week’s training was dog rough. During the Reindeer race I went over on my ankle and thought nothing of it. After training on Monday it flared up a bit but nothing serious. Tuesday was a different story. I attempted to run on it but it hurt too much. Instead I trained around it and rested it in Radox when I got home. Whatever ever is in Radox must be the same stuff they use in that magic sponge they use on footballers because it worked a treat. Distance swim training went well on Wednesday and I swam 1100m quicker than I’ve been swimming 1000m. Slowly getting there and I’m even getting used to the taste of chlorine lol.On Thursday I chanced a 5k run at a steady pace at the end of training and my foot felt fine. Friday was a light session with a few swim drills thrown in too. This morning I got up for an early run. Possibly the coldest run of the year to date and 5k in I was cursing my decision not to bring gloves. I kept a steady pace partly because of the injury to my foot and partly for next weekend’s plans.

Rest day tomorrow thankfully, badly needed after training the last seven days. Training will be as usual next week. I’ve signed up for two races next weekend though. The first is on Friday in my gym and is only a 5k. The second is on Saturday morning and is a 10k. It will probably be me my last race of the year too. As for now I’m off to lie on the radiator to get the heat back into my body.

Week 13

This week’s training was tough. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday were full sessions and Wednesday was a distance swim. On Friday I thought I registered for a 5k charity run but being the emptyhead I am it turned out to be a charity 5k row. It was a bit of crack though even if I did have jelly arms after it. Saturday was the last race of the year for me. It was the Aware Christmas 10k. It was bitterly cold and the race was delayed by half an hour because of ice on the track but as soon as it cleared up it was a great morning. The race went well for me and I even managed a PB on the course.

This week training will be as normal but I’m hoping to get a 15k run in the tank on Saturday morning. I’ve also pick four main races for next year too. I’m looking at the Wicklow Gaol half Marathon, the Great Ireland Run, TriAthy and the Wicklow 100. Obviously I’ll be entering more but these are the main events for the first half of 2015.

Week 14

This week’s training went well. I have my swimming distance up to 1300m and I can swim without a breather for 600m. My new goggles arrived during the week giving me the chance to practice bilateral breathing during swim drills. As soon as I’ve mastered that I think the swimming part of triathlons will come a lot easier to me. No races this week so I got up first thing this morning for a 6 AM Club run. I kept a steady pace and managed to run over 12k in just over an hour.

I know it might look like it but I promise I’m not out robbing houses in the mornings lol. With Christmas on our doorstep I won’t be easing up on training ( well apart from Stephen’s Day which will be spent on the beer with the lads ). It will be two full sessions on Monday and Tuesday and distance swim training on Christmas Eve. After a lot of sweet talking and puppy dog eyes I convinced my wife to sign my permission slip to do the GOAL Mile run on Christmas morning. There is a race every ten minutes so I’ll probably do a couple and weather permitting the wife and kids might join me for a mile. Anyway I hope you all have a fun fit Christmas and a healthy New Year.

Week 15

This was my first time to train throughout Christmas and it went well. I got three full sessions in before Christmas day and then the GOAL Mile on Christmas morning. It was a great turnout and I hit a PB with a time of 6:20 on one of my miles. As soon as the girls heard they could run too they wanted to race too so we all went and had a bit of fun.

Saint Stephen’s day was spent on the ale so Saturday’s training could have been hit and miss. I managed to drag myself out of the bed though and run a sweaty 8.5k.

I finished the week off with strength, core and cardio session this morning. A few drinks with the wife this evening and straight into another full week of training and weather permitting a New Years Day cycle. Happy New Year.

Week 16

Bit of a mixed bag this week in training. My right foot had been giving me trouble after every run since the Reindeer run a few week back and I thought nothing of it. After last week’s run it was fairly bad so I got it checked out and it turned out I have a stress fracture which means no running for a few weeks. I was a bit gutted but I kept my head down and trained around it. New Years Eve was an early night as I had pencilled in a cycle for New Years day. I got out of the house first thing to beat the rain but that didn’t last too long. The conditions were brutal. I had a gale force head wind for the first 25k which made it feel like it was 50k. Obviously I felt like I could compete in the Tour De France on the way home with the wind behind me on the way home lol.

Friday I swan 1000m of swim drills focusing mainly on bilateral breathing. It was fairly tough but I’ve nearly got it mastered. Yesterday was a full session with the cross trainer and rowing machine subtituting running. Rest day today because of a few beers with the wife last night ( bad influence 😉 ) and mainly for the Spring clean in the house to remove all traces of Christmas. I was hoping to enter a 5 mile race in a couple of weeks but with the injury my first race of the year will be my local parkrun on the 24th of this month. Hopefully I’m ok after. Another full week of training on the cards and hopefully a nice long spin on the bike next weekend.

Week 17

This week was fairly tough. I trained every day up until today ( Saturday ) so it’s safe to same I’m wiped. My foot is feeling better and I feel as if I could run on it but going to leave it another two weeks, better safe than sorry. Swimming went well, I managed 800m flat out in under 20 minutes and a further 600m on top of that after a breather. Slowly getting there. The weather has been brutal all week so I didn’t know if I’d manage a cycle this morning. Thankfully the wind eased somewhat and I got out first thing. To be on the safe side I got in a city spin.

Last week I picked my main events for the year. They consist of two half marathons, two triathlons, one 100k cycle and one half trail marathon. If all goes well I’ll be entering the Dublin City Marathon to finish the year off and probably finish myself off.

Week 18

Tough week of training. I managed five full training sessions with swim drills thrown into the mix just for fun. Today ( Saturday ) I got out on my bike first thing. To say it was cold would be a understatement. I still managed to get in a 97.3k cycle. It’s the furthest I’ve cycled since September. My legs were up against it but I got through it. I wanted to cycle to Howth and then onto Dun Laoghaire and get a picture of each side from across the sea. l had just about enough movement in my fingers to take the pictures lol. I had planned on cycling the 100k but towards the end my hands were that cold I couldn’t even change the gears or pull out my water bottle for a drink.

When I got home I hugged the radiator and drank as much tea as I could lol. This week will be as normal for training. On Saturday morning I’ll be out on my first run of the year. Hopefully my foot holds out and gives me no more issues. After a bit of sweet talking I managed to talk my wife into signing the permission slip so I could enter a Duathlon on Valentine’s weekend. It’ll be my first bit of bling of the year. As for tonight a few well earned beers are on the cards.

Week 19

This week’s training went well. Five full sessions and one distance swim where I hit 1000m without taking a breather. I got in another 500m after a breather to get the distance up. Sadly swim drills were missed on Friday due to staff training and swimming lessons. This led me to making a decision on changing gyms. I’ve been in my current place for three years now and I’ve stayed there more through a sense of loyalty more than anything else but the place is falling apart. Bikes and weight machines are broken and the place is dirty. Not to mention the price going up so next Friday I’ll be joining a proper gym. I need to rid any negative aspects of training so a new clean gym should do the job. This morning I had planned my first run since my injury. The first 3k were torture. It felt like I hadn’t ran in years but after that I got into it and felt good. I ran 8k and felt as if I could knock out another 5k but I didn’t want to risk it.

Another full week of training on the cards ahead. I fancy getting out for a cycle next Saturday to bring my total distance up to 200k cycled in January. Hopefully I get the weather for it. As for today a little break away with the wife and a few craft beers will hit the spot. Enjoy your weekend.

Week 20

Training went well this week. Four full sessions, one distance swim and drills after Friday’s full session. Swimming went great this week. I swam 1200m flat out under 30 minutes then after a breather another 400m. Friday’s session was in my new gym. Loved the place. The pool was brilliant. Stainless steel and immaculate. The weather was poor all week so I decided to rest the bike and get a run into the tank instead. I ran just over 12k and my foot felt good. I had a few niggles during the run but that’s just due to not running properly in over a month. I tried out my new trisuit this morning too and it fitted like a glove.

I’m all signed up for a Duathlon on the 15th of next month so I’ll be living like a monk until then. Monks can drink beer and carb up every day until race day can’t they ???

Week 21

This week was tough going in training. Full sessions though thankfully and on Wednesday I hit my goal of 1700m in 40 minutes. Next week the goal is 1800m, hopefully around the 40 minute mark too. This morning it was my first brick session since last October. It was tough going. I’d forgotten all about the jelly legs after the cycle but thankfully after a couple of kilometres I was back to normal.

I’ll have to up the brick sessions over the next few months. They are dog rough but they work a treat. Next weekend is my first race of the year. It’s a duathlon down in Athy. Hopefully I can beat my PB on this distance. I’ve also moved my first main race of the year forward to Saint Patrick’s day. I’ll be off the ale anyway so a half marathon will see me through the day. I’ve also been asked to do my Ironman for a local charity, early days with it but it could be a go. This week’s training won’t be as full with a race next Sunday. I’ll go full tilt up until Thursday then take it easy. A couple of unexpected beers are on the cards this evening, well earned too. Well I’ve convinced myself that they are well earned.

Week 22

It was a tough but full week of training. On Wednesday I swam 1800m without a breather. I forgot my watch so my time wasn’t exact but it was under 45 minutes. Friday was light training and yesterday was a rest day ahead of today’s race. The race itself was great. I beat my duathlon time over that distance by two minutes. I’m putting it down to the brick training. I was a bit rusty in parts but over the season I’ll sharpen up and my times will become better.

This week training will be as normal. I’m hoping to get a 2000 meter swim in on Wednesday without a breather. No race next weekend so I’ll be out early next Saturday morning for a distance run then a few swim drills in the hotel that myself and the wife will be hiding from our kids. This week I also decided on the charity for my Ironman. I’ll be doing it for the Make a Wish Foundation. As for tonight, I’m going to drink a few pots of tea and wait for my hamstring to stop killing me so I can get some sleep lol.

Week 23

I won’t lie, this week was a hard week of training. Sunday races always make the week feel longer. Four full sessions and a distance swim were still smashed. My distance swim went well, I managed 2k with 1.9k swam flat out in 46 minutes. My swimming is coming on great but I still feel I need a bit of help perfecting my stroke. I was in contact with my local triathlon club during the week and I’m thinking of joining up. Saturday morning I swapped brick training for a distance run. My first main race of the year is coming up in three weeks so I need to get more miles in the tank until then.

The run went well apart from the ice cold wind and snow showers. I’ve got the week off work so I’m looking at getting a few double sessions in the tank during the week. I’ve also got my arm twisted into running the Mondello 10k next Saturday morning. Looks like a good day out and another bit of bling to add to the collection.

Week 24

Great week of training in the tank. A few double sessions knocked me for six but they hit the spot. Monday was a recovery run after Saturday’s 14k. I was hoping to get out on the bike but the weather put an end to that.

Tuesday I eventually got out on the bike. To say it was cold would be an understatement. It was easily the coldest cycle I’ve ever had. I got a mountain spin in, the roads we just ok. Ice in patches put an end to any decent speed though.

Wednesday was distance swim. I managed to swim 2k in 41 minutes. I was happy enough with that but still feel I need more help with my stroke. Thursday was an early run. It was dog rough after the swim but I managed to drag myself out of the pit.

Friday was a light session and swim drills. Saturday was the Mondello 10k. The race itself was just ok. The set up wasn’t the greatest to be fair. I kept my pace the same over both 5k segments and managed to get near my PB time.

A full week of training ahead with a distance run Saturday morning. Hoping to get close to 18k to set me up for my half marathon in two weeks. This week I finally took the plunge and joined a triathlon club. Hopefully they can help me in my mission not to drown lol.

Week 25

Back to work this week for a break away from the kids lol. Training went well. Monday I was still a bit sore from the race so it was a recovery session. Distance swim training was tough and I only managed 2k. Stupidly enough at the 1k point I noticed my locker key wasn’t on my water bottle and I had to jump out of the pool and run back to get it. I never paused my watch so my time wasn’t exact and I was 5 minutes off my PB. That’s the price of being an empty head. Thursday was a full sessions and Friday was cardio and swim drills. This morning I got out for a run. The weather was brutal. Gale force winds didn’t help me keeping at the same pace but I managed to get a good few hills into the tank as this half marathon I have in two weeks is supposed to be riddled with hills.

Training will be as normal this weekend. I joined a triathlon club last weekend and I’m hoping to get down to their swim sets next Friday. Next weekend I will be tapering ahead of the half marathon. Hopefully I can get out for a short spin on the bike on the Saturday. Off the beer for a bit so tonight I’ll be celebrating a hard week of training with a hot chocolate, very rock and roll I know.

Week 26

Great week of training in the tank. Every session was smashed with no niggles or injuries. Distance swim went well. 2k in 43 minutes put a smile on my face but I know I can do better. This morning I got a short run in. It went great. I kept a quick steady pace throughout the run and got a PB on that particular course. Knocking the beer on the head has certainly helped.

This coming week is a big week for me. It’s the first race off my race calendar. The Balbriggan Half Marathon. It’ll be the first time I’ve ran this distance but I’m confident I’ll get through it. I’ll be tapering from now until Tuesday morning ahead of it. Distance swim could be knocked on the head too on Wednesday as I’m not sure what state I’ll be in after the race. I’m hoping to get some brick training done next Saturday morning. Hopefully I get the weather for it. With a duathlon and a triathlon coming up it’s time to kick it up a notch.

Week 27

Great week of training smashed. I had the first race off my calendar , the Balbriggan half marathon. The race went well. It was a tough course with plenty of hills. I stuck with the 1:40 pacer for 20k then found enough in my legs to kick on and finish the race in 1:37. The goal was to get in a time of about 1:50 so I was delighted to be well under that mark. It’s the first time I’ve ran that distance and it felt comfortable the whole way.

The following day was tough, I knocked training on the head to ease the the aches and pains. Thursday and Friday were light sessions too. Felt a lot better after Friday’s session so I treated myself to a spin on the bike this morning. It’s the first morning since October where the weather has been ideal for a spin. Legs were still a bit heavy so I took it easy.

Back full training on Monday to get myself right for a duathlon in three weeks. I’m looking to knock a couple of minutes off my last race. I’ll be also out supporting my wife on her first race next Saturday. It’s a 5k and the girls and I will be out cheering her on. Rest day tomorrow so a few well earned beers are on the cards this evening.

Week 28

This week went well. Distance swim training was dog rough though. I was out of the pool for two weeks due to the half marathon. It’s amazing how even a little break away from it can affect you. Thursday I missed training due to a night out booked a few months back so Friday I smashed a double session to make up for it. Yesterday I had planned a brick session but it was a wash out. 15k into the spin torrential rain and gale force winds picked up. Luckily enough I managed to work on my speed and broke 14PBs on the route before the heavens opened. When I got home I packed it in, I had my fill of rain .

Yesterday was also my wife’s first race. She was nervous before it but the nerves soon lifted. The course was over the 5k advertised but she still got around in a decent time and left enough in the tank for a sprint finish. We were all proud of her. Hopefully she’s caught the bug like me as it was a 5k race that kick started me.

I signed up for the Narraghmore Duathlon in two weeks time last night. A bit more work on speed on my bike over the next week should see me beat my previous time on the course. With the next two events on my calendar coming up in eight weeks I’ve decided to kick the beer until we’re away on our holiday in June. It worked a treat for me on the Wicklow 200 last year. So instead of relaxing with a beer after a week’s training I’ll be going all rock and roll with a hot chocolate instead.

Week 29

It was a tough but full week of training. Distance swim training went better this week. I split it up into two 750m sets then two 200m sets and a 100m warm down. My first triathlon next month is a 750m swim so I’m trying to smash the swim in the quickest time as possible. My PB is currently at 16mins, hopefully I can beat it on Wednesday. Friday I was off work so I ditched the gym and got a run into the tank instead. Conditions were poor and legs were heavy so I cut it short at just under 12k.

Legs were still heavy the next morning but I had planned a speed session on the bike. I got out early doors and got onto a 30k course I have mapped out. I managed to knock six minutes off my PB so I was fairly happy with that even if my legs were on fire towards the end.

Rest day today was badly needed as is some time on the foam roller this evening. A full week of training ahead but I’ll be taking a rest day ahead of next Sunday’s duathlon. Our 3 year old has her first race of the year next Saturday too so we’ll be out in force supporting her. As I’ve committed to Dublin City Marathon in October I’ve decided to fundraise for my selected charity for both events. It will keep me focused on training and raise some money for a great cause. Hopefully I can sort out a donation link through PayPal and post it to the page as soon as I’ve signed up. As for tonight, I’m just waiting on the kids to go to bed so I can raid their Easter eggs. Happy Easter everyone.

Week 30

It was an extra tough week of training. Bank Holiday Monday I was off work so I dragged myself to the gym at first light for a full session. That afternoon was spent trail walking with the kids up in the Dublin mountains. The weather was great that day so when I got home I got the bike out for a short spin.

The rest of the week went great and distance swim training went well too. Friday I mixed it up and decided do get a tri brick session into the tank. I ran 5k, swan 1k and cycled 26k. I should have mapped the cycle route better as the hills were never ending.

Yesterday was spent on the Great Ireland Run with our three year old Libby. She done brilliantly. She surprised us all and ran the whole 1.6k in under 12 minutes. She loved every minute of it too and was delighted with her goody bag after it.

This morning was the Narraghmore Duathlon for me. I was hoping for a PB over the distance but with a route change to the cycle and brutal weather conditions I had my doubts if I would achieve it. The first run went great and the cycle too. The final run was tough though. After pushing it on the bike the legs were more jelly than before. On the final kilometre I had a feeling I was on for a PB so I pushed it and managed to beat it by 4 minutes. I was delighted.

The next race for me will be the Lap de Gaps in aid of Down Syndrome Ireland next month. Training will be as usual until then and hopefully I can get out and clock up the miles on the bike. As for tonight I’m fighting the urge to have a pint of Guinness and not eat a lot of rubbish…

Week 31

I won’t lie, it’s been a dog rough week of training. After Sunday’s race I was straight back into training the next day. A full week of training started to take it’s toll on Friday. I was shattered after it. Distance swim training went brilliantly though. The last couple of weeks I was struggling to find my rhythm in the water. I managed to get a PB over 1.9k getting me that bit closer to a sub 40 time. This morning I was drained but I dragged myself out for a bit of cycling up into the mountains.

Legs were heavy from about 15 minutes in but I stuck at it and knocked out 50k. This week my wetsuit arrived. Black and green obviously. Hopefully next Saturday I’ll get my first open water swim of the year done weather permitting. Thankfully tomorrow is a rest day, my legs have had it after this morning’s climbing. A few ice cold San Miguel are the best cure for heavy legs I’ve heard.

Week 32

It’s been a tough week of training. I’ve been doing a bit of speed work on my running with 5k sprint intervals every day. It’s tough going but I do love doing them. Distance swim training went well, I knocked another 30 seconds off my PB over 1.9k. Yesterday was the day I decided to christen my wetsuit. I was fairly nervous about swimming in the open water as it had been a few years since I had done it. As soon as I got in though the nerves went and I managed to get 1.3k swam. I cut it short as my feet were beginning to hurt me from the cold.

This week I signed up for three races. First up is Lap de Gaps for Down Syndrome Ireland on the 16th of May. The next two are off my race calendar and they are TriAthy and the Wicklow 100. Three races over four weeks should just about finish me off. Training will be as tough this week. Saturday I’m hoping to get a long distance run done and with it being a bank holiday I’m going to go out and do some more open water swimming. Hopefully come the 30th of this month operation don’t drown will be a success and I’ll smash the swim in my first triathlon.

Week 33

Training went great this week. Probably one of the best I’ve had so far. Everything just seemed to click. I’ve upped my running and distance swim training went great. I nearly managed to swim 1.9k in sub 40. I was just two seconds off it. I had planned a distance run Saturday morning but thanks to the kids I woke up with a banging head cold ruling me out for two days. This morning I was feeling a bit better so I fancied some OWS. The sea was fairly rough so I only got 750m swim done.

This week will be as normal but hopefully I’ll finish off with a brick session Saturday morning. On Sunday I’m hoping to get out and cycle the route of the Lap De Gaps. Over the weekend I signed up for the Dublin City Marathon. My #MarathonManToIronman attempt is coming together. I’ll be fundraising for the Make a Wish Foundation soon enough.

Week 34

Tough week of training knocked out. With swimming last Monday I didn’t bother with another swim on Wednesday. Instead I smashed out core, cardio and strength workouts for the week ending with 1k of swim drills on Friday. It wasn’t easy with still not being a 100% from my head cold but I still got through it. This morning I had pencilled in a brick session. It wasn’t easy. Yesterday before swim drills I jumped into a spin class thinking my legs would still be fresh this morning. I was wrong lol. I was only 15 minutes into the cycle and I knew I was slower. Heavy legs aren’t a pleasant thing on a speed session. The run went ok but nothing to brag about.

I had planned a spin on the bike tomorrow morning but with a 50k cycle sportive next weekend I’m forcing myself to take a rest day. My body is feeling shattered with the change to training this week and I want to put in a decent time on the cycle without any stops. It should be a good spin, hopefully we get the weather for it and a few bob is raised for Down Syndrome Ireland in the process. This week training will be as normal except for Friday when I’ll just focus on swim drills so I’m 100% for the sportive. With it being race week beer is knocked on the head so I’ll be living on a glass of 7 Up later and some popcorn while watching a film. I’ll make up for it next Saturday though lol.

Week 35

It’s been a tough but rewarding week. Training went well but with my sinuses playing up it did make it a bit harder. Distance swim training couldn’t have gone any better. 1k in I knew I was faster than I’ve been in a while so I pushed myself and finally managed to get sub 40 over 1.9k hitting a time of 38.42. It was a great feeling finally getting that monkey off my back.

Yesterday was the 50k spin for Down Syndrome Ireland. It was a great day out and a cracking route. Some of the kids we were cycling for made the effort of getting out to support us and it put a smile on everyone’s face. I had planned to use it as a speed session and I managed to put in a decent shift despite being caught in two packs of cyclists.

Training will be the same this week with probably some more cardio thrown in. Next up is the Run For A Life race next weekend in aid of the Irish Kidney Association. The whole family are doing it so it should be a laugh. The kids are doing the 2.5k race so I decided to do the 5k run. Hopefully I should be finished in time to see the cross the line. After that I’ve pencilled in a spin on the bike and weather permitting next Sunday I’ll be getting some more open water swimming done ahead of my first triathlon in two weeks.

Week 36

Training was a mixed bag this week. Monday and Tuesday went well but distance swim training was dog rough. I still managed a sub 40 over 1.9k but my legs were cramping up from sprint intervals the previous day. Saturday was a 5k race with the family. The girls settled for the 2.5k race. It was a good day out and the kids loved it especially Libby who smashed her 5th race. I managed to knock 14 seconds off my PB and finishing 6th out of 190.

Open water swimming was knocked on the head yesterday as my legs were still a bit sore so I got a recovery spin into the tank instead. Mainly because someone beat my course PB on the local race track that morning . Thankfully I got it back leaving me not to be a grump all day Sunday.

This week ends in the second race off my calendar. The TriAthy. I’m usually a little nervous before a race but for the first time in a while I feel everything is clicking and I’m itching to go. I just hope they let me wear my armbands in the swim lol.

Week 37

What a week. Training went well. I swapped distance swim training for drills though as I wanted to work on my stroke ahead of the triathlon. I didn’t want to look too green on my first proper triathlon.

The triathlon couldn’t have gone better for me. Apart from a delay to the start it was a great day. I was in the second last wave of the day so I had to wait a good bit. Watching each wave go off the nerves were kicking in as experienced swimmers and triathletes were turning on their backs and giving up. My turn came and I thought no matter what I’m not giving up. I dived in and positioned myself to avoid other swimmers. The swim went great, a bit cold but it was a brilliant experience. The cycle went great too, probably the first time I’ve raced using my head on the bike. The run though tough went well too.

Honestly thought I’d struggle through the whole lot but at the end I was still full of beans. I suppose the training is paying off.

Next up is the Wicklow 100 for me next Sunday. It’s the third event off my calendar so I’m hoping to put in a decent time. After that it’s recovery week. Long overdue too.

Week 38

Another great week of training in the bag. This week I focused mainly on cycling with the Wicklow 100 at the weekend. Monday was a full on gym session but Tuesday was time for a bit of torture on the bike. 60k around the lakes. It wasn’t that bad of a cycle, only caught in three rain showers and a headwind the whole journey lol.

Wednesday and Thursday were spent in the gym smashing core, cardio and strength training as well as swim drills. Friday I got a light spin into the legs as I couldn’t get to the gym.

Saturday was a forced rest day. My hamstring flared up and it was cramping all day long. So my Saturday was spent in pain on the foam roller.

Sunday was race day. The weather was perfect. I set off on the cycle about half six. The first 50k were tough but manageable. The climbs weren’t too bad. After a quick cup of tea and a sandwich at the rest stop I set off on the second 50k. There were a lot more climbs, many of which had me out of the saddle. The last 15k were dog rough for me. Racing the last four weeks had taken it’s toll. Overall though it was a great event and the few ice cold beers after it hit the spot.

This week is recovery week thankfully. After training and racing for the last year it’s a welcome rest. A little holiday away with the kids and a break away with the wife should recharge my batteries. Next week my marathon plan starts so I’ll need to milk this week.

Recovery Week and Week 39

Recovery week went great. We got some cracking weather and the kids had a brilliant time and that’s all that really matters.

I was off work on Monday after my recovery week so I dragged myself out of bed at six o’clock for a run. I won’t lie, it hurt. After a week of drinking and eating that first kilometre was the toughest I’ve had in a while. It took about 5k to get back into my stride and I pushed on to do 11k. This was the first week of my marathon plan and I had 24k planned to run for the week so there was no room for excuses.

Training went well for the rest of the week although I was rusty during distance swim training after being out of the water two weeks.

Sunday was the Father’s Day 5k race. The race went better than expected for me. I felt strong throughout and kept a steady pace which landed me a PB and 4th place in the race. I was delighted. It was also my dad’s first ever race and he managed to get around the track in under 30 minutes.

This week my marathon plan has me up to 30k which will be finished with the Funlavin 10k on Sunday. I ran it last year with a toothache so hopefully I’ll enjoy it more this time. Weather permitting I’ll attempt to get in some open water swimming on Saturday so I’m fully booked for the week.

Barcelona for my Ironman might be switched to Mallorca. Barcelona is turning into a nightmare to organise so I’ve booked a hotel in Mallorca and when tickets go on sale for it then we can push ahead with organising the rest of the “holiday”.

Week 40

It’s been one of the tougher weeks of training. Monday and Tuesday went well and Wednesday’s distance swim was tough but I still managed a sub 40 over 1.9k. Thursday was a disaster. For whatever reason I couldn’t sleep and only managed one hour. Training was dog rough that day and the 5k I had left to run on my marathon plan felt like 10k. Needless to say I slept like a baby that night. Friday was light training followed by a rest day yesterday. It wasn’t planned but it was badly needed.

This morning was the Funlavin 10k. It was a tough race with hills up until the 7.5k mark. The course wasn’t easy on my hamstrings. Thankfully I knocked two minutes off my time on the track. Nowhere near my PB over the distance but that couldn’t be helped. When we arrived at the race the kids decided they wanted to run the 5k race. It was their longest run to date and they were shattered but still managed to cross the line smiling. I think the promise of cake at the finish line helped, I know it helped me.

I’m heading in to week 3 of my marathon plan. I’ve ran 56k over the last two weeks and my body is feeling good. I’ve 15k to run this week before next Saturday’s half marathon. I’ll have definitely earned a generous slice of cheese cake after it.

Week 41

Another week in the tank. I won’t lie it was tough. On Monday I was still hurting from from the the 10k the previous day. I decided an hour of a spinning which sorted me out. On Wednesday the weather was too good to be stuck in the gym so I got a spin in on the bike. I wanted to test the new Aero bars too so I took advantage.

Thursday went as usual and Friday was a taper day ahead of today’s half marathon.

The race went well but it was a tough course. 4k of the race was on sand and it killed me. It was very energy sapping. The weather was brilliant too so I was tempted to swim the last 2k to the finish line. Overall I finished in 1:46. No PB but I had thought I’d finish in around that time after I saw the course.

The next few weeks will be spent training and focusing on swimming. The next event will be the Great Dublin Swim (750m) and the week after that a 2k charity swim in the sea. It’ll be a good test to see how far I’ve come and how far I’ve to go.

Ironman Mallorca opens on Wednesday afternoon so hopefully after training I’ll be able to sign up then.

As for tonight, I’m indulging in a few ice cold lagers to celebrate completing the 4th race off my calendar. Only 2 more to go until the Dublin City Marathon. If I survive that then I’ll be treating myself to a keg of Guinness.

Week 42

Well this happened this week…

No going back now, all signed up for Ironman Mallorca in May.

Training went well this week. After skipping swimming last week to get myself prepared for the half marathon I was preparing for a hard slog in the pool this week. Surprisingly enough though I smashed my PB over 1.9k. I don’t know where it came from and I’m not expecting it to happen for a long while again but I’ll take it.

Yesterday morning I dragged myself out of bed at silly o’clock and got a run in. It was tough going with heavy legs but I still knocked out just over 15k. Four weeks into the marathon plan and I’ve covered 125k. Thankfully my legs haven’t given up on me yet.

Yesterday afternoon we went to the beach so I thought I’d kill two birds with one stone and get some open water swimming done, sadly it didn’t work out though.

After walking out 1k the water wasn’t even up to my knee. Last time I use that beach.

Another long week ahead of training which ends with the Great Dublin Swim. It’s taking part in the river Liffey and I’m looking forward to having my first swim in it. I must remember not to drink any of the water though, I don’t want to wake up Sunday morning growing a third arm.

Week 43

It was a dog rough week of training. After last week’s long distance run my ankles were bleeding due to me picking up the wrong pair of socks that morning. I eased up on the marathon plan a bit and just knocked out 20k over the week. Hopefully this week they’ll have healed and I can get back into the marathon plan.

On Wednesday I mixed things up a bit and done a sprint triathlon in the gym. It was tough going but I managed to get it done in one hour ten minutes. It was nice for a change but it’ll be back to distance swim training this week.

Yesterday was the Great Dublin Swim. It was a great event. The water was warm which is always a plus. I was in the front three for the first half of the race and at the turn around I was feeling good and kicked on. It was neck and neck up until the last 100m between me and another swimmer but he kicked on and there was no catching him. It left me to take second place, my first podium finish. I was delighted. The hard work is starting to pay off.

This week as well as kicking the marathon plan back into gear I’ll be focusing mainly on swimming. Next week’s charity swim will give me a clear indication as to where I really am with my swimming and how much more work is needed.

Today was my rest day and as with all rest days hydration is the main key. I made sure I looked after it.

Week 44

Last week’s professional photographs finally got posted on Friday. Thankfully I don’t look like I’m dying in any of them.

I’ve been chasing my medal for second place but it seems to be a lost cause.

Thankfully my marathon plan got back on track this week. I knocked out just over 34k this week. It’s great to be back at it and hopefully I can stick at it now up until the marathon without any more issues. Yesterday I wrapped up this week’s running with a 10k run. It felt good and I was happy to put in a decent enough time for a training run.

From Wednesday on I geared my training towards the charity swim today. Wednesday’s distance swim went ok. my arms were like dead weights. I still managed to knock out a sub 40 over 1.9k so if I can manage that over a bad day it’s progress.

Sadly due to weather conditions the swim was cancelled. That’s the good old Irish weather for you. Better safe than sorry I suppose. Hopefully when it’s rearranged I’m free to do it.

Over the last few weeks myself and my wife have been raising money to get the ball rolling on my fundraising by selling tickets for a raffle. We made over €400 for Make a Wish. A huge thanks goes out to my wife who was brilliant in selling tickets and making up the hampers for prizes. She’s a legend. If you’d like to help me raise a few more quid just follow the link above.

Next up is the Rock and Roll half marathon in the city centre next weekend. Hopefully I can put in a better shift than on the Clontarf half two weeks ago. I’m also signed up for the fun run after it with my kids, hopefully they’ve enough strength to carry me around the course.

Week 45

This week’s training went like a dream. Everything seemed to click. Monday and Tuesday went well and on Wednesday’s long distance swim I knocked out a PB of 37:02 over 1.9k. I was delighted but now the focus is on getting a sub 37 minute swim.

This week was also the Rock n Roll half marathon. The race went well for me. I felt great throughout the 21k and knocked two minutes off my last half marathon time. The course was tough but manageable and at every mile there was a band playing. It was a great day out and I’ll definitely be back to do it next year. The kids loved their fun run too. They got great medals and a lot of treats at the finish line.

My legs were a bit stiff this morning and my head was fuzzy from the few beers last night so a recovery cycle was needed. Being a bank holiday I decided to ditch the gym and spend some time on the bike instead. With the marathon plan windows for cycling are few and far between so I’ve to take my chances when I can.

My next race is in three weeks time ( The Dublin City Triathlon ) so I’ll be throwing myself into training until then. The marathon plan is ticking along nicely too. I’m going into the final week of month two and I’ve covered 220k. It can be a slog at time but it has to be done if I want to cross the finish line of the marathon without the help of an ambulance.

Ironman rolls into Dublin this weekend with the race itself starting on Sunday. I’m hoping to drag myself out of bed first thing and cycle out to catch the swim start. I’ve not witnessed a mass swim start of that scale so it will be an eye opener to what I’ve to expect in Ironman Mallorca.

Week 46

Training was rough this week. It might have been a hangover from the half marathon but more than likely it was down to me not taking a rest day. Wednesday’s distance swim training eased a few aches and pains. It wasn’t about getting a PB over 1.9k it was just about getting it done. I knocked out 2.5k, the last 300m were the toughest I’ve had in the pool in a long while.

Thursday and Friday went well. Two full sessions. Yesterday I was up at first light to get a run in. I had planned a 16k route but I cut it short by 3k. My calves were cramping up on me and I wasn’t enjoying it all.  Running the day before I’ve planned a long distance run wasn’t the brightest idea either. In fairness I’ve trained like a bit of a monkey this week.

This morning I had planned to cycle out to the Ironman swim start. Sadly though I forced myself into a rest day. A 60k round trip on the bike would have just set me up for another week of struggling throughout training.

Next Saturday I’ve planned my longest run to date. 26k should be enough to wipe the floor with me. With only 11 weeks until the marathon it’s time to up the distance on runs.

As for my rest day today it just happens to fall on Liverpool’s first match on the season. With hydration being important to me I’ll be going to my local pub to see if they can help me out with it. The few beers might soften the blow if Liverpool lose too.

Week 47

Another solid week of training in the tank. Thankfully last Sunday’s rest day was just what the body needed. After two days of full training I was expecting Wednesday’s distance swim training to be another tough experience. Surprisingly I smashed my PB by nearly two minutes. I managed to swim 1.9k in 35:22. If I can get near that time next May in Mallorca or better I’ll be flying going into the cycle.

Thursday and Friday went well and the marathon plan was kept on track too. After training on Friday I came home to a nice surprise. It was my second place medal from the Great Dublin Swim. I was delighted, hopefully next year I’ll be taking first place and the trophy.

This morning I got a long run in. It felt good up until 15k when I ran off a kerb which was two foot high. I wasn’t expecting it and neither was my knee. It gave me a slight bit of pain for the next ten minutes so I cut the run short at 19k. Better to be safe than sorry. The last thing I need this side of the marathon is to be out injured for a few weeks.

Next up is the Dublin City Triathlon next weekend. To say I’m excited would be an understatement. It’s been a while since my last triathlon and this is the second last race on my race calendar so I’m hoping to put in a decent shift. It’ll be a welcome break from the marathon plan too.

Tomorrow is a rest day so my wife has twisted my arm into a cheat meal followed by some ice cold beer. So if I’ve a hangover tomorrow she will be held responsible.

Have a good weekend 😉

Week 48

Another week in the tank. Every training session was smashed. Distance swim training was a tough one though. 400m in I knew it was going to be a hard session. Thankfully I managed to still get it under sub 40.

Yesterday I brought my bike out for a short cycle just to make sure everything was ok ahead of today’s triathlon. It was tough not to just put the head down and stay out on the bike for four hours.

Today was the Dublin City Triathlon. First thing this morning as I was lifting my bike into the car I pulled something in my back. It wasn’t an ideal start to my morning but after a few pain killers and a few coats of deep heat I decided to still race.

The weather was awful but it didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits. The swim went great. The water was lovely and warm and even with my back acting up I put in a decent shift. It was the biggest swim start I’ve been in and I loved every moment of it. The cycle went as well as it could. Conditions were poor so everyone had to take it easy. The run was a nightmare sadly. As soon as I got off the bike my back flared up again. The run was torture but nothing was going to stop me completing it.

The sight of my wife and daughters throughout the race got me through it. The main thing you need on a journey like this is a good team behind you with strong support and thankfully I have both.

Tonight’s plan is pain killers and more deep heat. Hopefully my back will ease up and I can get back training by Tuesday.

Week 49 and 50

Week 48 turned out to be the worst week to date. I woke up on the Monday morning in agony with my back. It was that bad I even missed work. The next day I hobbled back to work looking like a stunt double for Frankenstein.  Needless to say training was put on the back foot. It was annoying but there was nothing I could do.  On the Friday I was feeling ok so I chanced a light training session. An hour spinning followed by swim drills and luckily enough I wasn’t in too much pain. I woke the next with a slightly stiff back so training was shelved again. A country walk with the kids kept me sane.

On Monday thankfully I was back to full fitness so training kicked back into gear. It felt great to be back at it. Wednesday’s distance swim training was dog rough. Even missing one week of it sets you back a bit. Thankfully I’m still hitting under 40 minutes over 1.9k. This morning I got a long distance run into the tank. At times it hurt but my back didn’t give me any trouble and that was the main thing.

Today’s run brought me up to 43k on the week which has me chuffed after missing a week of training. Today was also Libby’s first day on her new bike. Despite a couple of slips after five minutes she nailed it. We were all really proud of her.

Next up for me is the Great Dublin Bike Ride. It would be a sin to pass this up. It’s the first time it’s been held here so it’ll be a welcome break from the pain of the marathon plan.

As for the rest of the weekend I’ll be sipping cups of tea. Being off the beer is a bit of a pain but I’ve decided that taking a bath in lager after the marathon will sort me out.

Week 51

A tough week in the bag. The marathon plan was cut back a bit this week with only 30k ran. A couple of sprint interval sessions were smashed though as I’ve been neglecting them the past few weeks. Wednesday’s distance swim training went great. I’m finally getting back to full fitness ( from the back injury ) and I was back to posting decent times in the pool.

The rest of the week went great and Saturday was a rest day to celebrate our daughter’s third birthday.

Today was the Great Dublin Bike Ride. Thankfully we got the weather and the event was well organised. Even though it was a sportive I couldn’t help but smash the route. It showed that I hadn’t been out cycling in while when it came to the climbs. They hurt and cost me a few minutes but I still managed to finish in the top 20. I was delighted, I was expecting to finish in between two hours to two and a half hours with the amount of people out cycling it. Thankfully I managed to cycle around every group and put in a time of 1:46 over 62k.

And yes they are base layers, I wussed out lol.

The marathon plan is back in full swing this week with the Dublin City Half Marathon on Saturday. Looking forward to it. The marathon is now only six weeks away. I feel ready for it. I’m nearly a year on this journey of Marathon Man to Ironman and I’ve loved every minute of it. If someone told me three years ago that I’d be fit enough to run a marathon in a few years I’d have laughed in their face and finished off my pint. It just goes to show though once you get your head in the right place anything is possible.

Week 52

It was a tough week of training. Racing last Sunday meant there was no recovery day after it so I was straight back into training on Monday. I trained straight up until Thursday and decided to take a taper day on Friday. I wanted to be rested up for yesterday’s half marathon. Wednesday’s distance swim did suffer because of racing on Sunday but not too much.

Yesterday’s Dublin Half Marathon went great for me. I positioned myself in behind the sub 1:40 pacers. I knew if I kept their balloons in my sights I’d post a decent time. I haven’t been happy with my last two half marathon times and it’s been niggling at me. Mainly because I was neglecting my speed work.

The support on the race was one of the best I’ve experienced and when I saw my wife and girls at the 15k point it gave me a boost. I did manage to keep up with the pacers up until the last 2k. The race ended with a steep climb and it was tough on the legs after running 19k. I didn’t drop too much time though and managed to finish with a time of 1:41. I was delighted, I knocked five minutes off my last half marathon time. Things seem to be clicking for me ahead of the marathon. I’ve just got to use my head over the next few week and not pick up a silly injury.

The ban on beer was lifted for one night to celebrate and to help with hydration.

Back into full training this week. On Saturday I’m hoping to get my longest run to date in the bag. Only five weeks out now from the marathon. My dad has now also decided take part too. His knee isn’t the best but he’s been smashing the training and is determined to finish it. I hope the local pub is well stocked up that night.

Just a little reminder that I’m putting myself through all this pain for Make A Wish Ireland. If you could donate anything please follow the link below, thanks.

http://www.mycharity.ie/event/marathonmantoirinman

Week 53

It was a tough week of training. On Monday a head cold ruled out any training but thankfully I fought off the man flu and got back into the swing of things on Tuesday. The rest of the week went great and there were no issues. On Thursday I managed to pick up a turbo trainer that was on special. Now when the kids are tucked up in bed I can get a session done.

I’ve been loosely following a marathon plan the last few months. I didn’t fully commit to it though as it would mean my swimming suffering a bit. The plan had 20 miles on the cards this weekend. My longest run to date.

I was up and out of the house at half five to get it smashed. The route I planned was tough. Ten miles downhill then ten miles uphill. I managed to get it done in 3:03. Way too fast for a training run I know. Up until 18 miles I was feeling ok but on the 19th I was struggling a bit. I had ran out of fluids and gels so it was starting to hurt. I switched to running on grass for the last mile to ease the pains in my legs. Thankfully I didn’t hit the wall and I felt that with another water/sports drink stop and a gel or two I had enough left in the tank to run six more miles.

This weeks training will be as normal up until Friday. Friday will just be a swim drill session as I want to get another long run in at a much slower pace on Saturday morning. I’ve just got to remember to not run like a dog chasing a car.

A Year in the Making

So it’s been just over a year since I decided to take on this Marathon Man to Ironman challenge. It’s been a great year with more highs than lows. The main high would be finishing second in the Great Dublin Swim when I was having doubts about my swimming. The hardest part of the training has been the marathon training as it’s fairly monotonous. It is hard on the body too but it has to be done. A lot of people think there is something wrong with me ( there probably is ) wanting to skip nights out drinking for early mornings training but at the end of the day it’ll be worth it. The one thing that gets me through most of it is the support from my wife and kids. They’ve been to nearly all my races and are always the loudest supporters out of everyone there. With just under four weeks until the Dublin Marathon I know I can count on them to drag me over the line.

Week 54

This week was my toughest week on this journey. Last weekend’s 20 mile run took it’s toll on the body and I didn’t start feeling right until Thursday’s training session. I still managed to smash every session though and I even managed to get a couple of double sessions into the tank whilst my wife was in work.

This weekend I was advised to take in my long distance run a lot more slowly. I dragged my aching body out of the bed first thing yesterday morning convincing myself going slower would make the 20 miles a lot easier. I couldn’t have been more wrong. My route was two 12k laps of my local park with the last lap just over 8k. The first lap went well, slow but well. The second lap was dog rough. My legs were stiffening up, blisters were taking over and my hamstrings were seizing up every now and again. With a couple of gels and a gallon of water I managed to hobble around the last lap.

Thankfully that’s it for the long runs until the Dublin marathon. It’s taper time but instead of being annoyed by it I’m going to embrace it as my body is beat up after running just under 60 miles in the last two weeks.

Rest day today ( or tea/biscuit/football day as I like to call it ) and then back into training tomorrow. I only have 15k to run the week and the a 22k run on Saturday morning.

Next Sunday I’m also off to see and meet the legend that is Gerry Duffy. He is a legend in endurance training and events so hopefully I can get a few tips on surviving my upcoming events.

Week 55

This week was a long hard slog. Last weekend’s advised slow run done me no favours. Every training session felt like a chore after it. I was hurting all week. The foam roller was my best and worst friend for the week. I enlisted my wife to work on my calves one of the nights and I think she secretly enjoyed putting me through the pain. It wasn’t until Thursday that I felt good about training and the aches and pains had left. You have to take the bad days as well as the bad days and be just thankful that you get to train everyday.

With tapering for the Dublin marathon I shelved distance swim training for a few weeks. Instead I’m concentrating on swim drills instead. It’s the only other part of my training I can’t afford to miss. One week out of the pool and I feel like I’ve been out of the pool a month. As soon as the marathon is over I plan on a slight change to training that will involve a good bit more swimming.

Yesterday I got my last long run done. When I say long it was only 18k. It felt great and I kept to a pace I was comfortable with. No aches or pains to report thankfully. It feels great to be finally wrapped up with the long runs until the big day. The hard part is done now, only 26.2 miles left to wrap up the first part of my challenge.

This morning I got to see Gerry Duffy and Barry Murray give talks on goal setting and nutrition. Thankfully I’m already following most of what they were talking about but I still left with a lot more tips than I expected. Well worth looking them up if you can.

The next few weeks weight training will be taken out of the routine, only cardio and stretching. I’ve signed up for an indoor triathlon next weekend in my gym. Nothing too intense though, only a sprint distance. The only dilemma I have is whether or not to go Full Metal Jacket and turn up in my wetsuit, tri suit and with  my own bike with turbo. I might get one or two odd looks but it might get me a lane to myself. Nobody wants to swim with the odd ball haha 😉

( I’m only joking about the wetsuit and bike just so you know )

( Or maybe it really is a good idea 🙂 )

Week 56

Tapering for the big day wasn’t that tough for me. I reduced my weight training load but apart from that everything was as usual. The main difference in training was a lot more stretching. The one thing training for a marathon has thought me is that warming up and warming down are very important.

Yesterday was my indoor triathlon in my gym. It was great morning and a great set up. The swim and cycle went well for me but I did ease off on the run. I’m too close to the marathon to risk an injury. There are no times or pictures up yet but I’ll post them up as soon as they publish them.

So the results are in. I finished in 4th place. I knew the swim went well and it turns out I was the fastest on the day in the water. T1 to T2 cost me a bit of time and taking the run easier because of this week’s marathon also cost me but it couldn’t be helped. I’d rather be safe than sorry going into the first part of my challenge.

This morning I hit the road early to test out the new Garmin watch. Conditions were perfect and I knocked out a steady paced 9k. A few negative splits made my morning.

This week training will be reduced significantly. The big day is next Monday so hopefully the next time I update this blog I will have completed the first part of my challenge.

Also this week I managed to get my fat head into my local newspaper to try and drum up a bit of support to the challenge I’m doing for Make A Wish Ireland.

I was delighted with the piece and one of the comments on the newspaper’s Facebook page hit home and gave me a bit more motivation to complete the challenge.

“Best of luck Stephen. Such a wonderful charity. We ourselves have been the recipients of a wish and you wouldn’t believe the boost and smile it puts on a child’s face. My daughter Saoirse, will never forget her experience.”

If you can spare anything to help me help Make A Wish please follow the link below, thanks.

http://www.mycharity.ie/event/marathonmantoirinman

Marathon Man To Ironman

Marathon

What an experience. I’ve ran races up and down the country and not one of them comes close to the Dublin marathon. The atmosphere was electric from start to finish. The spectators really out done themselves. They say the Dublin marathon is the friendliest marathon and I can’t argue with that.

The race didn’t go exactly to plan for me though. I started off well and I was going strong until mile 20 when suddenly I got a sharp pain in my left knee. It hurt like hell but I didn’t let it get me down. Instead I got my head down and focused on finishing the race. Progress was slow but if I stopped it would have killed me to start again. I had to run 1k and walk after it for a minute to ease the pain in my knee for the next few miles. When I turned back into town and to all the spectators I managed to put the pain out of my mind and dig in to run the last two miles. The crowds certainly dragged me to that finish line. I finished 25 minutes off my target time.

It was one of the hardest races I’ve done but it was worth it and a few well earned beers last night eased the pain in my legs. The memories of that race will live with me forever.

So that’s part one on my challenge done and dusted and I’ve raised a tidy little sum along the way for Make A Wish.

Running will be knocked on the head for a week or two to let my legs heal up. Training will be mainly focused on swimming and cycling until then. I need to work on my speed work on the bike over the next few months too.

Today is a well earned rest day and it’ll be spent eating junk food but tomorrow the training for Ironman will start. No rest for the wicked 😉

Week 58

It wasn’t an easy week. The DOMS were still hurting on Wednesday morning but thankfully swim training that day helped to ease them a bit. Wednesday my finisher pics came through too.

They cost a fair few quid but I bit the bullet and bought them.

My knee was still giving me slight pain during the week so I’ve decided that running will be knocked on the head until next weekend. I’m hoping to run the Movember run in three weeks so hopefully I’ll be healed up by then. One of the main perks of being a triathlete is training around an injury. That’s what I’ve done this week and my knee is feeling a lot better already.

Yesterday morning I got my first proper cycle done in months. It felt great to be back in the saddle. I got 50k into the tank and at times it did feel tough but I loved every minute of it.

Next Saturday, weather permitting I’m hoping to hit double the distance. Ironman training is back in full swing 😉

This morning despite have a sore head ( rehydrating with beer last night ) and being wrecked my daughter demanded that we go on a cycle together. It was our first cycle as a pair and it went great. If she keeps progressing at the rate she is we might look into entering her into a duathlon for kids next year.

I also managed to get my fat head into the local paper again. The Tallaght Echo have been very helpful in promoting my blog and helping me raise funds for Make A Wish.

Week 59

What a week it has been. Full training was back in full swing and after a week of full tapering and a week recovery it left me in pain. Weight training is what hurt the most. My muscles didn’t know what was going on but I worked through it and by Thursday my body was used to it again. I wasn’t expecting a decent time from Wednesday’s distance swim training. My chest and arms were aching so I settled on just covering the distance. Even though the swim felt slow and I was taking a breather for a couple of seconds every couple lengths I still managed to hit a sub 40. I was delighted and it brightened up a pretty poor week. I guess the drills are paying off.

I resisted running until Thursday. I attempted a slow 5k and I managed it without any pain. I wouldn’t be the biggest fan of running but when you can’t run it feels like you’ve not got a full training session done.

This morning because of a change to plans I mixed up training with a brick session. I wanted to test out my knee and make sure it held up. Thankfully it did and after a very slow and very wet 7k I am delighted to say there were no issues. When I got in I peeled off my gear and got changed for the turbo. There’s nothing like a cycle around Spain from the comfort of your kitchen 😉

Next week is the Movember run. I settled for the 5k option instead of the 10k. I’m not risking my knee at race pace for 10k. The big issue ahead of the race is what to wear. Last year I settled for the fake moustache and sun glasses so I’ll have to find something.

This week I added up the money I’ve raised for Make A Wish so far and thankfully I’ve raised over €900. A huge thanks to everyone who has helped me get to this point and to those who follow the blog. I think I’ll treat myself to some ice cold Spanish lager to celebrate.

Thanks again.

Week 60

Well it was an eventful week. Car troubles meant that training was mixed up. Thankfully I managed to train everyday and our front room was turned into a pain cave most nights.

Yesterday was the Movember 5k run. Weather conditions were poor but my girls braved the conditions to come out to see me. I was a bit nervous about how my knee would hold out but I’m happy to report it felt great. I managed to finish in 21:10 and I felt like I could have pushed it more but for once I used my head and kept at pace I was comfortable with. Another thing that slowed me down was my costume. I couldn’t see anything further than three feet and on corners I had to slow down in case I slipped on leaves but it was worth it. I finished 20th out of over 500, not bad for two weeks after a marathon.

This week I’m off work so I’ll be throwing myself into a few double sessions. Weather permitting a bit of hill climbing on the bike could be on the cards.

Next year’s race calendar is starting to take shape too and sadly I’ve decided to skip the Dublin marathon. With Ironman Mallorca in May being my main race of the year the rest of the year will be spent working to another Marathon Man to Ironman challenge with the marathon being early in 2017 in Barcelona and then back to Mallorca later that year for the Ironman.

Week 61

Well I packed in as much training as I could last week. Being off work I pencilled in three double sessions over the course of the week. Monday was a 6 o’clock run followed by a trip to the gym that afternoon.

The day after I was hurting during training but I survived and was back into another double session on Wednesday. Storm Barney was in full swing during my run but I loved it. That afternoon I was on the turbo for an hour using the Mallorca bike route for the Ironman to keep me sane.

Thursday I ditched the turbo and got myself out on the bike. It was bitter cold but it was well worth it. I only cycled 40k as I had to be somewhere that afternoon. Thankfully the rain held off.

Friday was back into another double session. Swimming that morning the in the afternoon another full session in the gym. It hurt like hell and I was close to the edge at the end of training that ended with threshold spinning on the bike. It wasn’t a pretty sight 😉

I took the rest of the weekend off after that. I was drained and decided to chill out to recharge the batteries. It was badly needed. The beers helped me forget all about aches and pains.

This week training will be back to normal without the torture of double sessions and hopefully I can get down to my local Parkrun next weekend.

Week 62

I’ll be honest, I loved last week’s training. Everything seemed to click and on Thursday I eased myself back into sprint intervals for the first time since the marathon and my knee felt great throughout. I got back into swim training this week too and I knocked out a 2.2k swim. It wasn’t pretty but it was smashed. No PB but at the end of the day I was happy just to get through it. Towards the end it felt like I was swimming through porridge.

Yesterday I dragged myself to the local parkrun. The conditions were brutal but I got myself up to an 8th place finish. I love a parkrun and the volunteers deserve a massive pat on the back for braving awful weather. Anyway I loved every minute of it but I need to work a bit on my intervals to get my overall speed back to where I want it to be.

When I got home ( after food and car shopping ) I managed to get a second session on the turbo. With the heating on full blast it felt like I was in Mallorca, even with the gale force winds and rain bouncing off the door 😉

Today’s rest day was spent chilling out with friends and a couple of ice cold beers. I’m making the most of it now because as soon as January comes around I’ll be back to living like a monk in preparation for Ironman Mallorca.

Training will be as normal this week but ending up with the Santa Dash 5k with my daughter. She is really pushing to become a triathlete and keeps surprising us with the goals she’s setting herself. There’s a slim chance I could end up back in my local Parkrun next weekend too. That sub 20 won’t sort itself out.

Week 63

Tough week in the tank. Monday was a normal session in the gym but Tuesday was a brick session at home. It wasn’t ideal but it had to be done.

Wednesday I was back in the pool for distance swim training. It felt slow and it was dog rough but somehow I managed to put in a decent time thankfully.

Thursday and Friday were as normal but Saturday I was restricted to the turbo because of Storm Desmond. A Guns N Roses playlist got me through it.

Today was the Santa Dash with my daughter. It was a tough course with the whole lot on sand. Libby found it tough but she managed to complete the lot. I think it was the promise of a McDonalds after the race that got her through.

This week training will be as normal ending up with the Aware 10k next week. I done it last year and it was a great day out. We are also going to see Santa with the kids next weekend so I think I’ll ask him is there any chance he can make me faster for Christmas 😉

Week 64

Last week couldn’t have worked out better for me. Monday and Tuesday were normal sessions but on Wednesday I mixed it up and braved the brutal weather for a 1ok run to test out my knee. Despite being nearly knocked off my feet twice from the wind and being soaked by the rain I managed to get through it ok.

Thursday and Friday were normal sessions with swim drills thrown in for good measure. Saturday was the Aware 10k. It was my last race of the year and I was hoping to put in a decent shift. I wasn’t expecting to get a PB but if I managed to finish within two minutes of it I’d have been happy. The weather was awful as you can see below.

When the race started I was already soaked to the skin but it didn’t get me down, I was determined to run a good race. At the 5k point I was still feeling good and I was hitting negative splits on my time over each kilometre. With the finish line in sight I pushed it a little and I managed to cross the line with a time of 44:58. I was delighted, it’s the first time I’ve finished a 10k race under 45 minutes. I was full of smiles crossing the finish line, it’s great to wrap up the year with a PB.

Training will be tweaked slightly this week to set me up for my first race of 2016. It’s a Duathlon and I’m hoping to put in a decent time on it to set me up for a good start to the year.

I’ve also been busy sorting out another raffle for Make A Wish over the last few weeks and the money has been coming in steadily. I’m hoping to do the raffle this weekend and local companies have been unreal with their generosity donating prizes. If you’d like to help me raise funds for them please follow the link below, thanks.

http://www.mycharity.ie/event/marathonmantoirinman

Week 65

It was a decent week of training. Monday and Tuesday went as normal and Wednesday was a 2.5k swim drill set. It was tough but it’ll be worth it come May.

On Friday I mixed it up and got an indoor duathlon done to see how the legs would fare after the cycle. Thankfully there was no jelly legs and I smashed the run. Saturday morning the weather was against me so a 90 minute turbo session was knocked out instead. A Guns N Roses playlist and the Ironman Mallorca cycling video got me through it.

With racing over for the year over I done a stock take of my medals from races over the year. It’s not a bad haul but the main that I worked the hardest for was the Dublin marathon on. I’ve got some great memories from that race.

Yesterday we done our second raffle to boost the funds for Make A Wish. So far we’ve managed to raise over €1100. To start with I was hoping to hit 1000 but to be over that mark this early on is great.

With it being Christmas week training will be cut back ( just a bit ) so I can enjoy a few festive drinks. I’d like to thank everyone who’s followed the blog and to those who’ve helped me raise the money.

Happy Christmas everyone.

Week 66

Last week was short and sweet. Monday and Tuesday were as normal but on Wednesday I mixed it up and took advantage on the gym being empty and smashed an indoor duathlon. It felt great and there was no sign of jelly legs.

On Thursday my gym was closed early so I brought my running kit into work and got a 10k run done when I finished. It’s the first time I’ve done it and it felt great. I’ll definitely be doing it again.

Christmas morning I dragged myself to the Goal Mile run. The weather was brutal and I had a bit of trouble convincing my four year old to stay stay at home. It turned out a computer game and sweets is all it takes. The race felt great and I managed to do it five seconds quicker than last year. I’m putting it down to my new trainers.

The rest of the weekend was spent relaxing with friends and family before the real work kicks in this week. I’ve decided to loosely follow a training plan for my Ironman and with it only being 19 weeks away I’ll need that bit of guidance.

2015 has been a good year for me racing wise. There were far more highs than lows. My top highlights were the second place finish on the Great Dublin Swim, finally hitting a sub 45 on a 10k race and finishing the Dublin Marathon. Hopefully 2016 will be as kind to me.

Happy New Year to you and yours.

Week 67

This week was the first week of my training plan for the Ironman in May. It kicked off with a brick session on Monday morning. It was a tough session and the cycle wasn’t as quick as I had hoped ( which I’m obviously blaming on headwinds 😉 ) but I got it knocked out.

The next two days were focused on swim drills. My swimming is coming along great at the moment thankfully. New Years Eve my gym was closed early again so I decided to run home from work again. It was bitter cold out and I’m sure I saw a few people looking at me thinking to themselves what’s that plonker doing ?

New Years day was spent recovering from training and the amount of ale that was sank the night before but Saturday morning had another 2k of swim drills pencilled in.  This morning I got out on the bike. The rain and the wind were bashing against my window but I dragged myself outside as I didn’t fancy a turbo session.  It was a brutal session which was wrapped up in 90 minutes. I’ve not been that wet since my last triathlon 😉

This week is another full week of training with a lot more swimming on the cards. I think my wife is getting fed up with the constant smell of chlorine off me 🙂

On Friday I picked out my race calendar for the year. I was undecided about wrapping up the year with the Dublin Marathon again but it was that much of a thrill doing it that I stuck it on the list.

All I need now is to find someone to pay my race entries now 😉

Week 68

I’m shocking myself this week getting my blog updated this early. I’m usually half asleep on a Sunday night before I remember to do it ;). This week was dog rough. I moved my rest day last week to New Years Day ( Friday ) which meant I had to train eight days in a row before my next rest day.

Monday was my long day, a 2k swim drill set, a 7k run and a strength, core and stretching session. I was dead after it. The next day wasn’t pretty but I smashed a brick session which involved threshold training and sprint intervals.

The next three days were spent in the gym working on distance swim training and cardio. Thankfully my gym wasn’t over run with the usual January rush. They probably walked in and saw me in agony during threshold training on a spin bike and thought I’ll find another gym 😉

This morning was my eighth day of training in a row. I won’t lie, it’s the first time in a long while that I had to drag myself out of the bed. I decided on a turbo session and a couple of episodes of a show I downloaded to pass the time. I had my fill of rain last weekend and being drained I didn’t fancy risking the flu cycling in the rain again.

Rest day tomorrow is badly needed. Tonight there are a few beers on the cards with the lads. It will be my last night out with the lads until after the Ironman. So I can be excused if I get a as drunk as a skunk 😉

Week 69

This week was brutal. Motivation was at an all time low on Tuesday and Wednesday and the training was painfully slow. I agreed to go into work early on Monday morning and it gave my body clock a bad jolt. By Thursday I was back to normal and back in the pool.

It was the first time I’ve attempted 3k and it felt good. I had been threatening to do it for a while and it was great to get it done under an hour. On Friday I tried my first Les Mills spin class. It was 45 minutes of chest burning cardio and it felt great. A swim drill session after it hurt like hell though. It felt like swimming through porridge.

This weekend was my last weekend on the beer until the Ironman. Myself and the wife went away for the weekend and I’m happy to report I drank enough beer to keep me going until May 😉

Training will be as normal this week and I’ve also signed to my first race of the year. It’s a five mile race and I’m hoping to put in a decent shift to kick start my year which means a few sprint interval sessions to get my lazy arse a bit quicker 😉

Week 70

This week was a mixed bag. Monday’s training was just a 10k training run. We had to sort out passports for the girls for Mallorca and it turned out to be a major hassle. The run was torrid. My stomach wasn’t the best throughout and when I got in I crashed out for the night.

The rest of the week went without any hiccups which was a surprise as everyone in our house was struck with the flu bug. They were like extras from the Walking Dead and so far I’ve managed to avoid the bug.

Yesterday my plan was to do some speed work on my cycling. I had a 70k route picked out and got myself to bed early Friday night to set me up for it.  It appears the cycling gods didn’t want me cycling yesterday. Before I left I went to put air in one of the tyres and the valve blew up on me. Then 40k into the cycle another puncture struck. This time a piece of steel lodged in my rear tyre ripping a hole in it and ending my day out.

My speed before the puncture wasn’t too bad and I was just a little off where I want to be. Managed to get two decent pictures before the nightmare began;)

I made my way over to the Phoenix Park to wait for my lift and whilst there I decided to knock out a little 5k run session on the steps of Wellington Testimonial and the field around it. It was tough going but I loved it. I think it could become a regular thing.

Hopefully the flu bug keeps away this week as my first race of the year is next Sunday afternoon. It’s the Raheny 5 mile and I’m hoping to kick off the year with a bang.

This morning this nutter also signed up for her first Ironkids race the day before my Ironman. She promised to fit training in around sweets, computer games and cartoons 😉

Week 71

This week was a tough one. Monday and Tuesday were a breeze but for the rest of the week I was struggling. I’m not sure if it was a touch of the bug the kids had last week or I was just run down but it was rough. On Thursday when I got in from training Libby was standing at the door demanding we went training. A 2k run set her up for her first race of the year.

Saturday for once I listened to my body and took a rest day. It was badly needed and I thought it would help me post a decent time in today’s.

Race day was today and Libby’s race was before me. The race was for 5 to 7 year olds and with her being four I thought she might be a bit put out but she wasn’t. She held her own for the whole race and it was great to see her put in a sprint finish at the end.

For my race I was hoping to hit the 36 minute mark or below. It was a very fast race and my splits were consistent throughout. When I got 2k from home I noticed a PB was on the cards so I dug in and pushed it and surprisingly enough I managed a sub 35 with a time of 34.35. I was delighted, the sprint intervals and avoiding beer seem to be doing something for me 😉

Week 72

With racing last Sunday I’ve ended up training seven days in a row. It wasn’t ideal but needs must. Monday and Tuesday were rough with my legs still aching from the race. On Wednesday I set myself a goal of swimming the distance of a full Ironman swim 3.8k. I was fairly confident on completing it after hitting 3k a few weeks back. The first 3k went well and I managed to get it done two minutes quicker than my last effort. The last 800m were a different story. It felt as if I was swimming in porridge but I’m glad to report I managed it.

I also signed up for another indoor triathlon in my gym this week. The last one I did I managed the fastest swim but I only came 4th place due to dropping time on the bike. I’ve been doing a lot of speed work on the bike and I’ve managed to get my time down to within a minute of last year’s winner.

Yesterday I hit the road early for a run. My legs were shot from training and the 15k ended up feeling like 30k. I struggled with hills too for the first time in a long while just to add to the unpleasantness. It took about six cups of tea to get my core temperature back to normal.

Today’s rest day is very welcome. Feet up watching football for the day is the plan. Training will be as normal this week. With a half marathon on the cards in a few weeks I’ll probably get out next Saturday morning for another long run. Which leaves me free to spend Valentine’s day with my one true love.

My bike 😉

Week 73

What a week !

I upped my cardio training this week. Being twelve weeks away from the Ironman it’s time to relax on the strength training. On Wednesday I was short on time so I decided to get a quick swim done. It felt slow and my technique was poor for most of it but I still managed a decent time.

Thursday was a whopper cardio session. I’m sure I seen the cleaner in the gym follow me around with a mop and bucket. Friday I decided to work on my swim technique and knocked out 3k of swim drills. It was dog rough but it had to be done.

Yesterday was double session Saturday. Early on I got out for a 12k run and also managed to test out my new tri suit for Mallorca. It was freezing and raining but it was fairly enjoyable. Later that evening I jumped on the turbo for an hour and after nearly falling off it because one of my girls loosend one of the wheel clamps I managed to get an hour in the tank.

This week I’m off work and apart from the list of jobs my wife has planned for me I’m hoping to get four double sessions done. My swimming and running are bang on at the moment but I do need to work on my speed on the bike. I have a 90k plus route mapped out so hopefully next Saturday I can get it done. If I don’t get it done in the time I want I’m going to read up on the Ironman rules and see if there is any objection to sticking one of those little motors on my bike 😉

Week 74

For the first time since before the marathon I’ve hit double figures in my training for the week. It’s left me shattered but it was worth it. Monday morning I dragged myself out of bed early and knocked out a turbo session. I got an hour done before the kids barged in demanded breakfast. Later that afternoon another session in the gym was done after I finished the chores my wife left me 😉

Tuesday I got an early morning run done and despite being dressed like a burglar and the same police car passing me three times I managed to knock out a 12k run. Later that day I was back in the gym to iron out all my aches and pains.

On Wednesday I wasn’t feeling 100%. A head cold had come over me and distance swim training was on the cards.The swim itself felt awful. My breathing wasn’t great and traffic in the lane had me resigned to putting in a bad time. Thankfully somehow I managed to post a decent time and that was with an empty head who has completed two Ironman races crashing into me.

Thursday was a whopper of a day. Three sessions over the day wiped the floor with me. A turbo session in the morning with the heating and dryer on to get a sweat on set me up for the day. After that myself and the kids went swimming. Whilst they were playing away I knocked out 1k of swim drills and then jumped in with the kids to let them try and drown me. Our daughter Libby finally got the hang of swimming and managed to swim a few lengths of the pool with no help from us. We are very proud of our future Ironkid 😉

Friday was another heavy day of training. Another Les Mills spin class in between sessions finished me. They are a great session. This morning I had planned a long cycle. Due to mechanical issues and a lot of swearing at my bike I decided on a run instead. Legs were heavy throughout but it felt good.

Back to work this week and training towards a half marathon next weekend. I’m looking forward to it and hoping the race goes off without any injuries.

Just a reminder why I’m doing this…

All of this pain and training I’m putting myself through is all in aid of The Make a Wish Foundation. Their mission is to grant the wishes of children aged 3 to 17 years who have life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.

A wish granted is true magic for the child, providing respite from their normal routines of hospitals, doctors and treatment. Since inception in 1992 we have granted over 1,800 wishes in Ireland. We believe a wish can have a lasting impact on a child’s life. A wish involves the whole family and can create moments of joy – and memories that last a life-time.

If you could spare anything and help me raise funds for them the please follow the link below, thanks 😉

http://www.mycharity.ie/event/marathonmantoirinman

Week 75

Another tough week in the tank. On Monday I treated myself to an indoor triathlon. It was a cracking little workout and I was two minutes faster than my last attempt at it. A couple of more minutes will need to be knocked off before the proper indoor triathlon in two weeks.

Training for the rest of the week went off well. On Friday I had a light session though because of the half marathon yesterday.

The run itself went great for me. The plan was to take it easy and try to knock out a time of 1:45. I started off at a steady pace and felt good after the first 10k. It was a hilly course but I dug in and pushed on. I got talking to another runner on the course ( mainly about how bad Liverpool are 😉 ) and we managed to keep a decent pace together. I crossed the line in a time of 1:40. I was delighted, it’s the quickest I’ve ran a half marathon in over a year. I should complain about Liverpool more on races 🙂

Training will be as normal this week but on Saturday it’s time to get back in the saddle and put the hours in on the bike. Bit of luck my bad luck on the bike is behind me.

Week 76

Tough week in the tank but I got through it. Training was as usual but with a nice surprise on Wednesday. For the first time in months I managed to hit a sub 36 time over 1.9k in my distance swimming.

Thursday and Friday went off well and yesterday I got out on my bike. It was freezing out but I managed some speed work done and a few climbs too. By the end my feet were frozen and my fingers took a while to start working again 😉

This week will end with an indoor triathlon in my gym. I’m looking forward to it and hopefully hitting a PB over the distance. I’ve also signed up for another half marathon this month out in Howth. It’s a run with two monster climbs but thankfully there is ice cream at the finish line.

This week the starter list for Ironman Mallorca was released. I’ll admit there are a few nerves but for the next nine weeks I’ll be living like a monk and keeping focused on training.

Week 77

Last week was fairly enjoyable. Training was full tank until Thursday but on Friday I eased off a bit. With the triathlon yesterday I wanted to be 100% going into it.

The race went well for me. If I’m right I was the second quickest on the swim with a time of 12:25. I think the fastest swimmer was just over the ten minute mark. He had to of been part fish 😉 The cycle went well with me hitting a PB over the distance on a spin bike and my run was strong. I managed to get myself a 2nd place finish and I’m delighted with it. The hard work seems to be paying off.

Having adopted the life of a monk I celebrated with a couple of custard creams and a cuppa instead of a beer, needs must 😉 Hopefully during the week they will have posted a few pics of the day.

This morning my legs were aching so I dragged myself out of bed first thing for a short slow run. I won’t lie it was awful. I hurt from my head to my toes but after a few kilometres everything clicked into gear.

This week will have a big brick session on the cards. With only being 8 weeks away from Ironman it’s time to see how the legs fare out on a run after a long cycle.  The kids are also racing this weekend and Libby will be using it as training for her Ironkids race 😉

Week 78

Back up into double figures training wise this week and it felt good. Saint Patrick’s Day  on Thursday was used to get some climbing done on the bike. I headed out early and went up towards Sally Gap in the Wicklow mountains. It was tough but nothing I couldn’t handle. It was bitter cold though and I could have done without the brain freeze 😉

Friday was a light session but yesterday I  back out in the saddle for a three hour spin. I hit 76k and it felt good. With the race being under 7 weeks away it’s good to be confident going into all of the disciplines.

This morning was the Down Syndrome Ireland run with my girls. It was a great day out and Libby smashed it and managed to be the first girl over the line. We are very proud of her and it’s looking like the Ironkids will be no bother to her.

 

This week training will end with my last half marathon before the Ironman. It’s a course that is full of hills so any thoughts of PBs have left me. The race does finish beside a shop that sells the best ice cream in Dublin so that’s my main focus for the race 😉

Week 79

A decent week in the tank. Monday and Tuesday were focused mainly on core/strength/cardio sessions with a few sprint intervals thrown in too.

Wednesday I was back in the pool for some much needed drill sessions. It was dog rough and I earned my peanut butter that day.

Friday was a write off for me sadly. I woke up with my body aching and a head cold. I decided a rest day was needed if I was going to be able to compete in the half marathon.

Race day and I was near to 100% again. The conditions were brutal. The race itself was very tough. The hills seemed never ending. The course was two 10.5k laps of Howth. The first lap hurt but I kept a bit in the tank for the second lap. I crossed the line with a time of 1:47. Way off a PB but it couldn’t be helped. I was just delighted to get it done. It’s up there with one of the toughest races I’ve done.

No racing this weekend coming so I’ve pencilled in a big brick session to get the legs ready for Mallorca. It won’t be pretty but it needs to be done 😉

Week 80

This week was a tough one. It wasn’t until Wednesday that my legs started to feel normal again. I have to say last weekend’s race was the toughest I’ve done since the marathon. It was a great event though and if you have a chance to run with the East of Ireland crowd I’d advise you to take it.

Thankfully my body felt a bit more normal on Wednesday and my swim drill session went like a dream. If only every session went that easy 😉

Friday’s session was a disaster. Drills went great in the pool but everything else after that took every ounce of energy I had. Yesterday I had pencilled in a brick session. The cycle part hurt. The screw on my derailleur had been tightened too much during it’s service and I was stuck in middle gears. I couldn’t get the speed up I wanted going downhill and uphill wasn’t too much fun either. The run was short and sweet. I mainly wanted to see how the legs were and luckily enough there was no sign of the dreaded jelly legs 😉

Rest day today but tomorrow training will be back to normal and this weekend coming I’ll be running in my last race before the Ironman. It’s the Great Ireland Run 10k. A PB would be nice. My daughter Libby will also be running the 1.6k race. Our house will be full of bling next weekend 😉

Anyway back to my rest day and I’m going to take a few tips from our Bulldog Roxy 😉

 

Week 81

This week went well. I was in the pool three days this week smashing drill sessions. The more drills in the tank the better. I also started using kettle bells this week too to mix up the training. They are brutal and left me near crippled. Cardio training went well too with threshold training on the spin bike and sprint intervals. Yesterday was my rest day but when I woke up my legs were killing me. So I decided to kill two birds with one stone and jumped on my bike to knock out a turbo session and fix the gears on my bike.

Today was the Great Ireland Run. First up was Libby’s race. It was a 1.6k run and it was her second race of the year. She managed to run the lot without stopping and put it in a better time than she did last year. She was over the moon at the finish line and is ready to smash her Ironkids in a few weeks 😉

The 10k for was up for me next. The course was fast for the first 5k and a tough hilly 5k for the way home. My game plan was to get the first 5k done as quick as I could and then attack those hills  on the way home. Thankfully I managed to stick to that plan and I crossed the line with an official time of 44:08. I was delighted as it was my last race this side of the Ironman and it felt good to hit a PB.

Sadly not everyone in our family was happy to be out supporting us though. Poor old Roxy was fed up waiting around for us 😉

This week training will be as normal.On Saturday I’m hoping to get a long ride in on the bike just to make sure there are no more issues with the bike.

Only three weeks until we are off to Mallorca now. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous but I’m fairly confident I’ve put enough work in to get me across that finish line.

Week 82

A solid week in the tank. During the week I wanted to focus on my swimming. I wanted to push myself and see how I would get on over 1.9k in the pool at race pace. After 500m my arms felt heavy making the rest of the swim feel slow. I was resigned to just chalking the session off as another training swim. The last 200m I started to kick a bit more than I usually do. A friend told me it helps the blood flow back into your lower body quicker and it helps you exit the water better into T1. Well it must have done the trick because I managed to hit a PB 😉

If I can get near this time in Mallorca I’ll be delighted. It will mean I can spend half an hour getting lost in T1 😉

Friday I had pencilled in a mixture of sessions but I took advantage of an empty pool and knocked out over 3k of drills. It was tough but it felt great 🙂

Being the empty head I am I have been training for the cycle part of the Ironman thinking the cut off time was 3 and a half hours. It wasn’t until I checked it during the week I found out it was actually 5 and a half hours. At least I should have enough in the tank to put in a decent time now.

Yesterday’s cycle was an easy paced spin. This side of the Ironman I’ll be keeping my legs fresh. I need to be more aware on the roads though as I nearly crashed on a descent and ended my Ironman journey before it started.

This week training will be as normal again. I’ll be out next weekend running. Nothing fast paced but I’m hoping to hit a proper distance. Being the empty head I am though I’ll probably fall into a ditch injuring myself 😉

Week 83

Training went well this week. I tapered it back a little if I’m being honest. Going into the marathon part of this challenge I was mainly focused on smashing training sessions thinking it would see me right on the big day. It didn’t really help me on the day as I was drained so for that part of the challenge and I want to be going in all guns blazing.

My distance swim went well during the week. I knocked out 2k in 38mins. I’m not out to chase PBs, just to get through the sessions. Every other day was a mixture of threshold training, sprint intervals and strength training with a good few stretching sessions thrown in too.

Yesterday after a long morning chasing the kids around a play zone for two hours I managed to get an LSR done in the Phoenix Park. It’s easily my favourite place to run. I kept the pace in between 5:05 and 5:45 and it felt great. I knocked out just over 15k and at the end I felt as if I could go again.

Today was my rest day and I spent the morning servicing and cleaning my bike. It was an awful job, who knew a bike could have so much hidden dirt. Thankfully after a lot of cursing and two packets of baby wipes she is back looking like she belongs in a showroom.

This week training will be a slight bit more relaxed and will be mainly focused around swimming and stretching. I’m going to relax on the weight training for the next few weeks as I don’t want any stress on my shoulders. I want to be as fresh as possible going into the swim in two weeks.

We’ve a lot of organising to do this week and the kids are bouncing off the walls with the thoughts of their first holiday. I think the most stressful part will be packing the bike into the bike box. I might record it and post the clip into You’ve Been Framed to make a few quid from my meltdown 😉

 

Week 84

The Final Countdown

Last week was a write off in terms of training. I was carrying a head cold all week so sessions were a sweaty laboured mess. I avoided the pool up until Friday when I knocked out 2.5k of drills. The first 400m were tough but after that everything clicked. Yesterday I still wasn’t a 100% so I got a 7.5k run in the tank with our dog Roxy. It was a steady pace mainly because she’s a lazy shit 😉

Yesterday was also D-day for the bike box. There was sweat, cursing, raised voices and I nearly came close to tears. I couldn’t get pedals or handle bars off and I was almost at the stage of setting it on fire 😉 After an hour though I got her into the box and it felt as if I’d completed the Ironman already.

We are all set to fly out to Mallorca tomorrow and our two youngest girls are bouncing at the thoughts of their first holiday. I’m not feeling nervous about the race as I’ve put the hard work in over the last two years so all that’s left is to enjoy the whole Ironman experience. Hopefully this time next week I’ll be sat in a bar wearing my Ironman medal 😉

This week also saw me reach my fundraising goal for Make A Wish of €1500 which can pay for a child who can’t travel abroad to go on holiday in Ireland with their family.  It’s a cracking charity and hopefully I’ll be fit enough next year to raise a few more quid for them.

Any way I’m out of here for two weeks, talk soon…

Ironman Mallorca

What an experience…

There were plenty of highs and lows throughout our trip away. Our first day I Mallorca was great. I got up first thing in the morning and got a beach run done. It was tough in the heat but thankfully I had arranged to meet the family on the beach with my wetsuit. I jumped straight in and it was unreal. The water was crystal clear and there was fish everywhere.

The following day I just knocked out another swim session in the sea. If I’m being honest I could have stayed in the water all day. That afternoon we went down to the Ironman start line to get to know the place. I was like a big child 😉

On Thursday I had pencilled in a long session on the bike to get to know the island. The night before I had put it together without any tears or screaming 😉 and got a little 20k spin done just to make sure there wasn’t any issues. Thursday morning I headed off and cycled towards the Ironman start just to soak up the atmosphere again. After 30k I was taking a corner and clipped a kerb. I thought nothing of it as it was the lightest of touches. A few more miles down the road my foot was twisting in the pedal. I jumped off and tried to see what the issue was but I hadn’t a clue. The Ironman bike doctor was 10k back from where I came from jumped back on and headed for him. 1k away from him ( the pedal much worse by now ) disaster struck and my pedal unclipped from my show and fell onto the road. I had to walk the rest of the way and when I got to him he sent me straight to his bike shop as it looked very bad. The lads in the shop didn’t fill me full of confidence either and were not sure they could fix it. They told me to come back that night. I was gutted. My race was over. All that training and it was about to go belly up.

That night I went back to the shop and the news was grim. The whole crank on the drive side had cracked along with the pedal. That was it, I was out. He asked me to leave it with him over night to see if he could locate a new crank set for me. I didn’t hold much hope for this as he told me that it would be asking a lot to find a set that fit my bike in 24 hours before I had to check my bike in. I left dejected that night and started to make plans to compete in Ironman Dublin instead.

Friday was D-Day. I arrived at the shop after the race briefing with all my transition bags expecting to be told that my race was over. The mechanic gave me the thumbs up when I got into the shop though and brought out my bike fully repaired. I’d have to cycle in cages instead of my regular pedals but I didn’t care, I was just delighted to be racing.

That night our two youngest girls competed in the Ironkids race. It was great to see them loving the whole experience and they even got to run to the official Ironman finish line 😉

Race Day

Swim

The weather changed for the worst on Saturday. Torrential rain had replaced the sun. It didn’t bother me though, I was buzzing. After a little warm up in the sea it was time to get into our pens for the swim start. I decided to jump into the 35-40 minutes wave. My time came, the gun fired and I was off. The water was very warm but rough. It didn’t bother me though, I dug in and kept going. About 800m in I noticed a lot of people giving up and being fished out. I hadn’t a clue why they were giving up but then it hit me. Right across the face in fact. I had been stung by a jellyfish and it hurt like hell. I stopped for a few seconds to get my bearings and pushed on despite the pain. I’d swim in most lakes or oceans and it takes a lot for a bit of panic to enter me. For the first time in my life though I did get a little nervous. 1k away from the shore and the waves were huge. I managed to put it out of my head though along with the horrible pain from the jellyfish sting and I managed to hit a PB of 33mins on the swim.

Bike

After a quick transition I was out on the bike. The weather was brutal, freezing cold and hard rain. I felt as if I was back in Dublin. The climbs were tough but manageable but the descents were tricky. There was a lot of crashes and DNFs along the route but I kept it together and managed to get the cycle done only 20mins over the time I wanted it done in. I wasn’t too upset about it as it couldn’t be helped with the bad weather.

Run

The run was rough. The weather didn’t let up and it was mentally tough to keep going. I suppose I didn’t get enough brick sessions under my belt before the race but what can you do. I met my family along the route twice and it gave me a much needed boost. The aid stations also helped me a lot, slices of oranges and cups of coke were taken on board every few kilometres. My last lap of the run was savoured. I kept it to a steady pace and soaked up the atmosphere as well as the rain. The finish line was a cracking experience. Dead on my legs, music blaring and people screaming. You can’t beat it. After collecting my medal I made my way to my family to share the moment with them.

It was a brilliant experience and thankfully my body wasn’t too beat up after it. That night I sank a few San Miguel to ease the pain of my jellyfish stings 😉

It took a lot of work to get me to the finish lines on the Dublin Marathon and Ironman Mallorca and I couldn’t have done it without my support team. They have put up with a lot of my training sessions and have been to the majority of my races.

As a self confessed medal whore I’m delighted with these two medals to my collection.

Make A Wish Ireland

It didn’t take too long for me to make my mind up on deciding on a charity for my Marathon Man to Ironman challenge. Make A Wish do a lot of great work with kids and I’m delighted to have hit my fundraising target for them. They have been very supportive along my journey an I’m looking forward to working with them again.

Thank you…

I’d like to wrap up by thanking everyone who has followed my blog. It has been a great way of keeping me on track throughout the whole challenge.

I’d also like to thank everyone who donated to my challenge and those of you who sent supportive messages along the way, it really means a lot ;).

What’s Next ???

In 2017 I will be doing another Marathon Man to Ironman challenge. This time though I’ll be looking for other people to take up the challenge with me.

The plan is to complete any marathon or Ironman
( 70.3 or full ) event in aid of Make A Wish Ireland.
You don’t have to do both you can just do one if you like but once you join up with us you’ll be part of the Marathon Man To Ironman challenge.
I myself will set up an online fundraising page so all of us can direct our friends and family to donate there.
Get in contact if you’re interested ;).