So its been a while since i posted, Ive had ups and downs on the training front - mainly food has been going down and weight has been going up which isn't really the desired outcome i had wished for but it is what it is and so this weekend will see my last race before tapering for the Outlaw. The event is the Dambuster triathlon, a standard distance affair - 1500m swim, 40k ish bike and a 10k run. Easy peasey, i hope. Again its a qualification event for ITU standard distance world champs, I'm not down to qualify as i would have no chance but its another measure of how much improvement i need to make to hit the grade.
The training I have done for the Outlaw has really opened up my outlook on what is achievable, 6 months ago i would have dreaded the thought of riding for 112 miles non stop on a saddle that could easily cut cheese, i couldn't even have swam 2.4 miles and running a marathon after both them would have had me doubting my sanity. Now i go out and do 100 mile bike rides without a problem, i swim the 3.8k almost weekly and could, if i had to, manage a marathon when i want to. I really believe that most people could do an iron distance race if they really, really, wanted to and put the training in and this has got me thinking to my next challenge. I don't want to wait until next year to do a Double iron distance, i want instant gratification, or as instant as is possible so have been toying with the idea of Ultra maras. It was something I did think about when i was doing the 10k's but thought it was a distant hope but all the cardio and endurance work i have done for the outlaw has shown how easily things can be gotten if the right approach is used. Theres an abundance of ultras after the outlaw to choose from and trying to keep a rational head is proving very hard - theres Grimsthorpe, with a choice of 40, 70 or the impossible ( for me at least ) 100 mile events, but they are just a few days after outlaw - will i be ready? theres Lakelands 50, which gets great reviews and gives me a 4 weeks recovery, Ladybower 50, which looks OK and is months away or even further away the ripon 35. decisions decisions.
This last few months has seen my training focus on stamina, next year i hope to be focusing on speed while still undertaking long distance events, throughout the autumn and winter I am going to join the Masters swimming classes to hopefully improve technique, i have just started to ride with the local bike club, and i suppose i better start running with runners. If everything pans out and I can muster something similar to the improvements i made this last year I may just be in with a chance at qualifying for an Age Group slot. Maybe.
