It’s been a testing few months. Work has gone crazy, home life seems to have got a lot busier but they’re all excuses. Negative thoughts and blockers that I’ve let get in the way.

With the Paris Marathon approaching fast I’ve already had a few fights with the demons who’ve tried to convince me I haven’t trained enough, I’m not fast enough, not good enough. The truth is, I haven’t and I’m not.

The reality is I need to do it to prove a point to myself and others that we can always have excuses, it takes something a bit deeper to break that cycle. It’s so easy to listen to that voice that tells you to slow down, take a break, go home, eat crisps. If I can’t find the meaning inside me to do it, there’s no point in trying, but thankfully that’s the thought that gets me out and training. Showing myself (and my kids) that by digging deep you can achieve more than you think has to be the core goal here.

I’ve upped the volumes slightly this week and started swimming again and this weeks tips from the least fit triathlete in Hampshire are;

  1. Swim with the oldies – I heartily recommend a lunchtime session in the pool with the octogenarians. It’s like a mass start, having to sight to avoid the floating dentures and prosthetic limbs.
  2. Involve the family – I’ve started to get the kids into a few Pilates moves at night to push me to stretch and strengthen my core and specifically my back. I’ve also enlisted my 11 year old to call be a fat-ass every time I take a day off training. She has free reign to insult me and frankly I think she is enjoying it a little too much.
  3. Get some support – I’m dreading a long run with a football colleague on Saturday. He’s 6 years my junior and multiple Iron distance runner, so it could be brutal.I’m going for 13 miles at 10min/mile. Early start, running on fumes. Trailing an Ironman.
  4. Get some extra support – I’ve joined Team Macca after reading Chris McCormacks’ book. Having read the reviews I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it. Reviews mentioned arrogance and attitude, the truth is I loved it. I found the book engaging, but moreso the story was heart warming and inspiring in equal measure. Following up I found this group run by Chris and his team. The suprise being that was open, collabrative and most importantly doesn’t feel exclusive for pro’s was a revelation. Within days of signing up, people asking about my goals etc only reassured me that I’d made the right choice. The reality is it makes me want to deliver for my new team, rather than just because I fancied doing an Ironman. (You should note, it’s an awful landing page on the website, but once you sign up it’s solid. The Facebook group is active and plans/training videos are superb. It genuinely feels like you are a part of it).macca+X+logo
  5. Get some double extra support – I’ve ordered some compression calf things to hopefully ease my constantly tight calves post run. I’ll let you know how that goes.

 

Training wise, I’ve added another string to motivation. I’ve taken my average pace’s from my jaunts to date and it gives me a target;

calc

 

So let’s see how we go against that. I should be able to re-visit this over the course of the next few months, and see where I’m getting to!

One other note, just bought a holiday place by the sea, so plenty of sea swims over summer and if it’s free and someone wants it, hit me up in the comments and I’m sure we can do a deal!

If you want to try it, the calculator the source is here;

http://www.runningfreeonline.com/Tools/Triathlon_Race_Calculator

And finally, that’s Macca grinning like a loon. If he can smile like that whilst exercising, I can stop whining and ’embrace the suck’.