Continuing the graph theme. Here’s the latest addition to the training diary. Just plotting week on week mileage / hours together with a 4 weekly rolling average trend line.

Currently trying to shed some of the pounds I’ve put on since New Zealand and trying to get back into a routine. It’s made me realise that a lot of the time I mix two things up – fitness and weight. Ideally you are fit and light but being light isn’t the only indication of being fit. May seem obvious but I’ve been thinking of myself as unfit as I am so much above my race weight but whenever I go out and train I feel great. Certainly I’m feeling strong on the bike and my mileage is getting back up there (over 450 miles this past week), running mileage is low (less than 40 miles last week) but when I’m out there I’m running strong and relaxed. This is despite the extra pounds.

I reckon many endurance athletes at some point must get some sort of ‘food issue’. Initially you get into it and you think it’s great you can eat what you want. At some point, you start to realise that if you were careful about what you eat you will go better. This can become obsessive. Over the past 2-3 years I have read so much about nutrition. Must have read upwards of 30 books, browsed god knows how much stuff on the internet, started a home study course etc… I now know what I should be doing and when I execute on this I feel great. But I still lapse and even though I can see from how I feel and from looking at my training diary that such lapses make me feel down and rob me of my enthusiasm.

In the run up to New Zealand I managed to be much more relaxed about my diet. It became a lot easier and my weight gently dropped in the run up though never really got that close to what I’ve raced at before. Since New Zealand I’ve had long periods of very bad diet. I’m now trying to get back to that pre New Zealand feeling. Hopefully this separation of weight and fitness in my mind will help towards a more balanced approach.

As for getting back into a routine… I feel I’m getting there. This week I’ve hit all my swim sessions and I’ve also got back into the gym for the first time in over a year. Really enjoyed the two gym sessions I’ve done and reckon weekly sessions will stick. On Monday I start my 60 runs of 60 minutes in 60 days challenge ! 30 in 30 got me back in to the swing of running before Christmas. This with luck will get me in shape for Ironman Germany. It will be interesting – the 30 in 30 had a run of 40 minutes counting. This meant my standard off the bike run and running straight to or from Janes counted. 60 minutes will mean extending all these runs and will provide quite a challenge. Getting ahead of myself (ie two or more runs in a day) will be more difficult. Having said that Monday should see 3 runs done ! 60 minutes before swimming, 60 minutes to run over to Janes and then 60 minutes coming home. If I report nailing that right upfront it’s a sure sign my motivation is right back where it should be !