Tri London at the National Relays ! Read about it here. I’m the tall dude in the middle (no I’m not standing on my tip toes ;o))

Both Jo and I recently have commented on how we have ‘felt fit’ on the bike. It’s a funny thing to say when by all reasonable measures we’ve both been fit for years and years. However, with training like this you spend alot of time tired. You start so many runs, rides and swims with muscles aching and just convince yourself they’ll ease off and you’ll feel better later in the session. This normally happens. There are times though when right from the start you just feel great. It’s like you can push as hard as you like and you’ll still feel good. It’s great when it happens and it’s to be savoured. On the biking front this has been the case for both Jo and I. It’s also funny at the moment to feel like this since I have to almost force myself out on the bike but when out there I feel great. I’m currently doing pretty low weekly mileage (just under 300 miles) for me but am focussed on getting 3 formal sessions done each week. Anything extra is a bonus and so far all the ‘extras’ have  been knocked on the head. This morning we headed to Regents Park for the usual early morning reps. This time 6 x (6 min IM Pace / 4 mins easy) … I actually did this at IM Pace (ie about 23 mph) which translated to all out effort for me on my fixed. I felt great. I enjoyed the burn in my legs and trying to nail the last two minutes of each set and then collapsing over my bars as I finished. Jo missed the first rep so tagged on another at the end – I hopped on her wheel and did an all out sprint for the last 45 seconds… about 15 seconds into it I realised I’d gone too early and seriously hurt for the final 30. Great fun !

Tuesday I was out on the bike as well. I headed out to Box Hill and did a 2.5 hour run. Then breakie before my bike set: 4 x (20 min above IM, 10 min easy) then 2.5 hour IM. It was hard work but I completed it and ended up with a 100 mile ride. Ran for 36 minutes off the bike. I had to take Wednesday as rest again. Thinking I may just schedule that as a rest day from now on if I’m going to do such hard days on Tuesday.

I’m feeling fit swimming as well ! It’s great. On Wednesday evening we did a big 100s set. I was cruising and coming in on 1.18. The final two 100s I pushed and came in on 1.15 and 1.14. Then this morning I did a continuous swim – 5.1k in 1h20. Could really feel the water and if I wanted to squeeze more speed the strength was there.

The one thing where I haven’t been feeling fit has been running. I’ve been pushing out the mileage and doing numerous 2h or so runs and felt it would come at some point. Well this morning I felt fit. As I started my long run I felt great, my legs felt strong and I could feel the muscles tense on each foot strike. After about 30 minutes I tired slightly and started to worry about my target of a 3h run but from there on I felt no more tired, in fact I started to feel better later and pushed the pace from 2h to about 2h50. As I finished just over 3 hours of running I felt I could just run forever.

Currently feeling very positive (as u can probably tell) – I am fit I have no doubt now  I just need to not be carrying any surplus poundage come race day to ensure I make the most of this fitness.