Steven Lords Website

It’s important stuff ! Still struggling to get the balance right in my training this year. Things went pearshaped more or less as soon as I posted my last entry. I got really sleepy and had a doze. To be expected as I’d only had about 5 hours sleep that night. I should have done the sensible thing and just got into bed for a couple of hours but was hoping to pack in some training in the afternoon.

Anyway, long story short etc… I ended up eating a tonne of crap all afternoon, watched a DVD and got to bed early. The latter two were great but going out and eating crap was not a sensible thing.

I ended up sleeping from 8pm till 7am. This meant I missed my run this morning. It means I’ve missed planned runs for two days now and since Sunday had no run planned I’ve gone 3 days without running. I did get out on my bike thought today and headed down to Surrey. I did 101 miles in a little over 6.5 hours. I was cycling very strong and it’s clear I’m getting fitter. The next thing to get on top off is my diet.

I’m about to do a 75 minute turbo. So despite yesterdays lapse I’ve still managed a pretty decent weekends training.

This is turning into a proper days training.

Wide awake and keen to get out at 5.30am. Hit the road early for a 2 hour run. Bumped into Tilly and ran with her for 20 minutes and discussed her marathon preparations.

Back home for a lovely omelette breakfast with a cup of coffee and breakfast TV then out on the fixed by just after 9am. It was a beautiful day and pretty soon I’d decided to make the most of the weather and not dash back for a swim and the gym. Instead I did a 6.5 hour ride. The first 4 hours were into the wind and was very hard work. Coming back with the wind was nice and fast but by then my legs were aching an awful lot and being on the fixed meant I couldn’t free wheel with the wind. I rode continuously for 5.5 hours before stopping at the Costa in Epping for a coffee and muffin before cycling back into town.

Only thing left for the day is a 75 minute turbo with Jo in about an hour. That should be enough to get me sleeping soundly.

Yesterdays ride really took it out of me. I was wide awake this morning at about 3.30am and was thinking how great it was that I was well rested and would be well up for 6am swim session. By 5.30am I just felt so tired again that I decided sleep was much more important that going swimming.

I had a nice leisurely breakfast before taking my Merckx in for a service. That bike has been through so many miles in the past year in alsorts of weathers that it is desperate need of an overhaul. Getting a new compact crankset on it, near front wheel built up and a general service. can’t wait to get it back. The bike shop has asked if I’ll write a piece about my Moots MTB for their website. As usual I managed to spend a good 30 minutes in the shop shooting the breeze and looking at bikes. Pity I have my fixed as they showed me a lovely Independent Fabrication fixed frame – I’m sure I’d look great on it. Made me think that perhaps next year I will finally get to buy my dream road bike !

Straight from the shop I did a 1h40 run to Battersea park to meet my sister and nephew. The weather was ok initially but by the time I got to the park it was dreadful. I did a lap before seeing Jane and just jumping in the car and back to hers for lunch. I had hoped to swim and gym this afternoon but felt too tire and preferred to get rested up for tomorrows training. I bought 200 Triathlon magazine and relaxed in a coffee shop before coming back home and watching a DVD. Plan now is for a very early night. Tomorrow should be full on.

I am exhausted. Just completed my longest ride of the year and it was on my fixed so I pedalled every inch of the distance. Managed 117 miles in 7 hours 46 minutes. Headed out with the group from the Tri Club, then continued briefly with Jo to get a coffee in Epping. Then from 3 hours onwards on my own. It was a lovely day and I just headed out into Essex and explored till my ride time was at 5 hours, then headed for Great Dunmow and home. The farmers shop at White Roding came up trumps again with some cooked sausage – nicely accompanied with tomatoes and a cup of coffee. The last couple of hours were very very tough. Being on the fixed means there’s no let up, even the downhills take some work. Very pleased with the ride.

Friday morning I managed to get up for my long run. Did a 2 hour run and as expected was in a superb mood for the whole day having completed it.

Yesterday I headed out to Box Hill with Jo (she was doing the Box Hill fell race – she won!) – I cycled whilst she raced and then we cycled back together. I’d been hoping for about 8 hours of riding and 120 miles but the combination of Jo getting a puncture on the way out and me having a mechanical limited me to 105 miles in just under 7 hours. It does mean I’ve managed to maintain my two centuries per weekend.

Now my mechanical – scary stuff. Descending Leith Hill and my front brake sheers off. It’s still attached to the cable so not only am I descending at speed trying to bring myself to a stop with only my back brake but the front brake is bouncing off my front wheel. I cautiously cycled to Cycles Dauphin to get it repaired. I’ve gotta be honest – I was very lucky indeed.

Ghee whizz guvnor was it windy this morning. Totally up for cycling this morning round Regents Park. Blowing a gale and raining but not as bad as I’d prepared myself for. In fact, the wind made it more interesting as there were ultra fast sections where I was spinning out my fixed and ultra tough sections where it was like going up a 15% hill. Only managed 11 laps before heading back for the usual greasy spoon breakie.

Didn’t feel I’d had enough of the wind so headed out for a 9 miler with Stephen from work. It’s the strongest winds I’ve felt in London virtually blowing us off our feet at times. Brutal coming back into the wind. As we came through Hackney we here a smash of glass and we duck. Looking up, some guy on the 5th floor had opened his window and it had been blown out of his hands and smashed againts the wall.

Word had been going round on egroups and chat channels that perhaps best to avoid training in this weather – by this point I was sitting pretty (and feeling slight smug) with two sessions under my belt. Feels like a significant step forward in my preparations as I feel that old drive to get out and train again. That drive will be put to the test tomorrow with a scheduled long run in the morning and easy run at lunchtime.

Not sure that the phrase but I’m chuffed with myself. My ankle was niggling over the weekend so I decide to not run monday and tuesday. This morning I ran and it was aok. Skipped my planned lunchtime run today so as not to overwork it. But it feels I’ve done the right thing and managed to nip it in the bud.

Decided to switch this week and next week so that this is now a recovery week and next week will get back into build mode.

Yesterday I cycled down to Surrey for a bike fitting for my new TT machine. All went well and I sploshed the dosh – ie the deposit is paid and come mid march I will (with luck) have my ride for the season. The weather wasn’t nice yesterday but still managed a 71 mile ride around the bike fitting and then did a 80 minute turbo in the evening.

Only a swim left to do today.

First proper weekend of Ironman training this weekend. Both days followed the same format – run,  breakfast, ride. On Saturday I did 8.5 miles and then headed down to Surrey – got a 103 mile ride done in 6.45. Sunday I did a 5 mile run, then some laps of Regents park on the bike before meeting up for a club ride. It was a lovely day and the pace was alot better than I’d expected. Managed almost identical to Saturday in distance – 103m in 6.44 through the lovely lanes of Essex.

I’d noticed abit last week that I had a slight niggle in my right leg – about halfway between my ankle and my lower calf, on the inside. It hurt briefly at the start of my run yesterday but eased off completely but then last night it wasn’t that comfortable and ached alot. As  a result I’ve decided that today I will rest from running and cycling (shame really as I’m really motivated to train) and instead limit myself to swimming and gym work.

Already been for a swim this morning. 4100m session. Was leading the lane, not cause I was fastest but because the other guys are dossers ;o) Anyway, happy to do it as it makes for a better session. Hoping to get at least one more swim in today.

Slept for 10 hours last night and woke with a resting HR of 35. Weight is starting to come off and I am feeling good. Eating well is really having an impact. Still feel I need to be careful in the speed at which I increase the volume so this morning I slept rather than heading out on my planned long run. Am considering whether I need to rejig my plans and remove Friday morning long runs completely and do them on Monday instead. Fri long runs worked during last season so I will give it a few more weeks before deciding.

Felt really good on my lunchtime run. We pushed the pace in the first half and I felt totally comfortable.