Training has been going so-so since Ironman Florida. I took 2 weeks recovery and started getting back into the swing of things slowly.
By mid- December I was actually getting into quite a good shape. Chris and I did our usual "Ballbuster" training session, named after the infamous duathlon race held typically in November. The course consists of an 8 mile run followed by a 24 mile bike time trial and finishes with another 8 mile run. Taking in the fearsome zig-zag climb 5 times the course features over 1500 meters of climbing and then descending and the last run is usually particularly strength-sapping. This time I felt good on both runs, and despite suffering a bit in the hands (or should I say legs) of Chris who is a much better cyclist I was happy with completing the whole course and within a reasonable time of 3h 30min.
Unfortunately due to work commitments things have not been going so well since. I've been spending a lot of time travelling on business and I found being away from a familiar surroundings not very conducive to training. I had a good 5 days of training when Alex and I went to Lanzarote during the Christmas break, covering about 400km cycling, 12km swimming and about 50km running. Since the return from Lanzarote, however, things have not been going so well with work commitments and travel again. While away my objective is to do "something" every day. It may be a yoga class, a short run, a gym session or sometimes even a longer run. It keeps the fitness at a reasonable level, but I don't count it as training.
Hopefully things will get better now as the weather is improving, days are getting longer and if I can only reduce the amount of travel the motivation and form is bound to return.
Chris and I are due to do another "Ballbuster" session on Sunday and this will give me a better idea of where I am fitness-wise, but I'm not looking forward to it - it will be painful. Pain is only temporary though and you can learn to accept it and deal with it. Hopefully I will on Sunday...
